title: FGF signals induce Caprin2 expression in the vertebrate lens.
abstract: The lens of the eye is derived from the non-neural ectoderm situated next to the optic vesicle. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signals play a major role at various stages of vertebrate lens development ranging from induction and proliferation to differentiation. Less is however known about the identity of genes that are induced by FGF activity within the lens. We have isolated and characterized mouse cytoplasmic activation/proliferation-associated protein-2 (Caprin2), with domains belonging to both the Caprin family and the C1q and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) super-family. Here we show that Caprin2 is expressed in the developing vertebrate lens in mouse and chick, and that Caprin2 expression is up-regulated in primary lens fiber cells, after the induction of crystallins the earliest known markers for differentiated lens fiber cells. Caprin2 is subsequently down-regulated in the centre of the lens at the time and at the position of the first fiber cell denucleation and terminal differentiation. In vitro analyses of lens fiber cell differentiation provide evidence that FGF activity emanating from neighboring prospective retinal cells is required and that FGF8 activity is sufficient to induce Caprin2 in lens fiber cells. These results not only provide evidence that FGF signals induce the newly characterized protein Caprin2 in the lens, but also support the general idea that FGF signals are required for lens fiber cell differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Umeå Center for Molecular Medicine, Building 6M, 4th floor, Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Christina E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Lorén
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Schrader
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ahlgren
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gunhaga
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005136:Eye Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C542012:caprin2 protein, mouse; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors