Structure and Function of Telencephalon-Specific Antigen

在兔脑的免疫组织化学分析中，单抗271A6选择性地标记所有端脑区域的灰质，而不标记非端脑区域。用271A6单抗亲和层析柱，从兔脑中分离纯化出端脑特异性抗原271A6。端脑特异性抗原是一种膜蛋白，其相对分子质量为500 KDa，由4个130 KDa亚基组成。端脑特异性抗原的每个亚基含有7或8个N-天冬酰胺连接的寡糖链，并针对纯化的端脑特异性抗原制备抗血清。兔脑抗血清免疫组织化学染色与单抗271A6免疫组化染色结果基本一致。这表明端脑特异性抗原的整个核心蛋白选择性地在端脑区表达。使用该抗血清，我们对不同哺乳动物的大脑进行了免疫组织化学检查。该抗血清标记了小鼠、大鼠、豚鼠、猫和猴子的端脑区灰质，表明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。我们现在正在确定端脑的一级结构，并研究端脑的功能作用。

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.