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Sangiorgi E, Azzarà A, Rumore R, Cassano I, Verrecchia E, Giacò L, Tullio MA, Gurrieri F, Manna R. Identification by Exome Sequencing of Predisposing Variants in Familial Cases of Autoinflammatory Recurrent Fevers. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1310. [PMID: 37510214 PMCID: PMC10378847 DOI: 10.3390/genes14071310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Periodic fever syndromes include autoinflammatory disorders (AID) that involve innate immunity. These disorders are characterized by recurrent fevers and aberrant multi-organ inflammation, without any involvement of T or B cells or the presence of autoantibodies. A complex genetic architecture has been recognized for many AID. However, this complexity has only been partially uncovered for familial Mediterranean fever and other conditions that have a classical monogenic origin and Mendelian transmission. Several gene panels are currently available for molecular diagnosis in patients suspected of having AID. However, even when an extensive number of genes (up to 50-100) are tested in a cohort of clinically selected patients, the diagnostic yield of AID ranges between 15% and 25%, depending on the clinical criteria used for patient selection. In the remaining 75-85% of cases, it is conceivable that the causative gene or genes responsible for a specific condition are still elusive. In these cases, the disease could be explained by variants, either recessive or dominant, that have a major effect on unknown genes, or by the cumulative impact of different variants in more than one gene, each with minor additive effects. In this study, we focused our attention on five familial cases of AID presenting with classical autosomal dominant transmission. To identify the probable monogenic cause, we performed exome sequencing. Through prioritization, filtering, and segregation analysis, we identified a few variants for each family. Subsequent bioinformatics evaluation and pathway analysis helped to narrow down the best candidate genes for each family to FCRL6, PKN1, STAB1, PTDGR, and VCAM1. Future studies on larger cohorts of familial cases will help confirm the pathogenic role of these genes in the pathogenesis of these complex disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenio Sangiorgi
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Medicina Genomica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore-Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Alessia Azzarà
- Research Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Rumore
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Medicina Genomica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore-Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Ilaria Cassano
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Medicina Genomica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore-Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
- Research Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Verrecchia
- Dipartimento di Scienze Geriatriche e Ortopediche, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore-Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Luciano Giacò
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Gemelli Science and Technology Park (G-STeP), Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Alessandra Tullio
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Gemelli Science and Technology Park (G-STeP), Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Fiorella Gurrieri
- Research Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy
- Operative Research Unit of Medical Genetics, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaele Manna
- Periodic Fevers Research Center, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore-Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
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Ohmoto M, Jyotaki M, Yee KK, Matsumoto I. A Transcription Factor Etv1/Er81 Is Involved in the Differentiation of Sweet, Umami, and Sodium Taste Cells. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0236-22.2023. [PMID: 37045597 PMCID: PMC10131560 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0236-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Taste cells are maintained by continuous turnover throughout a lifetime, yet the mechanisms of taste cell differentiation, and how taste sensations remain constant despite this continuous turnover, remain poorly understood. Here, we report that a transcription factor Etv1 (also known as Er81) is involved in the differentiation of taste cells responsible for the preference for sweet, umami, and salty tastes. Molecular analyses revealed that Etv1 is expressed by a subset of taste cells that depend on Skn-1a (also known as Pou2f3) for their generation and express T1R genes (responsible for sweet and umami tastes) or Scnn1a (responsible for amiloride-sensitive salty taste). Etv1CreERT2/CreERT2 mice express Etv1 isoform(s) but not Etv1 in putative proprioceptive neurons as comparable to wild-type mice, yet lack expression of Etv1 or an isoform in taste cells. These Etv1CreERT2/CreERT2 mice have the same population of Skn-1a-dependent cells in taste buds as wild-type mice but have altered gene expression in taste cells, with regional differences. They have markedly decreased electrophysiological responses of chorda tympani nerves to sweet and umami tastes and to amiloride-sensitive salty taste evoked by sodium cation, but they have unchanged responses to bitter or sour tastes. Our data thus show that Etv1 is involved in the differentiation of the taste cells responsible for sweet, umami, and salty taste preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Ohmoto
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | | | - Karen K Yee
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Neuronal Pnn Deficiency Increases Oxidative Stress and Exacerbates Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Mice. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11030466. [PMID: 35326115 PMCID: PMC8944488 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11030466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebral stroke remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Ischemic stroke caused by the sudden loss of blood flow in brain is the major type of cerebral stroke. In addition to necrotic cell death in the ischemic core region, neuronal apoptosis is usually observed in the ischemic penumbra. Pnn, a multi-functional protein, participates in cellular proliferation, migration, differentiation, apoptosis as well as cell–cell interaction through its abilities in regulating gene transcription and mRNA processing. Our recent studies have demonstrated that Pnn has a cell type-specific distribution manner in neural cells under ischemic injury and plays a protective role in astrocytes against ischemic stress. In this study, we generated an inducible neuron-specific Pnn deficiency mouse model to further investigate the physiological role of Pnn in neurons. To directly examine the role of neuronal Pnn in ischemic stress, four weeks after induction of Pnn deficiency in neurons, middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was applied to induce cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in mice. In the cerebrum and hippocampus with neuronal Pnn depletion, the expression of SRSF2, a mRNA splicing regulator, was increased, while the expression of SRSF1, a functional antagonist of SRSF2, was reduced. Expression levels of ROS generators (NOX-1 and NOX-2) and antioxidant proteins (GR, HO-1, NQO-1) were upregulated in brain tissue with loss of neuronal Pnn, echoing an increase in oxidized proteins in cortical and hippocampal neurons. Furthermore, the expression of DNA damage marker, p53bp1, was found in the choroid plexus of mice with neuronal Pnn depletion. In mice with MCAO, compared to wild type mice, both increased cerebral infarcted area and elevated expressions of proapoptotic proteins were found in mice with neuronal Pnn depletion. In conclusion, Pnn deficiency increases oxidative stress in neurons and exacerbates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice.
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Pinin Induces Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Regulating m6A Modification. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2021; 2021:7529164. [PMID: 34917148 PMCID: PMC8670902 DOI: 10.1155/2021/7529164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Pinin is a moonlighting protein localized in desmosomes and nucleus. It could promote the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma. Whether this protein can induce epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and malignant progression in HCC is unknown. This work found that Pinin prompts EMT in vitro and in vivo. Further mechanism study found that Pinin increases the level of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification of RNA by interacting with METTL3, which in turn induces snail1 expression. These findings suggest that Pinin induces EMT by regulating m6A modification and, thus, could be a potential anticancer target for HCC therapy.
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The role and regulation of Pnn in proliferative and non-dividing cells: Form embryogenesis to pathogenesis. Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 192:114672. [PMID: 34237338 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Pnn, a multiple functional protein, plays roles in embryonic development, cellular differentiation, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. In the past two decades, the functions of Pnn in regulating RNA alternative splicing, gene regulation, and cell-cell connection have been revealed. Although Pnn is originally identified as a desmosome-associated protein for linking desmosome and intermediated filament, emerging evidence implies that Pnn not only is a desmosome protein but also plays critical roles in the nucleus. To date, through cell biology investigation and the generation of animal models with genetic manipulation, the physiological role of Pnn has been characterized in the research fields of developmental biology, tumor biology, and neuroscience. Through proteomic and molecular biology studies, transcription regulators, splicing regulators, and cytoskeletal proteins were found to interact with Pnn. In addition, histopathological and biochemical evidence has pointed to an association of Pnn expression level with tumorigenesis and metastasis. A previous clinical study also demonstrated a correlation between a reduced expression of Pnn and human dementia. Besides, experimental studies showed a protective role of Pnn against ischemic stress in astrocytes. All indicated a variety of roles of Pnn in different cell types. In this review article, we introduced the role of Pnn in embryogenesis and pathogenesis as well as discussed its potential clinical application.
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Expression and Distribution Pattern of Pnn in Ischemic Cerebral Cortex and Cultured Neural Cells Exposed to Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10100708. [PMID: 33027948 PMCID: PMC7599571 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10100708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Pinin (Pnn), a multifunctional protein, participates in embryonic development as well as in cellular apoptosis, proliferation, and migration through regulating mRNA alternative splicing and gene transcription. Previous studies have shown that Pnn plays important roles in neural system development and the expression level of Pnn in astrocytes is altered by ischemic stress and associated with cellular apoptosis. In the present study, we further utilized primary cultured rat neurons and astrocytes with oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and a mouse model with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)-induced ischemic stroke to examine the effect of ischemic stress on Pnn expression and distribution in different types of neural cells. Under normoxia, Pnn is mainly localized in the nuclear speckle of primary cultured neurons. The expression level of Pnn was increased after the OGD treatment and then decreased in the reoxygenation period. Moreover, the cytoplasmic expression of Pnn was observed in neurons with OGD and reoxygenation (OGD/R). Unlike that in neurons, the Pnn expression in astrocytes was decreased after OGD treatment and then gradually increased during the reoxygenation period. Of interest, the nuclear–cytoplasmic translocation of Pnn was not observed in astrocytes with OGD/R. In the MCAO mouse model, the neuronal expression of Pnn in the peri-ischemic region was reduced by three days post induction of ischemic stroke. However, the Pnn expression in astrocytes was not altered. Moreover, the nuclear speckle distribution of Pnn in neurons was also diminished following ischemic stroke. In conclusion, the Pnn expression and distribution after OGD and during reoxygenation showed distinct manners in neurons and astrocytes, implying that Pnn may play different roles in different types of neural cells in the stress response to ischemic injury.
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Mukda S, Tsai CY, Leu S, Yang JL, Chan SHH. Pinin protects astrocytes from cell death after acute ischemic stroke via maintenance of mitochondrial anti-apoptotic and bioenergetics functions. J Biomed Sci 2019; 26:43. [PMID: 31167655 PMCID: PMC6549339 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-019-0538-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Stroke is the second most common cause of deaths worldwide. After an ischemic stroke, the proliferated reactive astrocytes in the peri-infarct areas play a beneficial role in neuronal survival. As such, astrocytes have gradually become a target for neuroprotection in stroke. The present study assessed the hypothesis that Pinin (Pnn), originally identified as a nuclear and desmosome-associated protein and is now known to possess anti-apoptotic capacity, protects astrocytes from cell death after ischemic stroke and delineated the underlying mechanisms. Methods In in vivo experiments, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (12-week old) were used to induce acute focal cerebral ischemia employing the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) method. In in vitro experiments, postnatal day 1 (P1) Sprague-Dawley rat pups were used to prepare cultures of primary astrocytes. Oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and re-oxygenation (OGD/R) procedures were employed to mimic the hypoxic-ischemic condition of stroke in those astrocytes. Results We found in the peri-infarct area of the ipsilateral cortex and striatum in Sprague-Dawley rats after transient MCAO an increase in Pnn expression that correlated positively with the time-course of infarction as detected by T2-weighted imaging and triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, augmented number of reactive astrocytes that double-labelled with Pnn as determined by immunofluorescence, and enhanced cytotoxic edema as revealed by diffusion weighted imaging; but mirrored the decreased cleaved caspase-3 as measured by western blot. In an OGD and OGD/R model using primary cultured astrocytes, treatment with Pnn siRNA doubled the chance of surviving astrocytes to manifest cell death as revealed by flow cytometry, and blunted activated ERK signaling, reduced Bcl-2 expression and augmented cleaved caspase 3 detected by western blot in the normoxia, OGD or OGD/R group. Gene-knockdown of Pnn also impeded the reversal from decline in cell viability, elevation in lactate dehydrogenase leakage and decrease in ATP production in the OGD/R group. Conclusion We conclude that the endogenous Pnn participates in neuroprotection after acute ischemic stroke by preserving the viability of astrocytes that survived the ischemic challenge via maintenance of mitochondrial anti-apoptotic and bioenergetics functions. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12929-019-0538-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujira Mukda
- Research Center for Neuroscience, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, 25/25 Phuttamonthon 4 Road, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand.,Institute for Translational Research in Biomedicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123 Dapi Rd, Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Yi Tsai
- Institute for Translational Research in Biomedicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123 Dapi Rd, Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan
| | - Steve Leu
- Institute for Translational Research in Biomedicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123 Dapi Rd, Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan
| | - Jenq-Lin Yang
- Institute for Translational Research in Biomedicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123 Dapi Rd, Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan
| | - Samuel H H Chan
- Institute for Translational Research in Biomedicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123 Dapi Rd, Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan.
