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Thowfeequ S, Fiorentino J, Hu D, Solovey M, Ruane S, Whitehead M, Zhou F, Godwin J, Mateo-Otero Y, Vanhaesebroeck B, Scialdone A, Srinivas S. An integrated approach identifies the molecular underpinnings of murine anterior visceral endoderm migration. Dev Cell 2024; 59:2347-2363.e9. [PMID: 38843837 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
The anterior visceral endoderm (AVE) differs from the surrounding visceral endoderm (VE) in its migratory behavior and ability to restrict primitive streak formation to the opposite side of the mouse embryo. To characterize the molecular bases for the unique properties of the AVE, we combined single-cell RNA sequencing of the VE prior to and during AVE migration with phosphoproteomics, high-resolution live-imaging, and short-term lineage labeling and intervention. This identified the transient nature of the AVE with attenuation of "anteriorizing" gene expression as cells migrate and the emergence of heterogeneities in transcriptional states relative to the AVE's position. Using cell communication analysis, we identified the requirement of semaphorin signaling for normal AVE migration. Lattice light-sheet microscopy showed that Sema6D mutants have abnormalities in basal projections and migration speed. These findings point to a tight coupling between transcriptional state and position of the AVE and identify molecular controllers of AVE migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shifaan Thowfeequ
- Institute for Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7TY, UK
| | - Jonathan Fiorentino
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich 81377, Germany; Institute of Functional Epigenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg 85764, Germany; Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg 85764, Germany; Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Di Hu
- Institute for Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7TY, UK
| | - Maria Solovey
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich 81377, Germany; Institute of Functional Epigenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg 85764, Germany; Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
| | - Sharon Ruane
- Institute for Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7TY, UK
| | - Maria Whitehead
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Felix Zhou
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jonathan Godwin
- Institute for Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7TY, UK
| | - Yentel Mateo-Otero
- Institute for Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7TY, UK; Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, University of Girona, Girona 17004, Spain
| | | | - Antonio Scialdone
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich 81377, Germany; Institute of Functional Epigenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg 85764, Germany; Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg 85764, Germany.
| | - Shankar Srinivas
- Institute for Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7TY, UK.
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2
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Rosen BP, Li QV, Cho HS, Liu D, Yang D, Graff S, Yan J, Luo R, Verma N, Damodaran JR, Kale HT, Kaplan SJ, Beer MA, Sidoli S, Huangfu D. Parallel genome-scale CRISPR-Cas9 screens uncouple human pluripotent stem cell identity versus fitness. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.05.03.539283. [PMID: 37205540 PMCID: PMC10187244 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.03.539283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Pluripotent stem cells are defined by their self-renewal capacity, which is the ability of the stem cells to proliferate indefinitely while maintaining the pluripotent identity essential for their ability to differentiate into any somatic cell lineage. However, understanding the mechanisms that control stem cell fitness versus the pluripotent cell identity is challenging. To investigate the interplay between these two aspects of pluripotency, we performed four parallel genome-scale CRISPR-Cas9 loss-of-function screens interrogating stem cell fitness in hPSC self-renewal conditions, and the dissolution of the primed pluripotency identity during early differentiation. Comparative analyses led to the discovery of genes with distinct roles in pluripotency regulation, including mitochondrial and metabolism regulators crucial for stem cell fitness, and chromatin regulators that control pluripotent identity during early differentiation. We further discovered a core set of factors that control both stem cell fitness and pluripotent identity, including a network of chromatin factors that safeguard pluripotency. Our unbiased and systematic screening and comparative analyses disentangle two interconnected aspects of pluripotency, provide rich datasets for exploring pluripotent cell identity versus cell fitness, and offer a valuable model for categorizing gene function in broad biological contexts.
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Yuri S, Murase Y, Isotani A. Generation of rat-derived lung epithelial cells in Fgfr2b-deficient mice retains species-specific development. Development 2024; 151:dev202081. [PMID: 38179792 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Regenerative medicine is a tool to compensate for the shortage of lungs for transplantation, but it remains difficult to construct a lung in vitro due to the complex three-dimensional structures and multiple cell types required. A blastocyst complementation method using interspecies chimeric animals has been attracting attention as a way to create complex organs in animals, although successful lung formation using interspecies chimeric animals has not yet been achieved. Here, we applied a reverse-blastocyst complementation method to clarify the conditions required to form lungs in an Fgfr2b-deficient mouse model. We then successfully formed a rat-derived lung in the mouse model by applying a tetraploid-based organ-complementation method. Importantly, rat lung epithelial cells retained their developmental timing even in the mouse body. These findings provide useful insights to overcome the barrier of species-specific developmental timing to generate functional lungs in interspecies chimeras.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunsuke Yuri
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama-cho, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
| | - Yuki Murase
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama-cho, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
| | - Ayako Isotani
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama-cho, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
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4
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Lau HH, Amirruddin NS, Loo LSW, Chan JW, Iich E, Krishnan VG, Hoon S, Teo AKK. FGFR-mediated ERK1/2 signaling contributes to mesendoderm and definitive endoderm formation in vitro. iScience 2023; 26:107265. [PMID: 37502260 PMCID: PMC10368912 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into the SOX17+ definitive endoderm (DE) germ layer is important for generating tissues for regenerative medicine. Multiple developmental and stem cell studies have demonstrated that Activin/Nodal signaling is the primary driver of definitive endoderm formation. Here, we uncover that the FGF2-FGFR-ERK1/2 signaling contributes to mesendoderm and SOX17+ DE formation. Without ERK1/2 signaling, the Activin/Nodal signaling is insufficient to drive mesendoderm and DE formation. Besides FGF2-FGFR-mediated signaling, IGF1R signaling possibly contributes to the ERK1/2 signaling for DE formation. We identified a temporal relationship between Activin/Nodal-SMAD2 and FGF2-FGFR-ERK1/2 signaling in which Activin/Nodal-SMAD2 participates in the initiation of mesendoderm and DE specification that is followed by increasing activity of FGF2-FGFR-ERK1/2 to facilitate and permit the successful generation of SOX17+ DE. Overall, besides the role of Activin/Nodal signaling for DE formation, our findings shed light on the contribution of ERK1/2 signaling for mesendoderm and DE formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hwee Hui Lau
- Stem Cells and Diabetes Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Proteos, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nur Shabrina Amirruddin
- Stem Cells and Diabetes Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Proteos, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Larry Sai Weng Loo
- Stem Cells and Diabetes Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Proteos, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jun Wei Chan
- Stem Cells and Diabetes Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Proteos, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Elhadi Iich
- Stem Cells and Diabetes Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Proteos, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Shawn Hoon
- Molecular Engineering Lab, IMCB, Proteos, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Adrian Kee Keong Teo
- Stem Cells and Diabetes Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Proteos, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Precision Medicine Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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Wang Y, Liu C, Qiao X, Han X, Liu ZP. PKI: A bioinformatics method of quantifying the importance of nodes in gene regulatory network via a pseudo knockout index. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2023; 1866:194911. [PMID: 36804477 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2023.194911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gene regulatory network (GRN) is a model that characterizes the complex relationships between genes and thereby provides an informatics environment to measure the importance of nodes. The evaluation of important nodes in a GRN can effectively refer to their functional implications severing as key players in particular biological processes, such as master regulator and driver gene. Currently, it is mainly based on network topological parameters and focuses only on evaluating a single node individually. However, genes and products play their functions by interacting with each other. It is worth noting that the effects of gene combinations in GRN are not simply additive. Key combinations discovery is of significance in revealing gene sets with important functions. Recently, with the development of single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology, we can quantify gene expression profiles of individual cells that provide the potential to identify crucial nodes in gene regulations regarding specific condition, e.g., stem cell differentiation. RESULTS In this paper, we propose a bioinformatics method, called Pseudo Knockout Importance (PKI), to quantify the importance of node and node sets in a specific GRN structure using time-course scRNA-seq data. First, we construct ordinary differential equations to approach the gene regulations during cell differentiation. Then we design gene pseudo knockout experiments and define PKI score evaluation criteria based on the coefficient of determination. The importance of nodes can be described as the influence on the ODE system of removing variables. For key gene combinations, PKI is derived as a combinatorial optimization problem of quantifying the in silico gene knockout effects. CONCLUSIONS Here, we focus our analyses on the specific GRN of embryonic stem cells with time series gene expression profile. To verify the effectiveness and advantage of PKI method, we compare its node importance rankings with other twelve kinds of centrality-based methods, such as degree and Latora closeness. For key node combinations, we compare the results with the method based on minimum dominant set. Moreover, the famous combinations of transcription factors in induced pluripotent stem cell are also employed to verify the vital gene combinations identified by PKI. These results demonstrate the reliability and superiority of the proposed method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijuan Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Control Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250061, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Orthodontics, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Xu Qiao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Control Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250061, China
| | - Xianhua Han
- Faculty of Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi 753-8511, Japan
| | - Zhi-Ping Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Control Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250061, China.
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Wu X, Liu Y, Wang W, Crimmings K, Williams A, Mager J, Cui W. Early embryonic lethality of mice lacking POLD2. Mol Reprod Dev 2023; 90:98-108. [PMID: 36528861 PMCID: PMC9974775 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23663] [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: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
As a highly conserved DNA polymerase (Pol), Pol δ plays crucial roles in chromosomal DNA synthesis and various DNA repair pathways. However, the function of POLD2, the second small subunit of DNA Pol δ (p50 subunit), has not been characterized in vivo during mammalian development. Here, we report for the first time, the essential role of subunit POLD2 during early murine embryogenesis. Although Pold2 mutant mouse embryos exhibit normal morphology at E3.5 blastocyst stage, they cannot be recovered at gastrulation stages. Outgrowth assays reveal that mutant blastocysts cannot hatch from the zona pellucida, indicating impaired blastocyst function. Notably, these phenotypes can be recapitulated by small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown, which also exhibit slowed cellular proliferation together with skewed primitive endoderm and epiblast allocation during the second cell lineage specification. In summary, our study demonstrates that POLD2 is essential for the earliest steps of mammalian development, and the retarded proliferation and embryogenesis may also alter the following cell lineage specifications in the mouse blastocyst embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqing Wu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Hormone and Reproduction, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang, Anhui, China
| | - Yong Liu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Hormone and Reproduction, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang, Anhui, China
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Wenying Wang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Hormone and Reproduction, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang, Anhui, China
| | - Kate Crimmings
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Andrea Williams
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Jesse Mager
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Wei Cui
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
- Animal Models Core Facility, Institute for Applied Life Sciences (IALS), University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
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7
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Mammalian gastrulation: signalling activity and transcriptional regulation of cell lineage differentiation and germ layer formation. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:1619-1631. [DOI: 10.1042/bst20220256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The interplay of signalling input and downstream transcriptional activity is the key molecular attribute driving the differentiation of germ layer tissue and the specification of cell lineages within each germ layer during gastrulation. This review delves into the current understanding of signalling and transcriptional control of lineage development in the germ layers of mouse embryo and non-human primate embryos during gastrulation and highlights the inter-species conservation and divergence of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of germ layer development in the human embryo.
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8
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Trinh LT, Osipovich AB, Sampson L, Wong J, Wright CV, Magnuson MA. Differential regulation of alternate promoter regions in Sox17 during endodermal and vascular endothelial development. iScience 2022; 25:104905. [PMID: 36046192 PMCID: PMC9421400 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sox17 gene expression is essential for both endothelial and endodermal cell differentiation. To better understand the genetic basis for the expression of multiple Sox17 mRNA forms, we identified and performed CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis of two evolutionarily conserved promoter regions (CRs). The deletion of the upstream and endothelial cell-specific CR1 caused only a modest increase in lympho-vasculogenesis likely via reduced Notch signaling downstream of SOX17. In contrast, the deletion of the downstream CR2 region, which functions in both endothelial and endodermal cells, impairs both vascular and endodermal development causing death by embryonic day 12.5. Analyses of 3D chromatin looping, transcription factor binding, histone modification, and chromatin accessibility data at the Sox17 locus and surrounding region further support differential regulation of the two promoters during the development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linh T. Trinh
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Program in Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Anna B. Osipovich
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Leesa Sampson
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Jonathan Wong
- College of Arts and Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Chris V.E. Wright
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Program in Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Mark A. Magnuson
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Program in Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
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9
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Bricker RL, Bhaskar U, Titone R, Carless MA, Barberi T. A Molecular Analysis of Neural Olfactory Placode Differentiation in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Stem Cells Dev 2022; 31:507-520. [PMID: 35592997 PMCID: PMC9641992 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2021.0257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
During embryonic development, the olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) and the gonadotropic-releasing hormone neurons (GNRHNs) migrate from the early nasal cavity, known as the olfactory placode, to the brain. Defects in the development of OSNs and GNRHNs result in neurodevelopmental disorders such as anosmia and congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, respectively. Treatments do not restore the defective neurons in these disorders, and as a result, patients have a diminished sense of smell or a gonadotropin hormone deficiency. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can produce any cell type in the body; therefore, they are an invaluable tool for cell replacement therapies. Transplantation of olfactory placode progenitors, derived from hPSCs, is a promising therapeutic to replace OSNs and GNRHNs and restore tissue function. Protocols to generate olfactory placode progenitors are limited, and thus, we describe, in this study, a novel in vitro model for olfactory placode differentiation in hPSCs, which is capable of producing both OSNs and GNRHNs. Our study investigates the major developmental signaling factors that recapitulate the embryonic development of the olfactory tissue. We demonstrate that induction of olfactory placode in hPSCs requires bone morphogenetic protein inhibition, wingless/integrated protein inhibition, retinoic acid inhibition, transforming growth factor alpha activation, and fibroblast growth factor 8 activation. We further show that the protocol transitions hPSCs through the anterior pan-placode ectoderm and neural ectoderm regions in early development while preventing neural crest and non-neural ectoderm regions. Finally, we demonstrate production of OSNs and GNRHNs by day 30 of differentiation. Our study is the first to report on OSN differentiation in hPSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L. Bricker
- Population Health Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Uchit Bhaskar
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Rossella Titone
- Population Health Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Melanie A. Carless
- Population Health Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Tiziano Barberi
- Population Health Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Lab Farm Foods, Inc., New York City, New York, USA
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10
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Bell CJ, Gupta N, Tremblay KD, Mager J. Borcs6 is required for endo-lysosomal degradation during early development. Mol Reprod Dev 2022; 89:337-350. [PMID: 35726782 PMCID: PMC9391301 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Early development and differentiation require precise control of cellular functions. Lysosomal degradation is a critical component of normal cellular homeostasis, allowing for degradation of signaling molecules, proteins, and other macromolecules for cellular remodeling and signaling. Little is known about the role of lysosomal function in mammalian embryos before gastrulation. Borcs6 is a protein involved in lysosomal trafficking as well as endo-lysosomal and autophagosome fusion. Here, we show that Borcs6 is necessary for efficient endo-lysosomal degradation in the early embryo. Although embryos lacking Borcs6 are developmentally comparable to control littermates at E5.5, they are characterized by large cells containing increased levels of late endosomes and abnormal nuclei. Furthermore, these embryos display a skewed ratio of extraembryonic and embryonic cell lineages, are delayed by E6.5, and do not undergo normal gastrulation. These results demonstrate the essential functions of lysosomal positioning and fusion with endosomes during early embryonic development and indicate that the early lethality of BORCS6 mutant embryos is primarily due to defects in the HOPS-related function of BORC rather than lysosomal positioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte J Bell
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Neha Gupta
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kimberly D Tremblay
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jesse Mager
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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11
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Wang HL, Wang L, Zhao CY, Lan HY. Role of TGF-Beta Signaling in Beta Cell Proliferation and Function in Diabetes. Biomolecules 2022; 12:373. [PMID: 35327565 PMCID: PMC8945211 DOI: 10.3390/biom12030373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Beta (β) cell dysfunction or loss is the common pathological feature in all types of diabetes mellitus (diabetes). Resolving the underlying mechanism may facilitate the treatment of diabetes by preserving the β cell population and function. It is known that TGF-β signaling plays diverse roles in β cell development, function, proliferation, apoptosis, and dedifferentiation. Inhibition of TGF-β signaling expands β cell lineage in the development. However, deletion of Tgfbr1 has no influence on insulin demand-induced but abolishes inflammation-induced β cell proliferation. Among canonical TGF-β signaling, Smad3 but not Smad2 is the predominant repressor of β cell proliferation in response to systemic insulin demand. Deletion of Smad3 simultaneously improves β cell function, apoptosis, and systemic insulin resistance with the consequence of eliminated overt diabetes in diabetic mouse models, revealing Smad3 as a key mediator and ideal therapeutic target for type-2 diabetes. However, Smad7 shows controversial effects on β cell proliferation and glucose homeostasis in animal studies. On the other hand, overexpression of Tgfb1 prevents β cells from autoimmune destruction without influence on β cell function. All these findings reveal the diverse regulatory roles of TGF-β signaling in β cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Lian Wang
- Research Center for Integrative Medicine, The Affiliated Traditional Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (H.-L.W.); (L.W.)
- School of Clinical Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Li Wang
- Research Center for Integrative Medicine, The Affiliated Traditional Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (H.-L.W.); (L.W.)
| | - Chang-Ying Zhao
- Department of Endocrinology, The Affiliated Traditional Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China;
| | - Hui-Yao Lan
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital Joint Research Laboratory on Immunological and Genetic Kidney Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
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12
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Sarkar M, Martufi M, Roman-Trufero M, Wang YF, Whilding C, Dormann D, Sabbattini P, Dillon N. CNOT3 interacts with the Aurora B and MAPK/ERK kinases to promote survival of differentiating mesendodermal progenitor cells. Mol Biol Cell 2021; 32:ar40. [PMID: 34613789 PMCID: PMC8694085 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e21-02-0089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesendoderm cells are key intermediate progenitors that form at the early primitive streak (PrS) and give rise to mesoderm and endoderm in the gastrulating embryo. We have identified an interaction between CNOT3 and the cell cycle kinase Aurora B that requires sequences in the NOT box domain of CNOT3 and regulates MAPK/ERK signaling during mesendoderm differentiation. Aurora B phosphorylates CNOT3 at two sites located close to a nuclear localization signal and promotes localization of CNOT3 to the nuclei of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and metastatic lung cancer cells. ESCs that have both sites mutated give rise to embryoid bodies that are largely devoid of mesoderm and endoderm and are composed mainly of cells with ectodermal characteristics. The mutant ESCs are also compromised in their ability to differentiate into mesendoderm in response to FGF2, BMP4, and Wnt3 due to reduced survival and proliferation of differentiating mesendoderm cells. We also show that the double mutation alters the balance of interaction of CNOT3 with Aurora B and with ERK and reduces phosphorylation of ERK in response to FGF2. Our results identify a potential adaptor function for CNOT3 that regulates the Ras/MEK/ERK pathway during embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moumita Sarkar
- Gene Regulation and Chromatin Group, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Matteo Martufi
- Gene Regulation and Chromatin Group, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Monica Roman-Trufero
- Gene Regulation and Chromatin Group, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Yi-Fang Wang
- Bioinformatics and Computing, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Chad Whilding
- Microscopy Facility, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Dirk Dormann
- Microscopy Facility, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | | | - Niall Dillon
- Gene Regulation and Chromatin Group, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
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13
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Gastruloids generated without exogenous Wnt activation develop anterior neural tissues. Stem Cell Reports 2021; 16:1143-1155. [PMID: 33891872 PMCID: PMC8185432 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
When stimulated with a pulse from an exogenous WNT pathway activator, small aggregates of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can undergo embryo-like axial morphogenesis and patterning along the three major body axes. However, these structures, called gastruloids, currently lack the anterior embryonic regions, such as those belonging to the brain. Here, we describe an approach to generate gastruloids that have a more complete antero-posterior development. We used hydrogel microwell arrays to promote the robust derivation of mouse ESCs into post-implantation epiblast-like (EPI) aggregates in a reproducible and scalable manner. These EPI aggregates break symmetry and axially elongate without external chemical stimulation. Inhibition of WNT signaling in early stages of development leads to the formation of gastruloids with anterior neural tissues. Thus, we provide a new tool to study the development of the mouse after implantation in vitro, especially the formation of anterior neural regions. Mouse embryonic stem cells can be aggregated to form epiblast-like (EPI) aggregates EPI aggregates undergo axial morphogenesis in the absence of exogenous WNT activation Initial aggregate size is a major determinant for axial morphogenesis Early WNT inhibition is essential for the emergence of anterior neural progenitors
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14
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Dumasia NP, Pethe PS. Pancreas development and the Polycomb group protein complexes. Mech Dev 2020; 164:103647. [PMID: 32991980 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2020.103647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The dual nature of pancreatic tissue permits both endocrine and exocrine functions. Enzymatic secretions by the exocrine pancreas help digestive processes while the pancreatic hormones regulate glucose homeostasis and energy metabolism. Pancreas organogenesis is defined by a conserved array of signaling pathways that act on common gut progenitors to bring about the generation of diverse cell types. Multiple cellular processes characterize development of the mature organ. These processes are mediated by signaling pathways that regulate lineage-specific transcription factors and chromatin modifications guiding long-term gene expression programs. The chromatin landscape is altered chiefly by DNA or histone modifications, chromatin remodelers, and non-coding RNAs. Amongst histone modifiers, several studies have identified Polycomb group (PcG) proteins as crucial determinants mediating transcriptional repression of genes involved in developmental processes. Although PcG-mediated chromatin modifications define cellular transitions and influence cell identity of multipotent progenitors, much remains to be understood regarding coordination between extracellular signals and their impact on Polycomb functions during the pancreas lineage progression. In this review, we discuss interactions between sequence-specific DNA binding proteins and chromatin regulators underlying pancreas development and insulin producing β-cells, with particular focus on Polycomb group proteins. Understanding such basic molecular mechanisms would improve current strategies for stem cell-based differentiation while also help elucidate the pathogenesis of several pancreas-related maladies, including diabetes and pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niloufer P Dumasia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sunandan Divatia School of Science, SVKM's NMIMS (deemed to-be) University, Mumbai 400 056, India
| | - Prasad S Pethe
- Symbiosis Centre for Stem Cell Research (SCSCR), Symbiosis International University, Lavale, Pune 412 115, India.
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15
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Lawton BR, Martineau C, Sosa JA, Roman S, Gibson CE, Levine MA, Krause DS. Differentiation of PTH-Expressing Cells From Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Endocrinology 2020; 161:5893997. [PMID: 32810225 PMCID: PMC7505176 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqaa141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into functional parathyroid-like cells would accelerate development of important therapeutic options for subjects with parathyroid-related disorders, from the design and screening of novel pharmaceutical agents to the development of durable cellular therapies. We have established a highly reproducible directed differentiation approach leading to PTH-expressing cells from human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. We accomplished this through the comparison of multiple different basal media, the inclusion of the CDK inhibitor PD0332991 in both definitive endoderm and anterior foregut endoderm stages, and a 2-stage pharyngeal endoderm series. This is the first protocol to reproducibly establish PTH-expressing cells from human pluripotent stem cells and represents a first step toward the development of functional parathyroid cells with broad applicability for medicinal and scientific investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betty R Lawton
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Corine Martineau
- Center for Bone Health and Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Julie Ann Sosa
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Sanziana Roman
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | | | - Michael A Levine
- Center for Bone Health and Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Diane S Krause
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Cell Biology, Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Pathology, Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
- Correspondence: Diane S. Krause, Yale University, Yale Stem Cell Center, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8035, USA. E-mail:
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16
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Archambault D, Cheong A, Iverson E, Tremblay KD, Mager J. Protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 35 is required for ciliogenesis, notochord morphogenesis, and cell-cycle progression during murine development. Dev Biol 2020; 465:1-10. [PMID: 32628936 PMCID: PMC7484031 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Protein phosphatases regulate a wide array of proteins through post-translational modification and are required for a plethora of intracellular events in eukaryotes. While some core components of the protein phosphatase complexes are well characterized, many subunits of these large complexes remain unstudied. Here we characterize a loss-of-function allele of the protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 35 (Ppp1r35) gene. Homozygous mouse embryos lacking Ppp1r35 are developmental delayed beginning at embryonic day (E) 7.5 and have obvious morphological defects at later stages. Mutants fail to initiate turning and do not progress beyond the size or staging of normal E8.5 embryos. Consistent with recent in vitro studies linking PPP1R35 with the microcephaly protein Rotatin and with a role in centrosome formation, we show that Ppp1r35 mutant embryos lack primary cilia. Histological and molecular analysis of Ppp1r35 mutants revealed that notochord development is irregular and discontinuous and consistent with a role in primary cilia, that the floor plate of the neural tube is not specified. Similar to other mutant embryos with defects in centriole function, Ppp1r35 mutants displayed increased cell death that is prevalent in the neural tube and an increased number of proliferative cells in prometaphase. We hypothesize that loss of Ppp1r35 function abrogates centriole homeostasis, resulting in a failure to produce functional primary cilia, cell death and cell cycle delay/stalling that leads to developmental failure. Taken together, these results highlight the essential function of Ppp1r35 during early mammalian development and implicate this gene as a candidate for human microcephaly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Archambault
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Agnes Cheong
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Iverson
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Kimberly D Tremblay
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA.
| | - Jesse Mager
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA.
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17
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Cheong A, Degani R, Tremblay KD, Mager J. A null allele of Dnaaf2 displays embryonic lethality and mimics human ciliary dyskinesia. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 28:2775-2784. [PMID: 31107948 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The dynein axonemal assembly factor (Dnaaf) protein family is involved in preassembly and stability of dynein arms before they are transported into the cilia. In humans, mutations in DNAAF genes lead to several diseases related to cilia defects such as primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD; OMIM: 612518). Patients with PCD experience malfunctions in cilia motility, which can result in inflammation and infection of the respiratory tract among other defects. Previous studies have identified that a mutation in DNAAF2 results in PCD and that 40% of these patients also experience laterality defects. In an outbred genetic background, Dnaaf2 homozygotes die after birth and have left/right defects among other phenotypes. Here we characterize a novel null allele of Dnaaf2 obtained from the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium. Our data indicate that on a defined C57bl/6NJ genetic background, homozygous Dnaaf2 mouse embryos fail to progress beyond organogenesis stages with many abnormalities including left-right patterning defects. These findings support studies indicating that hypomorphic mutations of human DNAAF2 can result in ciliary dyskinesia and identify Dnaaf2 as an essential component of cilia function in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes Cheong
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Rinat Degani
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Kimberly D Tremblay
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Jesse Mager
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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18
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Senft AD, Costello I, King HW, Mould AW, Bikoff EK, Robertson EJ. Combinatorial Smad2/3 Activities Downstream of Nodal Signaling Maintain Embryonic/Extra-Embryonic Cell Identities during Lineage Priming. Cell Rep 2020; 24:1977-1985.e7. [PMID: 30134160 PMCID: PMC6113931 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.07.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 07/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Epiblast cells in the early post-implantation stage mammalian embryo undergo a transition described as lineage priming before cell fate allocation, but signaling pathways acting upstream remain ill defined. Genetic studies demonstrate that Smad2/3 double-mutant mouse embryos die shortly after implantation. To learn more about the molecular disturbances underlying this abrupt failure, here we characterized Smad2/3-deficient embryonic stem cells (ESCs). We found that Smad2/3 double-knockout ESCs induced to form epiblast-like cells (EpiLCs) display changes in naive and primed pluripotency marker gene expression, associated with the disruption of Oct4-bound distal regulatory elements. In the absence of Smad2/3, we observed enhanced Bmp target gene expression and de-repression of extra-embryonic gene expression. Cell fate allocation into all three embryonic germ layers is disrupted. Collectively, these experiments demonstrate that combinatorial Smad2/3 functional activities are required to maintain distinct embryonic and/or extra-embryonic cell identity during lineage priming in the epiblast before gastrulation. Smad2/3 alters the transcriptome and activity of distal regulatory elements in EpiLCs Smad2 prevents expression of extra-embryonic genes during priming and differentiation Smad2/3 is essential for mesoderm and definitive endoderm cell fate allocation Smad2/3 signaling balances Bmp signaling during neural precursor differentiation
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna D Senft
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Ita Costello
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Hamish W King
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Arne W Mould
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Elizabeth K Bikoff
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
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19
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Morgani SM, Hadjantonakis AK. Signaling regulation during gastrulation: Insights from mouse embryos and in vitro systems. Curr Top Dev Biol 2019; 137:391-431. [PMID: 32143751 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2019.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Gastrulation is the process whereby cells exit pluripotency and concomitantly acquire and pattern distinct cell fates. This is driven by the convergence of WNT, BMP, Nodal and FGF signals, which are tightly spatially and temporally controlled, resulting in regional and stage-specific signaling environments. The combination, level and duration of signals that a cell is exposed to, according its position within the embryo and the developmental time window, dictates the fate it will adopt. The key pathways driving gastrulation exhibit complex interactions, which are difficult to disentangle in vivo due to the complexity of manipulating multiple signals in parallel with high spatiotemporal resolution. Thus, our current understanding of the signaling dynamics regulating gastrulation is limited. In vitro stem cell models have been established, which undergo organized cellular differentiation and patterning. These provide amenable, simplified, deconstructed and scalable models of gastrulation. While the foundation of our understanding of gastrulation stems from experiments in embryos, in vitro systems are now beginning to reveal the intricate details of signaling regulation. Here we discuss the current state of knowledge of the role, regulation and dynamic interaction of signaling pathways that drive mouse gastrulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie M Morgani
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States; Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
| | - Anna-Katerina Hadjantonakis
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States.
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20
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Aragón E, Wang Q, Zou Y, Morgani SM, Ruiz L, Kaczmarska Z, Su J, Torner C, Tian L, Hu J, Shu W, Agrawal S, Gomes T, Márquez JA, Hadjantonakis AK, Macias MJ, Massagué J. Structural basis for distinct roles of SMAD2 and SMAD3 in FOXH1 pioneer-directed TGF-β signaling. Genes Dev 2019; 33:1506-1524. [PMID: 31582430 PMCID: PMC6824466 DOI: 10.1101/gad.330837.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
TGF-β receptors phosphorylate SMAD2 and SMAD3 transcription factors, which then form heterotrimeric complexes with SMAD4 and cooperate with context-specific transcription factors to activate target genes. Here we provide biochemical and structural evidence showing that binding of SMAD2 to DNA depends on the conformation of the E3 insert, a structural element unique to SMAD2 and previously thought to render SMAD2 unable to bind DNA. Based on this finding, we further delineate TGF-β signal transduction by defining distinct roles for SMAD2 and SMAD3 with the forkhead pioneer factor FOXH1 as a partner in the regulation of differentiation genes in mouse mesendoderm precursors. FOXH1 is prebound to target sites in these loci and recruits SMAD3 independently of TGF-β signals, whereas SMAD2 remains predominantly cytoplasmic in the basal state and set to bind SMAD4 and join SMAD3:FOXH1 at target promoters in response to Nodal TGF-β signals. The results support a model in which signal-independent binding of SMAD3 and FOXH1 prime mesendoderm differentiation gene promoters for activation, and signal-driven SMAD2:SMAD4 binds to promoters that are preloaded with SMAD3:FOXH1 to activate transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Aragón
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Qiong Wang
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Yilong Zou
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Sophie M Morgani
- Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Lidia Ruiz
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | | | - Jie Su
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Carles Torner
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Lin Tian
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Jing Hu
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Weiping Shu
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Saloni Agrawal
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Tiago Gomes
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | | | | | - Maria J Macias
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona 08028, Spain.,ICREA, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Massagué
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
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21
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The elongation factor Elof1 is required for mammalian gastrulation. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219410. [PMID: 31276560 PMCID: PMC6611630 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite having been sequenced over a decade ago, the functional significance of much of the mammalian genome remains unknown. The mouse has become the preeminent mammalian model for identifying endogenous gene function in vivo. Here we characterize the phenotype of a loss-of function allele for the evolutionarily conserved transcription factor, Elongation Factor Homolog 1 (Elof1). Recent work utilizing the yeast homolog, Elf1, has demonstrated that Elf1 associates with the RNA polymerase II complex to promote elongation by relieving the association of the template DNA strand with bound histones. Loss of Elof1 results in developmental delay and morphological defects during early mouse development resulting in peri-gastrulation lethality. Although Elof1 is highly conserved we observe tissue specific expression during gastrulation and in adult murine tissues, suggesting there may be other genes with similar function in diverse tissues or that mElof1 has adopted lineage specific functions. To better understand its function in mammalian transcription, we examined splice variants and find that Elof1 regulates mutually exclusive exon use in vivo. Distinct from what has been demonstrated in yeast, we demonstrate that Elof1 is essential for viability during mammalian gastrulation which may be due to a role mediating tissue specific exclusive exon use, a regulatory function unique to higher eukaryotes.
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22
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Genga RMJ, Kernfeld EM, Parsi KM, Parsons TJ, Ziller MJ, Maehr R. Single-Cell RNA-Sequencing-Based CRISPRi Screening Resolves Molecular Drivers of Early Human Endoderm Development. Cell Rep 2019; 27:708-718.e10. [PMID: 30995470 PMCID: PMC6525305 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.03.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies in vertebrates have outlined conserved molecular control of definitive endoderm (END) development. However, recent work also shows that key molecular aspects of human END regulation differ even from rodents. Differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to END offers a tractable system to study the molecular basis of normal and defective human-specific END development. Here, we interrogated dynamics in chromatin accessibility during differentiation of ESCs to END, predicting DNA-binding proteins that may drive this cell fate transition. We then combined single-cell RNA-seq with parallel CRISPR perturbations to comprehensively define the loss-of-function phenotype of those factors in END development. Following a few candidates, we revealed distinct impairments in the differentiation trajectories for mediators of TGFβ signaling and expose a role for the FOXA2 transcription factor in priming human END competence for human foregut and hepatic END specification. Together, this single-cell functional genomics study provides high-resolution insight on human END development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M J Genga
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Diabetes Center of Excellence, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Eric M Kernfeld
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Diabetes Center of Excellence, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Krishna M Parsi
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Diabetes Center of Excellence, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Teagan J Parsons
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Diabetes Center of Excellence, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Michael J Ziller
- Department of Translational Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - René Maehr
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Diabetes Center of Excellence, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
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23
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Abstract
TGF-β family ligands function in inducing and patterning many tissues of the early vertebrate embryonic body plan. Nodal signaling is essential for the specification of mesendodermal tissues and the concurrent cellular movements of gastrulation. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling patterns tissues along the dorsal-ventral axis and simultaneously directs the cell movements of convergence and extension. After gastrulation, a second wave of Nodal signaling breaks the symmetry between the left and right sides of the embryo. During these processes, elaborate regulatory feedback between TGF-β ligands and their antagonists direct the proper specification and patterning of embryonic tissues. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the function and regulation of TGF-β family signaling in these processes. Although we cover principles that are involved in the development of all vertebrate embryos, we focus specifically on three popular model organisms: the mouse Mus musculus, the African clawed frog of the genus Xenopus, and the zebrafish Danio rerio, highlighting the similarities and differences between these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Zinski
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6058
| | - Benjamin Tajer
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6058
| | - Mary C Mullins
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6058
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24
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Wei S, Wang Q. Molecular regulation of Nodal signaling during mesendoderm formation. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2018; 50:74-81. [PMID: 29206913 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmx128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most important events during vertebrate embryogenesis is the formation or specification of the three germ layers, endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. After a series of rapid cleavages, embryos form the mesendoderm and ectoderm during late blastulation and early gastrulation. The mesendoderm then further differentiates into the mesoderm and endoderm. Nodal, a member of the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily, plays a pivotal role in mesendoderm formation by regulating the expression of a number of critical transcription factors, including Mix-like, GATA, Sox, and Fox. Because the Nodal signal transduction pathway is well-characterized, increasing effort has been made to delineate the spatiotemporal modulation of Nodal signaling during embryonic development. In this review, we summarize the recent progress delineating molecular regulation of Nodal signal intensity and duration during mesendoderm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Wei
- The State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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25
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Shirouzu Y, Yanai G, Yang KC, Sumi S. Effects of Activin in Embryoid Bodies Expressing Fibroblast Growth Factor 5. Cell Reprogram 2017; 18:171-86. [PMID: 27253628 DOI: 10.1089/cell.2015.0074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Nodal/activin signaling is indispensable for embryonic development. We examined what activin does to the embryoid bodies (EBs) produced from mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) expressing an epiblast marker. The EBs were produced by culturing mESCs by the hanging drop method for 24 hours. The resulting EBs were transferred onto gelatin-coated dishes and allowed to further differentiate. The 24-hour EBs showed a stronger expression of fibroblast growth factor (FGF)5 and Brachyury (specific to the epiblast) in comparison with mESCs. Treating the transferred EBs with activin A maintained transcript levels of FGF5 and Oct4, while inhibiting definitive endoderm differentiation. The activin A treatment reversed the endoderm differentiation induced by retinoic acid (RA), while the inhibition of nodal/activin signaling promoted RA-induced endoderm differentiation. Inhibition of nodal/activin signaling in EBs, including epiblast-like cells, promotes differentiation into the endoderm, facilitating the transition from the pluripotent state to specification of the endoderm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasumasa Shirouzu
- Department of Organ Reconstruction, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University , Kyoto, Japan
| | - Goichi Yanai
- Department of Organ Reconstruction, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University , Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kai-Chiang Yang
- Department of Organ Reconstruction, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University , Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shoichiro Sumi
- Department of Organ Reconstruction, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University , Kyoto, Japan
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Lee HJ, Schneider RF, Manousaki T, Kang JH, Lein E, Franchini P, Meyer A. Lateralized Feeding Behavior is Associated with Asymmetrical Neuroanatomy and Lateralized Gene Expressions in the Brain in Scale-Eating Cichlid Fish. Genome Biol Evol 2017; 9:3122-3136. [PMID: 29069363 PMCID: PMC5737854 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evx218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Lateralized behavior ("handedness") is unusual, but consistently found across diverse animal lineages, including humans. It is thought to reflect brain anatomical and/or functional asymmetries, but its neuro-molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Lake Tanganyika scale-eating cichlid fish, Perissodus microlepis show pronounced asymmetry in their jaw morphology as well as handedness in feeding behavior-biting scales preferentially only from one or the other side of their victims. This makes them an ideal model in which to investigate potential laterality in neuroanatomy and transcription in the brain in relation to behavioral handedness. After determining behavioral handedness in P. microlepis (preferred attack side), we estimated the volume of the hemispheres of brain regions and captured their gene expression profiles. Our analyses revealed that the degree of behavioral handedness is mirrored at the level of neuroanatomical asymmetry, particularly in the tectum opticum. Transcriptome analyses showed that different brain regions (tectum opticum, telencephalon, hypothalamus, and cerebellum) display distinct expression patterns, potentially reflecting their developmental interrelationships. For numerous genes in each brain region, their extent of expression differences between hemispheres was found to be correlated with the degree of behavioral lateralization. Interestingly, the tectum opticum and telencephalon showed divergent biases on the direction of up- or down-regulation of the laterality candidate genes (e.g., grm2) in the hemispheres, highlighting the connection of handedness with gene expression profiles and the different roles of these brain regions. Hence, handedness in predation behavior may be caused by asymmetric size of brain hemispheres and also by lateralized gene expressions in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyuk Je Lee
- Department of Biology, Lehrstuhl für Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Present address: Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Department of Biological Science, Sangji University, Wonju, Korea
| | - Ralf F Schneider
- Department of Biology, Lehrstuhl für Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Tereza Manousaki
- Department of Biology, Lehrstuhl für Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Present address: Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology, and Aquaculture (IMBBC), Heraklion, Greece
| | - Ji Hyoun Kang
- Department of Biology, Lehrstuhl für Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Present address: Korean Entomological Institute, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Etienne Lein
- Department of Biology, Lehrstuhl für Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Present address: Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology and University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Paolo Franchini
- Department of Biology, Lehrstuhl für Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Axel Meyer
- Department of Biology, Lehrstuhl für Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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Xie AW, Binder BYK, Khalil AS, Schmitt SK, Johnson HJ, Zacharias NA, Murphy WL. Controlled Self-assembly of Stem Cell Aggregates Instructs Pluripotency and Lineage Bias. Sci Rep 2017; 7:14070. [PMID: 29070799 PMCID: PMC5656593 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-14325-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cell-derived organoids and other 3D microtissues offer enormous potential as models for drug screening, disease modeling, and regenerative medicine. Formation of stem/progenitor cell aggregates is common in biomanufacturing processes and critical to many organoid approaches. However, reproducibility of current protocols is limited by reliance on poorly controlled processes (e.g., spontaneous aggregation). Little is known about the effects of aggregation parameters on cell behavior, which may have implications for the production of cell aggregates and organoids. Here we introduce a bioengineered platform of labile substrate arrays that enable simple, scalable generation of cell aggregates via a controllable 2D-to-3D "self-assembly". As a proof-of-concept, we show that labile substrates generate size- and shape-controlled embryoid bodies (EBs) and can be easily modified to control EB self-assembly kinetics. We show that aggregation method instructs EB lineage bias, with faster aggregation promoting pluripotency loss and ectoderm, and slower aggregation favoring mesoderm and endoderm. We also find that aggregation kinetics of EBs markedly influence EB structure, with slower kinetics resulting in increased EB porosity and growth factor signaling. Our findings suggest that controlling internal structure of cell aggregates by modifying aggregation kinetics is a potential strategy for improving 3D microtissue models for research and translational applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela W Xie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, United States
| | - Bernard Y K Binder
- Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, United States
| | - Andrew S Khalil
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, United States
| | - Samantha K Schmitt
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, United States
| | - Hunter J Johnson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, United States
| | - Nicholas A Zacharias
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, United States
| | - William L Murphy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, United States.
- Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, United States.
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, United States.
- Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, United States.
