title: Sex-related differences in meprin-A, a membrane-bound mouse kidney proteinase.
abstract: To investigate the expression of meprin-A, a brush-border metalloproteinase in mouse tissues, immunohistochemical studies were conducted using a monoclonal antibody prepared against a purified form of kidney meprin-A form male mice. Kidney slices from female mice displayed markedly less immunoreactivity compared with similar preparations from male mice using this antibody. However, the specific activities of meprin-A in kidney homogenates and purified preparations of meprin-A from male and female mice were not significantly different. Western blots of kidney membrane proteins from several mouse strains indicated that the female form of meprin-A had a decreased mobility relative to the male form when subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; this difference could be eliminated by treatment of preparations with endoglycosidase F, which removes some asparagine-linked oligosaccharides. These data and lectin blots of membrane proteins indicate that there are differences in the glycosylation (specifically in the complex type oligosaccharides) of meprin-A in adult (8 wk old) male and female mice. Juvenile (3 wk old) male and female mice displayed similar amounts of immunohistochemical staining in kidney slices, as well as similar meprin-A electrophoretic mobilities and lectin affinities. Administration of 17 beta-estradiol to gonadectomized adult mice decreased the immunoreactivity of meprin-A in kidney slices and the electrophoretic mobility of meprin-A. These studies indicate that estrogens affect posttranslational modifications of meprin-A.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298.
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Stroupe
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gorbea
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bond
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D005260:Female; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008871:Microvilli / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009919:Orchiectomy; D010052:Ovariectomy; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013045:Species Specificity; D008625:Tiopronin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D008625:Tiopronin