| 1995 |
Deletion of the Brn-2 genomic locus in mice results in failure of differentiation of paraventricular and supraoptic nucleus neurons, inability to activate neuropeptide-encoding genes (including vasopressin and oxytocin), and failure of correct axonal projections, demonstrating that Brn-2 is required at a penultimate step in hypothalamic neurosecretory neuron differentiation. |
Gene knockout (homologous recombination in ES cells), histology, gene expression analysis |
Genes & development |
High |
8543155 8543156
|
| 1993 |
Antisense RNA-mediated inhibition of Brn-2 induction in P19 embryonal carcinoma cells blocks differentiation into neurons and astrocytes, causing cells to instead differentiate into non-neural cell types (smooth and skeletal muscle), demonstrating that Brn-2 is required for establishing neural cell lineages. |
Antisense RNA inhibition in P19 cells, morphological and lineage marker analysis |
Neuron |
Medium |
8274283
|
| 2003 |
Brn-2 is expressed in Schwann cells with a developmental profile similar to Oct-6; overexpression of Brn-2 under the Oct-6 Schwann cell enhancer partially rescues the developmental delay in Oct-6-deficient Schwann cells; compound disruption of both Brn-2 and Oct-6 produces a much more severe myelination phenotype, demonstrating that Brn-2 function largely overlaps with Oct-6 in driving the promyelinating-to-myelinating transition. |
Transgenic overexpression rescue in Oct-6 knockout, compound knockout, developmental expression profiling |
Genes & development |
High |
12782656
|
| 2006 |
Oct6 and Brn2 directly activate Krox20 expression in Schwann cells by binding to a defined Krox20 enhancer element during the promyelin-to-myelin transition; Sox10 synergizes with these POU proteins on this enhancer, placing Brn2 directly upstream of Krox20 in the myelination transcriptional hierarchy. |
Cell culture reporter assays, transgenic enhancer analysis, transcription factor binding studies |
EMBO reports |
High |
16311519
|
| 2004 |
Brn-2 expression in melanoma is strongly upregulated downstream of Ras and MAPK signaling; the Brn-2 promoter is stimulated by kinase-activating BRAF mutants; siRNA-mediated depletion of BRAF reduces endogenous Brn-2 expression; and siRNA depletion of Brn-2 in BRAF-activated melanoma cells decreases proliferation, placing Brn-2 as a downstream effector of BRAF signaling in melanoma proliferation. |
Promoter reporter assays, siRNA knockdown, proliferation assays |
Molecular and cellular biology |
High |
15024080
|
| 2004 |
Brn-2 expression is directly controlled by the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway in melanoma cell lines and transgenic mice; siRNA inhibition of Brn-2 in beta-catenin-overexpressing melanoma cells results in decreased proliferation, identifying Brn-2 as a convergence point for BRAF and Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in melanoma proliferation. |
Promoter reporter assays, siRNA knockdown, transgenic mice, proliferation assays |
Molecular and cellular biology |
High |
15024079
|
| 2008 |
Brn-2 directly represses Mitf expression in melanoma cells, and Brn-2 and Mitf mark distinct non-overlapping subpopulations within melanoma biopsies, demonstrating Brn-2 as a regulator of tumor heterogeneity through direct MITF repression. |
Promoter reporter assays, siRNA knockdown, immunohistochemistry of biopsies |
Cancer research |
Medium |
18829533
|
| 1999 |
PQBP-1, a novel polyglutamine tract-binding protein, binds directly to the polyglutamine tract of Brn-2 and inhibits Brn-2-mediated transcriptional activation in cells. |
Protein identification by binding, co-transfection transcriptional assays, nuclear localization studies |
Human molecular genetics |
Medium |
10332029
|
| 2000 |
Brn-2 homodimerizes in vivo; dimerization requires both the homeodomain and linker regions of the POU domain. Brn-2 also shows low-affinity interactions with TBP, the transcriptional coactivator p300, and with the melanocyte transcription factors Sox-10 and Pax-3. |
GAL4-VP16 two-hybrid assay, GST-pulldown, EMSA with melanoma nuclear extracts |
European journal of biochemistry |
Medium |
11029584
|
| 2012 |
Brn-2 directly represses CDH13 (T-cadherin) promoter activity in melanoma cells; BRN2 binds to a specific element at -219 bp of the CDH13 promoter (5'-CATGCAAAA-3'); ectopic BRN2 suppresses CDH13 promoter activity, and BRN2 knockdown restores T-cadherin expression. |
Reporter gene assays, EMSA, siRNA knockdown, ectopic expression |
Laboratory investigation |
Medium |
23069940
|
| 2012 |
PI3K signaling positively regulates Brn-2 expression in melanoma via Pax3; Pax3 directly binds and activates the Brn-2 promoter; PI3K inhibition reduces both Pax3 and Brn-2 expression and decreases melanoma invasiveness, placing Brn-2 downstream of a PI3K-Pax3 axis. |
PI3K inhibitor treatment, promoter binding assays, siRNA knockdown, invasion assays |
Molecular and cellular biology |
Medium |
22988297
|
| 2012 |
Phosphorylation of BRN2 at T361 and S362 within the POU domain differentially regulates its transcriptional targets: phosphorylated BRN2 (BRN2TS) induces proliferation and represses migration and activates PAX3 transcription, while non-phosphorylatable BRN2 (BRN2AA) represses both proliferation and migration, and represses PAX3. Both forms repress MITF-M. |
Point mutagenesis, transgenic mouse models, in vitro cell assays, gene expression analysis |
Molecular and cellular biology |
High |
22290434
|
| 2010 |
POU3F2/BRN2 occupies approximately 2108 genomic loci in melanoma cells including the MITF promoter and the Kit ligand (Kitl) proximal promoter; BRN2 regulates Kitl expression via a cluster of four closely spaced binding sites, indicating BRN2 can drive autocrine KIT ligand signaling. |
ChIP-chip genome-wide occupancy profiling, luciferase reporter assays |
Pigment cell & melanoma research |
Medium |
20337985
|
| 2016 |
Androgen receptor (AR) directly suppresses BRN2 transcription in prostate cancer; loss of AR activity leads to elevated BRN2 expression; BRN2 is required for neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) and regulates the NEPC marker SOX2, placing BRN2 downstream of AR suppression as a driver of neuroendocrine differentiation. |
AR pathway inhibition models, ChIP assays demonstrating direct AR binding to BRN2 promoter, siRNA knockdown, in vitro and xenograft functional assays |
Cancer discovery |
High |
27784708
|
| 2019 |
BRN2 associates with DNA damage response proteins PARP1 and Ku70/Ku80 (not transcriptional cofactors); BRN2 is rapidly recruited to DNA damage sites in a PARP1-dependent manner; BRN2 facilitates Ku80 recruitment and promotes non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) at the expense of homologous recombination; BRN2 also suppresses an apoptosis-associated gene expression program, protecting against UVB-, chemotherapy-, and vemurafenib-induced apoptosis. |
Co-immunoprecipitation, live-cell imaging of DNA damage recruitment, NHEJ/HR repair assays, gene expression analysis, apoptosis assays |
Genes & development |
High |
30804224
|
| 2018 |
Loss of CDKN2A leads to increased BRN2 expression via E2F1; E2F1 directly regulates BRN2 transcription; BRN2 inhibition rescues metastatic dissemination caused by CDKN2A loss in human melanoma lines in mice, placing BRN2 downstream of CDKN2A/p16-E2F1 in melanoma invasion initiation. |
CRISPR-Cas9 engineering of primary human melanocytes, xenograft models, E2F1 promoter binding assays |
Cancer cell |
High |
29990501
|
| 2011 |
BRN2 activates NOTCH pathway signaling in melanoma cells, while MITF represses it; siRNA-mediated depletion of BRN2 decreased NOTCH pathway member expression, and depletion of MITF increased it; loss of both BRN2 and MITF decreased melanosphere-forming capability, cell adhesion, and invasion. |
siRNA knockdown, gene expression analysis, melanosphere formation assay, invasion assay |
Oncogene |
Medium |
21358674
|
| 2013 |
BRN2 is required for expression of ASCL1, ND1, and neuroendocrine markers (NCAM1, SYP, CHGA) in small cell lung cancer cells; BRN2 knockdown in SCLC cells causes significant growth retardation with decreased S-to-G2 phase population; forced BRN2 expression in non-SCLC cells induces expression of these neuroendocrine markers, placing BRN2 as a higher-level regulator than ASCL1 and ND1. |
siRNA knockdown, ectopic expression, cell cycle analysis, growth assays |
Pathology international |
Medium |
23530560
|
| 2013 |
BRN2 directly activates TTF1 expression in SCLC cells by binding to the TTF1 isoform 2 promoter; BRN2 binding to the TTF1 promoter was confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation; BRN2 knockdown significantly reduced TTF1 expression. |
Promoter reporter assays, ChIP, siRNA knockdown |
Laboratory investigation |
Medium |
23358112
|
| 2005 |
Brn-2 directly interacts with Jab1 (Jun-activation-domain-binding protein 1); interaction was identified by yeast two-hybrid and confirmed by surface plasmon resonance biosensor. |
Yeast two-hybrid screen, surface plasmon resonance biosensor |
Neuroscience letters |
Low |
15911144
|
| 2001 |
Brn-2 activates the neuronal promoter of the aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) gene; NF-Y binding is required for Brn-2-mediated transactivation; Brn-2 directly interacts with NF-Y via its POU domain (GST-pulldown), and NF-Y and Brn-2 bind cooperatively to the AADC neuronal promoter. |
Reporter gene assays, dominant-negative NF-Y, GST-pulldown, EMSA |
Brain research. Molecular brain research |
Medium |
11311976
|
| 2004 |
Brn-2 POU domain dimerizes cooperatively on a palindromic MORE+2-type element (TB motif) in the AADC neuronal promoter; site-directed mutagenesis of the POU-specific domain hydrophobic pocket and C-terminal POU homeodomain abolished dimerization on TB; both TB and ONF sites contribute to Brn-2-mediated promoter activation. |
EMSA with POU domain mutants, site-directed mutagenesis, reporter assays in COS-7 cells |
Brain research. Molecular brain research |
Medium |
14741405
|
| 2017 |
BRN2 drives melanoma cell migration and invasion through induction of NFIB; NFIB in turn upregulates EZH2, which epigenetically suppresses MITF expression; this BRN2-NFIB-EZH2-MITF axis promotes an invasive, less proliferative melanoma phenotype. |
Overexpression and siRNA knockdown experiments, migration/invasion assays, gene expression analysis |
EBioMedicine |
Medium |
28119061
|
| 2012 |
POU-III transcription factors Pou3f2 (Brn2) and Pou3f3 (Brn1) are expressed in ventricular zone progenitors and function to promote upper-layer cortical neuron fate; using an Engrailed dominant-negative repressor, sustained neurogenesis after the deep-to-upper-layer transition requires Pou3f activity; single-gene overexpression of any Pou3f in early neural progenitors is sufficient to specify precocious Satb2+ upper-layer neuron birth. Pou3fs suppress Notch effector Hes5 and promote Tbr2 and Tbr1 expression. |
Dominant-negative repressor, single-gene overexpression, marker analysis, in utero electroporation |
Cerebral cortex |
Medium |
22892427
|
| 2015 |
Brn2 is essential for the neuronal differentiation program in retinoic acid-treated embryonic stem cells; integrated RNA-seq (after Brn2 silencing) and ChIP-seq identified Zic1 as a direct Brn2 target gene; shRNA silencing of Zic1 blocked neural precursor specification, defining a hierarchical Brn2-Zic1 axis specifying neuronal fate. |
shRNA knockdown, RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, differentiation assays |
Journal of cell science |
High |
25991548
|
| 2016 |
A prenatal β-catenin/Brn2/Tbr2 transcriptional cascade governs basal neural progenitor cell expansion; in Dvl1/Dvl3 mutant mice with social and repetitive behavioral abnormalities, this cascade is deregulated; pharmacological Wnt activation rescues the transcriptional cascade and prevents adult behavioral deficits. |
Genetic mouse model (Dvl mutants), pharmacological Wnt activation, transcriptional cascade analysis |
Molecular psychiatry |
Medium |
26830142
|
| 2016 |
POU3F2 lies downstream of SIM1 and controls oxytocin expression in the hypothalamic neuroendocrine preoptic area, as demonstrated using morpholino and mutant zebrafish models. |
Morpholino knockdown and mutant zebrafish models, oxytocin expression analysis |
American journal of human genetics |
Medium |
26833329
|
| 2018 |
POU3F2 directly regulates NTF3 promoter activity; POU3F2 binds to the NTF3 promoter as demonstrated by ChIP-seq and mutation/deletion of the POU3F2 binding site in the NTF3 promoter decreased luciferase reporter activity; POU3F2 knockdown downregulates NTF3 expression; exogenous NTF3 rescues neuronal differentiation in POU3F2-knockdown cells. |
ChIP-seq, promoter luciferase reporter assays with binding site mutation, siRNA knockdown, rescue experiments |
Molecular neurobiology |
High |
29549646
|
| 2018 |
POU3F2 regulates TRIM8 expression by binding to a SNP-containing promoter element (rs5011218); luciferase reporter and EMSA showed that POU3F2 binds this element and that the SCZ-associated SNP affects binding efficiency; POU3F2 or TRIM8 knockdown in neural progenitor cells promotes NPC proliferation, inhibits neuronal differentiation, and impairs excitatory synaptic transmission. |
Luciferase reporter assays, EMSA, RNA-seq after knockdown, functional NPC assays, electrophysiology |
Molecular psychiatry |
Medium |
32929213
|
| 2021 |
Brn2 associates with condensed chromatin throughout cell division in neural stem cells (live-cell imaging); ChIP-seq shows Brn2 mitotic chromosome binding is not sequence-specific (relies mostly on electrostatic forces); competing with Brn2 binding during mitotic exit using a mitotic-specific dominant-negative reduces transcription of its target gene Nestin, demonstrating Brn2's role in early transcriptional reactivation during mitosis-to-G1 transition. |
Live-cell imaging, ChIP-seq, single-molecule RNA-FISH, mitotic dominant-negative approach |
Genes & development |
High |
34168041
|
| 2010 |
Mutant huntingtin N-terminal fragment (from R6/2 HD mice) sequesters Brn-2, reducing its DNA binding; mutant huntingtin also reduces Brn-2 transcription; both mechanisms reduce Brn-2 function, leading to reduced hypothalamic neuropeptide expression. Brn-1, a related protein, is not sequestered. |
Comprehensive analysis of transcription factor DNA binding, protein interaction studies, R6/2 model mice |
Human molecular genetics |
Medium |
20185558
|
| 2020 |
BRN2 directly binds PARP1 and Ku70/Ku80 and is rapidly recruited to DNA damage sites in a PARP1-dependent manner; BRN2 facilitates Ku80 recruitment and promotes non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) at the expense of homologous recombination; this is associated with high somatic mutation burden in melanoma. |
Co-immunoprecipitation, live-cell imaging, NHEJ/HR repair pathway assays |
Genes & development |
High |
30804224
|
| 2020 |
BRN2 expression increases anoikis resistance in melanoma cells; induction of BRN2 increases c-MET protein levels and STAT3 phosphorylation; treatment with c-MET inhibitors decreases viability of BRN2-expressing cells under non-adherent conditions. |
