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The −216‐ to −100‐bp Sequence in the 5′‐Flanking Region of the Oxytocin Gene Contains a Cell‐Type Specific Regulatory Element for its Selective Expression in Oxytocin Magnocellular Neurones
Author(s) -
Fields R. L.,
Gainer H.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of neuroendocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.062
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1365-2826
pISSN - 0953-8194
DOI - 10.1111/jne.12299
Subject(s) - oxytocin , biology , vasopressin , supraoptic nucleus , gene , gene expression , magnocellular cell , oxytocin receptor , regulatory sequence , endocrinology , medicine , genetics
The oxytocin (OXT) gene is abundantly and highly selectively expressed in magnocellular neurones ( MCN s) of the hypothalamic‐neurohypophysial system. Previous DNA sequence deletion studies in vivo have shown that the −216‐ to −100‐bp sequence in the 5′‐flanking region of the oxytocin gene was required for its cell‐type specific expression in the rat supraoptic nucleus. In the present study, we test the coupled hypotheses that this −216‐ to −100‐bp sequence is responsible for (i) the selective expression of the OXT gene in OXT‐ MNC s and (ii) its selective repression in vasopressin (AVP)‐ MCN s. We show that, consistent with hypothesis 1, removal of the −216‐ to −100‐bp sequence from the OXT gene completely eliminates its expression in OXT‐ MCN s in vivo but, in contrast to the prediction of hypothesis 2, there was no appearance of OXT gene expression in AVP‐ MCN s. Taken together, these and other data demonstrate that the −216‐ to −100‐bp sequence in the 5′‐flanking region of the oxytocin gene contains only an activator of transcription operating in the OXT‐ MCN s.