Pax6 directly modulate Sox2 expression in the neural progenitor cells

• Published in: Neuroreport Vol. 19; no. 4; pp. 413 - 417
• Main Authors: Wen, Jinhua, Hu, Qikuan, Li, Meiyu, Wang, Shuling, Zhang, Lirong, Chen, Yuanyuan, Li, Lingsong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc 05-03-2008; Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Assay; Body Patterning - genetics; Brain - cytology; Brain - embryology; Brain - metabolism; Cell Differentiation - genetics; Cell Proliferation; Development. Senescence. Regeneration. Transplantation; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Eye Proteins - genetics; Eye Proteins - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental - genetics; Genes, Reporter - genetics; HMGB Proteins - genetics; HMGB Proteins - metabolism; Homeodomain Proteins - genetics; Homeodomain Proteins - physiology; Luciferases - genetics; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Neurons - metabolism; Paired Box Transcription Factors - genetics; Paired Box Transcription Factors - physiology; PAX6 Transcription Factor; Promoter Regions, Genetic - genetics; Protein Binding - genetics; Repressor Proteins - genetics; Repressor Proteins - physiology; SOXB1 Transcription Factors; Spheroids, Cellular; Stem Cells - metabolism; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Transcriptional Activation - genetics; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Cell proliferation; subventricular zone; proliferation; Rodentia; Central nervous system; Precursor cell; Pax6; neural progenitor cells; Encephalon; Sox2; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mouse; Animal; Development; Progenitor cell
• ISSN: 0959-4965; 1473-558X
• DOI: 10.1097/WNR.0b013e3282f64377

Pax6 is a key regulator in the neuronal fate determination as well as the proliferation of neural stem cells, but the mechanisms are still unknown. Our study shows that Pax6 regulate the proliferation of neural progenitor cells of cortical subventricular zone, through direct modulation of the Sox2 expression during the late developmental stage in mice. We found a dramatic decrease in the number of Sox2 neural progenitor cells in the subventricular zone of E18.5 Pax6 mice. We confirmed that Pax6 could bind to the Sox2 promoter by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and activate Sox2 expression by a luciferase reporter gene assay. Moreover, neural progenitors isolated from the Pax6 embryos showed a decreased neurosphere formation as well as proliferation.