PAX8 [JJ08-88] Antibody

The Pax family encodes transcription factors that function during embryogenesis and regulate the temporal and position-dependent differentiation of cells. Pax-8 is expressed in the developing and adult thyroid, the developing secretory system and at lower levels, in the adult kidney. Pax-8 complexes with TTF-1 and TTF-2 to induce thyroid follicular cell differentiation and thyroid hormone biosynthesis by regulating the expression of sodium iodide symporter (NIS), thyroid peroxidase (TPO), thyroglobulin (TG) and the thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) . Treatment of FRTL-5 cells with TGFβ1 decreases Pax-8 mRNA levels and Pax-8 DNA binding activity, which suppresses the expression of TG and the formation of thyrocytes. Patients who have autosomal dominant mutations of the Pax-8 gene develop thyroid dysgenesis. The Pax-8 gene produces six isoforms, A to F, that are generated by alternative splicing and differ in their carboxy-terminal regions. The Pax-8 isoforms display different DNA binding capacities and are thought to be functionally distinct. The gene which encodes Pax-8 maps to human chromosome 2q12-q14.