Expression patterns of AEG-1 in the normal brain

Brain Struct Funct. 2023 Sep;228(7):1629-1641. doi: 10.1007/s00429-023-02676-1. Epub 2023 Jul 8.

Abstract

Astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) is a well-known oncogene implicated in various types of human cancers, including brain tumors. Recently, AEG-1 has also been reported to play pivotal roles in glioma-associated neurodegeneration and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, the normal physiological functions and expression patterns of AEG-1 in the brain are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the expression patterns of AEG-1 in the normal mouse brain and found that AEG-1 is widely expressed in neurons and neuronal precursor cells, but little in glial cells. We observed differential expression levels of AEG-1 in various brain regions, and its expression was mainly localized in the cell body of neurons rather than the nucleus. Additionally, AEG-1 was expressed in the cytoplasm of Purkinje cells in both the mouse and human cerebellum, suggesting its potential role in this brain region. These findings suggest that AEG-1 may have important functions in normal brain physiology and warrant further investigation. Our results may also shed light on the differential expression patterns of AEG-1 in normal and pathological brains, providing insights into its roles in various neurological disorders.

Keywords: AEG-1; Glial cells; Neurons; Normal brain.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology
  • Brain* / metabolism
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Membrane Proteins* / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins* / metabolism
  • Mice

Substances

  • Cell Adhesion Molecules
  • Membrane Proteins
  • MTDH protein, human
  • Mtdh protein, mouse