PUBLICATION

Genetic dissection of endothelial transcriptional activity of zebrafish aryl hydrocarbon receptors (AHRs)

Authors
Sugden, W.W., Leonardo-Mendonça, R.C., Acuña-Castroviejo, D., Siekmann, A.F.
ID
ZDB-PUB-170818-4
Date
2017
Source
PLoS One   12: e0183433 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Siekmann, Arndt Friedrich
Keywords
Embryos, Zebrafish, Hindbrain, Arteries, TALENs, Eyes, Blood vessels, Gene expression
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System/genetics
  • Endothelium, Vascular/metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • Mutagenesis
  • Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon/genetics*
  • Transcription, Genetic*
  • Zebrafish/embryology
  • Zebrafish/genetics*
PubMed
28817646 Full text @ PLoS One
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor conserved across phyla from flies to humans. Activated by a number of endogenous ligands and environmental toxins, studies on AHR function and gene regulation have largely focused on a toxicological perspective relating to aromatic hydrocarbons generated by human activities and the often-deleterious effects of exposure on vertebrates mediated by AHR activation. A growing body of work has highlighted the importance of AHR in physiologic processes, including immune cell differentiation and vascular patterning. Here we dissect the contribution of the 3 zebrafish AHRs, ahr1a, ahr1b and ahr2, to endothelial cyp1a1/b1 gene regulation under physiologic conditions and upon exposure to the AHR ligand Beta-naphthoflavone. We show that in fish multiple AHRs are functional in the vasculature, with vessel-specific differences in the ability of ahr1b to compensate for the loss of ahr2 to maintain AHR signaling. We further provide evidence that AHR can regulate the expression of the chemokine receptor cxcr4a in endothelial cells, a regulatory mechanism that may provide insight into AHR function in the endothelium.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping