title: Expression of the third complement component (C3) and carboxypeptidase N small subunit (CPN1) during mouse embryonic development.
abstract: Complement regulatory proteins prevent excessive complement system activation and deposition, which can lead to host tissue damage, including fetal loss during pregnancy. To further understand the regulation of complement during development, we examined the expression of the complement protein, C3, and the active subunit of carboxypeptidase N (CPN1), the complement anaphylatoxin regulator. RNA and protein analyses indicated that CPN1 expression occurred as early as 8.5 days post coitus (dpc) and continued through birth. At 10.5 and 13.5 dpc, in situ hybridization revealed CPN1 RNA in erythroid progenitor cells. At 16.5 dpc, expression of CPN1 was also detected in hepatocytes. In comparison to CPN1, C3 RNA expression occurred later (after 13.5 dpc). Moreover, C3 expression was limited to the liver erythroid progenitor cells at 16.5 dpc. These results demonstrated that mouse embryos contain RNA and protein for both C3 and CPN1, and CPN1 expression precedes that of C3 by several days.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases, University of Texas-Houston, 2121 West Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Kirstin W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: Scott M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Drouin
authors.forename: Chengyu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Randall A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Skidgel
authors.forename: Rick A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Wetsel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000662:veterinary; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005326:Fetal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008099:Liver / Q000196:embryology / Q000276:immunology; D001121:Lysine Carboxypeptidase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D003176:Complement C3; D005326:Fetal Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D001121:Lysine Carboxypeptidase