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Sánchez-Pozos K, Granados-Silvestre MA, Nieto-Velázquez NG, Mejía-Blanquel MA, Galicia-Martínez N, Mandujano-Cerón J, Jaimes-Santoyo J, Ortiz-López MG. Role of secreted frizzled-related protein 4 in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes: a cross sectional study. BMC Endocr Disord 2024; 24:78. [PMID: 38834984 PMCID: PMC11149217 DOI: 10.1186/s12902-024-01613-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has become an epidemic. Delays in diagnosis and as a consequent late treatment has resulted in high prevalence of complications and mortality. Secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (SFRP4), has been recently identified as a potential early biomarker of T2D related to obesity, due to its association with low grade inflammation in adipose tissue and impaired glucose metabolism. We aimed to evaluate the role of SFRP4 in prediabetes and T2D in a Mexican population. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study that included 80 subjects with T2D, 50 subjects with prediabetes and 50 healthy individuals. Fasting SFRP4 and insulin concentrations were measured by ELISA. Human serum IL-10, IL-6, IL-1β and IL-8 levels were quantified by flow cytometry. Genotyping was performed by TaqMan® probes. RESULTS Prediabetes and T2D patients had significantly higher SFRP4 levels than controls (P < 0.05). In turn, prediabetes subjects had higher SFRP4 concentrations than control subjects (P < 0.05). Additionally, the prediabetes and T2D groups had higher concentrations of proinflammatory molecules such as IL-6, IL-1β and IL-8, and lower concentrations of IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, than controls (P < 0.001). The serum SFRP4 concentrations were positively correlated with parameters that are elevated in prediabetes and T2D states, such as, HbA1c and homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), (r = 0.168 and 0.248, respectively, P < 0.05). Also, serum SFRP4 concentrations were positively correlated with concentrations of pro-inflammatory molecules (CRP, IL-6, IL-1β and IL-8) and negatively correlated with the anti-inflammatory molecule IL-10, even after adjusting for body mass index and age (P < 0.001). The genetic variant rs4720265 was correlated with low HDL concentrations in T2D (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS SFRP4 correlates positively with the stage of prediabetes, suggesting that it may be an early biomarker to predict the risk of developing diabetes in people with high serum concentrations of SFRP4, although further longitudinal studies are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katy Sánchez-Pozos
- Research Division, Hospital Juárez de México, Av Instituto Politécnico Nacional 5160, Magdalena de las Salinas, Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City, 07760, México
| | - M A Granados-Silvestre
- Research Division, Hospital Juárez de México, Av Instituto Politécnico Nacional 5160, Magdalena de las Salinas, Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City, 07760, México
| | - N G Nieto-Velázquez
- Research Division, Hospital Juárez de México, Av Instituto Politécnico Nacional 5160, Magdalena de las Salinas, Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City, 07760, México
| | - María Alicia Mejía-Blanquel
- Research Division, Hospital Juárez de México, Av Instituto Politécnico Nacional 5160, Magdalena de las Salinas, Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City, 07760, México
| | - Natsyelli Galicia-Martínez
- Research Division, Hospital Juárez de México, Av Instituto Politécnico Nacional 5160, Magdalena de las Salinas, Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City, 07760, México
| | - Jessica Mandujano-Cerón
- Research Division, Hospital Juárez de México, Av Instituto Politécnico Nacional 5160, Magdalena de las Salinas, Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City, 07760, México
| | - Joel Jaimes-Santoyo
- Research Division, Hospital Juárez de México, Av Instituto Politécnico Nacional 5160, Magdalena de las Salinas, Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City, 07760, México
| | - María Guadalupe Ortiz-López
- Research Division, Hospital Juárez de México, Av Instituto Politécnico Nacional 5160, Magdalena de las Salinas, Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City, 07760, México.
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2
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Liang Y, Shi G, Cai R, Yuan Y, Xie Z, Yu L, Huang Y, Shi Q, Wang L, Li J, Tang Z. PROST: quantitative identification of spatially variable genes and domain detection in spatial transcriptomics. Nat Commun 2024; 15:600. [PMID: 38238417 PMCID: PMC10796707 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44835-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Computational methods have been proposed to leverage spatially resolved transcriptomic data, pinpointing genes with spatial expression patterns and delineating tissue domains. However, existing approaches fall short in uniformly quantifying spatially variable genes (SVGs). Moreover, from a methodological viewpoint, while SVGs are naturally associated with depicting spatial domains, they are technically dissociated in most methods. Here, we present a framework (PROST) for the quantitative recognition of spatial transcriptomic patterns, consisting of (i) quantitatively characterizing spatial variations in gene expression patterns through the PROST Index; and (ii) unsupervised clustering of spatial domains via a self-attention mechanism. We demonstrate that PROST performs superior SVG identification and domain segmentation with various spatial resolutions, from multicellular to cellular levels. Importantly, PROST Index can be applied to prioritize spatial expression variations, facilitating the exploration of biological insights. Together, our study provides a flexible and robust framework for analyzing diverse spatial transcriptomic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchen Liang
- School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Guowei Shi
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Runlin Cai
- School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Yuchen Yuan
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Ziying Xie
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Long Yu
- School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Yingjian Huang
- School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Qian Shi
- School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Lizhe Wang
- School of Computer Science, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, China
| | - Jun Li
- School of Computer Science, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, China.
| | - Zhonghui Tang
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
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3
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Shi X, Yang Y, Ma X, Zhou Y, Guo Z, Wang C, Liu J. Probabilistic cell/domain-type assignment of spatial transcriptomics data with SpatialAnno. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:e115. [PMID: 37941153 PMCID: PMC10711557 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In the analysis of both single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatially resolved transcriptomics (SRT) data, classifying cells/spots into cell/domain types is an essential analytic step for many secondary analyses. Most of the existing annotation methods have been developed for scRNA-seq datasets without any consideration of spatial information. Here, we present SpatialAnno, an efficient and accurate annotation method for spatial transcriptomics datasets, with the capability to effectively leverage a large number of non-marker genes as well as 'qualitative' information about marker genes without using a reference dataset. Uniquely, SpatialAnno estimates low-dimensional embeddings for a large number of non-marker genes via a factor model while promoting spatial smoothness among neighboring spots via a Potts model. Using both simulated and four real spatial transcriptomics datasets from the 10x Visium, ST, Slide-seqV1/2, and seqFISH platforms, we showcase the method's improved spatial annotation accuracy, including its robustness to the inclusion of marker genes for irrelevant cell/domain types and to various degrees of marker gene misspecification. SpatialAnno is computationally scalable and applicable to SRT datasets from different platforms. Furthermore, the estimated embeddings for cellular biological effects facilitate many downstream analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingjie Shi
- KLATASDS-MOE, Academy of Statistics and Interdisciplinary Sciences, School of Statistics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Yi Yang
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210018, China
| | - Xiaohui Ma
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210033, China
| | - Yong Zhou
- KLATASDS-MOE, Academy of Statistics and Interdisciplinary Sciences, School of Statistics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Zhenxing Guo
- School of Data Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518172, China
| | - Chaolong Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jin Liu
- School of Data Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518172, China
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4
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Lin YL, Yu L, Yan M, Zimmel K, Qureshi O, Imholt F, Li T, Ivanov I, Brunauer R, Dawson L, Muneoka K. Induced regeneration of articular cartilage - identification of a dormant regeneration program for a non-regenerative tissue. Development 2023; 150:dev201894. [PMID: 37882667 PMCID: PMC10651102 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
A mouse organoid culture model was developed to regenerate articular cartilage by sequential treatment with BMP2 and BMP9 (or GDF2) that parallels induced joint regeneration at digit amputation wounds in vivo. BMP9-induced chondrogenesis was used to identify clonal cell lines for articular chondrocyte and hypertrophic chondrocyte progenitor cells from digit fibroblasts. A protocol that includes cell aggregation enhanced by BMP2 followed by BMP9-induced chondrogenesis resulted in the differentiation of organized layers of articular chondrocytes, similar to the organization of middle and deep zones of articular cartilage in situ, and retained a differentiated phenotype following transplantation. In addition, the differentiation of a non-chondrogenic connective tissue layer containing articular chondrocyte progenitor cells demonstrated that progenitor cell sequestration is coupled with articular cartilage differentiation at a clonal level. The studies identify a dormant endogenous regenerative program for a non-regenerative tissue in which fibroblast-derived progenitor cells can be induced to initiate morphogenetic and differentiative programs that include progenitor cell sequestration. The identification of dormant regenerative programs in non-regenerative tissues such as articular cartilage represents a novel strategy that integrates regeneration biology with regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Lieh Lin
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Ling Yu
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Mingquan Yan
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Katherine Zimmel
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Osama Qureshi
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Felisha Imholt
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Tao Li
- Department of Hand Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongli Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, People's Republic of China
| | - Ivan Ivanov
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Regina Brunauer
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Lindsay Dawson
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Ken Muneoka
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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Gamit N, Dharmarajan A, Sethi G, Warrier S. Want of Wnt in Parkinson's disease: Could sFRP disrupt interplay between Nurr1 and Wnt signaling? Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 212:115566. [PMID: 37088155 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear receptor related 1 (Nurr1) is a transcription factor known to regulate the development and maintenance of midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons. Reports have confirmed that defect or obliteration of Nurr1 results in neurodegeneration and motor function impairment leading to Parkinson's disease (PD). Studies have also indicated that Nurr1 regulates the expression of alpha-synuclein (α-SYN) and mutations in Nurr1 cause α-SYN overexpression, thereby increasing the risk of PD. Nurr1 is modulated via various pathways including Wnt signaling pathway which is known to play an important role in neurogenesis and deregulation of it contributes to PD pathogenesis. Both Wnt/β-catenin dependent and independent pathways are implicated in the activation of Nurr1 and subsequent downregulation of α-SYN. This review highlights the interaction between Nurr1 and Wnt signaling pathways in mDA neuronal development. We further hypothesize how modulation of Wnt signaling pathway by its antagonist, secreted frizzled related proteins (sFRPs) could be a potential route to treat PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naisarg Gamit
- Division of Cancer Stem Cells and Cardiovascular Regeneration, Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Bangalore 560 065, India
| | - Arun Dharmarajan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Technology and Research, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600 116, India; School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6102, Australia; Curtin Health and Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6102, Australia; School of Human Sciences, Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Gautam Sethi
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore 117 600, Singapore
| | - Sudha Warrier
- Division of Cancer Stem Cells and Cardiovascular Regeneration, Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Bangalore 560 065, India; Cuor Stem Cellutions Pvt Ltd, Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Bangalore 560 065, India.
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6
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Effect of nanoparticle-mediated delivery of SFRP4 siRNA for treating Dupuytren disease. Gene Ther 2023; 30:31-40. [PMID: 35347304 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-022-00330-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Dupuytren disease (DD) is a progressive fibrous proliferative disease. It invades the palmar aponeurosis and extends to the finger fascia, eventually leading to flexion contracture of the metacarpophalangeal or interphalangeal joint. At present, surgical resection and the local injection of collagenase are the main methods for the treatment of DD, but postoperative complications and high recurrence rates often occur. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the increased expression of SFRP4 protein was closely related to the incidence of DD. Persistent and effective inhibition of SFRP4 expression may be a promising treatment for DD. We prepared SFRP4 siRNA/nanoparticle complexes (si-SFRP4) and negative siRNA/nanoparticle complexes (NC) and applied them in vitro and in vivo. Flow cytometry analysis showed that si-SFRP4 could be successfully transfected into DD cells. MTT and EdU staining assays showed that the OD values and percentage of EdU-positive cells in the si-SFRP4 group were significantly lower than those in the NC group. Scratch tests showed that the wound healing rate of the si-SFRP4 group was lower than that of the NC group, and the difference was statistically significant. The expression of SFRP4 and α-SMA protein in the si-SFRP4 group significantly decreased in both DD cells and xenografts. Compared with the NC group, the xenograft quality of the si-SFRP4 group was significantly reduced. Masson's trichrome staining showed that the collagen and fibrous cells in the si-SFRP4 group were more uniform, slender, parallel and regular. The above experimental results suggest that the proliferation and metabolism of palmar aponeurosis cells and the quality of metacarpal fascia xenografts were both significantly decreased. We speculated that nanoparticle-mediated SFRP4 siRNA can be used as a potential new method for the treatment of DD.
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7
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Wang Y, Madhusudan S, Cotellessa L, Kvist J, Eskici N, Yellapragada V, Pulli K, Lund C, Vaaralahti K, Tuuri T, Giacobini P, Raivio T. Deciphering the Transcriptional Landscape of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived GnRH Neurons: The Role of Wnt Signaling in Patterning the Neural Fate. Stem Cells 2022; 40:1107-1121. [PMID: 36153707 PMCID: PMC9806769 DOI: 10.1093/stmcls/sxac069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons lay the foundation for human development and reproduction; however, the critical cell populations and the entangled mechanisms underlying the development of human GnRH neurons remain poorly understood. Here, by using our established human pluripotent stem cell-derived GnRH neuron model, we decoded the cellular heterogeneity and differentiation trajectories at the single-cell level. We found that a glutamatergic neuron population, which generated together with GnRH neurons, showed similar transcriptomic properties with olfactory sensory neuron and provided the migratory path for GnRH neurons. Through trajectory analysis, we identified a specific gene module activated along the GnRH neuron differentiation lineage, and we examined one of the transcription factors, DLX5, expression in human fetal GnRH neurons. Furthermore, we found that Wnt inhibition could increase DLX5 expression and improve the GnRH neuron differentiation efficiency through promoting neurogenesis and switching the differentiation fates of neural progenitors into glutamatergic neurons/GnRH neurons. Our research comprehensively reveals the dynamic cell population transition and gene regulatory network during GnRH neuron differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafei Wang
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Research Programs Unit, and Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Shrinidhi Madhusudan
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Research Programs Unit, and Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ludovica Cotellessa
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Postnatal Brain, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S1172, Lille, France
| | - Jouni Kvist
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Research Programs Unit, and Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Nazli Eskici
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Research Programs Unit, and Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Venkatram Yellapragada
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Research Programs Unit, and Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kristiina Pulli
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Research Programs Unit, and Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Carina Lund
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kirsi Vaaralahti
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Research Programs Unit, and Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland,New Children’s Hospital, Pediatric Research Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Timo Tuuri
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Taneli Raivio
- Corresponding author: Taneli Raivio, Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Research Programs Unit, and Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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8
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Lovely AM, Duerr TJ, Qiu Q, Galvan S, Voss SR, Monaghan JR. Wnt Signaling Coordinates the Expression of Limb Patterning Genes During Axolotl Forelimb Development and Regeneration. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:814250. [PMID: 35531102 PMCID: PMC9068880 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.814250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
After amputation, axolotl salamanders can regenerate their limbs, but the degree to which limb regeneration recapitulates limb development remains unclear. One limitation in answering this question is our lack of knowledge about salamander limb development. Here, we address this question by studying expression patterns of genes important for limb patterning during axolotl salamander limb development and regeneration. We focus on the Wnt signaling pathway because it regulates multiple functions during tetrapod limb development, including limb bud initiation, outgrowth, patterning, and skeletal differentiation. We use fluorescence in situ hybridization to show the expression of Wnt ligands, Wnt receptors, and limb patterning genes in developing and regenerating limbs. Inhibition of Wnt ligand secretion permanently blocks limb bud outgrowth when treated early in limb development. Inhibiting Wnt signaling during limb outgrowth decreases the expression of critical signaling genes, including Fgf10, Fgf8, and Shh, leading to the reduced outgrowth of the limb. Patterns of gene expression are similar between developing and regenerating limbs. Inhibition of Wnt signaling during regeneration impacted patterning gene expression similarly. Overall, our findings suggest that limb development and regeneration utilize Wnt signaling similarly. It also provides new insights into the interaction of Wnt signaling with other signaling pathways during salamander limb development and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Timothy J. Duerr
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Qingchao Qiu
- Department of Neuroscience, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, and Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | | | - S. Randal Voss
- Department of Neuroscience, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, and Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - James R. Monaghan
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
- Institute for Chemical Imaging of Living Systems, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
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9
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Ma Q, Wang S, Xie Z, Shen Y, Zheng B, Jiang C, Yuan P, Yu C, Li L, Zhao X, Chen J, Qin A, Fan S, Jie Z. The SFRP1 Inhibitor WAY-316606 Attenuates Osteoclastogenesis Through Dual Modulation of Canonical Wnt Signaling. J Bone Miner Res 2022; 37:152-166. [PMID: 34490916 DOI: 10.1002/jbmr.4435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Osteoporosis, a noteworthy age-related disease induced by imbalanced osteogenesis and osteoclastogenesis, is a serious economic burden on both individuals and society. Small molecule drugs with dual effects on both bone resorption and mineralization are pressingly needed. Secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1), a well-known extracellular repressor of canonical Wnt signaling, has been reported to regulate osteogenesis. Global SFRP1 knockout mice show significantly elevated bone mass. Although osteoclasts (OCs) express and secrete SFRP1, the role of SFRP1 produced by OCs in osteoclastogenesis and osteoporosis remains unclear. In this work, the levels of SFRP1 were found to be increased in patients with osteoporosis compared with healthy controls. Pharmacological inhibition of SFRP1 by WAY-316606 (WAY)- attenuated osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption in vitro. The expressions of OC-specific genes were suppressed by the SFRP1 inhibitor, WAY. Mechanistically, both extracellular and intracellular SFRP1 could block activation of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway, and WAY reverse the silent status of canonical Wnt through dual effects, leading to osteoclastogenesis inhibition and osteogenesis promotion. Severe osteopenia was observed in the ovariectomized (OVX) mouse model, and WAY treatment effectively improved the OVX-induced osteoporosis. In summary, this work found that SFRP1 supports OC differentiation and function, which could be attenuated by WAY through dual modulation of canonical Wnt signaling, suggesting its therapeutic potential. © 2021 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingliang Ma
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal System Degeneration and Regeneration Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shiyu Wang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal System Degeneration and Regeneration Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ziang Xie
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal System Degeneration and Regeneration Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yang Shen
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal System Degeneration and Regeneration Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bingjie Zheng
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal System Degeneration and Regeneration Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chao Jiang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal System Degeneration and Regeneration Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Putao Yuan
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal System Degeneration and Regeneration Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Congcong Yu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal System Degeneration and Regeneration Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liangping Li
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal System Degeneration and Regeneration Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangde Zhao
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal System Degeneration and Regeneration Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Junxin Chen
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal System Degeneration and Regeneration Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - An Qin
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orthopaedic Implant, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shunwu Fan
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal System Degeneration and Regeneration Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiwei Jie
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal System Degeneration and Regeneration Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
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10
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Abstract
The postnatal kidney is predominantly composed of nephron epithelia with the interstitial components representing a small proportion of the final organ, except in the diseased state. This is in stark contrast to the developing organ, which arises from the mesoderm and comprises an expansive stromal population with distinct regional gene expression. In many organs, the identity and ultimate function of an epithelium is tightly regulated by the surrounding stroma during development. However, although the presence of a renal stromal stem cell population has been demonstrated, the focus has been on understanding the process of nephrogenesis whereas the role of distinct stromal components during kidney morphogenesis is less clear. In this Review, we consider what is known about the role of the stroma of the developing kidney in nephrogenesis, where these cells come from as well as their heterogeneity, and reflect on how this information may improve human kidney organoid models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean B. Wilson
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Melissa H. Little
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
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11
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Planar cell polarity (PCP) proteins support spermatogenesis through cytoskeletal organization in the testis. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 121:99-113. [PMID: 34059418 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Few reports are found in the literature regarding the role of planar cell polarity (PCP) in supporting spermatogenesis in the testis. Yet morphological studies reported decades earlier have illustrated the directional alignment of polarized developing spermatids, most notably step 17-19 spermatids in stage V-early VIII tubules in the testis, across the plane of the epithelium in seminiferous tubules of adult rats. Such morphological features have unequivocally demonstrated the presence of PCP in developing spermatids, analogous to the PCP noted in hair cells of the cochlea in mammals. Emerging evidence in recent years has shown that Sertoli and germ cells express numerous PCP proteins, mostly notably, the core PCP proteins, PCP effectors and PCP signaling proteins. In this review, we discuss recent findings in the field regarding the two core PCP protein complexes, namely the Van Gogh-like 2 (Vangl2)/Prickle (Pk) complex and the Frizzled (Fzd)/Dishevelled (Dvl) complex. These findings have illustrated that these PCP proteins exert their regulatory role to support spermatogenesis through changes in the organization of actin and microtubule (MT) cytoskeletons in Sertoli cells. For instance, these PCP proteins confer PCP to developing spermatids. As such, developing haploid spermatids can be aligned and orderly packed within the limited space of the seminiferous tubules in the testes for the production of sperm via spermatogenesis. Thus, each adult male in the mouse, rat or human can produce an upward of 30, 50 or 300 million spermatozoa on a daily basis, respectively, throughout the adulthood. We also highlight critical areas of research that deserve attention in future studies. We also provide a hypothetical model by which PCP proteins support spermatogenesis based on recent studies in the testis. It is conceivable that the hypothetical model shown here will be updated as more data become available in future years, but this information can serve as the framework by investigators to unravel the role of PCP in spermatogenesis.
