Expression of neural properties in olfactory cytokeratin-positive basal cell line

A cytokeratin (CK)(+), horizontal basal cell (HBC)-like cell line from murine olfactory epithelium, DBC1.2, was characterized. Histochemically, it is CK14(+), CK18(-), neuron-specific tubulin (NST)(+) and capable of binding Bandeiraea simplicifolia lectin I. RT-PCR studies revealed that it expresses mRNAs for EGF receptor, NST, Pax-6, but not for Mash-1 and neurogenin-1. Retinoic acid reduced the expression of CK14 and CKs recognized by polyclonal anti-keratin antibody, whereas it induced nestin. These results suggest that DBC1.2 shares the properties of HBCs and neural cells.