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Submitted on September 4, 2007
Accepted on January 28, 2008
Cancer Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; Oncology Research Unit, The Children's Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; Orthopedic Research and Biotechnology, The Children's Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; Muscle Development Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: rreddel{at}cmri.usyd.edu.au.
Stanniocalcin (STC), a secreted glycoprotein, was first studied in fish as a classical hormone with a role in regulating serum calcium levels. There are two closely related proteins in mammals, STC1 and STC2, with functions that are currently unclear. Both proteins are expressed in numerous mammalian tissues rather than being secreted from a specific endocrine gland. No phenotype has been detected yet in Stc1-null mice, and to investigate whether Stc2 could have compensated for the loss of Stc1 we have now generated Stc2-/- and Stc1-/- Stc2-/- mice. Although Stc1 is expressed in the ovary and in lactating mouse mammary glands, like the Stc1-/- mice, the Stc1-/- Stc2-/- mice had no detected decrease in fertility, fecundity or weight gain up until weaning. Serum calcium and phosphate levels were normal in Stc1-/- Stc2-/- mice, indicating it is unlikely that the mammalian stanniocalcins have a major physiologic role in mineral homeostasis. Mice with Stc2 deleted were 10–15% larger and grew at a faster rate than wild-type mice from 4 weeks onwards, and the Stc1-/- Stc2-/- mice had a similar growth phenotype. This effect was not mediated through the GH/IGF-1 axis. The results are consistent with STC2 being a negative regulator of post-natal growth.
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