ISSN:
1573-4919
Keywords:
T-cell receptor (TCR)
;
TCRζ gene locus
;
dexamethasone
;
glucocorticoids
;
splicing
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract T-cell receptor (TCR) is a multichain receptor in which the TCRζ subunit is important for membrane assembly and signal transduction. Four alternative splicings of the murine TCRζ gene locus have been previously described. We here describe a new alternative splicing of murine TCRζ gene, TCRκ, cloned by RT-PCR, that is encoded by exons 1-7, a portion of exon 9 and the whole exon 10 of TCRζ gene. The protein encoded by TCRκ mRNA is identical to that encoded by TCRκ mRNA, because the stop codon is present in the exon 9 before splicing with exon 10. RNAse protection assays carried out on total RNA from thymocytes indicate that TCRκ mRNA is 1 half with respect to TCRκ mRNA, suggesting that TCRκ mRNA contributes to determine the TCRκ protein levels. The 3′ untranslated region of TCRκ mRNA is different from that of TCRκ and this might lead to different t1/2 for each species in vivo. We also show that dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic glucocorticoid hormone, increases the amount of TCRκ in the hybridoma T-cell line 3DO (about 5-fold increase), as indicated by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and RNAse protection assays. This newly described effect of DEX may constitute a further molecular mechanism that contributes to its immunomodulating activity.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1006925927551
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