表面活性物质相关蛋白表达的调控研究进展

特异性的肺表面活性物质相关蛋白（ＳＰ）包括亲水性的ＳＰ－Ａ、ＳＰ－Ｄ和疏水性的ＳＰ－Ｂ、ＳＰ－Ｃ．它们的表达与合成受众多生理、病理因素影响。本文综述了该领域的研究进展。１．ＳＰ表达的组织细胞特异性调控：只有肺内某些细胞（肺泡Ⅱ型细胞、Ｃｌａｒａ细胞等）能合成分泌ＳＰ,这可能是由ＳＰ基因中特定序列决定的,如ＳＰ－Ｂ基因的细胞特异性表达的调控成分。２．ＳＰ表达的发育期调控：ＳＰ基因属发育控制基因家族。在人类妊娠前３ｍｏｎ胎肺中,ＳＰ基本不表达：妊娠１５－１８ｗｋ时,气管、支气管上皮细胞即可见ＳＰ－Ｂ、ＳＰ－ＣｍＲＮＡｓ和表达蛋白,它们可能比ＳＰ－Ａ出现早：妊娠１９－２０ｗｋ时可见ＳＰ－ＡｍＲＮＡ和表达蛋白,胎肺组织在体外无激素条件下培养可很快诱导ＳＰ表达,在妊娠后３ｍｏｎ内,各ＳＰｍＲＮＡｓ及其表达蛋白水平与磷脂水平平行升高,也与ＳＰ降低表面张力的特性逐渐增强相关,羊水中可检出这些蛋白,板层体的出现与ＳＰ－Ｂ的表达密切相关,而比ＳＰ－Ａ的表达早,胎肺发育过程中ＳＰｍＲＮＡｓ增加至少部分是由于其基因转录率升高,可能同时也与翻译增加有关。３．糖皮质激素对ＳＰ表达的调控：糖皮质激素对ＳＰ－Ａ表达的调控极复杂,且与剂量     

PAK株与PA103株绿脓杆菌外毒素结构基因间的差异及其对功能的影响

对ＰＡＫ株的绿脓杆菌外毒素结构基因进行全长核苷酸顺序测定时发现：来源于ＰＡ１０３株和ＰＡＫ株的ＰＥ基因一级结构间存在差异,其中Ｔｈｒ~（１７９）（ＡＣＣ）→Ａｌａ~（１７９）（ＧＣＣ）、Ｓｅｒ~（５１５）（ＡＧＣ）→Ｇｌｙ~（５１５）（ＧＧＣ）,并有１１个同义突变,但变异并不影响白细胞介素２－绿脓杆菌外毒素融合蛋白的ＡＤＰ－核糖基化活性及其细胞毒活性。     

球形幽门螺杆菌分子生物学研究

为研究幽门螺杆菌（ＨＰ）球形变异本质,作者通过延期培养和采用亚抑菌浓度抗生素,使３株ＨＰ发生球形变异,对弯曲形和球形ＨＰ作了ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ、免疫印迹及４个毒力基因片段ＰＣＲ和ＰＣＲ－ＳＳＣＰ分析。ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ图谱显示球形ＨＰ分子量在７４×１０４以上的蛋白含量减少,免疫印迹显示球形ＨＰ１２５×１０４蛋白条带反应减弱,而抗生素诱变的球形ＨＰ分子量为１１×１０４和６３×１０４的蛋白条带反应增强。ＰＣＲ及ＰＣＲ－ＳＳＣＰ结果表明球形ＨＰ的ｈｐａＡ,ＶａｃＡ,ＣａｇＡ和ＵｒｅＡ４个毒力基因片段未发生缺失,但在ｈｐａＡ或ＶａｃＡ基因中存在点突变     

