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RHEB1 expression in embryonic and postnatal mouse

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Abstract

Ras homolog enriched in brain (RHEB1) is a member within the superfamily of GTP-binding proteins encoded by the RAS oncogenes. RHEB1 is located at the crossroad of several important pathways including the insulin-signaling pathways and thus plays an important role in different physiological processes. To understand better the physiological relevance of RHEB1 protein, the expression pattern of RHEB1 was analyzed in both embryonic (at E3.5–E16.5) and adult (1-month old) mice. RHEB1 immunostaining and X-gal staining were used for wild-type and Rheb1 gene trap mutant mice, respectively. These independent methods revealed similar RHEB1 expression patterns during both embryonic and postnatal developments. Ubiquitous uniform RHEB1/β-gal and/or RHEB1 expression was seen in preimplantation embryos at E3.5 and postimplantation embryos up to E12.5. Between stages E13.5 and E16.5, RHEB1 expression levels became complex: In particular, strong expression was identified in neural tissues, including the neuroepithelial layer of the mesencephalon, telencephalon, and neural tube of CNS and dorsal root ganglia. In addition, strong expression was seen in certain peripheral tissues including heart, intestine, muscle, and urinary bladder. Postnatal mice have broad spatial RHEB1 expression in different regions of the cerebral cortex, subcortical regions (including hippocampus), olfactory bulb, medulla oblongata, and cerebellum (particularly in Purkinje cells). Significant RHEB1 expression was also viewed in internal organs including the heart, intestine, urinary bladder, and muscle. Moreover, adult animals have complex tissue- and organ-specific RHEB1 expression patterns with different intensities observed throughout postnatal development. Its expression level is in general comparable in CNS and other organs of mouse. Thus, the expression pattern of RHEB1 suggests that it likely plays a ubiquitous role in the development of the early embryo with more tissue-specific roles in later development.

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge Galina Fedorova, Sigrun Kirste, and Carolyn McCain for expert technical assistance, and Chris Corless and Louise Lanoue for excellent technical advice. We acknowledge the DNA core facility at OHSU for sequencing analysis and histopathology core at OHSU for the technical expertise. The work was partly supported by Medical Research Foundation (Portland, Oregon), Grant # 9003823, the Office of the Vice President for Research, at OHSU, Paul K. and Evelyn Richter Memorial Fund; Oregon and Southwest Washington, grant to J. L. S. and NBL-3 grant from Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Germany.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. OHSU Transgenic Mouse Models Shared Resource, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA

    Qi Tian, Yingming Wang, Alex Derkatch & Lev M. Fedorov

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA

    Daniel L. Marks

  3. Friedrich-Schiller-University, 07740, Jena, Germany

    Harald Schubert & Lev M. Fedorov

  4. George Fox University, Newberg, OR, USA

    James L. Smart

  5. Department of Integrative Biosciences, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA

    Michael V. Danilchik

  6. Department of Hematology and Oncology, Jena University Hospital, 07747, Jena, Germany

    Joachim H. Clement

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  1. Qi Tian
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  3. Joachim H. Clement
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Tian, Q., Smart, J.L., Clement, J.H. et al. RHEB1 expression in embryonic and postnatal mouse. Histochem Cell Biol 145, 561–572 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-015-1394-3

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