Anti-GPSM2 polyclonal antibody

To determine whether asymmetrical cell division takes place during growth and differentiation of corneal epithelial cells, we analyzed the expression of some proteins required for the correct execution of the asymmetric division in cultured RCE1-(5T5) cells, which mimic the differentiation of corneal epithelial cells. RT-PCR and immunostaining showed that Par-3, LGN (GPSM2), NuMA, and the mammalian homolog of inscuteable (Insc) are expressed by the cultured cells. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR demonstrated that Insc mRNA levels were stable throughout the experiment. Conversely, LGN and NuMA mRNAs increased slightly and steadily in proliferative cells, reaching a peak of about 20% above basal levels when cells were confluent. At later times, LGN and NuMA mRNAs decreased to become barely detectable when cells organized into a four-layered epithelium and expressed terminal phenotype as indicated by the highest expression of LDH-H mRNA. Cultivation under low Ca2+ conditions (0.09 mM) reduced about 50% Insc mRNA expression both in proliferating and confluent cultures, but did not affect the levels of LGN and NuMA mRNAs. Hence, asymmetric cell division seems to take place with a lower frequency in cells grown with low Ca2+ concentrations, in spite of the absence of stratification. Immunostaining experiments raise the possibility of an interaction between k3/K12 keratin cytoskeleton and Par-3. The results show for the first time the coordination between the expression of corneal epithelial cell differentiation and the expression of cell polarity machinery. They also suggest that asymmetric division does not depend on stratification; instead, it seems to be part of the differentiation program. J. Cell. Physiol. 226: 700-709, 2011. (C) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Background: Anthrax and its etiologic agent remain a biological threat. Anthrax vaccine is highly effective, but vaccine-induced IgG antibody responses vary widely following required doses of vaccinations. Such variation can be related to genetic factors, especially genomic copy number variants (CNVs) that are known to be enriched among genes with immunologic function. We have tested this hypothesis in two study populations from a clinical trial of anthrax vaccination. Methods: We performed CNV-based genome-wide association analyses separately on 794 European Americans and 200 African-Americans. Antibodies to protective antigen were measured at week 8 (early response) and week 30 (peak response) using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We used DNA microarray data (Affymetrix 6.0) and two CNV detection algorithms, hidden markov model (PennCNV) and circular binary segmentation (GeneSpring) to determine CNVs in all individuals. Multivariable regression analyses were used to identify CNV-specific associations after adjusting for relevant non-genetic covariates. Results: Within the 22 autosomal chromosomes, 2,943 non-overlapping CNV regions were detected by both algorithms. Genomic insertions containing HLA-DRB5, DRB1 and DQA1/DRA genes in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region (chromosome 6p21.3) were moderately associated with elevated early antibody response (beta = 0.14, p = 1.78x10(-3)) among European Americans, and the strongest association was observed between peak antibody response and a segmental insertion on chromosome 1, containing NBPF4, NBPF5, STXMP3, CLCC1, and GPSM2 genes (beta = 1.66, p = 6.06x10(-5)). For African-Americans, segmental deletions spanning PRR20, PCDH17 and PCH68 genes on chromosome 13 were associated with elevated early antibody production (beta = 0.18, p = 4.47x10(-5)). Population-specific findings aside, one genomic insertion on chromosome 17 (containing NSF, ARL17 and LRRC37A genes) was associated with elevated peak antibody response in both populations. Conclusion: Multiple CNV regions, including the one consisting of MHC genes that is consistent with earlier research, can be important to humoral immune responses to anthrax vaccine adsorbed.