Wiemers Dustin O, Ain Rupasri, Ohboshi Shigeki, Soares Michael J
Institute of Maternal-Fetal Biology and Departments of Molecular & Integrative Physiology and Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
J Endocrinol. 2003 Dec;179(3):335-46. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.1790335.
Rodents possess an expanded prolactin (PRL) family of genes. These genes encode for a family of structurally related hormones/cytokines that are expressed most prominently in the anterior pituitary, uterus and placenta. In this study, we have identified a new member of the rat PRL family through a search of the National Center for Biotechnology Information expressed sequence database. The cDNA was sequenced and its corresponding mRNA characterized. On the basis of existing nomenclature, the rat cDNA was termed PRL-like protein-N (PLP-N). PLP-N has structural features indicative of its inclusion in the PRL family and is most closely related to PRL-like protein-F (PLP-F) and proliferin related protein (PLF-RP). A survey of PLP-N mRNA expression by Northern analysis indicated that PLP-N showed extensive expression in the metrial gland and minimal expression in the chorioallantoic placenta or other tIssues. Expression of PLP-N mRNA was restricted to migratory trophoblast cells. Junctional zone trophoblast cells isolated from day 13 of gestation placenta differentiated in vitro and exhibited a capacity for PLP-N expression. In summary, we have discovered a new member of the PRL family that is prominently expressed in migratory trophoblast cells residing in the metrial gland.
啮齿动物拥有一个扩展的催乳素（PRL）基因家族。这些基因编码一类结构相关的激素/细胞因子，它们在垂体前叶、子宫和胎盘中表达最为显著。在本研究中，我们通过搜索美国国立生物技术信息中心的表达序列数据库，鉴定出大鼠PRL家族的一个新成员。对该cDNA进行了测序，并对其相应的mRNA进行了表征。根据现有的命名法，该大鼠cDNA被命名为催乳素样蛋白-N（PLP-N）。PLP-N具有表明其属于PRL家族的结构特征，并且与催乳素样蛋白-F（PLP-F）和增殖素相关蛋白（PLF-RP）关系最为密切。通过Northern分析对PLP-N mRNA表达的调查表明，PLP-N在子宫腺中广泛表达，而在绒毛尿囊胎盘或其他组织中表达极少。PLP-N mRNA的表达仅限于迁移的滋养层细胞。从妊娠第13天的胎盘分离出的结合带滋养层细胞在体外分化，并表现出表达PLP-N的能力。总之，我们发现了PRL家族的一个新成员，它在子宫腺中的迁移滋养层细胞中显著表达。
