Immunolocalization of cystinosin, the protein defective in cystinosis.
Cystinosis is an autosomal recessive disorder associated with excessive lysosomal cystine accumulation secondary to defective lysosomal cystine efflux. CTNS, the gene mutated in cystinosis, codes for the lysosomal membrane protein cystinosin. Antisera were raised in rabbits to a carboxy-terminal oligopeptide sequence from cystinosin. Antisera were screened by Western blotting and immunocytochemical analyses of transfected COS-7 cells expressing either human wild-type cystinosin, a wild-type cystinosin-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein, or a fusion protein of GFP and mutant human cystinosin with a carboxy-terminal deletion. In Western blots, bands corresponding to cystinosin or cystinosin-GFP were observed in transfected cells but no signal was detected in cells expressing the carboxy-terminal mutant; preimmune sera yielded negative results in all three cases. In transfected cells expressing wild-type cystinosin, immunoreactivity appeared in subcellular vesicles. In cells expressing the wild-type cystinosin-GFP fusion protein, immunoreactivity colocalized with GFP fluorescence. Previous studies demonstrated that GFP fluorescence from this construct colocalized with immunostaining for a known lysosomal membrane protein, i.e., lysosome-associated membrane protein 2. In immunohistochemical analyses, cystinosin localized to tubule epithelia in three normal human kidneys, with a pattern similar to that of lysosome-associated membrane protein 2; cystinosin immunoreactivity was absent in kidneys from patients with a CTNS deletion. For the first time, antisera have been raised that localize cystinosin in cells in vitro and in vivo.
Nephro-Urology Unit, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom. Shuman.haq@ukgateway.net
Mushfequr R
MR
Haq
Vasiliki
V
Kalatzis
Marie-Claire
MC
Gubler
Margaret M
MM
Town
Corinne
C
Antignac
William G
WG
Van't Hoff
Adrian S
AS
Woolf
D000328:Adult; D026921:Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019556:COS Cells; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003554:Cystinosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006023:Glycoproteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000378:metabolism; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged
D026921:Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral; C111445:CTNS protein, human; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins