Expression of transmembrane serine protease TMPRSS2 in mouse and human tissues

• Published in: The Journal of pathology Vol. 193; no. 1; pp. 134 - 140
• Main Authors: Vaarala, Markku H., Porvari, Katja S., Kellokumpu, Sakari, Kyllönen, Atte P., Vihko, Pirkko T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.01.2001; Wiley
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Northern; DNA, Complementary - genetics; expression; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; human; Humans; In Situ Hybridization; Kidney - embryology; Kidney - enzymology; Male; Mammalian female genital system; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Molecular Sequence Data; Morphology. Physiology; mouse; prostate; Prostate - embryology; Prostate - enzymology; Serine Endopeptidases - chemistry; Serine Endopeptidases - genetics; Serine Endopeptidases - metabolism; Species Specificity; Vertebrates: reproduction; Human; Immunohistochemistry; Transmembrane protein; Enzyme; In situ; Serine; Rodentia; Male; Hybridization; Male genital system; Prostate specific antigen; Pathology; Peptidases; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mouse; Animal; Hydrolases; Prostate
• ISSN: 0022-3417; 1096-9896
• DOI: 10.1002/1096-9896(2000)9999:9999<::AID-PATH743>3.0.CO;2-T

The purpose of this study was to clarify the expression of TMPRSS2 in mice during development and to compare the tissue distribution of the transcripts in adult mouse and human tissues. Mouse TMPRSS2 cDNA was cloned; the predicted amino acid sequence contains 490 residues sharing 81.4% similarity with human TMPRSS2. According to northern blots, mouse TMPRSS2 is expressed mainly in the prostate and kidney, while human TMPRSS2 is expressed in the prostate, colon, stomach, and salivary gland. In situ hybridization analyses of mouse embryos and adult tissues revealed that TMPRSS2 was expressed in the epithelia of the gastrointestinal, urogenital, and respiratory tracts. Expression was very selective and constant after the gene was turned on during development. Expression of TMPRSS2 was localized in the luminal epithelial cells of the mouse and human prostate. The information presented here will be useful in further studies regarding the function and physiological significance of TMPRSS2. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.