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Thy‐1 + dendritic cells express truncated form of POMC mRNA
Author(s) -
Farooqui Jamal Z.,
Medrano Estela E.,
Boissy Raymond E.,
Tigelaar Robert E.,
Nordlund James J.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.108
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1600-0625
pISSN - 0906-6705
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0625.1995.tb00208.x
Subject(s) - messenger rna , microbiology and biotechnology , dendritic cell , chemistry , biology , immunology , gene , antigen , biochemistry
The present study was designed to examine the expression of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and its related derivative peptide adreno‐corticotropic hormone (ACTH) in marine derived Thy‐1 + dendritic cells. Immunostaining using a polyclonal antibody specific to ACTH and parent POMC molecule indicated the presence of POMC and its derivative peptide, ACTH, in cultures of Thy‐1 + dendritic cells. To explore whether the POMC peptide is present as a reservoir or synthesized de novo in Thy‐1 + dendritic cells, Northern blot analysis using 30‐mer oligonucleotide probe for α‐MSH/ACTH precursor POMC was carried out in total RNA from these cells. Northern blot analysis revealed the presence of POMC like mRNA transcript. However, the observed size of transcript was smaller (∼0.9 kb) than that expressed by murine AtT20 cells (∼1.2 kb), an anterior pituitary tumor cell line used as a positive control. These observations suggest that the epidermal Thy‐14‐ lymphocytes, like thymic lymphocytes, might serve the epidermis as one source for the synthesis of POMC. The synthesis and presence of POMC in the epidermis may be related to some of the pigmentary anomalies observed in many mucocutaneous disorders.