Transcription factors GATA-4 and GATA-6 during mouse and human adrenocortical development.

Our earlier work implicates transcription factors GATA-4 and GATA-6 in the murine adrenal. We have now studied their expression during mouse and human adrenal development in detail. GATA-4 and GATA-6 mRNAs are readily detectable from embryonic day 15 in mouse and gestational week 19 in human adrenal cortex. In postnatal adrenal, GATA-4 expression is down-regulated, whereas GATA-6 mRNA and protein continue to be abundantly present. In a human adrenocortical cell line NCI-H295R, GATA-6 mRNA is up-regulated by cAMP. This cell line does not express GATA-4. Our findings suggest that GATA-6 expression is hormonally controlled, and required throughout adrenal development from fetal to adult age. GATA-4, on the other hand, may serve a role in fetal adrenal gene regulation.