Differential expression of the mouse α1-acid glycoprotein genes (AGP-1 and AGP-2) during inflammation and aging

Kenneth C. Carter, David J. Post, John Papaconstantinou

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this study we investigated the expression of the Balb/c mouse α1-acid glycoprotein genes. Mice, like humans, have two distinct α1-acid glycoprotein mRNAs. As in humans and rats, mouse α1-acid glycoprotein is a strong acute-phase reactant and its expression can be induced by acute-phase stimulatory agents such as bacterial lipopolysaccharides. Southern analysis and partial sequencing of different α1-acid glycoprotein genomic clones indicated the existence of three distinct α1-acid glycoprotein genes in the Balb/c genome. Using oligonucleotide hybridization, we showed that two of the three genes were expressed while the third gene was either not expressed or expressed at extremely low levels. The mRNA levels for the two expressed genes, α1-acid glycoprotein-1 and α1-acid glycoprotein-2, were both induced during the acute-phase response. However, α1-acid glycoprotein-2 mRNA was present in at least 10-fold higher levels in both induced and uninduced mice. There were also differences in the developmental patterns of the two mRNAs in that the constitutive α1-acid glycoprotein-1 mRNA levels increased 20-fold between 2 and 7 months, while α1-acid glycoprotein-2 mRNA pools remained constant. During the acute-phase response in aged animals, there was an increase in the time required for both mRNAs to respond, and the maximum induced level of both mRNAs decreased. These studies set the stage for future experiments to determine the mechanisms by which the different α1-acid glycoprotein genes are regulated during the acute-phase response and how aging affects these regulatory processes.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)197-205
Number of pages9
JournalBBA - Gene Structure and Expression
Volume1089
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 13 1991

Keywords

  • Acute phase response
  • Aging
  • Gene regulation
  • mRNA
  • α-Acid glycoprotein gene

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Structural Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Biochemistry
  • Genetics

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