Starvation-sensitive UCP 3 protein expression in thymus and spleen mitochondria

✍ Scribed by A.M Carroll; R.K Porter

• Book ID: 104003320
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2004
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 652 KB
• Volume: 1700
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1570-9639
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2004.05.008

✦ Synopsis

To date, UCP 3 has only been associated with skeletal muscle and brown adipose tissue (BAT). Using RT-PCR/PCR methodology, we show that human spleen and human thymus contain UCP 3. In addition, using peptide antibodies, previously demonstrated to be selective for UCP 3, we show that UCP 3 protein is present in mitochondria isolated from rat thymus and mitochondria isolated from reticulocytes, monocytes and lymphocytes of rat spleen. UCP 3 protein expression is also starvation-sensitive. UCP 3 abundance is augmented in mitochondria isolated from thymus and mitochondria isolated from lymphocytes of the spleen from fasted rats when compared to fed controls. The results are consistent with a role for UCP 3 in developing lymphocytes, thymus atrophy and fatty acid utilisation in spleen and thymus.