Development, Vol 115, Issue 2 427-437, Copyright © 1992 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Spatial and temporal expression of an epithelial mucin, Muc-1, during mouse development

VM Braga, LF Pemberton, T Duhig and SJ Gendler
Imperial Cancer Research Fund, London, UK.

The Muc-1 mucin is found as a transmembrane protein in the apical surface of glandular epithelia. To provide insight into possible functions, we have assessed the timing of expression and the distribution of the Muc-1 protein during mouse embryogenesis using three different techniques: RT-PCR, northern blots and immunohistochemistry. Our results indicate that Muc-1 expression correlates with epithelial differentiation in stomach, pancreas, lung, trachea, kidney and salivary glands. Once started, Muc-1 synthesis continually increases with time, mainly due to epithelial area growth. Our data suggest that expression of the Muc-1 gene is under spatial and temporal control during organogenesis. Although Muc-1 is present in different organs, its expression is not induced systemically, but according to the particular onset of epithelial polarization and branching morphogenesis of each individual organ. It is of particular interest that Muc-1 protein can be detected lining the apical surfaces of the developing lumens when the epithelium of these organs is still undergoing folding and branching, and glandular activity has not yet started. We speculate that Muc-1 may participate in epithelial sheet differentiation/lumen formation during early development of the organs known to express it. This speculation is based on: (1) the detection of Muc-1 expression early during organogenesis, (2) the defined apical localization in different epithelia, (3) the decrease in cell-cell interactions when Muc-1 protein is highly expressed and (4) the possible interaction of its cytoplasmic tail with the actin cytoskeleton. However, it remains to be established using in vitro systems, whether the temporal and local expression of the Muc-1 gene coincident with the morphogenetic events described here is relevant for the process.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Q. Shen, J. J. Rahn, J. Zhang, N. Gunasekera, X. Sun, A. R.E. Shaw, M. J. Hendzel, P. Hoffman, A. Bernier, and J. C. Hugh MUC1 Initiates Src-CrkL-Rac1/Cdc42-Mediated Actin Cytoskeletal Protrusive Motility after Ligating Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 Mol. Cancer Res., April 1, 2008; 6(4): 555 - 567. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Shalom-Barak, J. M. Nicholas, Y. Wang, X. Zhang, E. S. Ong, T. H. Young, S. J. Gendler, R. M. Evans, and Y. Barak Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor {gamma} Controls Muc1 Transcription in Trophoblasts Mol. Cell. Biol., December 15, 2004; 24(24): 10661 - 10669. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. B. Harmon, A. A. Apelqvist, N. G. Smart, X. Gu, D. H. Osborne, and S. K. Kim GDF11 modulates NGN3+ islet progenitor cell number and promotes {beta}-cell differentiation in pancreas development Development, December 15, 2004; 131(24): 6163 - 6174. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Huminiecki, H.Y. Chan, S. Lui, R. Poulsom, G. Stamp, A.L. Harris, and R. Bicknell Vascular endothelial growth factor transgenic mice exhibit reduced male fertility and placental rejection Mol. Hum. Reprod., March 1, 2001; 7(3): 255 - 264. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M.-P. Buisine, L. Devisme, V. Maunoury, E. Deschodt, B. Gosselin, M.-C. Copin, J.-P. Aubert, and N. Porchet Developmental Mucin Gene Expression in the Gastroduodenal Tract and Accessory Digestive Glands. I. Stomach: A Relationship to Gastric Carcinoma J. Histochem. Cytochem., December 1, 2000; 48(12): 1657 - 1666. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M.-P. Buisine, L. Devisme, P. Degand, M.-C. Dieu, B. Gosselin, M.-C. Copin, J.-P. Aubert, and N. Porchet Developmental Mucin Gene Expression in the Gastroduodenal Tract and Accessory Digestive Glands. II. Duodenum and Liver, Gallbladder, and Pancreas J. Histochem. Cytochem., December 1, 2000; 48(12): 1667 - 1676. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				P. Mukherjee, A. R. Ginardi, C. S. Madsen, C. J. Sterner, M. C. Adriance, M. J. Tevethia, and S. J. Gendler Mice with Spontaneous Pancreatic Cancer Naturally Develop MUC-1-Specific CTLs That Eradicate Tumors When Adoptively Transferred J. Immunol., September 15, 2000; 165(6): 3451 - 3460. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. von Mensdorff-Pouilly, A. A. Verstraeten, P. Kenemans, F. G. M. Snijdewint, A. Kok, G. J. Van Kamp, M. A. Paul, P. J. Van Diest, S. Meijer, and J. Hilgers Survival in Early Breast Cancer Patients Is Favorably Influenced by a Natural Humoral Immune Response to Polymorphic Epithelial Mucin J. Clin. Oncol., February 1, 2000; 18(3): 574 - 574. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. S. Mahendroo, A. Porter, D. W. Russell, and R. A. Word The Parturition Defect in Steroid 5{alpha}-Reductase Type 1 Knockout Mice Is Due to Impaired Cervical Ripening Mol. Endocrinol., June 1, 1999; 13(6): 981 - 992. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M.-P. Buisine, L. Devisme, M.-C. Copin, M. Durand-Réville, B. Gosselin, J.-P. Aubert, and N. Porchet Developmental Mucin Gene Expression in the Human Respiratory Tract Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., February 1, 1999; 20(2): 209 - 218. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				L. F. Pemberton, A. Rughetti, J. Taylor-Papadimitriou, and S. J. Gendler The Epithelial Mucin MUC1 Contains at Least Two Discrete Signals Specifying Membrane Localization in Cells J. Biol. Chem., January 26, 1996; 271(4): 2332 - 2340. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. P. Spicer, G. J. Rowse, T. K. Lidner, and S. J. Gendler Delayed Mammary Tumor Progression in Muc-1 Null Mice J. Biol. Chem., December 15, 1995; 270(50): 30093 - 30101. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Chambers, M. Hollingsworth, A. Trezise, and A Harris Developmental expression of mucin genes MUC1 and MUC2 J. Cell Sci., January 2, 1994; 107(2): 413 - 424. [Abstract] [PDF]

				V. Braga and S. Gendler Modulation of Muc-1 mucin expression in the mouse uterus during the estrus cycle, early pregnancy and placentation J. Cell Sci., January 6, 1993; 105(2): 397 - 405. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. A. Schroeder, M. C. Thompson, M. M. Gardner, and S. J. Gendler Transgenic MUC1 Interacts with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and Correlates with Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Activation in the Mouse Mammary Gland J. Biol. Chem., April 13, 2001; 276(16): 13057 - 13064. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]