1998 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
A STUDY FOR PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTION OF LUNG GALECTIN-8
| Project/Area Number |
09670619
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Respiratory organ internal medicine
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| Research Institution | KYUSHU UNIVERSITY |
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Principal Investigator |
WASANO Kojiro INSTITUTION KYUSHU UNIVERSITY,DEPARTMENT OF ANATOMY AND CELL BIOLOGY,ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, 大学院・医学系研究科, 助教授 (90117292)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1997 – 1998
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| Keywords | gelectins / mammalian lectin / rat / epithelial cell / recombinant / cytochemistry |
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| Research Abstract |
Galectin-4 ( G4 ) is a member of soluble galactoside-binding lectins found in various mammalian tissues. To determine the function of this protein within colorectal tissue, we separately produced N- and C-terminal half carbohydrate-binding domain (CBD) of rat G4 as a recombinant glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion protein ( G4-N and G4-C ) and examined the tissue-binding site(s) of each CBD by light and electron microscopy (LM and EM). At the LM level both fusion proteins stained the intercellular borders of the surface- lining epithelial cells of colorectal mucosa, At the EM level, two proteins recognized spatially close but distinct subcellular structures. G4-N stained electron-lucent flocculent substances freely located in the intercellular spaces, whereas G4-C bound to the lateral cell membranes demarcating the intercellular spaces. From these findings, it is suggested that colorectal G4 may be involved in cross-linking the lateral cell membranes of the surface-lining epithelial cells, thereby reinforcing the epithelial integrity against mechanical stress coming from the bowel lumen.
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