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Updated: Nov 4, 2025

Oct4GiP Reporter Assay to Study Genes that Regulate Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Maintenance and Self-renewal
Published on: May 30, 2012
The pluripotency transcription factor OCT4 represses heme oxygenase-1 gene expression
María Victoria Petrone1, Ayelén Toro1, Camila Vazquez Echegaray1
1Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), CONICET-UBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Abstract:
In embryonic stem (ES) cells, oxidative stress control is crucial for genomic stability, self-renewal, and cell differentiation. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a key player of the antioxidant system and is also involved in stem cell differentiation and pluripotency acquisition. We found that the HO-1 gene is expressed in ES cells and induced after promoting differentiation. Moreover, downregulation of the pluripotency transcription factor (TF) OCT4 increased HO-1 mRNA levels in ES cells, and analysis of ChIP-seq public data revealed that this TF binds to the HO-1 gene locus in pluripotent cells. Finally, ectopic expression of OCT4 in heterologous systems repressed a reporter carrying the HO-1 gene promoter and the endogenous gene. Hence, this work highlights the connection between pluripotency and redox homeostasis.
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