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12
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Hirschberger C, Sleight VA, Criswell KE, Clark SJ, Gillis JA. Conserved and unique transcriptional features of pharyngeal arches in the skate (Leucoraja erinacea) and evolution of the jaw. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:4187-4204. [PMID: 33905525 PMCID: PMC8476176 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The origin of the jaw is a long-standing problem in vertebrate evolutionary biology. Classical hypotheses of serial homology propose that the upper and lower jaw evolved through modifications of dorsal and ventral gill arch skeletal elements, respectively. If the jaw and gill arches are derived members of a primitive branchial series, we predict that they would share common developmental patterning mechanisms. Using candidate and RNAseq/differential gene expression analyses, we find broad conservation of dorsoventral (DV) patterning mechanisms within the developing mandibular, hyoid, and gill arches of a cartilaginous fish, the skate (Leucoraja erinacea). Shared features include expression of genes encoding members of the ventralizing BMP and endothelin signaling pathways and their effectors, the joint markers nkx3.2 and gdf5 and prochondrogenic transcription factor barx1, and the dorsal territory marker pou3f3. Additionally, we find that mesenchymal expression of eya1/six1 is an ancestral feature of the mandibular arch of jawed vertebrates, whereas differences in notch signaling distinguish the mandibular and gill arches in skate. Comparative transcriptomic analyses of mandibular and gill arch tissues reveal additional genes differentially expressed along the DV axis of the pharyngeal arches, including scamp5 as a novel marker of the dorsal mandibular arch, as well as distinct transcriptional features of mandibular and gill arch muscle progenitors and developing gill buds. Taken together, our findings reveal conserved patterning mechanisms in the pharyngeal arches of jawed vertebrates, consistent with serial homology of their skeletal derivatives, as well as unique transcriptional features that may underpin distinct jaw and gill arch morphologies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Victoria A Sleight
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
| | | | | | - J Andrew Gillis
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK.,Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
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13
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Single cell RNA sequencing uncovers cellular developmental sequences and novel potential intercellular communications in embryonic kidney. Sci Rep 2021; 11:73. [PMID: 33420268 PMCID: PMC7794461 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80154-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Kidney development requires the coordinated growth and differentiation of multiple cells. Despite recent single cell profiles in nephrogenesis research, tools for data analysis are rapidly developing, and offer an opportunity to gain additional insight into kidney development. In this study, single-cell RNA sequencing data obtained from embryonic mouse kidney were re-analyzed. Manifold learning based on partition-based graph-abstraction coordinated cells, reflecting their expected lineage relationships. Consequently, the coordination in combination with ForceAtlas2 enabled the inference of parietal epithelial cells of Bowman's capsule and the inference of cells involved in the developmental process from the S-shaped body to each nephron segment. RNA velocity suggested developmental sequences of proximal tubules and podocytes. In combination with a Markov chain algorithm, RNA velocity suggested the self-renewal processes of nephron progenitors. NicheNet analyses suggested that not only cells belonging to ureteric bud and stroma, but also endothelial cells, macrophages, and pericytes may contribute to the differentiation of cells from nephron progenitors. Organ culture of embryonic mouse kidney demonstrated that nerve growth factor, one of the nephrogenesis-related factors inferred by NicheNet, contributed to mitochondrial biogenesis in developing distal tubules. These approaches suggested previously unrecognized aspects of the underlying mechanisms for kidney development.
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14
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Substrate Specificity and Structural Modeling of Human Carboxypeptidase Z: A Unique Protease with a Frizzled-Like Domain. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228687. [PMID: 33217972 PMCID: PMC7698808 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Metallocarboxypeptidase Z (CPZ) is a secreted enzyme that is distinguished from all other members of the M14 metallocarboxypeptidase family by the presence of an N-terminal cysteine-rich Frizzled-like (Fz) domain that binds Wnt proteins. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of the enzymatic properties and substrate specificity of human CPZ. To investigate the enzymatic properties, we employed dansylated peptide substrates. For substrate specificity profiling, we generated two different large peptide libraries and employed isotopic labeling and quantitative mass spectrometry to study the substrate preference of this enzyme. Our findings revealed that CPZ has a strict requirement for substrates with C-terminal Arg or Lys at the P1′ position. For the P1 position, CPZ was found to display specificity towards substrates with basic, small hydrophobic, or polar uncharged side chains. Deletion of the Fz domain did not affect CPZ activity as a carboxypeptidase. Finally, we modeled the structure of the Fz and catalytic domains of CPZ. Taken together, these studies provide the molecular elucidation of substrate recognition and specificity of the CPZ catalytic domain, as well as important insights into how the Fz domain binds Wnt proteins to modulate their functions.
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15
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SFRPs Are Biphasic Modulators of Wnt-Signaling-Elicited Cancer Stem Cell Properties beyond Extracellular Control. Cell Rep 2020; 28:1511-1525.e5. [PMID: 31390565 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Secreted frizzled-related proteins (SFRPs) are mainly known for their role as extracellular modulators and tumor suppressors that downregulate Wnt signaling. Using the established (CRISPR/Cas9 targeting promoters of SFRPs and targeting SFRPs transcript) system, we find that nuclear SFRPs interact with β-catenin and either promote or suppress TCF4 recruitment. SFRPs bind with β-catenin on both their N and C termini, which the repressive effects caused by SFRP-β-catenin-N-terminus binding overpower the promoting effects of their binding at the C terminus. By high Wnt activity, β-catenin and SFRPs only bind with their C termini, which results in the upregulation of β-catenin transcriptional activity and cancer stem cell (CSC)-related genes. Furthermore, we identify disulfide bonds of the cysteine-rich domain (CRD) and two threonine phosphorylation events of the netrin-related motif (NTR) domain of SFRPs that are essential for their role as biphasic modulators, suggesting that SFRPs are biphasic modulators of Wnt signaling-elicited CSC properties beyond extracellular control.
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16
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Comparative investigation of coarse and fine wool sheep skin indicates the early regulators for skin and wool diversity. Gene 2020; 758:144968. [PMID: 32707304 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The hair follicle is an excellent mini-system illustrating the mechanisms governing organogenesis and regeneration. Although the general mechanisms modulating skin and hair follicle development are widely studied in mouse and chicken models, the delicate network regulating skin and hair diversity remains largely unclear. Sheep is an additional model to address the various wool characteristics observed in nature. The coarse and fine wool sheep with diverse fibers were examined to show differences in the primary wool follicle size and skin thickness. The molecular dynamics in skin staged at the primary wool follicle induction between two sheep lines were investigated by RNA-sequencing analyses to generate 1994 differentially expressed genes revealing marker genes for epithelium (6 genes), dermal condensate (38 genes) and dermal fibroblast (58 genes) highly correlated with skin and wool follicle morphological differences. The DEGs were enriched in GO terms represented by epithelial cell migration and differentiation, regulation of hair follicle development and ectodermal placode formation, and KEGG pathways typified by WNT and Hedgehog signaling pathways governing the differences of skin structure. The qPCR detection of 9 genes confirmed the similar expression tendency with RNA-sequencing profiles. This comparative study of coarse and fine wool sheep skin reveals the presence of skin and wool follicle differences at primary wool follicle induction stage, and indicates the potential effectors (APCDD1, FGF20, DKK1, IGFBP3 and SFRP4) regulating the skin compartments during the early morphogenesis of primary wool follicles to shape the variable wool fiber thickness in later developmental stages.
