title: Deciphering TGF-β3 function in medial edge epithelium specification and fusion during mouse secondary palate development.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3) plays a central role in mediating secondary palate fusion along the facial midline. However, the mechanisms by which TGF-β3 functions during secondary palate fusion are still poorly understood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that mouse cytokeratin 6α and 17 mRNAs were expressed exclusively in the palate medial edge epithelium on embryonic day 14.5, and this expression was completely abolished in Tgf-β3 mutant embryos. In contrast, we found that Jagged2 was initially expressed throughout the palate epithelium, but was specifically down-regulated in the medial edge epithelium during palatal fusion. Jagged2 down-regulation was regulated by TGF-β3, since Jagged2 was persistently expressed in palatal medial edge epithelium in Tgf-β3 null mutant embryos. Moreover, addition of DAPT, a specific inhibitor of Notch signaling, partially rescued the fusion defects in Tgf-β3 null mutant palatal shelves.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on these results, together with the previous study indicating that the loss of Jagged2 function promotes embryonic oral epithelial fusion, we concluded that TGF-β3 mediates palate fusion in part by down-regulating Jagged2 expression in palatal medial edge epithelium. In addition, cytokeratin 6α and 17 are two TGF-β3 downstream target genes in palate medial edge epithelium differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Vertebrate Embryogenesis, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Craniofacial Biology and Birth Defects Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky.
authors.forename: Jiu-Zhen
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Dennis R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.forename: Qingxian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: M Michele
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Pisano
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.forename: Jixiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ding
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053553:Keratin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D007633:Keratins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000196:embryology*; D010159:Palate / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D000072099:Serrate-Jagged Proteins; D053782:Transforming Growth Factor beta3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D053553:Keratin-6; C118917:Krt17 protein, mouse; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D000072099:Serrate-Jagged Proteins; C509045:Tgfb3 protein, mouse; D053782:Transforming Growth Factor beta3; D007633:Keratins
keywords: Cytokeratin 6α and Cytokeratin 17; Jag2; Secondary palate fusion; TGF-β3