Meprin mRNA in rat intestine during normal and glucocorticoid-induced maturation: divergent patterns of expression of alpha and beta subunits

Meprin is a zinc-metalloendopeptidase expressed in intestinal epithelial ce lls. In rat jejunum collected from postnatal day 4 (P4) through P25 meprins alpha mRNA exhibited uniform levels for the first three postnatal weeks an d then declined, whereas meprin beta mRNA showed a biphasic pattern with hi gh levels in the first postnatal week followed by low levels from P7 throug h P19 and then a marked rise at P22 and P25, Dexamethasone treatment beginn ing at P10 had no significant effect on levels of meprins a mRNA, whereas t his treatment caused a precocious increase in expression of meprin beta mRN A. These divergent patterns of expression of meprins alpha and beta mRNA su ggest distinct roles for the two subunits during the suckling and weaning p hases of rodent intestinal development, (C) 1999 Federation of European Bio chemical Societies.