The Egr transcription factor family: from signal transduction to kidney differentiation

The role of chromatin-related epigenetic modulations in CAKUT

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) represent a major health burden in humans. Phenotypes range from renal hypoplasia or renal agenesis, cystic renal dysplasia, duplicated or horseshoe kidneys to obstruction of the ureteropelvic junction, megaureters, duplicated ureters, urethral valves or bladder malformations. Over the past decade, next-generation sequencing has identified numerous causative genes; however, the genetic basis of most cases remains unexplained. It is assumed that environmental factors have a significant impact on the phenotype, but, overall, the pathogenesis has remained poorly understood. Interestingly however, CAKUT is a common phenotypic feature in two human syndromes, Kabuki and Koolen-de Vries syndrome, caused by dysfunction of genes encoding for KMT2D and KANSL1, both members of protein complexes playing an important role in histone modifications. In this chapter, we discuss current knowledge regarding epigenetic modulation in renal development and a putatively under-recognized role of epigenetics in CAKUT.

Genetic or siRNA inhibition of MBD2 attenuates the UUO- and I/R-induced renal fibrosis via downregulation of EGR1

DNA methylation plays a pivotal role in the progression of renal fibrosis. Methyl-CpG–binding domain protein 2 (MBD2), a protein reader of methylation, is involved in the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) caused by vancomycin. However, the role and mechanism of action of MBD2 in renal remain unclear. In this study, MBD2 mediated extracellular matrix (ECM) production induced by TGF-β1 in Boston University mouse proximal tubule (BUMPT) cells，and upregulated the expression EGR1 to promote ECM production in murine embryonic NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. ChIP analysis demonstrated that MBD2 physically interacted with the promoter region of the CpG islands of EGR1 genes and then activated their expression by inducing hypomethylation of the promoter region. In vivo, PT-MBD2-KO attenuated unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)-induced renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis via downregulation of EGR1, which was demonstrated by the downregulation of fibronectin (FN), collagen I and IV, α-SMA, and EGR1. Injection of MBD2-siRNA attenuated the UUO- and I/R-induced renal fibrosis. Those molecular changes were verified by biopsies from patients with obstructive nephropathy (OB). These data collectively demonstrated that inhibition of MBD2 reduces renal fibrosis via downregulating EGR1, which could be a target for treatment of fibrotic kidney disease.

The protective effects of cabozantinib against high glucose-induced damages in in vitro renal glomerular endothelial cells model via inhibition of early growth response-1 (Egr-1)

Cabozantinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor with anti-tumor activity in kidney cancer. However, the efficacy of cabozantinib in other renal diseases has never been reported. Here, we focused on exploring the effect of cabozantinib on diabetic nephropathy (DN). The biofunctions of cabozantinib in human renal glomerular endothelial cells (hGECs) under high glucose conditions have been investigated. We found that cabozantinib ameliorated high glucose-induced oxidative stress in hGECs with decreased production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increased glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activity. Cabozantinib ameliorated high glucose-induced reduction in the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and the production of nitric oxide (NO) in hGECs. It also suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and monocyte chemokine protein 1 (MCP-1), against high glucose exposure in hGECs. Cabozantinib reduced the expression of early growth response-1 (Egr-1) in high glucose-treated hGECs, while Egr-1 overexpression abolished the protective effects of cabozantinib against high glucose in hGECs. In conclusion, cabozantinib protected hGECs from high glucose-induced oxidative stress, NO deficiency, and inflammation via regulating Egr-1. These findings suggest that cabozantinib might be used as an adjuvant to control DN.

CLEC14A protects against podocyte injury in mice with adriamycin nephropathy

Podocyte injury is a major determinant of focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS) and the identification of potential therapeutic targets for preventing podocyte injury has clinical importance for the treatment of FSGS. CLEC14A is a single-pass transmembrane glycoprotein belonging to the vascular expressed C-type lectin family. CLEC14A is found to be expressed in vascular endothelial cells during embryogenesis and is also implicated in tumor angiogenesis. However, the current understanding of the biological functions of CLEC14A in podocyte is very limited. In this study, we found that CLEC14A was expressed in podocyte and protected against podocyte injury in mice with Adriamycin (ADR)-induced FSGS. First, we observed that CLEC14A was downregulated in mice with ADR nephropathy and renal biopsies from individuals with FSGS and other forms of podocytopathies. Moreover, CLEC14A deficiency exacerbated podocyte injury and proteinuria in mice with ADR nephropathy accompanied by enhanced inflammatory cell infiltration and inflammatory responses. In vitro, overexpression of CLEC14A in podocyte had pleiotropic protective actions, including anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis effects. Mechanistically, CLEC14A inhibited high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) release, at least in part by directly binding HMGB1, and suppressed HMGB1-mediated signaling, including NF-κB signaling and early growth response protein 1 (EGR1) signaling. Taken together, our findings provide new insights into the pivotal role of CLEC14A in maintaining podocyte function, indicating that CLEC14A may be an innovative therapeutic target in FSGS.

Klotho prevents epithelial-mesenchymal transition through Egr-1 downregulation in diabetic kidney disease

INTRODUCTION

As a key event leading to tubulointerstitial fibrosis in diabetic kidney disease (DKD), epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has drawn increasing attention from researchers. The antiaging protein Klotho attenuates renal fibrosis in part by inhibiting ERK1/2 signaling in DKD. Early growth response factor 1 (Egr-1), which is activated mainly by ERK1/2, has been shown to play an important role in EMT. However, whether Klotho prevents EMT by inhibiting ERK1/2-dependent Egr-1 expression in DKD is unclear.The aim of this study was to investigate whether Klotho prevents EMT through Egr-1 downregulation by inhibiting the ERK1/2 signaling pathway in DKD.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Male C57BL/6J mice fed an high-fat diet for 4 weeks received 120 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ), which was injected intraperitoneally. Klotho and Egr-1 expression was detected in the renal cortices of these mice on their sacrifice at 6 and 12 weeks after STZ treatment. In In vitro studies, we incubated HK2 cells under high-glucose (HG) or transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) conditions to mimic DKD. We then transfected the cells with an Klotho-containing plasmid, Klotho small interfering RNA.

RESULTS

Klotho expression was significantly decreased in the renal cortices of mice with diabetes mellitus (DM) compared with the renal cortices of control mice at 6 weeks after treatment and even more significantly decreased at 12 weeks. In contrast, Egr-1 expression was significantly increased in mice with DM compared with control mice only at 12 weeks. We also found that Klotho overexpression downregulated Egr-1 expression and the (p-ERK1/2):(ERK1/2) ratio in HG-treated or TGF-β1-treated HK2 cells. Conversely, Klotho silencing upregulated Egr-1 expression and the (p-ERK1/2):(ERK1/2) ratio in HG-treated or TGF-β1-treated HK2 cells. Moreover, the effects of si-Klotho were abolished by the ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059.

CONCLUSIONS

Klotho prevents EMT during DKD progression, an effect that has been partially attributed to Egr-1 downregulation mediated by ERK1/2 signaling pathway inhibition.

Screening and Bioinformatics Analysis of IgA Nephropathy Gene Based on GEO Databases

Purpose

To identify novel biomarkers of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) through bioinformatics analysis and elucidate the possible molecular mechanism.

Methods

The GSE93798 and GSE73953 datasets containing microarray data from IgAN patients and healthy controls were downloaded from the GEO database and analyzed by the GEO2R web tool to obtain different expressed genes (DEGs). Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI), and Biological Networks Gene Oncology tool (BiNGO) were then performed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of IgAN.

Results

A total of 223 DEGs were identified, of which 21 were hub genes, and involved in inflammatory response, cellular response to lipopolysaccharide, transcription factor activity, extracellular exosome, TNF signaling pathway, and MAPK signaling pathway.

Conclusions

TNF and MAPK pathways likely form the basis of IgAN progression, and JUN/JUNB, FOS, NR4A1/2, EGR1, and FOSL1/2 are novel prognostic biomarkers of IgAN.

Metformin Regulating miR-34a Pathway to Inhibit Egr1 in Rat Mesangial Cells Cultured with High Glucose

BACKGROUND

Activating AMPKα negatively regulates Egr1 to inhibit inflammatory cytokines in high glucose. miR-34a inhibition increases phosphorylated AMPKα through mediating SIRT1 to suppress the development of fatty liver.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To clarify the function of Egr1 on the inflammation and fibrosis in high glucose-cultured MCs, as well as to explore the effects of metformin on miR-34a pathway and Egr1 expression.

METHODS

We transfected MCs with miR-34a inhibitor. And MCs were transfected with small interfering RNA for silencing Egr1 and SIRT1. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to assay the transcription levels of Egr1 mRNA and miR-34a. Western blot was used to test the protein. And ELISA was used to measure inflammatory factors.

RESULTS

High glucose upregulates Egr1 to aggravate the inflammation and fibrosis in MCs. miR-34a suppresses the activation of SIRT1/AMPKα and results in promoting Egr1 in high glucose-cultured MCs. Metformin attenuates high glucose-stimulated inflammation and fibrosis in MCs by regulating miR-34a-mediated SIRT1/AMPKα activity and the downstream Egr1 protein.

CONCLUSION

We enriched the effects of miR-34a pathway regulating Egr1 in high glucose-cultured MCs. It provides a foundation for future researches considering Egr1 as a therapeutic target and a new direction for the clinical application of metformin in early DKD.

Egr-1 is required for neu/HER2-induced mammary tumors

Egr-1 is known to function mainly as a tumor suppressor through direct regulation of multiple tumor suppressor genes. To determine the role of Egr-1 in breast tumors in vivo, we used mouse models of breast cancer induced by HER2/neu. We compared neu-overexpressing Egr-1 knockout mice (neu/Egr-1 KO) to neu-overexpressing Egr-1 wild type or heterozygote mice (neu/Egr-1 WT or neu/Egr-1 het) with regard to onset of tumor appearance and number of tumors per mouse. In addition, to examine the role of Egr-1 in vitro, we established neu/Egr-1 WT and KO tumor cell lines derived from breast tumors developed in each mouse. Egr-1 deletion delayed tumor development in vivo and decreased the rate of cell growth in vitro. These results suggest that Egr-1 plays an oncogenic role in HER2/neu-driven mammary tumorigenesis.

Early Growth Response 1 (Egr1) Is a Transcriptional Activator of NOX4 in Oxidative Stress of Diabetic Kidney Disease

BACKGROUND

NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) plays a major role in renal oxidative stress of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). NOX4 was significantly increased in Egr1-expressing fibroblasts, but the relationship between Egr1 and NOX4 in DKD is unclear.

METHODS

For the evaluation of the potential relationship between Egr1 and NOX4, both were detected in HFD/STZ-induced mice and HK-2 cells treated with TGF-β1. Then, changes in NOX4 expression were detected in HK-2 cells and mice with overexpression and knockdown of Egr1. The direct relationship between Egr1 and NOX4 was explored via chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP).

RESULTS

We found increased levels of Egr1, NOX4, and α-SMA in the kidney cortices of diabetic mice and in TGF-β1-treated HK-2 cells. Overexpression or silencing of Egr1 in HK-2 cells could upregulate or downregulate NOX4 and α-SMA. ChIP assays revealed that TGF-β1 induced Egr1 to bind to the NOX4 promoter. Finally, Egr1 overexpression or knockdown in diabetic mice could upregulate or downregulate the expression of NOX4 and ROS, and α-SMA was also changed.

CONCLUSION

Our study provides strong evidence that Egr1 is a transcriptional activator of NOX4 in oxidative stress of DKD. Egr1 contributes to DKD by enhancing EMT, in part by targeting NOX4.

8-Oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1: Beyond repair of the oxidatively modified base lesions

Oxidative stress and the resulting damage to genomic DNA are inevitable consequences of endogenous physiological processes, and they are amplified by cellular responses to environmental exposures. One of the most frequent reactions of reactive oxygen species with DNA is the oxidation of guanine to pre-mutagenic 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoG). Despite the vulnerability of guanine to oxidation, vertebrate genes are primarily embedded in GC-rich genomic regions, and over 72% of the promoters of human genes belong to a class with a high GC content. In the promoter, 8-oxoG may serve as an epigenetic mark, and when complexed with the oxidatively inactivated repair enzyme 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1, provide a platform for the coordination of the initial steps of DNA repair and the assembly of the transcriptional machinery to launch the prompt and preferential expression of redox-regulated genes. Deviations/variations from this artful coordination may be the etiological links between guanine oxidation and various cellular pathologies and diseases during ageing processes.

Klotho down-regulates Egr-1 by inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling in high glucose treated human mesangial cells

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has become the leading cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide and is associated with glomerular mesangial cell (MC) proliferation and excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) production. Klotho can attenuate renal fibrosis in part by inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling in DKD. Early growth response factor 1 (Egr-1) has been shown to play a key role in renal fibrosis in part by facilitating the formation of a positive feedback loop involving TGF-β1. However, whether Klotho down-regulates Egr-1 by inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling in DKD is unclear. In the present study, we assessed human MCs that were incubated under high-glucose conditions to mimic diabetes. Then, we transfected the cells with Klotho plasmid or siRNA to overexpress or knock down Klotho gene and protein expression. Klotho, Egr-1, fibronectin (FN), collagen type I (Col I), Smad3 and phosphorylated Smad3 (p-Smad3) gene and protein expression levels were determined by RT-qPCR and western blotting respectively. High glucose time-dependently down-regulated Klotho mRNA and protein expression in cultured human MCs. pcDNA3.1-Klotho transfection-mediated Klotho overexpression down-regulated Egr-1, FN and Col I expression and the p-Smad3/Smad3 ratio in human MCs. Conversely, siRNA-mediated Klotho silencing up-regulated Egr-1, FN, and Col I expression and the p-Smad3/Smad3 ratio. Moreover, the effects of si-Klotho on Egr-1 expression were abolished by the TGF-β1 inhibitor SB-431542. Klotho overexpression can prevent mesangial ECM production in high-glucose-treated human MCs, an effect that has been partially attributed to Egr-1 down-regulation facilitated by TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling inhibition.

Feedback regulation by Atf3 in the endothelin-1-responsive transcriptome of cardiomyocytes: Egr1 is a principal Atf3 target

Endothelin-1 promotes cardiomyocyte hypertrophy by inducing changes in gene expression. Immediate early genes including Atf3 (activating transcription factor 3), Egr1 (early growth response 1) and Ptgs2 (prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2) are rapi-dly and transiently up-regulated by endothelin-1 in cardiomyocytes. Atf3 regulates the expression of downstream genes and is implicated in negative feedback regulation of other immediate early genes. To identify Atf3-regulated genes, we knocked down Atf3 expression in cardiomyocytes exposed to endothelin-1 and used microarrays to interrogate the transcriptomic effects. The expression of 23 mRNAs (including Egr1 and Ptgs2) was enhanced and the expression of 25 mRNAs was inhibited by Atf3 knockdown. Using quantitative PCR, we determined that knockdown of Atf3 had little effect on up-regulation of Egr1 mRNA over 30 min, but abolished the subsequent decline, causing sustained Egr1 mRNA expression and enhanced protein expression. This resulted from direct binding of Atf3 to the Egr1 promoter. Mathematical modelling established that Atf3 can suffice to suppress Egr1 expression. Given the widespread co-regulation of Atf3 with Egr1, we suggest that the Atf3–Egr1 negative feedback loop is of general significance. Loss of Atf3 caused abnormal cardiomyocyte growth, presumably resulting from the dysregulation of target genes. The results of the present study therefore identify Atf3 as a nexus in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy required to facilitate the full and proper growth response.

Glucocorticoids inhibit osteocalcin transcription in osteoblasts by suppressing Egr2/Krox20-binding enhancer

OBJECTIVE

Glucocorticoids are widely used for the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoporosis is a major side effect of glucocorticoid therapy and is attributable to inhibition of bone formation. We developed an osteoblast culture system in which glucocorticoids strongly inhibit development of the osteoblast phenotype, including expression of the bone-specific osteocalcin (OC) gene. Using this gene as a model, the goal of this study was to discover glucocorticoid-sensitive transcriptional mechanisms in osteoblasts.

METHODS

Dexamethasone (DEX; 1 microM) was administered to murine MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cultures under conditions that inhibit mineralized extracellular matrix formation and OC messenger RNA levels by >10-fold. Because standard (short-term) transient transfection assays with OC promoter-reporter constructs did not recapitulate the strong DEX-mediated repression, mapping of OC negative glucocorticoid response elements (GREs) was performed initially by stable transfection and then with long-term transient transfection assays. Transcription factor binding to the OC negative GRE was studied by electrophoretic mobility shift assays.

RESULTS

Several-fold repression of OC-luciferase constructs was recapitulated in stable and long-term transient transfection assays, in which the transfected cells were allowed to progress to a sufficiently advanced developmental stage. Analysis of a 5' promoter deletion series mapped an OC negative GRE to a 15-bp G/C-rich motif (-161/-147) located just upstream of the binding site for the osteoblast master transcription factor Runx2. Oligonucleotides encompassing this element and MC3T3-E1 cell extracts formed a protein-DNA complex that contained an Egr/Krox family member(s). Complex formation was competed by either an oligonucleotide containing 2 consensus Egr motifs or by anti-Egr2/Krox20 antibodies. Three copies of this Krox-binding element conferred 20-fold transcriptional activation on the 147-bp basal OC promoter in osteoblasts, and the enhancer activity was inhibited by DEX. Enhancer activity was not observed in 10T1/2 fibroblasts unless these cells were cotransfected with Runx2.

CONCLUSION

An Egr2/Krox20-binding site located immediately upstream of the Runx2 site of the mouse OC promoter was identified as an enhancer in osteoblasts, whose activity is repressed by glucocorticoids. Sequence similarity suggests that such a mechanism is likely operative in both murine and human cells. Because glucocorticoids inhibit Egr2/Krox20 expression in osteoblasts, and because trabecular bone formation is arrested in Egr2/Krox20-knockout mice, the inhibition of Egr2/Krox20 activity likely contributes to glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.

Transcriptional regulation of insulin-like growth factor-I receptor gene expression in prostate cancer cells

A marked decrease in the type 1 insulin-like growth factor (IGF) receptor (IGF-IR) occurs in prostate epithelial cells during transformation from the benign to the metastatic state. One of the principal regulators of IGF-IR gene expression, the WT1 tumor suppressor, is expressed in prostate cancer and in prostate cancer cell lines. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the decrease in IGF-IR expression was transcriptionally regulated, and whether WT1 action may be involved in the repression of the IGF-IR gene in prostate cancer cells. The P69 cell line was derived by immortalization of human primary prostate epithelial cells with simian virus-40 T antigen and is rarely tumorigenic. The M12 line was derived from the P69 line by selection for tumor formation in nude mice and is tumorigeneic and metastatic. P69 cells express 20,000 IGF-IR/cell, whereas M12 cells express 3,500 IGF-IR/cell. These differences in receptor number are reflected in proportional differences in IGF-IR mRNA levels. To assess IGF-IR promoter activity in these cell lines, each was transiently transfected with luciferase reporter vectors containing the IGF-IR gene transcription start site and 476 bp of 5'-flanking sequence, 640 bp of 5'-untranslated region sequence, or both regions. The promoter activity of the full-length construct was 50% lower (P < 0.01) in M12 cells compared with P69 cells, the activity of the 5'-flanking region construct was 53% lower (P < 0.0001), and that of the 5'-untranslated region construct was 36% lower (P = 0.01). P69 clones stably transfected with a WT1 expression vector exhibited decreased expression of the endogenous IGF-IR gene and decreased promoter activity in transient transfection assays with IGF-IR promoter constructs containing multiple WT1 binding sites. The observed reduction in endogenous IGF-IR expression was sufficient to inhibit IGF-I-stimulated cell proliferation. These data suggest that most of the decreased expression of the IGF-IR seen in malignant prostate epithelium is the result of transcriptional repression of the IGF-IR gene, and that this repression may be due in part to the increased expression of the WT1 tumor suppressor in metastatic prostate cancer.

Role of gut-enriched Krüppel-like factor in colonic cell growth and differentiation

Cancer cells differ from normal cells in many aspects, including hyperproliferation and loss of differentiation. Recent research has focused on the role of transcription factors in regulating abnormal cell growth. Gut-enriched Krüppel-like factor (GKLF) is a newly identified eukaryotic zinc finger protein expressed extensively in the gastrointestinal tract. In the current study, we demonstrated that GKLF mRNA levels were significantly decreased in the dysplastic epithelium of the colon, including adenomatous polyp and cancer. GKLF immunostains in the normal colon were higher at the surface epithelium and gradually decreased toward the crypt, but this gradient was not present in the adenomatous and cancerous mucosa. Constitutive overexpression of GKLF DNA in a human colonic adenocarcinoma cell line (HT-29) decreased [(3)H]thymidine incorporation, whereas suppression of GKLF gene increased DNA synthesis, indicating that downregulation of the GKLF gene might contribute to cellular hyperproliferation. Cyclin D1 (CD1) protein level and CD1-associated kinase activity were decreased in HT-29 cell overexpressed GKLF cDNA, and CD1 promoter activity was profoundly suppressed by GKLF. When HT-29 cells were cultured in the presence of sodium butyrate, GKLF mRNA levels increased as cells acquired more differentiated phenotypes. These results suggest that GKLF plays an important role in regulating cell growth and differentiation in the colonic epithelium and that downregulation of GKLF expression may cause colonic cells to become hyperproliferative. Furthermore, GKLF appears to be a transcriptional repressor of the CD1 gene.

Analysis of prolactin-modulated gene expression profiles during the Nb2 cell cycle using differential screening techniques

BACKGROUND

Rat Nb2-11C lymphoma cells are dependent on prolactin for proliferation and are widely used to study prolactin signaling pathways. To investigate the role of this hormone in the transcriptional mechanisms that underlie prolactin-stimulated mitogenesis, five different techniques were used to isolate differentially expressed transcripts: mRNA differential display, representational difference analysis (RDA), subtractive suppressive hybridization (SSH), analysis of weakly expressed candidate genes, and differential screening of an organized library.

RESULTS

About 70 transcripts were found to be modulated in Nb2 cells following prolactin treatment. Of these, approximately 20 represent unknown genes. All cDNAs were characterized by northern blot analysis and categorized on the basis of their expression profiles and the functions of the known genes. We compared our data with other cell-cycle-regulated transcripts and found several new potential signaling molecules that may be involved in Nb2 cell growth. In addition, abnormalities in the expression patterns of several transcripts were detected in Nb2 cells, including the constitutive expression of the immediate-early gene EGR-1. Finally, we compared the differential screening techniques in terms of sensitivity, efficiency and occurrence of false positives.

CONCLUSIONS

Using these techniques to determine which genes are differentially expressed in Nb2 lymphoma cells, we have obtained valuable insight into the potential functions of some of these genes in the cell cycle. Although this information is preliminary, comparison with other eukaryotic models of cell-cycle progression enables identification of expression abnormalities and proteins potentially involved in signal transduction, which could indicate new directions for research.

Vasopressin in the mammalian brain: the neurobiology of a mnemonic peptide

We have sought to understand the mechanisms by which VP can enhance memory function and in the process determine whether VP fulfills the requirements for neurotransmitter status. The latter goal of proving the neurotransmitter status of VP has been achieved through our findings and the results of many of the scientists contributing to this volume. With respect to elucidating the mechanisms by which VP can enhance memory function, results of our work have shown that VP and its receptors are present in brain regions known to be involved in memory function, that release of VP is inhibited by a factor that inhibits memory function, that VP can significantly enhance the morphological complexity and outgrowth of neurons involved in memory function, that second messenger systems held to be involved in learning and memory, cyclic AMP and calcium signaling pathways, are potentiated and activated by VP, that electrophysiological models of memory function are induced by VP, and that when animals remember a learned association VP content in brain increases over time during the active phase of remembering. Collectively, these studies have taught us a great deal about the sites and mechanisms of VP action and have led us to pursue avenues of investigation that we would not have imagined 15 years ago when we began this work. We stand on the threshold of a new era in our research as we begin our studies of the role VP and its receptors play in the cerebral cortex. Thus far, results of these studies are quite exciting and promise to yield fascinating insights into the complexities of VP action in the most highly developed region of the mammalian brain, the cerebral cortex, the site of abstract reasoning, judgment, complex analysis and the repository of those memories that last a life-time.

Vasopressin-induction of the immediate early gene, NGFI-A, in cultured hippocampal glial cells

Our earlier autoradiographic work had documented a wide distribution of vasopressin receptors in the hippocampus [R.E. Brinton, K.W. Gee, J.K. Wamsley, T.P. Davis, H.I. Yamamura, Regional distribution of putative vasopressin receptors in rat brain and pituitary by quantitative autoradiography, in: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 81 (1984) pp. 7248-7252; C. Chen, R.D. Brinton, T.J. Shors, R.F. Thompson, [Arg 8]-Vasopressin-induction of long lasting potentiation of synaptic transmission in the dentate gyrus, Hippocampus 3 (1993) 193-203.] which suggested the possibility that receptors for vasopressin were present in both neurons and glia. In the periphery, vasopressin is a potent mitogen in select proliferative cell types [E. Rozengurt, A. Legg, P. Pettican, Vasopressin stimulation of mouse 3T3 cell growth, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 76 (1979) pp. 1284-1287.] which also suggested a possible association between vasopressin receptor activation and the proliferative capacity of astrocytes. We therefore investigated whether vasopressin would induce the expression of the immediate early response gene, NGFI-A (also known as zif/268, ZENK, egr-1, krox 24), which is associated with initiation of mitogenesis [M. Sheng, M.E. Greenberg, The regulation and function of c-fos and other immediate early genes in the nervous system, Neuron, 4 (1990) pp. 477-485.]. Cultured hippocampal glial cells were exposed to vasopressin or a selective V1 vasopressin receptor agonist and in situ hybridization for NGFI-A mRNA was conducted. Results of these experiments demonstrated that vasopressin induced a highly significant dose-dependent increase in the number of cells expressing NGFI-A. Studies to determine the receptor subtype mediating vasopressin induction of NGFI-A were conducted utilizing the specific V1 agonist, [Phe2, Ile3, Orn8]-vasopressin. The V1 receptor agonist induced a highly significant dose dependent increase in the number of grains per NGFI-A positive cell. Time course analysis demonstrated that V1 agonist induction of NGFI-A occurred within 5 min, was maximally induced at 15 min of exposure and exhibited a gradual decline within 30 min of exposure which continued to decline over the 60 min time course. Glial cell responsivity was selective in that vasopressin and V1 agonist induction of NGFI-A occurred in a subpopulation of glial cells. Within a sea of glial cells, vasopressin and V1 agonist would induce islands of NGFI-A positive cells. Results of combined immunocytochemical labeling for the astrocyte specific marker, GFAP, and in situ hybridization for NGFI-A demonstrated that V1 agonist-induced NGFI-A expression occurred in GFAP positive cells. We observed no evidence for V1 agonist induction of NGFI-A in neurons. Collectively, these data document that vasopressin, acting via V1 vasopressin receptors, induces a highly significant increase in NGFI-A expression in select GFAP positive hippocampal astrocytes. To our knowledge, these data are the first report of a vasopressin mediated response in hippocampal glial cells. The potential functional significance of these findings is discussed.

Morphologic changes suggesting abnormal renal differentiation in congenital nephrotic syndrome

Retrograde differentiation (or dedifferentiation) has recently been proposed as a pathogenetic mechanism involved also in various renal diseases. Here we studied whether evidence of these mechanisms can be found in the kidneys of patients with congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type (CNF). These patients show isolated massive proteinuria but no primary symptoms from any other organ systems. For the analysis we used antibody markers of early (fibronectin, stem cell factor, Wilms' tumor gene product, cytokeratin) and later (laminin, midgestation and kidney, heparin binding growth-associated molecule) stages of nephron differentiation as well as for apoptosis (acridine orange staining), rescue from apoptosis (anti-Bcl-2 antibodies) and cell proliferation (antibodies to proliferating cell nuclear antigen). In the peritubular spaces atypically organized areas were found which appeared positive with markers of low stages of differentiation, but neither abnormal cell proliferation nor activation of the apoptotic pathway could be detected. As morphologic signs of abnormal tissue organization, we found clusters of tightly compacted and large glomeruli corresponding to the size of two to three normal glomeruli. However, all individual glomerular cell compartments (mesangial, endothelial, visceral epithelial cells) appeared balanced in relative cell numbers. Together these results may indicate abnormal early mesenchymoepithelial tissue interaction leading to excessive and poorly organized formation of glomeruli. This could be causally related also to the serious functional immaturity of CNF kidneys presented as isolated proteinuria.

Gene regulation and extracellular functions of procathepsin L

Cathepsin L, a lysosomal cysteine proteinase, belongs to the papain family. This proteinase is different from the other members of the mammalian papain family cysteine proteinase in the following ways: (i) The cathepsin L gene is activated by a variety of growth factors and activated oncogenes. (ii) Procathepsin L, a precursor form of cathepsin L is secreted from various cells. (iii) The mRNA level of cathepsin L is related to the in vivo metastatic potential of the transformed cells. Thus, the regulation of the cathepsin L gene and the extracellular functions of secreted procathepsin L are tightly coupled. In this review, we describe these two points, which have recently been addressed in our laboratory.

Diverse aspects of metanephric development

Mammalian nephrogenesis constitutes a series of complex developmental processes in which there is a differentiation and rapid proliferation of pluripotent cells leading to the formation of a defined sculpted tissue mass, and this is followed by a continuum of cell replication and terminal differentiation. Metanephrogenesis ensues with the intercalation of epithelial ureteric bud into loosely organized metanephric mesenchyme. Such an interaction is reciprocal, such that the intercalating ureteric bud induces the conversion of metanephric mesenchyme into an epithelial phenotype, while the mesenchyme stimulates the iterations of the ureteric bud. The induced mesenchyme then undergoes a series of developmental stages to form a mature glomerulus and tubular segments of the kidney. Coincidental with the formation of these nephric elements, the developing kidney is vascularized by the process of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. Thus, the process of metanephric development is quite complex, and it involves a diverse group of molecules who's biological activities are inter-linked with one another and they regulate, in a concerted manner, the differentiation and maturation of the mammalian kidney. This diverse group of molecules include extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and their receptors, ECM-degrading enzymes and their inhibitors, growth factors and their receptors, proto-oncogenes and transcription factors. A large body of literature data are available, which suggest a critical role of these molecules in metanephric development, and this review summarizes the recent developments that relate to metanephrogenesis.

The mouse extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 gene. Gene structure and characterization of the promoter

ERK2 (extracellular-signal regulated kinase 2, also known as p42 mitogen-activated protein kinase) is an integral member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade that is crucial for many cellular events such as proliferation and differentiation. Here, we determined the genomic organization of the Erk2 gene and characterized its promoter. The Erk2 gene spans over 60 kilobases, and the coding region is split into eight exons. In the coding region, exon-intron organization was exactly conserved between the two mouse genes for ERK2 and ERK1 except one junction shifted by one nucleotide. Primer extension and S1 nuclease analyses identified two major transcription start sites located at -219 and -223 relative to the translation start site. The 5'-flanking sequence lacked TATA box but contained a CCAAT box located approximately 60 base pairs upstream of transcription start sites. Sequencing of the 5'-flanking region also revealed potential cis-acting elements for multiple transcriptional regulatory factors including Sp1, zif268, Ets, CREB, and PuF sites. The promoter activity of the 5'-flanking region was examined using chloramphenicol acetyltransferase as a reporter gene. Transient transfection experiments using Chinese hamster ovary cells defined a maximal promoter activity in a 371-base pair region immediately upstream of the translation start site. Furthermore, we demonstrated, using mouse P19 embryonal carcinoma cells, that this 371-base pair sequence is likely to be sufficient to confer the transcriptional activation of the ERK2 promoter during the retinoic acid-induced differentiation of P19 cells.

