Differential roles of GATA-1 and GATA-2 in growth and differentiation of mast cells.
BACKGROUND
While mast cells have been previously shown to express both GATA-1 and GATA-2 mRNAs, individual functions for these related factors during their course of differentiation within the mast cell lineage have not yet been defined. To address this question, the expression of GATA-1 and GATA-2 mRNAs and proteins were examined in three mouse mast cell progenitor lines as well as in mast cells isolated from both wild-type and GATA-1-deficient mice.


RESULTS
Both mast cell progenitor lines, as well as primary mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) and peritoneal mast cells (PMCs) were examined by RNA blotting and immunological analyses. GATA-2 protein was abundantly expressed in all three mast cell lines and in BMMCs, but only weakly in some of PMCs. In contrast, GATA-1 protein was expressed in PMCs and BMMCs after culture in the presence of IL3 and SCF. We also found the presence of Alcian blue staining-positive but berberine staining-negative mast cells in the skin of mice heterozygous to GATA-1 knock-down allele.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the expression of GATA factor-dependent genes is regulated by GATA-2 during mast cell development and that GATA-1 is required for the specification of differentiated mast cell phenotypes.
Harigae
H
H
Department of Biochemistry, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
Takahashi
S
S
Suwabe
N
N
Ohtsu
H
H
Gu
L
L
Yang
Z
Z
Tsai
F Y
FY
Kitamura
Y
Y
Engel
J D
JD
Yamamoto
M
M
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D050981:Erythroid-Specific DNA-Binding Factors; D050982:GATA1 Transcription Factor; D050989:GATA2 Transcription Factor; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics*; D006579:Heterozygote; D006632:Histamine / Q000032:analysis; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D019089:Stem Cell Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050981:Erythroid-Specific DNA-Binding Factors; D050982:GATA1 Transcription Factor; D050989:GATA2 Transcription Factor; C494689:Gata1 protein, mouse; C494712:Gata2 protein, mouse; D007377:Interleukin-3; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors; D006632:Histamine