Molecular cloning of a second human stanniocalcin homologue (STC2)

Stanniocalcin (STC) is a Ca- and phosphate-regulating hormone produced by the corpuscles of Stannius in bony fishes. The mammalian homologue of STC has recently been reported (STC1), which stimulates the phosphate uptake of kidney. Here we report the cloning of a second mammalian stanniocalcin (STC2) from the human osteosarcoma cDNA library. STC2 has 302 amino acid residues with 34% identity with STC1 and eel STC. STC2 has a conserved N-glycosylation site and is rich in cysteines as is the case with other stanniocalcins. STC2 has the same exon-intron boundaries as STC1. The culture medium of STC2-transfected CHO cells inhibited the promoter activity of Na-phosphate cotransporter (NaPi-3) and also inhibited the phosphate uptake of a kidney cell line (OK cells). Therefore, the function of STC2 seems to be opposite to that of STC1 on Na-phosphate cotransporter. Northern blot analysis revealed multiple transcripts in number of human tissues with high levels being present in skeletal muscle and heart. STC2 was also expressed in mice widely and its expression was lower in hypophosphatemic mice (Hyp mice) in many organs. We have cloned a widely expressed new human stanniocalcin homologue which suppressed the expression of renal Na-phosphate cotransporter.