Abstract
Transcription factor FoxA1 plays a critical role during embryonic development and is activated during retinoic acid (RA)-induced neural differentiation of pluripotent P19 embryonal carcinoma cells at the early stage, which is marked by decreased expression of Nanog and increased expression of neural stem cell marker Nestin. To further understand how FoxA1 mediates neural differentiation, we have overexpressed FoxA1 through an adenovirus vector in P19 cells and identified that early neurogenesis-related sonic hedgehog (Shh) gene is activated directly by FoxA1. Knockdown of FoxA1 expression during P19 cell neural differentiation results in prevention of Shh and Nestin induction. FoxA1 binds to Shh promoter at -486 to -462 bp region and activates the promoter in cotransfection assays. Furthermore, overexpression of FoxA1 alone in P19 cells stimulates expression of Nestin and results in decreased protein levels of Nanog. During RA-induced P19 cell differentiation, elevated levels of FoxA1 increase the population of neurons, evidenced by stimulated expression of neuron-specific Neurofilament-1 and Tubulin betaIII. Together, our results suggest a critical involvement of FoxA1 in stimulating neural differentiation of pluripotent stem cells at early stages.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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BALB 3T3 Cells
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Cell Differentiation / drug effects
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Cell Differentiation / genetics*
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Cell Differentiation / physiology
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Cells, Cultured
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Embryonal Carcinoma Stem Cells / metabolism*
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Embryonal Carcinoma Stem Cells / pathology
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Embryonal Carcinoma Stem Cells / physiology
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / drug effects
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Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
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Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / physiology
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Hedgehog Proteins / genetics
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Hedgehog Proteins / metabolism
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Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-alpha / genetics
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Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-alpha / metabolism
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Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-alpha / physiology*
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Mice
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Neurogenesis / drug effects
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Neurogenesis / genetics*
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Neurons / drug effects
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Neurons / metabolism
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Neurons / physiology
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Pluripotent Stem Cells / drug effects
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Pluripotent Stem Cells / metabolism
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Pluripotent Stem Cells / physiology
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Promoter Regions, Genetic / drug effects
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Transcription Factors / genetics
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Transcription Factors / metabolism
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Transcription Factors / physiology
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Tretinoin / pharmacology
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Up-Regulation / physiology
Substances
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Foxa1 protein, mouse
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Hedgehog Proteins
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Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-alpha
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Shh protein, mouse
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Transcription Factors
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Tretinoin