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Activin A increases Pax4 gene expression in pancreatic β cell lines
Author(s) -
Ueda Yoshitaka
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(00)01914-1
Subject(s) - pax4 , activin type 2 receptors , acvr2b , activin receptor , follistatin , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , gene isoform , cellular differentiation , signal transduction , receptor , gene , tgf beta signaling pathway , endocrinology , gene expression , medicine , homeobox , transforming growth factor , genetics
Activin A, a member of the TGFβ superfamily, has many physiological and developmental functions. In pancreatic β cell cultures, activin promotes cell differentiation and insulin production. The author has found activin increases gene expression of the PAX4, one of the major transcription factors determining pancreatic β cell differentiation. This effect was mediated, at least in part, by the type IB activin receptor (ALK4). Moreover, the activity of human insulin promoter–reporter system was controlled by PAX4 and its isoform PAX4 Δ(G239–P251) in a unique fashion; positively by low concentrations, and negatively by high concentrations of these proteins. And the repression activities were different between these proteins. These findings confirm the importance of activin signal transduction in pancreatic β cell development and function.