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Muñoz Forti K, Weisman GA, Jasmer KJ. Cell type-specific transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling in the regulation of salivary gland fibrosis and regeneration. J Oral Biol Craniofac Res 2024; 14:257-272. [PMID: 38559587 PMCID: PMC10979288 DOI: 10.1016/j.jobcr.2024.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Salivary gland damage and hypofunction result from various disorders, including autoimmune Sjögren's disease (SjD) and IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD), as well as a side effect of radiotherapy for treating head and neck cancers. There are no therapeutic strategies to prevent the loss of salivary gland function in these disorders nor facilitate functional salivary gland regeneration. However, ongoing aquaporin-1 gene therapy trials to restore saliva flow show promise. To identify and develop novel therapeutic targets, we must better understand the cell-specific signaling processes involved in salivary gland regeneration. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling is essential to tissue fibrosis, a major endpoint in salivary gland degeneration, which develops in the salivary glands of patients with SjD, IgG4-RD, and radiation-induced damage. Though the deposition and remodeling of extracellular matrix proteins are essential to repair salivary gland damage, pathological fibrosis results in tissue hardening and chronic salivary gland dysfunction orchestrated by multiple cell types, including fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, endothelial cells, stromal cells, and lymphocytes, macrophages, and other immune cell populations. This review is focused on the role of TGF-β signaling in the development of salivary gland fibrosis and the potential for targeting TGF-β as a novel therapeutic approach to regenerate functional salivary glands. The studies presented highlight the divergent roles of TGF-β signaling in salivary gland development and dysfunction and illuminate specific cell populations in damaged or diseased salivary glands that mediate the effects of TGF-β. Overall, these studies strongly support the premise that blocking TGF-β signaling holds promise for the regeneration of functional salivary glands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Muñoz Forti
- Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center and Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, United States
| | - Gary A. Weisman
- Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center and Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, United States
| | - Kimberly J. Jasmer
- Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center and Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, United States
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Liu Q, Zhao RM, Wang DY, Li P, Qu YF, Ji X. Genome-wide characterization of the TGF-β gene family and their expression in different tissues during tail regeneration in the Schlegel's Japanese gecko Gekko japonicus. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 255:128127. [PMID: 37984573 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.128127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) gene family is unique to animals and is involved in various important processes including tissue regeneration. Here, we identified 52 TGF-β family genes based on genome sequences of the gecko (Gekko japonicus), compared TGF-β genes between G. japonicus and other four reptilian species, and evaluated the expression of 14 randomly selected genes in muscle, kidney, liver, heart, and brain during tail regeneration to investigate whether their expression was tissue-dependent. We detected 23 conserved domains, 13 in the TGF-β ligand subfamily, and 10 in the receptor subfamily. The pattern of higher genetic variation in the ligand subfamily than in the receptor subfamily in vertebrates might result from the precise localization of agonists and antagonists in the cell surface and intracellular compartment. TGF-β genes were unevenly distributed across 15 chromosomes in G. japonicus, presumably resulting from gene losses and gains during evolution. Genes in the TGF-β receptor subfamily (ACVR2A, ACVR2B, ACVR1, BMPR1A, ACVRL1, BMPR2 and TGFBR1) played a vital role in the TGF-β signal pathway. The expression of all 14 randomly selected TGF-β genes was tissue-specific. Our study supports the speculation that some TGF-β family genes are involved in the early stages of tail regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Ru-Meng Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Dan-Yan Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Peng Li
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yan-Fu Qu
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Xiang Ji
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
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Goebel EJ, Ongaro L, Kappes EC, Vestal K, Belcheva E, Castonguay R, Kumar R, Bernard DJ, Thompson TB. The orphan ligand, activin C, signals through activin receptor-like kinase 7. eLife 2022; 11:78197. [PMID: 35736809 PMCID: PMC9224996 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Activin ligands are formed from two disulfide-linked inhibin β (Inhβ) subunit chains. They exist as homodimeric proteins, as in the case of activin A (ActA; InhβA/InhβA) or activin C (ActC; InhβC/InhβC), or as heterodimers, as with activin AC (ActAC; InhβA:InhβC). While the biological functions of ActA and activin B (ActB) have been well characterized, little is known about the biological functions of ActC or ActAC. One thought is that the InhβC chain functions to interfere with ActA production by forming less active ActAC heterodimers. Here, we assessed and characterized the signaling capacity of ligands containing the InhβC chain. ActC and ActAC activated SMAD2/3-dependent signaling via the type I receptor, activin receptor-like kinase 7 (ALK7). Relative to ActA and ActB, ActC exhibited lower affinity for the cognate activin type II receptors and was resistant to neutralization by the extracellular antagonist, follistatin. In mature murine adipocytes, which exhibit high ALK7 expression, ActC elicited a SMAD2/3 response similar to ActB, which can also signal via ALK7. Collectively, these results establish that ActC and ActAC are active ligands that exhibit a distinct signaling receptor and antagonist profile compared to other activins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erich J Goebel
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, United States
| | - Luisina Ongaro
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Centre for Research in Reproduction and Development, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Emily C Kappes
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, United States
| | - Kylie Vestal
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, United States
| | | | | | | | - Daniel J Bernard
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Centre for Research in Reproduction and Development, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Thomas B Thompson
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, United States
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Goebel EJ, Kattamuri C, Gipson GR, Krishnan L, Chavez M, Czepnik M, Maguire MC, Grenha R, Håkansson M, Logan DT, Grinberg AV, Sako D, Castonguay R, Kumar R, Thompson TB. Structures of activin ligand traps using natural sets of type I and type II TGFβ receptors. iScience 2022; 25:103590. [PMID: 35005539 PMCID: PMC8718839 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The 30+ unique ligands of the TGFβ family signal by forming complexes using different combinations of type I and type II receptors. Therapeutically, the extracellular domain of a single receptor fused to an Fc molecule can effectively neutralize subsets of ligands. Increased ligand specificity can be accomplished by using the extracellular domains of both the type I and type II receptor to mimic the naturally occurring signaling complex. Here, we report the structure of one "type II-type I-Fc" fusion, ActRIIB-Alk4-Fc, in complex with two TGFβ family ligands, ActA, and GDF11, providing a snapshot of this therapeutic platform. The study reveals that extensive contacts are formed by both receptors, replicating the ternary signaling complex, despite the inherent low affinity of Alk4. Our study shows that low-affinity type I interactions support altered ligand specificity and can be visualized at the molecular level using this platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erich J. Goebel
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati, 231 Albert Sabin Way ML 0524, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Chandramohan Kattamuri
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati, 231 Albert Sabin Way ML 0524, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Gregory R. Gipson
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati, 231 Albert Sabin Way ML 0524, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | | | | | - Magdalena Czepnik
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati, 231 Albert Sabin Way ML 0524, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | | | - Rosa Grenha
- Acceleron Pharma, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Maria Håkansson
- SARomics Biostructures AB, Medicon Village, Scheeletorget 1, 223 63, Lund, Sweden
| | - Derek T. Logan
- SARomics Biostructures AB, Medicon Village, Scheeletorget 1, 223 63, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Dianne Sako
- Acceleron Pharma, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | | | - Thomas B. Thompson
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati, 231 Albert Sabin Way ML 0524, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
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