Prostate-specific and Androgen-dependent Expression of a Novel Homeobox Gene

• Published in: The Journal of biological chemistry Vol. 271; no. 50; pp. 31779 - 31782
• Main Authors: Bieberich, Charles J., Fujita, Kazuyuki, He, Wei-Wu, Jay, Gilbert
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 13.12.1996; American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Androgens - metabolism; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Blotting, Northern; Drosophila; Drosophila Proteins; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Genes, Homeobox; Homeodomain Proteins - genetics; In Situ Hybridization; Male; Mice; Molecular Sequence Data; Prostate - metabolism; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Transcription Factors - genetics
• ISSN: 0021-9258; 1083-351X
• DOI: 10.1074/jbc.271.50.31779

A new member of the mouse NK family of homeobox genes that is related to Drosophila NK-3 has been identified. Expression of this gene, termed Nkx-3.1, is largely restricted to the prostate gland in adult animals. The level of Nkx-3.1 mRNA decreases markedly in response to castration, suggesting that its expression is androgen-dependent. In situ hybridization analyses demonstrated that expression of Nkx-3.1 in the prostate is confined to epithelial cells. In newborns, Nkx-3.1 mRNA is detected in the urethral epithelium that is being induced by the surrounding mesenchyme to invaginate to form prostatic buds. Together, these observations suggest that the Nkx-3.1 protein, which likely functions as a transcription factor, plays a prominent role both in the initiation of prostate development and in the maintenance of the differentiated state of prostatic epithelial cells.