In this report, we found that the regulator of calcineurin 1 (RCAN1), which is overexpressed in the brain of patients with Down syndrome, increased the phosphorylation of CREB and cAMP response element-mediated gene transcription in response to the activation of the intracellular cAMP pathway.
Two genes on chromosome 21, namely dual specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A (Dyrk1A) and regulator of calcineurin 1 (RCAN1), have been implicated in some of the phenotypic characteristics of Down syndrome, including the early onset of Alzheimer disease.
We conclude that DSCR1/RCAN is not sufficient for generating phenotypic features associated with DS but our observation does not contradict a possible role for DSCR1/RCAN in mediating DYRK1A-based effects.
These data provide a mechanism for the reduced cancer incidence in Down's syndrome and identify the calcineurin signalling pathway, and its regulators DSCR1 and DYRK1A, as potential therapeutic targets in cancers arising in all individuals.
Furthermore, the map enabled us to present evidence against the necessary involvement of other loci as well as specific hypotheses that have been put forward in relation to the etiology of DS-i.e., the presence of a single DS consensus region and the sufficiency of DSCR1 and DYRK1A, or APP, in causing several severe DS phenotypes.
We hypothesize that overexpression of three genes, dap160/itsn1, synj/synj1, and nla/dscr1, located on human chromosome 21 play important roles in DS neurons.
Meanwhile, RCAN1 is an endogenous inhibitor of calcineurin A, and its unbalanced activity is thought to cause major neuronal and/or non-neuronal malfunction in DS and AD.
Here, we find that CREB decreases the protein level of Regulator of Calcineurin Activity 1 (RCAN1/DSCR1/MCIP1), which is overexpressed in the brain of Down Syndrome (DS) patients.
Genes that are overexpressed in DS (APP, DSCAM, MNB/DYRK1A, and RCAN1) produce proteins critical for neuron and synapse growth, development and maintenance.
A subset of chromosome 21 genes including the DSCR1 gene involved in fetal heart development was consistently up-regulated in different prenatal tissues (AC, CV) of trisomy 21 fetuses whereas only minor changes were found for genes of all other chromosomes.
There is now compelling evidence that the protein products of two genes on chromosome 21, Down syndrome candidate region 1 (DSCR1) and dual-specificity tyrosine-(Y)-phosphorylation regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A), interact functionally, and that their increased dosage cooperatively leads to dysregulation of the signaling pathways that are controlled by the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) family of transcription factors, with potential consequences for several organs and systems that are affected in DS individuals.
There is now compelling evidence that the protein products of two genes on chromosome 21, Down syndrome candidate region 1 (DSCR1) and dual-specificity tyrosine-(Y)-phosphorylation regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A), interact functionally, and that their increased dosage cooperatively leads to dysregulation of the signaling pathways that are controlled by the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) family of transcription factors, with potential consequences for several organs and systems that are affected in DS individuals.
These data demonstrate that trisomy of DSCR1 alone does not significantly contribute to developmental defects in Ts16 mice and underscore the complexity of developmental anomalies associated with Down syndrome.
However, chronic expression of the DSCR1 (Adapt78) gene has now been implicated in several pathological conditions including Alzheimer's disease, Down syndrome and cardiac hypertrophy.
This lethal phenotype contrasted with, and was surprising in light of, mouse models of Down syndrome where multiple chromosome 21 genes including Dscr1 are overexpressed and survive to term.
DSCR1 and DSCR1(e4)/lacZ also are expressed in other organ systems affected by trisomy 16 in mice or trisomy 21 in humans including the brain, eye, ear, face, and limbs.