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Gene Review:

Prl4a1 - prolactin family 4, subfamily a, member 1

Mus musculus

Synonyms: AA409771, PLP-A, PRL-like protein A, Placental prolactin-like protein A, Prlpa, ...

Ain, R. et al., Müller, H. et al., Müller, H. et al., Lin, J. et al.

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Disease relevance of Prl4a1

Wild-type mice exposed to hypobaric hypoxia during gestation readily adapt and maintain their pregnancies, whereas PLP-A null mutant mice fail to adapt, resulting in pregnancy failure [1].

High impact information on Prl4a1

It is a nonclassical member of the PRL family (e.g., PLP-A does not use the PRL receptor) produced by trophoblast cells of the chorioallantoic placenta and acts on uterine natural killer cells [1].
PLP-A contributes to hypoxia-induced adaptations critical to hemochorial placentation and thus nutrient flow to extraembryonic and embryonic tissues [1].
Uterine natural killer cells are targets for a trophoblast cell-specific cytokine, prolactin-like protein A [2].
Our results provide evidence for a new paradigm of embryonic-maternal communication involving a PLP-A signaling pathway between trophoblast cells and uterine NK lymphocytes [2].
Using an alkaline phosphatase-tagging strategy, we show that PLP-A specifically interacts with a population of natural killer (NK) lymphocytes within the mesometrial compartment of decidua from pregnant and pseudopregnant rats [2].

Biological context of Prl4a1

Perusal of the National Center for Biotechnology Information dbEST database resulted in the identification of several putative mouse PLP-A cDNAs and a single putative mouse PLP-B cDNA [3].
Mouse PLP-A contained a single putative N-linked glycosylation site and consisted of a single 29-kDa protein species, whereas rat PLP-A contained two putative N-linked glycosylation sites and consisted of two protein species, of 29 and 33 kDa [3].

Anatomical context of Prl4a1

The highest levels of the PLP-A mRNA are detected on day 12, at which time expression is localized to a subset of trophoblast giant cells, especially those cells that line maternal blood sinuses [4].

Associations of Prl4a1 with chemical compounds

Mouse PLP-A is predicted to be synthesized as a precursor of 227 residues and secreted as a glycoprotein of 196 amino acids; the secreted protein shares 78% identity with rat PLP-A [4].

References

A prolactin family paralog regulates reproductive adaptations to a physiological stressor. Ain, R., Dai, G., Dunmore, J.H., Godwin, A.R., Soares, M.J. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. (2004) [Pubmed]
Uterine natural killer cells are targets for a trophoblast cell-specific cytokine, prolactin-like protein A. Müller, H., Liu, B., Croy, B.A., Head, J.R., Hunt, J.S., Dai, G., Soares, M.J. Endocrinology (1999) [Pubmed]
Homologues for prolactin-like proteins A and B are present in the mouse. Müller, H., Ishimura, R., Orwig, K.E., Liu, B., Soares, M.J. Biol. Reprod. (1998) [Pubmed]
Three new members of the mouse prolactin/growth hormone family are homologous to proteins expressed in the rat. Lin, J., Poole, J., Linzer, D.I. Endocrinology (1997) [Pubmed]

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