Ectopic expression of mouse Sry interferes with Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in mouse embryonal carcinoma cell lines.

ABSTRACT: In mammals, Sry is the master regulator of male sex determination, although how it functions is still unclear. By contrast, female sex determination depends on the action of Rspo1 and Wnt4, the regulators of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling. To seek a possible interaction between male and female sex determination mechanisms, we examined whether Sry affects Wnt/beta-catenin signaling. Using the TOPFLASH reporter system to measure Lef/Tcf-dependent transcriptional activity, we showed that ectopic expression of mouse Sry strongly suppressed Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in mouse embryonal carcinoma and human embryonic kidney cell lines. This inhibition occurred downstream of beta-catenin but upstream of Lef/Tcf, and depended on both the HMG-box and the C-terminal transcriptional activation domain. By

SUBMITTER: Tamashiro DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2637177 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature