Friedl A, Stoesz S P, Buckley P, Gould M N
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Madison, WI 53792, USA.
Histochem J. 1999 Jul;31(7):433-41. doi: 10.1023/a:1003708808934.
Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) has recently been identified in myeloperoxidase-negative neutrophil granules. Members of the lipocalin family are thought to bind and transport small lipophilic molecules such as retinoids and roles in cell regulation have been proposed. Recently, NGAL has also been demonstrated in the colonic mucosa in certain pathologic conditions. The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of NGAL in normal and neoplastic tissues by immunohistochemistry. Interestingly, NGAL was found in a variety of normal and pathological human tissues. A cell type-specific pattern of expression was seen in bronchus, stomach, small intestine, pancreas, kidney, prostate gland, and thymus. The comparative analysis of the putative rat homologue neu-related lipocalin showed a very similar pattern of expression with the exception of pancreas and kidney. Neoplastic human tissues showed a very heterogeneous expression of NGAL protein. High NGAL levels were found in adenocarcinomas of lung, colon and pancreas. In contrast, renal cell carcinomas of various subtypes and prostate cancers contained low NGAL levels. Lymphomas and thymic tumours were negative for NGAL immuno-labeling. Knowledge about the location of NGAL in normal cells and in disease states provides the first clues towards understanding its biological function.
中性粒细胞明胶酶相关脂质运载蛋白（NGAL）最近在髓过氧化物酶阴性的中性粒细胞颗粒中被发现。脂质运载蛋白家族的成员被认为能够结合并转运视黄醇等亲脂性小分子，并且有人提出其在细胞调节中发挥作用。最近，在某些病理状况下的结肠黏膜中也证实了NGAL的存在。本研究的目的是通过免疫组织化学方法检测NGAL在正常组织和肿瘤组织中的分布情况。有趣的是，在多种正常和病理的人体组织中均发现了NGAL。在支气管、胃、小肠、胰腺、肾脏、前列腺和胸腺中观察到了细胞类型特异性的表达模式。对假定的大鼠同源物神经相关脂质运载蛋白的比较分析显示，除了胰腺和肾脏外，其表达模式非常相似。人类肿瘤组织中NGAL蛋白的表达非常不均一。在肺癌、结肠癌和胰腺癌的腺癌中发现了高水平的NGAL。相比之下，各种亚型的肾细胞癌和前列腺癌中NGAL水平较低。淋巴瘤和胸腺肿瘤的NGAL免疫标记呈阴性。了解NGAL在正常细胞和疾病状态下的定位为理解其生物学功能提供了初步线索。
