title: Expression of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain, a pyrin N-terminal homology domain-containing protein, in normal human tissues.
abstract: Apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) is a pyrin N-terminal homology domain (PYD)- and caspase recruitment domain (CARD)-containing a proapoptotic molecule. This molecule has also been identified as a target of methylation-induced silencing (TMS)-1. We cloned the ASC cDNA by immunoscreening using an anti-ASC monoclonal antibody. In this study, we determined the binding site of the anti-ASC monoclonal antibody on ASC and analyzed the expression of ASC in normal human tissues. ASC expression was observed in anterior horn cells of the spinal cord, trophoblasts of the placental villi, tubule epithelium of the kidney, seminiferous tubules and Leydig cells of the testis, hepatocytes and interlobular bile ducts of the liver, squamous epithelial cells of the tonsil and skin, hair follicle, sebaceous and eccrine glands of the skin, and peripheral blood leukocytes. In the colon, ASC was detected in mature epithelial cells facing the luminal side rather than immature cells located deeper in the crypts. These observations indicate that high levels of ASC are abundantly expressed in epithelial cells and leukocytes, which are involved in host defense against external pathogens and in well-differentiated cells, the proliferation of which is regulated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Oncology and Angiology, Research Center on Aging and Adaptation, Shinshu, Japan.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Masumoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shiohara
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hidaka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katsuyama
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murase
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sagara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D017209:Apoptosis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D053468:CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D019556:COS Cells; D020169:Caspases / Q000737:chemistry*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000939:Epitopes; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009154:Mutation; D009928:Organ Specificity; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D000071198:Pyrin; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D053468:CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D000939:Epitopes; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; C000604192:MEFV protein, human; C402202:PYCARD protein, human; D011506:Proteins; D000071198:Pyrin; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D020169:Caspases