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Updated: Aug 15, 2026
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3D Culturing of Organoids from the Intestinal Villi Epithelium Undergoing Dedifferentiation
Published on: April 1, 2021
The CDX2 transcription factor regulates furin expression during intestinal epithelial cell differentiation
Fernand-Pierre Gendron1, Sébastien Mongrain, Patrick Laprise
1Département d'Anatomie et de Biologie Cellulaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada J1H5N4.
Summary
Transcription factor CDX2 directly regulates furin expression in intestinal epithelial cells. Furin plays a key role in enterocyte differentiation and the maturation of proteins like lactase-phlorizin hydrolase.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- CDX2 is a transcription factor crucial for intestinal cell development.
- CDX2 regulates intestine-specific genes and adhesion proteins.
- Furin is a proprotein convertase involved in protein maturation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if furin is a direct target of CDX2.
- To determine the role of furin in intestinal epithelial cell differentiation.
Main Methods:
- Microarray analysis to compare gene expression in CDX2-expressing cells.
- Transient transfection and promoter assays to identify regulatory elements.
- Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation to pinpoint DNA-binding sites.
- In situ hybridization to localize furin mRNA expression.
Main Results:
- CDX2 significantly induced furin expression (1.5-fold).
- A specific CDX2 DNA-binding site in the furin P1 promoter was identified.
- Furin expression correlated with CDX2 levels and cell differentiation.
- Furin inhibition impaired lactase-phlorizin hydrolase activity and enterocyte differentiation.
Conclusions:
- CDX2 directly regulates furin expression in intestinal epithelial cells.
- Furin is essential for enterocyte differentiation, impacting protein maturation and morphology.
- Furin is a novel CDX2 target gene involved in intestinal development.
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