title: Atrophy of myoepithelial cells in parotid glands of diabetic mice; detection using skeletal muscle actin, a novel marker.
abstract: In mouse parotid glands, we found expression of skeletal muscle actin (actin-α1) protein and mRNA. We isolated myoepithelial cells from the mouse parotid glands and investigated their actin-α1 expression because smooth muscle actin (actin-α2) has been used as a marker for myoepithelial cells. We used actin-α1 expression to identify pathological changes in diabetic non-obese diabetic (NOD; NOD/ShiJcl) mice-a mouse model for Sjögren's syndrome-and found myoepithelial cells to be decreased or atrophied in the diabetic state.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, The Nippon Dental University, School of Life Dentistry at Niigata, 1-8 Hamaura-cho, Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8580, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nashida
authors.forename: Sumio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshie
authors.forename: Maiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haga-Tsujimura
authors.forename: Akane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimomura
keywords: Diabetic NOD mouse; Myoepithelial cells; Parotid gland; Skeletal muscle actin