K. Bamberg et al., IN-SITU HYBRIDIZATION OF MESSENGER-RNA FOR THE GASTRIC H-ATPASE IN RAT OXYNTIC MUCOSA(, K+), Biochimica et biophysica acta. Biomembranes, 1190(2), 1994, pp. 355-359
The H+, K+-ATPase member of the phosphorylating ion motive ATPases is
composed of two subunits, a large alpha-subunit composed of about 1030
amino acids and a smaller beta-subunit consisting of about 290 amino
acids. By biochemical and immunological methods both subunits have bee
n found in high abundance in the gastric parietal cell. In the present
study in situ hybridization was used for localizing and comparing con
centrations of the mRNA for the two subunits in the gastric epithelium
. For this purpose H-3-labelled probes were preferred. Hybridization w
as detected only in the parietal cells. The older parietal cells in th
e bottom of the mucosa gave a weaker hybridization signal than the you
nger parietal cells closer to the surface. The margin of experimental
ulcers, where the parietal cells are of low differentiation, showed ve
ry weak, if any, hybridization. The differences observed in hybridizat
ion densities may reflect differences in mRNA synthesis or stability.
It is conceivable that older parietal cells, as well as parietal cells
of low differentiation, produce relatively small amounts of H+, K+-AT
Pase.