NOBOX deficiency disrupts early folliculogenesis and oocyte-specific gene expression.
Primordial ovarian follicles in mice form when somatic cells surround individual oocytes. We show that lack of Nobox, an oocyte-specific homeobox gene, accelerates postnatal oocyte loss and abolishes the transition from primordial to growing follicles in mice. Follicles are replaced by fibrous tissue in female mice lacking Nobox in a manner similar to nonsyndromic ovarian failure in women. Genes preferentially expressed in oocytes, including Oct4 and Gdf9, are down-regulated in Nobox-/- mice, whereas ubiquitous genes such as Bmp4, Kit, and Bax remain unaffected. Therefore, Nobox is critical for specifying an oocyte-restricted gene expression pattern essential for postnatal follicle development.
Rajkovic
Aleksandar
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. rajkovic@bcm.tmc.edu
Pangas
Stephanie A
SA
Ballow
Daniel
D
Suzumori
Nobuhiro
N
Matzuk
Martin M
MM
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D017353:Gene Deletion; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018390:Gene Targeting; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D009866:Oogenesis; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000502:physiology*; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors
D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C456265:Og2x protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors