[HTML][HTML] Induction of melanocyte-specific microphthalmia-associated transcription factor by Wnt-3a
Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (Mitf) plays a critical role in the development
of neural crest-derived melanocytes. Here, we show that exogenously added Wnt-3a
protein, an intercellular signaling molecule, up-regulates the expression of endogenous
melanocyte-specific Mitf (Mitf-M) mRNA in cultured melanocytes. The melanocyte-specific
promoter of the humanMITF gene (MITF-M promoter) contains a functional LEF-1-binding
site, which is bound in vitro by LEF-1 and confers the preferential expression on a reporter …
of neural crest-derived melanocytes. Here, we show that exogenously added Wnt-3a
protein, an intercellular signaling molecule, up-regulates the expression of endogenous
melanocyte-specific Mitf (Mitf-M) mRNA in cultured melanocytes. The melanocyte-specific
promoter of the humanMITF gene (MITF-M promoter) contains a functional LEF-1-binding
site, which is bound in vitro by LEF-1 and confers the preferential expression on a reporter …