[A novel apoptotic related gene--homocysteine-induced gene HCY-2].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the mechanisms resulting in cardiovascular diseases and birth defect.

METHODS

Induced screening and differential display, Northern blot, and immunohistochemistry assay were applied to clone the homocysteine-induced gene HCY-2 and detect the expression of HCY-2 gene respectively.

RESULTS

A novel HCY-induced full length cDNA--HCY-2 which encodes 142 amino acids was obtained from vascular smooth muscle cells of rats. Results of the Northern blot and immunohistochemistry assays suggest that it widely expresses in many kinds of tissues such as heart, kidney, brain, liver, and lung. In vitro, we transferred recombinant HCY-2 gene into endothelial cells and found that it could induce apoptosis and DNA injury. In vivo, HCY-2 gene could induce chicken embryo cells apoptosis and embryo malformation.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicated that HCY-2 gene might be a novel apoptosis-inducing gene and might be involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and birth defects induced by hyperhomocysteinemia.