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Soleimani T, Falsafi N, Fallahi H. Dissection of Regulatory Elements During Direct Conversion of Somatic Cells Into Neurons. J Cell Biochem 2017; 118:3158-3170. [DOI: 10.1002/jcb.25944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tahereh Soleimani
- Bioinformatics LabDepartment of BiologySchool of SciencesRazi UniversityKermanshahIran
| | - Nafiseh Falsafi
- Bioinformatics LabDepartment of BiologySchool of SciencesRazi UniversityKermanshahIran
| | - Hossein Fallahi
- Bioinformatics LabDepartment of BiologySchool of SciencesRazi UniversityKermanshahIran
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29
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30
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Liu L, Liu X, Ren X, Tian Y, Chen Z, Xu X, Du Y, Jiang C, Fang Y, Liu Z, Fan B, Zhang Q, Jin G, Yang X, Zhang X. Smad2 and Smad3 have differential sensitivity in relaying TGFβ signaling and inversely regulate early lineage specification. Sci Rep 2016; 6:21602. [PMID: 26905010 PMCID: PMC4764856 DOI: 10.1038/srep21602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Accepted: 01/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) related signaling is one of the most important signaling pathways regulating early developmental events. Smad2 and Smad3 are structurally similar and it is mostly considered that they are equally important in mediating TGFβ signals. Here, we show that Smad3 is an insensitive TGFβ transducer as compared with Smad2. Smad3 preferentially localizes within the nucleus and is thus sequestered from membrane signaling. The ability of Smad3 in oligomerization with Smad4 upon agonist stimulation is also impaired given its unique linker region. Smad2 mediated TGFβ signaling plays a crucial role in epiblast development and patterning of three germ layers. However, signaling unrelated nuclear localized Smad3 is dispensable for TGFβ signaling-mediated epiblast specification, but important for early neural development, an event blocked by TGFβ/Smad2 signaling. Both Smad2 and Smad3 bind to the conserved Smads binding element (SBE), but they show nonoverlapped target gene binding specificity and differential transcriptional activity. We conclude that Smad2 and Smad3 possess differential sensitivities in relaying TGFβ signaling and have distinct roles in regulating early developmental events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Liu
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, and Neuroregeneration Key Laboratory of Shanghai Universities, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China.,Tongji University Advanced Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xu Liu
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, and Neuroregeneration Key Laboratory of Shanghai Universities, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xudong Ren
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, and Neuroregeneration Key Laboratory of Shanghai Universities, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yue Tian
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, and Neuroregeneration Key Laboratory of Shanghai Universities, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Zhenyu Chen
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, and Neuroregeneration Key Laboratory of Shanghai Universities, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiangjie Xu
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, and Neuroregeneration Key Laboratory of Shanghai Universities, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yanhua Du
- The School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092
| | - Cizhong Jiang
- The School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092
| | - Yujiang Fang
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, and Neuroregeneration Key Laboratory of Shanghai Universities, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Zhongliang Liu
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, and Neuroregeneration Key Laboratory of Shanghai Universities, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Beibei Fan
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, and Neuroregeneration Key Laboratory of Shanghai Universities, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Quanbin Zhang
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, and Neuroregeneration Key Laboratory of Shanghai Universities, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Guohua Jin
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, the Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Jiangsu 226001, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Genetic Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Xiaoqing Zhang
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, and Neuroregeneration Key Laboratory of Shanghai Universities, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China.,Tongji University Advanced Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China.,The Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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31
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β-Catenin Regulates Primitive Streak Induction through Collaborative Interactions with SMAD2/SMAD3 and OCT4. Cell Stem Cell 2015; 16:639-52. [PMID: 25921273 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2015.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2014] [Revised: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Canonical Wnt and Nodal signaling are both required for induction of the primitive streak (PS), which guides organization of the early embryo. The Wnt effector β-catenin is thought to function in these early lineage specification decisions via transcriptional activation of Nodal signaling. Here, we demonstrate a broader role for β-catenin in PS formation by analyzing its genome-wide binding in a human embryonic stem cell model of PS induction. β-catenin occupies regulatory regions in numerous PS and neural crest genes, and direct interactions between β-catenin and the Nodal effectors SMAD2/SMAD3 are required at these regions for PS gene activation. Furthermore, OCT4 binding in proximity to these sites is likewise required for PS induction, suggesting a collaborative interaction between β-catenin and OCT4. Induction of neural crest genes by β-catenin is repressed by SMAD2/SMAD3, ensuring proper lineage specification. This study provides mechanistic insight into how Wnt signaling controls early cell lineage decisions.
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32
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Extra-embryonic Wnt3 regulates the establishment of the primitive streak in mice. Dev Biol 2015; 403:80-8. [PMID: 25907228 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2015.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2015] [Revised: 04/10/2015] [Accepted: 04/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The establishment of the head to tail axis at early stages of development is a fundamental aspect of vertebrate embryogenesis. In mice, experimental embryology, genetics and expression studies have suggested that the visceral endoderm, an extra-embryonic tissue, plays an important role in anteroposterior axial development. Here we show that absence of Wnt3 in the posterior visceral endoderm leads to delayed formation of the primitive streak and that interplay between anterior and posterior visceral endoderm restricts the position of the primitive streak. Embryos lacking Wnt3 in the visceral endoderm, however, appear normal by E9.5. Our results suggest a model for axial development in which multiple signals are required for anteroposterior axial development in mammals.
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33
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Goh HN, Rathjen PD, Familari M, Rathjen J. Endoderm complexity in the mouse gastrula is revealed through the expression of spink3. Biores Open Access 2014; 3:98-109. [PMID: 24940561 PMCID: PMC4048981 DOI: 10.1089/biores.2014.0010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Endoderm formation in the mammalian embryo occurs first in the blastocyst, when the primitive endoderm and pluripotent cells resolve into separate lineages, and again during gastrulation, when the definitive endoderm progenitor population emerges from the primitive streak. The formation of the definitive endoderm can be modeled using pluripotent cell differentiation in culture. The differentiation of early primitive ectoderm-like (EPL) cells, a pluripotent cell population formed from embryonic stem (ES) cells, was used to identify and characterize definitive endoderm formation. Expression of serine peptidase inhibitor, Kazal type 3 (Spink3) was detected in EPL cell–derived endoderm, and in a band of endoderm immediately distal to the embryonic–extra-embryonic boundary in pregastrula and gastrulating embryos. Later expression marked a region of endoderm separating the yolk sac from the developing gut. In the embryo, Spink3 expression marked a region of endoderm comprising the distal visceral endoderm, as determined by an endocytosis assay, and the proximal region of the definitive endoderm. This region was distinct from the more distal definitive endoderm population, marked by thyrotropin-releasing hormone (Trh). Endoderm expressing either Spink3 or Trh could be formed during EPL cell differentiation, and the prevalence of these populations could be influenced by culture medium and growth factor addition. Moreover, further differentiation suggested that the potential of these populations differed. These approaches have revealed an unexpected complexity in the definitive endoderm lineage, a complexity that will need to be accommodated in differentiation protocols to ensure the formation of the appropriate definitive endoderm progenitor in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hwee Ngee Goh
- Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne , Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter D Rathjen
- The Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania , Tasmania, Australia
| | - Mary Familari
- Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne , Victoria, Australia
| | - Joy Rathjen
- Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne , Victoria, Australia . ; The Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania , Tasmania, Australia
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34
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Lodh S, O’Hare EA, Zaghloul NA. Primary cilia in pancreatic development and disease. BIRTH DEFECTS RESEARCH. PART C, EMBRYO TODAY : REVIEWS 2014; 102:139-58. [PMID: 24864023 PMCID: PMC4213238 DOI: 10.1002/bdrc.21063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Revised: 03/30/2014] [Accepted: 03/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Primary cilia and their anchoring basal bodies are important regulators of a growing list of signaling pathways. Consequently, dysfunction in proteins associated with these structures results in perturbation of the development and function of a spectrum of tissue and cell types. Here, we review the role of cilia in mediating the development and function of the pancreas. We focus on ciliary regulation of major pathways involved in pancreatic development, including Shh, Wnt, TGF-β, Notch, and fibroblast growth factor. We also discuss pancreatic phenotypes associated with ciliary dysfunction, including pancreatic cysts and defects in glucose homeostasis, and explore the potential role of cilia in such defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukanya Lodh
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Elizabeth A. O’Hare
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Norann A. Zaghloul
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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35
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Abstract
With the high prevalence of gastrointestinal disorders, there is great interest in establishing in vitro models of human intestinal disease and in developing drug-screening platforms that more accurately represent the complex physiology of the intestine. We will review how recent advances in developmental and stem cell biology have made it possible to generate complex, three-dimensional, human intestinal tissues in vitro through directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells. These are currently being used to study human development, genetic forms of disease, intestinal pathogens, metabolic disease and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Wells
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA
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36
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Robertson EJ. Dose-dependent Nodal/Smad signals pattern the early mouse embryo. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2014; 32:73-9. [PMID: 24704361 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2014.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/26/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Nodal signals in the early post-implantation stage embryo are essential to establish initial proximal-distal (P-D) polarity and generate the final anterior-posterior (A-P) body axis. Nodal signaling in the epiblast results in the phosphorylation of Smad2 in the overlying visceral endoderm necessary to induce the AVE, in part via Smad2-dependent activation of the T-box gene Eomesodermin. Slightly later following mesoderm induction a continuum of dose-dependent Nodal signaling during the process of gastrulation underlies specification of mesodermal and definitive endoderm progenitors. Dynamic Nodal expression during the critical 72 h time window immediately following implantation, accomplished by a series of feed-back and feed-forward mechanisms serves to provide key positional cues required for establishment of the body plan and controls cell fate decisions in the early mammalian embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J Robertson
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK.
