The WFDC1 gene encoding ps20 localizes to 16q24, a region of LOH in multiple cancers.
We previously identified ps20 protein as a secreted growth inhibitor and purified the protein from fetal rat prostate urogenital sinus mesenchymal cell conditioned medium. The rat cDNA was subsequently cloned, and ps20 was found to contain a WAP-type four-disulfide core motif, indicating it may function as a protease inhibitor. We now report cloning and characterization of the mouse ps20 gene (designated Wfdc1), the human homolog cDNA, and the human gene (designated WFDC1). Both the mouse and human WFDC1 genes consist of seven exons and encode respective ps20 proteins sharing 79.1% identity and nearly identical WAP motifs in exon 2. The WFDC1 gene was mapped by FISH analysis to human Chromosome (Chr) 16q24, an area of frequent loss of heterozygosity (LOH) previously identified in multiple cancers including prostate, breast, hepatocellular, and Wilms' tumor. Identification and characterization of the WFDC1 gene may aid in better understanding the potential role of this gene and ps20 in prostate biology and carcinogenesis.
Larsen
M
M
Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
Ressler
S J
SJ
Gerdes
M J
MJ
Lu
B
B
Byron
M
M
Lawrence
J B
JB
Rowley
D R
DR
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002871:Chromosome Banding; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D002885:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 16 / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005091:Exons; D005796:Genes / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007438:Introns; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D011506:Proteins; C484310:WFDC1 protein, human; C484311:Wfdc1 protein, mouse; D004247:DNA