Skip NavigationSkip to Content
Return Return to Search Results

Nkx3.1, a murine homolog of Drosophila bagpipe, regulates epithelial ductal branching and proliferation of the prostate and palatine glands

  1. Author:
    Tanaka, M.
    Komuro, I.
    Inagaki, H.
    Jenkins, N. A.
    Copeland, N. G.
    Izumo, S.

  2. Author Address

    Beth Israel Deaconess Med Ctr, Div Cardiovasc, SL-201, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215 USA. Beth Israel Deaconess Med Ctr, Div Cardiovasc, Boston, MA 02215 USA. Harvard Univ, Sch Med, Dept Med, Boston, MA USA. Univ Tokyo, Fac Med, Dept Cardiovasc Med, Tokyo 113, Japan. Natl Ind Res Inst Nagoya, Dept Chem, Nagoya, Aichi 462, Japan. NCI, Mammalian Genet Lab, ABL Basic Res Program, Frederick Canc Res & Dev Ctr, Frederick, MD 21701 USA.
    1. Year: 2000
  2. Journal: Developmental Dynamics
    1. 219
    2. 2
    3. Pages: 248-260
  4. Type of Article: Article
  1. Abstract:

    Nkx3.1 is a homeobox gene related to Drosophila bagpipe. Nkx3.1 is an early marker of the sclerotome and a subset of vascular:smooth muscle cells, and at later stages, this gene is expressed in the prostate, palatine glands, kidney, and restricted regions of the central nervous system. In the present study, we determined the chromosomal localization of Nkx3.1 and examined the function of Nkx3.1 in vivo by using gene targeting technique. Interestingly, Nkx3.1 mapped to the central region of the mouse chromosome 14 and was linked to Nkx2.6, a murine homolog of Drosophila tinman, Homozygous mutant mice for Nkx3.1 were viable and:fertile, and the phenotype was, unexpectedly, confined to the prostate and palatine glands. The homozygous mutant mice exhibited defective branching morphogenesis of the prostate and palatine glands. Moreover, epithelial cells of the mutant prostate and palatine glands showed significant hyperplasia, No abnormalities were detected in the sclerotome, blood vessels, kidney, or brain. These results indicate that Nkx3.1 plays a critical role in epithelial branching and proliferation in the prostate and palatine glands. However, we did not observe prostate cancer in homozygous mutant mice up to 2 years of age. Therefore, involvement of NKX3.1 in carcinogenesis in men needs to be carefully determined by further investigation, Published 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.(dagger).

    See More

  1. Keywords:

External Sources

  1. No sources found.

Library Notes

  1. No notes added.
NCI at Frederick

You are leaving a government website.

This external link provides additional information that is consistent with the intended purpose of this site. The government cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal site.

Linking to a non-federal site does not constitute an endorsement by this institution or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the site. You will be subject to the destination site's privacy policy when you follow the link.

ContinueCancel