Immunoreactivity for thymosin beta 4 and thymosin beta 10 in the adult rat oro-gastrointestinal tract

• Thymosin beta 4 (T beta 4) and thymosin beta 10 (T beta 10) are two members of the beta-thymosin family, involved in multiple cellular activities in different organs in multiple animal species. Here we report the expression pattern of T beta 4 and T beta 10 in rat tissues, in the gut and in annexed glands. The two peptide were differently expressed: T beta 4 was absent in salivary glands whereas T beta 10 was expressed in parotid and in submandibular glands. T beta 4 was mildly expressed in the tongue and in the oesophagus, where T beta 10 was absent. A similar expression was found in the stomach, ileum and colon mucosa. In pancreas T beta 4 reactivity was restricted to the Langerhans islet cells; T beta 4 was also detected in the exocrine cells. Both peptide were not expressed in liver cells. When the rat expression pattern in rat organs was compared to reactivity for T beta 4 and T beta 10 in humans, marked differences were found. Our data clearly indicate a species-specific expression of T beta 4 and T beta 10, characterized by the actual unpredictability of the expression of these peptides in different cells and tissues. The common high expression of T beta 4 in mast cells, both in humans and in rats, represents one of the few similarities between these two species.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Cell- och molekylärbiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Cell and Molecular Biology (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Biokemi och molekylärbiologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Farmakologi och toxikologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Pharmacology and Toxicology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

rats

thymosin beta 4

thymosin beta 10

immunohistochemistry

gastrointestinal tract

differential expression

salivary-glands

cancer

tissues

protein

angiogenesis

peptide

growth

genes

fetal

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)