301
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Yin A, Korzh V, Gong Z. Perturbation of zebrafish swimbladder development by enhancing Wnt signaling in Wif1 morphants. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2011; 1823:236-44. [PMID: 22008465 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2011.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2011] [Revised: 09/22/2011] [Accepted: 09/26/2011] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Wnt signaling plays critical roles in development of both tetrapod lung and fish swimbladder, which are the two evolutionary homologous organs. Our previous data reveal that down-regulation of Wnt signaling leads to defective swimbladder development. However, the effects of up-regulation of Wnt signaling on swimbladder development remain unclear. By knockdown of the Wnt protein inhibitory gene wif1, we demonstrated that up-regulation of Wnt signaling also resulted in perturbed development of the swimbladder. Specifically, the growth of epithelium and mesenchyme was greatly inhibited, the smooth muscle differentiation was abolished, and the organization of mesothelium was disturbed. Furthermore, our data reveal that it is the reduced cell proliferation, but not enhanced apoptosis, that contributes to the disturbance of swimbladder development in wif1 morphants. Blocking Wnt signaling by the Wnt antagonist IWR-1 did not affect wif1 expression in the swimbladder, but complete suppression of Hedgehog signaling in smo-/- mutants abolished wif expression, consistent with our earlier report of a negative feedback regulation of Wnt signaling in the swimbladder by the Hedgehog signaling. Our works established the importance of proper level of Wnt signaling for normal development of swimbladder in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ao Yin
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543, Singapore
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302
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Yin Y, Wang F, Ornitz DM. Mesothelial- and epithelial-derived FGF9 have distinct functions in the regulation of lung development. Development 2011; 138:3169-77. [PMID: 21750028 DOI: 10.1242/dev.065110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 9 is a secreted signaling molecule that is expressed in lung mesothelium and epithelium and is required for lung development. Embryos lacking FGF9 show mesenchymal hypoplasia, decreased epithelial branching and, by the end of gestation, hypoplastic lungs that cannot support life. Mesenchymal FGF signaling interacts with β-catenin-mediated WNT signaling in a feed-forward loop that functions to sustain mesenchymal FGF responsiveness and mesenchymal WNT/β-catenin signaling. During pseudoglandular stages of lung development, Wnt2a and Wnt7b are the canonical WNT ligands that activate mesenchymal WNT/β-catenin signaling, whereas FGF9 is the only known ligand that signals to mesenchymal FGF receptors (FGFRs). Here, we demonstrate that mesothelial- and epithelial-derived FGF9, mesenchymal Wnt2a and epithelial Wnt7b have unique functions in lung development in mouse. Mesothelial FGF9 and mesenchymal WNT2A are principally responsible for maintaining mesenchymal FGF-WNT/β-catenin signaling, whereas epithelial FGF9 primarily affects epithelial branching. We show that FGF signaling is primarily responsible for regulating mesenchymal proliferation, whereas β-catenin signaling is a required permissive factor for mesenchymal FGF signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjun Yin
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
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303
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Goss AM, Tian Y, Cheng L, Yang J, Zhou D, Cohen ED, Morrisey EE. Wnt2 signaling is necessary and sufficient to activate the airway smooth muscle program in the lung by regulating myocardin/Mrtf-B and Fgf10 expression. Dev Biol 2011; 356:541-52. [PMID: 21704027 PMCID: PMC3319016 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2011] [Revised: 06/07/2011] [Accepted: 06/08/2011] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Smooth muscle in the lung is thought to derive from the developing lung mesenchyme. Smooth muscle formation relies upon coordination of both autocrine and paracrine signaling between the budding epithelium and adjacent mesenchyme to govern its proliferation and differentiation. However, the pathways initiating the earliest aspects of smooth muscle specification and differentiation in the lung are poorly understood. Here, we identify the Wnt2 ligand as a critical regulator of the earliest aspects of lung airway smooth muscle development. Using Wnt2 loss and gain of function models, we show that Wnt2 signaling is necessary and sufficient for activation of a transcriptional and signaling network critical for smooth muscle specification and differentiation including myocardin/Mrtf-B and the signaling factor Fgf10. These studies place Wnt2 high in a hierarchy of signaling molecules that promote the earliest aspects of lung airway smooth muscle development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M. Goss
- Department of Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Ying Tian
- Department of Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Lan Cheng
- Department of Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | | | - Diane Zhou
- Department of Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Ethan David Cohen
- Department of Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Edward E. Morrisey
- Department of Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Cardiovascular Institute University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104
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304
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Sherwood RI, Maehr R, Mazzoni EO, Melton DA. Wnt signaling specifies and patterns intestinal endoderm. Mech Dev 2011; 128:387-400. [PMID: 21854845 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2011.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2011] [Revised: 07/11/2011] [Accepted: 07/28/2011] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Wnt signaling has been implicated in many developmental processes, but its role in early endoderm development is not well understood. Wnt signaling is active in posterior endoderm as early as E7.5. Genetic and chemical activation show that the Wnt pathway acts directly on endoderm to induce the intestinal master regulator Cdx2, shifting global gene away from anterior endoderm and toward a posterior, intestinal program. In a mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation platform that yields pure populations of definitive endoderm, Wnt signaling induces intestinal gene expression in all cells. We have identified a set of genes specific to the anterior small intestine, posterior small intestine, and large intestine during early development, and show that Wnt, through Cdx2, activates large intestinal gene expression at high doses and small intestinal gene expression at lower doses. These findings shed light on the mechanism of embryonic intestinal induction and provide a method to manipulate intestinal development from embryonic stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard I Sherwood
- Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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305
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De Felice M, Di Lauro R. Minireview: Intrinsic and extrinsic factors in thyroid gland development: an update. Endocrinology 2011; 152:2948-56. [PMID: 21693675 DOI: 10.1210/en.2011-0204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In vertebrates the portion of the thyroid gland synthesizing the thyroid hormones develops from a small group of endodermal cells in the foregut. The nature of the signals that lead to the biochemical and morphogenetic events responsible for the organization of these cells into the adult thyroid gland has only recently become evident. In this review we summarize recent developments in the understanding of these processes, derived from evidence collected in several organisms.
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306
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Barx1-mediated inhibition of Wnt signaling in the mouse thoracic foregut controls tracheo-esophageal septation and epithelial differentiation. PLoS One 2011; 6:e22493. [PMID: 21799872 PMCID: PMC3142160 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0022493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2011] [Accepted: 06/24/2011] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal cells underlying the definitive endoderm in vertebrate animals play a vital role in digestive and respiratory organogenesis. Although several signaling pathways are implicated in foregut patterning and morphogenesis, and despite the clinical importance of congenital tracheal and esophageal malformations in humans, understanding of molecular mechanisms that allow a single tube to separate correctly into the trachea and esophagus is incomplete. The homoebox gene Barx1 is highly expressed in prospective stomach mesenchyme and required to specify this organ. We observed lower Barx1 expression extending contiguously from the proximal stomach domain, along the dorsal anterior foregut mesenchyme and in mesenchymal cells between the nascent esophagus and trachea. This expression pattern exactly mirrors the decline in Wnt signaling activity in late development of the adjacent dorsal foregut endoderm and medial mainstem bronchi. The hypopharynx in Barx1(-/-) mouse embryos is abnormally elongated and the point of esophago-tracheal separation shows marked caudal displacement, resulting in a common foregut tube that is similar to human congenital tracheo-esophageal fistula and explains neonatal lethality. Moreover, the Barx1(-/-) esophagus displays molecular and cytologic features of respiratory endoderm, phenocopying abnormalities observed in mouse embryos with activated ß-catenin. The zone of canonical Wnt signaling is abnormally prolonged and expanded in the proximal Barx1(-/-) foregut. Thus, as in the developing stomach, but distinct from the spleen, Barx1 control of thoracic foregut specification and tracheo-esophageal septation is tightly associated with down-regulation of adjacent Wnt pathway activity.
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307
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Poulain M, Ober EA. Interplay between Wnt2 and Wnt2bb controls multiple steps of early foregut-derived organ development. Development 2011; 138:3557-68. [PMID: 21771809 DOI: 10.1242/dev.055921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The vertebrate liver, pancreas and lung arise in close proximity from the multipotent foregut endoderm. Tissue-explant experiments uncovered instructive signals emanating from the neighbouring lateral plate mesoderm, directing the endoderm towards specific organ fates. This suggested that an intricate network of signals is required to control the specification and differentiation of each organ. Here, we show that sequential functions of Wnt2bb and Wnt2 control liver specification and proliferation in zebrafish. Their combined specific activities are essential for liver specification, as their loss of function causes liver agenesis. Conversely, excess wnt2bb or wnt2 induces ectopic liver tissue at the expense of pancreatic and anterior intestinal tissues, revealing the competence of intestinal endoderm to respond to hepatogenic signals. Epistasis experiments revealed that the receptor frizzled homolog 5 (fzd5) mediates part of the broader hepatic competence of the alimentary canal. fzd5 is required for early liver formation and interacts genetically with wnt2 as well as wnt2bb. In addition, lack of both ligands causes agenesis of the swim bladder, the structural homolog of the mammalian lung. Thus, tightly regulated spatiotemporal expression of wnt2bb, wnt2 and fzd5 is central to coordinating early liver, pancreas and swim bladder development from a multipotent foregut endoderm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgane Poulain
- MRC National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, London NW7 1AA, UK
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308
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Beers MF, Morrisey EE. The three R's of lung health and disease: repair, remodeling, and regeneration. J Clin Invest 2011; 121:2065-73. [PMID: 21633173 PMCID: PMC3104764 DOI: 10.1172/jci45961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 238] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
All tissues and organs can be classified according to their ability to repair and regenerate during adult homeostasis and after injury. Some exhibit a high rate of constant cell turnover, while others, such as the lung, exhibit only low-level cell regeneration during normal adult homeostasis but have the ability to rapidly regenerate new cells after injury. Lung regeneration likely involves both activation of progenitor cells as well as cell replacement through proliferation of remaining undamaged cells. The pathways and factors that control this process and its role in disease are only now being explored. In this Review, we will discuss the connection between pathways required for lung development and how the lung responds to injury and disease, with a particular emphasis on recent studies describing the role for the epithelium in repair and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael F. Beers
- Department of Medicine,
Institute for Regenerative Medicine,
Cardiovascular Institute, and
Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Edward E. Morrisey
- Department of Medicine,
Institute for Regenerative Medicine,
Cardiovascular Institute, and
Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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309
