Pax6 controls the expression of Lewis x epitope in the embryonic forebrain by regulating alpha 1,3-fucosyltransferase IX expression.
Pax6 is a transcription factor involved in brain patterning and neurogenesis. Expression of Pax6 is specifically observed in the developing cerebral cortex, where Lewis x epitope that is thought to play important roles in cell interactions is colocalized. Here we examined whether Pax6 regulates localization of Lewis x using Pax6 mutant rat embryos. The Lewis x epitope disappeared in the Pax6 mutant cortex, and activity of alpha1,3-fucosyltransferase, which catalyzed the last step of Lewis x biosynthesis, drastically decreased in the mutant cortex as compared with the wild type. Furthermore, expression of a fucosyltransferase gene, FucT-IX, specifically decreased in the mutant, while no change was seen for expression of another fucosyltransferase gene, FucT-IV. These results strongly suggest that Pax6 controls Lewis x expression in the embryonic brain by regulating FucT-IX gene expression.
Shimoda
Yasushi
Y
Department of Biochemical Cell Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 3-18-22 Honkomagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8613, Japan.
Tajima
Youichi
Y
Osanai
Taka
T
Katsume
Asao
A
Kohara
Michinori
M
Kudo
Takashi
T
Narimatsu
Hisashi
H
Takashima
Noriko
N
Ishii
Yasuo
Y
Nakamura
Shun
S
Osumi
Noriko
N
Sanai
Yutaka
Y
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002384:Catalysis; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers; D000939:Epitopes / Q000235:genetics*; D005136:Eye Proteins; D005647:Fucosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016256:Lewis X Antigen / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012097:Repressor Proteins
D017931:DNA Primers; D000939:Epitopes; D005136:Eye Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; C000605733:Pax6 protein, rat; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D005647:Fucosyltransferases; C031692:galactoside 3-fucosyltransferase