The analysis of genes preferentially expressed in the peripheral blood cells of atopic dermatitis patients may provide information on the molecular pathogenesis of the disease. We employed differential display PCR to clone a new gene (AB100163) with 99% homology to coiled-coil domain containing 132, transcript variant 1 (CCDC132) (NM_017667) (aliases, FLJ20097, FLJ23581, KIAA1861 and MGC176659). Full-length CCDC132 of approximately 4 kbp encodes mRNA expressed in almost all tissues, in particular brain tissue and skeletal muscle. A homologous gene has also been identified in mice. Using Western blot analysis, 111 kDa CCDC132 protein was detected in two human T-cell lines, MOLT-4 and Jurkat, and in the human cervical adenocarcinoma cell line HeLa. Quantitative RT-PCR revealed transcription levels of CCDC132 in the T cells of atopic dermatitis patients to be higher than in those of normal individuals. This suggests that changes in CCDC132 expression may be involved in the course of atopic dermatitis.

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