Gli1 is not required for Pdgfralpha expression during mouse embryonic development.
Pdgfra is expressed in the mesenchyme of multiple organs during embryonic development and Pdgfralpha is involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis in many tissues. A fine-tuned regulation of gene transcription is required to achieve these effects. To investigate if the Shh signaling pathway is involved in the tightly regulated Pdgfra expression during embryogenesis, we systematically compared Gli1 and Pdgfralpha mRNA expression patterns in vivo from mouse embryonic day 9.5 to 14.5. We found that an initial partly overlapping expression of Gli1 and Pdgfralpha in the mesenchyme of foregut and somites was changed to different expression patterns when the mesenchyme differentiated into specialized structures such as intestinal villi and chondrocytes. Gli1 and Pdgfra were also expressed differently in the developing lung, heart, central nervous system, skin, tooth, and eye. Importantly, neither Pdgfralpha mRNA patterns nor levels were altered in Ihh mutant embryos although Gli1 and Ptc mRNA levels were dramatically reduced. Our results demonstrate that Gli1 is not required to induce Pdgfra expression during embryonic bone development, and are consistent with previous findings that Pdgfralpha and Hh pathways serve different functions in, e.g., bone, gut, and lung development. However, we cannot exclude the possibility that Glis can have more complex regulatory effects on Pdgfra gene activity, nor can we exclude such effects in pathological conditions.
Zhang
Xiao-Qun
XQ
Department of Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.
Afink
Gijs B
GB
Hu
Xin-Rong
XR
Forsberg-Nilsson
Karin
K
Nistér
Monica
M
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D016296:Mutagenesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1
C498520:Gli1 protein, mouse; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha