Korean J Physiol Pharmacol.  2001 Dec;5(6):495-501.

Expression of neurotensin/neuromedin N precursor in murine mast cells

• Ahn HJ
• Cho JJ

Abstract

We have cloned the mouse neurotensin/neuromedin N (NT/N) gene from the murine mast cell line C1.MC/C57.1 for the first time. The murine NT/N cDNA clone consisted of 765 nucleotides and coded for 169 peptide residues with an N-terminal signal peptide, and the C-terminal region contained of one copy of neurotensin (NT) and one copy of neuromedin N (NN). Total of four Lys-Arg dibasic motifs were present; one each at the middle of the open reading frame, at the N-terminal of NN, at the C-terminal of NT, and between NN and NT. Amino acid sequence analysis of the mouse NT/N revealed 90% homology to that of the rat NT/N gene. NT/N is expressed in routine mast cell lines (C1.MC/C57.1 and P815), but not in murine bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs), murine macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7), nor in murine T cell line (EL-4). NT/N mRNA in C1.MC/C57.1 is highly inducible by IgE cross-linking, phorbol myristate acetate, neurotensin, and substance P. Following the treatment of demethylating agent, 5-azacytidine (5-azaC), the NT/N gene was induced in BMMCs in response to IgE cross-linking. 5-azaC-treated BMMCs did not express the NT/N gene without additional stimuli. These findings suggested that the regulation of NT/N gene expression was dependent on the effects of not only gene methylation but also enhancer and/or repressor proteins acting on the NT/N promoter.

MeSH Terms

Animals
Azacitidine
Cell Line
Clone Cells
DNA, Complementary
Gene Expression
Immunoglobulin E
Macrophages
Mast Cells*
Methylation
Mice
Neurotensin
Nucleotides
Open Reading Frames
Protein Sorting Signals
Rats
Repressor Proteins
RNA, Messenger
Sequence Analysis, Protein
Substance P
Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate
Azacitidine
DNA, Complementary
Immunoglobulin E
Neurotensin
Nucleotides
Protein Sorting Signals
RNA, Messenger
Repressor Proteins
Substance P
Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate