ZNF536, a novel zinc finger protein specifically expressed in the brain, negatively regulates neuron differentiation by repressing retinoic acid-induced gene transcription.

ABSTRACT: Neuronal differentiation is tightly regulated by a variety of factors. In a search for neuron-specific genes, we identified a highly conserved novel zinc finger protein, ZNF536. We observed that ZNF536 is most abundant in the brain and, in particular, is expressed in the developing central nervous system and dorsal root ganglia and localized in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and hypothalamic area. During neuronal differentiation of P19 cells induced by retinoic acid (RA), ZNF536 expression is increased at an early stage, and it is maintained at a constant level in later stages. Overexpression of ZNF536 results in an inhibition of RA-induced neuronal differentiation, while depletion or mutation of the ZNF536 gene results in an enhancement of differentiation. We further demonstrated that

SUBMITTER: Qin Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2698762 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature