Identification of both general and region-specific embryonic CNS enhancer elements in the nestin promoter

In this report, we investigate how nestin expression is controlled in neura l progenitor cells of the embryonic CNS. A 374-bp region in the second intr on of the human nestin gene is sufficient, and a 120-bp sequence in this re gion is required, to express the lacZ reporter gene throughout the developi ng CNS of E9.5-10.5 transgenic mouse embryos. The 120-bp element region con tains putative binding sites for nuclear hormone receptors and we show that TRs, RXR, RAR, and COUP-TF bind to these motifs. A separate enhancer, loca ted most probably 5' to the 120-bp sequence in the second intron, controls midbrain expression at E10.5. In conclusion, our data show that the nestin enhancer in the second intron contains elements both for general and for re gion-specific CNS progenitor cell expression and suggest that nuclear hormo ne receptors play a role in the regulation of nestin expression in the earl y CNS. (C) 1999 Academic Press.