A homeodomain gene Ptx3 has highly restricted brain expression in mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons.
The mesencephalic dopaminergic (mesDA) system regulates behavior and movement control and has been implicated in psychiatric and affective disorders. We have identified a bicoid-related homeobox gene, Ptx3, a member of the Ptx-subfamily, that is uniquely expressed in these neurons. Its expression starting at E11.5 in the developing mouse midbrain correlates with the appearance of mesDA neurons. The number of Ptx3-expressing neurons is reduced in Parkinson patients, and these neurons are absent from 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats, an animal model for this disease. Thus, Ptx3 is a unique transcription factor marking the mesDA neurons at the exclusion of other dopaminergic neurons, and it may be involved in developmental determination of this neuronal lineage.
Smidt
M P
MP
Rudolf Magnus Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Medical Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
van Schaick
H S
HS
Lanctôt
C
C
Tremblay
J J
JJ
Cox
J J
JJ
van der Kleij
A A
AA
Wolterink
G
G
Drouin
J
J
Burbach
J P
JP
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D053331:Ectodysplasins; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D053331:Ectodysplasins; C506019:Eda protein, mouse; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D004298:Dopamine