Identification and cloning of a new gene (2A3-2), homologous to human translational elongation factor, upregulated in a proliferating rat smooth muscle cell line and in carotid hyperplasia.
Smooth muscle cells (SMCs), before migration and proliferation in the intima of the vessel wall, change from a normal contractile to a pathological proliferating phenotype. The molecular regulatory mechanisms implicated in such phenotypic changes remain poorly understood. In this study, using differential display, we have isolated for the first time a new gene (2A3-2) that is overexpressed in a rapidly proliferating, but not synthetic, rat SMC line. This was further confirmed by northern blot performed on the 2 cell types. Moreover, balloon catheter injury of rat carotids showed, by a virtual northern technique, an upregulation of this new gene in hyperplasia vessels. This new gene (2A3-2, 1.2 kb) was present in skeletal muscle, heart, aorta, lung, liver, kidney, and spleen. In addition, 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5' RACE) allowed the cloning and sequencing of this 1.2-kb gene. Comparison of this newly identified gene sequence with data banks showed a strong homology to human and bovine mitochondrial translational elongation factor. The 2A3-2 gene, identified in this study, may play a vital role in the cascade of events implicated in switching SMC phenotype from a quiescent to a proliferate one.
INSERM Unit 331, Faculty of Medicine Laënnec, Lyon, France. zibara@laennec.univ-lyon.fr
K
K
Zibara
M C
MC
Bourdillon
E
E
Chignier
C
C
Covacho
J L
JL
McGregor
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D001483:Base Sequence; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D010445:Peptide Elongation Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D010445:Peptide Elongation Factors