Expression of SMAD signal transduction molecules in the pancreas.
Members of the TGF-beta superfamily of cytokines have been implicated in pancreatic cancer, pancreatitis and in regulation and differentiation of pancreatic endocrine and exocrine cells. Different TGF-beta members signal through phosphorylation of different signal transduction proteins, which eventually form oligomers with SMAD 4 and translocate to the nucleus. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction showed that SMADs 1, 2 and 4 are expressed in pancreatic islets. Immunostaining revealed that SMAD 1 and 4 predominantly were expressed by islet insulin and glucagon cells. Since SMAD 1 is known to transduce signals from receptors binding bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) these results indicate a previously unknown role of BMP-like ligands in islet function.
Brorson
M
M
Division of Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Gronnegaardsvej 7, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
Hougaard
D M
DM
Nielsen
J H
JH
Tornehave
D
D
Larsson
L I
LI
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015870:Gene Expression; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010179:Pancreas / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051785:Smad Proteins; D051898:Smad1 Protein; D051899:Smad2 Protein; D051901:Smad4 Protein; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051785:Smad Proteins; D051898:Smad1 Protein; C497400:Smad1 protein, rat; D051899:Smad2 Protein; C497784:Smad2 protein, rat; D051901:Smad4 Protein; C490811:Smad4 protein, rat; D015534:Trans-Activators; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate