Molecular characterization and developmental expression pattern of the chicken apolipoprotein D gene: Implications for the evolution of vertebrate lipocalins

• Published in: Developmental dynamics Vol. 232; no. 1; pp. 191 - 199
• Main Authors: Ganfornina, María D., Sánchez, Diego, Pagano, Aldo, Tonachini, Laura, Descalzi‐Cancedda, Fiorella, Martínez, Salvador
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.01.2005
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Apolipoproteins - biosynthesis; Apolipoproteins - genetics; Apolipoproteins D; Brain - embryology; Brain - metabolism; calycin; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Central Nervous System - embryology; Chick Embryo; Chickens; Cloning, Molecular; DNA, Complementary - metabolism; Ectoderm - metabolism; Embryonic Development; feather development; Feathers - embryology; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Immunohistochemistry; In Situ Hybridization; Intramolecular Oxidoreductases - biosynthesis; Intramolecular Oxidoreductases - genetics; lipocalin; Lipocalins; Meninges - metabolism; Mice; Molecular Sequence Data; neural development; Neuroglia - metabolism; Neurons - metabolism; Phylogeny; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA Interference; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Time Factors; Tissue Distribution
• ISSN: 1058-8388; 1097-0177
• DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.20193

The insect Lazarillo and the mammalian apolipoprotein D (ApoD) are orthologous members of the lipocalin protein family. We report the cloning and embryonic expression of chicken ApoD, the first molecularly characterized nonmammalian ApoD. We also report the ApoD expression in mouse during postnatal development and some novel aspects of the expression of the paralogous lipocalin prostaglandin D‐synthase (PGDS) and discuss these results in view of the lipocalin family evolution in vertebrates. ApoD is expressed in subsets of central nervous system (CNS) neurons and glia during late chicken embryogenesis. Contrary to mouse ApoD, no expression appears in neural crest‐derived cephalic mesenchyme and blood vessel pericytes. Also, ApoD is expressed in developing chicken feathers. These expressions are corroborated by quantitative reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction profiles. ApoD is expressed during mouse postnatal development in a subset of CNS neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, but also in meninges and pericytes. Chicken PGDS is expressed in brain meninges and perivascular cells. Our results suggest that the amniote last common ancestor expressed ApoD and PGDS in the brain during embryogenesis. ApoD appears restricted to ectodermal derivatives, whereas PGDS is expressed by derivatives of the three germ layers. Developmental Dynamics 232:191–199, 2005. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.