title: Expression of preprotachykinin-A mRNA isoforms and substance P production in T lymphocytes of human healthy subjects.
abstract: The influence of sex and age on the expression pattern of preprotachykinin-A (PPT-A) mRNA isoforms encoding substance P and other tackykinins such as neurokinin A (NKA), neuropeptide K (NPK) and neuropeptide gamma (NPgamma) in human immunocompetent cells and the role of this pattern on SP production are unknown. To investigate these questions, we assessed PPT-A isoform expression and SP production in CD3+ lymphocytes of normal healthy subjects. There were no significant differences in PPT-A isoforms in relation to sex or age. The most frequently expressed isoforms were beta and gamma: after lymphocyte stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA), there was a significant increase in their frequency (p<0.0001). Significantly higher SP levels were found in subjects expressing beta and gamma PPT-A than in those with beta PPT-A only (p=0.001). These findings provide evidence of a heterogeneous expression of PPT-A isoforms in CD3+ lymphocytes of normal healthy subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological and Behavioural Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cantalupo
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cioni
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Annunziata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000235:genetics*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013373:Substance P / Q000235:genetics*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015320:Tachykinins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D017252:CD3 Complex; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015320:Tachykinins; C044206:preprotachykinin; D013373:Substance P