Cell type-selective expression of the zinc finger-containing gene Nolz-1/Zfp503 in the developing mouse striatum

Neurosci Lett. 2013 Aug 26:548:44-9. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2013.05.020. Epub 2013 May 16.

Abstract

The zinc finger-containing gene Nolz-1/Zfp503 is a developmentally regulated striatum-enriched gene. In the present study, we characterized the cell type-selective expression pattern of Nolz-1 protein in the developing mouse striatum. Nolz-1 immunoreactivity was present in Isl-1-positive ventral LGE (vLGE, striatal primordia), but absent in Pax6-positive dorsal LGE (dLGE, non-striatal primordia). In the vLGE, Nolz-1 immunoreactivity was detected in early differentiating TuJ1-positive neurons, but not in Ki67-positive proliferating progenitor cells. Moreover, many Nolz-1-immunoreactive cells co-expressed Foxp1 or Foxp2, markers for striatal projection neurons. To further characterize Nolz-1 expression with respect to D1R-containing striatonigral and D2R-containing striatopallidal projection neurons, we used the Drd1-EGFP and Drd2-EGFP transgenic mice. Nolz-1 and EGFP double labeled neurons were found in the developing striatum of Drd1-EGFP and Drd2-EGFP mice, indicating Nolz-1 expression in both populations of striatal projection neurons. Notably, Nolz-1 protein was not expressed in Nkx2.1-positive interneuron progenitors, Lhx8-positive cholinergic interneuron progenitors, nNOS and calretinin-positive interneurons in E18.5 striatum. In the developing nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercles of ventral striatum, many Nolz-1-positive cells co-expressed Sox1, an important transcriptional regulator for ventral striatum, suggesting a role of Nolz-1 in regulating development of the ventral striatum. Finally, in contrast to postnatal down-regulation of Nolz-1 in the dorsal striatum, Nolz-1 protein was persistently expressed in the olfactory tubercle from E15.5 to adulthood. Taken together, our study suggests that Nolz-1 serves as a marker for early differentiating striatal projection neurons and that Nolz-1 may regulate development of striatal projection neurons.

Keywords: Basal ganglia; Forebrain; Sp1; Znf503.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aging / pathology*
  • Aging / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Differentiation / physiology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Corpus Striatum / cytology*
  • Corpus Striatum / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / physiology
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neurons / cytology*
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Zinc Fingers / physiology

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Zfp503 protein, mouse