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Strong MA, Vidal-Cardenas SL, Karim B, Yu H, Guo N, Greider CW. Phenotypes in mTERT⁺/⁻ and mTERT⁻/⁻ mice are due to short telomeres, not telomere-independent functions of telomerase reverse transcriptase. Mol Cell Biol 2011; 31:2369-79. [PMID: 21464209 PMCID: PMC3133422 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.05312-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2011] [Accepted: 03/23/2011] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomerase is essential for telomere length maintenance. Mutations in either of the two core components of telomerase, telomerase RNA (TR) or the catalytic protein component telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), cause the genetic disorders dyskeratosis congenita, pulmonary fibrosis, and other degenerative diseases. Overexpression of the TERT protein has been reported to have telomere length-independent roles, including regulation of the Wnt signaling pathway. To examine the phenotypes of TERT haploinsufficiency and determine whether loss of function of TERT has effects other than those associated with telomere shortening, we characterized both mTERT⁺/⁻ and mTERT⁻/⁻ mice on the CAST/EiJ genetic background. Phenotypic analysis showed a loss of tissue renewal capacity with progressive breeding of heterozygous mice that was indistinguishable from that of mTR-deficient mice. mTERT⁻/⁻ mice, from heterozygous mTERT⁺/⁻ mouse crosses, were born at the expected Mendelian ratio (26.5%; n = 1,080 pups), indicating no embryonic lethality of this genotype. We looked for, and failed to find, hallmarks of Wnt deficiency in various adult and embryonic tissues, including those of the lungs, kidneys, brain, and skeleton. Finally, mTERT⁻/⁻ cells showed wild-type levels of Wnt signaling in vitro. Thus, while TERT overexpression in some settings may activate the Wnt pathway, loss of function in a physiological setting has no apparent effects on Wnt signaling. Our results indicate that both TERT and TR are haploinsufficient and that their deficiency leads to telomere shortening, which limits tissue renewal. Our studies imply that hypomorphic loss-of-function alleles of hTERT and hTR should cause a similar disease spectrum in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Baktiar Karim
- Department of Molecular & Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Huimin Yu
- Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics
| | - Nini Guo
- Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics
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310
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Lam AP, Gottardi CJ, Tuder R. Regenerative pathways and emphysema: a new paradigm? Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2011; 183:688-90. [PMID: 21471062 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201011-1772ed] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
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311
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Domyan ET, Ferretti E, Throckmorton K, Mishina Y, Nicolis SK, Sun X. Signaling through BMP receptors promotes respiratory identity in the foregut via repression of Sox2. Development 2011; 138:971-81. [PMID: 21303850 DOI: 10.1242/dev.053694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian foregut gives rise to the dorsally located esophagus and stomach and the ventrally located trachea and lung. Proper patterning and morphogenesis of the common foregut tube and its derived organs is essential for viability of the organism at birth. Here, we show that conditional inactivation of BMP type I receptor genes Bmpr1a and Bmpr1b (Bmpr1a;b) in the ventral endoderm leads to tracheal agenesis and ectopic primary bronchi. Molecular analyses of these mutants reveal a reduction of ventral endoderm marker NKX2-1 and an expansion of dorsal markers SOX2 and P63 into the prospective trachea and primary bronchi. Subsequent genetic experiments show that activation of canonical WNT signaling, previously shown to induce ectopic respiratory fate in otherwise wild-type mice, is incapable of promoting respiratory fate in the absence of Bmpr1a;b. Furthermore, we find that inactivation of Sox2 in Bmpr1a;b mutants does not suppress ectopic lung budding but does rescue trachea formation and NKX2-1 expression. Together, our data suggest that signaling through BMPR1A;B performs at least two roles in early respiratory development: first, it promotes tracheal formation through repression of Sox2; and second, it restricts the site of lung bud initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric T Domyan
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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312
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Shin D, Lee Y, Poss KD, Stainier DYR. Restriction of hepatic competence by Fgf signaling. Development 2011; 138:1339-48. [PMID: 21385764 PMCID: PMC3050664 DOI: 10.1242/dev.054395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/06/2011] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Hepatic competence, or the ability to respond to hepatic-inducing signals, is regulated by a number of transcription factors broadly expressed in the endoderm. However, extrinsic signals might also regulate hepatic competence, as suggested by tissue explant studies. Here, we present genetic evidence that Fgf signaling regulates hepatic competence in zebrafish. We first show that the endoderm posterior to the liver-forming region retains hepatic competence: using transgenic lines that overexpress hepatic inducing signals following heat-shock, we found that at late somitogenesis stages Wnt8a, but not Bmp2b, overexpression could induce liver gene expression in pancreatic and intestinal bulb cells. These manipulations resulted in the appearance of ectopic hepatocytes in the intestinal bulb. Second, by overexpressing Wnt8a at various stages, we found that as embryos develop, the extent of the endodermal region retaining hepatic competence is gradually reduced. Most significantly, we found, using gain- and loss-of-function approaches, that Fgf10a signaling regulates this gradual reduction of the hepatic-competent domain. These data provide in vivo evidence that endodermal cells outside the liver-forming region retain hepatic competence and show that an extrinsic signal, Fgf10a, negatively regulates hepatic competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donghun Shin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Programs in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Genetics and Human Genetics, Liver Center and Diabetes Center, Institute for Regeneration Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Yoonsung Lee
- Department of Cell Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Kenneth D. Poss
- Department of Cell Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Didier Y. R. Stainier
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Programs in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Genetics and Human Genetics, Liver Center and Diabetes Center, Institute for Regeneration Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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313
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Pacheco-Pinedo EC, Durham AC, Stewart KM, Goss AM, Lu MM, Demayo FJ, Morrisey EE. Wnt/β-catenin signaling accelerates mouse lung tumorigenesis by imposing an embryonic distal progenitor phenotype on lung epithelium. J Clin Invest 2011; 121:1935-45. [PMID: 21490395 DOI: 10.1172/jci44871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2010] [Accepted: 02/02/2011] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Although mutations in Kras are present in 21% of lung tumors, there is a high level of heterogeneity in phenotype and outcome among patients with lung cancer bearing similar mutations, suggesting that other pathways are important. Wnt/β-catenin signaling is a known oncogenic pathway that plays a well-defined role in colon and skin cancer; however, its role in lung cancer is unclear. We have shown here that activation of Wnt/β-catenin in the bronchiolar epithelium of the adult mouse lung does not itself promote tumor development. However, concurrent activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and expression of a constitutively active Kras mutant (KrasG12D) led to a dramatic increase in both overall tumor number and size compared with KrasG12D alone. Activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling altered the KrasG12D tumor phenotype, resulting in a phenotypic switch from bronchiolar epithelium to the highly proliferative distal progenitors found in the embryonic lung. This was associated with decreased E-cadherin expression at the cell surface, which may underlie the increased metastasis of tumors with active Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Together, these data suggest that activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling can combine with other oncogenic pathways in lung epithelium to produce a more aggressive tumor phenotype by imposing an embryonic distal progenitor phenotype and by decreasing E-cadherin expression.
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314
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Wnt signaling is required for early development of zebrafish swimbladder. PLoS One 2011; 6:e18431. [PMID: 21479192 PMCID: PMC3068184 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2010] [Accepted: 03/07/2011] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Wnt signaling plays critical roles in mammalian lung development. However, Wnt signaling in the development of the zebrafish swimbladder, which is considered as a counterpart of mammalian lungs, have not been explored. To investigate the potential conservation of signaling events in early development of the lung and swimbladder, we wish to address the question whether Wnt signaling plays a role in swimbladder development. Methodology/Principal Findings For analysis of zebrafish swimbladder development, we first identified, by whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH), has2 as a mesenchymal marker, sox2 as the earliest epithelial marker, as well as hprt1l and elovl1a as the earliest mesothelial markers. We also demonstrated that genes encoding Wnt signaling members Wnt5b, Fz2, Fz7b, Lef1, Tcf3 were expressed in different layers of swimbladder. Then we utilized the heat-shock inducible transgenic lines hs:Dkk1-GFP and hs:ΔTcf-GFP to temporarily block canonical Wnt signaling. Inhibition of canonical Wnt signaling at various time points disturbed precursor cells specification, organization, anterioposterior patterning, and smooth muscle differentiation in all three tissue layers of swimbladder. These observations were also confirmed by using a chemical inhibitor (IWR-1) of Wnt signaling. In addition, we found that Hedgehog (Hh) signaling was activated by canonical Wnt signaling and imposed a negative feedback on the latter. Significance/Conclusion We first provided a new set of gene markers for the three tissue layers of swimbladder in zebrafish and demonstrated the expression of several key genes of Wnt signaling pathway in developing swimbladder. Our functional analysis data indicated that Wnt/β-catenin signaling is required for swimbladder early development and we also provided evidence for the crosstalk between Wnt and Hh signaling in early swimbladder development.
