title: The neuronal EGF-related genes NELL1 and NELL2 are expressed in hemopoietic cells and developmentally regulated in the B lineage.
abstract: NELL1 and NELL2 (neural epidermal growth factor-like 1 and 2) are recently described members of the epidermal growth factor gene family that have previously been shown to be expressed almost exclusively in brain tissue. Here we demonstrate regulated expression of NELL1 and NELL2 in human hematopoietic cells. Mature NELL1 mRNA is not detected in any normal hemopoietic cell type, although the gene is transcribed during a narrow window of pre-B cell development, and cell lines at the same developmental stage express the NELL1 mRNA. The related NELL2 gene is expressed by all nucleated peripheral blood cells examined (B, T, monocyte, and natural killer cells), but not in any of the bone marrow B lineage cells at earlier stages of development. However, leukemic cell lines corresponding to the same early differentiation stages express abundant NELL2 mRNA. These results suggest normal and possible oncogenic roles for the NELL proteins in hemopoietic cells.
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Microbiology, Division of Developmental and Clinical Immunology, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Luce
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Burrows
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D019070:Cell Lineage; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; C104144:NELL1 protein, human; C104145:NELL2 protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins