|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
| Home Help Feedback Subscriptions Archive Search Table of Contents | ||||
Development, Vol 120, Issue 11 3213-3226, Copyright © 1994 by Company of Biologists
JOURNAL ARTICLES |
B Spencer-Dene, P Thorogood, S Nair, AJ Kenny, M Harris and B Henderson
Maxillofacial Surgery Research Unit, Eastman Dental Institute, London, UK.
Endopeptidase-24.11 (neutral endopeptidase, neprilysin, 'enkephalinase', EC 3.4.24.11) and endopeptidase-24.18 (endopeptidase-2, meprin, EC 3.4.24.18) are cell-surface zinc-dependent metallo-endopeptidases able to cleave a variety of bioactive peptides including growth factors. We report the first study of the cellular and tissue distribution of both enzymes and of the mRNA for NEP during embryonic development in the rat. Endopeptidase-24.11 protein was first detected at E10 in the lining of the gut and, at E12, the enzyme was present on the notochord, medial and lateral nasal processes, otocyst, mesonephros, heart and neuroepithelium. In contrast, at this time endopeptidase-24.18 was present only on the apical surface of the neuroepithelial cells. By E14 and E16, NEP was also detected in a wide range of craniofacial structures, notably the palatal mesenchyme, the choroid plexus, tongue and perichondrium. The distribution of endopeptidase-24.18 at these stages was restricted to the inner ear, the nasal conchae, and ependymal layer of the brain ventricles and the choroid plexus. Although endopeptidase-24.11 had been detectable in the craniofacial vasculature at E12 and E14, this was no longer apparent at E16. Significantly, the distribution of endopeptidase-24.11 mRNA closely matched the immunolocalization of the protein at all stages investigated. In order to explore the functional role of these enzymes, inhibition studies were carried out using two selective inhibitors of endopeptidase-24.11, phosphoramidon and thiorphan. E9.5 and E10.5 embryos exposed to either inhibitor displayed a characteristic, asymmetric abnormality consisting of a spherical swelling, possibly associated with a haematoma, predominantly on the left side of the prosencephalon, and the severity of this defect appeared to be a dose-dependent phenomenon. This study suggests that these enzymes play previously unrecognized roles during mammalian embryonic development.
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  P. Schling and T. Schafer Human Adipose Tissue Cells Keep Tight Control on the Angiotensin II Levels in Their Vicinity J. Biol. Chem., December 6, 2002; 277(50): 48066 - 48075. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Z. WERB and J. R. CHIN Extracellular Matrix Remodeling during Morphogenesis Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., October 23, 1998; 857(1): 110 - 118. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Weigmann, D. Corbeil, A. Hellwig, and W. B. Huttner Prominin, a novel microvilli-specific polytopic membrane protein of the apical surface of epithelial cells, is targeted to plasmalemmal protrusions of non-epithelial cells PNAS, November 11, 1997; 94(23): 12425 - 12430. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Chin and Z Werb Matrix metalloproteinases regulate morphogenesis, migration and remodeling of epithelium, tongue skeletal muscle and cartilage in the mandibular arch Development, January 4, 1997; 124(8): 1519 - 1530. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. M. Dietrich, W. Jiang, and J. S. Bond A Novel Meprin beta` mRNA in Mouse Embryonal and Human Colon Carcinoma Cells J. Biol. Chem., January 26, 1996; 271(4): 2271 - 2278. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
