TY - JOUR
T1 - Vasculin, a novel vascular protein differentially expressed in human atherogenesis
AU - Bijnens, Ann P. J. J.
AU - Gils, Ann
AU - Jutten, Barry
AU - Faber, Birgit C. G.
AU - Heeneman, Sylvia
AU - Kitslaar, Peter J. E. H. M.
AU - Tordoir, Jan H. M.
AU - de Vries, Carlie J. M.
AU - Kroon, Abraham A.
AU - Daemen, Mat J. A. P.
AU - Cleutjens, Kitty B. J. M.
PY - 2003
Y1 - 2003
N2 - Recent suppressive subtractive hybridization analysis on human atherosclerotic plaque-derived RNA revealed genes up-regulated in plaques with a thrombus versus stable plaques. Clone SSH6, containing part of a putative open reading frame of an unknown protein, was further investigated. Full-length cDNA, coding for a 473-amino acid (aa) protein, was identified in a vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) cDNA library. Bioinformatics suggested the presence of multiple SSH6 variants due to alternative splicing of exon 3. Multiple-tissue Northern blot analysis demonstrated a differential expression pattern of these variants, as a ubiquitously expressed SSH6 mRNA missing exon 3, was detected apart from a putative vascular SMC-specific form containing exon 3. Western blot analysis indicated a ubiquitous 35-kDa protein (SSH6-beta), in addition to a 45-kDa protein (vasculin), detected in the vascular wall and in plasma. Analysis of arteries displaying various stages of atherosclerosis indicated that the vasculin/SSH6-beta ratio increases throughout atherogenesis. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated cytoplasmic expression of SSH6 gene products in macrophages, endothelial cells, and SMCs. In summary, we identified a novel mRNA/protein, vasculin, in the arterial wall and plasma. The regulated expression of vasculin in plaques suggests a role in atherogenesis. Moreover, its presence in plasma opens perspectives for vasculin as a marker for atherosclerosis. (C) 2003 by The American Society of Hematology
AB - Recent suppressive subtractive hybridization analysis on human atherosclerotic plaque-derived RNA revealed genes up-regulated in plaques with a thrombus versus stable plaques. Clone SSH6, containing part of a putative open reading frame of an unknown protein, was further investigated. Full-length cDNA, coding for a 473-amino acid (aa) protein, was identified in a vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) cDNA library. Bioinformatics suggested the presence of multiple SSH6 variants due to alternative splicing of exon 3. Multiple-tissue Northern blot analysis demonstrated a differential expression pattern of these variants, as a ubiquitously expressed SSH6 mRNA missing exon 3, was detected apart from a putative vascular SMC-specific form containing exon 3. Western blot analysis indicated a ubiquitous 35-kDa protein (SSH6-beta), in addition to a 45-kDa protein (vasculin), detected in the vascular wall and in plasma. Analysis of arteries displaying various stages of atherosclerosis indicated that the vasculin/SSH6-beta ratio increases throughout atherogenesis. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated cytoplasmic expression of SSH6 gene products in macrophages, endothelial cells, and SMCs. In summary, we identified a novel mRNA/protein, vasculin, in the arterial wall and plasma. The regulated expression of vasculin in plaques suggests a role in atherogenesis. Moreover, its presence in plasma opens perspectives for vasculin as a marker for atherosclerosis. (C) 2003 by The American Society of Hematology
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2003-01-0306
DO - https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2003-01-0306
M3 - Article
C2 - 12842993
SN - 0006-4971
VL - 102
SP - 2803
EP - 2810
JO - Blood
JF - Blood
IS - 8
ER -