u-PA/t-PA嵌合型纤溶酶原激活剂(ut-PA)的构建、表达、纯化和性质研究

将尿激酶原（ｐｒｏ－ＵＫ）ｃＤＮＡ和组织型纤溶酶原激活剂（ｔ－ＰＡ）Ａ链ｃＤＮＡ克隆到Ｍ１３ｍｐ１８中,经过二次寡核甘酸诱导的大片段定点删除和一次寡核苷酸诱导的多位点突变,得到ｕ－ＰＡ（Ｌｅｕ１４４－Ｇｌｙ４０８）／ｔ－ＰＡ（Ｓｅｒ１－Ｔｈｒ２６３）（ｕｔ－ＰＡ）融合基因．将ｕｔ－ＰＡ融合基因克隆到表达载体ｐＣＭ－βｎｅｏ中,与ｐＣＭ－ｄｈｆｒ共转染ＣＨＯ／ＤＨＦＲ－细胞,筛选稳定表达株．收集无血清表达上清,经苯甲脒柱纯化得到ｕｔ－ＰＡ纯品,ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ和纤维蛋白自显影显示ｕｔ－ＰＡ有两种分子量形式,分子量分别为６８ｋＤ和６１ｋＤ．纤维蛋白亲和性试验表明,ＬＵＫ（低分子量尿激酶）对纤维蛋白没有亲和性,而含有ＬＵＫ的ｕｔ－ＰＡ则对纤维蛋白表现出很强的亲和性,但ｕｔ－ＰＡ的亲和性略低于亲本ｔ－ＰＡ．     

优化mRNA翻译起始区提高人粒－巨噬细胞集落刺激因子在E．coli中的表达

人粒－巨噬细胞集落刺激因子（ｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ）是一种重要的造血生长因子．利用基因重组技术构建两个ｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ的Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉ表达菌株,一个为在不改变氨基酸顺序的前提下,对ｍＲＮＡ翻译起始区核苷酸顺序进行优化突变（ｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ（Ｍ））,另一个为未突变的对照（ｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ（Ｎ））．经酶切电泳、ＤＮＡ测序、ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ和Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ等分析鉴定,证明两者均能表达特异性的１４．６ｋＤｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ,但ｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ（Ｍ）的表达水平较ｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ（Ｎ）提高了１．２６倍,占菌体总蛋白的１６．９％．ｍＲＮＡ翻译起始区二级结构预测分析表明,优化突变后生成自由能ΔＧ从原来的－１０．２提高至－９．４Ｋｃａｌ,ＡＵＧ从部分配对状态变为非配对状态．     

野生型及启动子区突变的HPFHAγ基因在MEL细胞中的表达

研究了野生型Ａγ珠蛋白基因、中国型胎儿血红蛋白持续存在综合症（ＨＰＦＨ）Ａγ基因（启动子区－１９６Ｃ－Ｔ突变）及希腊型ＨＰＦＨＡγ基因（－１１７Ｇ－Ａ突变）在鼠红白血病（ＭＥＬ）ＧＭ９７９细胞中的表达,比较每个整合的Ａγ基因明显增加的表达水平,而－１１７Ｇ－Ａ１９６Ｃ－Ｔ突变Ａγ基因未显示比野生型Ａγ基因明显增加的表达水平,而－１１７Ｇ－Ａ空变Ａγ基因在未分化的及ＨＭＢＡ或丁酸钠诱导分化的ＭＥＬＧ     

人主动脉硫酸乙酰肝素蛋白聚糖对培养的人血管壁细胞生长的作用

通过培养的人主动脉平滑肌细胞（ｈＡＳＭＣ）及脐静脉内皮细胞（ｈＵＶＥＣ）,应用３Ｈ－ＴｄＲ参入、Ｎｏｒｔｈｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ分析、逆转录多聚酶链反应（ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ）、放射免疫分析（ＲＩＡ）、和紫外比色法等技术观察了人主动脉中硫酸乙酰肝素蛋白聚糖（ＨＳＰＧ）对ｈＡＳＭＣ和ｈＵＶＥＣＤＮＡ合成的作用及对血小板源生长因子（ＰＤＧＦ）、ＰＤＧＦ受体、转化生长因子β（ＴＧＦ－β）、内皮素－１（ＥＴ－１）或碱性成纤维细胞生长因子（ｂＦＧＦ）基因表达和肾素－血管紧张系统（ＲＡＳ）的影响,结果显示,ＨＳＰＧ明显抑制培养的ｈＡＳＭＣ基础的ＤＮＡ合成（ｃｐｍ值为：１０３８５±３２６３ｖｓ,２５５４１±６４２１,Ｐ＜０．０１）及外源性ＰＤＧＦ诱导的ＤＮＡ合成（ｃｐｍ值为：９８７８±１９４７ｖｓ．１３４８１±４４ｌ０,Ｐ＜０．０５）;抑制ＰＤＧＦＡ链、ＴＧＦ－Ｂｐ和ＥＴ－１ｍＲＮＡ表达,提高ＰＤＧＦａ和β受体ｍＲＮＡ的表达;显著降低ｈＡＳＭＣ培养液中血管紧张素Ⅱ（ＡｎｇⅡ）的浓度和血管紧张素转换酶（ＡＣＥ）的活性,推测ＨＳＰＧ抑制ＰＤＧＦＡ链、ＴＧＦ－β及ＥＴ－１ｍＲＮＡ表达,降低ＡＣＥ活性及ＡｎｇⅡ浓度是其抑制ｈＡＳＭＣ增殖的重要机     

大肠杆菌aroG基因的克隆表达及与pheA、tyrB基因的串联表达

３－脱氧－２－阿拉伯庚酮糖－７－磷酸合成酶（ＤＡＨＰ）是苯丙氨酸合成途径中关键酶之一,在大肠杆菌中由ａｒｏＧ基因编码。本文用ＮＴＧ诱变得到对苯丙氨酸类似物间氟苯丙氨酸（ｍＦＰ）和对氟苯丙氨酸（ｐＦＰ）有抗性的大肠杆菌突变株,采用聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）扩增得到了ａｒｏＧ基因,在大肠杆菌中进行了表达。结果表明,该基因能在λ噬菌体的ｐＲ启动子驱动下得到表达,在ＳＤＳ－聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳图上出现清晰的条带,酶的比活提高了１．７倍。在ｐｈｅＡ（编码分枝酸变位酶ＣＭ和预苯酸脱水酶ＰＤ）、ｔｙｒＢ（编码苯丙氨酸转氨酶ＰＡＴ）基因克隆、串联克隆和表达完成的基础上,将ａｒｏＧ基因和ｐｈｅＡ、ｔｙｒＢ基因以ａｒｏＧ－ｐｈｅＡ－ｔｙｒＢ的顺序三基因串联到表达载体进行表达,酶活测定结果表明,三个基因都能在λ噬菌体的ｐＲ启动子驱动下表达,与对照菌株相比,酶比活分别提高了１．７倍、１３．９／７．８倍和２．３倍。     

核酶对bcl－2mRNA的体外切割

通过微机对ｂｃｌ－２ＲＮＡ二级结构的分析,设计针对ｂｃｌ－２片段５＇ＣＧＣＧＡＣＣＣＧＧＵＣＧＣＣＡＧＧＡＣＣＵＣＧ３＇的“锤头状”（Ｈａｍｍｅｒｈｅａｄ）核酶（Ｒｉｂｏｚｙｍｅ,ＲＤ）基因,平端连接于ｐＧＥＭ－３Ｚｆ（－）ＨｉｎｃⅡ位点,克隆后经测序表明序列正确,ｂｃｌ－２和Ｒｉｂｏｚｙｍｅ基因经体外转录,５０℃作用２ｈ,从１６５６－１６５７（Ｃ－Ｇ）位之间切断ｂｃｌ－２ＲＮＡ片段．     

中国北方人苯丙氨酸羟化酶基因外显子7内新突变的鉴定

应用ＰＣＲ－单链构象多态性分析及ＤＮＡ直接测序,对４５例中国北方苯丙酮尿症（ＰＫＵ）患者苯丙氨酸羟化酶（ＰＡＨ）基因外显子７内突变进行了鉴定。共检出６种错义突变及一种静止突变：Ｒ２４３Ｑ．Ｒ４１Ｈ,Ｇ２４７Ｖ．Ｌ２４９Ｈ．Ｐ２５４Ｉ．Ｇ２５７Ｖ和Ｖ２４５Ｖ。经与国际ＰＡＨ基因突变数据库比较,确认Ｇ２５７Ｖ．Ｐ２５４Ｉ和Ｌ２４９Ｈ为国际上首次发现的突变。结果揭示,中国人与其他种族及中国北方与南方人群ＰＡＨ突变特点不同。明确了中国北方人群中ＰＡＨ基因外显子７基因突变分布,有助于提高ＰＫＵ的基因诊断率,对基因的起源、进化研究有参考价值     

The common -866G/A polymorphism of the UCP2 gene in healthy Iranians compared with world populations

Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) is a member of the mitochondrial transporter superfamily. It is proposed as a candidate gene for obesity. A common G/A polymorphism in the promoter region of this gene is associated with enhanced adipose tissue mRNA expression in vivo. Using a PCR-RFLP method, we genotyped the UCP2 -866G/A polymorphism in 75 unrelated nonobese nondiabetic Iranians. The frequencies of the UCP2 -866G/A genotypes in 75 Iranian normal subjects were 7 (9.4%) for AA, 41 (54.6%) for GA, and 27 (36%) for GG. Significantly higher HDL cholesterol was detected in people with the GG genotype (p = 0.02) compared to individuals with the GA and AA genotypes. The frequency distribution results were compared with data from Japanese, Italians, Germans, Austrians, and Danes. Our allele frequencies were significantly different from the Japanese data from two different reports (P < 0.025) but not from the others. The Japanese data showed a higher frequency of the AA genotype, which is associated with a low prevalence of obesity, than the Caucasian individuals' data did. In conclusion, a single nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter region of the UCP2 gene has a significant association with HDL cholesterol level in Iranian nonobese nondiabetic subjects. Also, our allele-frequency distribution for this single nucleotide polymorphism is closer to European Caucasians than to Japanese in nonobese nondiabetic individuals.     

Up-regulation of uterine UCP2 and UCP3 in pregnant rats.

Pregnancy produces profound changes in hormone dynamics, thermoregulation and energy metabolism. Uncoupling proteins (UCPs) have been identified in a variety of tissues and UCP1 is known to play important roles in energy homeostasis, while the regulation of UCP2 and UCP3 is still unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of the changes during pregnancy on UCP gene expression in the uterus, as well as in brown adipose tissue (BAT), white adipose tissue (WAT), soleus muscle (Muscle), and liver, throughout the estrus and metestrus periods, at early, middle and late stages in pregnancy, and during post-gestational stages. The expression of uterine UCP2 and UCP3 were up-regulated by 3.2- and 1. 5-fold, respectively, during the late stage of pregnancy with an increase of WAT leptin mRNA expression and exogenous administration of leptin resulted in induction of the uterine UCP2 and UCP3 levels. Contrary to uterine UCPs, UCP1 mRNA expression in BAT was down-regulated by 0.5-fold and there were no remarkable changes in WAT or liver UCP2, or Muscle UCP3 expression throughout the periods. These results indicate that UCP gene expressions during pregnancy are regulated tissue-dependently, and up-regulation of uterine UCP2 and UCP3 mRNA may be due to increased leptin levels.     

Absence of UCP3 in brown adipose tissue does not impair nonshivering thermogenesis

We report on a novel Djungarian hamster mutant lineage that exhibits a loss of uncoupling protein (UCP) 3 mRNA and protein in brown adipose tissue (BAT), whereas UCP3 expression in skeletal muscle is only mildly diminished. In response to 2 d of cold exposure, UCP3 mRNA was 4.5-fold elevated in BAT of wild-type hamsters but remained undetectable in mutant hamsters. Notably, in BAT of warm- and cold-exposed mutant hamsters, UCP1 and UCP2 mRNA levels were increased. The tissue specificity of UCP3 deficiency suggests that the underlying unknown mutation impairs a factor controlling UCP3 gene expression selectively in brown adipocytes. In wild-type but not mutant primary brown adipocytes, UCP3 gene expression was stimulated by treatment with peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) ligands. This implies that the underlying mutation causing UCP3 deficiency is expressed within brown adipocytes and disrupts PPAR-dependent transactivation of the UCP3 gene. On the functional level, we found no direct phenotypic consequences of altered UCP expression in BAT. The absence of UCP3 in BAT of cold-acclimated mutant hamsters affected neither maximal nonshivering thermogenesis elicited by noradrenaline nor the uncoupled respiration of isolated mitochondria in the presence of oligomycin and in response to palmitate.     

