Expression of Calcitonin/α-calcitonin Gene Related Peptide Gene in Rat Thyroid and Lung

  • Wada Chieki
    Departments of Pathology, Kitasato University School of Medicine
  • Hashimoto Chikao
    Departments of Pathology, Kitasato University School of Medicine
  • Ono Masao
    Departments of Molecular Biology, Kitasato University School of Medicine

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Other Title
  • ラット甲状腺および肺におけるcalcitonin/α-calcitonin gene related peptide遺伝子発現

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Description

Calcitonin (CT) and α-calcitonin gene related peptide (α-CGRP) are generated from a single CT/α-CGRP gene by the alternative RNA processing. Recently we reported identifying CGRP-immunoreactivity and CGRP messenger RNA (mRNA) in human and rat lung endocrine cells or Kulchitsky (K) cells [Kitasato Med. Vol.17 : 389〜395, 1987], By means of immunohistochemistry, radioimmunoassay and Northern hybridization, the current study delineates the expression of CT/α-CGRP gene and the developmental changes in rat thyroid and lung. CGRP-positive K-cells, appearing in the lung on the 18th day of gestation, reached their highest count on the 20th day of gestation and the number of cells decreased postnatally. In contrast, the number of CT-positive or CGRP-positive cells, found in the thyroid on the 19th day of the fetal stage, increased after birth. By means of a probe, hybridizing with CGRP 3' non-coding region of the first gene (exon 6), it was suggested that CGRP mRNA in the rat lung was transcribed from the first CT/α-CGRP gene. In Northern hybridization of the rat lung, α-CGRP mRNAs were abundant on the 20th day of gestation and the first neonatal day. Neither CT mRNA nor CT-immunoreactivity was observed in K-cells of the rat lung. Immunohistochemical and molecular biological studies showed that from a single CT/α-CGRP gene both CT and α-CGRP were generated in C-cells of the rat thyroid, whereas only α-CGRP was expressed in K-cells of the rat lung. Here the tissue specific alternating RNA processing was identified for the first time in rat thyroid tissue and in rat lung tissue, and it is suggested that α-CGRP in rat lung plays a role in pulmonary adaptation at birth and/or early neonates.

Journal

  • Kitasato medicine

    Kitasato medicine 17 (6), 497-508, 1987-12-31

    Kitasato University

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