Expression analysis of the regenerating gene (Reg) family members Reg‐IIIβ and Reg‐IIIγ in the mouse during development

Abstract

The regenerating gene/regenerating islet-derived (Reg) family is a group of small secretory proteins. Within this family, Reg type-III (Reg-III) consists of: Reg-IIIα, -β, -γ, and -δ. To elucidate the physiological relevance of Reg-III, we examined the localization and ontogeny of Reg-IIIβ and Reg-IIIγ in mice at different time points spanning from embryonic day 13.5 to 7 weeks old, using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Our results showed that Reg-IIIβ was expressed in specific subsets of primary sensory neurons and motor neurons, and that expression was transient during the embryonic and perinatal periods. Reg-IIIβ expression was also observed in absorptive epithelial cells of the intestine. In contrast, Reg-IIIγ expression was mainly observed in epithelial cells of the airways and intestine, but not in the nervous system, and expression levels showed a gradually increasing pattern along with development. In the airways Reg-IIIγ was expressed in goblet and Clara-like cells, whereas in the intestine Reg-IIIγ was expressed in the absorptive epithelial cells and Paneth cells, and was found to be expressed in development before these organs had been exposed to the outside world. The present findings imply that Reg-IIIβ and Reg-IIIγ expression is regulated along divergent pathways. Furthermore, we also suggest that expression of Reg-IIIγ in the airway and intestinal epithelia may occur to protect these organs from exposure to antigens or other factors (e.g., microbes) in the outer world, whereas the transient expression of Reg-IIIβ in the nervous system may be associated with the development of the peripheral nervous system including such processes as myelination.

Sex influences susceptibility to methamphetamine cardiomyopathy in mice

“…RegIIIg is known to play a role in innate immune functions and bacterial colonization of the gut (Wu and Chakravarti ; Johansson and Hansson ; Matsumoto et al. ). Like RegIIIg, Scgb3a2 is predominantly expressed in the pulmonary airway epithelium and plays a role in lung inflammation (Chiba et al.…”

Differential Induction of Antimicrobial REGIII by the Intestinal Microbiota and Bifidobacterium breve NCC2950

“…Studies have proposed that IECs, particularly enterocytes, are producers of REGIII-␥ in the colon (28,33). In this study, we used immunofluorescence to investigate the main source of REGIII-␥ after microbial exposure in vivo.…”

Regenerating proteins and their expression, regulation, and signaling

“…Whether Reg proteins can serve as factors for coaxing stem cells to particular lineages is still an open question. Moreover, there are only a few published studies (66, 69, 91) to date on the expression pattern of Reg family members during (primarily rodent) fetal development hampering efforts to address if these molecules stimulate in vivo differentiation. Nonetheless, Reg proteins are present in cells undergoing regeneration, differentiation and proliferation in the pancreas, intestine and other tissues under normal and/or stress conditions.…”