Doxycycline-inducible BRN2 expression, genome-wide profiling, non-adherent viability assays, c-MET inhibitor treatment |
Oncogenesis |
Medium |
32632141
|
| 2021 |
BRN2 directly induces PTEN expression and represses PI3K signaling; BRN2 haplo-insufficiency in a BrafV600E/PtenF/+ context promotes melanoma initiation and metastasis; MITF (a BRN2 target) represses PTEN transcription, suggesting a tumor suppressive role for BRN2 via PTEN induction. |
Conditional knockout mouse models, promoter binding assays, PI3K signaling analysis |
Nature communications |
Medium |
34140478
|
| 2018 |
BRAF regulates MITF expression through a BRN2/PAX3 rheostat: PAX3 activates MITF transcription while BRN2 represses it; the balance between BRN2 and PAX3 determines MITF expression plasticity, providing robustness during MAPK inhibitor treatment. |
Reporter assays, knockdown/overexpression, quantification of transcription factor levels |
Pigment cell & melanoma research |
Medium |
30277012
|
| 2020 |
Cdk5 phosphorylates Tet3 at S1310 and S1379 in its catalytic domain; phosphorylated Tet3 generates higher 5hmC levels at the BRN2 promoter (compared to phospho-mutant Tet3), correlating with higher BRN2 expression and more efficient neuronal differentiation of ESCs; differential H2A.Z occupancy at BRN2 promoter also participates in this regulation. |
In vitro dioxygenase assay with phospho-mutant Tet3, 5hmC mapping at BRN2 promoter, ESC differentiation assays, Tet triple-KO rescue experiments |
Nucleic acids research |
Medium |
31807777
|
| 2018 |
POU3F2 regulates a coexpression network module in brain; knockdown and overexpression experiments in neural cells validate POU3F2 as a regulator of hsa-miR-320e and target mRNAs in this module; POU3F2 knockdown or overexpression in SH-SY5Y cells and human neural progenitor cells modulates gene expression in schizophrenia/bipolar-associated gene networks. |
siRNA knockdown and overexpression in neural cell lines and human neural progenitor cells, RNA-seq |
Science translational medicine |
Medium |
30545964
|
| 2024 |
BRN2 in cynomolgus monkey biallelic knockout (lethal before midgestation) decreases radial glia cell expansion, induces precocious differentiation, and alters neurogenesis trajectory in the telencephalon; BRN2 directly regulates SOX2 and STAT3 and maintains HOPX expression; BRN2 controls specification and differentiation of ganglionic eminences, revealing primate-specific mechanistic functions. |
Biallelic knockout in cynomolgus monkeys (CRISPR), single-cell transcriptome, histology, target gene expression analysis |
Science advances |
High |
35245119
|
| 2024 |
BRN1 and BRN2 have an evolutionarily conserved function in neocortical progenitors to control proliferative capacity and the switch from direct to indirect neurogenesis; BRN1/2 act in concert with NOTCH and primary microcephaly genes; this is validated in mice, ferrets, and transcriptomic data from genetically modified macaques. |
Conditional knockout in mice and ferrets, transcriptomics in genetically modified macaques, functional epistasis |
Nature communications |
High |
39271675
|
| 2025 |
POU3F2 mutation in human neural progenitor cells reduces canonical Wnt signalling and decreases proliferation, causing premature radial glia specification; SOX13 and ADNP are direct transcriptional targets of POU3F2 that mediate its effects on Wnt signaling; loss-of-function mutations in POU3F2 are found in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. |
CRISPR-mediated POU3F2 disruption in human NPCs, RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, Wnt pathway reporter assays |
Brain |
Medium |
40498903
|
| 2023 |
