Expression of preprotachykinin-A mRNA isoforms and substance P production in T lymphocytes of human healthy subjects

• Published in: Neuroscience letters Vol. 434; no. 2; pp. 191 - 194
• Main Authors: Cantalupo, Loredana, Cioni, Chiara, Annunziata, Pasquale
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 28.03.2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Southern; CD3 Complex - metabolism; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression - immunology; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Lymphocytes; Male; Middle Aged; Neuroimmunomodulation - genetics; Neuroinflammation; Phytohemagglutinins - pharmacology; Protein Precursors - genetics; RNA, Messenger - genetics; Substance P; Substance P - genetics; T-Lymphocytes - drug effects; T-Lymphocytes - physiology; Tachykinins - genetics; Tackykinins; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Neuroinflammation; Tackykinins; Substance P; Lymphocytes; Human; Molecular form; T-Lymphocyte; Neuropeptide; Tachykinin
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2008.01.053

The influence of sex and age on the expression pattern of preprotachykinin-A (PPT-A) mRNA isoforms encoding substance P and other tackykinins such as neurokinin A (NKA), neuropeptide K (NPK) and neuropeptide γ (NPγ) in human immunocompetent cells and the role of this pattern on SP production are unknown. To investigate these questions, we assessed PPT-A isoform expression and SP production in CD3 + lymphocytes of normal healthy subjects. There were no significant differences in PPT-A isoforms in relation to sex or age. The most frequently expressed isoforms were β and γ: after lymphocyte stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA), there was a significant increase in their frequency ( p < 0.0001). Significantly higher SP levels were found in subjects expressing β and γ PPT-A than in those with β PPT-A only ( p = 0.001). These findings provide evidence of a heterogeneous expression of PPT-A isoforms in CD3 + lymphocytes of normal healthy subjects.