Genome-wide analysis of the function of Tlx in regulating mouse brain glioma gene expression

Analysis of the function of Tlx in regulating brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs) at the gene expression level. Based on our knowledge, we know that Tlx is specifically expressed in the neural stem cells in mouse brain. It also functionally regulates neurogenesis during the postnatal stages. The hypothesis tested in the present study is that Tlx influences the maintenance and progression of mouse brain gliomas through regulating the self-renewal of BTSCs and it is also a specific marker of brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs). Results provide important information about the function of Tlx in brain gliomas. Brain gliomas were initiated from the Nestin-CreERT2;Tlx flox/flox;Nestin-Tva transgenic mouse line. After 2.5 weeks, when the brain gliomas were fully developed, tamoxifen was administered through intraperitoneal injection. Tlx was knocked-out from the Cre-expressing littermates, but the littermates without Cre expression maintained intact Tlx function. Then, total RNA was obtained from mouse brain gliomas with severe neurological symptoms from the Tlx knockout and Tlx intact groups.