Protease nexin-1 (PN-1)은 활성화 자리에 serine기를 갖는 단백질 분해 효소 즉, 트롬빈, 트립신, 플라스미노겐 활성화 효소 등의 작용을 억제한다. 본 연구에서는 흰쥐의 Sprague-Dawley계통을 이용하여 조직별 mRNA발현여부 및 정도를 조사하였다. PN-1의 발현이 나타난 조직은 뇌 (전뇌, 후뇌), 심장, 간, 폐, 난소, 난관 등이다. 이들 중 유전자 발현이 가장 높은 조직은 암컷의 전뇌(forebrain) 였다. 특히
Protease Nexin-1 (PN-1) inhibits the activity of several serine proteases including thrombin, urokinase (uPA)-type plasminogen activator and trypsin. Tissue- and reproductive organ-specific mRNA levels of the PN-1 were investigated in Sprague-Dawley adult rat. PN-1 mRNA expression in rats was found in brain (forebrain, hindbrain), heart, liver, lung, ovary and oviduct. The level of PN-1 mRNA in male and female among the tissues was the highest in forebrain of the female. PN-1 expression in reproductive organs was found only in ovary and oviduct. These results suggest that PN-1 expression is dependent on the sex and may be related to folliculogenesis and early embryogenesis.