title: Wnt-16a, a novel Wnt-16 isoform, which shows differential expression in adult human tissues.
abstract: The WNT genes encode a large family of secreted glycoprotein signalling molecules important from the earliest stages of development through to the adult. We have identified a novel isoform of the recently described WNT family member, Wnt16, following analysis of chromosome 7q31 genomic sequence. We find differential organisation of Wnt16 with the generation of two mRNA isoforms, Wnt16a and Wnt16b. These isoforms differ in the composition of their 5'-UTR and first exons and show evidence of differential expression. In normal human tissues, Wnt16a is expressed at significant levels only in the pancreas, whereas Wnt16b is expressed more ubiquitously with highest levels in adult kidney, placenta, brain, heart, and spleen. Wnt16 is one of a growing number of WNT genes showing evidence of distinct isoforms. We present evidence to suggest that these isoforms may be regulated from alternative promoters and discuss the potential functional differentiation afforded by these WNT isoforms. This may reveal subtle new mechanisms of regulation of WNT expression and function.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cutaneous Research, St. Bartholomew's and the Royal London Hospital School of Medicine and Dentistry, 2 Newark Street, London, E1 2AT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Fear
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Kelsell
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Spurr
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Barnes
mesh_terms: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics; D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D051153:Wnt Proteins
chemical_list: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D006023:Glycoproteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C417262:WNT16 protein, human; D051153:Wnt Proteins