U. Schafer et al., Isolation and characterisation of the human rab18 gene after stimulation of endothelial cells with histamine, FEBS LETTER, 466(1), 2000, pp. 148-154
Here me report the isolation of a cDNA encoding the complete human rab18 pr
otein from histamine-stimulated endothelial cells using differential displa
y. The amino acid sequence showed 98% homology with the previously isolated
mouse rab18 protein, which is implicated in apical/basolateral endocytosis
. Northern blot analysis revealed two transcripts (2.5 kb and 1 kb) ubiquit
ously expressed in all examined organs, as well as in human umbilical vein
endothelial and aortic cells. In blood cells rab18 transcripts were hardly
detectable. The histamine-induced time-dependent increase of rab18 mRNA exp
ression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and peripheral blood mono
nuclear cells indicates for the first time a link between receptor-mediated
signal transduction and the regulation of rab gene expression. This findin
g might also imply a role for rab proteins in inflammation. (C) 2000 Federa
tion of European Biochemical Societies.