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Nestin enhancer requirements for expression in normal and injured adult CNS
Author(s) -
Johansson Clas B.,
Lothian Carina,
Molin Magnus,
Okano Hideyuki,
Lendahl Urban
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/jnr.10376
Subject(s) - nestin , enhancer , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , genetically modified mouse , reporter gene , transgene , stem cell , neural stem cell , gene expression , gene , genetics
Abstract The nestin gene is expressed in many CNS stem/progenitor cells, both in the embryo and the adult, and nestin is used commonly as a marker for these cells. In this report we analyze nestin enhancer requirements in the adult CNS, using transgenic mice carrying reporter genes linked to three different nestin enhancer constructs: the genomic rat nestin gene and 5 kb of upstream nestin sequence (NesP lacZ /3), 636 bp of the rat nestin second intron (E/nestin:EGFP), and a corresponding 714 bp region from the human second intron (Nes714tk/ lacZ ). NesP lacZ /3 and E/nestin:EGFP mice showed reporter gene expression in stem cell‐containing regions of brain and spinal cord during normal conditions. NesP lacZ /3 and E/nestin:EGFP mice showed increased expression in spinal cord after injury and NesP lacZ /3 mice displayed elevated expression in the periventricular area of the brain after injury, which was not the case for the E/nestin:EGFP mice. In contrast, no expression in adult CNS in vivo was seen in the Nes714tk/ lacZ mice carrying the human enhancer, neither during normal conditions nor after injury. The Nes714 tk/ lacZ mice, however, expressed the reporter gene in reactive astrocytes and CNS stem cells cultured ex vivo. Collectively, this suggests a species difference for the nestin enhancer function in adult CNS and that elements outside the second intron enhancer are required for the full injury response in vivo. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.