title: Cell-Specific Cre Strains For Genetic Manipulation in Salivary Glands.
abstract: The secretory acinar cells of the salivary gland are essential for saliva secretion, but are also the cell type preferentially lost following radiation treatment for head and neck cancer. The source of replacement acinar cells is currently a matter of debate. There is evidence for the presence of adult stem cells located within specific ductal regions of the salivary glands, but our laboratory recently demonstrated that differentiated acinar cells are maintained without significant stem cell contribution. To enable further investigation of salivary gland cell lineages and their origins, we generated three cell-specific Cre driver mouse strains. For genetic manipulation in acinar cells, an inducible Cre recombinase (Cre-ER) was targeted to the prolactin-induced protein (Pip) gene locus. Targeting of the Dcpp1 gene, encoding demilune cell and parotid protein, labels intercalated duct cells, a putative site of salivary gland stem cells, and serous demilune cells of the sublingual gland. Duct cell-specific Cre expression was attempted by targeting the inducible Cre to the Tcfcp2l1 gene locus. Using the R26Tomato Red reporter mouse, we demonstrate that these strains direct inducible, cell-specific expression. Genetic tracing of acinar cells using PipGCE supports the recent finding that differentiated acinar cells clonally expand. Moreover, tracing of intercalated duct cells expressing DcppGCE confirms evidence of duct cell proliferation, but further analysis is required to establish that renewal of secretory acinar cells is dependent on stem cells within these ducts.
authors.affiliation: Center for Oral Biology; Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, United States of America.
authors.forename: Eri O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.affiliation: Center for Oral Biology; Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, United States of America.
authors.forename: Marit H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Aure
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology; Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Xiaoling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology; Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Myal
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology; Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.affiliation: Center for Oral Biology; Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, United States of America.
authors.forename: Catherine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Ovitt
mesh_terms: D061354:Acinar Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D019070:Cell Lineage; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D005091:Exons; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018390:Gene Targeting; D019426:Integrases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000166:cytology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D013361:Sublingual Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D013629:Tamoxifen; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases