Mouse arylamine N-acetyltransferase 2 (Nat2) expression during embryogenesis: a potential marker for the developing neuroendocrine system.
Arylamine N-acetyltransferase (NAT) genes in humans and in rodents encode polymorphic drug metabolizing enzymes. Human NAT1 (and the murine equivalent mouse Nat2) is found early in embryonic development and is likely to have an endogenous role. We report the detailed expression of the murine gene (Nat2) and encoded protein in mouse embryos, using a transgenic mouse model bearing a lacZ transgene inserted into the coding region of mouse Nat2. In mouse embryos, the transgene was expressed in sensory epithelia, epithelial placodes giving rise to visceral sensory neurons, the developing pituitary gland, sympathetic chain and urogenital ridge. In Nat2+/+ mice, the presence and activity of Nat2 protein was detected in these tissues and their adult counterparts. Altered expression of the human orthologue in breast tumours, in which there is endocrine signalling, suggests that human NAT1 should be considered as a potential biomarker for neuroendocrine tissues and tumours.
Wakefield
Larissa
L
Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3QT, UK.
Cornish
Valerie
V
Long
Hilary
H
Kawamura
Akane
A
Zhang
Xiaoyan
X
Hein
David W
DW
Sim
Edith
E
D000818:Animals; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000196:embryology; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000196:embryology* / Q000201:enzymology; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000196:embryology; D014566:Urogenital System / Q000196:embryology
D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase; C524206:Nat2 enzyme, mouse