Characterization of SV40T antigen immortalized human synovial fibroblasts: maintained expression patterns of EGR-1, HLA-DR and some surface receptors

In rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovial fibroblasts are activated by growth factors and cytokines to proliferate and to express matrix-degrading proteases and pro-inflammatory cytokines. This contributes to cartilage degradation and joint destruction. To analyse the parameters that lead to activation of synovial fibroblasts, we established a stable human synoviocyte line (K4IM) from a healthy donor by immortalization with SV40 T antigen (TAg). Characterizing the phenotype of the immortalized K4IM cells, we found that they maintained CD44, CD54 (intercellular adhesion molecule; ICAM-1) and CD95 (Fas) expression, but lost the expression of CD106 (vascular cell adhesion molecule 1; VCAM-1) and the receptors for interleukin 1 (IL-1) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). We also monitored normal expression kinetics of transcription factor Egr-1 upon activation with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) or synovial fluid from RA patients. In addition, we showed that HLA-DR expression could still be upregulated by recombinant interferon gamma (rINF-gamma). The immortalized K4IM cell line therefore represents a valuable and unique tool to study mechanisms that induce or maintain synoviocyte activation.

Immediate early-gene induction in rat osteoblastic cells after mechanical deformation

Previous studies have reported changes in proliferation, second-messenger generation and activation of various cellular processes when osteoblasts have been mechanically stimulated. Recent evidence suggests that mechanical loading of long bones induces immediate early-gene expression. Immediate early genes, such as Egr-1, are genes that control cell proliferation, are involved in signal transduction, and share properties of transcription factors. The purpose of this study was to examine how mechanical deformation of osteoblasts affects cellular proliferation and Egr-1 mRNA induction. Osteoblasts were isolated from collagenase digestion of newborn rat calvariae, cultured in Petri dishes with flexible bottoms and then constantly stretched, producing an increase of 3 or 7% in surface area. A mechanical stretch of 7% for 0.5 or 24 h resulted in a doubling of [3H]thymidine incorporation, while 50 nM of epidermal growth factor resulted in a 4-fold increase. A time-course experiment showed that a 7% stretch induced Egr-1 mRNA as early as 15 mm, reaching maximum levels by 60 min and returning to baseline by 120 min. Epidermal growth factor at 50 nM for 60 min resulted in a 3.8-fold Egr-1 mRNA induction. A mechanical stretch of 3% for 30 min also produced an Egr-1 mRNA induction. No induction of Egr-1 mRNA was seen in osteoblasts that were exposed to conditioned media from deformed cells. It is concluded that the immediate early gene, Egr-1, may be directly involved in the signal-transduction pathway of mechanical stimuli in osteoblasts.

Identification and characterization of a gene encoding a gut-enriched Krüppel-like factor expressed during growth arrest

A cDNA clone, named gut-enriched Krüppel-like factor (GKLF), was isolated from an NIH 3T3 library using a probe encoding the zinc finger region of the immediate-early transcription factor zif/268. The deduced GKLF amino acid sequence contains three tandem zinc fingers that are related to members of the Krüppel family of transcription factors. By indirect immunofluorescence, GKLF is localized to the cell nucleus. In cultured fibroblasts, GKLF mRNA is found in high levels in growth-arrested cells and is nearly undetectable in cells that are in the exponential phase of proliferation. The growth-arresting nature of GKLF is demonstrated by an inhibition of DNA synthesis in cells transfected with a GKLF-expressing plasmid construct. In the mouse, GKLF mRNA is present in select tissues and is most abundant in the colon, followed by the testis, lung, and small intestine. In situ hybridization experiments indicate that GKLF mRNA is enriched in epithelial cells located in the middle to upper crypt region of the colonic mucosa. Taken together, these results suggest that GKLF is potentially a negative regulator of cell growth in tissues such as the gut mucosa, where cell proliferation is intimately coupled to growth arrest and differentiation.

Characterization of cell-specific modulatory element in the murine ornithine decarboxylase promoter

The promoter of the murine ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene contains, adjacent to the TATA box, a cAMP response element (CRE)-like motif that interacts with specific nuclear proteins. Here we examine the role of this CRE-like element (CREL) in ODC promoter activation in proliferating cells. Mutations that abolished binding of nuclear proteins to CREL influenced only marginally the cAMP induction of the reporter constructs driven by 1.6 kb of the ODC promoter. Instead, these mutations altered the basal promoter function in a cell-specific manner, in that they reduced the promoter activity in CV-1 cells, but increased it in NIH/3T3, CHO and HeLa cells. Thus, depending on the cell type, the CREL motif is able to confer either repression or activation on ODC gene transcription. In contrast with 1.6 kb promoter constructs, the same mutations in the context of a shorter sequence (proximal 133 nt) reduced the promoter strength in all cell types studied. The ability of the CREL element to attenuate transcription seems to be connected with the function of some upstream regulatory elements. Differences in nuclear proteins binding to CREL, as studied by electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs), did not explain the findings on cell-type specificity in transcriptional activation, as mutations in CREL abrogated formation of specific CREL-protein complexes in all cell lines examined. The protein complexes interacting with CREL were not recognized by antibodies specific for CRE-binding proteins CREB-1 and CREB-2, or activating transcription factors ATF-1, ATF-2 and ATF-3. EMSA experiments also demonstrated co-operative interactions between the CREL motif-binding proteins and other nuclear proteins, such as Sp1, interacting with CG-rich sequences of the promoter. In conclusion, the proximal ODC promoter contains a well-conserved regulatory element, which is clearly different from the CRE/ATF element. This motif acts in concert with other distal and proximal elements in a complex cell-specific manner.

Regulation of insulin-like growth factor I receptor gene expression by the Wilms' tumor suppressor WT1

THe insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-I-R) has been implicated in the etiology and/or progression of Wilms' tumor, or nephroblastoma, a pediatric neoplasm of the kidney that is often associated with deletion or mutation of the WT1 tumor suppressor gene. The levels of IGF-I-R mRNA in the tumors were sixfold higher than in normal adjacent kidney tissue and were inversely correlated to the levels of WT1 mRNA, suggesting that the expression of the IGF-I-R gene is under inhibitory control by WT1. Cotransfection of an IGF-I-R promoter-luciferase reporter construct together with a WT1 expression vector resulted in a dose-dependent suppression of promoter activity. Multiple WT1 binding sites were mapped in the 5'-flanking and 5'-untranslated regions of the IGF-I-R gene using gel retardation and DNaseI footprinting assays. Thus, suppression of the IGF-I-R promoter by WT1 involves multiple interactions of its zinc finger domain with sites located both upstream and downstream of the transcription initiation site. Finally, we showed that expression of the endogenous IGF-I-R gene is decreased in G401 cells stably transfected with a WT1 expression vector. Reduction in expression of the IGF-I-R gene is associated with a decrease in a number of IGF-I-mediated biological effects. Thus, deletion or mutation of the WT1 gene in Wilms' tumor and other malignancies can result in overexpression of the receptor, with enhanced autocrine/paracrine activation by locally produced or circulating IGFs.

