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Dysregulation of gene expression in ABCC6 knockdown HepG2 cells

Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters volume 19, pages 517–526 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

ABCC6 protein is an ATP-dependent transporter that is mainly found in the basolateral plasma membrane of hepatocytes. ABCC6 deficiency is the primary cause of several forms of ectopic mineralization syndrome. Mutations in the human ABCC6 gene cause pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), an autosomal recessive disease characterized by ectopic calcification of the elastic fibers in dermal, ocular and vascular tissues. Mutations in the mouse ABCC6 gene were also associated with dystrophic cardiac calcification. Reduced levels of ABCC6 protein were found in a β-thalassemic mouse model. Moreover, some cases of generalized arterial calcification in infancy are due to ABCC6 mutations. In order to study the role of ABCC6 in the pathogenesis of ectopic mineralization, the expressions of genes involved in this process were evaluated in HepG2 cells upon stable knockdown of ABCC6 by small hairpin RNA (shRNA) technology. ABCC6 knockdown in HepG2 cells causes a significant upregulation of the genes promoting mineralization, such as TNAP, and a parallel downregulation of genes with anti-mineralization activity, such as NT5E, Fetuin A and Osteopontin. Although the absence of ABCC6 has been already associated with ectopic mineralization syndromes, this study is the first to show a direct relationship between reduced ABCC6 levels and the expression of pro-mineralization genes in hepatocytes.

Abbreviations

ABCC6:

ATP-binding cassette, sub-family C, member 6

ACDC:

arterial calcifications due to deficiency in CD73

CD73:

cluster of differentiation 73

DCC:

dystrophic cardiac calcification

Enpp1:

ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase type I

GACI:

generalized arterial calcification of infancy

MRP:

multidrug resistance protein

NT5E:

ecto-5’-nucleotidase

OPN:

osteopontin

PXE:

pseudoxanthoma elasticum

TNAP:

tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100, Potenza, Italy

    Rocchina Miglionico, Maria Francesca Armentano, Monica Carmosino, Antonella Maria Salvia, Flavia Cuviello, Faustino Bisaccia & Angela Ostuni

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  1. Rocchina Miglionico
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  2. Maria Francesca Armentano
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  3. Monica Carmosino
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  4. Antonella Maria Salvia
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  7. Angela Ostuni
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Correspondence to Faustino Bisaccia.

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Miglionico, R., Armentano, M.F., Carmosino, M. et al. Dysregulation of gene expression in ABCC6 knockdown HepG2 cells. Cell Mol Biol Lett 19, 517–526 (2014). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11658-014-0208-2

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Keywords

Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters

ISSN: 1689-1392

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