Secretoglobins: lacrimal gland-specific rabbit lipophilin mRNAs.
OBJECTIVE
RNAs encoding secretoglobin subunits, also known as lipophilins, are found in rabbit lacrimal glands. Some secretoglobins in other species are tissue- and/or sex-specific, whereas other secretoglobins are expressed in a variety of tissues of both sexes. In this study the tissue-specific and sexual dimorphic expression patterns of rabbit lacrimal gland lipophilins AL, AL2, BL, CL, and CL2 were determined.


METHODS
RNAs from male and female rabbit lacrimal glands were compared in a differential display analysis, and a new rabbit lacrimal gland secretoglobin, lipophilin AL2, was identified. Next, RNAs from male and female rabbit harderian, lacrimal, mandibular, sublingual, and parotid glands and from liver, kidney, pancreas, testis (male), ovary, and mammary gland (female) were isolated, electrophoresed in agarose gels, and transferred to nylon membranes. cDNA probes encoding the lipophilins AL, AL2, BL, and CL/CL2 were hybridized to the RNA in the blots.


RESULTS
Rabbit mRNAs encoding the lipophilins AL, AL2, BL, CL, and CL2 were detected only in the lacrimal gland. Lipophilin AL2 mRNA was detected only in male rabbit lacrimal gland.


CONCLUSIONS
In the rabbit, several lipophilins were expressed only in the lacrimal gland.
Remington
Susann G
SG
Department of Ophthalmology, HealthPartners Medical Group and Clinics, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. susann.g.remington@healthpartners.com
Crow
Jean M
JM
Nelson
J Daniel
JD
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009185:Myelin Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011510:Proteolipids / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits / Q000378:metabolism*; D060765:Secretoglobins; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014598:Uteroglobin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D009185:Myelin Proteins; D011510:Proteolipids; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D060765:Secretoglobins; D014598:Uteroglobin