K Takeuchi1, A Yuta, Y Sakakura. 1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology Mie University School of Medicine, Japan.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The MUC2 gene encodes the core protein of a mucin expressed in the intestine and lower airway. The purpose of this study is to examine if the MUC2 gene is expressed in the nose and maxillary sinus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A Northern blot analysis and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were performed. For the Northern blot analysis, RNAs were extracted from maxillary mucosae and nasal polyps of patients with chronic sinusitis and from the inferior turbinates of a nasal allergy patient. For RT-PCR, RNAs were extracted from 10 patients with chronic sinusitis, 4 patients with allergic rhinitis, 2 patients with hypertrophic rhinitis, and 6 volunteers with normal nasal mucosa. RESULTS: Hybridization of the Northern blot with SMUC41 (a part of MUC2) cDNA probe showed clear bands in 2 of the 3 samples. In RT-PCR, the first round of amplification (35 cycles) failed to give any bands, but the additional 30 cycles with internal primers gave bands in 6 of 22 samples. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that MUC2 mucin gene is expressed in the nose and paranasal sinus. This two-round RT-PCR method will be useful for analysis of MUC2 mucin gene expression using relatively small amount of RNA.
PURPOSE: The MUC2 gene encodes the core protein of a mucin expressed in the intestine and lower airway. The purpose of this study is to examine if the MUC2 gene is expressed in the nose and maxillary sinus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A Northern blot analysis and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were performed. For the Northern blot analysis, RNAs were extracted from maxillary mucosae and nasal polyps of patients with chronic sinusitis and from the inferior turbinates of a nasal allergypatient. For RT-PCR, RNAs were extracted from 10 patients with chronic sinusitis, 4 patients with allergic rhinitis, 2 patients with hypertrophic rhinitis, and 6 volunteers with normal nasal mucosa. RESULTS: Hybridization of the Northern blot with SMUC41 (a part of MUC2) cDNA probe showed clear bands in 2 of the 3 samples. In RT-PCR, the first round of amplification (35 cycles) failed to give any bands, but the additional 30 cycles with internal primers gave bands in 6 of 22 samples. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that MUC2mucin gene is expressed in the nose and paranasal sinus. This two-round RT-PCR method will be useful for analysis of MUC2mucin gene expression using relatively small amount of RNA.