title: Unimpaired macrophage differentiation and activation in mice lacking the zinc finger transplantation factor NGFI-A (EGR1).
abstract: The zinc finger protein NGFI-A (also called EGR1, Krox24, or zif268) is a candidate regulator of myeloid cell differentiation. Evidence supporting this hypothesis is twofold. First, NGFI-A antisense oligonucleotides prevent macrophage differentiation in HL-60 and U937 myeloid leukemia cell lines and in normal bone marrow cells. Second, enforced expression of NGFI-A blocks granulocytic differentiation and promotes macrophage differentiation in HL-60 cells and in the hematopoietic progenitor cell line 32D. We sought to determine the effect of NGFI-A deficiency on macrophage differentiation and function in vivo by examining native bone marrow cells from mice homozygous for a disrupted allele of NGFI-A derived from gene-targeted ES cells. Macrophages were observed in peripheral blood and several tissues, indicating that NGFI-A was not required for the formation of a variety of macrophage compartments. No differences in myeloid cell differentiation were observed between wild-type and NGFI-A-/- bone marrow cells cultured in the presence of macrophage, granulocyte-macrophage, or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF, GM-CSF, or G-CSF). Activation of NGFI-A-/- macrophages was comparable to that of wild-type macrophages as determined by nitric oxide production and increased cell surface expression of class II major histocompatibility complex molecules. Moreover, NGFI-A-/- mice showed no increased mortality or bacteria] burden when challenged with Listeria monocytogenes. Together, these results indicate that NGFI-A is not required for macrophage differentiation or activation.
authors: Department of Pathology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors: S L
authors: SL
authors: Lee
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Milbrandt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000378:metabolism; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000276:immunology; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016335:Zinc Fingers
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; C486109:Egr1 protein, mouse; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor