SBNeC 2010
Resumo:A.011


Poster (Painel)
A.011ANALYSIS OF THE EXPRESSION PATTERN OF KLF TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS IN THE DEVELOPING RETINA.
Autores:Mauricio Rocha Martins (IBCCF, UFRJ. - Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, UFRJ.) ; Brian Njaine (IBCCF, UFRJ. - Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, UFRJ.) ; Mariana Souza da Silveira (IBCCF, UFRJ. - Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, UFRJ.)

Resumo

Objectives: Transcription factors are essential for the regulation of nervous system development. We are interested in evaluating the roles of Sp/KLF family of transcription factors during retinal development. These proteins are evolutionarily conserved determinants of vertebrate development which control the formation of several tissues through the regulation of cell proliferation differentiation (Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2000; 32:1103-21). Our previous results showed that KLF4 is induced by Pituitary Adenylyl Cyclase Activating Polypeptide (PACAP), a neuropeptide that inhibits cell proliferation in neonatal rat retina. In order to better define their respective roles in the rat retina, we aimed to determine the expression pattern of KLF transcription factors throughout retinal development. Methods and Results: We demonstrated using standard RT-PCR, qRT-PCR (quantitative RT-PCR), In-situ Hybridization, immunofluorescence and western-blot that KLF4, KLF5 and KLF7 are expressed in embryonic, neonatal and adult retina obtained from Lister-Hooded rats. We also confirmed that KLF4 and KLF5 have an expression pattern in which the levels of these transcription factors increase and decrease, respectively, throughout retinal development. In contrast, KLF7 levels do not change expressively. Conclusions: For the first time, we established the presence and distribution of Krüppel-like transcription factors in the developing rat retina. Our data suggest that KLF4 and KLF5 may have antagonistic effects during retinal development. Further studies are needed to define the precise mechanisms by which these intrinsic factors act. In fact, our group is establishing a protocol for overexpression and knockdown of these transcription factors in vitro and in vivo.


Palavras-chave:  development, retina, KLF, transcription factors