Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) is a novel zinc metalloproteinase that functions in many systems outside of pregnancy. PAPP-A expression has been reported in various tissues, including endometrium, testis, kidney, bone, colon, and other adult and fetal tissues.1-12 Abundant PAPP-A mRNA expression levels were found in visceral fat and these were 10-fold higher than in subcutaneous fat.10 PAPP-A expression significantly increases with age in kidney, brain and gonads10 and significantly deceases with age in bone and skeletal muscle.10 In the thymus, PAPP-A mRNA showed a biphasic response with age.10 Data in both humans and mice suggest a role for PAPP-A in aging and age-related diseases.10 Expression of IGFBP-5 mRNA, a marker of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) bioactivity known to be regulated by PAPP-A, paralleled the changes in PAPP-A expression with age in kidney, bone, skeletal muscle and thymus. PAPP-A is potentially proatherosclerotic and has been proposed as a new marker of inflammation, as high serum PAPP-A levels are observed in patients with renal impairment, asthma, lung cancer, etc.1-12 Stimulation of PAPP-A expression by intermittent PTH treatment contributes to PTH bone anabolism in mice.9 Effect of PAPP-A on tendon structure and mechanical properties have been studied8, However, quantitative determination of PAPP-A in mouse tissues with age are limited due to unavailability of the mouse PAPP-A ELISA.
References:
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