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Tgfβ3 Inhibits E-Cadherin Gene Expression In Palate Medial-Edge Epithelial Cells Through A Smad2-Smad4- Lef1 Transcription Complex, Ali Nawshad, Damian Medici, Chang-Chih Liu, Elizabeth D. Hay

College of Dentistry: Faculty Publications

Dissociation of medial-edge epithelium (MEE) during palate development is essential for mediating correct craniofacial morphogenesis. This phenomenon is initiated by TGFβ3 upon adherence of opposing palatal shelves, because loss of E-cadherin causes the MEE seam to break into small epithelial islands. To investigate the molecular mechanisms that cause this E-cadherin loss, we isolated and cultured murine embryonic primary MEE cells from adhered or non-adhered palates. Here, we provide the first evidence that lymphoid enhancer factor 1 (LEF1), when functionally activated by phosphorylated Smad2 (Smad2- P) and Smad4 (rather than β-catenin), binds with the promoter of the E-cadherin gene to repress …