J. Favier et al., Cloning and expression pattern of EPAS1 in the chicken embryo - Colocalization with tyrosine hydroxylase, FEBS LETTER, 462(1-2), 1999, pp. 19-24
EPAS1 is a hypoxia-inducible transcription factor, highly expressed in vasc
ulature and recently shown to be necessary for catecholamine production dur
ing embryogenesis. We report here the cloning and detailed expression patte
rn of this factor in the chicken embryo, We show that chicken EPAS1 present
s an overall identity of 76% with the human sequence and that it is strongl
y expressed in the blood vessel wall, mostly in endothelial cells, but also
in vascular smooth muscle cells. Moreover, we report non-vascular expressi
on sites: liver, kidney and, quite interestingly, cells of the sympathetic
nervous system where EPAS1 is coexpressed with one of its putative target g
enes, the tyrosine hydroxylase, EPAS1 could therefore represent the link be
tween the vascular system sympathetic nervous system, both sensitive to hyp
oxia. (C) 1999 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.