Expression of p63 mRNA isoforms in normal human tissue

This report describes the presence of different p63 isoforms in normal human tissue. The p63, expressed by basal cells of stratified epithelia and myoepithelial cells, is characterized by different mRNA isoforms formed by alternative splicing. Three isoforms were shown to act proapoptotically. while the remaining three isoforms are antiapoptotic. Therefore a shift in a balance between different p63 isoforms might promote or inhibit normal and malignant growth. Our results show that in bone marrow, brain, colon, skeletal muscle. spleen and testis only pro-apoptotic p63 isoforms are expressed, whereas only anti-apoptotic isoforms are present in lung, placenta and salivary gland. In kidney, prostate, skin, thymus, trachea and uterus both variants are present. Presented results will allow in the future to compare p63 isoforms in various pathological processes with normal tissue pattern in order to evaluate the contribution of p63 isoform imbalance to the pathophysiology of various malignant diseases.