Significant numerical and spatial changes in 5-HT i.r. cells, CCK i.r. I-cells, glucagon and glicentin i.r. I-cells, somatostatin i.r. D-cells and neurotensin i.r. N-cells occur after a 98% myenteric ablation in the rat. Signal transduction from G-protein-coupled crypt cell receptors (m2, m3; VCAP1 and 2, CAP1; Y2, Y5, Y4) stimulates a cAMP-responsive transcription machinery in which phosphorylation of the cAMP-responsive elements (e.g. CREB) is the first step in initiation of transcription. A DNA pre-initiation complex (PIC), consisting of DNA transcription activators, general activators (TFIID, IIA, IIB, IIF, IIE, II-I and IIH), at least 14 different TAFIIs and CBP/300 coactivators which contain multiple enzymatic activities, associated with the central TBP (TATA-binding protein), which together bind to the RNA-polymerase II holoenzyme disrupts chromatin blockade over the promoter with or without the intervention of activated chromatin remodeling factors. CBP/p300 contains several highly conserved domains e.g., KIX, whose methylation by CARM-1 represses CREB transcription activation, but the bromo-binding domain of CBP increases CREB transcription. A similar positive/negative switch occurs in the regulation of gastrointestinal hormones by transcription factors, from Myc/Max to Mad/Max + corepressor mSin3A, during terminal differentiation of the cell. From these observations we conclude that the primary targets for neural signals are factors of the basal DNA transcriptional apparatus, whose promoter factors then activate chromatin induction, which facilitates transcription positively or negatively.

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