Tissue‐specific and differential expression of prothymosin α gene during rat development

Abstract
We have analyzed the RNA expression of prothymosin α (Pro Tα) gene during rat development in several tissues and compared it to that of two proteins related to cell proliferation: proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)/cyclin and histone H3 (H3). The expression of ProTα gene was found to be regulated in a developmental and tissue‐specific manner. The mRNA levels of Pro Tα followed a similar time‐course in liver, brain, kidney, and testis, being highly increased in the early periods of postnatal development. However, in thymus Pro Tα mRNA showed only moderate changes throughout development. Our findings suggest that Pro Tα participates in developmental processes like cell proliferation and/or differentiation.