Representational difference analysis using myeloid cells from C/EBP epsilon deletional mice

C/EBP epsilon is a recently cloned member of the C/EBP family of transcriptional factors. Previous studies demonstrated that the expression of this gene is tightly regulated in a tissue specific manner; it is expressed exclusively in myeloid cells. C/EBP epsilon-deficient mice developed normally but failed to generate functional neutrophils and eosinophils, and these mice died of opportunistic infections suggesting that C/EBP epsilon may play a central role in myeloid differentiation. To identify myelomonocytic genes regulated by the C/EBP epsilon gene, we performed representational difference analysis (RDA), a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based subtractive hybridization using neutrophils and macrophages from wild-type and C/EBP epsilon knockout mice. We identified a set of differentially expressed genes, including chemokines specific to myelomonocytic cells. Several novel genes were identified that were differentially expressed in normal myelomonocytic cells. Taken together, we have found several genes whose expression might be enhanced by C/EBP epsilon. (Blood. 2000;96:3953-3957)