title: A role for SOX2 in the generation of microtubule-associated protein 2-positive cells from microglia.
abstract: We recently demonstrated that, as a type of multipotential stem cells, microglia give rise to microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2)-positive and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive cells. In this study, we investigated the role of SOX2, a high-mobility group DNA binding domain transcription factor, in the generation of microglia-derived MAP2-positive and GFAP-positive cells. Western blot analysis demonstrated that expression of SOX2 was upregulated by treatment with 70% fetal bovine serum treatment. Immunocytochemical analyses demonstrated that SOX2 expression was evident in the nuclei of microglia-derived MAP2-positive and GFAP-positive cells, whereas it was not present in the nuclei of microglia. These assays also showed that Sox2 siRNA inhibited the generation of MAP2-positive and GFAP-positive cells from microglia. Interestingly, this activity was also inhibited by Smad4 siRNA, which reduces SOX2 expression. These results indicate that SOX2 upregulation is involved in the generation of microglia-derived MAP2-positive and GFAP-positive cells through SMAD4.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience for Drug Discovery, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Shimoadachi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nonaka
authors.forename: Tetsuhiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Niidome
authors.forename: Yoriko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shinozuka
authors.forename: Akinori
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akaike
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kihara
authors.forename: Hachiro
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D017628:Microglia / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D039902:Multipotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051901:Smad4 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors; D051901:Smad4 Protein; C490811:Smad4 protein, rat; C527784:Sox2 protein, rat