Ye Zhongxue, Xu Jingxiu, Feng Xingang, Jia Yingying, Fu Zhiqiang, Hong Yang, Li Hao, Lu Ke, Lin Jiaojiao, Song Mingxin, Wang Liqun, Yuan Chunxiu
Northeast Agricultural University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Harbin, 150030, China.
Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai, 200241, China.
Gene Expr Patterns. 2019 Jun;32:44-52. doi: 10.1016/j.gep.2019.02.005. Epub 2019 Mar 6.
Wnts are secreted signaling molecules that are implicated in a variety of growth-related processes. Frizzled proteins have been identified as receptors for Wnt ligands in vertebrates and invertebrates, but a functional role for dioecious flatworm Frizzleds has not been determined. To evaluate the endogenous role of Frizzled proteins during development, we have identified and characterized a Schistosoma japonicum frizzled gene (Sjfz7). We found that Sjfz7 encodes a 698 amino acid protein with typical characteristics of Frizzled proteins. The immunohistochemical localization pattern showed that Sjfz7 protein was extensively distributed in almost all tissues of S. japonicum, including subtegumental muscle cells, parenchymal cells, intestinal epithelial cells and male and female germ cells. This indicated that Sjfz7-mediated Wnt signaling might be associated with the development of musculature, intestinal tract and reproductive organs in schistosome. Comparing mRNA levels between frizzled family members showed that Sjfz7 mRNA was consistently higher in the developmental stages analyzed, suggesting that Sjfz7 may be responsible for more functional tasks than other frizzled family members. Comparing frizzled mRNA levels between not fully developed and normal worms suggested that Wnt signaling might be abnormal in not fully developed worms.
Wnt 是一类分泌型信号分子，参与多种与生长相关的过程。卷曲蛋白已被确定为脊椎动物和无脊椎动物中 Wnt 配体的受体，但雌雄同体扁虫卷曲蛋白的功能作用尚未确定。为了评估卷曲蛋白在发育过程中的内源性作用，我们鉴定并表征了日本血吸虫卷曲基因（Sjfz7）。我们发现 Sjfz7 编码一种含有 698 个氨基酸的蛋白质，具有卷曲蛋白的典型特征。免疫组织化学定位模式显示，Sjfz7 蛋白广泛分布于日本血吸虫几乎所有组织中，包括皮下肌肉细胞、实质细胞、肠上皮细胞以及雄性和雌性生殖细胞。这表明 Sjfz7 介导的 Wnt 信号可能与血吸虫的肌肉组织、肠道和生殖器官的发育有关。比较卷曲蛋白家族成员之间的 mRNA 水平表明，在分析的发育阶段中，Sjfz7 mRNA 始终较高，这表明 Sjfz7 可能比其他卷曲蛋白家族成员承担更多的功能任务。比较未发育完全的虫体和正常虫体之间的卷曲蛋白 mRNA 水平表明，未发育完全的虫体中 Wnt 信号可能异常。
