Background/aim: Docking protein 2 (Dok2) is an adapter protein which is involved in hematopoiesis. However, it still remains unclear how Dok2 functions in regulation of transcription of hematopoietic genes. To address this issue, we knocked-down Dok2 mRNA in mouse erythroleukemia cells which highly express Dok2 intrinsically.
Materials and methods: Mouse erythroleukemia cells were transfected with Dok2 siRNA for 24 h and gene expression of erythroid differentiation-related genes, such as GATA binding protein 1 (Gata1), Krüppel-like factor 1 (Klf1), α-globin and β-globin were assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction.
Results: Among the tested genes, expression of Klf1 exhibited a 1.94-fold increase when compared to the control 24 h after transfection. Immunocytochemistry and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that Dok2 protein localizes in the nucleus and binds to the promoter region of Klf1 gene.
Conclusion: Dok2 is able to control Klf1 expression by transcriptional regulation through directly binding to its promoter region.
Keywords: Dok2; KIf1; Mouse erythroleukemia cells; docking protein 2; erythropoiesis.
Copyright© 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.