Identification, cloning and characterization of interleukin-17 and its family from zebrafish

Fish Shellfish Immunol. 2006 Oct;21(4):393-403. doi: 10.1016/j.fsi.2006.01.004. Epub 2006 May 3.

Abstract

Cytokines are one of the major signaling molecules involved in immunity. Many of these cytokines have been isolated in vertebrates and found to play a significant role in host defense mechanism. Interleukin-17 (IL-17) family of genes are known to have pro-inflammatory actions and associated with specific disease conditions, these genes are conserved across vertebrate evolution. In this study, computational screening for the zebrafish (Danio rerio) genome resulted in identification of five contigs harboring IL-17 genes. Zebrafish cDNA encoding five IL-17 genes exhibited percentage identities of 19.3%-61.9% with that of human homologs. The molecules show conservation of cysteines, important for disulphide bonds for IL-17 molecules. The structural composition of these genes shows two introns and three exons except for IL-17D gene that has only one intron and two exons. Phylogenetic analysis using maximum parsimony algorithm showed that zebrafish IL-17 genes clustered well with other IL-17 homologs further proving the structural similarity with IL-17 genes from other organisms. Expression analysis by RT-PCR revealed expression of IL-17 genes in normal and stimulated tissues of kidney, spleen, gills and intestine. The expression of IL-17 in un-stimulated tissues indicates that these genes may play important roles in normal conditions as well.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • DNA Primers / chemistry
  • Fish Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Fish Proteins / chemistry
  • Fish Proteins / drug effects
  • Fish Proteins / genetics*
  • Gene Order
  • Interleukin-17 / biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-17 / chemistry
  • Interleukin-17 / genetics*
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Sequence Alignment / veterinary
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Zebrafish / genetics
  • Zebrafish / immunology
  • Zebrafish / physiology*

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • Fish Proteins
  • Interleukin-17
  • Lipopolysaccharides

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AB195256
  • GENBANK/AB195257
  • GENBANK/AB195258
  • GENBANK/AB195259
  • GENBANK/AB195260