THE LEVELS OF THE ANTAGONISTIC POU FAMILY TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS BRN-3A AND BRN-3B IN NEURONAL CELLS ARE REGULATED IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS BYSERUM GROWTH-FACTORS

The Brn-3a and Brn-3b proteins are closely related POU family transcri ption factors with generally antagonistic effects on gene expression. We show that transfer of ND7 neuronal cells to medium containing eithe r no foetal calf serum or low concentrations of serum results in a ris e in Brn-3a mRNA levels and a fall in Brn-3b mRNA levels, although the precise serum dependence of these two effects differ. These effects c an be reversed by addition of specific growth factors to the medium la cking serum, although not all growth factor treatments which suppress the rise in Brn-3a can reverse the fall in Brn-3b levels. These effect s do not correlate with the effects of each treatment on cellular prol iferation indicating that they are not simply a consequence of changes in proliferation. Interestingly however, treatments which produce a r ise in Brn-3a levels also induce the outgrowth of neuritic processes. Hence the expression of a functionally antagonistic pair of POU factor s is regulated in opposite directions by treatments with serum growth factors and this is likely to represent one means by which such growth factors modulate the gene expression patterns and ultimately the beha viour of neuronal cells.