Expression of the transcription factor NFATp in a neuronal cell line and in the murine nervous system.
The transcription factor NFATp, which has a central role in cytokine gene induction in T cells, was previously thought to be expressed only in T cells and other immune cells. Here we report that NFATp is also expressed in the rat PC12 pheochromocytoma cell line and in the murine nervous system. Antisera against T cell NFATp recognize proteins of similar apparent molecular weight in T cells, PC12 cells, and murine olfactory bulb. The immunoreactive proteins from PC12 cells and from olfactory bulb bind to an NFAT site of the murine interleukin-2 promoter with the same specificity as T cell NFATp. Immunohistochemical staining localizes NFATp to neurons, specifically to olfactory receptor neurons and to their terminals in the olfactory bulb. The presence of NFATp in the nervous system suggests that it has a role in the transcription of specific neuronal genes in response to increases in cytosolic calcium.
Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
A M
AM
Ho
J
J
Jain
A
A
Rao
P G
PG
Hogan
D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D007106:Immune Sera; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000378:metabolism*; D009831:Olfactory Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology; D016716:PC12 Cells; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D010673:Pheochromocytoma; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D051381:Rats; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000302:isolation & purification
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D007106:Immune Sera; D007376:Interleukin-2; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D010455:Peptides; D014157:Transcription Factors