Embryonic expression of cholesterogenic genes is restricted to distinct domains and colocalizes with apoptotic regions in mice.
Cholesterol biosynthesis has been assumed to be an ubiquitous process in vertebrate organisms. Here we present data demonstrating that expression of key enzymes of cholesterol biosynthesis is restricted to specific tissues during embryonic development. Distinct expression starts in the dorsal neural tube at embryonic day 8 and is later detected in dorsal root and cephalic ganglia, in the pharyngeal pouches and limb buds. In the limb, expression becomes progressively restricted to interdigital regions during differentiation. Caspase3 whole mount immunostaining revealed that cholesterol biosynthesis colocalizes with apoptotic regions that are targets of the morphogenic signal Sonic hedgehog. This expression pattern correlates closely with the shared phenotypic features of cholesterol biosynthesis and hedgehog mutants.
Laubner
Daniela
D
Institute of Experimental Genetics, GSF-National Research Center for Environment and Health, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
Breitling
Rainer
R
Adamski
Jerzy
J
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics*; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000201:enzymology; D004798:Enzymes / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000235:genetics*; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D018878:Limb Buds / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology; D051379:Mice / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009420:Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism*
D004798:Enzymes; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D002784:Cholesterol; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases