Theme |
Pepsinogen -- Basic, Clinical Implications, and Epidemiology |
Title |
Pepsinogen -- the Gene Structure, Role of DNA Methylation and Novel Molecular Species |
Author |
Shintaro Kitauchi |
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Wakayama Medical University |
Author |
Yasuhito Shimizu |
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Wakayama Medical University |
Author |
Kimihiko Yanaoka |
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Wakayama Medical University |
Author |
Hideyuki Tamai |
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Wakayama Medical University |
Author |
Kenji Arii |
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Wakayama Medical University |
Author |
Takashi Kageyama |
The Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University |
Author |
Masao Ichinose |
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Wakayama Medical University |
[ Summary ] |
Three types of zymogens of pepsinogens are known: pepsinogen A, C and prochymosin. In normal human tissue, pepsinogen A mRNA was expressed only in the fundic mucosa of the stomach, whereas pepsinogen C mRNA was expressed in all regions of the stomach mucosa and also in the proximal duodenal mucosa. The distribution of this mRNA was consistent with those of pepsinogens A and C in the gastroduodenal mucosa. Methylation analysis of DNA from normal tissues revealed that pepsinogen A and C genes are hypomethylated in tissues producing pepsinogens A and C, suggesting the role of DNA methylation in the regulation of the expression of the genes for the two human pepsinogens. |