scholarly journals Phosphorylation and Stabilization of HURP by Aurora-A: Implication of HURP as a Transforming Target of Aurora-A

2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (14) ◽  
pp. 5789-5800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang-Tze Ricky Yu ◽  
Jung-Mao Hsu ◽  
Yuan-Chii Gladys Lee ◽  
Ann-Ping Tsou ◽  
Chen-Kung Chou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Ectopic Expression ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
Aurora A ◽  
Initial Attempt ◽  
Stable Transfectants ◽  
Low Serum

ABSTRACT Aurora-A, a mitotic serine/threonine kinase with oncogene characteristics, has recently drawn intense attention because of its association with the development of human cancers and its relationship with mitotic progression. Using the gene expression profiles of Aurora-A as a template to search for and compare transcriptome expression profiles in publicly accessible microarray data sets, we identified HURP (encodes hepatoma upregulated protein) as one of the best Aurora-A-correlated genes. Empirical validation indicates that HURP has several characteristics in common with Aurora-A. These two genes have similar expression patterns in hepatocellular carcinoma, liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy, and cell cycle progression and across a variety of tissues and cell lines. Moreover, Aurora-A phosphorylated HURP in vitro and in vivo. Ectopic expression of either the catalytically inactive form of Aurora-A or the HURP-4P mutant, in which the Aurora-A phosphorylation sites were replaced with Ala, resulted in HURP instability and complex disassembly. In addition, HURP-wild-type stable transfectants were capable of growing in low-serum environments whereas HURP-4P grew poorly under low-serum conditions and failed to proliferate. These studies together support the view that the ability to integrate evidence derived from microarray studies into biochemical analyses may ultimately augment our predictive power when analyzing the potential role of poorly characterized proteins. While this combined approach was simply an initial attempt to answer a range of complex biological questions, our findings do suggest that HURP is a potential oncogenic target of Aurora-A.

scholarly journals Transcriptome analysis of gravitational effects on mouse skeletal muscles under microgravity and artificial 1 g onboard environment

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Risa Okada ◽  
Shin-ichiro Fujita ◽  
Riku Suzuki ◽  
Takuto Hayashi ◽  
Hirona Tsubouchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Muscle Mass ◽  
Muscle Atrophy ◽  
Transcriptome Analysis ◽  
Fiber Type ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles

AbstractSpaceflight causes a decrease in skeletal muscle mass and strength. We set two murine experimental groups in orbit for 35 days aboard the International Space Station, under artificial earth-gravity (artificial 1 g; AG) and microgravity (μg; MG), to investigate whether artificial 1 g exposure prevents muscle atrophy at the molecular level. Our main findings indicated that AG onboard environment prevented changes under microgravity in soleus muscle not only in muscle mass and fiber type composition but also in the alteration of gene expression profiles. In particular, transcriptome analysis suggested that AG condition could prevent the alterations of some atrophy-related genes. We further screened novel candidate genes to reveal the muscle atrophy mechanism from these gene expression profiles. We suggest the potential role of Cacng1 in the atrophy of myotubes using in vitro and in vivo gene transductions. This critical project may accelerate the elucidation of muscle atrophy mechanisms.

scholarly journals Discovery of novel mechanosensitive genes in vivo using mouse carotid artery endothelium exposed to disturbed flow

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (15) ◽  
pp. e66-e73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chih-Wen Ni ◽  
Haiwei Qiu ◽  
Amir Rezvan ◽  
Kihwan Kwon ◽  
Douglas Nam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carotid Artery ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
Disturbed Flow ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Pattern Comparison

Abstract Recently, we showed that disturbed flow caused by a partial ligation of mouse carotid artery rapidly induces atherosclerosis. Here, we identified mechanosensitive genes in vivo through a genome-wide microarray study using mouse endothelial RNAs isolated from the flow-disturbed left and the undisturbed right common carotid artery. We found 62 and 523 genes that changed significantly by 12 hours and 48 hours after ligation, respectively. The results were validated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction for 44 of 46 tested genes. This array study discovered numerous novel mechanosensitive genes, including Lmo4, klk10, and dhh, while confirming well-known ones, such as Klf2, eNOS, and BMP4. Four genes were further validated for protein, including LMO4, which showed higher expression in mouse aortic arch and in human coronary endothelium in an asymmetric pattern. Comparison of in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro endothelial gene expression profiles indicates that numerous in vivo mechanosensitive genes appear to be lost or dysregulated during culture. Gene ontology analyses show that disturbed flow regulates genes involved in cell proliferation and morphology by 12 hours, followed by inflammatory and immune responses by 48 hours. Determining the functional importance of these novel mechanosensitive genes may provide important insights into understanding vascular biology and atherosclerosis.

scholarly journals Recapitulating tumour microenvironment in chitosan–gelatin three-dimensional scaffolds: an improved in vitro tumour model

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (77) ◽  
pp. 3288-3302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neha Arya ◽  
Viren Sardana ◽  
Meera Saxena ◽  
Annapoorni Rangarajan ◽  
Dhirendra S. Katti
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
Petri Dish ◽  
Tumour Microenvironment ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Tumour Model

Owing to the reduced co-relationship between conventional flat Petri dish culture (two-dimensional) and the tumour microenvironment, there has been a shift towards three-dimensional culture systems that show an improved analogy to the same. In this work, an extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking three-dimensional scaffold based on chitosan and gelatin was fabricated and explored for its potential as a tumour model for lung cancer. It was demonstrated that the chitosan–gelatin (CG) scaffolds supported the formation of tumoroids that were similar to tumours grown in vivo for factors involved in tumour-cell–ECM interaction, invasion and metastasis, and response to anti-cancer drugs. On the other hand, the two-dimensional Petri dish surfaces did not demonstrate gene-expression profiles similar to tumours grown in vivo . Further, the three-dimensional CG scaffolds supported the formation of tumoroids, using other types of cancer cells such as breast, cervix and bone, indicating a possible wider potential for in vitro tumoroid generation. Overall, the results demonstrated that CG scaffolds can be an improved in vitro tool to study cancer progression and drug screening for solid tumours.

171 THE EFFECT OF TRICHOSTATIN A ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE GLOBAL GENE EXPRESSION PATTERNS IN MOUSE EMBRYOS DEVELOPING IN VITRO

2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 165
Author(s):  
X. S. Cui ◽  
X. Y. Li ◽  
T. Kim ◽  
N.-H. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Trichostatin A ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Differentially Expressed ◽  
Gene Expression Patterns ◽  
Cell Stage

Trichostatin A (TSA) is an inhibitor of histone deacetylase and is able to alter gene expression patterns by interfering with the removal of acetyl groups from histones. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of TSA treatment on the development and gene expression patterns of mouse zygotes developing in vitro. The addition of 100 nm TSA to the culture medium did not affect the cleavage of mouse embryos (TSA treatment, 148/150 (99%) v. control, 107/107 (100%)); however, embryos that were treated with TSA arrested at the 2-cell stage (145/148, 98%). We estimated the number of nuclei in control and TSA-treated embryos by propidium iodide staining, taking into account the presence of any cells with two or more nuclei. At 62–63 h post-hCG stimulation, control zygotes had developed to the 4-cell stage and exhibited one nucleus in each blastomere, indicative of normal development. In contrast, we observed tetraploid nuclei in at least one blastomere in 20.8% (11/53) of the embryos that had been treated with TSA. At 28–29 h post-hCG stimulation (metaphase of the 1-cell stage), there was no difference in the mitotic index (as determined by analyzing the microtubule configuration) in the TSA group compared to the control group. At the 2-cell stage, however, we did not observe mitotic spindles and metaphase chromatin in embryos in the TSA treatment group compared to the controls. Interestingly, when embryos were cultured in TSA-free medium from 35 h post-hCG stimulation (S- or early G2-phase of the 2-cell stage) onward, almost all of them (47/50) developed to the blastocyst stage. In contrast, when embryos were cultured in TSA-free medium from 42 h post-hCG stimulation (middle G2-phase of the 2-cell stage) onward, they did not develop to the 4-cell stage. We used Illumina microarray technology to analyze the gene expression profiles in control and TSA-treated late 2-cell-stage embryos. Applied Biosystems Expression System software was used to extract assay signals and assay signal-to-noise ratio values from the microarray images. Our data showed that 897 genes were significantly (P < 0.05; 2-sample t-test) up- or down-regulated by TSA treatment compared to controls. Analysis using the PANTHER classification system (https://panther.appliedbiosystems.com) revealed that the 575 genes that were differentially expressed in the TSA group compared to the control were classified as being associated with putative biological processes or molecular function. Overall, in terms of putative biological processes, more nucleoside, nucleotide, and nucleic acid metabolism, protein metabolism and modification, signal transduction, developmental process, and cell cycle genes were differentially expressed between the TSA and control groups. In terms of putative molecular function, more nucleic acid-binding transcription factor and transferase genes were differentially expressed between the groups. The results collectively suggest that inhibition of histone acetylation in mouse embryos affects gene expression profiles at the time of zygotic genome activation, and this subsequently affects further development.

scholarly journals The Diverse Roles of the Global Transcriptional Regulator PhoP in the Lifecycle of Yersinia pestis

Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1039
Author(s):  
Hana S. Fukuto ◽  
Gloria I. Viboud ◽  
Viveka Vadyvaloo
Keyword(s):  
Yersinia Pestis ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Response Regulator ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
Acanthamoeba Castellanii ◽  
Wide Range

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, has a complex infectious cycle that alternates between mammalian hosts (rodents and humans) and insect vectors (fleas). Consequently, it must adapt to a wide range of host environments to achieve successful propagation. Y. pestis PhoP is a response regulator of the PhoP/PhoQ two-component signal transduction system that plays a critical role in the pathogen’s adaptation to hostile conditions. PhoP is activated in response to various host-associated stress signals detected by the sensor kinase PhoQ and mediates changes in global gene expression profiles that lead to cellular responses. Y. pestis PhoP is required for resistance to antimicrobial peptides, as well as growth under low Mg2+ and other stress conditions, and controls a number of metabolic pathways, including an alternate carbon catabolism. Loss of phoP function in Y. pestis causes severe defects in survival inside mammalian macrophages and neutrophils in vitro, and a mild attenuation in murine plague models in vivo, suggesting its role in pathogenesis. A Y. pestisphoP mutant also exhibits reduced ability to form biofilm and to block fleas in vivo, indicating that the gene is also important for establishing a transmissible infection in this vector. Additionally, phoP promotes the survival of Y. pestis inside the soil-dwelling amoeba Acanthamoeba castellanii, a potential reservoir while the pathogen is quiescent. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge on the mechanisms of PhoP-mediated gene regulation in Y. pestis and examine the significance of the roles played by the PhoP regulon at each stage of the Y. pestis life cycle.

Gene Expression Profiles in Rat Liver Slices Exposed to Hepatocarcinogenic Enzyme Inducers, Peroxisome Proliferators, and 17α-Ethinylestradiol

2006 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 379-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gisela Werle-Schneider ◽  
Andreas Wölfelschneider ◽  
Marie Charlotte von Brevern ◽  
Julia Scheel ◽  
Thorsten Storck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Rat Liver ◽  
Mode Of Action ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
Peroxisome Proliferators ◽  
Liver Slices ◽  
Enzyme Inducers

Transcription profiling is used as an in vivo method for predicting the mode-of-action class of nongenotoxic carcinogens. To set up a reliable in vitro short-term test system DNA microarray technology was combined with rat liver slices. Seven compounds known to act as tumor promoters were selected, which included the enzyme inducers phenobarbital, α-hexachlorocyclohexane, and cyproterone acetate; the peroxisome proliferators WY-14,643, dehydroepiandrosterone, and ciprofibrate; and the hormone 17 α-ethinylestradiol. Rat liver slices were exposed to various concentrations of the compounds for 24 h. Toxicology-focused TOXaminer™ DNA microarrays containing approximately 1500 genes were used for generating gene expression profiles for each of the test compound. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that (i) gene expression profiles generated in rat liver slices in vitro were specific allowing classification of compounds with similar mode of action and (ii) expression profiles of rat liver slices exposed in vitro correlate with those induced after in vivo treatment (reported previously). Enzyme inducers and peroxisome proliferators formed two separate clusters, confirming that they act through different mechanisms. Expression profiles of the hormone 17 α-ethinylestradiol were not similar to any of the other compounds. In conclusion, gene expression profiles induced by compounds that act via similar mechanisms showed common effects on transcription upon treatment in vivo and in rat liver slices in vitro.

scholarly journals Chromosomal Proteins HMGN3a and HMGN3b Regulate the Expression of Glycine Transporter 1

2004 ◽  
Vol 24 (9) ◽  
pp. 3747-3756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine L. West ◽  
Meryl A. Castellini ◽  
Melinda K. Duncan ◽  
Michael Bustin
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Transcriptional Start Site ◽  
Ectopic Expression ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Glycine Transporter 1 ◽  
Glycine Transporter ◽  
Synaptic Junctions

ABSTRACT HMGN proteins promote chromatin unfolding, enhance access to nucleosomes, and modulate transcription from chromatin templates. It is not known whether they act indiscriminately as general modulators of transcription or whether they regulate specific gene expression. Here, we investigated the role of HMGN3, a recently discovered HMGN family member, in transcription in vivo. We created cell lines overexpressing HMGN3a or its splice variant, HMGN3b, and analyzed their gene expression profiles using microarrays and reverse transcriptase PCR. We found that ectopic expression of HMGN3a alters the expression of approximately 0.8% of genes. Both HMGN3a and HMGN3b upregulate the expression of the glycine transporter 1 gene (Glyt1). Glyt1 encodes a membrane transporter that regulates the glycine concentration in synaptic junctions. Both GLYT1 and HMGN3 are highly expressed in glia cells and the eye, and we show that both proteins are coexpressed in the retina. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that HMGN3 protein is recruited to a region of the Glyt1 gene encompassing the Glyt1a transcriptional start site. These results suggest that HMGN3 regulates Glyt1 expression and demonstrate that members of the HMGN family can regulate the transcription of specific genes.

MLL-AF9 and MLL-ENL Induce Deregulation of Similar Downstream Candidate Genes: An Analysis across Experimental Protocols and Laboratories.

Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 3372-3372
Author(s):  
Ashish R. Kumar ◽  
Robert K. Slany ◽  
Jay L. Hess ◽  
John H. Kersey
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Fusion Protein ◽  
Fusion Gene ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
Expression Systems ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Conditional Expression

