Molecular cloning, tissue distribution and ontogenetic expression of sodium proton exchanger isoform 2 (NHE-2) mRNA in the small intestine of pigs

Abstract

Molecular cloning, tissue distribution and ontogenetic regulation of sodium/proton exchanger isoform 2 (NHE-2) mRNA expression were evaluated in the pig small intestine during postnatal development. The 2872-bp porcine full cDNA sequence of the NHE-2 (EF672046) cloned in this study showed 80% and 70% homology with known human and mouse gene sequence, respectively. Hydrophobic prediction suggests 13 putative membrane-spanning domains within porcine NHE-2. The porcine NHE-2 mRNA was detected in the brain, liver, kidney, heart, lung, small intestine and muscle. The small intestine had the highest NHE-2 mRNA abundance and the brain, lung and liver had the lowest NHE-2 mRNA abundance (P 0.05). After day 30, the NHE-2 mRNA level remained the same except on day 90 (P > 0.05). The mRNA expression of NHE-2 was not only differentially regulated by age but also differentially distributed along the small intestine of piglets at early stages and growing stages of life, which may contribute to changes in NHE activity.

Keywords

• ontogenetic expression
• sodium proton exchanger (NHE-2)
• pigs