title: Calcium administration stimulates the expression of calcium-binding protein regucalcin mRNA in rat liver.
abstract: The distribution and expression of mRNA encoding the Ca(2+)-binding protein regucalcin in rats were investigated by Northern blot analyses. Liver regucalcin cDNA (0.6 kb) was used as a probe. The analyses of total RNAs extracted from various tissues of rat indicated that regucalcin mRNA was mainly present in liver but only slightly in kidney with a size of 1.8 kb. The expression level decreased with increasing age (3, 10 and 25 weeks). A single intraperitoneal administration of calcium chloride (15 mg Ca/100 g body weight) induced a remarkable increase in regucalcin mRNA in liver; the level was about 200% of control at 30 min after the administration. Subsequently, the expression level began to decrease with time and was about 40% of control level at 120 min after the administration. The increase in regucalcin mRNA levels at 30 min after calcium administration was dose-dependent. These observations show that the expression of regucalcin mRNA is specific in liver of various tissues, and that it is regulated by Ca2+ administration. Regucalcin may have a role as regulatory protein for calcium homeostasis in liver cells.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Metabolism and Endocrinology, Graduate School of Nutritional Science, University of Shizuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shimokawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D015238:Sulfotransferases
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015238:Sulfotransferases; C028152:alcohol sulfotransferase; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; C513325:Rgn protein, rat; D002118:Calcium