Biopolym. Cell. 1998; 14(1):29-38.
http://dx.doi.org/10.7124/bc.0004B5
Structure and Function of Biopolymers
Study of expression pattern of mucin genes in human conjunctiva
1, 2Gut I. I., 2Ellingam P., 2Easti D., 1Semenova G. S.
  1. Lviv National Medical University
    69, Pekarska Str., Lviv, Ukraine, 79010
  2. Bristol Eye Hospital
    Lower Maudlin Str., Bristol BS1 2LX, Great Britain

Abstract

The expression pattern of mucin genes in human tissues has been the subject of intensive research in recent years. Different methods were used to accomplish this aim, including Northern and Western blot analysis, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and in situ hybridization. The aim of this study was to assess the expression of mucin genes in human conjunctiva, using the in situ hybridization technique with specific oligonucteotide probes. The results demonstrate expression of MUC4 and MUC5AC genes in the epithelial layer of the conjunctiva. The importance of these mucins in the function of the preocular mucus layer and in tear film formation remains to be elucidated. Based on their known function in other human tissues, one can suggest that they may play an important role in stabilizing and maintenance of the preocular mucus layer.
Full text: (PDF, in Ukrainian)

References

[1] Gendler SJ, Spicer AP. Epithelial mucin genes. Annu Rev Physiol. 1995;57:607-34.
[2] Van Klinken BJ, Dekker J, B?ller HA, Einerhand AW. Mucin gene structure and expression: protection vs. adhesion. Am J Physiol. 1995;269(5 Pt 1):G613-27.
[3] Gum JR Jr. Mucin genes and the proteins they encode: structure, diversity, and regulation. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 1992;7(6):557-64.
[4] Carraway KL, Hull SR. O-glycosylation pathway for mucin-type glycoproteins. Bioessays. 1989;10(4):117-21.
[5] Gendler SJ, Burchell JM, Duhig T, Lamport D, White R, Parker M, Taylor-Papadimitriou J. Cloning of partial cDNA encoding differentiation and tumor-associated mucin glycoproteins expressed by human mammary epithelium. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1987;84(17):6060-4.
[6] Gum JR Jr, Hicks JW, Toribara NW, Siddiki B, Kim YS. Molecular cloning of human intestinal mucin (MUC2) cDNA. Identification of the amino terminus and overall sequence similarity to prepro-von Willebrand factor. J Biol Chem. 1994;269(4):2440-6.
[7] Dufosse J, Porchet N, Audie JP, Guyonnet Duperat V, Laine A, Van-Seuningen I, Marrakchi S, Degand P, Aubert JP. Degenerate 87-base-pair tandem repeats create hydrophilic/hydrophobic alternating domains in human mucin peptides mapped to 11p15. Biochem J. 1993;293 ( Pt 2):329-37.
[8] Bobek LA, Tsai H, Biesbrock AR, Levine MJ. Molecular cloning, sequence, and specificity of expression of the gene encoding the low molecular weight human salivary mucin (MUC7). J Biol Chem. 1993;268(27):20563-9.
[9] Gum JR, Byrd JC, Hicks JW, Toribara NW, Lamport DT, Kim YS. Molecular cloning of human intestinal mucin cDNAs. Sequence analysis and evidence for genetic polymorphism. J Biol Chem. 1989;264(11):6480-7.
[10] Guyonnet Duperat V, Audie JP, Debailleul V, Laine A, Buisine MP, Galiegue-Zouitina S, Pigny P, Degand P, Aubert JP, Porchet N. Characterization of the human mucin gene MUC5AC: a consensus cysteine-rich domain for 11p15 mucin genes? Biochem J. 1995;305 ( Pt 1):211-9.
[11] Gum JR, Hicks JW, Swallow DM, Lagace RL, Byrd JC, Lamport DT, Siddiki B, Kim YS. Molecular cloning of cDNAs derived from a novel human intestinal mucin gene. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1990;171(1):407-15.
[12] Toribara NW, Roberton AM, Ho SB, Kuo WL, Gum E, Hicks JW, Gum JR Jr, Byrd JC, Siddiki B, Kim YS. Human gastric mucin. Identification of a unique species by expression cloning. J Biol Chem. 1993;268(8):5879-85.
[13] Crepin M, Porchet N, Aubert JP, Degand P. Diversity of the peptide moiety of human airway mucins. Biorheology. 1990;27(3-4):471-84.
[14] Shankar V, Gilmore MS, Elkins RC, Sachdev GP. A novel human airway mucin cDNA encodes a protein with unique tandem-repeat organization. Biochem J. 1994;300 ( Pt 2):295-8.
[15] Porchet N, Nguyen VC, Dufosse J, Audie JP, Guyonnet-Duperat V, Gross MS, Denis C, Degand P, Bernheim A, Aubert JP. Molecular cloning and chromosomal localization of a novel human tracheo-bronchial mucin cDNA containing tandemly repeated sequences of 48 base pairs. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1991;175(2):414-22.
[16] Ho SB, Niehans GA, Lyftogt C, Yan PS, Cherwitz DL, Gum ET, Dahiya R, Kim YS. Heterogeneity of mucin gene expression in normal and neoplastic tissues. Cancer Res. 1993;53(3):641-51.
[17] Rose MC. Mucins: structure, function, and role in pulmonary diseases. Am J Physiol. 1992;263(4 Pt 1):L413-29.
[18] Hilkens J, Ligtenberg MJ, Vos HL, Litvinov SV. Cell membrane-associated mucins and their adhesion-modulating property. Trends Biochem Sci. 1992;17(9):359-63.
[19] Sheehan JK, Oates K, Carlstedt I. Electron microscopy of cervical, gastric and bronchial mucus glycoproteins. Biochem J. 1986;239(1):147-53.
[20] Parry G, Beck JC, Moss L, Bartley J, Ojakian GK. Determination of apical membrane polarity in mammary epithelial cell cultures: the role of cell-cell, cell-substratum, and membrane-cytoskeleton interactions. Exp Cell Res. 1990;188(2):302-11.
[21] Braga VM, Pemberton LF, Duhig T, Gendler SJ. Spatial and temporal expression of an epithelial mucin, Muc-1, during mouse development. Development. 1992;115(2):427-37.
[22] Parry G, Li J, Stubbs J, Bissell MJ, Schmidhauser C, Spicer AP, Gendler SJ. Studies of Muc-1 mucin expression and polarity in the mouse mammary gland demonstrate developmental regulation of Muc-1 glycosylation and establish the hormonal basis for mRNA expression. J Cell Sci. 1992;101 ( Pt 1):191-9.
[23] Gum JR, Byrd JC, Hicks JW, Toribara NW, Lamport DT, Kim YS. Molecular cloning of human intestinal mucin cDNAs. Sequence analysis and evidence for genetic polymorphism. J Biol Chem. 1989;264(11):6480-7.
[24] Lalani EN, Berdichevsky F, Boshell M, Shearer M, Wilson D, Stauss H, Gendler SJ, Taylor-Papadimitriou J. Expression of the gene coding for a human mucin in mouse mammary tumor cells can affect their tumorigenicity. J Biol Chem. 1991;266(23):15420-6.
[25] Lan MS, Batra SK, Qi WN, Metzgar RS, Hollingsworth MA. Cloning and sequencing of a human pancreatic tumor mucin cDNA. J Biol Chem. 1990;265(25):15294-9.
[26] Devine PL, McKenzie IF. Mucins: structure, function, and associations with malignancy. Bioessays. 1992;14(9):619-25.
[27] Audie JP, Janin A, Porchet N, Copin MC, Gosselin B, Aubert JP. Expression of human mucin genes in respiratory, digestive, and reproductive tracts ascertained by in situ hybridization. J Histochem Cytochem. 1993;41(10):1479-85.
[28] Dohrman A, Tsuda T, Escudier E, Cardone M, Jany B, Gum J, Kim Y, Basbaum C. Distribution of lysozyme and mucin (MUC2 and MUC3) mRNA in human bronchus. Exp Lung Res. 1994;20(4):367-80.
[29] Dilly PN. Structure and function of tear film. Lacrimal gland, tear film, and dry eye syndromes. Ed. D. A. Sullivan. New York: Plenum press, 1994: 239-47.
[30] Gipson IK, Yankauckas M, Spurr-Michaud SJ, Tisdale AS, Rinehart W. Characteristics of a glycoprotein in the ocular surface glycocalyx. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1992;33(1):218-27.
[31] Watanabe H, Fabricant M, Tisdale AS, Spurr-Michaud SJ, Lindberg K, Gipson IK. Human corneal and conjunctival epithelia produce a mucin-like glycoprotein for the apical surface. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1995;36(2):337-44.
[32] Hazlett LD. Corneal and ocular surface histochemistry. Prog Histochem Cytochem. 1993;25(3):1-60.
[33] Inatomi T, Spurr-Michaud S, Tisdale AS, Gipson IK. Human corneal and conjunctival epithelia express MUC1 mucin. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1995;36(9):1818-27.
[34] Wilkinson D. G. In situ hybridization: a practical approach in the principal approach series. Ed. D. Rickwood. Oxford: Univ. press, 1994.