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315
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Abstract
Progress has recently been made in identifying progenitor cell populations in the embryonic lung. Some progenitor cell types have been definitively identified by lineage-tracing studies. However, others are not as well characterized and their existence is inferred on the basis of lung morphology, or mutant phenotypes. Here, I focus on lung development after the specification of the initial lung primordium. The evidence for various lung embryonic progenitor cell types is discussed and future experiments are suggested. The regulation of progenitor proliferation in the embryonic lung, and its coordinate control with morphogenesis, is also discussed. In addition, the relationship between embryonic and adult lung progenitors is considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L Rawlins
- Gurdon Institute and Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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316
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Abstract
The mammalian respiratory lineage, consisting of the trachea and lung, originates from the ventral foregut in an early embryo. Reciprocal signaling interactions between the foregut epithelium and its associated mesenchyme guide development of the respiratory endoderm, from a naive sheet of cells to multiple cell types that line a functional organ. This review synthesizes current understanding of the early events in respiratory system development, focusing on three main topics: (1) specification of the respiratory system as a distinct organ of the endoderm, (2) patterning and differentiation of the nascent respiratory epithelium along its proximal-distal axis, and (3) plasticity of the respiratory cells during the process of development. This review also highlights areas in need of further study, including determining how early endoderm cells rapidly switch their responses to the same signaling cues during development, and how the general proximal-distal pattern of the lung is converted to fine-scale organization of multiple cell types along this axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric T. Domyan
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Xin Sun
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
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317
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Ferrer-Vaquer A, Piliszek A, Tian G, Aho RJ, Dufort D, Hadjantonakis AK. A sensitive and bright single-cell resolution live imaging reporter of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling in the mouse. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2010; 10:121. [PMID: 21176145 PMCID: PMC3017038 DOI: 10.1186/1471-213x-10-121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 248] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2010] [Accepted: 12/21/2010] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding the dynamic cellular behaviors and underlying molecular mechanisms that drive morphogenesis is an ongoing challenge in biology. Live imaging provides the necessary methodology to unravel the synergistic and stereotypical cell and molecular events that shape the embryo. Genetically-encoded reporters represent an essential tool for live imaging. Reporter strains can be engineered by placing cis-regulatory elements of interest to direct the expression of a desired reporter gene. In the case of canonical Wnt signaling, also referred to as Wnt/β-catenin signaling, since the downstream transcriptional response is well understood, reporters can be designed that reflect sites of active Wnt signaling, as opposed to sites of gene transcription, as is the case with many fluorescent reporters. However, even though several transgenic Wnt/β-catenin reporter strains have been generated, to date, none provides the single-cell resolution favored for live imaging studies. RESULTS We have placed six copies of a TCF/Lef responsive element and an hsp68 minimal promoter in front of a fluorescent protein fusion comprising human histone H2B to GFP and used it to generate a strain of mice that would report Wnt/β-catenin signaling activity. Characterization of developmental and adult stages of the resulting TCF/Lef:H2B-GFP strain revealed discrete and specific expression of the transgene at previously characterized sites of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. In support of the increased sensitivity of the TCF/Lef:H2B-GFP reporter, additional sites of Wnt/β-catenin signaling not documented with other reporters but identified through genetic and embryological analysis were observed. Furthermore, the sub-cellular localization of the reporter minimized reporter perdurance, and allowed visualization and tracking of individual cells within a cohort, so facilitating the detailed analysis of cell behaviors and signaling activity during morphogenesis. CONCLUSION By combining the Wnt activity read-out efficiency of multimerized TCF/Lef DNA binding sites, together with the high-resolution imaging afforded by subcellularly-localized fluorescent fusion proteins such as H2B-GFP, we have created a mouse transgenic line that faithfully recapitulates Wnt signaling activity at single-cell resolution. The TCF/Lef:H2B-GFP reporter represents a unique tool for live imaging the in vivo processes triggered by Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and thus should help the formulation of a high-resolution understanding of the serial events that define the morphogenetic process regulated by this signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ferrer-Vaquer
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anna Piliszek
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Guangnan Tian
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert J Aho
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel Dufort
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University Health Center, Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
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318
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Jurado S, Smyth I, van Denderen B, Tenis N, Hammet A, Hewitt K, Ng JL, McNees CJ, Kozlov SV, Oka H, Kobayashi M, Conlan LA, Cole TJ, Yamamoto KI, Taniguchi Y, Takeda S, Lavin MF, Heierhorst J. Dual functions of ASCIZ in the DNA base damage response and pulmonary organogenesis. PLoS Genet 2010; 6:e1001170. [PMID: 20975950 PMCID: PMC2958817 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1001170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2010] [Accepted: 09/21/2010] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Zn2+-finger proteins comprise one of the largest protein superfamilies with diverse biological functions. The ATM substrate Chk2-interacting Zn2+-finger protein (ASCIZ; also known as ATMIN and ZNF822) was originally linked to functions in the DNA base damage response and has also been proposed to be an essential cofactor of the ATM kinase. Here we show that absence of ASCIZ leads to p53-independent late-embryonic lethality in mice. Asciz-deficient primary fibroblasts exhibit increased sensitivity to DNA base damaging agents MMS and H2O2, but Asciz deletion or knock-down does not affect ATM levels and activation in mouse, chicken, or human cells. Unexpectedly, Asciz-deficient embryos also exhibit severe respiratory tract defects with complete pulmonary agenesis and severe tracheal atresia. Nkx2.1-expressing respiratory precursors are still specified in the absence of ASCIZ, but fail to segregate properly within the ventral foregut, and as a consequence lung buds never form and separation of the trachea from the oesophagus stalls early. Comparison of phenotypes suggests that ASCIZ functions between Wnt2-2b/ß-catenin and FGF10/FGF-receptor 