Expression profiling has become an important tool for understanding gene deregulation in MLL-fusion leukemias. However, the results of gene profiling experiments are difficult to interpret when applied to leukemia cells because (i) leukemias arise in cells that differ greatly in their gene expression profiles, and (ii) leukemias most often require secondary genetic events in addition to the MLL fusion gene. Two principal model systems have been used to understand the direct effects of MLL-fusion genes. Knock-in models have the advantage of the fusion gene being under control of the physiologic promoter. On the other hand, conditional expression systems offer the ability to conduct short term experiments, permitting the analysis of direct effects on downstream genes. In the present combined-analysis, we used the Affymetrix U74Av2 oligonucleotide microarray to evaluate the effects of the MLL-fusion gene in vivo and in vitro respectively using two closely related MLL fusion genes - MLL-AF9 for knock-in and MLL-ENL for conditional expression. In the MLL-AF9 study, we compared gene expression profiles of bone marrow cells from MLL-AF9 knock-in mice (C57Bl/6, MLL-AF9+/−) to those of age-matched wild type mice (Kumar et. al. 2004, Blood). We used a t-test (p<0.05) to selected genes that showed significant changes in expression levels. In the MLL-ENL study, we transformed murine primary hematopoietic cells with a conditional MLL-ENL vector (MLL-ENL fused to the modified ligand-binding domain of the estrogen receptor) such that the fusion protein was active only in the presence of tamoxifen. We then studied the downstream effects of the fusion protein by comparing gene expression profiles of the cells in the presence and absence of tamoxifen. We used a pair-wise comparison analysis to select genes that showed a change in expression level of 1.5 fold or greater in at least two of three experiments (Zeisig et. al. 2004, Mol. Cell Biol.). Those genes that were up-regulated in both datasets were then compiled together. This list included Hoxa7, Hoxa9 and Meis1. The results for these 3 genes were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR in both the MLL-AF9-knock-in and the MLL-ENL-conditional-expression systems. The remaining candidate genes in the common up-regulated gene set (not yet tested by quantitative RT-PCR) include protein kinases (Bmx, Mapk3, Prkcabp, Acvrl1, Cask), RAS-associated proteins (Rab7, Rab3b), signal transduction proteins (Notch1, Eat2, Shd, Fpr1), cell membrane proteins (Igsf4), chaperones (Hsp70.2), transcription factors (Isgf3g), proteins with unknown functions (Olfm1, Flot1), and hypothetical proteins. The results of the combined analysis demonstrate that these over-expressions are (i) a direct and sustained effect of the MLL-fusion protein, (ii) are independent of secondary events that might be involved in leukemogensis, and (iii) are independent of the two partner genes that participate in these fusions. The over-expression of a few genes in both the -in vitro and in vivo experimental systems makes these molecules very interesting for further studies, to understand the biology of MLL-fusion leukemias and for development of new therapeutic strategies.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia-Associated Macrophages: Not Just Nurse Cells

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 46-46
Author(s):  
Loic Ysebaert ◽  
Mary Poupot ◽  
Yovan Sanchez-Ruiz ◽  
Camille Laurent ◽  
Guy Laurent ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Conditioned Medium ◽  
Apoptotic Cell ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Lymphocytic Leukemia ◽  
Functional Interpretation

Abstract Abstract 46 Introduction: CLL cells interact with many accessory cells in an environment mimicking that of normal mature B cells. Role of antigen, cytokines, adhesion pathways are critical for many aspects in the disease course (proliferation/survival, migration or homing, drug resistance, and presumably relapse). Nurse-like cells (NLC) belong to a monocytic-derived, bystander population among CLL lymph node and spleen stromal cells. Aim: To investigate the nature, functions, and location of NLC within CLL microenvironment. Methods: Gene expression profiles (GEP) from in vitro expanded NLC from patients (n=10) were produced and compared to those from normal CD14+ monocytes, M1-polarized macrophages, M2-polarized macrophages and tumor-associated macrophages (produced in the lab or downloaded from GEO datasets). Principal Component Analysis was used to categorize these five populations of cells and in-house-built GSEA software was used for functional interpretation of their relevant gene lists. Protein expression patterns were validated with multi-analyte ELISArray kits, proteome profiler arrays, flow cytometry (FC) or immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results: New insights into the physiopathological role of NLC in CLL are suggested from five lines of evidence: 1/a Òmonocytic gene signatureÓ (i.e. a set of 549 genes) is shared by the NLC and the monocyte subtypes. The genes over-represented in NLC vs normal monocytes pinpointed positive modulation of apoptotic cell clearance (scavenger, mannose and complement receptors, LXRalpha), lipid metabolism (Apolipoprotein E, PPAR signaling), extracellular matrix-receptor interactions (integrins, SPARC, Matrix MetalloProteinases) and actin cytoskeleton remodeling. 2/unsupervised clustering show that NLC represent an M2-skewed, TAM-like cell population. They down-regulate mRNA and proteins for classic M1 inflammatory markers (e.g. IL-1, IL-6, IL-12, COX2) while increase secretion of TGFbeta, IL-10, CCL17 and CCL22 soluble factors. 3/these and previously published observations suggest that B-CLL-to-NLC interactions may orchestrate immunosuppression in this disease. PBMCs from Òwatch and waitÓ CLL patients (all stage A/Rai 0, mutated IgVH, low risk cytogenetics profile) or healthy donors were stimulated with anti-CD3/CD28 beads + IL-2, either in standard RPMI+10% FCS or in conditioned medium (CM, after 14d CLL-NLC co-culture in vitro) and their proliferation/phenotype were compared after 2 weeks. Significant expansion of T cells with Treg (CD4+CD25+FoxP3+) phenotype was observed only from CLL PBMCs grown in conditioned medium (mean % Treg: 2.85 vs 3.05 in CM for normal PBMCs, and 1.54 vs 15.9 in CM for CLL PBMCs, P< 0.05). 4/although NLC make immune synapses with live B-CLL, they do not phagocytose them. Over-expression of CD47 (ÒdonÕt eat meÓ signal) by B-CLL cells (mfi= 3490 vs 2581 on normal cells, P< 0.05, n=18) may provide them with a protective signal against NLC. 5/from our GEP, flow cytometric and IHC analyses, we propose CD163 (classic M2 marker) as a reliable tool to identify NLC in vivo. Although in vitro, CLL cells can pervert healthy donor monocytes into NLC, only CLL-derived NLC are truly CD14+ CD163+. In vivo, CD163 staining reveals putative NLC in CLL lymph nodes(LN)/spleen sections but not in bone marrow. In LN from all patients, NLC reside in the subcapsular areas and line vessel structures, suggesting a role in CLL cells trafficking. Most interestingly, NLC infiltrate pseudofollicles structures only in a subset of cases. We will present updated IHC and clinical presentation correlation studies. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the role of NLC in CLL might be broader than initially thought. Beside of nursing and conferring drug resistance, NLC may also be crucial in the setting of immunosuppression, of CLL cells recruitment, and should thus be considered as therapeutic targets. Disclosures: Off Label Use: GA101 is not currently approved for CLL treatment.

