title: FGF signal transduction and the regulation of Cdx gene expression.
abstract: Cdx homeodomain transcription factors play important roles in the development of the vertebrate body axis and gut epithelium. Signaling involving FGF, wnt and retinoic acid ligands has been implicated in the regulation of individual Cdx genes. In this study we examine the requirement for FGF-dependent signal transduction pathways in the regulation of Cdx gene expression. In the amphibian Xenopus laevis the earliest expression of Cdx1, Cdx2 and Cdx4 is within the developing mesoderm. We show that a functional FGF signaling pathway is required for the normal expression of all three amphibian Cdx genes during gastrula stages. We show that FGF stimulation activates signaling through both the MAP kinase pathway and the PI-3 kinase pathway in Xenopus tissue explants. However, our analysis of these pathways in gastrula stage embryos indicates that the MAP kinase pathway is required for Cdx gene expression, whereas the PI-3 kinase pathway is not. We show that FGF and wnt signaling can interact in the regulation of Cdx genes and during gastrula stages the normal expression of the Cdx genes requires the activity of both pathways. Furthermore, we show that wnt mediated Cdx regulation is independent of the MAP kinase pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5YW, UK.
authors.forename: Iain D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Keenan
authors.forename: R Michael
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Sharrard
authors.forename: Harry V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Isaacs
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000502:physiology; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000502:physiology*; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014981:Xenopus; D029867:Xenopus Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C495248:wnt8a protein, Xenopus; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases