title: GATA-4 promotes the differentiation of P19 cells into cardiac myocytes.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of GATA-4 on the differentiation of P19 cells into cardiomyocytes and to examine the relationship between GATA-4 and cardiomyocytes. We constructed vectors to overexpress and silence GATA-4. These vectors, as well as empty ones were transfected into P19 cells. Subsequently, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis were performed. The morphology of P19 cells during differentiation was observed using an inverted microscope. Total RNA was extracted from P19 cells. We used real-time PCR to evaluate the expression levels of 6 genes: GATA-4, GATA-6, transthyretin (TTR), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), Nkx2.5, and alpha-myosin heavy chain (alpha-MHC). The gene expression pattern of these 6 genes is graphically shown for each group. The GATA-4 mRNA level in cells overexpressing GATA-4 was notably higher than that in the controls, whereas the levels in the controls were notably higher than those in the GATA-4-silenced P19 cells. The cell lines overexpressing GATA-4 expressed higher levels of Nkx2.5 and alpha-MHC than the controls. However, the controls expressed higher levels of AFP, GATA-6 and TTR than the cells overexpressing GATA-4. The RNAi group expressed lower levels of TTR, Nkx2.5, and alpha-MHC than the controls, but there were no differences in the RNAi group and the controls with regard to the expression levels of AFP and GATA-6. The gene expression pattern in the cells overexpressing GATA-4 was biased toward the Nkx2.5 and alpha-MHC. On the other hand, the gene expression pattern in GATA-4-silenced cells and the controls was biased toward the TTR and AFP. The overexpression of GATA-4 enhances the differentiation of P19 cells into cardiac myocytes, whereas its down-regulation suppresses this trend.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China.
authors.forename: De-Liang
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Fu-Kun
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yao-Qiu
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yan-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiang-Qing
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Ke-Jiang
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Hai-Tao
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Ling-Mei
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Qian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D048430:Cell Shape; D050991:GATA4 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D050993:GATA6 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D000072576:Homeobox Protein Nkx-2.5; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D018995:Myosin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D050991:GATA4 Transcription Factor; D050993:GATA6 Transcription Factor; D000072576:Homeobox Protein Nkx-2.5; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C484469:Nkx2-5 protein, mouse; D011228:Prealbumin; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D018995:Myosin Heavy Chains