title: PLAGL1 protein is differentially expressed in the nephron segments and collecting ducts in human kidney.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  PLAGL1 (pleiomorphic adenoma gene-like 1) is a C2H2-type zinc finger transcription factor associated with the regulation of cell growth and development. Although PLAGL1 expression in kidney was assessed by biochemical methods, the exact localization of the PLAGL1 protein in human kidney has not yet been described.
  
  
  METHODS
  Macroscopically unchanged specimens of kidney tissue were collected from 39 patients undergoing nephrectomy due to renal cell carcinoma. H & E staining of paraffin sections was used to assess histology of the kidney whereas immunohistochemistry was used to localize PLAGL1 protein in kidney compartments. In addition, database sequences search for putative PLAGL1 binding sites among the kidney-related genes was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PLAGL1 staining intensity differed depending on the kidney compartment. Strong PLAGL1 immunoreactivity was found in thick ascending limbs of Henle's loop, distal tubules and collecting ducts, whereas PLAGL1 expression in proximal tubules and renal corpuscles (including podocytes) was moderate and weak, respectively. By the in sillico screening of promoter sequences for PLAGL1 specific DNA-binding sites GGG-GCCCC we designated 43 candidate genes for PLAGL1-regulated genes. Analysis of their functional annotations identified three significantly over-represented gene sets: inositol phosphate metabolic processes (GO), endocrine and other factor-regulated calcium reabsorption (KEGG) and calcium signaling pathways (KEGG).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences in the renal expression of PLAGL1 suggest that this protein may be involved in the regulation of several cellular pathways both as transcriptional factor and coactivator/corepressor of other tran-scription factors reflecting its role in the cell type-specific control of gene expression.
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Godlewski
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland. bartlomiej.krazinski@uwm.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Bartlomiej E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Krazinski
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kiezun
authors.forename: Przemyslaw
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kwiatkowski
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sulik
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tenderenda
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Biernat
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kmiec
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007685:Kidney Tubules, Collecting / Q000378:metabolism*; D007686:Kidney Tubules, Distal / Q000378:metabolism*; D008138:Loop of Henle / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009928:Organ Specificity; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; C106464:PLAGL1 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins