Paternal expression of WT1 in human fibroblasts and lymphocytes.
The Wilms' tumor suppressor gene ( WT1 ) was previously identified as being imprinted, with frequent maternal expression in human placentae and fetal brains. We examined the allele-specific expression of WT1 in cultured human fibroblasts from 15 individuals. Seven of 15 fibroblast lines were heterozygous for polymorphic alleles, and the expression patterns were variable, i.e., equal, unequal or monoallelic paternal expression in three, two and two cases, respectively. Exclusive paternal expression of WT1 was also shown in non-cultured peripheral lymphocytes from the latter two individuals. The allele-specific expression profiles of other imprinted genes, IGF2 and H19, on human chromosome 11 were constant and consistent with those in other tissues. Our unexpected observations of paternal or biallelic expression of WT1 in fibroblasts and lymphocytes, together with the previous findings of maternal or biallelic expression in placentae and brains, suggest that the allele-specific regulatory system of WT1 is unique and may be controlled by a putative tissue- and individual-specific modifier.
Mitsuya
K
K
Department of Molecular and Cell Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Nishimachi 86, Yonago, Tottori 683, Japan.
Sui
H
H
Meguro
M
M
Kugoh
H
H
Jinno
Y
Y
Niikawa
N
N
Oshimura
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002880:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11 / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018900:Dinucleotide Repeats; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D016162:Genes, Wilms Tumor; D018392:Genomic Imprinting; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D009928:Organ Specificity; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D025721:WT1 Proteins
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C094335:H19 long non-coding RNA; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; D014157:Transcription Factors; D025721:WT1 Proteins; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II