Although the concept of cancer stem cells or cancer-initiating cells had created a new paradigm for the treatment of malignant tumors, it remains unclear how cancer-initiating cells can be eradicated. We have previously reported that the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-Sox4-Sox2 pathway is essential for glioma-initiating cells to retain their stemness, and inhibition of TGF-β signaling may...

Transcription factors and epigenetic modulators are involved in the maintenance of self-renewal in embryonic stem (ES) cells. Here, we demonstrate the existence of a regulatory loop in ES cells between Sox2, an indispensable transcription factor for self-renewal, and embryonic ectoderm development (Eed), an epigenetic modulator regulating histone methylation. We found that Sox2 and Eed positive...

This study investigated the expression and methylation profiles of SOX2, a stem cell-related transcription factor, in placentas and gestational trophoblastic disease. The methylation status of SOX2 promoter region in 55 hydatidiform moles, 4 choriocarcinoma, 23 first trimester, and 15 term placentas was evaluated by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. The methylated allele was found...

The pluripotency of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) is maintained by a small group of master transcription factors including Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog. These core factors form a regulatory circuit controlling the transcription of a number of pluripotency factors including themselves. Although previous studies have identified transcriptional regulators of this core network, the cis-regulatory DNA sequenc...

SRY and other Sox-type transcription factors are important developmental regulators with various implications in human disease. In this study, we identified Exp4 (exportin 4) as an interaction partner of Sox2 in mouse embryonic stem cells and neural progenitors. We show that, besides its established function in nuclear export, Exp4 acts as a bona fide nuclear import receptor for Sox2 and SRY. T...

The zebrafish epithalamus is part of the diencephalon and encompasses three major components: the pineal, the parapineal and the habenular nuclei. Using sox2 knockdown, we show here that this key transcriptional regulator has pleiotropic effects during the development of these structures. Sox2 negatively regulates pineal neurogenesis. Also, Sox2 is identified as the unknown factor responsible f...

The transcription factors OCT4, SOX2, and NANOG have essential roles in early development and are required for the propagation of undifferentiated embryonic stem (ES) cells in culture. To gain insights into transcriptional regulation of human ES cells, we have identified OCT4, SOX2, and NANOG target genes using genome-scale location analysis. We found, surprisingly, that OCT4, SOX2, and NANOG c...

The transcription factor (TF) SOX2 is essential for the maintenance of pluripotency and self-renewal in embryonic stem cells. In addition to its normal stem cell function, SOX2 over-expression is associated with cancer development. The ability to selectively target this and other oncogenic TFs in cells, however, remains a significant challenge due to the 'undruggable' characteristics of these m...

The transcription factor gene Sox2 is expressed in embryonic neural stem/progenitor cells and previous evidence suggests that it is also expressed in adult neural stem cells. To target Sox2-expressing neural stem/progenitor cells in a temporal manner, we generated a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) transgenic mouse line, in which an inducible form of Cre, CreER™, is expressed under Sox2 re...

Transcription factor (TF) binding to DNA is fundamental for gene regulation. However, it remains unknown how the dynamics of TF-DNA interactions change during cell-fate determination in vivo. Here, we use photo-activatable FCS to quantify TF-DNA binding in single cells of developing mouse embryos. In blastocysts, the TFs Oct4 and Sox2, which control pluripotency, bind DNA more stably in pluripo...