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Proenkephalin A is expressed in mesodermal lineages during organogenesis
E Keshet1, R D Polakiewicz, A Itin
1Department of Virology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Hadassah Medical School, Israel.
The EMBO Journal
|October 1, 1989
Summary
Proenkephalin A (PEA) is unexpectedly found in developing mouse mesodermal cells, not just neurons. Its expression decreases as cells differentiate, suggesting a role in embryonic organ development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Proenkephalin A (PEA) encodes neuropeptides with opioid activity.
- Other PEA-encoded peptides have unknown functions.
- Understanding PEA roles in non-neuronal tissues is important.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine sites of PEA expression during mouse embryonic development.
- To investigate potential roles of PEA gene products in non-neuronal tissues.
Main Methods:
- In situ hybridization to detect PEA RNA.
- Northern blot hybridization.
- Radioimmunoassay (RIA) for Met-enkephalin.
Main Results:
- PEA RNA is highly expressed in the brain.
- Unexpectedly, PEA RNA is also found in developing, non-differentiated mesodermal cells.
- PEA expression declines upon terminal differentiation in various tissues, including the developing kidney.
- Transient expression of PEA mRNA and Met-enkephalin was confirmed in the developing kidney.
Conclusions:
- PEA gene products may have novel functions in mesoderm growth and differentiation.
- PEA plays a role during embryonic organogenesis.
- Findings suggest a previously unrecognized function for PEA beyond neuronal opioid signaling.