Apoptosis

Research from Medical College in gene therapy provides new insights

Apoptosis Library Library Home This article was published in Genetics & Environmental Business Week, which you can subscribe to online.

"To assess possible roles of MMP-9 and MMP-9TH in X. laevis intestinal remodeling, we here analyzed their expression profiles by in situ hybridization and show that their expression is transiently up-regulated during thyroid hormone-dependent metamorphosis. Of interest, MMP-9TH mRNA is strictly localized in the connective tissue and most highly expressed just beneath the larval epithelium that begins to undergo apoptosis. On the other hand, cells expressing MMP-9 mRNA become first detectable in the connective tissue and then, after the start of epithelial apoptosis, also in the larval epithelium," wrote T. Hasebe and colleagues, Medical College.

The researchers concluded: "These results strongly suggest that MMP-9TH is responsible in the larval epithelial apoptosis through degrading ECM components in the basal lamina, whereas MMP-9 is involved in the removal of dying epithelial cells during amphibian intestinal remodeling."

Hasebe and colleagues published their study in Developmental Dynamics (Expression profiles of the duplicated matrix metalloproteinase-9 genes suggest their different poles in apoptosis of larval intestinal epithelial cells during Xenopus laevis metamorphosis. Developmental Dynamics, 2007;236(8):2338-2345).

For additional information, contact T. Hasebe, Nippon Medical College, Dept. of Biology, Nakahara Ku, 2-297-2 Kosugi Cho, Kanagawa 2110063, Japan.

Publisher contact information for the journal Developmental Dynamics is: Wiley-Liss, Division John Wiley & Sons Inc., 111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA.

Keywords: Japan, Kanagawa, Biotechnology, Gene Therapy, Medical College.

This article was prepared by Genetics & Environmental Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Genetics & Environmental Business Week via NewsRx.com.