Induction of the FK506-binding protein, FKBP13, under conditions which misfold proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum.

In order to determine whether the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) luminal FK506-binding protein, FKBP13, shares properties of ER molecular chaperones, MDCK cells were treated with either tunicamycin or Ca2+ ionophores. By Northern-blot analysis, tunicamycin resulted in a 2-fold rise in FKBP13 mRNA, whereas ionophores (A23187 and ionomycin) caused a more impressive rise in FKBP13 mRNA (up to 5-fold with ionomycin). Actinomycin D chase experiments in ionomycin-treated cells revealed no change in the half-life of FKBP13 mRNA, indicating that the increase in FKBP13 mRNA observed was not due to greater message stability. Moreover, sequencing of the 5' flanking region of the gene for murine FKBP13 revealed significant similarity to similar regions in human BiP (immunoglobulin-binding protein) and the human glucose-regulated protein grp94, including a 37 bp sequence in FKBP13 with approximately 50% identity with the unfolded protein response element of the BiP gene. Together, these data suggest a role for FKBP13 in ER protein folding.