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17
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Bian Q, Cheng YH, Wilson JP, Su EY, Kim DW, Wang H, Yoo S, Blackshaw S, Cahan P. A single cell transcriptional atlas of early synovial joint development. Development 2020; 147:dev.185777. [PMID: 32580935 DOI: 10.1242/dev.185777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Synovial joint development begins with the formation of the interzone, a region of condensed mesenchymal cells at the site of the prospective joint. Recently, lineage-tracing strategies have revealed that Gdf5-lineage cells native to and from outside the interzone contribute to most, if not all, of the major joint components. However, there is limited knowledge of the specific transcriptional and signaling programs that regulate interzone formation and fate diversification of synovial joint constituents. To address this, we have performed single cell RNA-Seq analysis of 7329 synovial joint progenitor cells from the developing murine knee joint from E12.5 to E15.5. By using a combination of computational analytics, in situ hybridization and in vitro characterization of prospectively isolated populations, we have identified the transcriptional profiles of the major developmental paths for joint progenitors. Our freely available single cell transcriptional atlas will serve as a resource for the community to uncover transcriptional programs and cell interactions that regulate synovial joint development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Bian
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Yu-Hao Cheng
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA.,Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Jordan P Wilson
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Emily Y Su
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Dong Won Kim
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Hong Wang
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Sooyeon Yoo
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA.,Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
| | - Patrick Cahan
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA.,Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21205, USA
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18
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Wu Y, Liu X, Zheng H, Zhu H, Mai W, Huang X, Huang Y. Multiple Roles of sFRP2 in Cardiac Development and Cardiovascular Disease. Int J Biol Sci 2020; 16:730-738. [PMID: 32071544 PMCID: PMC7019133 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.40923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Wnt signaling pathway plays important roles in organ development and disease processes. Secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (sFRP2), a vital molecule of Wnt signaling, can regulate cardiac development and cardiovascular disease. Recent studies have suggested that sFRP2 is not only an antagonist of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway, but also has a more complex relationship in myocardial fibrosis, angiogenesis, cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac regeneration. Here, we review the role of sFRP2 and Wnt signaling in cardiac development and cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wu
- Department of Cardiology, Shunde hospital, Southern Medical University, Jiazi Road 1 Lunjiao Town, Shunde District, Foshan, Guangdong, 528308, China
| | - Xinyue Liu
- Department of Cardiology, Shunde hospital, Southern Medical University, Jiazi Road 1 Lunjiao Town, Shunde District, Foshan, Guangdong, 528308, China
| | - Haoxiao Zheng
- Department of Cardiology, Shunde hospital, Southern Medical University, Jiazi Road 1 Lunjiao Town, Shunde District, Foshan, Guangdong, 528308, China
| | - Hailan Zhu
- Department of Cardiology, Shunde hospital, Southern Medical University, Jiazi Road 1 Lunjiao Town, Shunde District, Foshan, Guangdong, 528308, China
| | - Weiyi Mai
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 510080, Guangzhou
| | - Xiaohui Huang
- Department of Cardiology, Shunde hospital, Southern Medical University, Jiazi Road 1 Lunjiao Town, Shunde District, Foshan, Guangdong, 528308, China
| | - Yuli Huang
- Department of Cardiology, Shunde hospital, Southern Medical University, Jiazi Road 1 Lunjiao Town, Shunde District, Foshan, Guangdong, 528308, China.,The George Institute for Global Health, NSW 2042 Australia
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19
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Kindermann B, Valkova C, Krämer A, Perner B, Engelmann C, Behrendt L, Kritsch D, Jungnickel B, Kehlenbach RH, Oswald F, Englert C, Kaether C. The nuclear pore proteins Nup88/214 and T-cell acute lymphatic leukemia-associated NUP214 fusion proteins regulate Notch signaling. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:11741-11750. [PMID: 31186352 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.006357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The Notch receptor is a key mediator of developmental programs and cell-fate decisions. Imbalanced Notch signaling leads to developmental disorders and cancer. To fully characterize the Notch signaling pathway and exploit it in novel therapeutic interventions, a comprehensive view on the regulation and requirements of Notch signaling is needed. Notch is regulated at different levels, ranging from ligand binding, stability to endocytosis. Using an array of different techniques, including reporter gene assays, immunocytochemistry, and ChIP-qPCR we show here, to the best of our knowledge for the first time, regulation of Notch signaling at the level of the nuclear pore. We found that the nuclear pore protein Nup214 (nucleoporin 214) and its interaction partner Nup88 negatively regulate Notch signaling in vitro and in vivo in zebrafish. In mammalian cells, loss of Nup88/214 inhibited nuclear export of recombination signal-binding protein for immunoglobulin κJ region (RBP-J), the DNA-binding component of the Notch pathway. This inhibition increased binding of RBP-J to its cognate promoter regions, resulting in increased downstream Notch signaling. Interestingly, we also found that NUP214 fusion proteins, causative for certain cases of T-cell acute lymphatic leukemia, potentially contribute to tumorigenesis via a Notch-dependent mechanism. In summary, the nuclear pore components Nup88/214 suppress Notch signaling in vitro, and in zebrafish, nuclear RBP-J levels are rate-limiting factors for Notch signaling in mammalian cells, and regulation of nucleocytoplasmic transport of RBP-J may contribute to fine-tuning Notch activity in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bastian Kindermann
- Leibniz Institut für Alternsforschung-Fritz Lipmann Institut, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Christina Valkova
- Leibniz Institut für Alternsforschung-Fritz Lipmann Institut, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Andreas Krämer
- Leibniz Institut für Alternsforschung-Fritz Lipmann Institut, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Birgit Perner
- Leibniz Institut für Alternsforschung-Fritz Lipmann Institut, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Engelmann
- Leibniz Institut für Alternsforschung-Fritz Lipmann Institut, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Laura Behrendt
- Leibniz Institut für Alternsforschung-Fritz Lipmann Institut, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Daniel Kritsch
- Institut für Biochemie und Biophysik, Friedrich Schiller Universität Jena, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Berit Jungnickel
- Institut für Biochemie und Biophysik, Friedrich Schiller Universität Jena, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Ralph H Kehlenbach
- Department of Molecular Biology, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Franz Oswald
- Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Abteilung für Innere Medizin I, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Christoph Englert
- Leibniz Institut für Alternsforschung-Fritz Lipmann Institut, 07745 Jena, Germany.,Institut für Biochemie und Biophysik, Friedrich Schiller Universität Jena, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Christoph Kaether
- Leibniz Institut für Alternsforschung-Fritz Lipmann Institut, 07745 Jena, Germany
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20
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Kruber P, Angay O, Winkler A, Bösl MR, Kneitz S, Heinze KG, Gessler M. Loss or oncogenic mutation of DROSHA
impairs kidney development and function, but is not sufficient for Wilms tumor formation. Int J Cancer 2018; 144:1391-1400. [DOI: 10.1002/ijc.31952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Philip Kruber
- Theodor-Boveri-Institute/Biocenter, Developmental Biochemistry; Wuerzburg University; Wuerzburg Germany
| | - Oguzhan Angay
- Rudolf Virchow Center, Research Center for Experimental Biomedicine; University of Würzburg; Würzburg Germany
| | - Anja Winkler
- Theodor-Boveri-Institute/Biocenter, Developmental Biochemistry; Wuerzburg University; Wuerzburg Germany
| | - Michael R. Bösl
- Department of Experimental Biomedicine; University Hospital and Rudolf Virchow Center, University of Würzburg; Würzburg Germany
| | - Susanne Kneitz
- Theodor-Boveri-Institute/Biocenter, Physiological Chemistry; Wuerzburg University; Wuerzburg Germany
| | - Katrin G. Heinze
- Rudolf Virchow Center, Research Center for Experimental Biomedicine; University of Würzburg; Würzburg Germany
| | - Manfred Gessler
- Theodor-Boveri-Institute/Biocenter, Developmental Biochemistry; Wuerzburg University; Wuerzburg Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken; Wuerzburg University; Wuerzburg Germany
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21
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Menon R, Otto EA, Kokoruda A, Zhou J, Zhang Z, Yoon E, Chen YC, Troyanskaya O, Spence JR, Kretzler M, Cebrián C. Single-cell analysis of progenitor cell dynamics and lineage specification in the human fetal kidney. Development 2018; 145:145/16/dev164038. [PMID: 30166318 PMCID: PMC6124540 DOI: 10.1242/dev.164038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian kidney develops through reciprocal interactions between the ureteric bud and the metanephric mesenchyme to give rise to the entire collecting system and the nephrons. Most of our knowledge of the developmental regulators driving this process arises from the study of gene expression and functional genetics in mice and other animal models. In order to shed light on human kidney development, we have used single-cell transcriptomics to characterize gene expression in different cell populations, and to study individual cell dynamics and lineage trajectories during development. Single-cell transcriptome analyses of 6414 cells from five individual specimens identified 11 initial clusters of specific renal cell types as defined by their gene expression profile. Further subclustering identifies progenitors, and mature and intermediate stages of differentiation for several renal lineages. Other lineages identified include mesangium, stroma, endothelial and immune cells. Novel markers for these cell types were revealed in the analysis, as were components of key signaling pathways driving renal development in animal models. Altogether, we provide a comprehensive and dynamic gene expression profile of the developing human kidney at the single-cell level. Summary: New markers for specific cell types in the developing human kidney are identified and computational approaches infer developmental trajectories and interrogate the complex network of signaling pathways and cellular transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajasree Menon
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Edgar A Otto
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Austin Kokoruda
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jian Zhou
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,Graduate Program in Quantitative and Computational Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Zidong Zhang
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,Graduate Program in Quantitative and Computational Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Euisik Yoon
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Yu-Chih Chen
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Olga Troyanskaya
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,Flatiron Institute, Simons Foundation, New York, NY 10010, USA.,Department of Computer Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
| | - Jason R Spence
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA .,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Matthias Kretzler
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Cristina Cebrián
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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22
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Vincent KM, Postovit LM. Matricellular proteins in cancer: a focus on secreted Frizzled-related proteins. J Cell Commun Signal 2018; 12:103-112. [PMID: 28589318 PMCID: PMC5842174 DOI: 10.1007/s12079-017-0398-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumours are complex entities, wherein cancer cells interact with myriad soluble, insoluble and cell associated factors. These microenvironmental mediators regulate tumour growth, progression and metastasis, and are produced by cancer cells and by stromal components such as fibroblast, adipocytes and immune cells. Through their ability to bind to extracellular matrix proteins, cell surface receptors and growth factors, matricellular proteins enable a dynamic reciprocity between cancer cells and their microenvironment. Hence, matricellular proteins play a critical role in tumour progression by regulating where and when cancer cells are exposed to key growth factors and regulatory proteins. Recent studies suggest that, in addition to altering Wingless (Wnt) signalling, certain members of the Secreted Frizzled Related Protein (sFRP) family are matricellular in nature. In this review, we outline the importance of matricellular proteins in cancer, and discuss how sFRPs may function to both inhibit and promote cancer progression in a context-dependent manner. By considering the matricellular functionality of sFRPs, we may better understand their apparently paradoxical roles in cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista Marie Vincent
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 114th St and 87th Ave, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1 Canada
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON N6A 3K7 Canada
| | - Lynne-Marie Postovit
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 114th St and 87th Ave, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1 Canada
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23
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Secreted frizzled related protein 4 (sFRP4) update: A brief review. Cell Signal 2018; 45:63-70. [PMID: 29360572 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2018.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Revised: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Secreted frizzled-related proteins control a multitude of biological phenomena throughout development and adult life in humans. In parallel, aberrant gene expression and abnormal secreted protein levels accompany a wide range of pathologies in humans. In this review, we provide a brief introduction to sFRP4, an update of the pathways it's involved, its various physiological actions that are reported to contribute to diseases, outlining the importance of its wider research and specific modulation by pharmacologic interventions. First recognized as a novel molecule that co-purified with a disparate protein, its identity was based on its sequence homology to the frizzled receptors. Once multiple members of the family were cloned, their genetic loci, tissue and subcellular distributions were located. Nucleotide and amino acid sequences were characterized and homology to different organisms was found to be present that helped elucidate their actions. Following subsequent experimental studies, they were found to be secreted proteins with an affinity to bind to the Wnt ligands, participating in different developmental and adult homeostatic pathways by the virtue of their regulatory function to the Wnt signal transduction system. Secreted frizzled related protein 4 has garnered considerable attention in the recent years following breakthrough discoveries implicating them in the pathogenesis of various diseases. Studies investigating them can provide information not only regarding their association with a disease but can also help use them as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Darras S, Fritzenwanker JH, Uhlinger KR, Farrelly E, Pani AM, Hurley IA, Norris RP, Osovitz M, Terasaki M, Wu M, Aronowicz J, Kirschner M, Gerhart JC, Lowe CJ. Anteroposterior axis patterning by early canonical Wnt signaling during hemichordate development. PLoS Biol 2018; 16:e2003698. [PMID: 29337984 PMCID: PMC5786327 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2003698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The Wnt family of secreted proteins has been proposed to play a conserved role in early specification of the bilaterian anteroposterior (A/P) axis. This hypothesis is based predominantly on data from vertebrate embryogenesis as well as planarian regeneration and homeostasis, indicating that canonical Wnt (cWnt) signaling endows cells with positional information along the A/P axis. Outside of these phyla, there is strong support for a conserved role of cWnt signaling in the repression of anterior fates, but little comparative support for a conserved role in promotion of posterior fates. We further test the hypothesis by investigating the role of cWnt signaling during early patterning along the A/P axis of the hemichordate Saccoglossus kowalevskii. We have cloned and investigated the expression of the complete Wnt ligand and Frizzled receptor complement of S. kowalevskii during early development along with many secreted Wnt modifiers. Eleven of the 13 Wnt ligands are ectodermally expressed in overlapping domains, predominantly in the posterior, and Wnt antagonists are localized predominantly to the anterior ectoderm in a pattern reminiscent of their distribution in vertebrate embryos. Overexpression and knockdown experiments, in combination with embryological manipulations, establish the importance of cWnt signaling for repression of anterior fates and activation of mid-axial ectodermal fates during the early development of S. kowalevskii. However, surprisingly, terminal posterior fates, defined by posterior Hox genes, are unresponsive to manipulation of cWnt levels during the early establishment of the A/P axis at late blastula and early gastrula. We establish experimental support for a conserved role of Wnt signaling in the early specification of the A/P axis during deuterostome body plan diversification, and further build support for an ancestral role of this pathway in early evolution of the bilaterian A/P axis. We find strong support for a role of cWnt in suppression of anterior fates and promotion of mid-axial fates, but we find no evidence that cWnt signaling plays a role in the early specification of the most posterior axial fates in S. kowalevskii. This posterior autonomy may be a conserved feature of early deuterostome axis specification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Darras
- Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS UMR 7288, Marseille, France
| | - Jens H. Fritzenwanker
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California
| | - Kevin R. Uhlinger
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California
| | - Ellyn Farrelly
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Ariel M. Pani
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Imogen A. Hurley
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Rachael P. Norris
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut
| | - Michelle Osovitz
- Department of Natural Sciences, St. Petersburg College, Clearwater, Florida
| | - Mark Terasaki
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut
| | - Mike Wu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California
| | - Jochanan Aronowicz
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Marc Kirschner
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - John C. Gerhart
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California
| | - Christopher J. Lowe
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California
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Hupe M, Li MX, Kneitz S, Davydova D, Yokota C, Kele J, Hot B, Stenman JM, Gessler M. Gene expression profiles of brain endothelial cells during embryonic development at bulk and single-cell levels. Sci Signal 2017; 10:10/487/eaag2476. [PMID: 28698213 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aag2476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier is a dynamic interface that separates the brain from the circulatory system, and it is formed by highly specialized endothelial cells. To explore the molecular mechanisms defining the unique nature of vascular development and differentiation in the brain, we generated high-resolution gene expression profiles of mouse embryonic brain endothelial cells using translating ribosome affinity purification and single-cell RNA sequencing. We compared the brain vascular translatome with the vascular translatomes of other organs and analyzed the vascular translatomes of the brain at different time points during embryonic development. Because canonical Wnt signaling is implicated in the formation of the blood-brain barrier, we also compared the brain endothelial translatome of wild-type mice with that of mice lacking the transcriptional cofactor β-catenin (Ctnnb1). Our analysis revealed extensive molecular changes during the embryonic development of the brain endothelium. We identified genes encoding brain endothelium-specific transcription factors (Foxf2, Foxl2, Foxq1, Lef1, Ppard, Zfp551, and Zic3) that are associated with maturation of the blood-brain barrier and act downstream of the Wnt-β-catenin signaling pathway. Profiling of individual brain endothelial cells revealed substantial heterogeneity in the population. Nevertheless, the high abundance of Foxf2, Foxq1, Ppard, or Zic3 transcripts correlated with the increased expression of genes encoding markers of brain endothelial cell differentiation. Expression of Foxf2 and Zic3 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells induced the production of blood-brain barrier differentiation markers. This comprehensive data set may help to improve the engineering of in vitro blood-brain barrier models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike Hupe
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd., Box 240, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden. .,Developmental Biochemistry, Theodor Boveri Institute (Biocenter), University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg D-97074, Germany
| | - Minerva Xueting Li
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd., Box 240, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden.,Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
| | - Susanne Kneitz
- Physiological Chemistry, Theodor Boveri Institute (Biocenter), University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg D-97074, Germany
| | - Daria Davydova
- Institute for Clinical Neurobiology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg D-97078, Germany
| | - Chika Yokota
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd., Box 240, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
| | - Julianna Kele
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd., Box 240, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
| | - Belma Hot
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd., Box 240, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
| | - Jan M Stenman
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd., Box 240, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
| | - Manfred Gessler
- Developmental Biochemistry, Theodor Boveri Institute (Biocenter), University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg D-97074, Germany.,Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg D-97074, Germany
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Vincent KM, Postovit LM. A pan-cancer analysis of secreted Frizzled-related proteins: re-examining their proposed tumour suppressive function. Sci Rep 2017; 7:42719. [PMID: 28218291 PMCID: PMC5316967 DOI: 10.1038/srep42719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 01/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Secreted frizzled-related proteins (SFRPs), containing five family members (SFRPs 1-5) are putative extracellular Wnt inhibitors. Given their abilities to inhibit Wnt signalling, as well as the loss of SFRP1 in many cancers, this family is generally considered to be tumour suppressive. In this study we analyzed gene expression, promoter methylation and survival data from over 8000 tumour and normal samples from 29 cancers in order to map the context-specific associations of SFRPs 1-5 with patient survival, gene silencing and gene expression signatures. We show that only SFRP1 associates consistently with tumour suppressive functions, and that SFRP2 and SFRP4 typically associate with a poor prognosis concomitant with the expression of genes associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Moreover, our results indicate that while SFRP1 is lost in cancer cells via the process of DNA methylation, SFRP2 and 4 are likely derived from the tumour stroma, and thus tend to increase in tumours as compared to normal tissues. This in-depth analysis highlights the need to study each SFRP as a separate entity and suggests that SFRP2 and SFRP4 should be approached as complex matricellular proteins with functions that extend far beyond their putative Wnt antagonistic ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista Marie Vincent
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 114th St and 87th Ave, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Lynne-Marie Postovit
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 114th St and 87th Ave, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada
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Rowan CJ, Sheybani-Deloui S, Rosenblum ND. Origin and Function of the Renal Stroma in Health and Disease. Results Probl Cell Differ 2017; 60:205-229. [PMID: 28409347 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-51436-9_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The renal stroma is defined as a heterogeneous population of cells that serve both as a supportive framework and as a source of specialized cells in the renal capsule, glomerulus, vasculature, and interstitium. In this chapter, we review published evidence defining what, where, and why stromal cells are important. We describe the functions of the renal stroma andhow stromal derivatives are crucial for normal kidney function. Next, we review the specification of stromal cells from the Osr1+ intermediate mesoderm and T+ presomitic mesoderm during embryogenesis and stromal cell differentiation. We focus on stromal signaling mechanisms that act in both a cell and non-cell autonomous manner in communication with the nephron progenitor and ureteric lineages. To conclude, stromal cells and the contribution of stromal cells to renal fibrosis and chronic kidney disease are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Rowan
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sepideh Sheybani-Deloui
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Norman D Rosenblum
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St., Rm 16-9-706, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada.
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The atypical cadherin Celsr1 functions non-cell autonomously to block rostral migration of facial branchiomotor neurons in mice. Dev Biol 2016; 417:40-9. [PMID: 27395006 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Revised: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The caudal migration of facial branchiomotor (FBM) neurons from rhombomere (r) 4 to r6 in the hindbrain is an excellent model to study neuronal migration mechanisms. Although several Wnt/Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) components are required for FBM neuron migration, only Celsr1, an atypical cadherin, regulates the direction of migration in mice. In Celsr1 mutants, a subset of FBM neurons migrates rostrally instead of caudally. Interestingly, Celsr1 is not expressed in the migrating FBM neurons, but rather in the adjacent floor plate and adjoining ventricular zone. To evaluate the contribution of different expression domains to neuronal migration, we conditionally inactivated Celsr1 in specific cell types. Intriguingly, inactivation of Celsr1 in the ventricular zone of r3-r5, but not in the floor plate, leads to rostral migration of FBM neurons, greatly resembling the migration defect of Celsr1 mutants. Dye fill experiments indicate that the rostrally-migrated FBM neurons in Celsr1 mutants originate from the anterior margin of r4. These data suggest strongly that Celsr1 ensures that FBM neurons migrate caudally by suppressing molecular cues in the rostral hindbrain that can attract FBM neurons.
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29
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sFRP4-dependent Wnt signal modulation is critical for bone remodeling during postnatal development and age-related bone loss. Sci Rep 2016; 6:25198. [PMID: 27117872 PMCID: PMC4846872 DOI: 10.1038/srep25198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
sFRP4 is an extracellular Wnt antagonist that fine-tunes its signal activity by direct binding to Wnts. Bone fragility under oxidative stress by diabetes and aging is partly related to the suppression of the Wnt signal through upregulated sFRP4. Here, to explore the functions of sFRP4 as a balancer molecule in bone development and remodeling, we analyzed the sFRP4 knock-in mouse strain. X-gal and immunohistochemically stained signals in sFRP4-LacZ heterozygous mice were detectable in restricted areas, mostly in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, of the femoral diaphysis after neonatal and postnatal stages. Histological and μCT analyses showed increased trabecular bone mass with alteration of the Wnt signal and osteogenic activity in sFRP4 mutants; this augmented the effect of the buildup of trabecular bone during the ageing period. Our results indicate that sFRP4 plays a critical role in bone development and remodeling by regulating osteoblasts and osteoclasts, and that its functional loss prevents age-related bone loss in the trabecular bone area. These findings imply that sFRP4 functions as a key potential endogenous balancer of the Wnt signaling pathway by efficiently having direct influence on both bone formation and bone absorption during skeletal bone development and maintenance through remodeling.
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Herpin A, Englberger E, Zehner M, Wacker R, Gessler M, Schartl M. Defective autophagy through epg5 mutation results in failure to reduce germ plasm and mitochondria. FASEB J 2015; 29:4145-61. [PMID: 26183773 DOI: 10.1096/fj.14-265462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2014] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved catabolic process that transports cytoplasmic components to lysosomes for degradation. In addition to the canonical view of strict stress-response-induced autophagy, selectively programmed autophagy was recently reported in the context of gonad development of flies and worms, where autophagy seems to be necessary for clearance of germ plasm components. Similar functions have not been described in vertebrates. We used the medaka fish to study the role of autophagy in gonad formation and gametogenesis for the first time in a vertebrate organism for which the germ line is specified by germ plasm. Using a transgenic line deficient in the Ol-epg5 gene—a new critical component of the autophagy pathway—we show that such deficiency leads to an impaired autophagic flux, possibly attributed to compromised maturation or processing of the autophagosomes. Ol-epg5 deficiency correlates with selectively impaired spermatogenesis and low allele transmission rates of the mutant allele caused by failure of germ plasm and mitochondria clearance during the process of germ cell specification and in the adult gonads. The mouse epg-5 homolog is similarly expressed in the maturating and adult testes, suggesting an at least partially conserved function of this process during spermatogenesis in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaury Herpin
- *Physiological Chemistry, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Unité de Recherche 1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Rennes, France; and Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University Clinic Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Eva Englberger
- *Physiological Chemistry, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Unité de Recherche 1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Rennes, France; and Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University Clinic Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Mario Zehner
- *Physiological Chemistry, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Unité de Recherche 1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Rennes, France; and Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University Clinic Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Robin Wacker
- *Physiological Chemistry, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Unité de Recherche 1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Rennes, France; and Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University Clinic Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Manfred Gessler
- *Physiological Chemistry, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Unité de Recherche 1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Rennes, France; and Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University Clinic Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Manfred Schartl
- *Physiological Chemistry, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Unité de Recherche 1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Rennes, France; and Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University Clinic Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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Secreted frizzled related proteins modulate pathfinding and fasciculation of mouse retina ganglion cell axons by direct and indirect mechanisms. J Neurosci 2015; 35:4729-40. [PMID: 25788689 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3304-13.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Retina ganglion cell (RGC) axons grow along a stereotyped pathway undergoing coordinated rounds of fasciculation and defasciculation, which are critical to establishing proper eye-brain connections. How this coordination is achieved is poorly understood, but shedding of guidance cues by metalloproteinases is emerging as a relevant mechanism. Secreted Frizzled Related Proteins (Sfrps) are multifunctional proteins, which, among others, reorient RGC growth cones by regulating intracellular second messengers, and interact with Tolloid and ADAM metalloproteinases, thereby repressing their activity. Here, we show that the combination of these two functions well explain the axon guidance phenotype observed in Sfrp1 and Sfrp2 single and compound mouse mutant embryos, in which RGC axons make subtle but significant mistakes during their intraretinal growth and inappropriately defasciculate along their pathway. The distribution of Sfrp1 and Sfrp2 in the eye is consistent with the idea that Sfrp1/2 normally constrain axon growth into the fiber layer and the optic disc. Disheveled axon growth instead seems linked to Sfrp-mediated modulation of metalloproteinase activity. Indeed, retinal explants from embryos with different Sfrp-null alleles or explants overexpressing ADAM10 extend axons with a disheveled appearance, which is reverted by the addition of Sfrp1 or an ADAM10-specific inhibitor. This mode of growth is associated with an abnormal proteolytic processing of L1 and N-cadherin, two ADAM10 substrates previously implicated in axon guidance. We thus propose that Sfrps contribute to coordinate visual axon growth with a dual mechanism: by directly signaling at the growth cone and by regulating the processing of other relevant cues.
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32
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Li W, Hartwig S, Rosenblum ND. Developmental origins and functions of stromal cells in the normal and diseased mammalian kidney. Dev Dyn 2014; 243:853-63. [DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2014] [Revised: 03/20/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Winny Li
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto; Toronto Canada
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology; The Hospital for Sick Children; Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - Sunny Hartwig
- Department of Biomedical Science; Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island; Prince Edward Island Canada
| | - Norman D. Rosenblum
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto; Toronto Canada
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology; The Hospital for Sick Children; Toronto Ontario Canada
- Division of Nephrology; Hospital for Sick Children; Toronto Ontario Canada
- Department of Physiology; University of Toronto; Toronto Ontario Canada
- Department of Pediatrics; University of Toronto; Toronto Ontario Canada
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Sugiyama Y, Shelley EJ, Wen L, Stump RJW, Shimono A, Lovicu FJ, McAvoy JW. Sfrp1 and Sfrp2 are not involved in Wnt/β-catenin signal silencing during lens induction but are required for maintenance of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in lens epithelial cells. Dev Biol 2013; 384:181-93. [PMID: 24140542 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2013.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2013] [Revised: 10/03/2013] [Accepted: 10/07/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
During eye lens development, regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling is critical for two major processes: initially it must be silent in the lens placode for lens development to proceed, but subsequently it is required for maintenance of the lens epithelium. It is not known how these different phases of Wnt/β-catenin activity/inactivity are regulated. Secreted frizzled related protein-2 (Sfrp2), a putative Wnt-Fz antagonist, is expressed in lens placode and in lens epithelial cells and has been put forward as a candidate for regional Wnt/β-catenin pathway regulation. Here we show its closely-related isoform, Sfrp1, has a complimentary pattern of expression in the lens, being absent from the placode and epithelium but expressed in the fibers. As mice with single knockouts of Sfrp1 or Sfrp2 had no defects in lens formation, we examined lenses of Sfrp1 and Sfrp2 double knockout (DKO) mice and showed that they formed lens placode and subsequent lens structures. Consistent with this we did not observe ectopic TCF/Lef activity in lens placode of DKOs. This indicates that Sfrp1 and Sfrp2 individually, or together, do not constitute the putative negative regulator that blocks Wnt/β-catenin signaling during lens induction. In contrast, Sfrp1 and Sfrp2 appear to have a positive regulatory function because Wnt/β-catenin signaling in lens epithelial cells was reduced in Sfrp1 and Sfrp2 DKO mice. Lenses that formed in DKO mice were smaller than controls and exhibited a deficient epithelium. Thus Sfrps play a role in lens development, at least in part, by regulating aspects of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in lens epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Sugiyama
- Save Sight Institute, The University of Sydney, Australia
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Liu C, Gu S, Sun C, Ye W, Song Z, Zhang Y, Chen Y. FGF signaling sustains the odontogenic fate of dental mesenchyme by suppressing β-catenin signaling. Development 2013; 140:4375-85. [PMID: 24067353 DOI: 10.1242/dev.097733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Odontoblasts and osteoblasts develop from multipotent craniofacial neural crest cells during tooth and jawbone development, but the mechanisms that specify and sustain their respective fates remain largely unknown. In this study we used early mouse molar and incisor tooth germs that possess distinct tooth-forming capability after dissociation and reaggregation in vitro to investigate the mechanism that sustains odontogenic fate of dental mesenchyme during tooth development. We found that after dissociation and reaggregation, incisor, but not molar, mesenchyme exhibits a strong osteogenic potency associated with robustly elevated β-catenin signaling activity in a cell-autonomous manner, leading to failed tooth formation in the reaggregates. Application of FGF3 to incisor reaggregates inhibits β-catenin signaling activity and rescues tooth formation. The lack of FGF retention on the cell surface of incisor mesenchyme appears to account for the differential osteogenic potency between incisor and molar, which can be further attributed to the differential expression of syndecan 1 and NDST genes. We further demonstrate that FGF signaling inhibits intracellular β-catenin signaling by activating the PI3K/Akt pathway to regulate the subcellular localization of active GSK3β in dental mesenchymal cells. Our results reveal a novel function for FGF signaling in ensuring the proper fate of dental mesenchyme by regulating β-catenin signaling activity during tooth development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Liu
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
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35
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Zhao X, Huang H, Chen Y, Liu Y, Zhang Z, Ma Q, Qiu M. Dynamic expression of secreted Frizzled-related protein 3 (sFRP3) in the developing mouse spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia. Neuroscience 2013; 248:594-601. [PMID: 23827310 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.06.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2012] [Revised: 06/19/2013] [Accepted: 06/20/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Wnt proteins have been implicated in regulating a variety of developmental processes in the CNS. Secreted Frizzled-related protein 3 (sFRP3) is a member of the sFRP family that can inhibit the Wnt signaling by binding directly to Wnts via their regions of homology to the Wnt-binding domain of Frizzleds. Recent studies suggested that sFRP3 plays an important role in cell proliferation and differentiation in various tissues. To understand the role of sFRP3 in neural development, we carried out detailed studies on the expression of sFRP3 in the developing nervous system. Our results revealed that sFRP3 is initially expressed in the ventricular zone of the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia (DRG), and later in the dorsal horn of spinal cord and subpopulation of DRG neurons. The spatiotemporally dynamic expression ofsFRP3 strongly suggests that sFRP3 has potential functions in the sensory neuron genesis and sensory circuitry formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- X Zhao
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310029, PR China
| | - H Huang
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310029, PR China
| | - Y Chen
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310029, PR China
| | - Y Liu
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310029, PR China
| | - Z Zhang
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310029, PR China
| | - Q Ma
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 1 Jimmy Fund Way, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - M Qiu
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310029, PR China; Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
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Fotaki V, Smith R, Pratt T, Price DJ. Foxg1 is required to limit the formation of ciliary margin tissue and Wnt/β-catenin signalling in the developing nasal retina of the mouse. Dev Biol 2013; 380:299-313. [PMID: 23624311 PMCID: PMC3722486 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2013.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2012] [Revised: 04/15/2013] [Accepted: 04/16/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The ciliary margin (CM) develops in the peripheral retina and gives rise to the iris and the ciliary body. The Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway has been implicated in ciliary margin development. Here, we tested the hypothesis that in the developing mouse retina Foxg1 is responsible for suppressing the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and restricting CM development. We showed that there is excess CM tissue in Foxg1−/− null embryos and this expansion is more pronounced in the nasal retina where Foxg1 normally shows its highest expression levels. Results on expression of a reporter allele for Wnt/β-catenin signalling and of Lef1, a target of Wnt/β-catenin signalling, displayed significant upregulation of this pathway in Foxg1−/− nulls at embryonic days 12.5 and 14.5. Interestingly, this upregulation was observed specifically in the nasal retina, where normally very few Wnt-responsive cells are observed. These results indicate a suppressive role of Foxg1 on this signalling pathway. Our results reveal a new role of Foxg1 in limiting CM development in the nasal peripheral retina and add a new molecular player in the developmental network involved in CM specification. Foxg1 is expressed in a nasal-high to temporal-low gradient in developing retina. Ciliary margin expansion is observed nasally in the Foxg1−/− mutant retina. Wnt/β-catenin signalling is upregulated in the Foxg1−/− peripheral retina nasally. A new role of Foxg1 in controlling ciliary margin development is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vassiliki Fotaki
- University of Edinburgh, Centre for Integrative Physiology, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK.
