title: Effect of nicotine on Oct-4 and Rex-1 expression of mouse embryonic stem cells.
abstract: To examine the influence that nicotine exposure has on early embryo development, the present study has applied real-time RT-PCR to investigate changes in Oct-4 and Rex-1 expression in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells exposed to nicotine alone or in the presence of tubocurarine. Oct-4 is regarded as a candidate master regulator gene for the initiation, maintenance, and differentiation of pluripotent cells. Zfp42/Rex-1, another specific gene of pluripotent cells, also plays a critical role in maintaining stem cell character and pluripotency. Results indicated that nicotine (10-1000 nM) enhanced Oct-4 and Rex-1 expression without altering beta-actin expression. This up-regulation with nicotine (100-1000 nM) was prevented with tubocurarine (10 microM), a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChRs) antagonist. We conclude that nicotine may influence Oct-4 and Rex-1 expression in ES cells through a mechanism involving the nAChRs.
authors.affiliation: School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, PR China.
authors.forename: Huaping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dongxing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Lianyun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yangxing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Zhongdong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qiao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002460:Cell Line; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D009538:Nicotine / Q000633:toxicity*; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014403:Tubocurarine / Q000494:pharmacology; D015854:Up-Regulation; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; C494174:Pou5f1 protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors; D009538:Nicotine; D014403:Tubocurarine