PUBLICATION

Akt1 Mediates Neuronal Differentiation in Zebrafish via a Reciprocal Interaction with Notch Signaling

Authors
Cheng, Y.C., Hsieh, F.Y., Chiang, M.C., Scotting, P.J., Shih, H.Y., Lin, S.J., Wu, H.L., and Lee, H.T.
ID
ZDB-PUB-130201-5
Date
2013
Source
PLoS One   8(1): e54262 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Lin, Sheng-Jia
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation/genetics
  • Cell Differentiation/physiology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental/genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental/physiology
  • Neurons/cytology*
  • Neurons/metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism*
  • Receptors, Notch/genetics
  • Receptors, Notch/metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction/genetics
  • Signal Transduction/physiology
  • Zebrafish
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*
PubMed
23342113 Full text @ PLoS One
Abstract

Akt1 is well known for its role in regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis and is implicated in tumors and several neurological disorders. However, the role of Akt1 in neural development has not been well defined. We have isolated zebrafish akt1 and shown that this gene is primarily transcribed in the developing nervous system, and its spatiotemporal expression pattern suggests a role in neural differentiation. Injection of akt1 morpholinos resulted in loss of neuronal precursors with a concomitant increase in post-mitotic neurons, indicating that knockdown of Akt1 is sufficient to cause premature differentiation of neurons. A similar phenotype was observed in embryos deficient for Notch signaling. Both the ligand (deltaA) and the downstream target of Notch (her8a) were downregulated in akt1 morphants, indicating that Akt1 is required for Delta-Notch signaling. Furthermore, akt1 expression was downregulated in Delta-Notch signaling-deficient embryos and could be induced by constitutive activation of Notch signaling. In addition, knockdown of Akt1 was able to nullify the inhibition of neuronal differentiation caused by constitutive activation of Notch signaling. Taken together, these results provide in vivo evidence that Akt1 interacts with Notch signaling reciprocally and provide an explanation of why Akt1 is essential for the inhibition of neuronal differentiation.

Genes / Markers
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Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping