Deletion of DUSP5 affects the expression of a subset of TPA-inducible genes

This experiment was designed to determine if deletion of the dual-specificity MAP kinase phosphatase encoded by DUSP5 had any effect on the pattern of gene expression in cells treated with the phorbol ester tumour promoter TPA. Sex matched primary WT and DUSP5 knockout MEFs were isolated from littermate embryos and cultured. Cells were then exposed to TPA for 0, 1 and 3h before isolation of RNA prior to microarray hybrdisation and data analysis. Our results show that the transcript levels of a subset of TPA-inducible genes are altered in cells that lack DUSP5. Primary sex-matched wild type (WT) and DUSP5 knockout (KO) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) were derived from littermate day 13.5 embryos. Cells were treated for 0, 1 and 3 hours with TPA, and the experiment was done in triplicate (18 samples in total).