A2-Pancortins (Pancortin-3 and -4) are the dominant pancortins during neocortical development.
We have identified a novel mouse gene named pancortin that is expressed dominantly in the mature cerebral cortex. This gene produces four different species of proteins, Pancortin-1-4, sharing a common region in the middle of their structure with two variations at the N-terminal (A1 or A2 part) and C-terminal (C1 or C2 part) sides, respectively. In the present study, we showed that expression of mRNAs for A2-Pancortins (Pancortin species that contain the A2 part, i.e., Pancortin-3 and -4) is more dominant than that of mRNAs for A1-Pancortins (Pancortin species that contain the A1 part, i.e., Pancortin-1 and -2) in the prenatal mouse cerebral neocortex. Using western blot analysis, we found that substantial amounts of both A2-Pancortins were present in the prenatal cerebral neocortex and P19 cells after inducing neuronal differentiation. A2-Pancortins were still present in the cerebral neocortex of the adult, although their mRNAs were hardly detected. In contrast, the amount of A1-Pancortins did not increase after the third postnatal week in spite of their intense gene expression. Furthermore, we showed that recombinant Pancortin-3, one of the A2-Pancortins, was a secreted protein, in contrast to Pancortin-1 (one of the A1-Pancortins). These results suggest that A2-Pancortins are extracellular proteins essential for neuronal differentiation and that their molecular behavior is distinct from that of A1-Pancortins.
Nagano
T
T
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Fukui Medical University, Matsuoka, Fukui, Japan.
Nakamura
A
A
Konno
D
D
Kurata
M
M
Yagi
H
H
Sato
M
M
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000032:analysis; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019556:COS Cells; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019579:Neocortex / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011817:Rabbits; D014162:Transfection
D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C081451:olfactomedin; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase