The expression and localization of Prune2 mRNA in the central nervous system

A family of Bcl-2/adenovirus E1B 19 kDa-interacting proteins (BNIPs) plays critical roles in several cellular processes such as cellular transformation, apoptosis, neuronal differentiation, and synaptic function, which are mediated by the BNIP2 and Cdc42GAP homology (BCH) domain. Prune homolog 2 (Drosophila) (PRUNE2) and its isoforms - C9orf65, BCH motif-containing molecule at the carboxyl terminal region 1 (BMCC1), and BNIP2 Extra Long (BNIPXL) - have been shown to be a susceptibility gene for Alzheimer's disease, a biomarker for leiomyosarcomas, a proapoptotic protein in neuronal cells, and an antagonist of cellular transformation, respectively. However, precise localization of PRUNE2 in the brain remains unclear. Here, we identified the distribution of Prune2 mRNA in the adult mouse brain. Prune2 mRNA is predominantly expressed in the neurons of the cranial nerve motor nuclei and the motor neurons of the spinal cord. The expression in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) is consistent with the previously described reports. In addition, we observed the expression in another sensory neuron in the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus. These results suggest that Prune2 may be functional in these restricted brain regions.