ABSTRACT
Despite its name and the fact that human neutrophils carry large amounts of NE (1.2.28). the NE gene is not expressed in mature neutrophils (24). In this regard. NE mRNA transcripts are not detectable by Northern hybridization analysis or RNase protection assay in mature neutrophils recovered from normal individuals. However, NE transcripts were detected in bone marrow cells, particularly in the fraction enriched for precursor cells (24). Fouret et al. (17), using the in situ hybridization technique, have demonstrated that NE mRNA transcripts were present only in bone marrow myelocytic precursor cells, mostly promyelocytes. With these data, it seems obvious that the NE gene is turned off prior to the time at
which neutrophils leave the bone marrow. The mature neutrophils merely utilize the stored enzyme or export NE when neutrophil is stimulated (24).