Prostaglandin E2 induces Egr-1 mRNA in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells by a protein kinase C-dependent pathway

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) plays an important role in the regulation of osteoblast metabolism. However, the nuclear signal transduction mechanisms involved in the actions of PGE2 have not been clearly defined. One mechanism may involve induction of immediate early genes such as the transcription factor Egr-1. In the present study, we examined the effects of PGE2 on induction of Egr-1 mRNA in MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. Time course studies with 2 microM PGE2 showed maximal induction of Egr-1 mRNA at 30 min. In cells pretreated with cycloheximide (CHX), induction of Egr-1 mRNA reached a maximum at 60 min and remained elevated for at least 240 min. Preincubation with CHX was associated with superinduction of Egr-1. Inhibition of protein kinase C activity by pretreatment with 1 microM chelerythrine chloride or by prolonged stimulation with 50 ng/ml tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate (TPA) attenuated the induction of Egr-1 mRNA by 2 microM PGE2. These data indicate that in MC3T3-E1 cells, PGE2 increase Egr-1 mRNA levels via a protein kinase C-dependent pathway.

Epidermal growth factor induces Egr-1 messenger RNA and protein in mouse osteoblastic cells

The nuclear signaling events activated when epidermal growth factor (EGF) interacts with osteoblasts to produce effects on growth and differentiation are not clearly understood, and may include induction of immediate early genes such as Egr-1, a zinc finger transcription factor. In the present study, Northern analyses were performed to define the effects of EGF on the expression of Egr-1 mRNA in MC3T3-E1 mouse osteoblastic cells. Following treatment of quiescent, subconfluent MC3T3-E1 cells with 0.1-100 ng/ml EGF for various periods, maximal induction of Egr-1 mRNA occurred when cells were treated for 30-60 minutes with 1-10 ng/ml EGF. Inhibition of protein kinase C activity by pretreatment with 1 microM chelerythrine chloride or by prolonged stimulation with 50 ng/ml tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate (TPA) partially diminished the induction of Egr-1 by EGF. Using an immunohistochemical approach, 10 ng/ml EGF was observed to induce Egr-1 protein within 30-60 minutes and this induction was localized to the nucleus. These observations indicate that EGF induces Egr-1 mRNA and protein via protein kinase C and other signaling pathways, and that Egr-1 may be part of the regulatory network mediating the actions of EGF on growth and differentiation of osteoblasts.

Molecular remodelling in hypertrophied hearts from polyomavirus large T-antigen transgenic mice

Polyomavirus large T-antigen transgenic mice develop cardiac hypertrophy characterized by an increase in atrial natriuretic factor and beta-myosin heavy chain isoform expression. The aim of this study was to examine changes in proto-oncogene expression in hypertrophied hearts from the transgenic mice. Expression of early growth response-1 (Egr-1) mRNA was detected in hearts from all 15 transgenic mice, but was not detectable in 13 control mice. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction experiments using Egr-1-specific primers confirmed the increase in Egr-1 mRNA in enlarged hearts from the transgenic mice. Expression of c-jun, junD and Ha-ras mRNAs was increased in the transgenic hearts 3, 17 and 2.8-fold respectively. Western blots showed an increase in c-myc, c-jun and ras protein in hypertrophied transgenic hearts. Immunofluorescence analyses confirmed an increase in Egr-1 and c-jun protein in transgenic cardiomyocytes. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen, Ki-ras and HSP 90 mRNAs were decreased 22, 2.7 and 3-fold, respectively in the transgenic hearts. Not altered in most hypertrophied hearts was expression of c-fos, junB, p53, c-neu, c-myc, HSP70, HSP27, TGF-beta or IGF 1 mRNAs. Proto-oncogene and growth factor gene expression in hypertrophy induced by PVLT expression is modulated with some proto-oncogenes increased and others decreased in expression.

The regulation of IGF-I receptor gene expression

The insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) receptor mediates most of the biological effects of IGF-I and -II. Despite its structural similarity to the insulin receptor, the IGF-I receptor is mainly involved in the transduction of growth and differentiation types of signals. The IGF-I receptor gene is constitutively expressed by most cells in the organism as well as in culture, consistent with the role of the IGFs as survival factors. In addition, the expression of the IGF-I receptor gene is modulated by a number of physiological and pathological factors, including developmental stage, nutritional status, hormones, growth disorders and malignancy. The regulatory region of the IGF-I receptor gene has been characterized and shown to display a high level of basal promoter activity. Transcription factor Sp1 is a strong activator of IGF-I receptor gene expression, whereas tumor suppressor WT1 represses its activity. The biological implications of these findings in both normal development and disease are described in this review.

In situ expression of the early growth response gene-1 during murine nephrogenesis

WT1 maps to chromosome 11p13 and encodes a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) binding protein whose expression is necessary for normal urogenital development. The WT1 protein binds to some of the same DNA sequences as the early growth response gene-1 (EGR-1) protein, the latter being an immediate-early gene product that activates or represses transcription in a promoter and cell-specific manner. Transient transfection experiments have shown that WT1 can repress EGR-1 activated transcription from the EGR-1 promoter. To determine if WT1 is likely to be a physiologically important repressor of EGR-1 we performed ribonucleic acid (RNA) in situ hybridization of EGR-1 on sequential sagittal sections of murine embryos before and throughout nephrogenesis, and compared the results to our previous study of WT1 expression during murine embryogenesis. Prior to embryological day 9.5 WT1 messenger RNA expression is absent in the embryo proper but is expressed in the maternal uterus. With the initiation of organogenesis on embryological day 10.5 WT1 messenger RNA localizes within the pronephric and mesonephric tissues. By embryological day 11.5 the nephrogenic cord, urogenital ridge and metanephric tissue have WT1 hybridization signals and increasingly centripetal expression of WT1 in the kidney correlates with differentiation from embryological days 11.5 to 16.5. In contrast to previous reports of the tissue restricted expression of WT1, EGR-1 expression by in situ hybridization was apparent in all 3 germ layers and their derivatives throughout embryogenesis. Down-regulation of EGR-1 expression occurred in the maternal uterus as well as the metanephric blastema and its derivatives during renal development. This observation defines a spatial and temporal window during which WT1 competition for EGR-1 DNA binding sites may be involved in regulating EGR-1 expression.

