Open AccessExpression of membrane‐bound transferrin‐like protein p97 on the cell surface of chondrocytes
Author(s) -
Kawamoto Takeshi,
Pan Haiou,
Yan Weiqun,
Ishida Hideyuki,
Usui Emiko,
Oda Ryo,
Nakamasu Kazuko,
Noshiro Mitsuhide,
KawashimaOhya Yoshie,
Fujii Masashi,
Shintani Hideaki,
Okada Yasunori,
Kato Yukio
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1046/j.1432-1327.1998.2560503.x
Subject(s) - blot , microbiology and biotechnology , chondrocyte , complementary dna , cartilage , biology , membrane protein , concanavalin a , chemistry , biochemistry , membrane , gene , anatomy , in vitro
A concanavalin‐A‐binding protein of 76 kDa was purified from the plasma membrane fraction of rabbit chondrocyte cultures. Amino acid sequencing of the N‐terminal region and of tryptic peptides of the protein, in addition to sequencing of its cDNA revealed that this protein is highly similar to the tumour‐associated antigen p97. Hence, it was concluded that this protein is the rabbit form of p97. Western blotting, Northern blotting and reverse‐transcription PCR analyses indicated that rabbit p97 is expressed at high levels in cartilage and chondrocytes, but is barely detectable in the bone, liver, kidney, small intestine, eye, pancreas, heart, testis, skeletal muscle, spleen and fibroblasts. Immunocytochemical and immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that p97 is expressed in the plasma membrane of chondrocytes. p97 transcript was detected in all zones of the cartilage but the level was relatively low in the hypertrophic zone. These findings suggest that p97 is involved in maintaining the cell surface characteristics of chondrocytes.