Conserved function of mSpry-2, a murine homolog of Drosophila sprouty, which negatively modulates respiratory organogenesis

Curr Biol. 1999 Feb 25;9(4):219-22. doi: 10.1016/s0960-9822(99)80094-3.

Abstract

In Drosophila embryos, the loss of sprouty gene function enhances branching of the respiratory system. Three human sprouty homologues (h-Spry1-3) have been cloned recently, but their function is as yet unknown [1]. Here, we show that a murine sprouty gene (mSpry-2), the product of which shares 97% homology with the respective human protein, is expressed in the embryonic murine lung. We used an antisense oligonucleotide strategy to reduce expression of mSpry-2 by 96%, as measured by competitive reverse transcriptase PCR, in E11. 5 murine embryonic lungs cultured for 4 days [2]. Morphologically, the decrease in mSpry-2 expression resulted in a 72% increase in embryonic murine lung branching morphogenesis as well as a significant increase in expression of the lung epithelial marker genes SP-C, SP-B and SP-A. These results support a striking conservation of function between the Drosophila and mammalian sprouty gene families to negatively modulate respiratory organogenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Drosophila / embryology
  • Drosophila / growth & development
  • Drosophila / physiology*
  • Drosophila Proteins*
  • Embryonic Induction
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Humans
  • Insect Proteins / chemistry
  • Insect Proteins / genetics
  • Insect Proteins / physiology*
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Lung / embryology
  • Lung / growth & development
  • Lung / physiology*
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins*
  • Mice
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Morphogenesis
  • Organ Specificity
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Proteins / chemistry
  • Proteins / genetics
  • Proteins / physiology*
  • Respiratory System
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Insect Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Proteins
  • SPRY2 protein, human
  • sty protein, Drosophila
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Spry2 protein, mouse

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AF153084