POU3F2 promotes radioresistance in triple-negative breast cancer by interacting with ARNT2 and enhancing Akt pathway activation; Co-IP demonstrated POU3F2-ARNT2 interaction; POU3F2 knockdown decreased radioresistance and reduced proliferation and invasion. |
Co-immunoprecipitation, siRNA knockdown, clonogenic survival assays, xenograft model |
Breast cancer research and treatment |
Medium |
36797433
|
| 2024 |
RFX4 directly interacts with the promoters of POU3F2 and NEUROD1, acting as an upstream regulator; ectopic expression of RFX4 drives human embryonic stem cells toward a neuronal fate; CRISPR-Cas9 knockout of RFX4 reduces POU3F2 expression and impairs neuronal differentiation. |
Multi-omics (ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq, Hi-C, RNA-seq), RFX4 knock-in and CRISPR-Cas9 knockout, neuronal differentiation assays |
Cellular and molecular life sciences |
Medium |
38386071
|
| 2021 |
Integrin α3β1 promotes BRN2 expression in triple-negative breast cancer cells via Akt signaling; RNAi suppression of α3β1 reduces Brn-2 mRNA, protein, and BRN2 promoter activity; Akt inhibitor reduces both Brn-2 expression and invasion; exogenous Brn-2 partially restores invasion in α3β1-suppressed cells. |
RNAi knockdown, promoter reporter assays, pharmacological Akt inhibition, invasion assays in vitro and in vivo |
Cancers |
Medium |
33513758
|
| 2017 |
Deletion of the three homopolymeric amino acid repeats (polyG, polyQ, polyP) from the Pou3f2 transactivation domain (Pou3f2Δ/Δ mice) causes cognitive impairment and reduced adult hippocampal neurogenesis, with fewer newborn neurons in the dentate gyrus, demonstrating a functional role for these mammalian-specific repeats in cognitive function and neurogenesis. |
Knock-in mouse model, behavioral testing (object recognition/location), immunohistochemistry for doublecortin and BrdU/NeuN co-labeling |
Genes, brain, and behavior |
Medium |
28782255
|
| 2014 |
Replacement of mammalian Pou3f2 with the Xenopus ortholog lacking homopolymeric amino acid repeats (nonmammalized mice) causes deficits in maternal pup retrieval behavior and decreases in dopamine and serotonin synthesis rate-limiting enzymes; knock-in mice lacking the mammalian-specific polyAA repeats show similar results, demonstrating that these mammalian-specific sequences are required for normal monoamine levels and maternal behavior. |
Knock-in mice with Xenopus ortholog replacement, knock-in mice with polyAA deletions, behavioral testing, immunohistochemical quantification of monoamine synthesis enzymes |
Genome biology and evolution |
Medium |
24709564
|
| 1999 |
Brn-2 is required as an intermediary for retinoic acid-induced CRF gene transcription in human neuroblastoma BE(2)-M17 cells; antisense Brn-2 aborts RA-mediated CRF induction, but Brn-2 overexpression alone is not sufficient for CRF expression without RA. |
Antisense RNA inhibition, ectopic overexpression, reporter gene assays |
Molecular endocrinology |
Low |
10446900
|
| 2008 |
BRN2 knockdown does not alter nestin expression in melanoma cells (negative result); SOX9 and SOX10, but not BRN2, are required for nestin expression in melanoma cells, as SOX9/SOX10 knockdown markedly decreased nestin levels. |
siRNA knockdown, Western blot and mRNA analysis |
The Journal of investigative dermatology |
Medium |
18923447
|
| 2003 |
Adenoviral overexpression of Brn-2 in the rat paraventricular nucleus had no effect on vasopressin hnRNA levels, and did not upregulate CRF mRNA in vivo, despite Brn-2 transactivating the proximal CRF promoter in vitro; this indicates Brn-2 is not rate-limiting for VP or CRF expression in adult hypothalamus. |
Adenoviral-mediated in vivo overexpression in rat PVN, hnRNA and mRNA analysis |
Molecular and cellular endocrinology |
Medium |
12644309
|