Characterization of an Krox-24/Egr-1-responsive element in the human tumor necrosis factor promoter

We have analyzed in various human leukemic cell lines a previously unrecognized region within the human TNF gene promoter that contains the sequence motif 5'-CCGCCCCCGCG-3'. This GC-rich sequence maps to bps -170 and -160 of the TNF gene. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) combined with methylation interference analysis revealed the binding of two distinct proteins with overlapping recognition sites. Supershift assays identified the constitutive transcription factor Sp1 and the immediate-early growth-response transcription factor Egr-1/Krox-24. Interestingly, this Egr-1-related factor was induced by PMA but not by TNF. The TNF gene GC-rich sequence conferred PMA responsiveness when linked to a heterologous minimal c-fos promoter. To examine the involvement of Egr-1/Krox-24 in TNF gene regulation, a Krox-24 expression vector was used, pSCTKr24. In Jurkat T cells pSCTKr24 stimulated pTNF-286CAT that contains sequences -286 to +34 of the human TNF gene fused to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene. Moreover, pSCTKr24 also stimulated the TNF gene GC-rich sequence linked to the minimal c-fos promoter. However, deletion of this site did not result in markedly reduced TNF promoter activity, suggesting that the Egr-1/Krox-24 response element may play an auxiliary role in TNF gene regulation.

Epithelial differentiation of metanephric mesenchymal cells after stimulation with hepatocyte growth factor or embryonic spinal cord

Mammalian kidney emerges from metanephric mesenchyme following the insertion of a migrating ureteric bud. The pattern morphology of mesenchymal specialization during tubular segmentation is remarkably complex, and the relative contribution of pattern gradients from the microenvironment versus the instructive role of individual cells is not known. We have started to examine the differentiation of metanephric mesenchyme using cultures of metanephric ridge (MMR) cells from day 13.5 mouse embryos to investigate the conversion of mesenchyme toward kidney epithelium in vitro. One of our mesenchymal clones, MMR1, expresses little Pax2, uvomorulin, or cytokeratin but does express neural cell adhesion molecule, bc12, and desmin; these are properties consistent with an early stem cell. Coculture of MMR1 cells with embryonic spinal cord leads to the induction of a more differentiated cell phenotype characterized by decreased expression of neural cell adhesion molecule, the appearance of uvomorulin, and the emergence of cytokeratin, all consistent with an evolution toward epithelium. We were also able to detect the hepatocyte growth factor receptor c-met on MMR1 cells by indirect immunofluorescence. When MMR1 cells were stimulated with hepatocyte growth factor, neural cell adhesion molecule expression decreased and uvomorulin appeared. This effect of hepatocyte growth factor, as a single cytokine, may be important in the early assemblage of kidney, since we were able to detect mRNA transcripts encoding c-met from mouse embryo metanephric kidneys.

WT-1 is required for early kidney development

In humans, germline mutations of the WT-1 tumor suppressor gene are associated with both Wilms' tumors and urogenital malformations. To develop a model system for the molecular analysis of urogenital development, we introduced a mutation into the murine WT-1 tumor suppressor gene by gene targeting in embryonic stem cells. The mutation resulted in embryonic lethality in homozygotes, and examination of mutant embryos revealed a failure of kidney and gonad development. Specifically, at day 11 of gestation, the cells of the metanephric blastema underwent apoptosis, the ureteric bud failed to grow out from the Wolffian duct, and the inductive events that lead to formation of the metanephric kidney did not occur. In addition, the mutation caused abnormal development of the mesothelium, heart, and lungs. Our results establish a crucial role for WT-1 in early urogenital development.

Normal and abnormal nephrogenesis

During the past decade, exciting advances in the fields of cell and molecular biology have provided new insight into the processes of normal and abnormal nephron induction and renal morphogenesis. Although the specific molecular signals that control renal mesenchymal-epithelium inductive interaction remain unknown, recent data suggest that postinductive nephrogenesis may be regulated by the overall balance of a number of local autocrine and/or paracrine growth factor systems. Alterations in the critical balance of regulatory factors might produce a variety of hypoplastic and dysplastic nephropathies or hyperplastic lesions such as tubular cysts. Additional studies demonstrate that extracellular matrix components and cell surface integrins have important regulatory roles in ureteric bud development and branching. Perturbations in matrix or integrin expression due to altered gene activity or toxin exposure would be expected to produce a variety of renal abnormalities ranging from failure of nephron induction (aplasia) to focal disruptions of differentiation (segmental dysplasia). Finally, several groups of genes encoding transcriptional regulatory proteins have been identified that appear to regulate aspects of cell proliferation, pattern formation, and segment-specific differentiation during normal and abnormal nephrogenesis. Future studies will elucidate the roles that specific genes and proteins play in renal development and will ultimately reveal the manner in which their dysregulation or dysfunction causes a variety of developmental renal disorders.

Transient and recurrent expression of the Egr-1 gene in epithelial and mesenchymal cells during tooth morphogenesis suggests involvement in tissue interactions and in determination of cell fate

We have analyzed the expression of early growth response gene (Egr-1) by mRNA in situ hybridization during mouse embryonic tooth development and in experimental recombinations of dental epithelium and mesenchyme. Egr-1 was transiently and recurrently expressed both in epithelial and mesenchymal cells starting from day 13 of gestation and up to 4 days after birth. The expression correlated with developmental transition points of dental mesenchymal and epithelial cells suggesting a role for Egr-1 in sequential determination and differentiation of cells. In recombination cultures of early dental epithelium and mesenchyme Egr-1 RNA was localized at the epithelial-mesenchymal interface in mesenchymal cells, and in two cases also in epithelial cells. These data indicate that Egr-1 expression may be regulated by epithelial-mesenchymal interactions when they are specific enough to initiate differentiation. We have also analyzed by in situ hybridization whether Wilms' tumour-1 gene (wt-1) is expressed in the developing tooth as it was proposed on the bases of in vitro studies that it may inhibit Egr-1 expression. No wt-1 expression was detected at any stage of tooth development showing that wt-1 is not obligatory for regulation of Egr-1 expression.