Embryology Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Embryology, including details on stem cells, reproduction, transplants, cloning.

Identification of a Hoxc8-regulated transcriptional network in mouse embryo fibroblast cells.

Lei H, Juan AH, Kim MS, Ruddle FH

Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.

The transcription factor, Hoxc8, is a member of the homeobox gene family that is vital for growth and differentiation. Previously, we identified 34 genes whose expression levels were changed at least 2-fold by forced expression of Hoxc8 in C57BL/6J mouse embryo fibroblast cells using a mouse 16,463-gene oligonucleotide microarray. In the present study, we used the combined power of microarray profiling, global Hoxc8 DNA-binding site analysis, and high-throughput chromatin immunoprecipitation assays to identify direct and biologically relevant targets of Hoxc8 in vivo. Here we show that 19 of the 34 responsive genes contain Hoxc8 consensus DNA-binding sequence(s) in their regulatory regions. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis indicated that Hoxc8-DNA interaction was detected in five of the 19 candidate genes. All of these five target genes have been implicated in oncogenesis, cell adhesion, proliferation, and apoptosis. Overall, the genes described here should aid in the understanding of global regulatory networks of Hox genes and to provide valuable insight into the molecular basis of Hoxc8 in development and carcinogenesis.

Published 6 July 2006 in Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 103(27): 10305-9.
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