Jpn. J. Pharmacol. 78 (4), 419-427 (1998)


A Single Stranded DNA-Binding Protein, ssCRE-BP/Puralpha, in Rat Lung and Its Increase in Allergic Airway Inflammation

Er-Qing Wei (#), Yasuyuki Irie, Che-Hui Kuo, Yun Ding, San-Yong Niu, Eunju Do and Naomasa Miki (*)

Department of Pharmacology, Osaka University Medical School, 2-2, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
(#) Present address: Department of Pharmacology, Zhejiang Medical University, Hangzhou 310031, China
(*) To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Abstract: ssCRE-BP/Puralpha is a single stranded DNA-binding protein and may be involved in gene replication and transcription and in the development of morphine dependence. We found a ssCRE-BP/Puralpha (45 kDa) in rat lung that was larger than those (40 kDa) identified in rat and mouse brains and mouse lung. Immunohistochemistry showed that ssCRE-BP/Puralpha is primarily distributed in the lung epithelium. As allergic inflammation induces various gene expressions, we investigated the changes of Puralpha during airway inflammation. Ovalbumin-sensitized rats were used for inducing allergic airway inflammation. The expression and DNA-binding activity of 45-kDa ssCRE-BP/Puralpha were significantly increased in the sensitized rat lungs 24 hr after antigen challenge, but not in those of rats nonsensitized or sensitized with ovalbumin and challenged with saline. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization demonstrated that the vascular endothelial cells and numerous infiltrated eosinophils around the airways were stained with anti-Puralpha antibody. These data suggest that rat lung and the eosinophils contain a 45-kDa ssCRE-BP/Puralpha that is increased when airway inflammation occurs.

Keywords: Single stranded DNA-binding protein, ssCRE-BP/Puralpha, Allergic airway inflammation, Eosinophil, Lung


Copyright© The Japanese Pharmacological Society 1998

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