Expression Analysis of Prestin and Selected Transcription Factors in Newborn Rats

• Published in: Cellular and molecular neurobiology Vol. 31; no. 7; pp. 1089 - 1101
• Main Authors: Gross, Johann, Angerstein, Maximilian, Fuchs, Julia, Stute, Kerstin, Mazurek, Birgit
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.10.2011
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Anion Transport Proteins - genetics; Anion Transport Proteins - metabolism; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Butyric Acid - pharmacology; CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta - genetics; CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta - metabolism; Cell Biology; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Histamine Antagonists - pharmacology; Humans; Neurobiology; Neurosciences; Organ of Corti - anatomy & histology; Organ of Corti - drug effects; Organ of Corti - physiology; Original Research; Rats; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Sp1 Transcription Factor - genetics; Sp1 Transcription Factor - metabolism; Sulfate Transporters; Tissue Culture Techniques; Transcription Factor Brn-3C - genetics; Transcription Factor Brn-3C - metabolism; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Tretinoin - pharmacology; C/ebp; Sp1; Brn-3c; Cochlea; Prestin; Creb; Gene expression; Carf
• ISSN: 0272-4340; 1573-6830; 1573-6830
• DOI: 10.1007/s10571-011-9708-z

Transcription factors (TFs) have a central role to play in regulating gene expression. To analyze the co-expression patterns of selected TFs with the motor protein prestin of the outer hair cells, we applied an real-time PCR approach combining several kinds of information: (i) expression changes during postnatal development, (ii) expression changes by exposure of organotypic cultures of the organ of Corti to factors which significantly affect prestin expression [thyroid hormone (T4), retinoic acid (RA), butyric acid (BA), increased KCl concentration] and (iii) changes along the apical-basal gradient. We found that the mRNA levels of the TF Brn-3c (Pou4f3), a member of the POU family, are significantly associated with the regulation of prestin during postnatal development and in cultures supplemented with T4 (0.5 μM), BA (0.5–2.0 mM), and high KCl (50 mM) concentration. The mRNA level of the constitutively active TF C/ebpb (CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta) correlates positively with the prestin expression during postnatal development and in cultures exposed to T4 and RA (50–100 μM). The mRNA levels of the calcium-dependent TF CaRF correlates significantly with the prestin expression in cultures exposed to T4 and high KCl concentration. The observed coexpression patterns may suggest that the TFs Brn-3c, C/ebpb, and Carf contribute to regulating the expression of prestin under the investigated conditions.