Abstract |
Sensory organs are constantly exposed to physical and chemical stresses that collectively threaten the survival of sensory neurons. Failure to protect stressed neurons leads to age-related loss of neurons and sensory dysfunction in organs in which the supply of new sensory neurons is limited, such as the human auditory system. Transducin β-like protein 1 (TBL1) is a candidate gene for ocular albinism with late-onset sensorineural deafness, a form of X-linked age-related hearing loss. TBL1 encodes an evolutionarily conserved F-box-like and WD40 repeats-containing subunit of the nuclear receptor co-repressor/silencing mediator for retinoid and thyroid hormone receptor and other transcriptional co-repressor complexes. Here we report that a Drosophila homologue of TBL1, Ebi, is required for maintenance of photoreceptor neurons. Loss of ebi function caused late-onset neuronal apoptosis in the retina and increased sensitivity to oxidative stress. Ebi formed a complex with activator protein 1 (AP-1) and was required for repression of Drosophila pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic genes expression. These results suggest that Ebi/AP-1 suppresses basal transcription levels of apoptotic genes and thereby protects sensory neurons from degeneration.
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Authors | Young-Mi Lim, Shigeo Hayashi, Leo Tsuda |
Journal | PloS one
(PLoS One)
Vol. 7
Issue 5
Pg. e37028
( 2012)
ISSN: 1932-6203 [Electronic] United States |
PMID | 22666340
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
- Cell Cycle Proteins
- Drosophila Proteins
- HID protein, Drosophila
- Neuropeptides
- Transcription Factor AP-1
- ebi protein, Drosophila
- GTP-Binding Proteins
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Topics |
- Animals
- Apoptosis
(genetics)
- Binding Sites
- Cell Cycle Proteins
(chemistry, genetics, metabolism)
- Cell Survival
(genetics)
- Drosophila Proteins
(chemistry, genetics, metabolism)
- Drosophila melanogaster
(cytology, genetics, metabolism)
- GTP-Binding Proteins
(chemistry, genetics, metabolism)
- Gene Silencing
- Male
- Neuropeptides
(genetics)
- Photoreceptor Cells
(cytology, metabolism)
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
(genetics)
- Retinal Degeneration
(genetics, metabolism, pathology)
- Sequence Deletion
- Time Factors
- Transcription Factor AP-1
(metabolism)
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