title: Lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase as a melanocyte marker regulated by MITF.
abstract: Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) is responsible for differentiation of melanocytes. A recessive MITF mutant, black-eyed white Mitf(mi-bw) mouse, is characterized by white coat color and deafness, due to the lack of melanocytes in the skin and inner ears. By cDNA microarray analysis, we have identified lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase (L-PGDS), whose mRNA is undetectable in the homozygous Mitf(mi-bw) skin. Immunohistochemical analysis of wild-type mice identified the specific expression of L-PGDS in follicular melanocytes. L-PGDS mRNA is expressed in B16 mouse melanoma cells, but undetectable in human melanoma cell lines. RNA interference analysis against MITF suggests that L-PGDS expression is dependent on MITF in B16 melanoma cells. Furthermore, we have provided evidence that MITF is involved in the melanocyte lineage-specific transcription of the mouse L-PGDS gene. Thus, L-PGDS represents a newly identified melanocyte marker. MITF may modulate the production of prostaglandin D(2) by activating the L-PGDS gene in melanocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Applied Physiology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aburatani
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshizawa
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamaki
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eguchi
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Urade
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shibahara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism*; D054834:Lipocalins; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D051739:Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D054834:Lipocalins; D051739:Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor; C497235:Mitf protein, mouse; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases; C022466:prostaglandin R2 D-isomerase