title: Mechanism of MASH1 induction by ASK1 and ATRA in adult neural progenitors.
abstract: The molecular mechanisms underlying differentiation and lineage commitment in neural stem cells are just beginning to be understood, however the molecules involved in this process and their functions remain largely unknown. Here we studied the effects and downstream signals of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) together with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on neuronal differentiation in adult hippocampus-derived progenitor (AHP) cells. Following ASK1 over-expression and ATRA treatment in AHPs, a larger number of cells differentiated into neurons and the MASH1 promoter became activated. Analyzing downstream effector molecules of ASK1 or ATRA targeting the MASH1 promoter revealed that the myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) mediated ASK1 signalling, while activation of Sp1 was involved in ATRA signalling. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay on the promoter revealed that ASK1 induced binding of MEF2C and Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase II to the MASH1 promoter. Taken together, ASK1 and ATRA activate MEF2C and Sp1, respectively, and up-regulate MASH1 protein expression.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Medical Chemistry and Cell Biology, Göteborg University, Box 420, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden. muna.elmi@gu.se
authors.forename: Muna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elmi
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Faigle
authors.forename: Weiwen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rosenqvist
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Funa
mesh_terms: D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D047369:Chromatin Immunoprecipitation / Q000379:methods; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D048848:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 5 / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D048848:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 5; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; D014212:Tretinoin; C499318:Ascl1 protein, rat