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Qian Z, Lin W, Cai X, Wu J, Ke K, Ye Z, Wu F. WYC-209 inhibited GC malignant progression by down-regulating WNT4 through RARα. Cancer Biol Ther 2024; 25:2299288. [PMID: 38178596 PMCID: PMC10773637 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2023.2299288] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) has been a major health burden all over the world but there are fewer promising chemotherapeutic drugs due to its multidrug resistance. It has been reported that WYC-209 suppresses the growth and metastasis of tumor-repopulating cells but the effect on GC was not explored. MTT, colony formation, and transwell assays were performed to examine the effects of WYC-209 on the proliferation, colony growth, and mobility of GC cells. Western blotting and qRT-PCR were used to detect the expression of proteins and mRNA. RNA-seq and enrichment analyses were conducted for the differentially expressed genes and enriched biological processes and pathways. The rescue experiments were carried out for further validation. Besides, we constructed xenograft model to confirm the effect of WYC-209 in vivo. The dual-luciferase reporter and Chromatin immunoprecipitation were implemented to confirm the underlying mechanism. WYC-209 exerted excellent anti-cancer effects both in vitro and in vivo. Based on RNA-seq and enrichment analyses, we found that Wnt family member 4 (WNT4) was significantly down-regulated. More importantly, WNT4 overexpression breached the inhibitory effect of WYC-209 on GC progression. Mechanically, WYC-209 significantly promoted the binding between retinoic acid receptor α (RARα) and WNT4 promoter. WYC-209 exerts anti-tumor effects in GC by down-regulating the expression of WNT4 via RARα.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyuan Qian
- General Surgery, Cancer Center, Department of Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wenfa Lin
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xufan Cai
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jianzhang Wu
- General Surgery, Cancer Center, Department of Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Kun Ke
- General Surgery, Cancer Center, Department of Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zaiyuan Ye
- General Surgery, Cancer Center, Department of Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Fang Wu
- General Surgery, Cancer Center, Department of Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Riedhammer KM, Nguyen TMT, Koşukcu C, Calzada-Wack J, Li Y, Assia Batzir N, Saygılı S, Wimmers V, Kim GJ, Chrysanthou M, Bakey Z, Sofrin-Drucker E, Kraiger M, Sanz-Moreno A, Amarie OV, Rathkolb B, Klein-Rodewald T, Garrett L, Hölter SM, Seisenberger C, Haug S, Schlosser P, Marschall S, Wurst W, Fuchs H, Gailus-Durner V, Wuttke M, Hrabe de Angelis M, Ćomić J, Akgün Doğan Ö, Özlük Y, Taşdemir M, Ağbaş A, Canpolat N, Orenstein N, Çalışkan S, Weber RG, Bergmann C, Jeanpierre C, Saunier S, Lim TY, Hildebrandt F, Alhaddad B, Basel-Salmon L, Borovitz Y, Wu K, Antony D, Matschkal J, Schaaf CW, Renders L, Schmaderer C, Rogg M, Schell C, Meitinger T, Heemann U, Köttgen A, Arnold SJ, Ozaltin F, Schmidts M, Hoefele J. Implication of transcription factor FOXD2 dysfunction in syndromic congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT). Kidney Int 2024; 105:844-864. [PMID: 38154558 PMCID: PMC10957342 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2023.11.032] [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: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are the predominant cause for chronic kidney disease below age 30 years. Many monogenic forms have been discovered due to comprehensive genetic testing like exome sequencing. However, disease-causing variants in known disease-associated genes only explain a proportion of cases. Here, we aim to unravel underlying molecular mechanisms of syndromic CAKUT in three unrelated multiplex families with presumed autosomal recessive inheritance. Exome sequencing in the index individuals revealed three different rare homozygous variants in FOXD2, encoding a transcription factor not previously implicated in CAKUT in humans: a frameshift in the Arabic and a missense variant each in the Turkish and the Israeli family with segregation patterns consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance. CRISPR/Cas9-derived Foxd2 knockout mice presented with a bilateral dilated kidney pelvis accompanied by atrophy of the kidney papilla and mandibular, ophthalmologic, and behavioral anomalies, recapitulating the human phenotype. In a complementary approach to study pathomechanisms of FOXD2-dysfunction-mediated developmental kidney defects, we generated CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of Foxd2 in ureteric bud-induced mouse metanephric mesenchyme cells. Transcriptomic analyses revealed enrichment of numerous differentially expressed genes important for kidney/urogenital development, including Pax2 and Wnt4 as well as gene expression changes indicating a shift toward a stromal cell identity. Histology of Foxd2 knockout mouse kidneys confirmed increased fibrosis. Further, genome-wide association studies suggest that FOXD2 could play a role for maintenance of podocyte integrity during adulthood. Thus, our studies help in genetic diagnostics of monogenic CAKUT and in understanding of monogenic and multifactorial kidney diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Korbinian M Riedhammer
- Institute of Human Genetics, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany; Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Thanh-Minh T Nguyen
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Can Koşukcu
- Department of Bioinformatics, Hacettepe University Institute of Health Sciences, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Julia Calzada-Wack
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Yong Li
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Nurit Assia Batzir
- Pediatric Genetics Unit, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tikva, Israel
| | - Seha Saygılı
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Vera Wimmers
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany; Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Gwang-Jin Kim
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Marialena Chrysanthou
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Zeineb Bakey
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Efrat Sofrin-Drucker
- Pediatric Genetics Unit, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tikva, Israel
| | - Markus Kraiger
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Adrián Sanz-Moreno
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Oana V Amarie
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Birgit Rathkolb
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; Institute of Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Tanja Klein-Rodewald
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Lillian Garrett
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Sabine M Hölter
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; Chair of Developmental Genetics, TUM School of Life Sciences (SoLS), Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Claudia Seisenberger
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Haug
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Pascal Schlosser
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany; Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Susan Marschall
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wurst
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; Chair of Developmental Genetics, TUM School of Life Sciences (SoLS), Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany; Deutsches Institut für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) Site Munich, Munich, Germany; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Adolf-Butenandt-Institut, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Helmut Fuchs
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Valerie Gailus-Durner
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Matthias Wuttke
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Martin Hrabe de Angelis
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany; Chair of Experimental Genetics, TUM School of Life Sciences (SoLS), Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Jasmina Ćomić
- Institute of Human Genetics, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany; Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Özlem Akgün Doğan
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Genetics, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Yasemin Özlük
- Department of Pathology, Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Mehmet Taşdemir
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Istinye University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Ayşe Ağbaş
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Nur Canpolat
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Naama Orenstein
- Pediatric Genetics Unit, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tikva, Israel; Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Salim Çalışkan
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Ruthild G Weber
- Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Carsten Bergmann
- Medizinische Genetik Mainz, Limbach Genetics, Mainz, Germany; Department of Medicine IV, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Cecile Jeanpierre
- Laboratoire des Maladies Rénales Héréditaires, Institut Imagine, Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Saunier
- Laboratoire des Maladies Rénales Héréditaires, Institut Imagine, Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France
| | - Tze Y Lim
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Friedhelm Hildebrandt
- Division of Nephrology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bader Alhaddad
- Institute of Human Genetics, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Lina Basel-Salmon
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Raphael Recanati Genetics Institute, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel; Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
| | - Yael Borovitz
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Institute of Nephrology, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tikva, Israel
| | - Kaman Wu
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Dinu Antony
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Julia Matschkal
- Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Christian W Schaaf
- Institute of Human Genetics, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany; Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Lutz Renders
- Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Christoph Schmaderer
- Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Manuel Rogg
- Institute of Surgical Pathology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Schell
- Institute of Surgical Pathology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Meitinger
- Institute of Human Genetics, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Uwe Heemann
- Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Anna Köttgen
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany; CIBSS - Center for Integrative Biological Signaling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian J Arnold
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany; CIBSS - Center for Integrative Biological Signaling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Fatih Ozaltin
- Department of Bioinformatics, Hacettepe University Institute of Health Sciences, Ankara, Türkiye; Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Sihhiye, Ankara, Türkiye; Nephrogenetics Laboratory, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Sihhiye, Ankara, Türkiye; Center for Genomics and Rare Diseases, Hacettepe University, Sihhiye, Ankara, Türkiye.
| | - Miriam Schmidts
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany; CIBSS - Center for Integrative Biological Signaling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Julia Hoefele
- Institute of Human Genetics, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany.
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Meidyana S, Isfandiary S, Primariawan RY. WNT4 (rs7521902 and rs16826658) polymorphism and its association with endometriosis - A systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2024; 295:111-117. [PMID: 38354602 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2024.01.038] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE This systematic review supports the involvement of the WNT4 gene in the pathophysiology of endometriosis. OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on WNT4 rs7521902 and rs16826658 polymorphism associated with endometriosis based on multi-ethnic case-control studies. DATA SOURCES Comprehensive searching was performed using Medline, Embase, and Google Scholar. STUDY SELECTION AND SYNTHESIS Keywords used for searching using Boolean operators are endometriosis, WNT4, and polymorphism. This review followed PRISMA guidelines, and meta-analysis was conducted in STATA18. MAIN OUTCOMES WNT4 polymorphisms identified in this review were rs7521902, rs16826658, rs2235529, rs3820282, and rs12037376. RESULTS A total of 250 studies were identified through databases; 10 were eligible for this review, and eight were included in the meta-analysis. Two WNT4 polymorphisms (rs7521902 and rs16826658) were analysed in the meta-analysis. A lower risk of odds in having endometriosis was apparent in the CC genotype of rs7521092 polymorphism with a pooled OR of 0.86 (0.76, 0.99). Most articles were high-quality case-control studies and were at low risk of bias. CONCLUSION This study highlighted the association of WNT4 polymorphisms (rs7521092) and endometriosis across Latin America, Europe, and Asian populations. RELEVANCE Following the completion of the Human Genome Project, many genetic aspects of endometriosis were revealed, including the discovery of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). However, due to a lack of replications and conflicting results between studies, the conclusion of the endometriosis genetic pathway needed to be completed. This finding of WNT4 showed that its association with endometriosis was valid even in varied ethnicities, indicating a general genetic aspect of disease across populations. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to confirm this finding, including functional biological and longitudinal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shafira Meidyana
- Dept. Public Health - Preventive Medicine, Airlangga University, Jl. Mayjen Prof. Dr. Moestopo, 47, Surabaya, Indonesia.
| | - Soraya Isfandiary
- Dept. Public Health - Preventive Medicine, Airlangga University, Jl. Mayjen Prof. Dr. Moestopo, 47, Surabaya, Indonesia
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Yuan Y, Li Y, Zhao W, Hu Y, Zhou C, Long T, Long L. WNT4 promotes macrophage polarization via granulosa cell M-CSF and reduces granulosa cell apoptosis in endometriosis. Cytokine 2023; 172:156400. [PMID: 37839333 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2023.156400] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND WNT4 gene polymorphism are common in endometriosis and may functionally link estrogen and estrogen receptor signaling. Previous study confirmed estrogen and estrogen receptor signaling recruit macrophage to promote the pathogenesis of endometriosis. To investigate the effect of WNT4 in endometriosis involved in macrophage polarization and whether WNT4 could reduce the apoptosis of granulosa cells. METHODS An observational study consisting of 8 cases of women with endometriosis (diagnosed by surgery and histology) and 22 mice of endometriosis animal model was conducted. Granulosa cells were isolated from 16 patients with endometriosis and co-cultured with macrophage under WNT4 treatment using TUNEL assay, quantitative reverse transcription PCR, flow cytometry and ELISA analysis. 22 mice of endometriosis animal model confirmed the WNT4 treatment effects using histology and immunohistochemistry, Western blot and flow cytometry. RESULTS We observed that the apoptotic proportion of granulosa cells was significantly decreased and M2 macrophage was significantly increased after WNT4 treatment during the granulosa cell and macrophage co-culture system. To reveal the underlying mechanism for this, we conducted a series of experiments and found that high expression of granulosa cell M-CSF led to the M2 polarization of macrophages. The animal model also suggested that the anti-apoptotic effect of WNT4 on granulosa cells were conducted by the M2 polarized macrophage. CONCLUSIONS WNT4 could reduce granulosa cell apoptosis and improve ovarian reserve by promoting macrophage polarization in endometriosis. M-CSF secreted by granulosa cell after WNT4 treatment was the main mediator of macrophage polarization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Yuan
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 1 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Yubin Li
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 1 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Wen Zhao
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 1 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Yue Hu
- Translational Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Canquan Zhou
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 1 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Tengfei Long
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China.
| | - Lingli Long
- Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China.
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Aarts MT, Wagner M, van der Wal T, van Boxtel AL, van Amerongen R. A molecular toolbox to study progesterone receptor signaling. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2023; 28:24. [PMID: 38019315 PMCID: PMC10687192 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-023-09550-0] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Progesterone receptor (PR) signaling is required for mammary gland development and homeostasis. A major bottleneck in studying PR signaling is the lack of sensitive assays to measure and visualize PR pathway activity both quantitatively and spatially. Here, we develop new tools to study PR signaling in human breast epithelial cells. First, we generate optimized Progesterone Responsive Element (PRE)-luciferase constructs and demonstrate that these new reporters are a powerful tool to quantify PR signaling activity across a wide range of progesterone concentrations in two luminal breast cancer cell lines, MCF7 and T47D. We also describe a fluorescent lentiviral PRE-GFP reporter as a novel tool to visualize PR signaling at the single-cell level. Our reporter constructs are sensitive to physiological levels of progesterone. Second, we show that low background signaling, and high levels of PR expression are a prerequisite for robustly measuring PR signaling. Increasing PR expression by transient transfection, stable overexpression in MCF7 or clonal selection in T47D, drastically improves both the dynamic range of luciferase reporter assays, and the induction of endogenous PR target genes as measured by qRT-PCR. We find that the PR signaling response differs per cell line, target gene and hormone concentration used. Taken together, our tools allow a more rationally designed approach for measuring PR signaling in breast epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marleen T Aarts
- Developmental, Stem Cell and Cancer Biology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Muriel Wagner
- Developmental, Stem Cell and Cancer Biology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tanne van der Wal
- Developmental, Stem Cell and Cancer Biology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Antonius L van Boxtel
- Developmental, Stem Cell and Cancer Biology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Renée van Amerongen
- Developmental, Stem Cell and Cancer Biology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Ning T, Guo H, Ma M, Zha Z. BRD4 facilitates osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells through WNT4/NF-κB pathway. J Orthop Surg Res 2023; 18:876. [PMID: 37980502 PMCID: PMC10656925 DOI: 10.1186/s13018-023-04335-x] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) are a major source of osteoblast precursor cells and are directly involved in osteoporosis (OP) progression. Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) is an important regulator for osteogenic differentiation. Therefore, its role and mechanism in osteogenic differentiation process deserve further investigation. METHODS hBMSCs osteogenic differentiation was evaluated by flow cytometry, alkaline phosphatase assay and alizarin red staining. Western blot was used to test osteogenic differentiation-related proteins, BRD4 protein, WNT family members-4 (WNT4)/NF-κB-related proteins, and glycolysis-related proteins. Metabolomics techniques were used to detect metabolite changes and metabolic pathways. BRD4 and WNT4 mRNA levels were determined using quantitative real-time PCR. Dual-luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay were performed to detect BRD4 and WNT4 interaction. Glycolysis ability was assessed by testing glucose uptake, lactic acid production, and ATP levels. RESULTS After successful induction of osteogenic differentiation, the expression of BRD4 was increased significantly. BRD4 knockdown inhibited hBMSCs osteogenic differentiation. Metabolomics analysis showed that BRD4 expression was related to glucose metabolism in osteogenic differentiation. Moreover, BRD4 could directly bind to the promoter of the WNT4 gene. Further experiments confirmed that recombinant WNT4 reversed the inhibition effect of BRD4 knockdown on glycolysis, and NF-κB inhibitors (Bardoxolone Methyl) overturned the suppressive effect of BRD4 knockdown on hBMSCs osteogenic differentiation. CONCLUSION BRD4 promoted hBMSCs osteogenic differentiation by inhibiting NF-κB pathway via enhancing WNT4 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Ning
- Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou City, 510630, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China
- Department of Orthopedics, Fuyang People's Hospital, No.501 Sanqing Road, Fuyang City, 236000, Anhui Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Huihui Guo
- Department of Orthopedics, Fuyang People's Hospital, No.501 Sanqing Road, Fuyang City, 236000, Anhui Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingming Ma
- Department of Orthopedics, Fuyang People's Hospital, No.501 Sanqing Road, Fuyang City, 236000, Anhui Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhengang Zha
- Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou City, 510630, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
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7
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Kiewisz J, Waśniewski T, Kieżun J, Skowrońska A, Kaczmarek MM, Szóstak B, Kowalczyk AE, Kmieć Z. WNT4 Gene and Protein Expression in Endometrial Cancer and Its Significance. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4780. [PMID: 37835474 PMCID: PMC10571897 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15194780] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The inappropriate action of WNT4 and estrogens affects uterine homeostasis and function, and may lead to endometrial cancer (EC). OBJECTIVE The aim was to evaluate the alterations of WNT4 gene expression and WNT4 protein immunoreactivity (Ir) in EC, considering tumor characteristics, the clinicopathological association and estrogen dependence. METHODS WNT4 mRNA levels were compared between benign (control) endometrium (n = 8) and endometroid EC (EEC) and non-endometroid EC (non-EEC) samples (n = 28) using the real-time PCR technique. The WNT4-Ir and ERα-Ir were evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC). WNT4 mRNA gene and WNT4-Ir were correlated with clinicopathological and blood morphological parameters. Overall survival (OS) was assessed. The bioanalysis was utilized to study WNT4 expression in large patient cohort (n = 549). RESULTS WNT4 gene expression was decreased in EC samples (specifically in EEC but not in non-EEC) compared to the control. The WNT4 gene expression was also decreased in EC samples categorized by the tumor characteristics. There was no statistical difference in WNT4-Ir or ERα-Ir between the control and EC. There was no correlation between OS and WNT4 gene expression and WNT4-Ir. Bioanalysis showed that WNT4 and ESR1 gene expression alterations tended to be mutually exclusive. An alteration in WNT4 expression was found in different histological tumor types in a large group of EC patients. CONCLUSIONS There is a great need to evaluate the molecular background of EC. Our study suggests that the WNT4 gene has the potential to be a marker of functional estrogen signaling in EEC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolanta Kiewisz
- Department of Human Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, 10-082 Olsztyn, Poland; (J.K.); (A.E.K.); (Z.K.)
| | - Tomasz Waśniewski
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, 10-082 Olsztyn, Poland;
| | - Jacek Kieżun
- Department of Human Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, 10-082 Olsztyn, Poland; (J.K.); (A.E.K.); (Z.K.)
| | - Agnieszka Skowrońska
- Department of Human Physiology, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, 10-082 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Monika M. Kaczmarek
- Department of Hormonal Action Mechanisms, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Science, 10-748 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Błażej Szóstak
- Department of Pathomorphology, The Regional Specialist Hospital, 10-561 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Anna E. Kowalczyk
- Department of Human Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, 10-082 Olsztyn, Poland; (J.K.); (A.E.K.); (Z.K.)
| | - Zbigniew Kmieć
- Department of Human Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, 10-082 Olsztyn, Poland; (J.K.); (A.E.K.); (Z.K.)
- Department of Histology, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland
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8
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Cooney RA, Saal ML, Geraci KP, Maynard C, Cleaver O, Hoang ON, Moore TT, Hwang RF, Axelrod JD, Vladar EK. A WNT4- and DKK3-driven canonical to noncanonical Wnt signaling switch controls multiciliogenesis. J Cell Sci 2023; 136:jcs260807. [PMID: 37505110 PMCID: PMC10482387 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260807] [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: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiciliated cells contain hundreds of cilia whose directional movement powers the mucociliary clearance of the airways, a vital host defense mechanism. Multiciliated cell specification requires canonical Wnt signaling, which then must be turned off. Next, ciliogenesis and polarized ciliary orientation are regulated by noncanonical Wnt/planar cell polarity (Wnt/PCP) signaling. The mechanistic relationship between the Wnt pathways is unknown. We show that DKK3, a secreted canonical Wnt regulator and WNT4, a noncanonical Wnt ligand act together to facilitate a canonical to noncanonical Wnt signaling switch during multiciliated cell formation. In primary human airway epithelial cells, DKK3 and WNT4 CRISPR knockout blocks, whereas ectopic expression promotes, multiciliated cell formation by inhibiting canonical Wnt signaling. Wnt4 and Dkk3 single-knockout mice also display defective ciliated cells. DKK3 and WNT4 are co-secreted from basal stem cells and act directly on multiciliated cells via KREMEN1 and FZD6, respectively. We provide a novel mechanism that links specification to cilium biogenesis and polarization for proper multiciliated cell formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riley A. Cooney
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Maxwell L. Saal
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Kara P. Geraci
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Caitlin Maynard
- Department of Molecular Biology and Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Ondine Cleaver
- Department of Molecular Biology and Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Oanh N. Hoang
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Todd T. Moore
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rosa F. Hwang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jeffrey D. Axelrod
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
| | - Eszter K. Vladar
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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9
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Coelingh Bennink HJT, Schultz IJ, Schmidt M, Jordan VC, Briggs P, Egberts JFM, Gemzell-Danielsson K, Kiesel L, Kluivers K, Krijgh J, Simoncini T, Stanczyk FZ, Langer RD. Progesterone from ovulatory menstrual cycles is an important cause of breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res 2023; 25:60. [PMID: 37254150 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-023-01661-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Many factors, including reproductive hormones, have been linked to a woman's risk of developing breast cancer (BC). We reviewed the literature regarding the relationship between ovulatory menstrual cycles (MCs) and BC risk. Physiological variations in the frequency of MCs and interference with MCs through genetic variations, pathological conditions and or pharmaceutical interventions revealed a strong link between BC risk and the lifetime number of MCs. A substantial reduction in BC risk is observed in situations without MCs. In genetic or transgender situations with normal female breasts and estrogens, but no progesterone (P4), the incidence of BC is very low, suggesting an essential role of P4. During the MC, P4 has a strong proliferative effect on normal breast epithelium, whereas estradiol (E2) has only a minimal effect. The origin of BC has been strongly linked to proliferation associated DNA replication errors, and the repeated stimulation of the breast epithelium by P4 with each MC is likely to impact the epithelial mutational burden. Long-lived cells, such as stem cells, present in the breast epithelium, can carry mutations forward for an extended period of time, and studies show that breast tumors tend to take decades to develop before detection. We therefore postulate that P4 is an important factor in a woman's lifetime risk of developing BC, and that breast tumors arising during hormonal contraception or after menopause, with or without menopausal hormone therapy, are the consequence of the outgrowth of pre-existing neoplastic lesions, eventually stimulated by estrogens and some progestins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Iman J Schultz
- Pantarhei Bioscience BV, P.O. Box 464, 3700 AL, Zeist, The Netherlands
| | - Marcus Schmidt
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - V Craig Jordan
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Paula Briggs
- Sexual and Reproductive Health, Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | | | | | - Ludwig Kiesel
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Kirsten Kluivers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Krijgh
- Pantarhei Bioscience BV, P.O. Box 464, 3700 AL, Zeist, The Netherlands
| | - Tommaso Simoncini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Frank Z Stanczyk
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Robert D Langer
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA
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10
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Okashita N, Maeda R, Tachibana M. CDYL reinforces male gonadal sex determination through epigenetically repressing Wnt4 transcription in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2221499120. [PMID: 37155872 PMCID: PMC10193937 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2221499120] [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: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In mammals, male and female gonads initially develop from bipotential progenitor cells, which can differentiate into either testicular or ovarian cells. The decision to adopt a testicular or ovarian fate relies on robust genetic forces, i.e., activation of the testis-determining gene Sry, as well as a delicate balance of expression levels for pro-testis and pro-ovary factors. Recently, epigenetic regulation has been found to be a key element in activation of Sry. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which epigenetic regulation controls the expression balance of pro-testis and pro-ovary factors remains unclear. Chromodomain Y-like protein (CDYL) is a reader protein for repressive histone H3 methylation marks. We found that a subpopulation of Cdyl-deficient mice exhibited XY sex reversal. Gene expression analysis revealed that the testis-promoting gene Sox9 was downregulated in XY Cdyl-deficient gonads during the sex determination period without affecting Sry expression. Instead, we found that the ovary-promoting gene Wnt4 was derepressed in XY Cdyl-deficient gonads prior to and during the sex-determination period. Wnt4 heterozygous deficiency restored SOX9 expression in Cdyl-deficient XY gonads, indicating that derepressed Wnt4 is a cause of the repression of Sox9. We found that CDYL directly bound to the Wnt4 promoter and maintained its H3K27me3 levels during the sex-determination period. These findings indicate that CDYL reinforces male gonadal sex determination by repressing the ovary-promoting pathway in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Okashita
- Laboratory of Epigenome Dynamics, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka565-0871, Japan
| | - Ryo Maeda
- Laboratory of Epigenome Dynamics, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka565-0871, Japan
| | - Makoto Tachibana
- Laboratory of Epigenome Dynamics, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka565-0871, Japan
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11
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Ragitha TS, Sunish KS, Gilvaz S, Daniel S, Varghese PR, Raj S, Francis J, Suresh Kumar R. Mutation analysis of WNT4 gene in SRY negative 46,XX DSD patients with Mullerian agenesis and/or gonadal dysgenesis- An Indian study. Gene 2023; 861:147236. [PMID: 36738897 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Developmental disruption of the Mullerian duct and gonads in females leads to Mullerian agenesis and gonadal dysgenesis, respectively. These two structural abnormalities are coming under the 46,XX DSD (Disorders of Sexual Development) classification, the majority of cases the aetiology remains elusive. Without the SRY gene, WNT4 plays a key role in female reproductive structure development. Since there are no studies that explored the involvement of the WNT4 gene in Indian 46,XX DSD patients, we analysed the role of WNT4 in Indian 46,XX DSD patients with Mullerian agenesis and/or Gonadal dysgenesis. In our study, we recruited 103 adolescent girls with primary amenorrhea. After the cytogenetic and SRY gene analysis, we included thirty-two 46,XX DSD patients with Mullerian agenesis and/or gonadal dysgenesis for WNT4 gene mutation analysis. PCR sequencing was performed for all the coding exons of the WNT4 gene. Bioinformatic tools like Mutation Taster, Human Splicing Finder, and miRDB were used. We observed single nucleotide variations in three patients. One patient showed a known synonymous polymorphism (c.861C > T; p.G287G, rs544988174). miRDB data revealed the absence of microRNA regulatory sites in this region. The other two cases carried a nucleotide substitution in intronic regions and did not affect the normal splicing mechanism. In conclusion, we could not find any indication about WNT4 involvement in the disease condition. In the future, WNT4 promoter analysis in these patients and molecular characterization of the WNT4 coding and promoter region in more patients are needed to link WNT4 variants with these structural abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- T S Ragitha
- Maharaja's College (Government- Autonomous), Ernakulam, Kerala, India; Jubilee Centre for Medical Research, Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute, Thrissur, Kerala, India
| | - K S Sunish
- Maharaja's College (Government- Autonomous), Ernakulam, Kerala, India
| | - Sareena Gilvaz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute, Thrissur, Kerala, India
| | - Saley Daniel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute, Thrissur, Kerala, India
| | - P R Varghese
- Jubilee Centre for Medical Research, Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute, Thrissur, Kerala, India
| | - Soumya Raj
- Jubilee Centre for Medical Research, Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute, Thrissur, Kerala, India
| | - Jijo Francis
- Jubilee Centre for Medical Research, Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute, Thrissur, Kerala, India
| | - R Suresh Kumar
- Jubilee Centre for Medical Research, Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute, Thrissur, Kerala, India.
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12
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Riedhammer KM, Nguyen TMT, Koşukcu C, Calzada-Wack J, Li Y, Saygılı S, Wimmers V, Kim GJ, Chrysanthou M, Bakey Z, Kraiger M, Sanz-Moreno A, Amarie OV, Rathkolb B, Klein-Rodewald T, Garrett L, Hölter SM, Seisenberger C, Haug S, Marschall S, Wurst W, Fuchs H, Gailus-Durner V, Wuttke M, de Angelis MH, Ćomić J, Doğan ÖA, Özlük Y, Taşdemir M, Ağbaş A, Canpolat N, Ćalışkan S, Weber R, Bergmann C, Jeanpierre C, Saunier S, Lim TY, Hildebrandt F, Alhaddad B, Wu K, Antony D, Matschkal J, Schaaf C, Renders L, Schmaderer C, Meitinger T, Heemann U, Köttgen A, Arnold S, Ozaltin F, Schmidts M, Hoefele J. Implication of FOXD2 dysfunction in syndromic congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT). medRxiv 2023:2023.03.21.23287206. [PMID: 36993625 PMCID: PMC10055578 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.21.23287206] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Background Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are the predominant cause for chronic kidney disease below 30 years of age. Many monogenic forms have been discovered mainly due to comprehensive genetic testing like exome sequencing (ES). However, disease-causing variants in known disease-associated genes still only explain a proportion of cases. Aim of this study was to unravel the underlying molecular mechanism of syndromic CAKUT in two multiplex families with presumed autosomal recessive inheritance. Methods and Results ES in the index individuals revealed two different rare homozygous variants in FOXD2, a transcription factor not previously implicated in CAKUT in humans: a frameshift in family 1 and a missense variant in family 2 with family segregation patterns consistent with autosomal-recessive inheritance. CRISPR/Cas9-derived Foxd2 knock-out (KO) mice presented with bilateral dilated renal pelvis accompanied by renal papilla atrophy while extrarenal features included mandibular, ophthalmologic, and behavioral anomalies, recapitulating the phenotype of humans with FOXD2 dysfunction. To study the pathomechanism of FOXD2-dysfunction-mediated developmental renal defects, in a complementary approach, we generated CRISPR/Cas9-mediated KO of Foxd2 in ureteric-bud-induced mouse metanephric mesenchyme cells. Transcriptomic analyses revealed enrichment of numerous differentially expressed genes important in renal/urogenital development, including Pax2 and Wnt4 as well as gene expression changes indicating a cell identity shift towards a stromal cell identity. Histology of Foxd2 KO mouse kidneys confirmed increased fibrosis. Further, GWAS data (genome-wide association studies) suggests that FOXD2 could play a role for maintenance of podocyte integrity during adulthood. Conclusions In summary, our data implicate that FOXD2 dysfunction is a very rare cause of autosomal recessive syndromic CAKUT and suggest disturbances of the PAX2-WNT4 cell signaling axis contribute to this phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Korbinian M. Riedhammer
- Institute of Human Genetics, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675, Germany
- Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675, Germany
| | - Thanh-Minh T. Nguyen
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, 6525, The Netherlands
| | - Can Koşukcu
- Department of Bioinformatics, Hacettepe University Institute of Health Sciences, Ankara, 06100, Türkiye
| | - Julia Calzada-Wack
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany
| | - Yong Li
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Medical Center Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Seha Saygılı
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Vera Wimmers
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology II, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg and, BIOSS Centre of Biological Signalling Studies, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
- Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg University Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, 79106, Germany
| | - Gwang-Jin Kim
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology II, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg and, BIOSS Centre of Biological Signalling Studies, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
| | - Marialena Chrysanthou
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, 6525, The Netherlands
| | - Zeineb Bakey
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, 6525, The Netherlands
- Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg University Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, 79106, Germany
| | - Markus Kraiger
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany
| | - Adrián Sanz-Moreno
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany
| | - Oana V Amarie
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany
| | - Birgit Rathkolb
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, 81377, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, 85764, Germany
| | - Tanja Klein-Rodewald
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany
| | - Lillian Garrett
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany
| | - Sabine M. Hölter
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany
- Chair of Developmental Genetics, TUM School of Life Sciences (SoLS), Technical University of Munich, Freising, 85354, Germany
| | - Claudia Seisenberger
- Institute of Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, 81377, Germany
| | - Stefan Haug
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Medical Center Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Susan Marschall
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wurst
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany
- Chair of Developmental Genetics, TUM School of Life Sciences (SoLS), Technical University of Munich, Freising, 85354, Germany
- Deutsches Institut fur Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) Site Munich, Munich, 81377, Germany
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Adolf-Butenandt-Institut, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, 81377, Germany
| | - Helmut Fuchs
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany
| | - Valerie Gailus-Durner
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany
| | - Matthias Wuttke
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Medical Center Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Martin Hrabe de Angelis
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, German Mouse Clinic, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, 85764, Germany
- Chair of Experimental Genetics, TUM School of Life Sciences (SoLS), Technical University of Munich, Freising, 85354, Germany
| | - Jasmina Ćomić
- Institute of Human Genetics, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675, Germany
- Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675, Germany
| | - Özlem Akgün Doğan
- Department of Pediatric Genetics, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Yasemin Özlük
- Department of Pathology, Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Mehmet Taşdemir
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Istinye University School of Medicine, Liv Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Ayşe Ağbaş
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Nur Canpolat
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Salim Ćalışkan
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Ruthild Weber
- Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany
| | - Carsten Bergmann
- Medizinische Genetik Mainz, Limbach Genetics, Mainz, Germany
- Department of Medicine IV, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Cecile Jeanpierre
- Inserm U1163, Laboratoire des Maladies Renales Hereditaires Institut Imagine, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Saunier
- Inserm U1163, Laboratoire des Maladies Renales Hereditaires Institut Imagine, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Tze Y. Lim
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Friedhelm Hildebrandt
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bader Alhaddad
- Institute of Human Genetics, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675, Germany
| | - Kaman Wu
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, 6525, The Netherlands
| | - Dinu Antony
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, 6525, The Netherlands
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology II, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg and, BIOSS Centre of Biological Signalling Studies, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
| | - Julia Matschkal
- Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675, Germany
| | - Christian Schaaf
- Institute of Human Genetics, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675, Germany
- Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675, Germany
| | - Lutz Renders
- Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675, Germany
| | - Christoph Schmaderer
- Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675, Germany
| | - Thomas Meitinger
- Institute of Human Genetics, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675, Germany
| | - Uwe Heemann
- Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675, Germany
| | - Anna Köttgen
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Medical Center Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- CIBSS - Center for Integrative Biological Signaling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Arnold
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology II, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg and, BIOSS Centre of Biological Signalling Studies, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
- CIBSS - Center for Integrative Biological Signaling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Fatih Ozaltin
- Department of Bioinformatics, Hacettepe University Institute of Health Sciences, Ankara, 06100, Türkiye
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, 06100, Sihhiye, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Miriam Schmidts
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, 6525, The Netherlands
- Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg University Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, 79106, Germany
- CIBSS - Center for Integrative Biological Signaling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Julia Hoefele
- Institute of Human Genetics, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675, Germany
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13
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Wang P, Li W, Liu Z, He X, Hong Q, Lan R, Liu Y, Chu M. Identification of WNT4 alternative splicing patterns and effects on proliferation of granulosa cells in goat. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 223:1230-1242. [PMID: 36395931 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.11.083] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Increasing ovulation numbers is one of the most important ways to promote reproduction in mammals, and follicular granulosa cells (GCs) provide the necessary nutrients and microenvironment for oocytes to ovulate. WNT4 has been shown to be a key factor in regulating the proliferation of GCs in mammalian ovarian tissues. Our previous transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) results have identified two alternatively spliced products of WNT4;however, little is known about the splicing mechanism and its effect on GC proliferation. In this study, two alternatively spliced products of WNT4, designated WNT4-α and WNT4-β, were identified by cloning and analyzed for their function by bioinformatics. The RT-qPCR and Western blot results showed that the expression of WNT4-α was significantly higher than that of WNT4-β in the ovary tissues and GCs of Yunshang black goats. We therefore hypothesized that WNT4-α was the main isoform affecting the proliferation of goat GCs. Subsequently, goat GC proliferation assays showed that overexpression of WNT4-α significantly promoted GC proliferation, and the opposite was true after WNT4-α inhibition. The expression of marker genes of the Wnt signaling pathway was also examined and WNT4-α was found to affect the proliferation and hormone secretion of goat GCs by regulating the Wnt signaling pathway. In addition, a series of splicing factors were involved in in the alternative splicing; in this study, SRSF6 was found to be involved as a splicing factor in the generation of WNT4 alternative splicing. In summary, WNT4 alternative splicing was mediated by the splicing factor SRSF6, and WNT4-α alternative splicing played an important role in follicle development and had a significant effect on the proliferation of goat GCs. The results of this study provide a theoretical foundation for further understanding the molecular regulatory mechanisms of the WNT4 in follicle development in goats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wentao Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ziyi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiaoyun He
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Qionghua Hong
- Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Rong Lan
- Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Yufang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Mingxing Chu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
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14
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Seth A, Bournat JC, Medina-Martinez O, Rivera A, Moore J, Flores H, Rosenfeld JA, Hu L, Jorgez CJ. Loss of WNT4 in the gubernaculum causes unilateral cryptorchidism and fertility defects. Development 2022; 149:dev201093. [PMID: 36448532 PMCID: PMC10112923 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Undescended testis (UDT) affects 6% of male births. Despite surgical correction, some men with unilateral UDT may experience infertility with the contralateral descended testis (CDT) showing no A-dark spermatogonia. To improve our understanding of the etiology of infertility in UDT, we generated a novel murine model of left unilateral UDT. Gubernaculum-specific Wnt4 knockout (KO) mice (Wnt4-cKO) were generated using retinoic acid receptor β2-cre mice and were found to have a smaller left-unilateral UDT. Wnt4-cKO mice with abdominal UDT had an increase in serum follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone and an absence of germ cells in the undescended testicle. Wnt4-cKO mice with inguinal UDT had normal hormonal profiles, and 50% of these mice had no sperm in the left epididymis. Wnt4-cKO mice had fertility defects and produced 52% fewer litters and 78% fewer pups than control mice. Wnt4-cKO testes demonstrated increased expression of estrogen receptor α and SOX9, upregulation of female gonadal genes, and a decrease in male gonadal genes in both CDT and UDT. Several WNT4 variants were identified in boys with UDT. The presence of UDT and fertility defects in Wnt4-cKO mice highlights the crucial role of WNT4 in testicular development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Seth
- Scott Department of Urology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Surgery, Nemours Children's Health, Orlando, FL 32827, USA
| | - Juan C. Bournat
- Scott Department of Urology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Armando Rivera
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Joshua Moore
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hunter Flores
- Scott Department of Urology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jill A. Rosenfeld
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Baylor Genetics Laboratories, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Liya Hu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Carolina J. Jorgez
- Scott Department of Urology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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15
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Zhong C, Wang Y, Liu C, Jiang Y, Kang L. A Novel Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism in WNT4 Promoter Affects Its Transcription and Response to FSH in Chicken Follicles. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13101774. [PMID: 36292659 PMCID: PMC9602048 DOI: 10.3390/genes13101774] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The signaling pathway of the wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus integration site (Wnt) plays an important role in ovarian and follicular development. In our previous study, WNT4 was shown to be involved in the selection and development of chicken follicles by upregulating the expression of follicle-stimulating hormone receptors (FSHR), stimulating the proliferation of follicular granulosa cells, and increasing the secretion of steroidal hormones. FSH also stimulates the expression of WNT4. To further explore the molecular mechanism by which FSH upregulates WNT4 and characterize the cis-elements regulating WNT4 transcription, in this study, we determined the critical regulatory regions affecting chicken WNT4 transcription. We then identified a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in this region, and finally analyzed the associations of the SNP with chicken production traits. The results showed that the 5′ regulatory region from −3354 to −2689 of WNT4 had the strongest activity and greatest response to FSH stimulation, and we identified one SNP site in this segment, −3015 (G > C), as affecting the binding of NFAT5 (nuclear factor of activated T cells 5) and respones to FSH stimulation. When G was replaced with C at this site, it eliminated the NFAT5 binding. The mRNA level of WNT4 in small yellow follicles of chickens with genotype GG was significantly higher than that of the other two genotypes. Moreover, this locus was found to be significantly associated with comb length in hens. Individuals with the genotype CC had longer combs. Collectively, these data suggested that SNP−3015 (G > C) is involved in the regulation of WNT4 gene expression by responding FSH and affecting the binding of NFAT5 and that it is associated with chicken comb length. The current results provide a reference for further revealing the response mechanism between WNT and FSH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conghao Zhong
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
| | - Yiya Wang
- College of Life Science, Qilu Normal University, Jinan 250200, China
| | - Cuiping Liu
- Qishan Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station, Zhaoyuan 265413, China
| | - Yunliang Jiang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
| | - Li Kang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-538-8241593
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16
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Kiewisz J, Pawłowska A, Winiarska A, Perkowska-Ptasińska A, Skowrońska A, Godlewski J, Kmieć Z, Stompór T. Serum WNT4 protein as an indicator of chronic glomerulonephritis but not a marker of inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis: A preliminary study. ADV CLIN EXP MED 2022; 31:249-259. [PMID: 34898058 DOI: 10.17219/acem/143543] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The WNT signaling pathway contributes to renal fibrosis, which is a hallmark of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Serum concentration of WNT4 could be used to monitor the kidney disease; however, no data have yet been published on the subject. OBJECTIVES This study measures WNT4 protein in serum of CKD patients depending on the stage, type of nephropathy, the non-nephrotic (NNP) or nephrotic proteinuria (NP), inflammatory cell infiltration in kidney parenchyma (IIKP), interstitial fibrosis in biopsy and serum creatinine. We also evaluated the usefulness of the serum WNT4 as a marker of fibrosis and IIKP. MATERIAL AND METHODS The WNT4 protein level in serum of CKD patients and healthy individuals was measured using enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Patients' blood biochemical profiles and kidney biopsies were evaluated with common laboratory methods. RESULTS The serum level of WNT4 protein was higher in CKD patients (i) regardless of the underlying etiology and at early stages of disease; (ii) with lupus nephritis and Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy; (iii) without or with a small area of IIKP; and (iv) with a small area covered with fibrosis. No difference was observed between NNP and NP patients. The utility of serum WNT4 as a marker of IIKP and fibrosis was not confirmed. Negative correlations with total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol were found in CKD and IIKP patients. In patients with serum WNT4 above the median value, serum creatinine was higher. However, no correlation between serum WNT4 and creatinine level was found. CONCLUSIONS The observed increase in serum WNT4 protein in the early stages of CKD and in patients diagnosed with immune-mediated glomerular disease may suggest that WNT4 may act as a mediator of inflammation. A certain association with the dysregulation of serum lipid metabolism can also be suspected. Serum WNT4 protein may be considered as the indicator of chronic glomerulonephritis, but not a diagnostic marker of IIKP and fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolanta Kiewisz
- Department of Human Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Anna Pawłowska
- Department of Nephrology, Hypertension and Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Agata Winiarska
- Department of Nephrology, Hypertension and Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | | | - Agnieszka Skowrońska
- Department of Human Physiology, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Janusz Godlewski
- Department of Human Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Zbigniew Kmieć
- Department of Histology, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
| | - Tomasz Stompór
- Department of Nephrology, Hypertension and Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
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17
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Sommerfeld L, Finkernagel F, Jansen JM, Wagner U, Nist A, Stiewe T, Müller‐Brüsselbach S, Sokol AM, Graumann J, Reinartz S, Müller R. The multicellular signalling network of ovarian cancer metastases. Clin Transl Med 2021; 11:e633. [PMID: 34841720 PMCID: PMC8574964 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcoelomic spread is the major route of metastasis of ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) with the omentum as the major metastatic site. Its unique tumour microenvironment with its large populations of adipocytes, mesothelial cells and immune cells establishes an intercellular signaling network that is instrumental for metastatic growth yet poorly understood. METHODS Based on transcriptomic analysis of tumour cells, tumour-associated immune and stroma cells we defined intercellular signaling pathways for 284 cytokines and growth factors and their cognate receptors after bioinformatic adjustment for contaminating cell types. The significance of individual components of this network was validated by analysing clinical correlations and potentially pro-metastatic functions, including tumour cell migration, pro-inflammatory signal transduction and TAM expansion. RESULTS The data show an unexpected prominent role of host cells, and in particular of omental adipocytes, mesothelial cells and fibroblasts (CAF), in sustaining this signaling network. These cells, rather than tumour cells, are the major source of most cytokines and growth factors in the omental microenvironment (n = 176 vs. n = 13). Many of these factors target tumour cells, are linked to metastasis and are associated with a short survival. Likewise, tumour stroma cells play a major role in extracellular-matrix-triggered signaling. We have verified the functional significance of our observations for three exemplary instances. We show that the omental microenvironment (i) stimulates tumour cell migration and adhesion via WNT4 which is highly expressed by CAF; (ii) induces pro-tumourigenic TAM proliferation in conjunction with high CSF1 expression by omental stroma cells and (iii) triggers pro-inflammatory signaling, at least in part via a HSP70-NF-κB pathway. CONCLUSIONS The intercellular signaling network of omental metastases is majorly dependent on factors secreted by immune and stroma cells to provide an environment that supports ovarian HGSC progression. Clinically relevant pathways within this network represent novel options for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Sommerfeld
- Department of Translational Oncology, Center for Tumor Biology and Immunology (ZTI)Philipps UniversityMarburgGermany
| | - Florian Finkernagel
- Department of Translational Oncology, Center for Tumor Biology and Immunology (ZTI)Philipps UniversityMarburgGermany
| | - Julia M. Jansen
- Clinic for Gynecology, Gynecological Oncology and Gynecological EndocrinologyUniversity Hospital (UKGM)MarburgGermany
| | - Uwe Wagner
- Clinic for Gynecology, Gynecological Oncology and Gynecological EndocrinologyUniversity Hospital (UKGM)MarburgGermany
| | - Andrea Nist
- Genomics Core Facility, Center for Tumor Biology and Immunology (ZTI)Philipps UniversityMarburgGermany
| | - Thorsten Stiewe
- Genomics Core Facility, Center for Tumor Biology and Immunology (ZTI)Philipps UniversityMarburgGermany
- Institute of Molecular OncologyPhilipps UniversityMarburgGermany
| | - Sabine Müller‐Brüsselbach
- Department of Translational Oncology, Center for Tumor Biology and Immunology (ZTI)Philipps UniversityMarburgGermany
| | - Anna M. Sokol
- The German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine‐MainMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
| | - Johannes Graumann
- The German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine‐MainMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
- Institute for Translational Proteomics, Philipps UniversityMarburgGermany
| | - Silke Reinartz
- Department of Translational Oncology, Center for Tumor Biology and Immunology (ZTI)Philipps UniversityMarburgGermany
| | - Rolf Müller
- Department of Translational Oncology, Center for Tumor Biology and Immunology (ZTI)Philipps UniversityMarburgGermany
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18
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Xia ZJ, Zeng XXI, Tambe M, Ng BG, Dong PDS, Freeze HH. A Dominant Heterozygous Mutation in COG4 Causes Saul-Wilson Syndrome, a Primordial Dwarfism, and Disrupts Zebrafish Development via Wnt Signaling. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:720688. [PMID: 34595172 PMCID: PMC8476873 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.720688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Saul-Wilson syndrome (SWS) is a rare, skeletal dysplasia with progeroid appearance and primordial dwarfism. It is caused by a heterozygous, dominant variant (p.G516R) in COG4, a subunit of the conserved oligomeric Golgi (COG) complex involved in intracellular vesicular transport. Our previous work has shown the intracellular disturbances caused by this mutation; however, the pathological mechanism of SWS needs further investigation. We sought to understand the molecular mechanism of specific aspects of the SWS phenotype by analyzing SWS-derived fibroblasts and zebrafish embryos expressing this dominant variant. SWS fibroblasts accumulate glypicans, a group of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) critical for growth and bone development through multiple signaling pathways. Consistently, we find that glypicans are increased in zebrafish embryos expressing the COG4 p.G516R variant. These animals show phenotypes consistent with convergent extension (CE) defects during gastrulation, shortened body length, and malformed jaw cartilage chondrocyte intercalation at larval stages. Since non-canonical Wnt signaling was shown in zebrafish to be related to the regulation of these processes by glypican 4, we assessed wnt levels and found a selective increase of wnt4 transcripts in the presence of COG4 p.G516R . Moreover, overexpression of wnt4 mRNA phenocopies these developmental defects. LGK974, an inhibitor of Wnt signaling, corrects the shortened body length at low concentrations but amplifies it at slightly higher concentrations. WNT4 and the non-canonical Wnt signaling component phospho-JNK are also elevated in cultured SWS-derived fibroblasts. Similar results from SWS cell lines and zebrafish point to altered non-canonical Wnt signaling as one possible mechanism underlying SWS pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Jie Xia
- Human Genetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Xin-Xin I Zeng
- Human Genetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Development, Aging and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Mitali Tambe
- Human Genetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States.,National Centre for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Bobby G Ng
- Human Genetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - P Duc S Dong
- Human Genetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Hudson H Freeze
- Human Genetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
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19
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Abstract
The WNT family of proteins is crucial in numerous developmental pathways and tissue homeostasis. WNT4, in particular, is uniquely implicated in the development of the female phenotype in the fetus, and in the maintenance of müllerian and reproductive tissues. WNT4 dysfunction or dysregulation can drive sex-reversal syndromes, highlighting the key role of WNT4 in sex determination. WNT4 is also critical in gynecologic pathologies later in life, including several cancers, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and infertility. The role of WNT4 in normal decidualization, implantation, and gestation is being increasingly appreciated, while aberrant activation of WNT4 signaling is being linked both to gynecologic and breast cancers. Notably, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at the WNT4 gene locus are strongly associated with these pathologies and may functionally link estrogen and estrogen receptor signaling to upregulation and activation of WNT4 signaling. Importantly, in each of these developmental and disease states, WNT4 gene expression and downstream WNT4 signaling are regulated and executed by myriad tissue-specific pathways. Here, we review the roles of WNT4 in women's health with a focus on sex development, and gynecologic and breast pathologies, and our understanding of how WNT4 signaling is controlled in these contexts. Defining WNT4 functions provides a unique opportunity to link sex-specific signaling pathways to women's health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Pitzer
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
| | - Marisa R Moroney
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
| | - Natalie J Nokoff
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Endocrinology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
| | - Matthew J Sikora
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
- Correspondence: Matthew J. Sikora, PhD; Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Mail Stop 8104, Research Complex 1 South, Rm 5117, 12801 E 17th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. . Twitter: @mjsikora
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20
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Zhu Y, Wang R, Cheng Y, Han Y, Li T, Cao Y, Wang B. Analysis of copy number variations of WNT4 gene in a Chinese population with Müllerian anomalies. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2021; 16:258. [PMID: 34099025 PMCID: PMC8183036 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-021-01888-0] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To investigate the genetic contribution of copy number variations (CNVs) in Wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 4 (WNT4), in a Chinese population with Müllerian anomalies (MA), copy number analysis of WNT4 by Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) was performed on 248 female patients. Some studies have shown that heterozygous missense mutation of WNT4 can lead to MA. However, few studies on the relationship between WNT4 CNVs and MA have been performed. RESULTS Among the 248 Chinese women affected by MA in this study, heterozygous deletion of WNT4 was detected in a single patient. CONCLUSIONS MLPA identified one heterozygous deletion in WNT4 in a single female patient among 248 Chinese women affected by MA. This study firstly reports CNVs of WNT4 in a large sample of MA patients from the Chinese population, which suggests that CNVs of WNT4 cannot be excluded in the occurrence of MA. This provides a genetic basis for precise treatment in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218 Jixi Road, Shushan, Hefei, 230022, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, Hefei, China.,Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruyi Wang
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Center for Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, 12 Dahuisi Road, Haidian, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Yun Cheng
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218 Jixi Road, Shushan, Hefei, 230022, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, Hefei, China.,Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Han
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218 Jixi Road, Shushan, Hefei, 230022, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, Hefei, China.,Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People's Republic of China
| | - Tengyan Li
- Center for Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, 12 Dahuisi Road, Haidian, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Yunxia Cao
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218 Jixi Road, Shushan, Hefei, 230022, China. .,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, Hefei, China. .,Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People's Republic of China.
| | - Binbin Wang
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China. .,Center for Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, 12 Dahuisi Road, Haidian, Beijing, 100081, China.
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21
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Culley OJ, Louis B, Philippeos C, Oulès B, Tihy M, Segal JM, Hyliands D, Jenkins G, Bhogal RK, Siow RC, Watt FM. Differential Expression of Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 and Wnt Family Member 4 Correlates With Functional Heterogeneity of Human Dermal Fibroblasts. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:628039. [PMID: 33889572 PMCID: PMC8056032 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.628039] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Although human dermis contains distinct fibroblast subpopulations, the functional heterogeneity of fibroblast lines from different donors is under-appreciated. We identified one commercially sourced fibroblast line (c64a) that failed to express α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), a marker linked to fibroblast contractility, even when treated with transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Gene expression profiling identified insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) as being expressed more highly, and Asporin (ASPN) and Wnt family member 4 (WNT4) expressed at lower levels, in c64a fibroblasts compared to three fibroblast lines that had been generated in-house, independent of TGF-β1 treatment. TGF-β1 increased expression of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1) in c64a cells to a greater extent than in the other lines. The c64a gene expression profile did not correspond to any dermal fibroblast subpopulation identified by single-cell RNAseq of freshly isolated human skin cells. In skin reconstitution assays, c64a fibroblasts did not support epidermal stratification as effectively as other lines tested. In fibroblast lines generated in-house, shRNA-mediated knockdown of IGF1 increased α-SMA expression without affecting epidermal stratification. Conversely, WNT4 knockdown had no consistent effect on α-SMA expression, but increased the ability of fibroblasts to support epidermal stratification. Thus, by comparing the properties of different lines of cultured dermal fibroblasts, we have identified IGF1 and WNT4 as candidate mediators of two distinct dermal functions: myofibroblast formation and epidermal maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver J Culley
- Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Blaise Louis
- Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christina Philippeos
- Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bénédicte Oulès
- Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Matthieu Tihy
- Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joe M Segal
- Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Della Hyliands
- Unilever R&D Colworth, Colworth Science Park, Bedford, United Kingdom
| | - Gail Jenkins
- Unilever R&D Colworth, Colworth Science Park, Bedford, United Kingdom
| | - Ranjit K Bhogal
- Unilever R&D Colworth, Colworth Science Park, Bedford, United Kingdom
| | - Richard C Siow
- Cardiovascular Division, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fiona M Watt
- Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
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22
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Yang D, Li Q, Shang R, Yao L, Wu L, Zhang M, Zhang L, Xu M, Lu Z, Zhou J, Huang L, Huang X, Cheng D, Yang Y, Yu H. WNT4 secreted by tumor tissues promotes tumor progression in colorectal cancer by activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2020; 39:251. [PMID: 33222684 PMCID: PMC7682076 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-020-01774-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wingless and Int-related protein (Wnt) ligands are aberrantly expressed in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the aberrant level of Wnt ligands in serum have not been explored. Here, we aimed to identify the levels of WNT4 in serum and explored its oncogenic role in CRC. METHODS The Oncomine database was used to analyze the relationship between WNT4 and the prognosis of CRC. ELISA was performed to measure WNT4 levels in serum and conditioned medium from fresh CRC tissues and adjacent normal tissues. Western blot and immunohistochemistry were carried out to measure the expression of WNT4 in human CRC tissues and adjacent normal tissues. The migration and invasion of CRC cells were determined by trans-well assay, and the effects of WNT4 on CRC invasion and metastasis in vivo were verified by tumor xenograft in nude mice. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and angiogenesis in subcutaneous nodules were detected by immunofluorescence (IF). In addition, the suspended spheres formation and tube formation assay were performed to explore the effects of WNT4 on CAFs and angiogenesis respectively. RESULTS WNT4 was significantly upregulated in serum of CRC patients, and CRC tissues were identified as an important source of elevated WNT4 levels in CRC patients. Interestingly, elevated levels of WNT4 in serum were downregulated after tumor resection. Furthermore, we found that WNT4 contributed to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and activated fibroblasts by activating the WNT4/β-catenin pathway in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, angiogenesis was induced via the WNT4/β-catenin/Ang2 pathway. Those effects could be reversed by ICG-001, a β-catenin/TCF inhibitor. CONCLUSION Our findings indicated that serum levels of WNT4 may be a potential biomarker for CRC. WNT4 secreted by colorectal cancer tissues promote the progression of CRC by inducing EMT, activate fibroblasts and promote angiogenesis through the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmei Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Renduo Shang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Liwen Yao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Lianlian Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Mengjiao Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Lihui Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Ming Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Zihua Lu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Li Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Xiaodong Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Du Cheng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Yanning Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, People's Republic of China.
| | - Honggang Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China. .,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China. .,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China.
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23
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Shackleford MT, Rao DM, Bordeaux EK, Hicks HM, Towers CG, Sottnik JL, Oesterreich S, Sikora MJ. Estrogen Regulation of mTOR Signaling and Mitochondrial Function in Invasive Lobular Carcinoma Cell Lines Requires WNT4. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E2931. [PMID: 33053661 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12102931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is a common but understudied breast cancer subtype. ILC is presumed to be a low-risk disease in part because nearly all ILCs contain the estrogen receptor (ER). However, we previously showed that ER has unique functions in ILC cells, including driving expression of the Wnt ligand WNT4. WNT4 signaling is required for ILC cell proliferation and survival, but the mechanisms and targets of WNT4 signaling in ILC is unknown. We found that WNT4 regulates mTOR signaling via S6 kinase, and controls levels of MCL-1 protein, ultimately regulating mitochondrial function and cellular metabolism. These findings offer new insight into a novel Wnt signaling pathway and identify new targets to inhibit WNT4 signaling as potential treatments against ILC cells. Abstract Invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast (ILC) is strongly estrogen-driven and represents a unique context for estrogen receptor (ER) signaling. In ILC, ER controls the expression of the Wnt ligand WNT4, which is critical for endocrine response and anti-estrogen resistance. However, signaling mediated by WNT4 is cell type- and tissue-specific, and has not been explored in ILC. We utilized reverse phase protein array (RPPA) to characterize ER and WNT4-driven signaling in ILC cells and identified that WNT4 mediates downstream mTOR signaling via phosphorylation of S6 Kinase. Additionally, ER and WNT4 control levels of MCL-1, which is associated with regulation of mitochondrial function. In this context, WNT4 knockdown led to decreased ATP production and increased mitochondrial fragmentation. WNT4 regulation of both mTOR signaling and MCL-1 were also observed in anti-estrogen resistant models of ILC. We identified that high WNT4 expression is associated with similar mTOR pathway activation in ILC and serous ovarian cancer tumors, suggesting that WNT4 signaling is active in multiple tumor types. The identified downstream pathways offer insight into WNT4 signaling and represent potential targets to overcome anti-estrogen resistance for patients with ILC.
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24
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Coelingh Bennink HJT, Egberts JFM, Mol JA, Roes KCB, van Diest PJ. Breast Cancer and Major Deviations of Genetic and Gender-related Structures and Function. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2020; 105:5864415. [PMID: 32594127 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgaa404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
We have searched the literature for information on the risk of breast cancer (BC) in relation to gender, breast development, and gonadal function in the following 8 populations: 1) females with the Turner syndrome (45, XO); 2) females and males with congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and the Kallmann syndrome; 3) pure gonadal dysgenesis (PGD) in genotypic and phenotypic females and genotypic males (Swyer syndrome); 4) males with the Klinefelter syndrome (47, XXY); 5) male-to-female transgender individuals; 6) female-to-male transgender individuals; 7) genotypic males, but phenotypic females with the complete androgen insensitivity syndrome, and 8) females with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome (müllerian agenesis). Based on this search, we have drawn 3 major conclusions. First, the presence of a Y chromosome protects against the development of BC, even when female-size breasts and female-level estrogens are present. Second, without menstrual cycles, BC hardly occurs with an incidence comparable to males. There is a strong correlation between the lifetime number of menstrual cycles and the risk of BC. In our populations the BC risk in genetic females not exposed to progesterone (P4) is very low and comparable to males. Third, BC has been reported only once in genetic females with MRKH syndrome who have normal breasts and ovulating ovaries with normal levels of estrogens and P4. We hypothesize that the oncogenic glycoprotein WNT family member 4 is the link between the genetic cause of MRKH and the absence of BC women with MRKH syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jan A Mol
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, GA Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Kit C B Roes
- Department of Health Evidence, Section Biostatistics, Radboud University Medical Centre, GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Paul J van Diest
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, GA Utrecht, the Netherlands
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25
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Rao DM, Shackleford MT, Bordeaux EK, Sottnik JL, Ferguson RL, Yamamoto TM, Wellberg EA, Bitler BG, Sikora MJ. Wnt family member 4 ( WNT4) and WNT3A activate cell-autonomous Wnt signaling independent of porcupine O-acyltransferase or Wnt secretion. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:19950-19966. [PMID: 31740580 PMCID: PMC6937561 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.009615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [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: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Porcupine O-acyltransferase (PORCN) is considered essential for Wnt secretion and signaling. However, we observed that PORCN inhibition does not phenocopy the effects of WNT4 knockdown in WNT4-dependent breast cancer cells. This suggests a unique relationship between PORCN and WNT4 signaling. To examine the role of PORCN in WNT4 signaling, here we overexpressed WNT4 or WNT3A in breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and fibrosarcoma cell lines. Conditioned media from these lines and co-culture systems were used to assess the dependence of Wnt secretion and activity on the critical Wnt secretion proteins PORCN and Wnt ligand secretion (WLS) mediator. We observed that WLS is universally required for Wnt secretion and paracrine signaling. In contrast, the dependence of WNT3A secretion and activity on PORCN varied across the cell lines, and WNT4 secretion was PORCN-independent in all models. Surprisingly, WNT4 did not exhibit paracrine activity in any tested context. Absent the expected paracrine activity of secreted WNT4, we identified cell-autonomous Wnt signaling activation by WNT4 and WNT3A, independent of PORCN or Wnt secretion. The PORCN-independent, cell-autonomous Wnt signaling demonstrated here may be critical in WNT4-driven cellular contexts or in those that are considered to have dysfunctional Wnt signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deviyani M Rao
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Madeleine T Shackleford
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Evelyn K Bordeaux
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Joseph L Sottnik
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Rebecca L Ferguson
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Tomomi M Yamamoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Elizabeth A Wellberg
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Benjamin G Bitler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Matthew J Sikora
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
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26
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Kiewisz J, Skowronska A, Winiarska A, Pawlowska A, Kiezun J, Rozicka A, Perkowska-Ptasinska A, Kmiec Z, Stompor T. WNT4 Expression in Primary and Secondary Kidney Diseases: Dependence on Staging. Kidney Blood Press Res 2019; 44:200-210. [PMID: 31067548 DOI: 10.1159/000498989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [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: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS WNT4 protein is important for kidney development. Its expression was found to be altered in experimental models of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the expression of the WNT4 gene has yet not been studied in human renal biopsy samples from patients with broad spectrum of glomerular disease and at different stages of CKD. Thus, the aim of the study was to assess the WNT4 gene expression in renal biopsies of 98 patients using the real-time PCR technique. MATERIALS In order to assess the relative amounts of mRNA, in samples of patients with manifestation of different renal diseases and separately at different stages of CKD, by QPCR, total RNA was isolated from human kidney tissues collected during renal biopsies. Results of blood and urine samples assessment were used to calculate the correlations of biochemical parameters with WNT4 gene expression in both studied groups. RESULTS After pathomorphological evaluation, 49 patients were selected as presenting the most common cases in the studied group. Among the patients who developed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS; n = 13), IgA nephropathy (IgAN; n = 10), IgAN with morphological presentation of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (IgAN/FSGS; n = 8), membranous nephropathy (MN; n = 12), and lupus nephritis (LN; n = 6) were included in the analysis. We found that the level of WNT4 mRNA was higher in kidney specimens obtained from patients with MN as compared to those diagnosed with LN or IgAN. A correlation between WNT4 gene expression and serum albumin and cholesterol levels was observed in patients with FSGS, while WNT4 mRNA levels correlated with plasma sodium in patients diagnosed with LN. After consideration of 98 patients, based on the KDIGO classification of CKD, 20 patients were classified as CKD1 stage, 23 as stage 2, 13 as stage 3a, 11 as stage 3b, 13 as stage 4, and 18 as stage 5. WNT4 gene expression was lower in the CKD patients in stage 2 as compared to CKD 3a. Correlations of WNT4 mRNA level at different stages of CKD with indices of kidney function and lipid metabolism such as serum levels of HDL and LDL cholesterol, TG, urea, creatinine, sodium, and potassium were also found. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that altered WNT4 gene expression in patients with different types of glomerular diseases and patients at different stages of CKD may play a role in kidney tissue disorganization as well as disease development and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolanta Kiewisz
- Department of Human Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Skowronska
- Department of Human Physiology, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Agata Winiarska
- Department of Nephrology, Hypertension and Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Anna Pawlowska
- Department of Nephrology, Hypertension and Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Jacek Kiezun
- Department of Human Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Anna Rozicka
- Department of Pathomorphology, The Regional Specialist Hospital, Olsztyn, Poland
| | | | - Zbigniew Kmiec
- Department of Human Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland.,Department of Histology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Tomasz Stompor
- Department of Nephrology, Hypertension and Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland,
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Kurita Y, Ohki T, Soejima E, Yuan X, Kakino S, Wada N, Hashinaga T, Nakayama H, Tani J, Tajiri Y, Hiromatsu Y, Yamada K, Nomura M. A High-Fat/High-Sucrose Diet Induces WNT4 Expression in Mouse Pancreatic β-cells. Kurume Med J 2019; 65:55-62. [PMID: 30853690 DOI: 10.2739/kurumemedj.ms652008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [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: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Aims/Introduction: Several lines of evidence suggest that dysregulation of the WNT signaling pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. This study was performed to elucidate the effects of a high-fat/high-sucrose (HF/HS) diet on pancreatic islet functions in relation to modulation of WNT ligand expression in β-cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS Mice were fed either standard mouse chow or a HF/HS diet from 8 weeks of age. At 20 weeks of age, intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests were performed in both groups of mice, followed by euthanasia and isolation of pancreatic islets. WNT-related gene expression in islets and MIN6 cells was measured by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. To explore the direct effects of WNT signals on pancreatic β-cells, MIN6 cells were exposed to recombinant mouse WNT4 protein (rmWNT4) for 48 h, and glucose-induced insulin secretion was measured. Furthermore, Wnt4 siRNAs were transfected into MIN6 cells, and cell viability and insulin secretion were measured in control and Wnt4 siRNA-transfected MIN6 cells. RESULTS Mice fed the HF/HS diet were heavier and their plasma glucose and insulin levels were higher compared with mice fed standard chow. Wnt4, Wnt5b, Ror1, and Ror2 expression was upregulated, while Fzd4, Fzd5, Fzd6, Lrp5, and Lrp6 expression was downregulated in the islets of mice fed the HF/HS diet. Wnt4 was the most abundantly expressed WNT ligand in β-cells, and its expression was increased by the HF/HS diet. Although exposure to recombinant mouse WNT4 protein for 48 h did not alter glucose-induced insulin secretion, it was significantly reduced by knockdown of Wnt4 in MIN6 cells. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that the HF/HS diet-induced increase of WNT4 signaling in β-cells is involved in augmentation of glucose-induced insulin secretion and impaired β-cell proliferation. These results strongly indicate an essential role of WNT4 in the regulation of β-cell functions in mouse pancreatic islets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yayoi Kurita
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | - Tsuyoshi Ohki
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | - Eri Soejima
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | - Xiaohong Yuan
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | - Satomi Kakino
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | - Nobuhiko Wada
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | - Toshihiko Hashinaga
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | - Hitomi Nakayama
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | - Junichi Tani
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | - Yuji Tajiri
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | - Yuji Hiromatsu
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | | | - Masatoshi Nomura
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
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28
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Liu L, Fu Y, Zhu F, Mu C, Li R, Song W, Shi C, Ye Y, Wang C. Transcriptomic analysis of Portunus trituberculatus reveals a critical role for WNT4 and WNT signalling in limb regeneration. Gene 2018. [PMID: 29524579 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus) is among the most economically important seawater crustacean species in Asia. Despite its commercial importance and being well-studied status, genomic and transcriptomic data are scarce for this crab species. In the present study, limb bud tissue was collected at different developmental stages post amputation for transcriptomic analysis. Illumina RNA-sequencing was applied to characterise the limb regeneration transcriptome and identify the most characteristic genes. A total of 289,018 transcripts were obtained by clustering and assembly of clean reads, producing 150,869 unigenes with an average length of 956 bp. Subsequent analysis revealed WNT signalling as the key pathway involved in limb regeneration, with WNT4 a key mediator. Overall, limb regeneration appears to be regulated by multiple signalling pathways, with numerous cell differentiation, muscle growth, moult, metabolism, and immune-related genes upregulated, including WNT4, LAMA, FIP2, FSTL5, TNC, HUS1, SWI5, NCGL, SLC22, PLA2, Tdc2, SMOX, GDH, and SMPD4. This is the first experimental study done on regenerating claws of P. trituberculatus. These findings expand existing sequence resources for crab species, and will likely accelerate research into regeneration and development in crustaceans, particularly functional studies on genes involved in limb regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Zhejiang Marine High-efficiency and Healthy Aquaculture, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Yuanyuan Fu
- Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Zhejiang Marine High-efficiency and Healthy Aquaculture, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Fang Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Zhejiang Marine High-efficiency and Healthy Aquaculture, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Changkao Mu
- Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Zhejiang Marine High-efficiency and Healthy Aquaculture, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Ronghua Li
- Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Zhejiang Marine High-efficiency and Healthy Aquaculture, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Weiwei Song
- Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Zhejiang Marine High-efficiency and Healthy Aquaculture, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Ce Shi
- Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Zhejiang Marine High-efficiency and Healthy Aquaculture, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Yangfang Ye
- Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Zhejiang Marine High-efficiency and Healthy Aquaculture, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Chunlin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Zhejiang Marine High-efficiency and Healthy Aquaculture, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China.
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Zhang H, Mehmood K, Li K, Rehman MU, Jiang X, Huang S, Wang L, Zhang L, Tong X, Nabi F, Yao W, Iqbal MK, Shahzad M, Li J. Icariin Ameliorate Thiram-Induced Tibial Dyschondroplasia via Regulation of WNT4 and VEGF Expression in Broiler Chickens. Front Pharmacol 2018. [PMID: 29527166 PMCID: PMC5829035 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) is main bone problem in fast growing poultry birds that effect proximal growth plate (GP) of tibia bone. TD is broadly defined as non-vascularized and non-mineralized, and enlarged GP with tibia bone deformation and lameness. Icariin (Epimedium sagittatum) is a traditional Chinese medicine, which is commonly practiced in the treatment of various bone diseases. Recently, many researcher reports about the beneficial effects of icariin in relation to various types of bone conditions but no report is available about promoting effect of icariin against TD. Therefore, current study was conducted to explore the ameliorating effect of icariin in thiram-induced TD chickens. A total of 180 broiler chicks were equally distributed in three groups; control, TD induced by thiram (50 mg/kg), and icariin group (treated with icariin @10 mg/kg). All groups were administered with normal standard diet ad libitum regularly until the end of experiment. The wingless-type member 4 (WNT4) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) genes and proteins expression were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis respectively. Tibial bone parameters, physiological changes in serum, antioxidant enzymes, and chicken growth performance were determined to assess advantage and protective effect of the medicine in broiler chicken. The expression of WNT4 was decreased while VEGF increased significantly (P < 0.05) in TD affected chicks. TD enhanced the GP, lameness, and irregular chondrocytes, while reduced the liver function, antioxidant enzymes in liver, and performance of chickens. Icariin treatment up-regulated WNT4 and down-regulated VEGF gene and protein expressions significantly (P < 0.05), restored the GP width, increased growth performance, corrected liver functions and antioxidant enzymes levels in liver, and mitigated the lameness in broiler chickens. In conclusion, icariin administration recovered GP size, normalized performance and prevented lameness significantly. Therefore, icariin treatments are encouraged to reduce the incidence of TD in broiler chickens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Khalid Mehmood
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,University College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Kun Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mujeeb U Rehman
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiong Jiang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shucheng Huang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lei Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lihong Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaole Tong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Fazul Nabi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wangyuan Yao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Muhammad K Iqbal
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Muhammad Shahzad
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,University College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Jiakui Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,College of Animals Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Tibet Agricultural and Animal Husbandry University, Linzhi, China
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30
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Lo PK, Zhang Y, Wolfson B, Gernapudi R, Yao Y, Duru N, Zhou Q. Dysregulation of the BRCA1/long non-coding RNA NEAT1 signaling axis contributes to breast tumorigenesis. Oncotarget 2018; 7:65067-65089. [PMID: 27556296 PMCID: PMC5323139 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.11364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of long non-codng RNA (lncRNA) expression has been found to contribute to tumorigenesis. However, the roles of lncRNAs in BRCA1-related breast cancer remain largely unknown. In this study, we delineate the role of the novel BRCA1/lncRNA NEAT1 signaling axis in breast tumorigenesis. BRCA1 inhibits NEAT1 expression potentially through binding to its genomic binding site upstream of the NEAT1 gene. BRCA1 deficiency in human normal/cancerous breast cells and mouse mammary glands leads to NEAT1 overexpression. Our studies show that NEAT1 upregulation resulting from BRCA1 deficiency stimulates in vitro and in vivo breast tumorigenicity. We have further identified molecular mediators downstream of the BRCA1/NEAT1 axis. NEAT1 epigenetically silences miR-129-5p expression by promoting the DNA methylation of the CpG island in the miR-129 gene. Silencing of miR-129-5p expression by NEAT1 results in upregulation of WNT4 expression, a target of miR-129-5p, which leads to activation of oncogenic WNT signaling. Our functional studies indicate that this NEAT1/miR-129-5p/WNT4 axis contributes to the tumorigenic effects of BRCA1 deficiency. Finally our in silico expression correlation analysis suggests the existence of the BRCA1/NEAT1/miR-129-5p axis in breast cancer. Our findings, taken together, suggest that the dysregulation of the BRCA1/NEAT1/miR-129-5p/WNT4 signaling axis is involved in promoting breast tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pang-Kuo Lo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Yongshu Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Benjamin Wolfson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Ramkishore Gernapudi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Yuan Yao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Nadire Duru
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Qun Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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31
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Hendrickx G, Boudin E, Steenackers E, Nielsen TL, Andersen M, Brixen K, Van Hul W. Genetic Screening of WNT4 and WNT5B in Two Populations with Deviating Bone Mineral Densities. Calcif Tissue Int 2017; 100:244-249. [PMID: 28078366 DOI: 10.1007/s00223-016-0213-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/08/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
A role for WNT4 and WNT5B in bone metabolism was indicated by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and a Wnt4 knockout mouse model. The aim of this study was therefore to replicate and further investigate the causality between genetic variation in WNT4 and WNT5B and deviating bone mineral density (BMD) values. A WNT4 and WNT5B mutation screening was performed in patients with craniotubular hyperostosis using Sanger sequencing. Here, no putative causal mutations were detected. Moreover, a high and low BMD cohort was selected from the Odense Androgen Study population for re-sequencing. In WNT4 we detected four variants (three rare, one common), while in WNT5B we detected five variants (two rare, three common). For the common variants, no significant difference in genotype frequencies between the high and low BMD cohorts was observed. The SNPs associated with the GWAS were genotyped in these cohorts, but again no significant difference in genotype frequencies was observed. Despite the findings of the GWAS, we were not able to replicate or further verify the genetic association of polymorphisms in WNT4 and WNT5B with BMD. In order to do so, the intronic regions of both genes could be investigated more thoroughly in more extended populations (or extremes) with greater power. Future genetic and functional studies toward adjacent genes of WNT4 and WNT5B can also be interesting to figure out whether the signal from GWAS could possibly be attributed to genetic variation in these genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gretl Hendrickx
- Center of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp and University Hospital of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Eveline Boudin
- Center of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp and University Hospital of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Ellen Steenackers
- Center of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp and University Hospital of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Torben Leo Nielsen
- Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Marianne Andersen
- Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Kim Brixen
- Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Wim Van Hul
- Center of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp and University Hospital of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium.
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Vouyovitch CM, Perry JK, Liu DX, Bezin L, Vilain E, Diaz JJ, Lobie PE, Mertani HC. WNT4 mediates the autocrine effects of growth hormone in mammary carcinoma cells. Endocr Relat Cancer 2016; 23:571-85. [PMID: 27323961 DOI: 10.1530/erc-15-0528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The expression of Wingless and Int-related protein (Wnt) ligands is aberrantly high in human breast cancer. We report here that WNT4 is significantly upregulated at the mRNA and protein level in mammary carcinoma cells expressing autocrine human growth hormone (hGH). Depletion of WNT4 using small interfering (si) RNA markedly decreased the rate of human breast cancer cell proliferation induced by autocrine hGH. Forced expression of WNT4 in the nonmalignant human mammary epithelial cell line MCF-12A stimulated cell proliferation in low and normal serum conditions, enhanced cell survival and promoted anchorage-independent growth and colony formation in soft agar. The effects of sustained production of WNT4 were concomitant with upregulation of proliferative markers (c-Myc, Cyclin D1), the survival marker BCL-XL, the putative WNT4 receptor FZD6 and activation of ERK1 and STAT3. Forced expression of WNT4 resulted in phenotypic conversion of MCF-12A cells, such that they exhibited the molecular and morphological characteristics of mesenchymal cells with increased cell motility. WNT4 production resulted in increased mesenchymal and cytoskeletal remodeling markers, promoted actin cytoskeleton reorganization and led to dissolution of cell-cell contacts. In xenograft studies, tumors with autocrine hGH expressed higher levels of WNT4 and FZD6 when compared with control tumors. In addition, Oncomine data indicated that WNT4 expression is increased in neoplastic compared with normal human breast tissue. Accordingly, immunohistochemical detection of WNT4 in human breast cancer biopsies revealed higher expression in tumor tissue vs normal breast epithelium. WNT4 is thus an autocrine hGH-regulated gene involved in the growth and development of the tumorigenic phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cécile M Vouyovitch
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de LyonUMR INSERM 1052-CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Université Claude Bernard Lyon I, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Jo K Perry
- Liggins InstituteUniversity of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Dong Xu Liu
- Liggins InstituteUniversity of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Laurent Bezin
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de LyonUMR INSERM U1028-CNRS5292, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Eric Vilain
- Department of Human GeneticsUniversity of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jean-Jacques Diaz
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de LyonUMR INSERM 1052-CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Université Claude Bernard Lyon I, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Peter E Lobie
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore and Department of PharmacologyNational University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Hichem C Mertani
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de LyonUMR INSERM 1052-CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Université Claude Bernard Lyon I, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
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33
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Niu W, Wang Y, Wang Z, Xin Q, Wang Y, Feng L, Zhao L, Wen J, Zhang H, Wang C, Xia G. JNK signaling regulates E-cadherin junctions in germline cysts and determines primordial follicle formation in mice. Development 2016; 143:1778-87. [PMID: 27013242 DOI: 10.1242/dev.132175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2015] [Accepted: 03/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Physiologically, the size of the primordial follicle pool determines the reproductive lifespan of female mammals, while its establishment largely depends on a process of germline cyst breakdown during the perinatal period. The mechanisms regulating this process are poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling is crucial for germline cyst breakdown and primordial follicle formation. JNK was specifically localized in oocytes and its activity increased as germline cyst breakdown progressed. Importantly, disruption of JNK signaling with a specific inhibitor (SP600125) or knockdown technology (Lenti-JNK-shRNAs) resulted in significantly suppressed cyst breakdown and primordial follicle formation in cultured mouse ovaries. Our results show that E-cadherin is intensely expressed in germline cysts, and that its decline is necessary for oocyte release from the cyst. However, inhibition of JNK signaling leads to aberrantly enhanced localization of E-cadherin at oocyte-oocyte contact sites. WNT4 expression is upregulated after SP600125 treatment. Additionally, similar to the effect of SP600125 treatment, WNT4 overexpression delays cyst breakdown and is accompanied by abnormal E-cadherin expression patterns. In conclusion, our results suggest that JNK signaling, which is inversely correlated with WNT4, plays an important role in perinatal germline cyst breakdown and primordial follicle formation by regulating E-cadherin junctions between oocytes in mouse ovaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanbao Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ye Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhengpin Wang
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Qiliang Xin
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yijing Wang
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Zhongguancun Life Science Park, Changping, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Lizhao Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Lihua Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jia Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Hua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Chao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Guoliang Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
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Abstract
Mammalian cortical granules (CG) are membrane-bound organelles located in the cortex of the unfertilized oocytes. Upon fertilization, CG undergo exocytosis to function in blocking polyspermy. While cortical granules are important in fertilization, their exact biochemical composition and reproductive function have not been fully defined. In the present study, a 66 kDa wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 4 (WNT4)-like protein, with mouse CG origin was identified. Oocytes that were double labeled with lectin Lens culinaris agglutinin (LCA) and WNT4 antibody showed colocalization of the WNT4 molecules and cortical granules. The disappearance of WNT4 molecules in the artificially activated oocytes that were devoid of cortical granules confirmed their granule origin. Following fertilization, WNT4 remained associated with zygotes and blastomeres of 2-cell and 8-cell embryos; however the amount of protein present was reduced more than 2-fold as embryos developed. Prior to implantation, WNT4 appeared to be detectable only in the trophoblast cells. Our functional study revealed that WNT4 molecules were involved in regulating zygotic cleavage and early embryogenesis. To our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating mammalian cortical granules contain signaling molecules that are involved in the regulation of the first phase of embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Liu
- a Department of Life Science and.,b Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, Chinese Culture University , Taipei , Republic of China
| | - Huei-Ting Yang
- b Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, Chinese Culture University , Taipei , Republic of China
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35
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Wu Z, Yuan M, Li Y, Fu F, Ma W, Li H, Wang W, Wang S. Analysis of WNT4 polymorphism in Chinese Han women with endometriosis. Reprod Biomed Online 2015; 30:415-20. [PMID: 25682310 DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2014.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2014] [Revised: 12/12/2014] [Accepted: 12/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Endometriosis is a complex disease that is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. In endometriosis, WNT4 plays a likely role owing to its biological functions. In this study, the TaqMan allelic discrimination technique was used to investigate the relationship between endometriosis and four single nucleotide polymorphisms in WNT4 (rs7521902 [A/C], rs16826658 [G/T], rs7515106 [C/T] and rs2235529 [A/G]) in Chinese Han women. A total of 646 patients with endometriosis and 766 normal controls were recurited. Regression analyses revealed that rs2235529 was a risk locus for endometriosis (P = 1.80E-03, OR, 95% CI = 1.311, 1.129 to 1.522), particularly in patients with stage III and IV disease. No significant association was found between endometriosis and rs7521902 (A/C), rs16826658 (G/T), or rs7515106 (C/T). For each of the four single nucleotide polymorphisms, no association was found between patients with endometriosis-related infertility or primary infertility and the controls. The results demonstrated that WNT4 rs2235529 is associated with endometriosis in Chinese Han women, which may result in aberrant expression of WNT4, leading to the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhangying Wu
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Street 1095#, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, PR China
| | - Ming Yuan
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Street 1095#, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, PR China
| | - Yan Li
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Street 1095#, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, PR China
| | - Fangfang Fu
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Street 1095#, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, PR China
| | - Wenqinq Ma
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Street 1095#, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, PR China
| | - Haixia Li
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Street 1095#, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, PR China
| | - Wenwen Wang
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Street 1095#, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, PR China.
| | - Shixuan Wang
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Street 1095#, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, PR China.
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36
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Luong HTT, Painter JN, Shakhbazov K, Chapman B, Henders AK, Powell JE, Nyholt DR, Montgomery GW. Fine mapping of variants associated with endometriosis in the WNT4 region on chromosome 1p36. Int J Mol Epidemiol Genet 2013; 4:193-206. [PMID: 24319535 PMCID: PMC3852639] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2013] [Accepted: 10/15/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies show strong evidence of association with endometriosis for markers on chromosome 1p36 spanning the potential candidate genes WNT4, CDC42 and LINC00339. WNT4 is involved in development of the uterus, and the expression of CDC42 and LINC00339 are altered in women with endometriosis. We conducted fine mapping to examine the role of coding variants in WNT4 and CDC42 and determine the key SNPs with strongest evidence of association in this region. We identified rare coding variants in WNT4 and CDC42 present only in endometriosis cases. The frequencies were low and cannot account for the common signal associated with increased risk of endometriosis. Genotypes for five common SNPs in the region of chromosome 1p36 show stronger association signals when compared with rs7521902 reported in published genome scans. Of these, three SNPs rs12404660, rs3820282, and rs55938609 were located in DNA sequences with potential functional roles including overlap with transcription factor binding sites for FOXA1, FOXA2, ESR1, and ESR2. Functional studies will be required to identify the gene or genes implicated in endometriosis risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hien TT Luong
- Department of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jodie N Painter
- Department of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Konstantin Shakhbazov
- University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra HospitalBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Brett Chapman
- Department of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Anjali K Henders
- Department of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Joseph E Powell
- University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra HospitalBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Dale R Nyholt
- Department of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Grant W Montgomery
- Department of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
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García-Ibarbia C, Delgado-Calle J, Casafont I, Velasco J, Arozamena J, Pérez-Núñez MI, Alonso MA, Berciano MT, Ortiz F, Pérez-Castrillón JL, Fernández AF, Fraga MF, Zarrabeitia MT, Riancho JA. Contribution of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms to Wnt pathway activity in prevalent skeletal disorders. Gene 2013; 532:165-72. [PMID: 24096177 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.09.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2013] [Revised: 08/13/2013] [Accepted: 09/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
We reported previously that the expression of Wnt-related genes is lower in osteoporotic hip fractures than in osteoarthritis. We aimed to confirm those results by analyzing β-catenin levels and explored potential genetic and epigenetic mechanisms involved. β-Catenin gene expression and nuclear levels were analyzed by real time PCR and confocal immunofluorescence. Increased nuclear β-catenin was found in osteoblasts isolated from patients with osteoarthritis (99 ± 4 units vs. 76 ± 12, p=0.01, n=10), without differences in gene transcription, which is consistent with a post-translational down-regulation of β-catenin and decreased Wnt pathway activity. Twenty four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of genes showing differential expression between fractures and osteoarthritis (WNT4, WNT10A, WNT16 and SFRP1) were analyzed in DNA isolated from blood of 853 patients. The genotypic frequencies were similar in both groups of patients, with no significant differences. Methylation of Wnt pathway genes was analyzed in bone tissue samples (15 with fractures and 15 with osteoarthritis) by interrogating a CpG-based methylation array. Six genes showed significant methylation differences between both groups of patients: FZD10, TBL1X, CSNK1E, WNT8A, CSNK1A1L and SFRP4. The DNA demethylating agent 5-deoxycytidine up-regulated 8 genes, including FZD10, in an osteoblast-like cell line, whereas it down-regulated other 16 genes. In conclusion, Wnt activity is reduced in patients with hip fractures, in comparison with those with osteoarthritis. It does not appear to be related to differences in the allele frequencies of the Wnt genes studied. On the other hand, methylation differences between both groups could contribute to explain the differences in Wnt activity.
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Key Words
- 5-aza-2-deoxy-azacytidine
- AzadC
- Bone diseases
- C-terminal binding protein 1
- CACYBP
- CAMK2G
- CSNK1A1
- CSNK1A1L
- CSNK1E
- CTBP1
- Ct
- DNA methylation
- FDR
- FOS-like antigen 1
- FOSL1
- FRZB
- FZD10
- Fractures
- GSK3B
- GWAS
- HWE
- Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium
- LRP5
- PLCB3
- PPP2R1A
- RHOA
- SFRP1
- SFRP4
- TATA box binding protein
- TBL1X
- TBP
- WNT10A
- WNT16
- WNT4
- WNT8A
- Wnt
- calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II gamma
- calcyclin binding protein
- casein kinase 1, alpha 1
- casein kinase 1, alpha 1-like
- casein kinase 1, epsilon
- false discovery rate
- frizzled homolog 10
- frizzled-related protein
- genome-wide association study
- glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta
- lipoprotein receptor related protein 5
- phospholipase C, beta 3 (phosphatidylinositol-specific)
- protein phosphatase 2 (formerly 2A), regulatory subunit A, alpha isoform
- ras homolog gene family, member A
- secreted frizzled-related protein 1
- secreted frizzled-related protein 4
- threshold cycle
- transducin (beta)-like 1X-linked
- wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 10A
- wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 16
- wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 4
- wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 8A
- β-Catenin
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Helszer Z, Dmochowska A, Szemraj J, Słowikowska-Hilczer J, Wieczorek M, Jędrzejczyk S, Kałużewski B. A novel mutation (c. 341A>G) in the SRY gene in a 46,XY female patient with gonadal dysgenesis. Gene 2013; 526:467-70. [PMID: 23624391 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.04.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2012] [Revised: 03/14/2013] [Accepted: 04/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
SRY (sex-determining region Y) gene, MIM 480000, NM_005634) is crucial for sex differentiation which encodes the protein responsible for initiating testis differentiation. SRY mutations are associated with the presence of XY gonadal dysgenesis symptoms. We studied a 46,XY female patient with primary amenorrhoea and negative family history. The clinical, endocrine, histopathologic and cytogenetic data are consistent with gonadal dysgenesis. Using a molecular analysis, a novel (c.341A>G, p. N65D) missense mutation within the HMGbox of SRY gene was detected. Escherichia coli expression of SRY study showed reduced expression of the mutated protein and gel retardation assay method revealed lowered DNA-binding ability in N65D variant of SRY. The novel mutation detected in the SRY gene may be an aetiopathogenic factor in clinically defined 46,XY complete gonadal dysgenesis (CGD). Because of an increased risk of gonadoblastoma, proper early diagnosis and treatment prevent development of malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zofia Helszer
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
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