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Zhang X, Hao L, Meng L, Liu M, Zhao L, Hu F, Ding C, Wang Y, He B, Pan Y, Fang W, Chen J, Hu S, Jia M. Digital gene expression tag profiling analysis of the gene expression patterns regulating the early stage of mouse spermatogenesis. PLoS One 2013; 8:e58680. [PMID: 23554914 PMCID: PMC3598852 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2012] [Accepted: 02/06/2013] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Detailed characterization of the gene expression patterns in spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes is critical to understand the processes which occur prior to meiosis during normal spermatogenesis. The genome-wide expression profiles of mouse type B spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes were investigated using the Solexa/Illumina digital gene expression (DGE) system, a tag based high-throughput transcriptome sequencing method, and the developmental processes which occur during early spermatogenesis were systematically analyzed. Gene expression patterns vary significantly between mouse type B spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes. The functional analysis revealed that genes related to junction assembly, regulation of the actin cytoskeleton and pluripotency were most significantly differently expressed. Pathway analysis indicated that the Wnt non-canonical signaling pathway played a central role and interacted with the actin filament organization pathway during the development of spermatogonia. This study provides a foundation for further analysis of the gene expression patterns and signaling pathways which regulate the molecular mechanisms of early spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiujun Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei United University, Tangshan, Hebei, China
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
| | - Lili Hao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lijun Meng
- Department of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Tangshan College, Tangshan, Hebei, China
| | - Meiling Liu
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
| | - Lina Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei United University, Tangshan, Hebei, China
| | - Fen Hu
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei United University, Tangshan, Hebei, China
| | - Cunbao Ding
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei United University, Tangshan, Hebei, China
| | - Yang Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei United University, Tangshan, Hebei, China
| | - Baoling He
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei United University, Tangshan, Hebei, China
| | - Yuxin Pan
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei United University, Tangshan, Hebei, China
| | - Wei Fang
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei United University, Tangshan, Hebei, China
| | - Jing Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei United University, Tangshan, Hebei, China
| | - Songnian Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (SH); (MJ)
| | - Mengchun Jia
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (SH); (MJ)
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Strobl-Mazzulla PH, Bronner ME. A PHD12-Snail2 repressive complex epigenetically mediates neural crest epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 198:999-1010. [PMID: 22986495 PMCID: PMC3444776 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201203098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Neural crest cells form within the neural tube and then undergo an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) to initiate migration to distant locations. The transcriptional repressor Snail2 has been implicated in neural crest EMT via an as of yet unknown mechanism. We report that the adaptor protein PHD12 is highly expressed before neural crest EMT. At cranial levels, loss of PHD12 phenocopies Snail2 knockdown, preventing transcriptional shutdown of the adhesion molecule Cad6b (Cadherin6b), thereby inhibiting neural crest emigration. Although not directly binding to each other, PHD12 and Snail2 both directly interact with Sin3A in vivo, which in turn complexes with histone deacetylase (HDAC). Chromatin immunoprecipitation revealed that PHD12 is recruited to the Cad6b promoter during neural crest EMT. Consistent with this, lysines on histone 3 at the Cad6b promoter are hyperacetylated before neural crest emigration, correlating with active transcription, but deacetylated during EMT, reflecting the repressive state. Knockdown of either PHD12 or Snail2 prevents Cad6b promoter deacetylation. Collectively, the results show that PHD12 interacts directly with Sin3A/HDAC, which in turn interacts with Snail2, forming a complex at the Cad6b promoter and thus revealing the nature of the in vivo Snail repressive complex that regulates neural crest EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo H Strobl-Mazzulla
- Biología del Desarrollo, Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas-Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-Universidad Nacional de San Martín, 7130 Chascomús, Argentina
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Shahidul Makki M, Cristy Ruteshouser E, Huff V. Ubiquitin specific protease 18 (Usp18) is a WT1 transcriptional target. Exp Cell Res 2013; 319:612-22. [PMID: 23291318 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2012.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2012] [Revised: 11/21/2012] [Accepted: 12/14/2012] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Wilms tumor gene WT1 encodes a zinc finger-containing transcription factor which is required for renal development. Mutations in WT1 are observed in 20% of Wilms tumors (a pediatric kidney cancer), but the in vivo WT1 targets and associated molecular pathways involved in the etiology of Wilms tumor are still elusive. To identify WT1 targets we performed genome-wide comprehensive expression profiling using Affymetrix Gene Chip Mouse Genome 430 2.0 Arrays, comparing E13.5 mouse kidneys in which Wt1 had been somatically ablated with littermate controls. We identified Usp18 as the most differentially expressed gene in mutant kidney. Using tetracycline inducible cells we demonstrated a repressive effect of WT1 on USP18 expression. Conversely, knockdown of WT1 led to the upregulation of Usp18. Furthermore, direct binding of WT1 to the Usp18 promoter was demonstrated by ChIP assay. Overexpression of USP18 in murine and human cell lines resulted in cell proliferation. Additionally, Usp18 upregulation was observed in a mouse model of Wilms tumor. Taken together our data demonstrate that Usp18 is a transcriptional target of WT1 and suggest that increased expression of USP18 following WT1 loss contributes to Wilms tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Shahidul Makki
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 1010, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Fuhrmann S. Wnt signaling in eye organogenesis. Organogenesis 2012; 4:60-7. [PMID: 19122781 DOI: 10.4161/org.4.2.5850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2008] [Accepted: 03/06/2008] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The vertebrate eye consists of multiple tissues with distinct embryonic origins. To ensure formation of the eye as a functional organ, development of ocular tissues must be precisely coordinated. Besides intrinsic regulators, several extracellular pathways have been shown to participate in controlling critical steps during eye development. Many components of Wnt/Frizzled signaling pathways are expressed in developing ocular tissues, and substantial progress has been made in the past few years in understanding their function during vertebrate eye development. Here, I summarize recent work using functional experiments to elucidate the roles of Wnt/Frizzled pathways during development of ocular tissues in different vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Fuhrmann
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences; John A. Moran Eye Center; University of Utah; Salt Lake City, Utah USA
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41
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Pazin DE, Gamer LW, Cox KA, Rosen V. Molecular profiling of synovial joints: use of microarray analysis to identify factors that direct the development of the knee and elbow. Dev Dyn 2012; 241:1816-26. [PMID: 22972626 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.23861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Synovial joints develop from the interzone, a dense layer of mesenchymal progenitor cells that marks the site of the future joint. During the morphogenic events that follow, joints attain their distinct shape and organization. The molecular mechanisms controlling the initial specification of synovial joints has been studied, but the question of how individual joints attain the specific structure required for their unique functions remains largely unresolved. Here, we use microarray analysis to compare knee and elbow formation to identify factors involved in the development of specific joints. RESULTS The knee is enriched for the hindlimb patterning genes Hoxc9, Hoxc10, and Tbx4 and for Tgfbi, Rspo2, and Sfrp2, factors involved in transforming growth factor-beta/bone morphogenetic protein (TGFβ/BMP) and Wnt signaling. Consistent with these findings, we show that TGFβ signaling directs knee morphogenesis, and is necessary for meniscus development. The tissue surrounding the elbow is highly enriched for genes involved in muscle specification and differentiation, and in splotch-delayed muscleless mutants, elbow, but not knee morphogenesis is disrupted. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest there are fundamental differences in how individual joints develop after interzone formation. Our microarray analyses provides a new resource for further investigation of the pathways involved in the morphogenesis of specific synovial joints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothy E Pazin
- Department of Developmental Biology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 188 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Närhi K, Tummers M, Ahtiainen L, Itoh N, Thesleff I, Mikkola ML. Sostdc1 defines the size and number of skin appendage placodes. Dev Biol 2012; 364:149-61. [PMID: 22509524 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2012.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Mammary glands and hair follicles develop as ectodermal organs sharing common features during embryonic morphogenesis. The molecular signals controlling the initiation and patterning of skin appendages involve the bone morphogenetic proteins and Wnt family members, which are commonly thought to serve as inhibitory and activating cues, respectively. Here, we have examined the role of the Bmp and Wnt pathway modulator Sostdc1 in mammary gland, and hair and vibrissa follicle development using Sostdc1-null mice. Contrary to previous speculations, loss of Sostdc1 did not affect pelage hair cycling. Instead, we found that Sostdc1 limits the number of developing vibrissae and other muzzle hair follicles, and the size of primary hair placodes. Sostdc1 controls also the size and shape of mammary buds. Furthermore, Sostdc1 is essential for suppression of hair follicle fate in the normally hairless nipple epidermis, but its loss also promotes the appearance of supernumerary nipple-like protrusions. Our data suggest that functions of Sostdc1 can be largely attributed to its ability to attenuate Wnt/β-catenin signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Närhi
- Developmental Biology Program, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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43
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Wong YH, Wang H, Ravasi T, Qian PY. Involvement of Wnt signaling pathways in the metamorphosis of the bryozoan Bugula neritina. PLoS One 2012; 7:e33323. [PMID: 22448242 PMCID: PMC3308966 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2011] [Accepted: 02/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we analyzed the metamorphosis of the marine bryozoan Bugula neritina. We observed the morphogenesis of the ancestrula. We defined three distinct pre-ancestrula stages based on the anatomy of the developing polypide and the overall morphology of pre-ancestrula. We then used an annotation based enrichment analysis tool to analyze the B. neritina transcriptome and identified over-representation of genes related to Wnt signaling pathways, suggesting its involvement in metamorphosis. Finally, we studied the temporal-spatial gene expression studies of several Wnt pathway genes. We found that one of the Wnt ligand, BnWnt10, was expressed spatially opposite to the Wnt antagonist BnsFRP within the blastemas, which is the presumptive polypide. Down-stream components of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway were exclusively expressed in the blastemas. Bnβcatenin and BnFz5/8 were exclusively expressed in the blastemas throughout the metamorphosis. Based on the genes expression patterns, we propose that BnWnt10 and BnsFRP may relate to the patterning of the polypide, in which the two genes served as positional signals and contributed to the polarization of the blastemas. Another Wnt ligand, BnWnt6, was expressed in the apical part of the pre-ancestrula epidermis. Overall, our findings suggest that the Wnt signaling pathway may be important to the pattern formation of polypide and the development of epidermis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Him Wong
