Amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel subunits are expressed in human and mussel immunocytes.
In this study, we examined the expression of epithelial Na(+) channel (ENaC) subunits in human peripheral blood lymphocytes, human lymph nodes and molluscan immunocytes using non-radioactive in situ hybridization. The results showed that T lymphocytes express the ENaC gamma subunit mRNA, and B lymphocytes the ENaC beta subunit mRNA. Yet, the alpha subunit mRNA was not detected in either cell type. In molluscan immunocytes, all three homologous ENaC subunit mRNAs are present, and these data were also confirmed by RT-PCR and sequencing of the PCR products. These findings show evolutionary conservation of the expression of ENaC subunits in immunocytes of invertebrates to vertebrates. The observed differential expression patterns of ENaC subunits suggest that ENaC function may be regulated differentially in different types of human lymphocytes.
Ottaviani
Enzo
E
Department of Animal Biology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41100 Modena, Italy. ottaviani.enzo@unimo.it
Franchini
Antonella
A
Mandrioli
Mauro
M
Saxena
Anjana
A
Hanukoglu
Aaron
A
Hanukoglu
Israel
I
D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015222:Sodium Channels