title: LacZ and OMP are co-expressed during ontogeny and regeneration in olfactory receptor neurons of OMP promoter-lacZ transgenic mice.
abstract: The ontogeny and cellular specificity of expression of beta-galactosidase activity and olfactory marker protein (OMP) are compared in olfactory tissue of the H-OMP-lacZ-3 line of transgenic mice. In this line the expression of lacZ is driven by a 0.3 kb fragment of the rat OMP promoter. During fetal development, lacZ expression is detectable in olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) shortly after the initial appearance of endogenous OMP. The beta-galactosidase marker was observed only in mature olfactory receptor neurons where it co-localized with endogenous OMP. It was absent from immature neurons that express the growth associated phosphoprotein B50/GAP43. Lesion of the peripheral olfactory pathway by intranasal irrigation with Triton X-100 eliminated expression of both OMP and lacZ in the olfactory neuroepithelium. Subsequent regeneration of the full complement of olfactory receptor neurons was associated with co-expression of both OMP and beta-galactosidase activity. Neither OMP nor beta-galactosidase activity was induced in any other cell type of the regenerating olfactory mucosa. Thus, as little as 0.3 kb of the OMP promoter has the ability to target lacZ expression to olfactory receptor neurons in a temporally and spatially defined manner. We discuss the potential utility of this transgenic line for future studies of the olfactory system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC 20059, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Walters
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grillo
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Oestreicher
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Margolis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000235:genetics*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D017830:Octoxynol / Q000633:toxicity; D051842:Olfactory Marker Protein; D009831:Olfactory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism; D009832:Olfactory Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D051381:Rats; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D019076:Transgenes; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051842:Olfactory Marker Protein; C497598:Omp protein, mouse; C497599:Omp protein, rat; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D017830:Octoxynol; D001616:beta-Galactosidase