Dissection of the c-Kit signaling pathway in mouse primordial germ cells by retroviral-mediated gene transfer.
Establishment of the mammalian germ line is a prerequisite for fertility of the adult animal but we know surprisingly little about the molecular mechanisms regulating germ-line development in mammals. Signaling from the c-Kit receptor tyrosine kinase is essential for primordial germ cell (PGC) growth both in vivo and in vitro. Many downstream effectors of the c-Kit signaling pathway have been identified in other cell types but how these molecules control PGC survival and proliferation are unknown. Determination of the c-Kit effectors acting in PGCs has been hampered by the lack of effective methods to easily manipulate gene expression in these cells. We overcame this problem by testing the efficacy of retroviral-mediated gene transfer for manipulating gene expression in mammalian germ cells. We found that PGCs can be successfully infected with a variety of types of retroviruses. We used this method to demonstrate an important role for the AKT kinase in regulating PGC growth. Such technology for manipulating gene expression in PGCs will allow many of the molecular mechanisms regulating germ cell growth, behavior, and differentiation to be comprehensively analyzed.
Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Bluemle Life Sciences Building, Room 706, 233 South 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Maria P
MP
De Miguel
Linzhao
L
Cheng
Eric C
EC
Holland
Mark J
MJ
Federspiel
Peter J
PJ
Donovan
D000818:Animals; D001354:Avian Leukosis Virus; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D005854:Germ Cells; D006801:Humans; D009052:Leukemia Virus, Murine; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000378:metabolism*; D019893:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000494:pharmacology; D019089:Stem Cell Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D019061:src-Family Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D019893:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases; D020123:Sirolimus; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D019061:src-Family Kinases; C494918:AKT1 protein, human