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Kabir AU, Zeng C, Subramanian M, Wu J, Kim M, Krchma K, Wang X, Halabi CM, Pan H, Wickline SA, Fremont DH, Artyomov MN, Choi K. ZBTB46 coordinates angiogenesis and immunity to control tumor outcome. Nat Immunol 2024; 25:1546-1554. [PMID: 39134750 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-024-01936-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024]
Abstract
Tumor angiogenesis and immunity show an inverse correlation in cancer progression and outcome1. Here, we report that ZBTB46, a repressive transcription factor and a widely accepted marker for classical dendritic cells (DCs)2,3, controls both tumor angiogenesis and immunity. Zbtb46 was downregulated in both DCs and endothelial cells by tumor-derived factors to facilitate robust tumor growth. Zbtb46 downregulation led to a hallmark pro-tumor microenvironment (TME), including dysfunctional vasculature and immunosuppressive conditions. Analysis of human cancer data revealed a similar association of low ZBTB46 expression with an immunosuppressive TME and a worse prognosis. In contrast, enforced Zbtb46 expression led to TME changes to restrict tumor growth. Mechanistically, Zbtb46-deficient endothelial cells were highly angiogenic, and Zbtb46-deficient bone marrow progenitors upregulated Cebpb and diverted the DC program to immunosuppressive myeloid lineage output, potentially explaining the myeloid lineage skewing phenomenon in cancer4. Conversely, enforced Zbtb46 expression normalized tumor vessels and, by suppressing Cebpb, skewed bone marrow precursors toward immunostimulatory myeloid lineage output, leading to an immune-hot TME. Remarkably, Zbtb46 mRNA treatment synergized with anti-PD1 immunotherapy to improve tumor management in preclinical models. These findings identify ZBTB46 as a critical factor for angiogenesis and for myeloid lineage skewing in cancer and suggest that maintaining its expression could have therapeutic benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashraf Ul Kabir
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Carisa Zeng
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Madhav Subramanian
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Minseo Kim
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Karen Krchma
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Carmen M Halabi
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Hua Pan
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Samuel A Wickline
- Health Heart Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Daved H Fremont
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Maxim N Artyomov
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kyunghee Choi
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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2
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Li Z, Wu W, Li Q, Heng X, Zhang W, Zhu Y, Chen L, Chen Z, Shen M, Ma N, Xiao Q, Yan Y. BCL6B-dependent suppression of ETV2 hampers endothelial cell differentiation. Stem Cell Res Ther 2024; 15:226. [PMID: 39075623 PMCID: PMC11287929 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-024-03832-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND B-cell CLL/lymphoma 6 member B (BCL6B) operates as a sequence-specific transcriptional repressor within the nucleus, playing crucial roles in various biological functions, including tumor suppression, immune response, stem cell self-renew, and vascular angiogenesis. However, whether BCL6B is involved in endothelial cell (EC) development has remained largely unknown. ETS variant transcription factor 2 (ETV2) is well known to facilitate EC differentiation. This study aims to determine the important role of BCL6B in EC differentiation and its potential mechanisms. METHODS Doxycycline-inducible human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) lines with BCL6B overexpression or BCL6B knockdown were established and subjected to differentiate into ECs and vessel organoids (VOs). RNA sequencing analysis was performed to identify potential signal pathways regulated by BCL6B during EC differentiation from hiPSCs. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of pluripotency and vascular-specific marker genes expression. EC differentiation efficiency was determined by Flow cytometry analysis. The performance of EC was evaluated by in vitro Tube formation assay. The protein expression and the vessel-like structures were assessed using immunofluorescence analysis or western blot. Luciferase reporter gene assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-PCR analysis were used to determine the regulatory relationship between BCL6B and ETV2. RESULTS Functional ECs and VOs were successfully generated from hiPSCs. Notably, overexpression of BCL6B suppressed while knockdown of BCL6B improved EC differentiation from hiPSCs. Additionally, the overexpression of BCL6B attenuated the capacity of derived hiPSC-ECs to form a tubular structure. Furthermore, compared to the control VOs, BCL6B overexpression repressed the growth of VOs, whereas BCL6B knockdown had little effect on the size of VOs. RNA sequencing analysis confirmed that our differentiation protocol induced landscape changes for cell/tissue/system developmental process, particularly vascular development and tube morphogenesis, which were significantly modulated by BCL6B. Subsequent experiments confirmed the inhibitory effect of BCL6B is facilitated by the binding of BCL6B to the promoter region of ETV2, led to the suppression of ETV2's transcriptional activity. Importantly, the inhibitory effect of BCL6B overexpression on EC differentiation from hiPSCs could be rescued by ETV2 overexpression. CONCLUSIONS BCL6B inhibits EC differentiation and hinders VO development by repressing the transcriptional activity of ETV2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonghao Li
- Department of Cardiology, Translational Research Center for Regenerative Medicine and 3D Printing Technologies, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Qiushi Li
- Department of Cardiology, Translational Research Center for Regenerative Medicine and 3D Printing Technologies, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China
| | - Xin Heng
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Translational Research Center for Regenerative Medicine and 3D Printing Technologies, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China
| | - Yinghong Zhu
- Department of Cardiology, Translational Research Center for Regenerative Medicine and 3D Printing Technologies, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China
| | - Lin Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Translational Research Center for Regenerative Medicine and 3D Printing Technologies, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China
| | - Ziqi Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Translational Research Center for Regenerative Medicine and 3D Printing Technologies, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China
| | - Mengcheng Shen
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, 94305, USA
| | - Ning Ma
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou, 510005, China.
| | - Qingzhong Xiao
- Centre for Clinical Pharmacology and Precision Medicine, William Harvey Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK.
- Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases at The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University and Guangzhou Municipal, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.
| | - Yi Yan
- Department of Cardiology, Translational Research Center for Regenerative Medicine and 3D Printing Technologies, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China.
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3
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Luo AC, Wang J, Wang K, Zhu Y, Gong L, Lee U, Li X, Tremmel DM, Lin RZ, Ingber DE, Gorman J, Melero-Martin JM. A streamlined method to generate endothelial cells from human pluripotent stem cells via transient doxycycline-inducible ETV2 activation. Angiogenesis 2024:10.1007/s10456-024-09937-5. [PMID: 38969874 DOI: 10.1007/s10456-024-09937-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
The development of reliable methods for producing functional endothelial cells (ECs) is crucial for progress in vascular biology and regenerative medicine. In this study, we present a streamlined and efficient methodology for the differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into induced ECs (iECs) that maintain the ability to undergo vasculogenesis in vitro and in vivo using a doxycycline-inducible system for the transient expression of the ETV2 transcription factor. This approach mitigates the limitations of direct transfection methods, such as mRNA-mediated differentiation, by simplifying the protocol and enhancing reproducibility across different stem cell lines. We detail the generation of iPSCs engineered for doxycycline-induced ETV2 expression and their subsequent differentiation into iECs, achieving over 90% efficiency within four days. Through both in vitro and in vivo assays, the functionality and phenotypic stability of the derived iECs were rigorously validated. Notably, these cells exhibit key endothelial markers and capabilities, including the formation of vascular networks in a microphysiological platform in vitro and in a subcutaneous mouse model. Furthermore, our results reveal a close transcriptional and proteomic alignment between the iECs generated via our method and primary ECs, confirming the biological relevance of the differentiated cells. The high efficiency and effectiveness of our induction methodology pave the way for broader application and accessibility of iPSC-derived ECs in scientific research, offering a valuable tool for investigating endothelial biology and for the development of EC-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allen Chilun Luo
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jiuhai Wang
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Yonglin Zhu
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Liyan Gong
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Umji Lee
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Daniel M Tremmel
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Ruei-Zeng Lin
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Donald E Ingber
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - James Gorman
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Juan M Melero-Martin
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
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4
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Chen D, Fan X, Wang K, Gong L, Melero-Martin JM, Pu WT. Pioneer factor ETV2 safeguards endothelial cell specification by recruiting the repressor REST to restrict alternative lineage commitment. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.28.595971. [PMID: 38853821 PMCID: PMC11160620 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.28.595971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Mechanisms of cell fate specification remain a central question for developmental biology and regenerative medicine. The pioneer factor ETV2 is a master regulator for the endothelial cell (EC) lineage specification. Here, we studied mechanisms of ETV2-driven fate specification using a highly efficient system in which ETV2 directs human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesodermal progenitors to form ECs over two days. By applying CUT&RUN, single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-cell assay for transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing (scATAC-seq) analyses, we characterized the transcriptomic profiles, chromatin landscapes, dynamic cis-regulatory elements (CREs), and molecular features of EC cell differentiation mediated by ETV2. This defined the scope of ETV2 pioneering activity and identified its direct downstream target genes. Induced ETV2 expression both directed specification of endothelial progenitors and suppressed acquisition of alternative fates. Functional screening and candidate validation revealed cofactors essential for efficient EC specification, including the transcriptional activator GABPA. Surprisingly, the transcriptional repressor REST was also necessary for efficient EC specification. ETV2 recruited REST to occupy and repress non-EC lineage genes. Collectively, our study provides an unparalleled molecular analysis of EC specification at single-cell resolution and identifies the important role of pioneer factors to recruit repressors that suppress commitment to alternative lineages.
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5
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Zhao Y, Yang Y, Wu X, Zhang L, Cai X, Ji J, Chen S, Vera A, Boström KI, Yao Y. CDK1 inhibition reduces osteogenesis in endothelial cells in vascular calcification. JCI Insight 2024; 9:e176065. [PMID: 38456502 PMCID: PMC10972591 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.176065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Vascular calcification is a severe complication of cardiovascular diseases. Previous studies demonstrated that endothelial lineage cells transitioned into osteoblast-like cells and contributed to vascular calcification. Here, we found that inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) prevented endothelial lineage cells from transitioning to osteoblast-like cells and reduced vascular calcification. We identified a robust induction of CDK1 in endothelial cells (ECs) in calcified arteries and showed that EC-specific gene deletion of CDK1 decreased the calcification. We found that limiting CDK1 induced E-twenty-six specific sequence variant 2 (ETV2), which was responsible for blocking endothelial lineage cells from undergoing osteoblast differentiation. We also found that inhibition of CDK1 reduced vascular calcification in a diabetic mouse model. Together, the results highlight the importance of CDK1 suppression and suggest CDK1 inhibition as a potential option for treating vascular calcification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhao
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Yang Yang
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Xiuju Wu
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Li Zhang
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Xinjiang Cai
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jaden Ji
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Sydney Chen
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Abigail Vera
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Kristina I. Boström
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
- The Molecular Biology Institute at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Yucheng Yao
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Gurung S, Restrepo NK, Sumanas S. Endocardium gives rise to blood cells in zebrafish embryos. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113736. [PMID: 38308842 PMCID: PMC10993658 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have suggested that the endocardium contributes to hematopoiesis in murine embryos, although definitive evidence to demonstrate the hematopoietic potential of the endocardium is still missing. Here, we use a zebrafish embryonic model to test the emergence of hematopoietic progenitors from the endocardium. By using a combination of expression analysis, time-lapse imaging, and lineage-tracing approaches, we demonstrate that myeloid cells emerge from the endocardium in zebrafish embryos. Inhibition of Etv2/Etsrp or Scl/Tal1, two known master regulators of hematopoiesis and vasculogenesis, does not affect the emergence of endocardial-derived myeloid cells, while inhibition of Hedgehog signaling results in their reduction. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis followed by experimental validation suggests that the endocardium is the major source of neutrophilic granulocytes. These findings will promote our understanding of alternative mechanisms involved in hematopoiesis, which are likely to be conserved between zebrafish and mammalian embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suman Gurung
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, USF Health Heart Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA; Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pathology, Advanced Diagnostics Laboratories, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Nicole K Restrepo
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, USF Health Heart Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
| | - Saulius Sumanas
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, USF Health Heart Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA; Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
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7
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Payne S, Neal A, De Val S. Transcription factors regulating vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. Dev Dyn 2024; 253:28-58. [PMID: 36795082 PMCID: PMC10952167 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription factors (TFs) play a crucial role in regulating the dynamic and precise patterns of gene expression required for the initial specification of endothelial cells (ECs), and during endothelial growth and differentiation. While sharing many core features, ECs can be highly heterogeneous. Differential gene expression between ECs is essential to pattern the hierarchical vascular network into arteries, veins and capillaries, to drive angiogenic growth of new vessels, and to direct specialization in response to local signals. Unlike many other cell types, ECs have no single master regulator, instead relying on differing combinations of a necessarily limited repertoire of TFs to achieve tight spatial and temporal activation and repression of gene expression. Here, we will discuss the cohort of TFs known to be involved in directing gene expression during different stages of mammalian vasculogenesis and angiogenesis, with a primary focus on development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Payne
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and GeneticsInstitute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Alice Neal
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and GeneticsInstitute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Sarah De Val
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and GeneticsInstitute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, University of OxfordOxfordUK
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8
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Cho S, Xia I, Lee S, Park C, Yoon YS. Generation of Directly Reprogrammed Human Endothelial Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2835:155-164. [PMID: 39105914 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3995-5_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Direct reprogramming provides a novel breakthrough for generating functional endothelial cells (ECs) without the need for intermediate stem or progenitor states, offering a promising resource for cardiovascular research and treatment. ETV2 is a key transcription factor that has been identified as a pioneering factor for specifying endothelial lineage. Achieving precise ETV2 induction is essential for effective endothelial reprogramming, and maintaining the reprogrammed cellular phenotype relies on a specific combination of growth factors and small molecules. Thus, we hereby provide a straightforward and comprehensive protocol for generating two distinct types of reprogrammed ECs (rECs) from human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). Early rECs demonstrate a robust neovascularization property but lack the mature EC phenotype, while late rECs exhibit phenotypical similarity to human postnatal ECs and have a neovascularization capacity similar to early rECs. Both cell types can be derived from human somatic source cells, making them suitable for personalized disease investigations, drug discovery, and disease therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seonggeon Cho
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Iris Xia
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sangho Lee
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Changwon Park
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Department of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Shreveport, LA, USA
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Young-Sup Yoon
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
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9
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Zhang Y, Liu F. The evolving views of hematopoiesis: from embryo to adulthood and from in vivo to in vitro. J Genet Genomics 2024; 51:3-15. [PMID: 37734711 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2023.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
The hematopoietic system composed of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and their differentiated lineages serves as an ideal model to uncover generic principles of cell fate transitions. From gastrulation onwards, there successively emerge primitive hematopoiesis (that produces specialized hematopoietic cells), pro-definitive hematopoiesis (that produces lineage-restricted progenitor cells), and definitive hematopoiesis (that produces multipotent HSPCs). These nascent lineages develop in several transient hematopoietic sites and finally colonize into lifelong hematopoietic sites. The development and maintenance of hematopoietic lineages are orchestrated by cell-intrinsic gene regulatory networks and cell-extrinsic microenvironmental cues. Owing to the progressive methodology (e.g., high-throughput lineage tracing and single-cell functional and omics analyses), our understanding of the developmental origin of hematopoietic lineages and functional properties of certain hematopoietic organs has been updated; meanwhile, new paradigms to characterize rare cell types, cell heterogeneity and its causes, and comprehensive regulatory landscapes have been provided. Here, we review the evolving views of HSPC biology during developmental and postnatal hematopoiesis. Moreover, we discuss recent advances in the in vitro induction and expansion of HSPCs, with a focus on the implications for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China; State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
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10
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Li Y, Song D, Yu Z, Zhang Y, Liu Z, Yan T. Effect and mechanism of hypoxia on differentiation of porcine-induced pluripotent stem cells into vascular endothelial cells. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim 2024; 60:9-22. [PMID: 38148354 DOI: 10.1007/s11626-023-00833-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Pigs are similar to humans in organ size and physiological function, and are considered as good models for studying cardiovascular diseases. The study of porcine-induced pluripotent stem cells (piPSC) differentiating into vascular endothelial cells (EC) is expected to open up a new way of obtaining high-quality seed cells. Given that the hypoxic environment has an important role in the differentiation process of vascular EC, this work intends to establish a hypoxia-induced differentiation system of piPSC into vascular EC. There is evidence that the hypoxia microenvironment in the initial stage could significantly improve differentiation efficiency. Further study suggests that the hypoxia culture system supports a combined effect of hypoxia inducible factors and their associated regulatory molecules, such as HIF-1α, VEGFA, FGF2, LDH-A, and PDK1, which can efficiently promote the lineage-specific differentiation of piPSC into EC. Most notably, the high level of ETV2 after 4 d of hypoxic treatment indicates that it possibly plays an important role in the promoting process of EC differentiation. The research is expected to help the establishment of new platforms for piPSC directional induction research, so as to obtain adequate seed cells with ideal phenotype and functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimei Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Cellular and Genetic Engineering of Heilongjiang Province, College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China
| | - Danyang Song
- Key Laboratory of Animal Cellular and Genetic Engineering of Heilongjiang Province, College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China
| | - Zhuoran Yu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Cellular and Genetic Engineering of Heilongjiang Province, College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Cellular and Genetic Engineering of Heilongjiang Province, College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Zhonghua Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Cellular and Genetic Engineering of Heilongjiang Province, College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China
| | - Tingsheng Yan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Cellular and Genetic Engineering of Heilongjiang Province, College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, China.
- College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.
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11
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Konishi H, Rahmawati FN, Okamoto N, Akuta K, Inukai K, Jia W, Muramatsu F, Takakura N. Discovery of Transcription Factors Involved in the Maintenance of Resident Vascular Endothelial Stem Cell Properties. Mol Cell Biol 2024; 44:17-26. [PMID: 38247234 PMCID: PMC10829836 DOI: 10.1080/10985549.2023.2297997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
A resident vascular endothelial stem cell (VESC) population expressing CD157 has been identified recently in mice. Herein, we identified transcription factors (TFs) regulating CD157 expression in endothelial cells (ECs) that were associated with drug resistance, angiogenesis, and EC proliferation. In the first screening, we detected 20 candidate TFs through the CD157 promoter and gene expression analyses. We found that 10 of the 20 TFs induced CD157 expression in ECs. We previously reported that 70% of CD157 VESCs were side population (SP) ECs that abundantly expressed ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. Here, we found that the 10 TFs increased the expression of several ABC transporters in ECs and increased the proportion of SP ECs. Of these 10 TFs, we found that six (Atf3, Bhlhe40, Egr1, Egr2, Elf3, and Klf4) were involved in the manifestation of the SP phenotype. Furthermore, the six TFs enhanced tube formation and proliferation in ECs. Single-cell RNA sequence data in liver ECs suggested that Atf3 and Klf4 contributed to the production of CD157+ VESCs in the postnatal period. We concluded that Klf4 might be important for the development and maintenance of liver VESCs. Our work suggests that a TF network is involved in the differentiation hierarchy of VESCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirotaka Konishi
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Fitriana N. Rahmawati
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Naoki Okamoto
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Keigo Akuta
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Koichi Inukai
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Weizhen Jia
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Fumitaka Muramatsu
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Takakura
- Department of Signal Transduction, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction, World Premier International Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI), Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
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12
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Jin H, Zhang W, Liu H, Bao Y. Genome-wide identification and characteristic analysis of ETS gene family in blood clam Tegillarca granosa. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:700. [PMID: 37990147 PMCID: PMC10664356 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09731-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND ETS transcription factors, known as the E26 transformation-specific factors, assume a critical role in the regulation of various vital biological processes in animals, including cell differentiation, the cell cycle, and cell apoptosis. However, their characterization in mollusks is currently lacking. RESULTS The current study focused on a comprehensive analysis of the ETS genes in blood clam Tegillarca granosa and other mollusk genomes. Our phylogenetic analysis revealed the absence of the SPI and ETV subfamilies in mollusks compared to humans. Additionally, several ETS genes in mollusks were found to lack the PNT domain, potentially resulting in a diminished ability of ETS proteins to bind target genes. Interestingly, the bivalve ETS1 genes exhibited significantly high expression levels during the multicellular proliferation stage and in gill tissues. Furthermore, qRT-PCR results showed that Tg-ETS-14 (ETS1) is upregulated in the high total hemocyte counts (THC) population of T. granosa, suggesting it plays a significant role in stimulating hemocyte proliferation. CONCLUSION Our study significantly contributes to the comprehension of the evolutionary aspects concerning the ETS gene family, while also providing valuable insights into its role in fostering hemocyte proliferation across mollusks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyu Jin
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315000, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Aquatic Germplasm Resources, College of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Zhejiang, 315100, China
| | - Weiwei Zhang
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315000, China
| | - Hongxing Liu
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Aquatic Germplasm Resources, College of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Zhejiang, 315100, China.
| | - Yongbo Bao
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Aquatic Germplasm Resources, College of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Zhejiang, 315100, China.
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13
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Jeon SB, Koh H, Han AR, Kim J, Lee S, Lee JH, Im SS, Yoon YS, Lee JH, Lee JY. Ferric citrate and apo-transferrin enable erythroblast maturation with β-globin from hemogenic endothelium. NPJ Regen Med 2023; 8:46. [PMID: 37626061 PMCID: PMC10457393 DOI: 10.1038/s41536-023-00320-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Red blood cell (RBC) generation from human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) offers potential for innovative cell therapy in regenerative medicine as well as developmental studies. Ex vivo erythropoiesis from PSCs is currently limited by the low efficiency of functional RBCs with β-globin expression in culture systems. During induction of β-globin expression, the absence of a physiological microenvironment, such as a bone marrow niche, may impair cell maturation and lineage specification. Here, we describe a simple and reproducible culture system that can be used to generate erythroblasts with β-globin expression. We prepared a two-dimensional defined culture with ferric citrate treatment based on definitive hemogenic endothelium (HE). Floating erythroblasts derived from HE cells were primarily CD45+CD71+CD235a+ cells, and their number increased remarkably upon Fe treatment. Upon maturation, the erythroblasts cultured in the presence of ferric citrate showed high transcriptional levels of β-globin and enrichment of genes associated with heme synthesis and cell cycle regulation, indicating functionality. The rapid maturation of these erythroblasts into RBCs was observed when injected in vivo, suggesting the development of RBCs that were ready to grow. Hence, induction of β-globin expression may be explained by the effects of ferric citrate that promote cell maturation by binding with soluble transferrin and entering the cells.Taken together, upon treatment with Fe, erythroblasts showed advanced maturity with a high transcription of β-globin. These findings can help devise a stable protocol for the generation of clinically applicable RBCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo-Been Jeon
- CHA Advanced Research Institute, Bundang CHA Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Kyunggi-do, 13488, South Korea
| | - Hyebin Koh
- Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Cheongju, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, KRIBB School of Bioscience, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - A-Reum Han
- CHA Advanced Research Institute, Bundang CHA Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Kyunggi-do, 13488, South Korea
| | - Jieun Kim
- National Primate Research Center (NPRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunghun Lee
- CHA Advanced Research Institute, Bundang CHA Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Kyunggi-do, 13488, South Korea
| | - Jae-Ho Lee
- Department of Physiology, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, 42601, Korea
| | - Seung-Soon Im
- Department of Physiology, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, 42601, Korea
| | - Young-Sup Yoon
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Jong-Hee Lee
- Department of Functional Genomics, KRIBB School of Bioscience, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
- National Primate Research Center (NPRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Cheongju, Republic of Korea.
| | - Ji Yoon Lee
- CHA Advanced Research Institute, Bundang CHA Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Kyunggi-do, 13488, South Korea.
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Seongnam, Kyunggi-do, 13488, South Korea.
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
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14
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Shi L, Song H, Zhou B, Morrow BE. Crk/Crkl regulates early angiogenesis in mouse embryos by accelerating endothelial cell maturation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.12.548782. [PMID: 37503032 PMCID: PMC10369973 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.12.548782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Rationale Ubiquitously expressed cytoplasmic adaptors CRK and CRKL mediate multiple signaling pathways in mammalian embryogenesis. They are also associated with cardiovascular defects occurring in Miller-Dieker syndrome and 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, respectively. The embryonic mesoderm contributes to the formation of the cardiovascular system, yet the roles that Crk and Crkl play there are not understood on a single cell level. Objectives To determine functions of Crk and Crkl in the embryonic mesoderm during early mouse vascular development. Secondly, we will examine the molecular mechanisms responsible for early embryonic endothelial cell (EC) defects by performing single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) and in vivo validation experiments. Methods and Results Inactivation of both Crk and Crkl together using Mesp1 Cre resulted embryonic lethality with severe vascular defects. Although vasculogenesis appeared normal, angiogenesis was disrupted both in the yolk sac and embryo proper, leading to disorganized vascular networks. We performed scRNA-seq of the Mesp1 Cre mesodermal lineage and found that there was upregulation of a great number of angiogenesis and cell migration related genes in ECs in the mutants, including NOTCH signaling genes such as Dll4 and Hey1 . Further bioinformatic analysis of EC subpopulations identified a relative increase in the number of more differentiated angiogenic ECs and decrease in EC progenitors. Consistent with this, we identified an expansion of Dll4 expressing cells within abnormal arteries, in vivo . Also, our bioinformatic data indicates that there is dysregulated expression of lineage genes that promote EC differentiation causing accelerated cell fate progression during EC differentiation. Conclusions Our results show that Crk and Crkl are crucial for regulating early embryonic angiogenesis. Combined inactivation of Crk/Crkl caused precocious EC maturation with an increase of atypical differentiated angiogenic ECs and failed vascular remodeling. This is in part due to increased NOTCH signaling and altered expression of cell migration genes.
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15
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Cho S, Aakash P, Lee S, Yoon YS. Endothelial cell direct reprogramming: Past, present, and future. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2023; 180:22-32. [PMID: 37080451 PMCID: PMC10330356 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2023.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Ischemic cardiovascular disease still remains as a leading cause of morbidity and mortality despite various medical, surgical, and interventional therapy. As such, cell therapy has emerged as an attractive option because it tackles underlying problem of the diseases by inducing neovascularization in ischemic tissue. After overall failure of adult stem or progenitor cells, studies attempted to generate endothelial cells (ECs) from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). While endothelial cells (ECs) differentiated from PSCs successfully induced vascular regeneration, differentiating volatility and tumorigenic potential is a concern for their clinical applications. Alternatively, direct reprogramming strategies employ lineage-specific factors to change cell fate without achieving pluripotency. ECs have been successfully reprogrammed via ectopic expression of transcription factors (TFs) from endothelial lineage. The reprogrammed ECs induced neovascularization in vitro and in vivo and thus demonstrated their therapeutic value in animal models of vascular insufficiency. Methods of delivering reprogramming factors include lentiviral or retroviral vectors and more clinically relevant, non-integrative adenoviral and episomal vectors. Most studies made use of fibroblast as a source cell for reprogramming, but reprogrammability of other clinically relevant source cell types has to be evaluated. Specific mechanisms and small molecules that are involved in the aforementioned processes tackles challenges associated with direct reprogramming efficiency and maintenance of reprogrammed EC characteristics. After all, this review provides summary of past and contemporary methods of direct endothelial reprogramming and discusses the future direction to overcome these challenges to acquire clinically applicable reprogrammed ECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seonggeon Cho
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Parthasarathy Aakash
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sangho Lee
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Young-Sup Yoon
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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16
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Steimle JD, Kim C, Rowton M, Nadadur RD, Wang Z, Stocker M, Hoffmann AD, Hanson E, Kweon J, Sinha T, Choi K, Black BL, Cunningham JM, Moskowitz IP, Ikegami K. ETV2 primes hematoendothelial gene enhancers prior to hematoendothelial fate commitment. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112665. [PMID: 37330911 PMCID: PMC10592526 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms underlying distinct specification, commitment, and differentiation phases of cell fate determination remain undefined due to difficulties capturing these processes. Here, we interrogate the activity of ETV2, a transcription factor necessary and sufficient for hematoendothelial differentiation, within isolated fate intermediates. We observe transcriptional upregulation of Etv2 and opening of ETV2-binding sites, indicating new ETV2 binding, in a common cardiac-hematoendothelial progenitor population. Accessible ETV2-binding sites are active at the Etv2 locus but not at other hematoendothelial regulator genes. Hematoendothelial commitment coincides with the activation of a small repertoire of previously accessible ETV2-binding sites at hematoendothelial regulators. Hematoendothelial differentiation accompanies activation of a large repertoire of new ETV2-binding sites and upregulation of hematopoietic and endothelial gene regulatory networks. This work distinguishes specification, commitment, and sublineage differentiation phases of ETV2-dependent transcription and suggests that the shift from ETV2 binding to ETV2-bound enhancer activation, not ETV2 binding to target enhancers, drives hematoendothelial fate commitment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D Steimle
- Departments of Pediatrics, Pathology, and Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Chul Kim
- Departments of Pediatrics, Pathology, and Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Megan Rowton
- Departments of Pediatrics, Pathology, and Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Rangarajan D Nadadur
- Departments of Pediatrics, Pathology, and Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Zhezhen Wang
- Departments of Pediatrics, Pathology, and Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Matthew Stocker
- Departments of Pediatrics, Pathology, and Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Andrew D Hoffmann
- Departments of Pediatrics, Pathology, and Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Erika Hanson
- Departments of Pediatrics, Pathology, and Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Junghun Kweon
- Departments of Pediatrics, Pathology, and Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Tanvi Sinha
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Kyunghee Choi
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Brian L Black
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - John M Cunningham
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Ivan P Moskowitz
- Departments of Pediatrics, Pathology, and Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - Kohta Ikegami
- Division of Molecular and Cardiovascular Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
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17
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Li T, Conroy KL, Kim AM, Halmai J, Gao K, Moreno E, Wang A, Passerini AG, Nolta JA, Zhou P. Role of MEF2C in the Endothelial Cells Derived from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Stem Cells 2023; 41:341-353. [PMID: 36639926 PMCID: PMC10128960 DOI: 10.1093/stmcls/sxad005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) not only provide an abundant source of vascular cells for potential therapeutic applications in vascular disease but also constitute an excellent model for understanding the mechanisms that regulate the differentiation and the functionality of vascular cells. Here, we reported that myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) transcription factor, but not any other members of the MEF2 family, was robustly upregulated during the differentiation of vascular progenitors and endothelial cells (ECs) from hiPSCs. Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) strongly induced MEF2C expression in endothelial lineage cells. The specific upregulation of MEF2C during the commitment of endothelial lineage was dependent on the extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK). Moreover, knockdown of MEF2C with shRNA in hiPSCs did not affect the differentiation of ECs from these hiPSCs, but greatly reduced the migration and tube formation capacity of the hiPSC-derived ECs. Through a chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing, genome-wide RNA-sequencing, quantitative RT-PCR, and immunostaining analyses of the hiPSC-derived endothelial lineage cells with MEF2C inhibition or knockdown compared to control hiPSC-derived ECs, we identified TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) and transmembrane protein 100 (TMEM100) as novel targets of MEF2C. This study demonstrates an important role for MEF2C in regulating human EC functions and highlights MEF2C and its downstream effectors as potential targets to treat vascular malfunction-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Li
- School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
- Stem Cell Program and Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Kelsey L Conroy
- Stem Cell Program and Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Amy M Kim
- Stem Cell Program and Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Julian Halmai
- Stem Cell Program and Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
- University of California Davis Gene Therapy Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Kewa Gao
- Department of Surgery, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Emily Moreno
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Aijun Wang
- Department of Surgery, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Anthony G Passerini
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Jan A Nolta
- Stem Cell Program and Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
- University of California Davis Gene Therapy Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Ping Zhou
- Stem Cell Program and Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
- University of California Davis Gene Therapy Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
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Parab S, Setten E, Astanina E, Bussolino F, Doronzo G. The tissue-specific transcriptional landscape underlines the involvement of endothelial cells in health and disease. Pharmacol Ther 2023; 246:108418. [PMID: 37088448 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Endothelial cells (ECs) that line vascular and lymphatic vessels are being increasingly recognized as important to organ function in health and disease. ECs participate not only in the trafficking of gases, metabolites, and cells between the bloodstream and tissues but also in the angiocrine-based induction of heterogeneous parenchymal cells, which are unique to their specific tissue functions. The molecular mechanisms regulating EC heterogeneity between and within different tissues are modeled during embryogenesis and become fully established in adults. Any changes in adult tissue homeostasis induced by aging, stress conditions, and various noxae may reshape EC heterogeneity and induce specific transcriptional features that condition a functional phenotype. Heterogeneity is sustained via specific genetic programs organized through the combinatory effects of a discrete number of transcription factors (TFs) that, at the single tissue-level, constitute dynamic networks that are post-transcriptionally and epigenetically regulated. This review is focused on outlining the TF-based networks involved in EC specialization and physiological and pathological stressors thought to modify their architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushant Parab
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, IT, Italy; Candiolo Cancer Institute-IRCCS-FPO, Candiolo, Torino, IT, Italy
| | - Elisa Setten
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, IT, Italy; Candiolo Cancer Institute-IRCCS-FPO, Candiolo, Torino, IT, Italy
| | - Elena Astanina
- Candiolo Cancer Institute-IRCCS-FPO, Candiolo, Torino, IT, Italy
| | - Federico Bussolino
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, IT, Italy; Candiolo Cancer Institute-IRCCS-FPO, Candiolo, Torino, IT, Italy.
| | - Gabriella Doronzo
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, IT, Italy; Candiolo Cancer Institute-IRCCS-FPO, Candiolo, Torino, IT, Italy
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Kim TM, Lee RH, Kim MS, Lewis CA, Park C. ETV2/ER71, the key factor leading the paths to vascular regeneration and angiogenic reprogramming. Stem Cell Res Ther 2023; 14:41. [PMID: 36927793 PMCID: PMC10019431 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-023-03267-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Extensive efforts have been made to achieve vascular regeneration accompanying tissue repair for treating vascular dysfunction-associated diseases. Recent advancements in stem cell biology and cell reprogramming have opened unforeseen opportunities to promote angiogenesis in vivo and generate autologous endothelial cells (ECs) for clinical use. We have, for the first time, identified a unique endothelial-specific transcription factor, ETV2/ER71, and revealed its essential role in regulating endothelial cell generation and function, along with vascular regeneration and tissue repair. Furthermore, we and other groups have demonstrated its ability to directly reprogram terminally differentiated non-ECs into functional ECs, proposing ETV2/ER71 as an effective therapeutic target for vascular diseases. In this review, we discuss the up-to-date status of studies on ETV2/ER71, spanning from its molecular mechanism to vasculo-angiogenic role and direct cell reprogramming toward ECs. Furthermore, we discuss future directions to deploy the clinical potential of ETV2/ER71 as a novel and potent target for vascular disorders such as cardiovascular disease, neurovascular impairment and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Min Kim
- Graduate School of International Agricultural Technology and Institutes of Green-Bio Science and Technology, Seoul National University, 1447 Pyeongchang-daero, Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do, 25354, Republic of Korea.
| | - Ra Ham Lee
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA
| | - Min Seong Kim
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA
| | - Chloe A Lewis
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA
| | - Changwon Park
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
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Das S, Gupta V, Bjorge J, Shi X, Gong W, Garry MG, Garry DJ. ETV2 and VEZF1 interaction and regulation of the hematoendothelial lineage during embryogenesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1109648. [PMID: 36923254 PMCID: PMC10009235 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1109648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Ets variant 2 (Etv2), a member of the Ets factor family, has an essential role in the formation of endothelial and hematopoietic cell lineages during embryonic development. The functional role of ETS transcription factors is, in part, dependent on the interacting proteins. There are relatively few studies exploring the coordinated interplay between ETV2 and its interacting proteins that regulate mesodermal lineage determination. In order to identify novel ETV2 interacting partners, a yeast two-hybrid analysis was performed and the C2H2 zinc finger transcription factor VEZF1 (vascular endothelial zinc finger 1) was identified as a binding factor, which was specifically expressed within the endothelium during vascular development. To confirm this interaction, co-immunoprecipitation and GST pull down assays demonstrated the direct interaction between ETV2 and VEZF1. During embryoid body differentiation, Etv2 achieved its peak expression at day 3.0 followed by rapid downregulation, on the other hand Vezf1 expression increased through day 6 of EB differentiation. We have previously shown that ETV2 potently activated Flt1 gene transcription. Using a Flt1 promoter-luciferase reporter assay, we demonstrated that VEZF1 co-activated the Flt1 promoter. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and Chromatin immunoprecipitation established VEZF1 binding to the Flt1 promoter. Vezf1 knockout embryonic stem cells had downregulation of hematoendothelial marker genes when undergoing embryoid body mediated mesodermal differentiation whereas overexpression of VEZF1 induced the expression of hematoendothelial genes during differentiation. These current studies provide insight into the co-regulation of the hemato-endothelial lineage development via a co-operative interaction between ETV2 and VEZF1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satyabrata Das
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Vinayak Gupta
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Johannes Bjorge
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Xiaozhong Shi
- Department of Physiology, Basic Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, JX, China
| | - Wuming Gong
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Mary G. Garry
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Paul and Sheila Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Daniel J. Garry
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Paul and Sheila Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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21
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Cao X, Mircea M, Yakala GK, van den Hil FE, Brescia M, Mei H, Mummery CL, Semrau S, Orlova VV. ETV2 Upregulation Marks the Specification of Early Cardiomyocytes and Endothelial Cells During Co-differentiation. Stem Cells 2022; 41:140-152. [PMID: 36512477 PMCID: PMC9982073 DOI: 10.1093/stmcls/sxac086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The ability to differentiate human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) efficiently into defined cardiac lineages, such as cardiomyocytes and cardiac endothelial cells, is crucial to study human heart development and model cardiovascular diseases in vitro. The mechanisms underlying the specification of these cell types during human development are not well understood which limits fine-tuning and broader application of cardiac model systems. Here, we used the expression of ETV2, a master regulator of hematoendothelial specification in mice, to identify functionally distinct subpopulations during the co-differentiation of endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes from hiPSCs. Targeted analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing data revealed differential ETV2 dynamics in the 2 lineages. A newly created fluorescent reporter line allowed us to identify early lineage-predisposed states and show that a transient ETV2-high-state initiates the specification of endothelial cells. We further demonstrated, unexpectedly, that functional cardiomyocytes can originate from progenitors expressing ETV2 at a low level. Our study thus sheds light on the in vitro differentiation dynamics of 2 important cardiac lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Cao
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Maria Mircea
- Leiden Institute of Physics, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Gopala Krishna Yakala
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Francijna E van den Hil
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marcella Brescia
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hailiang Mei
- Sequencing Analysis Support Core, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Christine L Mummery
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan Semrau
- Leiden Institute of Physics, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Valeria V Orlova
- Corresponding author: Stefan Semrau, Ph.D., Leiden Institute of Physics, Leiden University, 2333 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands. ; or, Valeria V. Orlova, Ph.D., Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333ZC Leiden, The Netherlands.
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22
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Jeon S, Han A, Lee S, Lee SC, Lee MJ, Park S, Moon S, Lee JY. CD34 dim cells identified as pluripotent stem cell-derived definitive hemogenic endothelium purified using bone morphogenetic protein 4. Cell Prolif 2022; 56:e13366. [PMID: 36478274 PMCID: PMC9890535 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hemogenic endothelium (HE) plays a pivotal and inevitable role in haematopoiesis and can generate all blood and endothelial lineage cells in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros of mouse embryos. Whether definitive HE can prospectively isolate pure HE from human pluripotent stem cells that can spontaneously differentiate into heterogeneous cells remains unknown. Here, we identified and validated a CD34dim subpopulation with hemogenic potential. We also purified CD34 cells with a CXCR4- CD73- phenotype as a definitive HE population that generated haematopoietic stem cells and lymphocytes. The frequency of CXCR4- CD73- CD34dim was evidently increased by bone morphogenetic protein 4, and purified HE cells differentiated into haematopoietic cells with myeloid and T lymphoid lineages including Vδ2+ subset of γ/δ T cells. We developed a simple method to purify HE cells that were enriched in CD34dim cells. We uncovered an initial step in differentiating haematopoietic lineage cells that could be applied to basic and translational investigations into regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo‐Been Jeon
- CHA Advanced Research Institute, Bundang CHA Medical CenterCHA UniversitySeongnamKyunggi‐doRepublic of Korea
| | - A‐Reum Han
- CHA Advanced Research Institute, Bundang CHA Medical CenterCHA UniversitySeongnamKyunggi‐doRepublic of Korea
| | - Sunghun Lee
- CHA Advanced Research Institute, Bundang CHA Medical CenterCHA UniversitySeongnamKyunggi‐doRepublic of Korea
| | - Seung Chan Lee
- R&D DivisionCHA BiotechSeongnamKyunggi‐doRepublic of Korea
| | - Min Ji Lee
- R&D DivisionCHA BiotechSeongnamKyunggi‐doRepublic of Korea
| | - Soon‐Jung Park
- Research InstituteT&R Biofab Co. LtdSiheungRepublic of Korea,Department of MedicineKonkuk University School of MedicineSeoulRepublic of Korea
| | - Sung‐Hwan Moon
- Department of MedicineKonkuk University School of MedicineSeoulRepublic of Korea,Department of Animal Science and TechnologyChung‐Ang UniversityAnseong‐siRepublic of Korea
| | - Ji Yoon Lee
- CHA Advanced Research Institute, Bundang CHA Medical CenterCHA UniversitySeongnamKyunggi‐doRepublic of Korea,Department of Biomedical ScienceCHA UniversitySeongnamKyunggi‐doRepublic of Korea
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23
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Yang XH, Goldstein A, Sun Y, Wang Z, Wei M, Moskowitz I, Cunningham J. Detecting critical transition signals from single-cell transcriptomes to infer lineage-determining transcription factors. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:e91. [PMID: 35640613 PMCID: PMC9458468 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Analyzing single-cell transcriptomes promises to decipher the plasticity, heterogeneity, and rapid switches in developmental cellular state transitions. Such analyses require the identification of gene markers for semi-stable transition states. However, there are nontrivial challenges such as unexplainable stochasticity, variable population sizes, and alternative trajectory constructions. By advancing current tipping-point theory-based models with feature selection, network decomposition, accurate estimation of correlations, and optimization, we developed BioTIP to overcome these challenges. BioTIP identifies a small group of genes, called critical transition signal (CTS), to characterize regulated stochasticity during semi-stable transitions. Although methods rooted in different theories converged at the same transition events in two benchmark datasets, BioTIP is unique in inferring lineage-determining transcription factors governing critical transition. Applying BioTIP to mouse gastrulation data, we identify multiple CTSs from one dataset and validated their significance in another independent dataset. We detect the established regulator Etv2 whose expression change drives the haemato-endothelial bifurcation, and its targets together in CTS across three datasets. After comparing to three current methods using six datasets, we show that BioTIP is accurate, user-friendly, independent of pseudo-temporal trajectory, and captures significantly interconnected and reproducible CTSs. We expect BioTIP to provide great insight into dynamic regulations of lineage-determining factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinan H Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Andrew Goldstein
- Department of Statistics, The University of Chicago, Chicago IL, USA
| | - Yuxi Sun
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Zhezhen Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Megan Wei
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ivan P Moskowitz
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - John M Cunningham
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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24
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Mattonet K, Riemslagh FW, Guenther S, Prummel KD, Kesavan G, Hans S, Ebersberger I, Brand M, Burger A, Reischauer S, Mosimann C, Stainier DYR. Endothelial versus pronephron fate decision is modulated by the transcription factors Cloche/Npas4l, Tal1, and Lmo2. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn2082. [PMID: 36044573 PMCID: PMC9432843 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn2082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Endothelial specification is a key event during embryogenesis; however, when, and how, endothelial cells separate from other lineages is poorly understood. In zebrafish, Npas4l is indispensable for endothelial specification by inducing the expression of the transcription factor genes etsrp, tal1, and lmo2. We generated a knock-in reporter in zebrafish npas4l to visualize endothelial progenitors and their derivatives in wild-type and mutant embryos. Unexpectedly, we find that in npas4l mutants, npas4l reporter-expressing cells contribute to the pronephron tubules. Single-cell transcriptomics and live imaging of the early lateral plate mesoderm in wild-type embryos indeed reveals coexpression of endothelial and pronephron markers, a finding confirmed by creERT2-based lineage tracing. Increased contribution of npas4l reporter-expressing cells to pronephron tubules is also observed in tal1 and lmo2 mutants and is reversed in npas4l mutants injected with tal1 mRNA. Together, these data reveal that Npas4l/Tal1/Lmo2 regulate the fate decision between the endothelial and pronephron lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenny Mattonet
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, 61231, Germany
- DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), partner site, 43, D-61231 Bad Nauheim
- CPI (Cardio Pulmonary Institute), partner site, 43, D-61231 Bad Nauheim
- DZL (German Center for Lung Research), partner site, 43, D-61231 Bad Nauheim
| | - Fréderike W. Riemslagh
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 E 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Stefan Guenther
- DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), partner site, 43, D-61231 Bad Nauheim
- CPI (Cardio Pulmonary Institute), partner site, 43, D-61231 Bad Nauheim
- Bioinformatics and Deep Sequencing Platform, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim 61231, Germany
| | - Karin D. Prummel
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 E 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Gokul Kesavan
- Center for Regenerative Therapies at TU Dresden (CRTD); Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Hans
- Center for Regenerative Therapies at TU Dresden (CRTD); Dresden, Germany
| | - Ingo Ebersberger
- Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Frankfurt 60438, Germany
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Center (S-BIKF), Frankfurt 60325, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), Frankfurt 60325, Germany
| | - Michael Brand
- Center for Regenerative Therapies at TU Dresden (CRTD); Dresden, Germany
| | - Alexa Burger
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 E 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Sven Reischauer
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, 61231, Germany
- CPI (Cardio Pulmonary Institute), partner site, 43, D-61231 Bad Nauheim
| | - Christian Mosimann
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 E 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Didier Y. R. Stainier
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, 61231, Germany
- DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), partner site, 43, D-61231 Bad Nauheim
- CPI (Cardio Pulmonary Institute), partner site, 43, D-61231 Bad Nauheim
- DZL (German Center for Lung Research), partner site, 43, D-61231 Bad Nauheim
- Corresponding author.
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25
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Sierra-Pagan JE, Garry DJ. The regulatory role of pioneer factors during cardiovascular lineage specification – A mini review. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:972591. [PMID: 36082116 PMCID: PMC9445115 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.972591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the number one cause of death worldwide. Ischemic heart disease contributes to heart failure and has considerable morbidity and mortality. Therefore, alternative therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. One class of epigenetic regulators known as pioneer factors has emerged as an important tool for the development of regenerative therapies for the treatment of CVD. Pioneer factors bind closed chromatin and remodel it to drive lineage specification. Here, we review pioneer factors within the cardiovascular lineage, particularly during development and reprogramming and highlight the implications this field of research has for the future development of cardiac specific regenerative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier E. Sierra-Pagan
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Daniel J. Garry
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Paul and Sheila Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- *Correspondence: Daniel J. Garry
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26
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Abstract
Formation of the vasculature is a critical step within the developing embryo and its disruption causes early embryonic lethality. This complex process is driven by a cascade of signaling events that controls differentiation of mesodermal progenitors into primordial endothelial cells and their further specification into distinct subtypes (arterial, venous, hemogenic) that are needed to generate a blood circulatory network. Hemogenic endothelial cells give rise to hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells that generate all blood cells in the body during embryogenesis and postnatally. We focus our discussion on the regulation of endothelial cell differentiation, and subsequent hemogenic specification, and highlight many of the signaling pathways involved in these processes, which are conserved across vertebrates. Gaining a better understanding of the regulation of these processes will yield insights needed to optimize the treatment of vascular and hematopoietic disease and generate human stem cell-derived vascular and hematopoietic cells for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordon W Aragon
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA
| | - Karen K Hirschi
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA
- Departments of Medicine and Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
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27
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Gurung S, Restrepo NK, Chestnut B, Klimkaite L, Sumanas S. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of vascular endothelial cells in zebrafish embryos. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13065. [PMID: 35906287 PMCID: PMC9338088 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17127-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Vascular endothelial cells exhibit substantial phenotypic and transcriptional heterogeneity which is established during early embryogenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in establishing endothelial cell diversity are still not well understood. Zebrafish has emerged as an advantageous model to study vascular development. Despite its importance, the single-cell transcriptomic profile of vascular endothelial cells during zebrafish development is still missing. To address this, we applied single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) of vascular endothelial cells isolated from zebrafish embryos at the 24 hpf stage. Six distinct clusters or subclusters related to vascular endothelial cells were identified which include arterial, two venous, cranial, endocardial and endothelial progenitor cell subtypes. Furthermore, we validated our findings by characterizing novel markers for arterial, venous, and endocardial cells. We experimentally confirmed the presence of two transcriptionally different venous cell subtypes, demonstrating heterogeneity among venous endothelial cells at this early developmental stage. This dataset will be a valuable resource for future functional characterization of vascular endothelial cells and interrogation of molecular mechanisms involved in the establishment of their heterogeneity and cell-fate decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suman Gurung
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, USF Health Heart Institute, University of South Florida, 560 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL, 33602, USA
| | - Nicole K Restrepo
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, USF Health Heart Institute, University of South Florida, 560 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL, 33602, USA
| | - Brendan Chestnut
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Laurita Klimkaite
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Saulius Sumanas
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA. .,Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, USF Health Heart Institute, University of South Florida, 560 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL, 33602, USA.
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28
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Koyano-Nakagawa N, Gong W, Das S, Theisen JWM, Swanholm TB, Van Ly D, Dsouza N, Singh BN, Kawakami H, Young S, Chen KQ, Kawakami Y, Garry DJ. Etv2 regulates enhancer chromatin status to initiate Shh expression in the limb bud. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4221. [PMID: 35864091 PMCID: PMC9304341 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31848-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is essential for limb development, and the mechanisms that govern the propagation and maintenance of its expression has been well studied; however, the mechanisms that govern the initiation of Shh expression are incomplete. Here we report that ETV2 initiates Shh expression by changing the chromatin status of the developmental limb enhancer, ZRS. Etv2 expression precedes Shh in limb buds, and Etv2 inactivation prevents the opening of limb chromatin, including the ZRS, resulting in an absence of Shh expression. Etv2 overexpression in limb buds causes nucleosomal displacement at the ZRS, ectopic Shh expression, and polydactyly. Areas of nucleosome displacement coincide with ETS binding site clusters. ETV2 also functions as a transcriptional activator of ZRS and is antagonized by ETV4/5 repressors. Known human polydactyl mutations introduce novel ETV2 binding sites in the ZRS, suggesting that ETV2 dosage regulates ZRS activation. These studies identify ETV2 as a pioneer transcription factor (TF) regulating the onset of Shh expression, having both a chromatin regulatory role and a transcriptional activation role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoko Koyano-Nakagawa
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Hamre, Schumann, Mueller & Larson, P.C., Minneapolis, MN, 55402, USA
- Mitchell Hamline School of Law, St. Paul, MN, 55105, USA
| | - Wuming Gong
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Satyabrata Das
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Joshua W M Theisen
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Tran B Swanholm
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Daniel Van Ly
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Nikita Dsouza
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Bhairab N Singh
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Hiroko Kawakami
- Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Samantha Young
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Katherine Q Chen
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Yasuhiko Kawakami
- Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
| | - Daniel J Garry
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
- Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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29
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Ho VW, Grainger DE, Chagraoui H, Porcher C. Specification of the haematopoietic stem cell lineage: From blood-fated mesodermal angioblasts to haemogenic endothelium. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 127:59-67. [PMID: 35125239 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells emerge from specialized haemogenic endothelial cells in select vascular beds during embryonic development. Specification and commitment to the blood lineage, however, occur before endothelial cells are endowed with haemogenic competence, at the time of mesoderm patterning and production of endothelial cell progenitors (angioblasts). Whilst early blood cell fate specification has long been recognized, very little is known about the mechanisms that induce endothelial cell diversification and progressive acquisition of a blood identity by a subset of these cells. Here, we review the endothelial origin of the haematopoietic system and the complex developmental journey of blood-fated angioblasts. We discuss how recent technological advances will be instrumental to examine the diversity of the embryonic anatomical niches, signaling pathways and downstream epigenetic and transcriptional processes controlling endothelial cell heterogeneity and blood cell fate specification. Ultimately, this will give essential insights into the ontogeny of the cells giving rise to haematopoietic stem cells, that may aid in the development of novel strategies for their in vitro production for clinical purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivien W Ho
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - David E Grainger
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Hedia Chagraoui
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Catherine Porcher
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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30
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Martin BL. Mesoderm induction and patterning: Insights from neuromesodermal progenitors. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 127:37-45. [PMID: 34840081 PMCID: PMC9130346 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of mesoderm inducing signals helped usher in the era of molecular developmental biology, and today the mechanisms of mesoderm induction and patterning are still intensely studied. Mesoderm induction begins during gastrulation, but recent evidence in vertebrates shows that this process continues after gastrulation in a group of posteriorly localized cells called neuromesodermal progenitors (NMPs). NMPs reside within the post-gastrulation embryonic structure called the tailbud, where they make a lineage decision between ectoderm (spinal cord) and mesoderm. The majority of NMP-derived mesoderm generates somites, but also contributes to lateral mesoderm fates such as endothelium. The discovery of NMPs provides a new paradigm in which to study vertebrate mesoderm induction. This review will discuss mechanisms of mesoderm induction within NMPs, and how they have informed our understanding of mesoderm induction more broadly within vertebrates as well as animal species outside of the vertebrate lineage. Special focus will be given to the signaling networks underlying NMP-derived mesoderm induction and patterning, as well as emerging work on the significance of partial epithelial-mesenchymal states in coordinating cell fate and morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin L Martin
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5215, USA.
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31
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Differential Etv2 threshold requirement for endothelial and erythropoietic development. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110881. [PMID: 35649376 PMCID: PMC9203129 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Endothelial and erythropoietic lineages arise from a common developmental progenitor. Etv2 is a master transcriptional regulator required for the development of both lineages. However, the mechanisms through which Etv2 initiates the gene-regulatory networks (GRNs) for endothelial and erythropoietic specification and how the two GRNs diverge downstream of Etv2 remain incompletely understood. Here, by analyzing a hypomorphic Etv2 mutant, we demonstrate different threshold requirements for initiation of the downstream GRNs for endothelial and erythropoietic development. We show that Etv2 functions directly in a coherent feedforward transcriptional network for vascular endothelial development, and a low level of Etv2 expression is sufficient to induce and sustain the endothelial GRN. In contrast, Etv2 induces the erythropoietic GRN indirectly via activation of Tal1, which requires a significantly higher threshold of Etv2 to initiate and sustain erythropoietic development. These results provide important mechanistic insight into the divergence of the endothelial and erythropoietic lineages.
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32
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Sharma T, Kapoor A, Mandal CC. Duality of bone morphogenetic proteins in cancer: A comprehensive analysis. J Cell Physiol 2022; 237:3127-3163. [DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tanu Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences Central University of Rajasthan Ajmer Rajasthan India
| | - Anmol Kapoor
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences Central University of Rajasthan Ajmer Rajasthan India
| | - Chandi C. Mandal
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences Central University of Rajasthan Ajmer Rajasthan India
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33
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Gong W, Das S, Sierra-Pagan JE, Skie E, Dsouza N, Larson TA, Garry MG, Luzete-Monteiro E, Zaret KS, Garry DJ. ETV2 functions as a pioneer factor to regulate and reprogram the endothelial lineage. Nat Cell Biol 2022; 24:672-684. [PMID: 35550615 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-022-00901-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The vasculature is an essential organ for the delivery of blood and oxygen to all tissues of the body and is thus relevant to the treatment of ischaemic diseases, injury-induced regeneration and solid tumour growth. Previously, we demonstrated that ETV2 is an essential transcription factor for the development of cardiac, endothelial and haematopoietic lineages. Here we report that ETV2 functions as a pioneer factor that relaxes closed chromatin and regulates endothelial development. By comparing engineered embryonic stem cell differentiation and reprogramming models with multi-omics techniques, we demonstrated that ETV2 was able to bind nucleosomal DNA and recruit BRG1. BRG1 recruitment remodelled chromatin around endothelial genes and helped to maintain an open configuration, resulting in increased H3K27ac deposition. Collectively, these results will serve as a platform for the development of therapeutic initiatives directed towards cardiovascular diseases and solid tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wuming Gong
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Satyabrata Das
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Javier E Sierra-Pagan
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Erik Skie
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Nikita Dsouza
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Thijs A Larson
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Mary G Garry
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Paul and Sheila Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Edgar Luzete-Monteiro
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kenneth S Zaret
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Daniel J Garry
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. .,Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. .,Paul and Sheila Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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34
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Qu X, Harmelink C, Baldwin HS. Endocardial-Myocardial Interactions During Early Cardiac Differentiation and Trabeculation. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:857581. [PMID: 35600483 PMCID: PMC9116504 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.857581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout the continuum of heart formation, myocardial growth and differentiation occurs in concert with the development of a specialized population of endothelial cells lining the cardiac lumen, the endocardium. Once the endocardial cells are specified, they are in close juxtaposition to the cardiomyocytes, which facilitates communication between the two cell types that has been proven to be critical for both early cardiac development and later myocardial function. Endocardial cues orchestrate cardiomyocyte proliferation, survival, and organization. Additionally, the endocardium enables oxygenated blood to reach the cardiomyocytes. Cardiomyocytes, in turn, secrete factors that promote endocardial growth and function. As misregulation of this delicate and complex endocardial-myocardial interplay can result in congenital heart defects, further delineation of underlying genetic and molecular factors involved in cardiac paracrine signaling will be vital in the development of therapies to promote cardiac homeostasis and regeneration. Herein, we highlight the latest research that has advanced the elucidation of endocardial-myocardial interactions in early cardiac morphogenesis, including endocardial and myocardial crosstalk necessary for cellular differentiation and tissue remodeling during trabeculation, as well as signaling critical for endocardial growth during trabeculation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianghu Qu
- Department of Pediatrics (Cardiology), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Cristina Harmelink
- Department of Pediatrics (Cardiology), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - H. Scott Baldwin
- Department of Pediatrics (Cardiology), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Cell and Development Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- *Correspondence: H. Scott Baldwin
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Capon SJ, Uribe V, Dominado N, Ehrlich O, Smith KA. Endocardial identity is established during early somitogenesis by Bmp signalling acting upstream of npas4l and etv2. Development 2022; 149:275317. [PMID: 35531980 PMCID: PMC9148566 DOI: 10.1242/dev.190421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The endocardium plays important roles in the development and function of the vertebrate heart; however, few molecular markers of this tissue have been identified and little is known about what regulates its differentiation. Here, we describe the Gt(SAGFF27C); Tg(4xUAS:egfp) line as a marker of endocardial development in zebrafish. Transcriptomic comparison between endocardium and pan-endothelium confirms molecular distinction between these populations and time-course analysis suggests differentiation as early as eight somites. To investigate what regulates endocardial identity, we employed npas4l, etv2 and scl loss-of-function models. Endocardial expression is lost in npas4l mutants, significantly reduced in etv2 mutants and only modestly affected upon scl loss-of-function. Bmp signalling was also examined: overactivation of Bmp signalling increased endocardial expression, whereas Bmp inhibition decreased expression. Finally, epistasis experiments showed that overactivation of Bmp signalling was incapable of restoring endocardial expression in etv2 mutants. By contrast, overexpression of either npas4l or etv2 was sufficient to rescue endocardial expression upon Bmp inhibition. Together, these results describe the differentiation of the endocardium, distinct from vasculature, and place npas4l and etv2 downstream of Bmp signalling in regulating its differentiation. Summary: A zebrafish transgenic reporter of the endocardium is identified, permitting transcriptomic analysis and identification of new endocardial markers. Epistasis experiments demonstrate npas4l and etv2 act downstream of Bmp signalling to regulate endocardial differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J Capon
- Division of Genomics of Development and Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Veronica Uribe
- Department of Anatomy & Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Nicole Dominado
- Department of Anatomy & Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Ophelia Ehrlich
- Department of Anatomy & Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Kelly A Smith
- Division of Genomics of Development and Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.,Department of Anatomy & Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
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36
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Zhang H, Yamaguchi T, Kokubu Y, Kawabata K. Transient ETV2 Expression Promotes the Generation of Mature Endothelial Cells from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Biol Pharm Bull 2022; 45:483-490. [DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b21-00929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hongyan Zhang
- Laboratory of Biomedical Innovation, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University
| | - Tomoko Yamaguchi
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Regulation, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health, and Nutrition
| | - Yasuhiro Kokubu
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Regulation, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health, and Nutrition
| | - Kenji Kawabata
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Regulation, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health, and Nutrition
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37
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Tsaryk R, Yucel N, Leonard EV, Diaz N, Bondareva O, Odenthal-Schnittler M, Arany Z, Vaquerizas JM, Schnittler H, Siekmann AF. Shear stress switches the association of endothelial enhancers from ETV/ETS to KLF transcription factor binding sites. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4795. [PMID: 35314737 PMCID: PMC8938417 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08645-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Endothelial cells (ECs) lining blood vessels are exposed to mechanical forces, such as shear stress. These forces control many aspects of EC biology, including vascular tone, cell migration and proliferation. Despite a good understanding of the genes responding to shear stress, our insight into the transcriptional regulation of these genes is much more limited. Here, we set out to study alterations in the chromatin landscape of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) exposed to laminar shear stress. To do so, we performed ChIP-Seq for H3K27 acetylation, indicative of active enhancer elements and ATAC-Seq to mark regions of open chromatin in addition to RNA-Seq on HUVEC exposed to 6 h of laminar shear stress. Our results show a correlation of gained and lost enhancers with up and downregulated genes, respectively. DNA motif analysis revealed an over-representation of KLF transcription factor (TF) binding sites in gained enhancers, while lost enhancers contained more ETV/ETS motifs. We validated a subset of flow responsive enhancers using luciferase-based reporter constructs and CRISPR-Cas9 mediated genome editing. Lastly, we characterized the shear stress response in ECs of zebrafish embryos using RNA-Seq. Our results lay the groundwork for the exploration of shear stress responsive elements in controlling EC biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Tsaryk
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149, Münster, Germany
- Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC 1003 - CiM), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nora Yucel
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Elvin V Leonard
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149, Münster, Germany
- Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC 1003 - CiM), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Noelia Diaz
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149, Münster, Germany
- Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC 1003 - CiM), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Olga Bondareva
- Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC 1003 - CiM), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Institute of Anatomy and Vascular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Vesaliusweg 2-4, 48149, Münster, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Metabolic, Obesity and Vascular Research (HI-MAG) of the Helmholtz Zentrum München at the University of Leipzig and University Hospital Leipzig, Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 27, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Maria Odenthal-Schnittler
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149, Münster, Germany
- Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC 1003 - CiM), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Institute of Anatomy and Vascular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Vesaliusweg 2-4, 48149, Münster, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Pottkamp 2, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Zoltan Arany
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Juan M Vaquerizas
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149, Münster, Germany
- Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC 1003 - CiM), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Hans Schnittler
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149, Münster, Germany
- Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC 1003 - CiM), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Institute of Anatomy and Vascular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Vesaliusweg 2-4, 48149, Münster, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Pottkamp 2, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Arndt F Siekmann
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149, Münster, Germany.
- Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC 1003 - CiM), University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Metikala S, Warkala M, Casie Chetty S, Chestnut B, Rufin Florat D, Plender E, Nester O, Koenig AL, Astrof S, Sumanas S. Integration of vascular progenitors into functional blood vessels represents a distinct mechanism of vascular growth. Dev Cell 2022; 57:767-782.e6. [PMID: 35276066 PMCID: PMC9365108 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
During embryogenesis, the initial vascular network forms by the process of vasculogenesis, or the specification of vascular progenitors de novo. In contrast, the majority of later-forming vessels arise by angiogenesis from the already established vasculature. Here, we show that new vascular progenitors in zebrafish embryos emerge from a distinct site along the yolk extension, or secondary vascular field (SVF), incorporate into the posterior cardinal vein, and contribute to subintestinal vasculature even after blood circulation has been initiated. We further demonstrate that SVF cells participate in vascular recovery after chemical ablation of vascular endothelial cells. Inducible inhibition of the function of vascular progenitor marker etv2/etsrp prevented SVF cell differentiation and resulted in the defective formation of subintestinal vasculature. Similar late-forming etv2+ progenitors were also observed in mouse embryos, suggesting that SVF cells are evolutionarily conserved. Our results characterize a distinct mechanism by which new vascular progenitors incorporate into established vasculature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjeeva Metikala
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, USF Health Heart Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
| | - Michael Warkala
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Satish Casie Chetty
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Brendan Chestnut
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Diandra Rufin Florat
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, USF Health Heart Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
| | - Elizabeth Plender
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Olivia Nester
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Andrew L Koenig
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Sophie Astrof
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Saulius Sumanas
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, USF Health Heart Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA; University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
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39
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Seni-Silva AC, Maleski ALA, Souza MM, Falcao MAP, Disner GR, Lopes-Ferreira M, Lima C. Natterin-like depletion by CRISPR/Cas9 impairs zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryonic development. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:123. [PMID: 35151271 PMCID: PMC8840632 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08369-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Natterin protein family was first discovered in the venom of the medically significant fish Thalassophryne nattereri, and over the last decade natterin-like genes have been identified in various organisms, notably performing immune-related functions. Previous findings support natterin-like genes as effector defense molecules able to activate multiprotein complexes driving the host innate immune response, notably due to the pore-forming function of the aerolysin superfamily members. Herein, employing a combination of the CRISPR/Cas9 depletion system, phenotype-based screening, and morphometric methods, we evaluated the role of one family member, LOC795232, in the embryonic development of zebrafish since it might be implicated in multiple roles and characterization of the null mutant is central for analysis of gene activity. Results Multiple sequence alignment revealed that the candidate natterin-like has the highest similarity to zebrafish aep1, a putative and better characterized fish-specific defense molecule from the same family. Compared to other species, zebrafish have many natterin-like copies. Whole-mount in situ hybridization confirmed the knockout and mutant embryos exhibited epiboly delay, growth retardation, yolk sac and heart edema, absent or diminished swim bladder, spinal defects, small eyes and head, heart dysfunction, and behavioral impairment. As previously demonstrated, ribonucleoproteins composed of Cas9 and duplex guide RNAs are effective at inducing mutations in the F0 zebrafish. Conclusions The considerably high natterin-like copies in zebrafish compared to other species might be due to the teleost-specific whole genome duplication and followed by subfunctionalization or neofunctionalization. In the present work, we described some of the natterin-like features in the zebrafish development and infer that natterin-like proteins potentially contribute to the embryonary development and immune response. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08369-z. The Natterin family was discovered in the venom of the fish Thalassophryne nattereri. The zebrafish genome encodes eleven natterin-like genes. Natterin-like might be a novel fish-specific defense molecule. Natterin-like proteins are thought to be pore-forming molecules. Reverse genetic study and phenotypic characterization suggests natterin-like genes may have roles in zebrafish development.
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40
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Gifre-Renom L, Daems M, Luttun A, Jones EAV. Organ-Specific Endothelial Cell Differentiation and Impact of Microenvironmental Cues on Endothelial Heterogeneity. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031477. [PMID: 35163400 PMCID: PMC8836165 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Endothelial cells throughout the body are heterogeneous, and this is tightly linked to the specific functions of organs and tissues. Heterogeneity is already determined from development onwards and ranges from arterial/venous specification to microvascular fate determination in organ-specific differentiation. Acknowledging the different phenotypes of endothelial cells and the implications of this diversity is key for the development of more specialized tissue engineering and vascular repair approaches. However, although novel technologies in transcriptomics and proteomics are facilitating the unraveling of vascular bed-specific endothelial cell signatures, still much research is based on the use of insufficiently specialized endothelial cells. Endothelial cells are not only heterogeneous, but their specialized phenotypes are also dynamic and adapt to changes in their microenvironment. During the last decades, strong collaborations between molecular biology, mechanobiology, and computational disciplines have led to a better understanding of how endothelial cells are modulated by their mechanical and biochemical contexts. Yet, because of the use of insufficiently specialized endothelial cells, there is still a huge lack of knowledge in how tissue-specific biomechanical factors determine organ-specific phenotypes. With this review, we want to put the focus on how organ-specific endothelial cell signatures are determined from development onwards and conditioned by their microenvironments during adulthood. We discuss the latest research performed on endothelial cells, pointing out the important implications of mimicking tissue-specific biomechanical cues in culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laia Gifre-Renom
- Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium; (L.G.-R.); (M.D.); (A.L.)
| | - Margo Daems
- Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium; (L.G.-R.); (M.D.); (A.L.)
| | - Aernout Luttun
- Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium; (L.G.-R.); (M.D.); (A.L.)
| | - Elizabeth A. V. Jones
- Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium; (L.G.-R.); (M.D.); (A.L.)
- Department of Cardiology, CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Correspondence:
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41
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Wu M, Chen Q, Li J, Xu Y, Lian J, Liu Y, Meng P, Zhang Y. Gfi1aa/Lsd1 Facilitates Hemangioblast Differentiation Into Primitive Erythrocytes by Targeting etv2 and sox7 in Zebrafish. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:786426. [PMID: 35096818 PMCID: PMC8790037 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.786426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The first wave of hematopoiesis is the primitive hematopoiesis, which produces embryonic erythroid and myeloid cells. Primitive erythrocytes are thought to be generated from bipotent hemangioblasts, but the molecular basis remains unclear. Transcriptional repressors Gfi1aa and Gfi1b have been shown to cooperatively promote primitive erythrocytes differentiation from hemangioblasts in zebrafish. However, the mechanism of these repressors during the primitive wave is largely unknown. Herein, by functional analysis of zebrafish gfi1aa smu10 , gfi1b smu11 , gfi1ab smu12 single, double, and triple mutants, we found that Gfi1aa not only plays a predominant role in primitive erythropoiesis but also synergizes with Gfi1ab. To screen Gfi1aa downstream targets, we performed RNA-seq and ChIP-seq analysis and found two endothelial transcription factors, etv2 and sox7, to be repressed by Gfi1aa. Genetic analysis demonstrated Gfi1aa to promote hemangioblast differentiation into primitive erythrocytes by inhibiting both etv2 and sox7 in an Lsd1-dependent manner. Moreover, the H3K4me1 level of etv2 and sox7 were increased in gfi1aa mutant. Taken together, these results suggest that Gfi1aa/Lsd1-dependent etv2/sox7 downregulation is critical for hemangioblast differentiation during primitive hematopoiesis by inhibition of endothelial specification. The different and redundant roles for Gfi1(s), as well as their genetic and epigenetic regulation during primitive hematopoiesis, help us to better know the molecular basis of the primitive hematopoiesis and sheds light on the understanding the Gfi1(s) related pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Wu
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China,Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qi Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Neuronal Structural Biology, Biomedical Research Institute, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jing Li
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue Xu
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junwei Lian
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongxiang Liu
- Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ping Meng
- Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiyue Zhang
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Yiyue Zhang,
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42
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Ferdous A, Singh S, Luo Y, Abedin MJ, Jiang N, Perry CE, Evers BM, Gillette TG, Kyba M, Trojanowska M, Hill JA. Fli1 Promotes Vascular Morphogenesis by Regulating Endothelial Potential of Multipotent Myogenic Progenitors. Circ Res 2021; 129:949-964. [PMID: 34544261 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.121.318986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Anwarul Ferdous
- Departments of Internal Medicine (Cardiology) (A.F., S.S., Y.L., M.J.A., N.J., C.E.P., T.G.G., J.A.H.), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - Sarvjeet Singh
- Departments of Internal Medicine (Cardiology) (A.F., S.S., Y.L., M.J.A., N.J., C.E.P., T.G.G., J.A.H.), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - Yuxuan Luo
- Departments of Internal Medicine (Cardiology) (A.F., S.S., Y.L., M.J.A., N.J., C.E.P., T.G.G., J.A.H.), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - Md J Abedin
- Departments of Internal Medicine (Cardiology) (A.F., S.S., Y.L., M.J.A., N.J., C.E.P., T.G.G., J.A.H.), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - Nan Jiang
- Departments of Internal Medicine (Cardiology) (A.F., S.S., Y.L., M.J.A., N.J., C.E.P., T.G.G., J.A.H.), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - Cameron E Perry
- Departments of Internal Medicine (Cardiology) (A.F., S.S., Y.L., M.J.A., N.J., C.E.P., T.G.G., J.A.H.), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - Bret M Evers
- Pathology (B.M.E.), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - Thomas G Gillette
- Departments of Internal Medicine (Cardiology) (A.F., S.S., Y.L., M.J.A., N.J., C.E.P., T.G.G., J.A.H.), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - Michael Kyba
- Department of Pediatrics (M.K.), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.,Lillehei Heart Institute (M.K.), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
| | - Maria Trojanowska
- Section of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, Boston University, MA (M.T.)
| | - Joseph A Hill
- Departments of Internal Medicine (Cardiology) (A.F., S.S., Y.L., M.J.A., N.J., C.E.P., T.G.G., J.A.H.), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.,Molecular Biology (J.A.H.), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
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43
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Wingo M, Rafii S. Endothelial reprogramming for vascular regeneration: Past milestones and future directions. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 122:50-55. [PMID: 34548212 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Endothelial cells are critical mediators of health and disease. Regenerative medicine techniques that target the endothelium hold vast promise for improving lifespan and quality of life worldwide. Regenerative therapies via induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs) have helped demonstrate disease mechanisms, but so far, concerns regarding their function, malignant potential, and expense have limited therapeutic potential. One alternative approach is direct reprogramming of somatic cells, which avoids the pluripotent state and allows for in vivo reprogramming. Transcription factors from endothelial development have yielded essential transcription factors and small molecules that induce endothelial cell fate. Most direct cell reprogramming strategies targeting endothelial cells use ETV2, a pioneer transcription factor to specify endothelial lineage via histone-modifying enzymes. Many different types of starting cells and strategies, including lentiviral transduction, inducing innate immunity, and small molecule signaling have been leveraged for reprogramming. However, so far therapeutic benefit of these strategies remains unproven. Future research will have to solve scalability, safety, and efficacy hurdles before being ready for the clinic. However, researchers have already discovered meaningful insights into disease mechanisms and development through direct reprogramming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Wingo
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Ansary Stem Cell Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Shahin Rafii
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Ansary Stem Cell Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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44
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Lee TJ, Kang HK, Berry JC, Joo HG, Park C, Miller MJ, Choi K. ER71/ETV2 Promotes Hair Regeneration from Chemotherapeutic Drug-Induced Hair Loss by Enhancing Angiogenesis. Biomol Ther (Seoul) 2021; 29:545-550. [PMID: 33814416 PMCID: PMC8411022 DOI: 10.4062/biomolther.2021.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy-induced alopecia and hair loss can be stressful in patients with cancer. The hair grows back, but sometimes the hair tends to stay thin. Therefore, understanding mechanisms regulating hair regeneration may improve the management of chemotherapy-induced alopecia. Previous studies have revealed that chemotherapeutic agents induce a hair follicle vascular injury. As hair growth is associated with micro-vessel regeneration, we postulated that the stimulation of angiogenesis might enhance hair regeneration. In particular, mice treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) showed delayed anagen initiation and reduced capillary density when compared with untreated controls, suggesting that the retardation of anagen initiation by 5-FU treatment may be attributed to the loss of perifollicular micro-vessels. We investigated whether the ETS transcription factor ETV2 (aka ER71), critical for vascular development and regeneration, can promote angiogenesis and hair regrowth in a 5-FU-induced alopecia mouse model. Tie2-Cre; Etv2 conditional knockout (CKO) mice, which lack Etv2 in endothelial cells, presented similar hair regrowth rates as the control mice after depilation. Following 5-FU treatment, Tie2-Cre; Etv2 CKO mice revealed a significant reduction in capillary density, anagen induction, and hair restoration when compared with controls. Mice receiving lentiviral Etv2 injection after 5-FU treatment showed significantly improved anagen induction and hair regrowth. Two-photon laser scanning microscopy revealed that enforced Etv2 expression restored normal vessel morphology after 5-FU mediated vessel injury. Our data suggest that vessel regeneration strategies may improve hair regrowth after chemotherapeutic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Jin Lee
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.,Department of Bio-Health Convergence, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Kyoung Kang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Republic of Korea.,Jeju Research Center for Natural Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeffrey C Berry
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Hong-Gu Joo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Republic of Korea
| | - Changwon Park
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA
| | - Mark J Miller
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kyunghee Choi
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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45
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Kabir AU, Subramanian M, Lee DH, Wang X, Krchma K, Wu J, Naismith T, Halabi CM, Kim JY, Pulous FE, Petrich BG, Kim S, Park HC, Hanson PI, Pan H, Wickline SA, Fremont DH, Park C, Choi K. Dual role of endothelial Myct1 in tumor angiogenesis and tumor immunity. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:13/583/eabb6731. [PMID: 33658356 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abb6731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The cross-talk between angiogenesis and immunity within the tumor microenvironment (TME) is critical for tumor prognosis. While pro-angiogenic and immunosuppressive TME promote tumor growth, anti-angiogenic and immune stimulatory TME inhibit tumor progression. Therefore, there is a great interest in achieving vascular normalization to improve drug delivery and enhance antitumor immunity. However, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mechanisms to normalize tumor vessels have offered limited therapeutic efficacies for patients with cancer. Here, we report that Myct1, a direct target of ETV2, was nearly exclusively expressed in endothelial cells. In preclinical mouse tumor models, Myct1 deficiency reduced angiogenesis, enhanced high endothelial venule formation, and promoted antitumor immunity, leading to restricted tumor progression. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets revealed a significant (P < 0.05) correlation between MYCT1 expression, angiogenesis, and antitumor immunity in human cancers, as suggested by decreased FOXP3 expression and increased antitumor macrophages in patients with low MYCT1 expression. Mechanistically, MYCT1 interacted with tight junction protein Zona Occludens 1 and regulated Rho GTPase-mediated actin cytoskeleton dynamics, thereby promoting endothelial motility in the angiogenic environment. Myct1-deficient endothelial cells facilitated trans-endothelial migration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and polarization of M1 macrophages. Myct1 targeting combined with anti-PD1 treatment significantly (P < 0.05) increased complete tumor regression and long-term survival in anti-PD1-responsive and -refractory tumor models in mice. Our data collectively support a critical role for Myct1 in controlling tumor angiogenesis and reprogramming tumor immunity. Myct1-targeted vascular control, in combination with immunotherapy, may become an exciting therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashraf Ul Kabir
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110-1093, USA.,Molecular and Cell Biology Program, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110-1093, USA
| | - Madhav Subramanian
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110-1093, USA
| | - Dong Hun Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110-1093, USA
| | - Karen Krchma
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110-1093, USA
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110-1093, USA
| | - Teri Naismith
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110-1093, USA
| | - Carmen M Halabi
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110-1093, USA
| | - Ju Young Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Fadi E Pulous
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Brian G Petrich
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Suhyun Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Ansan 15335, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae-Chul Park
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Ansan 15335, Republic of Korea
| | - Phyllis I Hanson
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5624, USA
| | - Hua Pan
- Health Heart Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Samuel A Wickline
- Health Heart Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Daved H Fremont
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110-1093, USA
| | - Changwon Park
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. .,Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA
| | - Kyunghee Choi
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110-1093, USA. .,Molecular and Cell Biology Program, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110-1093, USA.,Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yong In 17104, Republic of Korea
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46
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Stone OA, Zhou B, Red-Horse K, Stainier DYR. Endothelial ontogeny and the establishment of vascular heterogeneity. Bioessays 2021; 43:e2100036. [PMID: 34145927 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The establishment of distinct cellular identities was pivotal during the evolution of Metazoa, enabling the emergence of an array of specialized tissues with different functions. In most animals including vertebrates, cell specialization occurs in response to a combination of intrinsic (e.g., cellular ontogeny) and extrinsic (e.g., local environment) factors that drive the acquisition of unique characteristics at the single-cell level. The first functional organ system to form in vertebrates is the cardiovascular system, which is lined by a network of endothelial cells whose organ-specific characteristics have long been recognized. Recent genetic analyses at the single-cell level have revealed that heterogeneity exists not only at the organ level but also between neighboring endothelial cells. Thus, how endothelial heterogeneity is established has become a key question in vascular biology. Drawing upon evidence from multiple organ systems, here we will discuss the role that lineage history may play in establishing endothelial heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver A Stone
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Bin Zhou
- The State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence on Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Kristy Red-Horse
- Department of Biology, Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Didier Y R Stainier
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
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47
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Zheng C, Ballard EB, Wu J. The road to generating transplantable organs: from blastocyst complementation to interspecies chimeras. Development 2021; 148:dev195792. [PMID: 34132325 PMCID: PMC10656466 DOI: 10.1242/dev.195792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Growing human organs in animals sounds like something from the realm of science fiction, but it may one day become a reality through a technique known as interspecies blastocyst complementation. This technique, which was originally developed to study gene function in development, involves injecting donor pluripotent stem cells into an organogenesis-disabled host embryo, allowing the donor cells to compensate for missing organs or tissues. Although interspecies blastocyst complementation has been achieved between closely related species, such as mice and rats, the situation becomes much more difficult for species that are far apart on the evolutionary tree. This is presumably because of layers of xenogeneic barriers that are a result of divergent evolution. In this Review, we discuss the current status of blastocyst complementation approaches and, in light of recent progress, elaborate on the keys to success for interspecies blastocyst complementation and organ generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Canbin Zheng
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Microsurgery, Orthopaedic Trauma and Hand Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Emily B. Ballard
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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48
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Greenspan LJ, Weinstein BM. To be or not to be: endothelial cell plasticity in development, repair, and disease. Angiogenesis 2021; 24:251-269. [PMID: 33449300 PMCID: PMC8205957 DOI: 10.1007/s10456-020-09761-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Endothelial cells display an extraordinary plasticity both during development and throughout adult life. During early development, endothelial cells assume arterial, venous, or lymphatic identity, while selected endothelial cells undergo additional fate changes to become hematopoietic progenitor, cardiac valve, and other cell types. Adult endothelial cells are some of the longest-lived cells in the body and their participation as stable components of the vascular wall is critical for the proper function of both the circulatory and lymphatic systems, yet these cells also display a remarkable capacity to undergo changes in their differentiated identity during injury, disease, and even normal physiological changes in the vasculature. Here, we discuss how endothelial cells become specified during development as arterial, venous, or lymphatic endothelial cells or convert into hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells or cardiac valve cells. We compare findings from in vitro and in vivo studies with a focus on the zebrafish as a valuable model for exploring the signaling pathways and environmental cues that drive these transitions. We also discuss how endothelial plasticity can aid in revascularization and repair of tissue after damage- but may have detrimental consequences under disease conditions. By better understanding endothelial plasticity and the mechanisms underlying endothelial fate transitions, we can begin to explore new therapeutic avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah J Greenspan
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Brant M Weinstein
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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49
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Marziano C, Genet G, Hirschi KK. Vascular endothelial cell specification in health and disease. Angiogenesis 2021; 24:213-236. [PMID: 33844116 PMCID: PMC8205897 DOI: 10.1007/s10456-021-09785-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
There are two vascular networks in mammals that coordinately function as the main supply and drainage systems of the body. The blood vasculature carries oxygen, nutrients, circulating cells, and soluble factors to and from every tissue. The lymphatic vasculature maintains interstitial fluid homeostasis, transports hematopoietic cells for immune surveillance, and absorbs fat from the gastrointestinal tract. These vascular systems consist of highly organized networks of specialized vessels including arteries, veins, capillaries, and lymphatic vessels that exhibit different structures and cellular composition enabling distinct functions. All vessels are composed of an inner layer of endothelial cells that are in direct contact with the circulating fluid; therefore, they are the first responders to circulating factors. However, endothelial cells are not homogenous; rather, they are a heterogenous population of specialized cells perfectly designed for the physiological demands of the vessel they constitute. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge of the specification of arterial, venous, capillary, and lymphatic endothelial cell identities during vascular development. We also discuss how the dysregulation of these processes can lead to vascular malformations, and therapeutic approaches that have been developed for their treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corina Marziano
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA.,Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Gael Genet
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA.,Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Karen K Hirschi
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA. .,Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA. .,Department of Medicine, Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
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50
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Ng AHM, Khoshakhlagh P, Rojo Arias JE, Pasquini G, Wang K, Swiersy A, Shipman SL, Appleton E, Kiaee K, Kohman RE, Vernet A, Dysart M, Leeper K, Saylor W, Huang JY, Graveline A, Taipale J, Hill DE, Vidal M, Melero-Martin JM, Busskamp V, Church GM. A comprehensive library of human transcription factors for cell fate engineering. Nat Biotechnol 2021; 39:510-519. [PMID: 33257861 PMCID: PMC7610615 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-020-0742-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) offer an unprecedented opportunity to model diverse cell types and tissues. To enable systematic exploration of the programming landscape mediated by transcription factors (TFs), we present the Human TFome, a comprehensive library containing 1,564 TF genes and 1,732 TF splice isoforms. By screening the library in three hPSC lines, we discovered 290 TFs, including 241 that were previously unreported, that induce differentiation in 4 days without alteration of external soluble or biomechanical cues. We used four of the hits to program hPSCs into neurons, fibroblasts, oligodendrocytes and vascular endothelial-like cells that have molecular and functional similarity to primary cells. Our cell-autonomous approach enabled parallel programming of hPSCs into multiple cell types simultaneously. We also demonstrated orthogonal programming by including oligodendrocyte-inducible hPSCs with unmodified hPSCs to generate cerebral organoids, which expedited in situ myelination. Large-scale combinatorial screening of the Human TFome will complement other strategies for cell engineering based on developmental biology and computational systems biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex H M Ng
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- GC Therapeutics, Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Parastoo Khoshakhlagh
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- GC Therapeutics, Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jesus Eduardo Rojo Arias
- Technische Universität Dresden, Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering (CMCB), Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Dresden, Germany
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Giovanni Pasquini
- Technische Universität Dresden, Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering (CMCB), Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Dresden, Germany
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anka Swiersy
- Technische Universität Dresden, Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering (CMCB), Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Dresden, Germany
| | - Seth L Shipman
- Gladstone Institutes and University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Evan Appleton
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- GC Therapeutics, Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kiavash Kiaee
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- GC Therapeutics, Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Richie E Kohman
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andyna Vernet
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Matthew Dysart
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kathleen Leeper
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wren Saylor
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jeremy Y Huang
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amanda Graveline
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jussi Taipale
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Applied Tumor Genomics Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - David E Hill
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Cancer Systems Biology (CCSB), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marc Vidal
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Cancer Systems Biology (CCSB), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Juan M Melero-Martin
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Volker Busskamp
- Technische Universität Dresden, Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering (CMCB), Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Dresden, Germany.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
| | - George M Church
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
- GC Therapeutics, Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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