scholarly journals Targeted Disruption of Mapk14 (p38MAPKα) in Granulosa Cells and Cumulus Cells Causes Cell-Specific Changes in Gene Expression Profiles that Rescue COC Expansion and Maintain Fertility

2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (9) ◽  
pp. 1794-1804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhilin Liu ◽  
Heng-Yu Fan ◽  
Yibin Wang ◽  
JoAnne S. Richards
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Granulosa Cells ◽  
Knockout Mice ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
Cumulus Cells ◽  
Mutant Mice ◽  
Prostaglandin E

Abstract MAPK14 (p38MAPKα) is critical for FSH and prostaglandin E (PGE)2 signaling cascades in granulosa cells (GCs) and cumulus cell-oocyte complexes (COCs) in culture, indicating that this kinase might impact follicular development and COC expansion in vivo. Because Mapk14 knockout mice are embryonic lethal, we generated GC specific Mapk14 knockout mice (Mapk14gc−/−) by mating Mapk14fl/fl and Cyp19-Cre mice. Unexpectedly, the Mapk14gc−/− female mice were fertile. Analyses of gene expression patterns showed that amphiregulin (Areg) and epiregulin (Ereg), two key regulators of ovulation and COC expansion, were up-regulated in the GCs but down-regulated in cumulus cells of the mutant mice in vivo. COCs from the mutant mice expanded and expressed matrix-related genes, if cultured with AREG, but not when cultured with forskolin or PGE2, the latter being a key factor regulating MAPK14 activity in cumulus cells. Conversely, when GCs from the Mapk14gc−/− mice were cultured with forskolin, they produced more Areg and Ereg mRNA than did wild-type GCs. These results indicate that disruption of Mapk14 selectively alters the expression of Areg and other genes in each cell type. Greater AREG and EREG produced by the GCs appears to by-pass and compensate for the critical need for MAPK14 signaling and induction of Areg/Ereg (and hence matrix genes) by PGE2 in cumulus cells of the mutant mice. In conclusion, although MAPK14 is not overtly essential for preovulatory follicle development or events associated with ovulation and luteinization in vivo, it does impact gene expression profiles.

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