title: Characterization and expression pattern of a novel Frizzled 8 receptor gene in Schistosoma japonicum.
abstract: Wnt signaling as mediated by the Frizzled family receptors plays a vital role in the early development of animal embryos, organ formation, tissue regeneration and other physiological processes. In the present study, a novel Frizzled member, SjFz8, was isolated and characterized in Schistosoma japonicum. SjFz8 encodes an 1162-amino-acid protein with typical characteristics of Frizzled proteins. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis indicated that SjFz8 transcript level was highest in 7-day-old schistosomula. In adult stages, SjFz8 mRNA expression remained at a low level after male-female pairing. The immunohistochemical localization of the Fz8 protein revealed that it existed in almost all tissues of S. japonicum, including subtegumental muscle, parenchyma, oral suckers, ventral suckers, testes of the male and ovaries of the female. We speculated that the Wnt signaling pathway that was mediated by Fz8 might take part in regulating histogenesis and organogenesis during the schistosomulum period, and play an important role in regulating further growth and development of male and female worms.
authors.affiliation: Northeast Agricultural University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Harbin 150030, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jingxiu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai 200241, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xingang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Jilin Agricultural University, College of animal science and technology, Changchun 130118, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yingying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai 200241, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai 200241, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai 200241, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai 200241, People's Republic of China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jiaojiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai 200241, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: yuanchx@shvri.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Chunxiu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Northeast Agricultural University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Harbin 150030, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Mingxin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D051157:Frizzled Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D011817:Rabbits; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051157:Frizzled Receptors; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins
keywords: Frizzled 8; Receptor; Schistosoma japonicum; Wnt