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37
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Yap C, Goh HN, Familari M, Rathjen PD, Rathjen J. The formation of proximal and distal definitive endoderm populations in culture requires p38 MAPK activity. J Cell Sci 2014; 127:2204-16. [PMID: 24481813 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.134502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Endoderm formation in the mammal is a complex process with two lineages forming during the first weeks of development, the primitive (or extraembryonic) endoderm, which is specified in the blastocyst, and the definitive endoderm that forms later, at gastrulation, as one of the germ layers of the embryo proper. Fate mapping evidence suggests that the definitive endoderm arises as two waves, which potentially reflect two distinct cell populations. Early primitive ectoderm-like (EPL) cell differentiation has been used successfully to identify and characterise mechanisms regulating molecular gastrulation and lineage choice during differentiation. The roles of the p38 MAPK family in the formation of definitive endoderm were investigated using EPL cells and chemical inhibitors of p38 MAPK activity. These approaches define a role for p38 MAPK activity in the formation of the primitive streak and a second role in the formation of the definitive endoderm. Characterisation of the definitive endoderm populations formed from EPL cells demonstrates the formation of two distinct populations, defined by gene expression and ontogeny, that were analogous to the proximal and distal definitive endoderm populations of the embryo. Formation of the proximal definitive endoderm was found to require p38 MAPK activity and is correlated with molecular gastrulation, defined by the expression of brachyury (T). Distal definitive endoderm formation also requires p38 MAPK activity but can form when T expression is inhibited. Understanding lineage complexity will be a prerequisite for the generation of endoderm derivatives for commercial and clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Yap
- Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Hwee Ngee Goh
- Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Mary Familari
- Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Peter David Rathjen
- Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia The Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, 7000, Australia
| | - Joy Rathjen
- Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia The Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, 7000, Australia
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39
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DeVeale B, Brokhman I, Mohseni P, Babak T, Yoon C, Lin A, Onishi K, Tomilin A, Pevny L, Zandstra PW, Nagy A, van der Kooy D. Oct4 is required ~E7.5 for proliferation in the primitive streak. PLoS Genet 2013; 9:e1003957. [PMID: 24244203 PMCID: PMC3828132 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2012] [Accepted: 10/01/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Oct4 is a widely recognized pluripotency factor as it maintains Embryonic Stem (ES) cells in a pluripotent state, and, in vivo, prevents the inner cell mass (ICM) in murine embryos from differentiating into trophectoderm. However, its function in somatic tissue after this developmental stage is not well characterized. Using a tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase and floxed alleles of Oct4, we investigated the effect of depleting Oct4 in mouse embryos between the pre-streak and headfold stages, ∼E6.0–E8.0, when Oct4 is found in dynamic patterns throughout the embryonic compartment of the mouse egg cylinder. We found that depletion of Oct4 ∼E7.5 resulted in a severe phenotype, comprised of craniorachischisis, random heart tube orientation, failed turning, defective somitogenesis and posterior truncation. Unlike in ES cells, depletion of the pluripotency factors Sox2 and Oct4 after E7.0 does not phenocopy, suggesting that ∼E7.5 Oct4 is required within a network that is altered relative to the pluripotency network. Oct4 is not required in extraembryonic tissue for these processes, but is required to maintain cell viability in the embryo and normal proliferation within the primitive streak. Impaired expansion of the primitive streak occurs coincident with Oct4 depletion ∼E7.5 and precedes deficient convergent extension which contributes to several aspects of the phenotype. Embryogenesis is an intricate process requiring that division, differentiation and position of cells are coordinated. During mammalian development early pluripotent populations are canalized or restricted in potency during embryogenesis. Due to considerable interest in how this fundamental state of pluripotency is maintained, and the requirement of the transcription factor Oct4 to maintain pluripotency, Oct4 has been intensively studied in culture. However, it is not clear what role Oct4 has during lineage specification of pluripotent cells. Oct4 removal during lineage specification indicates that it is required in the primitive streak of mouse embryos to maintain proliferation. The consequences of Oct4 removal diverge from the consequences of removing another factor required for pluripotency between preimplantation development and early cell fate specification suggesting that the network Oct4 acts within is altered between these stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian DeVeale
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail: (BD); (DvdK)
| | - Irina Brokhman
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Paria Mohseni
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tomas Babak
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Charles Yoon
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anthony Lin
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kento Onishi
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alexey Tomilin
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Science, St-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Larysa Pevny
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Peter W. Zandstra
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andras Nagy
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Derek van der Kooy
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail: (BD); (DvdK)
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Yamazoe T, Shiraki N, Toyoda M, Kiyokawa N, Okita H, Miyagawa Y, Akutsu H, Umezawa A, Sasaki Y, Kume K, Kume S. A synthetic nanofibrillar matrix promotes in vitro hepatic differentiation of embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. J Cell Sci 2013; 126:5391-9. [PMID: 24101719 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.129767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryonic stem (ES) cells recapitulate normal developmental processes and serve as an attractive source for routine access to a large number of cells for research and therapies. We previously reported that ES cells cultured on M15 cells, or a synthesized basement membrane (sBM) substratum, efficiently differentiated into an endodermal fate and subsequently adopted fates of various digestive organs, such as the pancreas and liver. Here, we established a novel hepatic differentiation procedure using the synthetic nanofiber (sNF) as a cell culture scaffold. We first compared endoderm induction and hepatic differentiation between murine ES cells grown on sNF and several other substrata. The functional assays for hepatocytes reveal that the ES cells grown on sNF were directed into hepatic differentiation. To clarify the mechanisms for the promotion of ES cell differentiation in the sNF system, we focused on the function of Rac1, which is a Rho family member protein known to regulate the actin cytoskeleton. We observed the activation of Rac1 in undifferentiated and differentiated ES cells cultured on sNF plates, but not in those cultured on normal plastic plates. We also show that inhibition of Rac1 blocked the potentiating effects of sNF on endoderm and hepatic differentiation throughout the whole differentiation stages. Taken together, our results suggest that morphological changes result in cellular differentiation controlled by Rac1 activation, and that motility is not only the consequence, but is also able to trigger differentiation. In conclusion, we believe that sNF is a promising material that might contribute to tissue engineering and drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiji Yamazoe
- Division of Stem Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Honjo 2-2-1, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan
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41
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Gaunt SJ, George M, Paul YL. Direct activation of a mouse Hoxd11 axial expression enhancer by Gdf11/Smad signalling. Dev Biol 2013; 383:52-60. [PMID: 24016758 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2013.08.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2012] [Revised: 08/28/2013] [Accepted: 08/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
A Hoxd11/lacZ reporter, expressed with a Hoxd11-like axial expression pattern in transgenic mouse embryos, is stimulated in tailbud fragments when cultured in presence of Gdf11, a TGF-β growth/differentiation factor. The same construct is also stimulated by Gdf11 when transiently transfected into cultures of HepG2 cells. Stimulation of the reporter in HepG2 cells is enhanced where it contains only the 332 bp Hoxd11 enhancer region VIII upstream or downstream of a luciferase or lacZ reporter. This enhancer contains three elements conserved from fish to mice, one of which has the sequence of a Smad3/4 binding element. Mutation of this motif inhibits the ability of Gdf11 to enhance reporter activity in the HepG2 cell assay. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments show direct evidence of Smad2/3 protein binding to the Hoxd11 region VIII enhancer. The action of Gdf11 upon Hoxd11 in HepG2 cells is inhibited, at least in part, by SIS3, a specific inhibitor of Smad3. SIS3 also produces partial inhibition of Hoxd11/lacZ expression in cultured transgenic tailbuds, indicating that Smad3 may play a similar role in the embryonic expression of Hoxd11. Transgenic mouse experiments show that the Smad binding motif is essential for the axial expression of Hoxd11/lacZ reporter in the embryo tailbud, posterior mesoderm and neurectoderm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Gaunt
- Laboratory for Development and Evolution, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK; The Babraham Institute, Babraham, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK.
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42
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Nowotschin S, Costello I, Piliszek A, Kwon GS, Mao CA, Klein WH, Robertson EJ, Hadjantonakis AK. The T-box transcription factor Eomesodermin is essential for AVE induction in the mouse embryo. Genes Dev 2013; 27:997-1002. [PMID: 23651855 DOI: 10.1101/gad.215152.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Reciprocal inductive interactions between the embryonic and extraembryonic tissues establish the anterior-posterior (AP) axis of the early mouse embryo. The anterior visceral endoderm (AVE) signaling center emerges at the distal tip of the embryo at embryonic day 5.5 and translocates to the prospective anterior side of the embryo. The process of AVE induction and migration are poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that the T-box gene Eomesodermin (Eomes) plays an essential role in AVE recruitment, in part by directly activating the homeobox transcription factor Lhx1. Thus, Eomes function in the visceral endoderm (VE) initiates an instructive transcriptional program controlling AP identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Nowotschin
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, New York, New York 10065, USA
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43
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Kartikasari AER, Zhou JX, Kanji MS, Chan DN, Sinha A, Grapin-Botton A, Magnuson MA, Lowry WE, Bhushan A. The histone demethylase Jmjd3 sequentially associates with the transcription factors Tbx3 and Eomes to drive endoderm differentiation. EMBO J 2013; 32:1393-408. [PMID: 23584530 DOI: 10.1038/emboj.2013.78] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2012] [Accepted: 03/13/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Stem cell differentiation depends on transcriptional activation driven by lineage-specific regulators as well as changes in chromatin organization. However, the coordination of these events is poorly understood. Here, we show that T-box proteins team up with chromatin modifying enzymes to drive the expression of the key lineage regulator, Eomes during endodermal differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells. The Eomes locus is maintained in a transcriptionally poised configuration in ES cells. During early differentiation steps, the ES cell factor Tbx3 associates with the histone demethylase Jmjd3 at the enhancer element of the Eomes locus to allow enhancer-promoter interactions. This spatial reorganization of the chromatin primes the cells to respond to Activin signalling, which promotes the binding of Jmjd3 and Eomes to its own bivalent promoter region to further stimulate Eomes expression in a positive feedback loop. In addition, Eomes activates a transcriptional network of core regulators of endodermal differentiation. Our results demonstrate that Jmjd3 sequentially associates with two T-box factors, Tbx3 and Eomes to drive stem cell differentiation towards the definitive endoderm lineage.
