title: Transcription factor NF-Y regulates differentiation of CaCo-2 cells.
abstract: The CaCo-2 cell line is used to study the molecular mechanisms underlying differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells. These cells undergo a gradual differentiation process that is growth-related and depends on cellular density. CaCo-2 cells acquire a morphological polarity and express such markers of mature enterocytes as sucrase-isomaltase, apolipoproteins, alkaline phosphatase, and H-ferritin. Because the NF-Y transcription factor is required for H-ferritin gene expression, we investigated whether it is involved in the expression of the other CaCo-2 differentiation markers. We observed that subunit NF-YA increases during CaCo-2 differentiation and that the constitutive expression of NF-YA, obtained in stably transfected CaCo-2 cells, results in the expression of differentiation markers. In fact, sucrase-isomaltase, apolipoprotein A1, and H-ferritin were constitutively expressed in NF-YA-transfected cells and their levels did not increase during prolonged culture, while these markers were not expressed in mock-transfected CaCo-2 cells or transfected with an inactive NF-YA expression vector until the onset of differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biochimica e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, via Sergio Pansini 5, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bevilacqua
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Faniello
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Iovine
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cimino
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Costanzo
mesh_terms: D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000235:genetics; D023081:CCAAT-Binding Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D005293:Ferritins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013394:Sucrase-Isomaltase Complex / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D023081:CCAAT-Binding Factor; C492061:NFYA protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D005293:Ferritins; D013394:Sucrase-Isomaltase Complex