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Updated: Jun 22, 2026
An Ectopic Chemokine Expression Model for Testing Macrophage Recruitment In Vivo
Published on: September 25, 2019
c-Maf is essential for the F4/80 expression in macrophages in vivo
Megumi Nakamura1, Michito Hamada, Kazuteru Hasegawa
1Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Doctoral Program in Life System Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences and Laboratory Animal Resource Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan.
Abstract:
c-Maf, which is one of the large Maf transcription factors, can bind to Maf recognition element (MARE) and activates transcription of target genes. Although c-Maf is expressed in macrophages and directly regulates the expression of interleukin-10, detailed information regarding its function in the null mutant phenotype of tissue macrophages remain unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that c-Maf is specifically expressed in the F4/80 positive fetal liver and adult macrophages. The expression of F4/80, which is a tissue macrophage-specific seven trans-membrane receptor, was dramatically suppressed in the c-Maf-deficient macrophage, whereas the expression of Mac-1 was not affected, suggesting that c-Maf is not necessary for the lineage commitment of macrophages. Luciferase reporter and EMSA showed that c-Maf directly regulates the expression of F4/80 by interacting with the half-MARE site of the F4/80 promoter. These results suggest that c-Maf is required for the F4/80 expression in macrophages in vivo.