- KAUST Global Collaborative Research Program, Division of Life Sciences, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hao Wang
- KAUST Global Collaborative Research Program, Division of Life Sciences, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Timothy Ravasi
- Department of Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Pei-Yuan Qian
- KAUST Global Collaborative Research Program, Division of Life Sciences, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Sebastián-Serrano A, Sandonis A, Cardozo M, Rodríguez-Tornos FM, Bovolenta P, Nieto M. Pαx6 expression in postmitotic neurons mediates the growth of axons in response to SFRP1. PLoS One 2012; 7:e31590. [PMID: 22359602 PMCID: PMC3281087 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2011] [Accepted: 01/16/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
During development, the mechanisms that specify neuronal subclasses are coupled to those that determine their axonal response to guidance cues. Pax6 is a homedomain transcription factor required for the specification of a variety of neural precursors. After cell cycle exit, Pax6 expression is often shut down in the precursor progeny and most postmitotic neurons no longer express detectable levels of the protein. There are however exceptions and high Pax6 protein levels are found, for example, in postmitotic retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), dopaminergic neurons of the olfactory bulb and the limbic system in the telencephalon. The function of Pax6 in these differentiating neurons remains mostly elusive. Here, we demonstrate that Pax6 mediates the response of growing axons to SFRP1, a secreted molecule expressed in several Pax6-positive forebrain territories. Forced expression of Pax6 in cultured postmitotic cortical neurons, which do not normally express Pax6, was sufficient to increment axonal length. Growth was blocked by the addition of anti-SFRP1 antibodies, whereas exogenously added SFRP1 increased axonal growth of Pax6-transfected neurons but not that of control or untransfected cortical neurons. In the reverse scenario, shRNA-mediated knock-down of Pax6 in mouse retinal explants specifically abolished RGCs axonal growth induced by SFRP1, but had no effect on RGCs differentiation and it did not modify the effect of Shh or Netrin on axon growth. Taken together these results demonstrate that expression of Pax6 is necessary and sufficient to render postmitotic neurons competent to respond to SFRP1. These results reveal a novel and unexpected function of Pax6 in postmitotic neurons and situate Pax6 and SFRP1 as pair regulators of axonal connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro Sebastián-Serrano
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Africa Sandonis
- Centro de Biologia Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-UAM, and CIBER de Enfermedades Raras, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marcos Cardozo
- Centro de Biologia Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-UAM, and CIBER de Enfermedades Raras, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Paola Bovolenta
- Centro de Biologia Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-UAM, and CIBER de Enfermedades Raras, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Nieto
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
The inner ears of vertebrates represent one of the most striking examples of planar cell polarity (PCP). Populations of directionally sensitive mechanosensory hair cells develop actin-based stereociliary bundles that are uniformly oriented. Analysis of perturbations in bundle polarity in mice with mutations in Vangl2 formed the basis for the initial demonstration of conservation of the PCP signaling pathway in vertebrates. Subsequent studies have demonstrated roles for other "core" PCP genes, such as Frizzled, Disheveled, and Celsr, and for identifying novel PCP molecules such as Scribble and Ptk7. In addition, the demonstration of hearing deficits in humans with mutations in cilia genes combined with analysis of PCP defects in mice with ciliary deletion has implicated the cilia as an important modulator of hair cell polarization. Finally, the presence of shortened cochleae in many PCP mouse mutants has revealed an additional role for the PCP pathway in the development of the auditory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen May-Simera
- Laboratory of Cochlear Development, NIDCD, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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46
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Izawa T, Ogasawara JE, Sakurai T, Nomura S, Kizaki T, Ohno H. Recent advances in the adaptations of adipose tissue to physical activity: Morphology and adipose tissue cellularity. THE JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL FITNESS AND SPORTS MEDICINE 2012. [DOI: 10.7600/jpfsm.1.381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Abstract
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most lethal of all the genitourinary cancers, as it is generally refractory to current treatment regimens, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Targeted therapies against critical signaling pathways associated with RCC pathogenesis, such as vascular endothelial growth factor, von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor and mammalian target of rapamycin, have shown limited efficacy so far. Thus, Wnt signaling, which is known to be intricately involved in the pathogenesis of RCC, has attracted much interest. Several Wnt signaling components have been examined in RCC, and, while studies suggest that Wnt signaling is constitutively active in RCC, the molecular mechanisms differ considerably from other human carcinomas. Increasing evidence indicates that secreted Wnt antagonists have important roles in RCC pathogenesis. Considering these vital roles, it has been postulated--and supported by experimental evidence--that the functional loss of Wnt antagonists, for example by promoter hypermethylation, can contribute to constitutive activation of the Wnt pathway, resulting in carcinogenesis through dysregulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. However, subsequent functional studies of these Wnt antagonists have demonstrated the inherent complexities underlying their role in RCC pathogenesis.
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Hox10 genes function in kidney development in the differentiation and integration of the cortical stroma. PLoS One 2011; 6:e23410. [PMID: 21858105 PMCID: PMC3156768 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2011] [Accepted: 07/16/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Organogenesis requires the differentiation and integration of distinct populations of cells to form a functional organ. In the kidney, reciprocal interactions between the ureter and the nephrogenic mesenchyme are required for organ formation. Additionally, the differentiation and integration of stromal cells are also necessary for the proper development of this organ. Much remains to be understood regarding the origin of cortical stromal cells and the pathways involved in their formation and function. By generating triple mutants in the Hox10 paralogous group genes, we demonstrate that Hox10 genes play a critical role in the developing kidney. Careful examination of control kidneys show that Foxd1-expressing stromal precursor cells are first observed in a cap-like pattern anterior to the metanephric mesenchyme and these cells subsequently integrate posteriorly into the kidney periphery as development proceeds. While the initial cap-like pattern of Foxd1-expressing cortical stromal cells is unaffected in Hox10 mutants, these cells fail to become properly integrated into the kidney, and do not differentiate to form the kidney capsule. Consistent with loss of cortical stromal cell function, Hox10 mutant kidneys display reduced and aberrant ureter branching, decreased nephrogenesis. These data therefore provide critical novel insights into the cellular and genetic mechanisms governing cortical cell development during kidney organogenesis. These results, combined with previous evidence demonstrating that Hox11 genes are necessary for patterning the metanephric mesenchyme, support a model whereby distinct populations in the nephrogenic cord are regulated by unique Hox codes, and that differential Hox function along the AP axis of the nephrogenic cord is critical for the differentiation and integration of these cell types during kidney organogenesis.
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Slawny NA, O'Shea KS. Dynamic changes in Wnt signaling are required for neuronal differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells. Mol Cell Neurosci 2011; 48:205-16. [PMID: 21856426 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2011.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2011] [Revised: 07/20/2011] [Accepted: 07/26/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryonic stem cells (ESC) and the epiblast share a similar gene expression profile and an attenuated cell cycle, making them an accessible and tractable model system to study lineage choice at gastrulation. Differentiation of the epiblast and ESC to the mesendodermal lineage has been shown to rely on Wnt/β-catenin signaling; which counterintuitively, is also required to inhibit differentiation and maintain pluripotency. To examine these seemingly contradictory roles, we developed a mouse ESC (ESC) line that inducibly expresses a dominant negative Tcf4 (dnTcf4) protein to block canonical Wnt signaling. Cells expressing the dnTcf4 protein differentiated largely to Sox3 positive neural precursors but were unable to progress to βIII tubulin positive neurons unless Wnt signaling was derepressed, demonstrating a sequential requirement for Wnt signaling in lineage differentiation. To determine if Wnt/β-catenin signaling is similarily required at sequential stages of neural differentiation in the intact embryo, we delivered shRNA targeting β-catenin to pregnant mice on E5.5 of development. Blocking canonical Wnt signaling during post-implantation development increased the number of neural precursors which failed to differentiate to mature neurons, and produced defects of embryonic axis elongation, neurulation and neural tube closure that phenocopy the β-catenin null embryo. These results demonstrate that lineage differentiation relies on sequential repression and derepression of critical signaling pathways involved in maintaining pluripotency versus differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- N A Slawny
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
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50
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Lovicu FJ, McAvoy JW, de Iongh RU. Understanding the role of growth factors in embryonic development: insights from the lens. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2011; 366:1204-18. [PMID: 21402581 PMCID: PMC3061110 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2010.0339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Growth factors play key roles in influencing cell fate and behaviour during development. The epithelial cells and fibre cells that arise from the lens vesicle during lens morphogenesis are bathed by aqueous and vitreous, respectively. Vitreous has been shown to generate a high level of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signalling that is required for secondary lens fibre differentiation. However, studies also show that FGF signalling is not sufficient and roles have been identified for transforming growth factor-β and Wnt/Frizzled families in regulating aspects of fibre differentiation. In the case of the epithelium, key roles for Wnt/β-catenin and Notch signalling have been demonstrated in embryonic development, but it is not known if other factors are required for its formation and maintenance. This review provides an overview of current knowledge about growth factor regulation of differentiation and maintenance of lens cells. It also highlights areas that warrant future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. J. Lovicu
- Discipline of Anatomy and Histology, Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia
- Vision Cooperative Research Centre, Sydney, Australia
| | - J. W. McAvoy
- Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia
- Vision Cooperative Research Centre, Sydney, Australia
| | - R. U. de Iongh
- Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
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