title: Transcription factor GATA-3 is essential for lens development.
abstract: During vertebrate lens development, the anterior, ectoderm-derived lens vesicle cells differentiate into a monolayer of epithelial cells that retain proliferative potential. Subsequently, they exit the cell cycle and give rise to posterior lens fiber cells that form the lens body. In the present study, we demonstrate that the transcription factor GATA-3 is expressed in the posterior lens fiber cells during embryogenesis, and that GATA-3 deficiency impairs lens development. Interestingly, expression of E-cadherin, a premature lens vesicle marker, is abnormally prolonged in the posterior region of Gata3 homozygous mutant lenses. Furthermore, expression of gamma-crystallin, a differentiation marker for fiber cells, is reduced. This suppressed differentiation is accompanied by an abnormal cellular proliferation, as well as with diminished levels of the cell-cycle inhibitors Cdkn1b/p27 and Cdkn1c/p57 and increased Ccnd2/cyclin D2 abundance. Thus, these observations suggest that GATA-3 is essential for lens cells differentiation and proper cell cycle control.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moriguchi
authors.forename: Michito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kusakabe
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujioka
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Keigyou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoh
authors.forename: Kim-Chew
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: James Douglas
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Engel
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D056742:Cyclin D2; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D016213:Cyclins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D038222:gamma-Crystallins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; C486196:Ccnd2 protein, mouse; C493961:Cdkn1b protein, mouse; D056742:Cyclin D2; D016213:Cyclins; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; C494748:Gata3 protein, mouse; D038222:gamma-Crystallins; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27