2. Academic Validation
  3. A calcium-responsive transcription factor, CaRF, that regulates neuronal activity-dependent expression of BDNF

A calcium-responsive transcription factor, CaRF, that regulates neuronal activity-dependent expression of BDNF

  • Neuron. 2002 Jan 31;33(3):383-95. doi: 10.1016/s0896-6273(01)00561-x.
Xu Tao 1,  Anne E West,  Wen G Chen,  Gabriel Corfas,  Michael E Greenberg
Affiliations

Affiliation

  • 1 Division of Neuroscience, Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
PMID: 11832226 DOI: 10.1016/s0896-6273(01)00561-x
Abstract

Transcription of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene is regulated in a calcium- and neuron-selective manner; however, the mechanisms that underlie this selectivity are not known. We have characterized a new calcium-response element, CaRE1, that is required for activity-dependent transcription of BDNF exon III and have cloned a transcription factor, CaRF, that activates transcription from BDNF promoter III in a CaRE1-dependent manner. The transcriptional activity of CaRF is regulated in a calcium- and neuron-selective manner, suggesting that CaRF may confer selectivity upon the activity-dependent induction of BDNF exon III expression.

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