绝经后女性CYP19基因Val80及OPG基因A163G多态性与骨密度的相关性研究

探讨细胞色素P450 19 (CYP19) 基因Val80多态性及护骨素(OPG) 基因A163G多态性与绝经后女性骨密度 (BMD) 的关系。随机选择居住在重庆的绝经后女性200例, 采用多聚酶链反应-限制性片段长度多态性法检测Val80及A163G多态性, 采用Norland公司XR-46系列双能X线骨密度仪测量股骨近端及腰椎BMD。 200名绝经后女性中Val80基因型GG、GA及AA的频率分别为19.5％、44.5％及36.0％; A163G基因型GG、GC 及CC的频率分别为: 13.0％, 42.0％及45.0％; 基因型频率分布均符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡 (P＞0.05)。协方差分析及多元逐步回归分析显示CYP19基因第3外显子Val80多态性与绝经后女性BMD无相关性 (P＞0.05)。除大转子外, A163G位点AG/GG/AG+GG基因型者股骨颈、Ward’s三角及腰椎BMD均较AA基因型者低, A163G基因型与股骨颈、Ward’s三角及腰椎BMD有相关性 (P＜0.05)。OPG基因启动子区A163G多态性分布存在明显的种族差异, 且与绝经后女性BMD有一定关联, AA型对BMD具有一定的保护作用, G等位基因是BMD降低的危险因素。     

Effects of Obesity and Stable Weight Reduction on UCP2 and UCP3 Gene Expression in Humans

VIDAL-PUIG, ANTONIO, MICHAEL ROSENBAUM, ROBERT C. CONSIDINE, RUDOLPH L. LEIBEL, G. LYNIS DOHM, AND BRADFORD B. LOWELL. Effects of obesity and stable weight reduction on UCP2 and UCP3 gene expression in humans. Obes Res. Objectives: The molecular determinants of energy expenditure are presently unknown. Recently, two uncoupling protein homologues, UCP2 and UCP3, have been identified. UCP2 is expressed widely, and UCP3 is expressed abundantly in skeletal muscle. Both could be important regulators of energy balance. In this paper, we investigated whether altered UCP2 and UCP3 mRNA levels are associated with obesity or weight reduction. Research Methods and Procedures: UCP2, UCP3 long and short mRNA levels were examined in skeletal muscle and in white adipose tissue of lean, obese, and weight-reduced individuals by RNase protection assay. Results: Expression of UCP2, UCP3S, and UCP3L mRNA in skeletal muscle was similar in lean individuals and in individuals with obesity at stable weight. In contrast, UCP3L and UCP3S mRNAs were decreased by 38% (p < 0.0059) and 48% (p<0.0047), respectively, in 20% weight-reduced patients with obesity at stable weight. In contrast, UCP2 mRNA levels were increased by 30% in skeletal muscle of 20% weight-reduced subjects with obesity. In a different set of patients, mostly lean, UCP3L mRNA in skeletal muscle was decreased by 28% (p = 0.0425) after 10% weight reduction at stable weight. Expression of UCP2 mRNA in subcutaneous adipose tissue was similar in lean individuals and in individuals with obesity, and was increased by 58% during active weight loss. Discussion: Stabilization at reduced body weight in humans is associated with a decrease in UCP3 mRNA in muscle. It is possible that reduced UCP3 expression could contribute to decreased energy expenditure in weight-stable, weight-reduced individuals.     

Feeding scallop shell powder induces the expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in white adipose tissue of rats

Previously we found that the organic components in scallop shell promote lipolysis in differentiated 3T3-L1 and C3H10T1/2 adipocyte cells, and that incorporating scallop shell powder into the diet of rats reduced the amount of white adipose tissue. In this study, we used RT-PCR to investigate the effect of ingesting scallop shell powder on the gene expression profile of uncoupling proteins (UCPs) regulating energy metabolism in rats.Feeding of scallop shell powder increased mRNA levels of UCP1 and UCP2 in white adipose tissue. By contrast, scallop shell powder had no effect on the expression of UCP1 in brown adipose tissue, although the expression level of UCP2 mRNA decreased significantly. These results suggest that feeding scallop shell powder increases gene expression of UCP1 that may regulate energy metabolism in white adipose tissue, resulting in the observed reduction in weight of white adipose tissue.     

