TY - JOUR

T1 - NeuroD1: developmental expression and regulated genes in the rodent pineal gland

AU - Muñoz, Estela M

AU - Bailey, Michael J

AU - Rath, Martin F

AU - Shi, Qiong

AU - Morin, Fabrice

AU - Coon, Steven L

AU - Møller, Morten

AU - Klein, David C

N1 - Paper id:: PMID: 17630985

PY - 2007

Y1 - 2007

N2 - NeuroD1/BETA2, a member of the bHLH transcription factor family, is known to influence the fate of specific neuronal, endocrine and retinal cells. We report here that NeuroD1 mRNA is highly abundant in the developing and adult rat pineal gland. Pineal expression begins in the 17-day embryo at which time it is also detectable in other brain regions. Expression in the pineal gland increases during the embryonic period and is maintained thereafter at levels equivalent to those found in the cerebellum and retina. In contrast, NeuroD1 mRNA decreases markedly in non-cerebellar brain regions during development. Pineal NeuroD1 levels are similar during the day and night, and do not appear to be influenced by sympathetic neural input. Gene expression analysis of the pineal glands from neonatal NeuroD1 knockout mice identifies 127 transcripts that are down-regulated (>twofold, p <0.05) and 16 that are up-regulated (>twofold, p <0.05). According to quantitative RT-PCR, the most dramatically down-regulated gene is kinesin family member 5C ( approximately 100-fold) and the most dramatically up-regulated gene is glutamic acid decarboxylase 1 ( approximately fourfold). Other impacted transcripts encode proteins involved in differentiation, development, signal transduction and trafficking. These findings represent the first step toward elucidating the role of NeuroD1 in the rodent pinealocyte.

AB - NeuroD1/BETA2, a member of the bHLH transcription factor family, is known to influence the fate of specific neuronal, endocrine and retinal cells. We report here that NeuroD1 mRNA is highly abundant in the developing and adult rat pineal gland. Pineal expression begins in the 17-day embryo at which time it is also detectable in other brain regions. Expression in the pineal gland increases during the embryonic period and is maintained thereafter at levels equivalent to those found in the cerebellum and retina. In contrast, NeuroD1 mRNA decreases markedly in non-cerebellar brain regions during development. Pineal NeuroD1 levels are similar during the day and night, and do not appear to be influenced by sympathetic neural input. Gene expression analysis of the pineal glands from neonatal NeuroD1 knockout mice identifies 127 transcripts that are down-regulated (>twofold, p <0.05) and 16 that are up-regulated (>twofold, p <0.05). According to quantitative RT-PCR, the most dramatically down-regulated gene is kinesin family member 5C ( approximately 100-fold) and the most dramatically up-regulated gene is glutamic acid decarboxylase 1 ( approximately fourfold). Other impacted transcripts encode proteins involved in differentiation, development, signal transduction and trafficking. These findings represent the first step toward elucidating the role of NeuroD1 in the rodent pinealocyte.

KW - Animals

KW - Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors

KW - Brain

KW - Circadian Rhythm

KW - Down-Regulation

KW - Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental

KW - Glutamate Decarboxylase

KW - Kinesin

KW - Male

KW - Mice

KW - Mice, Knockout

KW - Pineal Gland

KW - RNA, Messenger

KW - Rats

KW - Rats, Sprague-Dawley

U2 - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2007.04605.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2007.04605.x

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 17630985

VL - 102

SP - 887

EP - 899

JO - Journal of Neurochemistry

JF - Journal of Neurochemistry

SN - 0022-3042

IS - 3

ER -