title: Expression of activation-induced cytidine deaminase decreases throughout the life.
abstract: Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is an RNA editing enzyme, which contributes to generation of new functional genes from a restricted number of genes of plant and animal genome. This enzyme was involved in the process of somatic mutation and class switching in vertebrate. Since the rate of somatic mutations is variable throughout ontogeny, we have studied the transcription of AID in 3 to 24 month-old Balb/c mice. Our results demonstrate a significant decrease of the transcription of the AID gene with aging. The decreased AID activity is not related to variation of phenotypic and functional properties of B cells throughout the life. This observation can explain the low rate of somatic mutation in aged animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, "Cantacuzino" National Institute for Microbiology and Immunology, Splaiul Independentei 103, Sector 5, Bucharest, Romania. dorel.radu@cantacuzino.ro
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Radu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kodera
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bona
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003564:Cytidine Deaminase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D000098830:AICDA (Activation-Induced Cytidine Deaminase)
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D000098830:AICDA (Activation-Induced Cytidine Deaminase); D003564:Cytidine Deaminase