Dietary vitamin A supplementation in rats: suppression of leptin and induction of UCP1 mRNA

All-trans-retinoic acid (RA), an active metabolite of vitamin A, induces the gene expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and suppresses leptin gene expression in white adipose tissue (WAT) when given as an acute dose. These contrasting effects of RA leave in doubt the overall effect of chronic RA or vitamin A supplementation on energy homeostasis. To investigate the effects of dietary vitamin A supplementation on leptin and UCP1 gene expression, rats were fed either a normal diet (2.6 retinol/kg diet) or a vitamin A-supplemented diet (129 mg retinol/kg diet) for 8 weeks, and adiposity, serum leptin levels, leptin mRNA levels in perirenal WAT, UCP1 and UCP2 mRNA levels in BAT, and beta3-adrenergic receptor mRNA levels in BAT and WAT were examined. Rats on both diets gained a similar amount of weight, but there was a small 9% decrease in the adiposity index in the vitamin A-supplemented rats. Dietary vitamin A supplementation increased UCP1 gene expression in BAT by 31%, but suppressed leptin gene expression by 44% and serum leptin levels by 65%. UCP2 and beta3-adrenergic receptor gene expression in BAT and perirenal WAT were unchanged by the vitamin A diet. These data suggest that dietary vitamin A has a role in regulating energy homeostasis by enhancing UCP1 gene expression and decreasing serum leptin levels.     

The finding of new genetic polymorphism of UCP-1 A-1766G and its effects on body fat accumulation

A-1766G polymorphism, for the first time, has been found in the sequencing of pooled and individual genomic DNA of Korean subjects at the 5' flanking region of the UCP-1 gene. The effects of new polymorphism on body fat were elucidated among 387 Korean female subjects. It was shown that the genotypes AA, AG, and GG were consisted of 57.4%, 37.7%, and 4.9%, respectively, which was in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P=0.327). The frequency of major A allele was 0.762 and that of minor G allele was 0.238. It is found that the waist-hip ratio (WHR) (P=0.008), body fat mass (P=0.023), and percent body fat (P=0.014) are significantly higher in the AG/GG type compared to the AA type. When the subjects were analyzed using computerized tomography, there were significant increases in the AG/GG type compared to the AA type in the abdominal subcutaneous fat (P=0.015) and the abdominal visceral fat (P=0.013), respectively. A-1766G is approximately 2 kb downstream from the well-known A-3826G polymorphism, and no linkage between them was found (D'=0.929, R(2)=0.283). Three haplotypes (frequency >0.05) were examined from two polymorphisms and studied for their physiological effects. It was found that haplotype [GG] was significantly associated with increased body fat, while haplotype [GA] was associated with decreased body fat.     

The uncoupling protein 1 gene, UCP1, is expressed in mammalian islet cells and associated with acute insulin response to glucose in African American families from the IRAS Family Study

Background

Variants of uncoupling protein genes UCP1 and UCP2 have been associated with a range of traits. We wished to evaluate contributions of known UCP1 and UCP2 variants to metabolic traits in the Insulin Resistance and Atherosclerosis (IRAS) Family Study.

Methods

We genotyped five promoter or coding single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 239 African American (AA) participants and 583 Hispanic participants from San Antonio (SA) and San Luis Valley. Generalized estimating equations using a sandwich estimator of the variance and exchangeable correlation to account for familial correlation were computed for the test of genotypic association, and dominant, additive and recessive models. Tests were adjusted for age, gender and BMI (glucose homeostasis and lipid traits), or age and gender (obesity traits), and empirical P-values estimated using a gene dropping approach.

Results

UCP1 A-3826G was associated with AIR_g in AA (P = 0.006) and approached significance in Hispanic families (P = 0.054); and with HDL-C levels in SA families (P = 0.0004). Although UCP1 expression is reported to be restricted to adipose tissue, RT-PCR indicated that UCP1 is expressed in human pancreas and MIN-6 cells, and immunohistochemistry demonstrated co-localization of UCP1 protein with insulin in human islets. UCP2 A55V was associated with waist circumference (P = 0.045) in AA, and BMI in SA (P = 0.018); and UCP2 G-866A with waist-to-hip ratio in AA (P = 0.016).

Conclusion

This study suggests a functional variant of UCP1 contributes to the variance of AIR_g in an AA population; the plausibility of this unexpected association is supported by the novel finding that UCP1 is expressed in islets.