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Vilà-González M, Pinte L, Fradique R, Causa E, Kool H, Rodrat M, Morell CM, Al-Thani M, Porter L, Guo W, Maeshima R, Hart SL, McCaughan F, Granata A, Sheppard DN, Floto RA, Rawlins EL, Cicuta P, Vallier L. In vitro platform to model the function of ionocytes in the human airway epithelium. Respir Res 2024; 25:180. [PMID: 38664797 PMCID: PMC11045446 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-024-02800-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pulmonary ionocytes have been identified in the airway epithelium as a small population of ion transporting cells expressing high levels of CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator), the gene mutated in cystic fibrosis. By providing an infinite source of airway epithelial cells (AECs), the use of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) could overcome some challenges of studying ionocytes. However, the production of AEC epithelia containing ionocytes from hiPSCs has proven difficult. Here, we present a platform to produce hiPSC-derived AECs (hiPSC-AECs) including ionocytes and investigate their role in the airway epithelium. METHODS hiPSCs were differentiated into lung progenitors, which were expanded as 3D organoids and matured by air-liquid interface culture as polarised hiPSC-AEC epithelia. Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, we generated a hiPSCs knockout (KO) for FOXI1, a transcription factor that is essential for ionocyte specification. Differences between FOXI1 KO hiPSC-AECs and their wild-type (WT) isogenic controls were investigated by assessing gene and protein expression, epithelial composition, cilia coverage and motility, pH and transepithelial barrier properties. RESULTS Mature hiPSC-AEC epithelia contained basal cells, secretory cells, ciliated cells with motile cilia, pulmonary neuroendocrine cells (PNECs) and ionocytes. There was no difference between FOXI1 WT and KO hiPSCs in terms of their capacity to differentiate into airway progenitors. However, FOXI1 KO led to mature hiPSC-AEC epithelia without ionocytes with reduced capacity to produce ciliated cells. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that ionocytes could have role beyond transepithelial ion transport by regulating epithelial properties and homeostasis in the airway epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Vilà-González
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK.
- Cell Therapy and Tissue Engineering Group, Research Institute of Health Sciences (IUNICS), University of Balearic Islands, Palma, 07122, Spain.
- Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Palma, 07120, Spain.
| | - Laetitia Pinte
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Ricardo Fradique
- Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Erika Causa
- Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Heleen Kool
- Wellcome Trust/CRUK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Mayuree Rodrat
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
- Center of Research and Development for Biomedical Instrumentation, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand
| | - Carola Maria Morell
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, Milan, 20089, Italy
| | - Maha Al-Thani
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge, CB2 0BB, UK
| | - Linsey Porter
- Department of Medicine, Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge, CB2 0BB, UK
| | - Wenrui Guo
- Department of Medicine, Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge, CB2 0BB, UK
| | - Ruhina Maeshima
- Genetics and Genome Medicine Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Stephen L Hart
- Genetics and Genome Medicine Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Frank McCaughan
- Department of Medicine, Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge, CB2 0BB, UK
| | - Alessandra Granata
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge, CB2 0BB, UK
| | - David N Sheppard
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - R Andres Floto
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
- Cambridge Centre for Lung Infection, Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, CB2 0AY, UK
| | - Emma L Rawlins
- Wellcome Trust/CRUK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Pietro Cicuta
- Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Ludovic Vallier
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK.
- BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, DE, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestraße 63-73, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
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Kool H, Mous D, Tibboel D, de Klein A, Rottier RJ. Pulmonary vascular development goes awry in congenital lung abnormalities. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 102:343-58. [PMID: 25424472 DOI: 10.1002/bdrc.21085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 10/29/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Pulmonary vascular diseases of the newborn comprise a wide range of pathological conditions with developmental abnormalities in the pulmonary vasculature. Clinically, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PH) is characterized by persistent increased resistance of the vasculature and abnormal vascular response. The classification of PH is primarily based on clinical parameters instead of morphology and distinguishes five groups of PH. Congenital lung anomalies, such as alveolar capillary dysplasia (ACD) and PH associated with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), but also bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), are classified in group three. Clearly, tight and correct regulation of pulmonary vascular development is crucial for normal lung development. Human and animal model systems have increased our knowledge and make it possible to identify and characterize affected pathways and study pivotal genes. Understanding of the normal development of the pulmonary vasculature will give new insights in the origin of the spectrum of rare diseases, such as CDH, ACD, and BPD, which render a significant clinical problem in neonatal intensive care units around the world. In this review, we describe normal pulmonary vascular development, and focus on four diseases of the newborn in which abnormal pulmonary vascular development play a critical role in morbidity and mortality. In the future perspective, we indicate the lines of research that seem to be very promising for elucidating the molecular pathways involved in the origin of congenital pulmonary vascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heleen Kool
- Department of Pediatric Surgery of the Erasmus MC, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Ochieng JK, Schilders K, Kool H, Boerema-De Munck A, Buscop-Van Kempen M, Gontan C, Smits R, Grosveld FG, Wijnen RMH, Tibboel D, Rottier RJ. Sox2 regulates the emergence of lung basal cells by directly activating the transcription of Trp63. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2014; 51:311-22. [PMID: 24669837 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2013-0419oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung development is determined by the coordinated expression of several key genes. Previously, we and others have shown the importance of the sex determining region Y-box 2 (Sox2) gene in lung development. Transgenic expression of Sox2 during lung development resulted in cystic airways, and here we show that modulating the timing of ectopic Sox2 expression in the branching regions of the developing lung results in variable cystic lesions resembling the spectrum of the human congenital disorder congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM). Sox2 dominantly differentiated naive epithelial cells into the proximal lineage irrespective of the presence of Fgf10. Sox2 directly induced the expression of Trp63, the master switch toward the basal cell lineage and induced the expression of Gata6, a factor involved in the emergence of bronchoalveolar stem cells. We showed that SOX2 and TRP63 are coexpressed in the lungs of human patients with type II CCAM. The combination of premature differentiation toward the proximal cell lineage and the induction of proliferation resulted in the cyst-like structures. Thus, we show that Sox2 is directly responsible for the emergence of two lung progenitor cells: basal cells by regulating the master gene Trp63 and bronchoalveolar stem cells by regulating Gata6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua K Ochieng
- Departments of 1 Pediatric Surgery of the Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital
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Kapere Ochieng J, Schilders K, Kool H, Buscop-van Kempen M, Boerema-De Munck A, Grosveld F, Wijnen R, Tibboel D, Rottier RJ. Differentiated type II pneumocytes can be reprogrammed by ectopic Sox2 expression. PLoS One 2014; 9:e107248. [PMID: 25210856 PMCID: PMC4161395 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Accepted: 08/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The adult lung contains several distinct stem cells, although their properties and full potential are still being sorted out. We previously showed that ectopic Sox2 expression in the developing lung manipulated the fate of differentiating cells. Here, we addressed the question whether fully differentiated cells could be redirected towards another cell type. Therefore, we used transgenic mice to express an inducible Sox2 construct in type II pneumocytes, which are situated in the distal, respiratory areas of the lung. Within three days after the induction of the transgene, the type II cells start to proliferate and form clusters of cuboidal cells. Prolonged Sox2 expression resulted in the reversal of the type II cell towards a more embryonic, precursor-like cell, being positive for the stem cell markers Sca1 and Ssea1. Moreover, the cells started to co-express Spc and Cc10, characteristics of bronchioalveolar stem cells. We demonstrated that Sox2 directly regulates the expression of Sca1. Subsequently, these cells expressed Trp63, a marker for basal cells of the trachea. So, we show that the expression of one transcription factor in fully differentiated, distal lung cells changes their fate towards proximal cells through intermediate cell types. This may have implications for regenerative medicine, and repair of diseased and damaged lungs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Kapere Ochieng
- Department of Pediatric Surgery of the Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Kim Schilders
- Department of Pediatric Surgery of the Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Heleen Kool
- Department of Pediatric Surgery of the Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marjon Buscop-van Kempen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery of the Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anne Boerema-De Munck
- Department of Pediatric Surgery of the Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Frank Grosveld
- Department of Cell Biology of the Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Rene Wijnen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery of the Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dick Tibboel
- Department of Pediatric Surgery of the Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Robbert J. Rottier
- Department of Pediatric Surgery of the Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Cell Biology of the Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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Vrieling H, Wijnhoven S, van Sloun P, Kool H, Giphart-Gassler M, van Zeeland A. Heterozygous Aprt mouse model: detection and study of a broad range of autosomal somatic mutations in vivo. Environ Mol Mutagen 1999; 34:84-89. [PMID: 10529730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
During the development of cancer a series of specific genetic alterations have to occur in a stepwise fashion to transform a normal somatic cell into a malignant tumor cell. These genetic changes can be roughly divided in two groups: mutations in proto-oncogenes that result in a constantly activated gene product and mutations in tumor-suppressor genes that result in loss of function. While oncogenic mutations often have a dominant phenotype and mutation of one allele is sufficient for activation, in general both alleles of a tumor suppressor gene have to be disrupted to abolish its function. The requested specificity for activating mutations in proto-oncogenes is high, since only a limited number of mutations at specific sites result in an activated protein. In contrast, disruption of a tumor suppressor gene can be accomplished via various mechanisms. Familial cancers often contain a germline mutation in one allele of a tumor suppressor gene. In tumors, the second allele is then frequently lost by genetic alterations that also affect the heterozygous state of multiple loci adjacent to the tumor suppressor gene. Genetic events especially, such as mitotic recombination, chromosome loss and deletion, are frequently responsible for the loss of the functional allele of heterozygous mutant tumor suppressor genes. We generated an Aprt(+/-) mouse model that allows us to study in detail the nature of the alterations that lead to loss of the wild-type Aprt allele in somatic cells. These genetic changes are thought to be analogous to those occurring at autosomal tumour suppressor genes, where they may contribute to the development of cancer. Furthermore, this mouse model allows determination of the extent and mechanisms by which chemical carcinogens induce loss of heterozygosity and identification of the nature of the DNA adducts responsible.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Vrieling
- Department of Radiation Genetics and Chemical Mutagenesis-MGC, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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