title: Krüppel-like factor 7 is required for olfactory bulb dopaminergic neuron development.
abstract: Krüppel-like factor 7 (KLF7) belongs to the large family of KLF transcription factors, which comprises at least 17 members. Within this family, KLF7 is unique since its expression is strictly restricted within the nervous system during development. We have previously shown that KLF7 is required for neuronal morphogenesis and axon guidance in selected regions of the nervous system, including hippocampus, olfactory bulbs and cortex, as well as in neuronal cell cultures. In the present work, we have furthered our analysis of the role of KLF7 in central nervous system development. By gene expression analysis during brain embryogenesis, we found significant alterations in dopaminergic neurons in Klf7 null mice. In particular, the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine transporter (Dat) transcripts are strongly decreased in the olfactory bulbs and ventral midbrain at birth, compared to wild-type littermates. Interestingly, Klf7-mutant mice show a dramatic reduction of TH-positive neurons in the olfactory bulbs, but no change in GABAergic or midbrain dopaminergic neurons. These observations raise the possibility that a lack of a KLF family member affects dopaminergic neuron development.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Genetics and Biophysics A. Buzzati-Traverso, CNR, 80131 Naples, Italy. caiazzo@igb.cnr.it
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caiazzo
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Colucci-D'Amato
authors.forename: Floriana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Volpicelli
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Speranza
authors.forename: Ciro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petrone
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pastore
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stifani
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: Gian Carlo
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Bellenchi
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: di Porzio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000254:growth & development; D004298:Dopamine; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D047108:Embryonic Development; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; C426008:Klf7 protein, mouse; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004298:Dopamine