title: Utrophin mRNA expression in muscle is not restricted to the neuromuscular junction.
abstract: Utrophin is normally present exclusively in synaptic regions of skeletal muscle fibers, although it is expressed extrasynaptically in certain pathological situations, where it has been proposed to compensate for the absence of dystrophin in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients and mdx mice. Recently there have been conflicting reports regarding the preferential expression of utrophin mRNA at the neuromuscular junction. Using in situ hybridization with RNA probes, we show a clear accumulation of autoradiographic labeling at more than 90% of neuromuscular junctions (identified by histochemical demonstration of cholinesterase activity). The intensity of this labeling is proportional to the number of junctional myonuclei in the section. Some clusters of labeling were found associated with nonmuscle nuclei (e.g., blood vessels, nerves), where utrophin is present. In addition, labeling for utrophin mRNA was associated with about 25% of extrajunctional myonuclei, where the protein is not present. The mean labeling per nucleus at junctional myonuclei was at least 10 times greater than at extrajunctional myonuclei. We discuss the possible regulatory mechanisms involved in the heterogeneous expression of utrophin mRNA in skeletal muscle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, School of Neurosciences and Psychiatry, The Medical School, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vater
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lindsay
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Blake
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zuellig
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Slater
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D049411:Utrophin
chemical_list: D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D049411:Utrophin