Sox9 is a key transcription factor in early chondrogenesis with distinct roles in differentiation processes and during embryonic development. Here, we report that Sox9 modulates cell survival and contributes to the commitment of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) to adipogenic or osteogenic differentiation lineages. We found that the Sox9 activity level affects the expression of the key transcription...

The transcription factor SOX9 plays a critical role in chondrogenesis as well as in sex determination. Previous work has suggested that SOX9 functions as a DNA-dependent dimer when it activates genes involved in chondrogenesis, but functions as a monomer to activate genes involved in sex determination. We present evidence herein for a third binding configuration through which SOX9 can activate ...

Dysregulation of tissue development pathways can contribute to cancer initiation and progression. In murine embryonic prostate epithelia, the transcription factor SOX9 is required for proper prostate development. In this study, we examined a role for SOX9 in prostate cancer in mouse and human. In Pten and Nkx3.1 mutant mice, cells with increased levels of SOX9 appeared within prostate epithelia...

RATIONALE Calcification of heart valve structures is the most common form of valvular disease and is characterized by the appearance of bone-like phenotypes within affected structures. Despite the clinical significance, the underlying etiology of disease onset and progression is largely unknown and valve replacement remains the most effective treatment. The SRY-related transcription factor Sox9...

Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) is one of the key chondrogenic growth factors involved in the cartilage regeneration. However, it also exhibits osteogenic abilities and triggers endochondral ossification. Effective chondrogenesis and inhibition of BMP2-induced osteogenesis and endochondral ossification can be achieved by directing the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) towards chondrocyte lineag...

In the adult pancreas, there has been a long-standing dispute as to whether stem/precursor populations that retain plasticity to differentiate into endocrine or acinar cell types exist in ducts. We previously reported that adult Sox9-expressing duct cells are sufficiently plastic to supply new acinar cells in Sox9-IRES-CreERT2 knock-in mice. In the present study, using Sox9-IRES-CreERT2 knock-i...

SOX9 is a transcription factor that activates type II procollagen (Col2a1) gene expression during chondrocyte differentiation. Glucocorticoids are also known to promote chondrocyte differentiation via unknown molecular mechanisms. We therefore investigated the effects of a synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone (DEX), on Sox9 gene expression in chondrocytes prepared from rib cartilage of newbo...

Chondrogenesis is a multistep process that is essential for endochondral bone formation. Previous results have indicated a role for -catenin and Wnt signaling in this pathway. Here we show the existence of physical and functional interactions between -catenin and Sox9, a transcription factor that is required in successive steps of chondrogenesis. In vivo, either overexpression of Sox9 or inacti...

Gracz AD, Ramalingam S, Magness ST. Sox9 expression marks a subset of CD24-expressing small intestine epithelial stem cells that form organoids in vitro. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 298: G590 –G600, 2010. First published February 25, 2010; doi:10.1152/ajpgi.00470.2009.—The inability to identify, isolate, and culture intestinal epithelial stem cells (IESCs) has been prohibitive to th...

In Sertoli cells, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) expression is upregulated by FSH via cyclic AMP (cAMP), although no classical cAMP response elements exist in the AMH promoter. The response to cAMP involves NF-κB and AP2; however, targeted mutagenesis of their binding sites in the AMH promoter do not completely abolish the response. In this work we assessed whether SOX9, SF1, GATA4, and AP1 might...