Data reveals relationship between CEACAM1 gene and palate formation
Under the leadership of SAKAI Takayoshi , Professor, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, a group of researchers prepared a database to assist in the analysis of gene expression of palatine process before, during, and after mouse palate fusion, finding a cell-adhesion factor, CEACAM1.
The fusion between the right and left palatine processes during fetal life forms the center of a face and mouth. If the expression of CEACAM1 is suppressed, the palate fusion is inhibited and if the genes are lost, the palatal fusion is delayed. The expression of CEACAM1 is controlled by a growth factor, TGF beta (Transforming growth factor beta), which plays an important role in the initiation of palatal fusion in the formation of the mouth and face.
This group's achievement is an important step in research into the prevention and treatment of cleft lip and cleft palate.
Abstract
Cleft palate results from a mixture of genetic and environmental factors and occurs when the bilateral palatal shelves fail to fuse. The objective of this study was to search for new genes involved in mouse palate formation. Gene expression of murine embryonic palatal tissue was analyzed at various developmental stages before, during, and after palate fusion using GeneChip® microarrays. Ceacam1 was one of the highly up-regulated genes during palate formation, and this was confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR. Immunohistochemical staining showed that CEACAM1 was present in prefusion palatal epithelium and was degraded during fusion. To investigate the developmental role of CEACAM1, function-blocking antibody was added to embryonic mouse palate in organ culture. Palatal fusion was inhibited by this function-blocking antibody. To investigate the subsequent developmental role of CEACAM1, we characterized Ceacam1-deficient (Ceacam1−/−) mice. Epithelial cells persisted abnormally at the midline of the embryonic palate even on day E16.0, and palatal fusion was delayed in Ceacam1−/− mice. TGFβ3 expression, apoptosis, and cell proliferation in palatal epithelium were not affected in the palate of Ceacam1−/−mice. However, CEACAM1 expression was retained in the remaining MEE of TGFβ-deficient mice. These results suggest that CEACAM1 plays a role in the initiation of palatal fusion via epithelial cell adhesion.
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To learn more about this research, please read the full research report entitled " Regulation of the Epithelial Adhesion Molecule CEACAM1 Is Important for Palate Formation " at this page of the PLOS ONE website.
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