Reprimo tissue-specific expression pattern is conserved between zebrafish and human

PLoS One. 2017 May 31;12(5):e0178274. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178274. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Reprimo (RPRM), a member of the RPRM gene family, is a tumor-suppressor gene involved in the regulation of the p53-mediated cell cycle arrest at G2/M. RPRM has been associated with malignant tumor progression and proposed as a potential biomarker for early cancer detection. However, the expression and role of RPRM, as well as its family, are poorly understood and their physiology is as yet unstudied. In this scenario, a model system like the zebrafish could serve to dissect the role of the RPRM family members in vivo. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that RPRM and RPRML have been differentially retained by most species throughout vertebrate evolution, yet RPRM3 has been retained only in a small group of distantly related species, including zebrafish. Herein, we characterized the spatiotemporal expression of RPRM (present in zebrafish as an infraclass duplication rprma/rprmb), RPRML and RPRM3 in the zebrafish. By whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH) and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), we demonstrate that rprm (rprma/rprmb) and rprml show a similar spatiotemporal expression profile during zebrafish development. At early developmental stages rprmb is expressed in somites. After one day post-fertilization, rprm (rprma/rprmb) and rprml are expressed in the notochord, brain, blood vessels and digestive tube. On the other hand, rprm3 shows the most unique expression profile, being expressed only in the central nervous system (CNS). We assessed the expression patterns of RPRM gene transcripts in adult zebrafish and human RPRM protein product in tissue samples by RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining, respectively. Strikingly, tissue-specific expression patterns of the RPRM transcripts and protein are conserved between zebrafish and humans. We propose the zebrafish as a powerful tool to elucidate the both physiological and pathological roles of the RPRM gene family.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics*
  • Conserved Sequence
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Glycoproteins / genetics*
  • Humans
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Zebrafish / embryology

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Glycoproteins
  • RPRM protein, human

Grants and funding

This work was funded by grants BMBF-CONICYT 20140027 to AFS and JDA, CONICYT-ANILLO ACT1402 and CRP-ICGEB CH15-01 to JDA, FONDECYT 1160627, to JCO, 1140970 to GIO, 1151411 to AHC, BMRC 13CTI-21526-P6, IMII P09/016-F and CONICYT-FONDAP 15130011 to GIO and AHC.