Detection of bikunin mRNA in limited portions of rat brain.
Tissue distribution of bikunin mRNA, which encodes a Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor of the inter-alpha-inhibitor family (IalphaI), was studied in rats and mice by the reverse-transcripsion polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We found that the liver as well as other tissues, such as the kidney, testis and adrenal gland, expressed bikunin mRNA. Although signals of bikunin mRNA were faint in the whole brain of rats and mice, distinct signals were found in limited portions of rat brain, such as the hippocampus, cerebral cortex and pituitary, but undetectable in cerebellum, medulla oblongata, hypothalamus, striatum, midbrain and choroid plexus. In three distinct types of cells, such as neurons, astrocytes and meningeal cells, in primary cultures isolated from the cerebral cortex and meninges of 1-day-old newborn rats, only neurons positively expressed bikunin mRNA. These results suggest that, in addition to peripheral tissues, neurons in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex produce bikunin, suggesting a potential role of bikunin/IalphaI family in these brain regions.
Takano
M
M
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kobe Gakuin University, Japan.
Mori
Y
Y
Shiraki
H
H
Horie
M
M
Okamoto
H
H
Narahara
M
M
Miyake
M
M
Shikimi
T
T
D000818:Animals; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000235:genetics*; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000502:physiology; D014360:Trypsin Inhibitor, Kunitz Soybean
D006023:Glycoproteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C109148:SPINT2 protein, human; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors; D014360:Trypsin Inhibitor, Kunitz Soybean