Expression data from NFI-C knock out embryonic fibroblasts

The Nuclear Factor I C (NFI-C) transcription factor has been implicated in TGF-β signaling, extracellular matrix deposition and skin appendage pathologies. We performed a global gene expression analysis in NFI-C-/- and wild-type embryonic primary murine fibroblasts. This indicated that NFI-C acts mostly to repress gene expression in response to TGF-β1. Misregulated genes featured a prominent over-representation of regulators of connective tissue inflammation and repair. mRNAs were isolated from embryonic fibroblasts obtained from 3 wild-type and 3 NFI-C knock-out mice, and their levels were probed using microarrays. Prior to RNA extraction, fibroblast cultures were treated or not with TGF-β1 for 1 hour to examine the immediate response to the growth factor, or treated for 10 hours to assess the delayed response.