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44
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Rhee S, Guerrero-Zayas MI, Wallingford MC, Ortiz-Pineda P, Mager J, Tremblay KD. Visceral endoderm expression of Yin-Yang1 (YY1) is required for VEGFA maintenance and yolk sac development. PLoS One 2013; 8:e58828. [PMID: 23554936 PMCID: PMC3598950 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2012] [Accepted: 02/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Mouse embryos lacking the polycomb group gene member Yin-Yang1 (YY1) die during the peri-implantation stage. To assess the post-gastrulation role of YY1, a conditional knock-out (cKO) strategy was used to delete YY1 from the visceral endoderm of the yolk sac and the definitive endoderm of the embryo. cKO embryos display profound yolk sac defects at 9.5 days post coitum (dpc), including disrupted angiogenesis in mesoderm derivatives and altered epithelial characteristics in the visceral endoderm. Significant changes in both cell death and proliferation were confined to the YY1-expressing yolk sac mesoderm indicating that loss of YY1 in the visceral endoderm causes defects in the adjacent yolk sac mesoderm. Production of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (VEGFA) by the visceral endoderm is essential for normal growth and development of the yolk sac vasculature. Reduced levels of VEGFA are observed in the cKO yolk sac, suggesting a cause for the angiogenesis defects. Ex vivo culture with exogenous VEGF not only rescued angiogenesis and apoptosis in the cKO yolk sac mesoderm, but also restored the epithelial defects observed in the cKO visceral endoderm. Intriguingly, blocking the activity of the mesoderm-localized VEGF receptor, FLK1, recapitulates both the mesoderm and visceral endoderm defects observed in the cKO yolk sac. Taken together, these results demonstrate that YY1 is responsible for maintaining VEGF in the developing visceral endoderm and that a VEGF-responsive paracrine signal, originating in the yolk sac mesoderm, is required to promote normal visceral endoderm development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyeon Rhee
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Mara-Isel Guerrero-Zayas
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Mary C. Wallingford
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Pablo Ortiz-Pineda
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jesse Mager
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Kimberly D. Tremblay
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
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45
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Finkbeiner SR, Spence JR. A gutsy task: generating intestinal tissue from human pluripotent stem cells. Dig Dis Sci 2013; 58:1176-84. [PMID: 23532718 PMCID: PMC3661082 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-013-2620-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2013] [Accepted: 02/22/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Many significant advances in our understanding of intestine development, intestinal stem cell homeostasis and differentiation have been made in recent years. These advances include novel techniques to culture primary human and mouse intestinal epithelium in three-dimensional matrices, and de novo generation of human intestinal tissue from embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. This short review will focus on the directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into intestinal tissue, highlight novel uses of this tissue, and compare and contrast this system to primary intestinal epithelial cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy R. Finkbeiner
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | - Jason R. Spence
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI USA ,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI USA ,Center for Organogenesis, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI USA
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Yoon Y, Cowley DO, Gallant J, Jones SN, Van Dyke T, Rivera-Pérez JA. Conditional Aurora A deficiency differentially affects early mouse embryo patterning. Dev Biol 2012; 371:77-85. [PMID: 22939930 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2012.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2012] [Revised: 08/14/2012] [Accepted: 08/16/2012] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Aurora A is a mitotic kinase essential for cell proliferation. In mice, ablation of Aurora A results in mitotic arrest and pre-implantation lethality, preventing studies at later stages of development. Here we report the effects of Aurora A ablation on embryo patterning at early post-implantation stages. Inactivation of Aurora A in the epiblast or visceral endoderm layers of the conceptus leads to apoptosis and inhibition of embryo growth, causing lethality and resorption at approximately E9.5. The effects on embryo patterning, however, depend on the tissue affected by the mutation. Embryos with an epiblast ablation of Aurora A properly establish the anteroposterior axis but fail to progress through gastrulation. In contrast, mutation of Aurora A in the visceral endoderm, leads to posteriorization of the conceptus or failure to elongate the anteroposterior axis. Injection of ES cells into Aurora A epiblast knockout blastocysts reconstitutes embryonic development to E9.5, indicating that the extra-embryonic tissues in these mutant embryos can sustain development to organogenesis stages. Our results reveal new ways to induce apoptosis and to ablate cells in a tissue-specific manner in vivo. Moreover, they show that epiblast-ablated embryos can be used to test the potency of stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeonsoo Yoon
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
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47
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Wang A, Sander M. Generating cells of the gastrointestinal system: current approaches and applications for the differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells. J Mol Med (Berl) 2012; 90:763-71. [DOI: 10.1007/s00109-012-0923-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2012] [Revised: 05/07/2012] [Accepted: 05/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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48
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Trask MC, Tremblay KD, Mager J. Yin-Yang1 is required for epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and regulation of Nodal signaling during mammalian gastrulation. Dev Biol 2012; 368:273-82. [PMID: 22669107 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2012.05.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2011] [Revised: 05/14/2012] [Accepted: 05/22/2012] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The ubiquitously expressed Polycomb Group protein Yin-Yang1 (YY1) is believed to regulate gene expression through direct binding to DNA elements found in promoters or enhancers of target loci. Additionally, YY1 contains diverse domains that enable a plethora of protein-protein interactions, including association with the Oct4/Sox2 pluripotency complex and Polycomb Group silencing complexes. To elucidate the in vivo role of YY1 during gastrulation, we generated embryos with an epiblast specific deletion of Yy1. Yy1 conditional knockout (cKO) embryos initiate gastrulation, but both primitive streak formation and ingression through the streak is severely impaired. These streak descendants fail to repress E-Cadherin and are unable to undergo an appropriate epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Intriguingly, overexpression of Nodal and concomitant reduction of Lefty2 are observed in Yy1 cKO embryos, suggesting that YY1 is normally required for proper Nodal regulation during gastrulation. Furthermore, definitive endoderm is specified but fails to properly integrate into the outer layer. Although anterior neuroectoderm is specified, mesoderm production is severely restricted. We show that YY1 directly binds to the Lefty2 locus in E7.5 embryos and that pharmacological inhibition of Nodal signaling partially restores mesoderm production in Yy1 cKO mutant embryos. Our results reveal critical requirements for YY1 during several important developmental processes, including EMT and regulation of Nodal signaling. These results are the first to elucidate the diverse role of YY1 during gastrulation in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary C Trask
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 661 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
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49
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Saund RS, Kanai-Azuma M, Kanai Y, Kim I, Lucero MT, Saijoh Y. Gut endoderm is involved in the transfer of left-right asymmetry from the node to the lateral plate mesoderm in the mouse embryo. Development 2012; 139:2426-35. [PMID: 22627279 DOI: 10.1242/dev.079921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
In the mouse, the initial signals that establish left-right (LR) asymmetry are determined in the node by nodal flow. These signals are then transferred to the lateral plate mesoderm (LPM) through cellular and molecular mechanisms that are not well characterized. We hypothesized that endoderm might play a role in this process because it is tightly apposed to the node and covers the outer surface of the embryo, and, just after nodal flow is established, higher Ca(2+) flux has been reported on the left side near the node, most likely in the endoderm cells. Here we studied the role of endoderm cells in the transfer of the LR asymmetry signal by analyzing mouse Sox17 null mutant embryos, which possess endoderm-specific defects. Sox17(-/-) embryos showed no expression or significantly reduced expression of LR asymmetric genes in the left LPM. In Sox17 mutant endoderm, the localization of connexin proteins on the cell membrane was greatly reduced, resulting in defective gap junction formation, which appeared to be caused by incomplete development of organized epithelial structures. Our findings suggest an essential role of endoderm cells in the signal transfer step from the node to the LPM, possibly using gap junction communication to establish the LR axis of the mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranajeet S Saund
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah Medical School, Salt Lake City, UT 84132-3401, USA
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50
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Li X, Tripurani SK, James R, Pangas SA. Minimal Fertility Defects in Mice Deficient in Oocyte-Expressed Smad41. Biol Reprod 2012; 86:1-6. [DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.111.094375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
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