2b signaling pathways in the mesodermal/endodermal crosstalk regulating early respiratory development. We also find that ASCIZ can activate expression of reporter genes via its SQ/TQ-cluster domain in vitro, suggesting that it may exert its developmental functions as a transcription factor. Altogether, the data indicate that, in addition to its role in the DNA base damage response, ASCIZ has separate developmental functions as an essential regulator of respiratory organogenesis. ASCIZ is a DNA damage response protein that has been proposed to be a regulator and stabilizing co-factor of the ATM kinase, mutations of which lead to a syndrome involving neurological and immune dysfunctions, tumour predisposition, and X-ray hypersensitivity. To study Asciz function in vivo, we have generated a knockout mouse model lacking this gene. Here we show that ASCIZ has a specific role in mediating cell survival in response to DNA base damage, but it is not required for stabilization and regulation of ATM. Strikingly, Asciz knockout mice fail to survive to birth and have tissue-specific defects in embryonic development. In particular, Asciz null embryos fail to develop lungs and undergo an early arrest in tracheal development. The precursor cells that normally form the lung are present in our embryos, but they fail to segregate from the foregut. These observations indicate that ASCIZ plays an important and previously unrecognized developmental role that is most likely unrelated to its function in mediating responses to DNA damage. Our study delineates the function of ASCIZ in DNA damage survival and highlights an exciting new function of the protein in controlling the early stages of lung development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Jurado
- St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, Australia
- Department of Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Fitzroy, Australia
| | - Ian Smyth
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Bryce van Denderen
- St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, Australia
- Department of Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Fitzroy, Australia
| | - Nora Tenis
- St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, Australia
| | - Andrew Hammet
- St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, Australia
| | - Kimberly Hewitt
- St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, Australia
| | - Jane-Lee Ng
- St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, Australia
| | | | | | - Hayato Oka
- Department of Radiation Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | | | | | - Timothy J. Cole
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | - Yoshihito Taniguchi
- Department of Radiation Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shunichi Takeda
- Department of Radiation Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Martin F. Lavin
- Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Herston, Australia
- Central Clinical Division, University of Queensland, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Herston, Australia
| | - Jörg Heierhorst
- St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, Australia
- Department of Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Fitzroy, Australia
- * E-mail:
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319
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Kneidinger N, Yildirim AÖ, Callegari J, Takenaka S, Stein MM, Dumitrascu R, Bohla A, Bracke KR, Morty RE, Brusselle GG, Schermuly RT, Eickelberg O, Königshoff M. Activation of the WNT/β-catenin pathway attenuates experimental emphysema. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2010; 183:723-33. [PMID: 20889911 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.200910-1560oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
RATIONALE Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a devastating disease, for which no causal therapy is available. OBJECTIVES To characterize WNT/β-catenin signaling in COPD in humans and elucidate its potential role as a preventive and therapeutic target in experimental emphysema in mice. METHODS The expression, localization, and activity of WNT/β-catenin signaling was assessed in 12 COPD and 12 transplant donor samples using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting. The role of WNT/β-catenin signaling was assessed in elastase- and cigarette smoke-induced emphysema and therapeutic modulation thereof in elastase-induced emphysema in TOPGAL reporter and wild-type mice in vivo. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS No differences in the mRNA expression profile of the main WNT/β-catenin signaling components were observed comparing COPD and donor lung homogenates. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed reduced numbers of nuclear β-catenin-positive alveolar epithelial cells in COPD. Similarly, WNT/β-catenin signaling was down-regulated in both experimental emphysema models. Preventive and therapeutic, WNT/β-catenin activation by lithium chloride attenuated experimental emphysema, as assessed by decreased airspace enlargement, improved lung function, reduced collagen content, and elevated expression of alveolar epithelial cell markers. CONCLUSIONS Decreased WNT/β-catenin signaling is involved in parenchymal tissue destruction and impaired repair capacity in emphysema. These data indicate a crucial role of WNT/β-catenin signaling in lung repair mechanisms in vivo, and highlight WNT/β-catenin activation as a future therapeutic approach for emphysema.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaus Kneidinger
- Department of Medicine, University of Giessen Lung Center, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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320
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Yin A, Winata CL, Korzh S, Korzh V, Gong Z. Expression of components of Wnt and Hedgehog pathways in different tissue layers during lung development in Xenopus laevis. Gene Expr Patterns 2010; 10:338-44. [PMID: 20682360 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2010.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2010] [Revised: 07/21/2010] [Accepted: 07/24/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Although Wnt and Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathways play important roles in mouse lung development, these have not been explored in the development of Xenopus lung. This may be due to the lack of specific molecular markers for different layers of tissue in Xenopus lung and/or insufficient knowledge on expression patterns of Wnt and Hh signaling components in Xenopus lung. In this study, we first described the early morphogenesis of Xenopus laevis lung by using surfactant protein C (sftpc) as a marker of lung epithelium and compared it with the expression patterns of several genes of Wnt and Hh pathways in Xenopus lungs. Our data showed that wnt7b was expressed in the entire lung epithelium from stage 37 to stage 45, while two other Wnt signaling components, wnt5a and wif1 (wnt inhibitory factor 1), were expressed in the mesenchyme layer of the entire lungs through stages 39-41. We also found that sonic hedgehog (shh) was expressed at stage 41 only in the anterior, but not in the posterior part of the lungs. These results show the expression of wnt5a, wnt7b, wif1 and shh in different layers of tissue of Xenopus lungs at early developmental stages, which implies different roles of these genes in the early development of Xenopus lungs. Our study for the first time defined specific molecular markers for description of early lung development in Xenopus, as well as provided information about expression of components of Wnt and Hh pathways in early Xenopus lungs, which should be useful for future functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ao Yin
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543, Singapore
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321
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Abstract
Wls/Evi/Srt encoding a multipass transmembrane protein has been identified as a regulator for proper sorting and secretion of Wnt in flies. We have previously demonstrated that Gpr177 is the mouse ortholog required for axis determination. Gpr177 is a transcriptional target of Wnt that is activated to assist its subcellular distribution in a feedback regulatory loop. We, therefore, proposed that reciprocal regulation of Wnt and Gpr177 is essential for the Wnt-dependent developmental and pathogenic processes. Here, we examine the expression pattern of Gpr177 in mouse development. Gpr177 is expressed in a variety of tissues and cell types during organogenesis. Furthermore, Gpr177 is a glycoprotein primarily accumulating in the Golgi apparatus in signal-producing cells. The glycosylation of Gpr177 is necessary for proper transportation in the secretory pathway. Our findings suggest that the Gpr177-mediated regulation of Wnt is crucial for organogenesis in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Man Ivy Yu
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, Center for Oral Biology, James Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Box 611, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Ying Jin
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, Center for Oral Biology, James Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Box 611, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Jiang Fu
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, Center for Oral Biology, James Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Box 611, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Wei Hsu
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, Center for Oral Biology, James Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Box 611, Rochester, NY 14642
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322
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Weng T, Liu L. The role of pleiotrophin and beta-catenin in fetal lung development. Respir Res 2010; 11:80. [PMID: 20565841 PMCID: PMC2901351 DOI: 10.1186/1465-9921-11-80] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2010] [Accepted: 06/18/2010] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian lung development is a complex biological process, which is temporally and spatially regulated by growth factors, hormones, and extracellular matrix proteins. Abnormal changes of these molecules often lead to impaired lung development, and thus pulmonary diseases. Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions are crucial for fetal lung development. This paper reviews two interconnected pathways, pleiotrophin and Wnt/β-catenin, which are involved in fibroblast and epithelial cell communication during fetal lung development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Weng
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, USA
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323
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Chen F, Cao Y, Qian J, Shao F, Niederreither K, Cardoso WV. A retinoic acid-dependent network in the foregut controls formation of the mouse lung primordium. J Clin Invest 2010; 120:2040-8. [PMID: 20484817 PMCID: PMC2877937 DOI: 10.1172/jci40253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2009] [Accepted: 03/24/2010] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The developmental abnormalities associated with disruption of signaling by retinoic acid (RA), the biologically active form of vitamin A, have been known for decades from studies in animal models and humans. These include defects in the respiratory system, such as lung hypoplasia and agenesis. However, the molecular events controlled by RA that lead to formation of the lung primordium from the primitive foregut remain unclear. Here, we present evidence that endogenous RA acts as a major regulatory signal integrating Wnt and Tgfbeta pathways in the control of Fgf10 expression during induction of the mouse primordial lung. We demonstrated that activation of Wnt signaling required for lung formation was dependent on local repression of its antagonist, Dickkopf homolog 1 (Dkk1), by endogenous RA. Moreover, we showed that simultaneously activating Wnt and repressing Tgfbeta allowed induction of both lung buds in RA-deficient foreguts. The data in this study suggest that disruption of Wnt/Tgfbeta/Fgf10 interactions represents the molecular basis for the classically reported failure to form lung buds in vitamin A deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felicia Chen
- Pulmonary Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Yuxia Cao
- Pulmonary Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jun Qian
- Pulmonary Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Fengzhi Shao
- Pulmonary Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Karen Niederreither
- Pulmonary Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Wellington V. Cardoso
- Pulmonary Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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324
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Minoo P, Li C. Cross-talk between transforming growth factor-beta and Wingless/Int pathways in lung development and disease. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2010; 42:809-12. [PMID: 20219694 PMCID: PMC2862795 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2010.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2009] [Revised: 02/10/2010] [Accepted: 02/18/2010] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Lung development depends on accurate and precise patterning of a pulmonary anlagen, consisting of both endodermally and mesodermally derived progenitor cells. In this process, the need to establish communication and control among individual cells is paramount. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta) and Wingless/int (Wnt) signaling pathways serve this need. The individual functional repertoire of the two pathways is further expanded by cross-talk and integration of signaling at multiple levels taking advantage of their hard-wired multi-component signal transduction platforms. Cross-talk creates the possibility for both specificity and versatility in signaling during development and during repair of injured tissue. Understanding the mechanics and the physiological implications of this cross-talk is necessary for therapeutic or preventive targeting of either TGFbeta or Wnt signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parviz Minoo
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
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325
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Abstract
The mammalian respiratory system--the trachea and the lungs--arises from the anterior foregut through a sequence of morphogenetic events involving reciprocal endodermal-mesodermal interactions. The lung itself consists of two highly branched, tree-like systems--the airways and the vasculature--that develop in a coordinated way from the primary bud stage to the generation of millions of alveolar gas exchange units. We are beginning to understand some of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie critical processes such as branching morphogenesis, vascular development, and the differentiation of multipotent progenitor populations. Nevertheless, many gaps remain in our knowledge, the filling of which is essential for understanding respiratory disorders, congenital defects in human neonates, and how the disruption of morphogenetic programs early in lung development can lead to deficiencies that persist throughout life.
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326
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Tian Y, Yuan L, Goss AM, Wang T, Yang J, Lepore JJ, Zhou D, Schwartz RJ, Patel V, Cohen ED, Morrisey EE. Characterization and in vivo pharmacological rescue of a Wnt2-Gata6 pathway required for cardiac inflow tract development. Dev Cell 2010; 18:275-87. [PMID: 20159597 PMCID: PMC2846539 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2010.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2009] [Revised: 12/10/2009] [Accepted: 01/11/2010] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Little is understood about the molecular mechanisms underlying the morphogenesis of the posterior pole of the heart. Here we show that Wnt2 is expressed specifically in the developing inflow tract mesoderm, which generates portions of the atria and atrio-ventricular canal. Loss of Wnt2 results in defective development of the posterior pole of the heart, resulting in a phenotype resembling the human congenital heart syndrome complete common atrio-ventricular canal. The number and proliferation of posterior second heart field progenitors is reduced in Wnt2(-/-) mutants. Moreover, these defects can be rescued in a temporally restricted manner through pharmacological inhibition of Gsk-3beta. We also show that Wnt2 works in a feedforward transcriptional loop with Gata6 to regulate posterior cardiac development. These data reveal a molecular pathway regulating the posterior cardiac mesoderm and demonstrate that cardiovascular defects caused by loss of Wnt signaling can be rescued pharmacologically in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Tian
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Lijun Yuan
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Ultrasound Diagnostics, Tangdu Hospital, Forth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ashley M. Goss
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Jifu Yang
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - John J. Lepore
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Diane Zhou
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Robert J. Schwartz
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology Texas A & M Health Science Center Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Vickas Patel
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Cardiovascular Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Ethan David Cohen
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Edward E. Morrisey
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Cardiovascular Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
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327
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Goss AM, Morrisey EE. Wnt signaling and specification of the respiratory endoderm. Cell Cycle 2010; 9:10-1. [PMID: 20016265 DOI: 10.4161/cc.9.1.10272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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328
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Warburton D, El-Hashash A, Carraro G, Tiozzo C, Sala F, Rogers O, De Langhe S, Kemp PJ, Riccardi D, Torday J, Bellusci S, Shi W, Lubkin SR, Jesudason E. Lung organogenesis. Curr Top Dev Biol 2010; 90:73-158. [PMID: 20691848 PMCID: PMC3340128 DOI: 10.1016/s0070-2153(10)90003-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 303] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Developmental lung biology is a field that has the potential for significant human impact: lung disease at the extremes of age continues to cause major morbidity and mortality worldwide. Understanding how the lung develops holds the promise that investigators can use this knowledge to aid lung repair and regeneration. In the decade since the "molecular embryology" of the lung was first comprehensively reviewed, new challenges have emerged-and it is on these that we focus the current review. Firstly, there is a critical need to understand the progenitor cell biology of the lung in order to exploit the potential of stem cells for the treatment of lung disease. Secondly, the current familiar descriptions of lung morphogenesis governed by growth and transcription factors need to be elaborated upon with the reinclusion and reconsideration of other factors, such as mechanics, in lung growth. Thirdly, efforts to parse the finer detail of lung bud signaling may need to be combined with broader consideration of overarching mechanisms that may be therapeutically easier to target: in this arena, we advance the proposal that looking at the lung in general (and branching in particular) in terms of clocks may yield unexpected benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Warburton
- The Saban Research Institute, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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329
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Sousa KM, Villaescusa JC, Cajanek L, Ondr JK, Castelo-Branco G, Hofstra W, Bryja V, Palmberg C, Bergman T, Wainwright B, Lang RA, Arenas E. Wnt2 regulates progenitor proliferation in the developing ventral midbrain. J Biol Chem 2009; 285:7246-53. [PMID: 20018874 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m109.079822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnts are secreted, lipidated proteins that regulate multiple aspects of brain development, including dopaminergic neuron development. In this study, we perform the first purification and signaling analysis of Wnt2 and define the function of Wnt2 in ventral midbrain precursor cultures, as well as in Wnt2-null mice in vivo. We found that purified Wnt2 induces the phosphorylation of both Lrp5/6 and Dvl-2/3, and activates beta-catenin in SN4741 dopaminergic cells. Moreover, purified Wnt2 increases progenitor proliferation, and the number of dopaminergic neurons in ventral midbrain precursor cultures. In agreement with these findings, analysis of the ventral midbrain of developing Wnt2-null mice revealed a decrease in progenitor proliferation and neurogenesis that lead to a decrease in the number of postmitotic precursors and dopaminergic neurons. Collectively, our observations identify Wnt2 as a novel regulator of dopaminergic progenitors and dopaminergic neuron development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle M Sousa
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Scheeles väg 1, A1:2, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
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