Conditional activation of RhoA suppresses the epithelial to mesenchymal transition at the primitive streak during mouse gastrulation

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2004 Jun 4;318(3):665-72. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2004.04.076.

Abstract

Gastrulation is a pivotal event of mouse early embryogenesis. In telencephalin (TLCN)-Cre mice carrying the Cre recombinase gene inserted into the translational initiation site of the TLCN gene, Cre-mediated recombination took place at the postimplantation stage. To examine the role of RhoA signaling in early embryogenesis, we produced Rho36 mice carrying constitutively active RhoA(G14V) gene inducible by Cre recombinase and crossed with TLCN-Cre mice. In doubly transgenic embryos at the gastrulation stage, there appeared an abnormal bulge of cells protruded from the primitive streak region into the amniotic cavity. The bulged cell mass expressed the epiblast marker gene Oct3 and E-cadherin, but not the primitive streak marker gene T except for the basal portion. These results suggest that the conditional activation of RhoA signaling suppressed the epithelial to mesenchymal transition at the primitive streak during mouse gastrulation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Allantois / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Cadherins / metabolism
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Epithelium / embryology
  • Epithelium / physiology
  • Female
  • Gastrula / cytology
  • Gastrula / physiology*
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • Integrases / genetics
  • Male
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics
  • Mesoderm / cytology
  • Mesoderm / physiology*
  • Mice / embryology*
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Recombination, Genetic
  • Signal Transduction
  • Viral Proteins / genetics
  • beta-Galactosidase / metabolism
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / genetics*
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cadherins
  • Icam5 protein, mouse
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Viral Proteins
  • Cre recombinase
  • Integrases
  • beta-Galactosidase
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein