TGF-betaRII rescues development of small intestinal epithelial cells in Elf3-deficient mice

ELF3, a member of the ETS transcription factor family, has been shown to transactivate the transforming growth factor beta type II receptor (TGF-betaRII) promoter. Previously we showed that Elf3-null mice have a defect in the small intestine caused by a failure of small intestinal epithelial cells to differentiate and that these cells produced significantly lower levels of Tgf-betaRII. To prove that the defect observed in Elf3-null mice resulted from the lack of Elf3-dependent activation of Tgf-betaRII expression, we performed a genetic rescue.

We generated transgenic mice that express human TGF-betaRII specifically in the intestinal epithelium under the control of the mouse A33 antigen promoter. Mice expressing the A33-TGF-betaRII transgene were mated with Elf3(+/-) mice, and double heterozygous offspring harboring both the transgene and one mutant Elf3 allele were intercrossed.

The resultant A33-TGF-betaRII transgenic Elf3(-/-) pups displayed normal small intestinal morphology, while the characteristic abnormality was retained in all Elf3(-/-) mice that did not express the transgene. This phenotypic rescue shows for the first time in vivo that a single gene, Elf3, is the critical upstream regulator of Tgf-betaRII in mouse small intestinal epithelium.

This has important implications for our understanding of tissue-specific gene regulation and further strengthens the potential clinical connection between ELF3 and colorectal cancer involving transforming growth factor beta insensitivity.