Structure and Function of Telencephalon-Specific Antigen

在兔脑的免疫组织化学分析中，单克隆抗体（MAb）271 A6选择性地标记所有端脑区域的灰质，而该抗体未标记非端脑区域。利用单克隆抗体271 A6亲和层析柱，我们从兔脑中分离出了抗原271 A6（端脑特异性抗原）。端脑特异性抗原是一种分子量为500 KDa的膜蛋白，由4个130 KDa的亚基组成。端脑特异性抗原的每个亚基含有7或8条N-天冬酰胺连接的寡糖链。用抗血清对兔脑进行免疫组织化学染色的模式与用MAb 271 A6进行的几乎相同。这表明端脑特异性抗原的整个核心蛋白在端脑区域选择性表达。使用抗血清，我们研究了免疫组织化学的各种哺乳动物的大脑。该抗血清标记了小鼠、大鼠、豚鼠、猫和猴的端脑灰质，提示端脑特异性抗原在哺乳动物中是保守的，基于上述结果，我们将端脑特异性抗原命名为端脑蛋白（Telencephalin）。我们现在正在确定端脑蛋白的一级结构，并研究端脑蛋白的功能作用。

In immunohistochemical analysis of the rabbit brain, monoclonal antibody (MAb) 271A6 selectively labels the gray matter of all telencephalic regions whereas the antibody leaves non-telencephalic regions unlabeled. Using affinity columns with MAb 271A6, we isolated the antigen 271A6 (telencephalon-specific antigen) to homogeneity from rabbit brain. The telencephalon-specific antigen turned out to be a membrane protein with a molecular weight of 500 KDa, consisting of four 130 KDa subunits. Each subunit of the telencephalon-specific antigen contained 7 or 8 N-asparagine-linked oligosaccharide chains.An antiserum was generated against the purified telencephalon-specific antigen. The pattern of the immunohistochemical staining of the rabbit brain with the antiserum was almost identical to that with MAb 271A6. This indicates that entire core protein of the telencephalon-specific antigen is selectively expressed in telencephalic regions. Using the antiserum, we examined immuno-histochemically the brains of various mammalian species. The antiserum labeled the gray matter of telencephalic regions of mice, rats, guinea pigs, cats, and monkeys in addition to rabbits, suggesting that the telencephalon-specific antigen is conserved among mammalian species.Based on above results, we termed the telencephalon-specific antigen "Telencephalin". We are now determining the primary structure of Telencephalin and examining the functional roles of Telencephalin.