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Expression of Activin Receptor-like Kinase 7 in Adipose Tissues

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Abstract

The tissue distribution of activin receptor-like kinase 7 (Alk7) expression, the signaling ability of Alk7 variants, and Alk7 expression in response to β3-adrenergic receptor activation were examined. Expression levels of Alk7 varied greatly among tissues but were highest in white adipose tissue and brown adipose tissue. In addition to full-length Alk7 (Alk7-v1), Alk7-v3, an Alk7 variant, was expressed in adipose tissues, brain, and ovary. Nodal transmits signals via Alk7 in cooperation with its coreceptor, Cripto. Evaluation of the ability of Alk7 variants to confer Nodal signaling using luciferase-based reporter assays showed that Alk7-v3 does not transmit Nodal-Cripto-mediated signals. Expression of Alk7 was down-regulated in brown but not in white adipose tissue treated with CL316,243, a β3-adrenergic receptor agonist. These results suggest involvement of Alk7 in modulation of metabolism in the adipose tissues in response to β3-adrenergic receptor activation.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Peter ten Dijke for providing plasmid. This work was supported by Kakenhi from The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and a research project grant awarded by the Azabu University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Molecular Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, 252-5201, Japan

    Masaru Murakami, Ryo Ooishi, Asako Tsuburaya & Kumiko Asai

  2. Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, 252-5201, Japan

    Mitsuyuki Shirai

  3. Laboratory of Experimental Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Towada, 034-8628, Japan

    Osamu Hashimoto

  4. Chemical Genomics Research Group, ASI, Riken, Wako, 351-0198, Japan

    Kenji Ogawa

  5. Department of Animal Medical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kyoto Sangyo University, Kyoto, 603-8555, Japan

    Yoshii Nishino

  6. Division of Applied Biosciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan

    Masayuki Funaba

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  1. Masaru Murakami
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  2. Mitsuyuki Shirai
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  3. Ryo Ooishi
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  4. Asako Tsuburaya
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  5. Kumiko Asai
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  6. Osamu Hashimoto
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  7. Kenji Ogawa
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  8. Yoshii Nishino
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  9. Masayuki Funaba
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Correspondence to Masaru Murakami or Masayuki Funaba.

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Murakami, M., Shirai, M., Ooishi, R. et al. Expression of Activin Receptor-like Kinase 7 in Adipose Tissues. Biochem Genet 51, 202–210 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10528-012-9555-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10528-012-9555-8

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