Figure 5.

Ectopic activation of neuron-specific genes in TSA-treated fibroblasts. NIH 3T3 cells were incubated with TSA (100 ng/ml) for the times indicated, and the expression levels of various mRNAs were determined by RT-PCR. (A) Three neuron-specific genes: SCG10, NMDA-receptor type 1 (NMDAR1), and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), as well as a constitutively expressed control gene glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH). (B) Immunohistochemical staining using TuJ1 antibody reveals that neuron-specific βIII tubulin also is induced in the TSA-treated NIH 3T3 cells (Lower). Note that cell morphology is changed in the TSA-treated cells (Upper, phase contrast).