title: Positive regulation of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein gene expression through the interaction between Dlx and GATA-4 for testicular steroidogenesis.
abstract: Split hand/foot malformation (SHFM) is syndromic ectrodactyly often associated with mental retardation and/or craniofacial defects. Several clinical reports previously described urogenital dysplasia such as micropenis, hypospadias, and small testis in SHFM patients. Genetic lesions in the Dlx5 and Dlx6 (Dlx5/6) locus are associated with the human genetic disorder SHFM type 1. Although Dlx5/6 are expressed in the testis, their possible function of Dlx5/6 during testis differentiation has not been described. In this study, we show that Dlx5/6 are expressed in the fetal Leydig cells during testis development. We examined the effect of Dlx5 expression on the promoter activation of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) gene, which is essential for gonadal and adrenal steroidogenesis, in a Leydig cell line. Dlx5 efficiently activates the StAR promoter when GATA-4, another transcription factor essential for testicular steroidogenesis, was coexpressed. The transcriptional activation required the GATA-4-recognition element in the StAR promoter region and Dlx5 can physically interact with GATA-4. Furthermore, we herein show that the double inactivation of Dlx5 and Dlx6 in the mouse leads to decreased testosterone level and abnormal masculinization phenotype. These results suggest that Dlx5 and Dlx6 participate in the control of steroidogenesis during testis development. The findings of this study may open the way to analyze human congenital birth defects.
authors.affiliation: Center for Animal Resources and Development, Graduate School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Global COE Research Program, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisayo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyagawa
authors.forename: Maxence
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vieux-Rochas
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morini
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ogino
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakagata
authors.forename: Hueng-Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Levi
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D050991:GATA4 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000502:physiology; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D013256:Steroids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013737:Testis / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein
chemical_list: C088334:Distal-less homeobox proteins; C501120:Dlx5 protein, mouse; C100597:Dlx6 protein, mouse; D050991:GATA4 Transcription Factor; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D013256:Steroids; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein; D013739:Testosterone