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Moon EH, Kim YS, Seo J, Lee S, Lee YJ, Oh SP. Essential role for TMEM100 in vascular integrity but limited contributions to the pathogenesis of hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia. Cardiovasc Res 2014; 105:353-60. [PMID: 25538155 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvu260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS TMEM100 was previously identified as a downstream target of activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ALK1; ACVRL1) signalling. Mutations on ALK1 cause hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), a vascular disorder characterized by mucocutaneous telangiectases and visceral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). The aims of this study are to investigate the in vivo role of TMEM100 at various developmental and adult stages and to determine the extent to which TMEM100 contributed to the development of AVMs as a key downstream effector of ALK1. METHODS AND RESULTS Blood vasculature in Tmem100-null embryos and inducible Tmem100-null neonatal and adult mice was examined. We found that TMEM100 deficiency resulted in cardiovascular defects at embryonic stage; dilated vessels, hyperbranching, and increased number of filopodia in the retinal vasculature at neonatal stage; and various vascular abnormalities, including internal haemorrhage, arteriovenous shunts, and weakening of vasculature with abnormal elastin layers at adult stage. However, arteriovenous shunts in adult mutant mice appeared to be underdeveloped without typical tortuosity of vessels associated with AVMs. We uncovered that the expression of genes encoding cell adhesion and extracellular matrix proteins was significantly affected in lungs of adult mutant mice. Especially Mfap4, which is associated with elastin fibre formation, was mostly down-regulated. CONCLUSION These results demonstrate that TMEM100 has essential functions for the maintenance of vascular integrity as well as the formation of blood vessels. Our results also indicate that down-regulation of Tmem100 is not the central mechanism of HHT pathogenesis, but it may contribute to the development of vascular pathology of HHT by weakening vascular integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Hye Moon
- Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoo Sung Kim
- Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiyoung Seo
- Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sabin Lee
- Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Jae Lee
- Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Suk Paul Oh
- Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, 1600 SW Archer Road, Room CG-20B, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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Wu HP, Hsu SY, Wu WA, Hu JW, Ouyang P. Transgenic mice expressing mutant Pinin exhibit muscular dystrophy, nebulin deficiency and elevated expression of slow-type muscle fiber genes. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2014; 443:313-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2013.11.108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2013] [Accepted: 11/25/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Gandjbakhch E, Vite A, Gary F, Fressart V, Donal E, Simon F, Hidden-Lucet F, Komajda M, Charron P, Villard E. Screening of genes encoding junctional candidates in arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 15:1522-5. [DOI: 10.1093/europace/eut224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
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Joo JH, Correia GP, Li JL, Lopez MC, Baker HV, Sugrue SP. Transcriptomic analysis of PNN- and ESRP1-regulated alternative pre-mRNA splicing in human corneal epithelial cells. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2013; 54:697-707. [PMID: 23299472 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.12-10695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE We investigated the impact of PININ (PNN) and epithelial splicing regulatory protein 1 (ESRP1) on alternative pre-mRNA splicing in the corneal epithelial context. METHODS Isoform-specific RT-PCR assays were performed on wild-type and Pnn knockout mouse cornea. Protein interactions were examined by deconvolution microscopy and co-immunoprecipitation. For genome-wide alternative splicing study, immortalized human corneal epithelial cells (HCET) harboring doxycycline-inducible shRNA against PNN or ESRP1 were created. Total RNA was isolated from four biological replicates of control and knockdown HCET cells, and subjected to hGlue3_0 transcriptome array analysis. RESULTS Pnn depletion in developing mouse corneal epithelium led to disrupted alternative splicing of multiple ESRP-regulated epithelial-type exons. In HCET cells, ESRP1 and PNN displayed close localization in and around nuclear speckles, and their physical association in protein complexes was identified. Whole transcriptome array analysis on ESRP1 or PNN knockdown HCET cells revealed clear alterations in transcript profiles and splicing patterns of specific subsets of genes. Separate RT-PCR validation assays confirmed successfully specific changes in exon usage of several representative splice variants, including PAX6(5a), FOXJ3, ARHGEF11, and SLC37A2. Gene ontologic analyses on ESRP1- or PNN-regulated alternative exons suggested their roles in epithelial phenotypes, such as cell morphology and movement. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggested that ESRP1 and PNN modulate alternative splicing of a specific subset of target genes, but not general splicing events, in HCET cells to maintain or enhance epithelial characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong-Hoon Joo
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA.
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Hsu SY, Cheng YC, Shih HY, Ouyang P. Dissection of the role of Pinin in the development of zebrafish posterior pharyngeal cartilages. Histochem Cell Biol 2012; 138:127-40. [PMID: 22527695 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-012-0950-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/02/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Pinin (pnn), a nuclear and desmosome-associated SR-like protein, has been shown to play multiple roles in cell adhesion, transcriptional regulation, pre-mRNA splicing and mRNA export. Because of the embryonic lethality of pnn-deficient mice, here we used the zebrafish system to investigate the functions of pnn. Injection of morpholinos into zebrafish to knockdown pnn resulted in several obvious defective phenotypes, such as short body, bent tail, and an abnormal pigment distribution pattern. Moreover, aberrant blood vessels were formed, and most of the cartilages of pharyngeal arches 3-7 were reduced or absent in pnn morphants. Because most of the defects manifested by pnn morphants were reminiscent of those caused by neural crest-derived malformation, we investigated the effects of pnn deficiency in the development of neural crest cells. Neural crest induction and specification were not hindered in pnn morphants, as revealed by normal expression of early crest gene, sox10. However, the morphants failed to express the pre-chondrogenic gene, sox9a, in cells populating the posterior pharyngeal arches. The reduction of chondrogenic precursors resulted from inhibition of proliferation of neural crest cells, but not from cellular apoptosis or premature differentiation in pnn morphants. These data demonstrate that pnn is essential for the maintenance of subsets of neural crest cells, and that in zebrafish proper cranial neural crest proliferation and differentiation are dependent on pnn expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Yuan Hsu
- Transgenic Mouse Core-Lab, Epithelial Biology Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University Medical College, 259 Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan, ROC
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Leu S, Lin YM, Wu CH, Ouyang P. Loss of Pnn expression results in mouse early embryonic lethality and cellular apoptosis through SRSF1-mediated alternative expression of Bcl-xS and ICA**. J Cell Sci 2012; 125:3164-72. [DOI: 10.1242/jcs.100859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Pinin (Pnn), a serine/arginine-rich (SR)-related protein, has been shown to play multiple roles within eukaryotic cells including in cell-cell adhesion, cell migration, regulation of gene transcription, mRNA export, and alternative splicing. In this study, an attempt to generate mice homozygously deficient in Pnn failed due to early embryonic lethality. To evaluate the effects of loss of Pnn expression on cell survival, RNA interference experiments were performed in MCF-7 cells. With Pnn-depletion, cellular apoptosis and nuclear condensation were observed. In addition, nuclear speckles were disrupted, and expression levels of SR proteins were diminished. RT-PCR analysis showed that alternative splicing patterns of SRSF1 as well as of apoptosis-related genes Bcl-x and ICAD were altered and expression levels of Bim isoforms were modulated in Pnn-depleted cells. Cellular apoptosis induced by Pnn depletion was rescued by overexpression of SRSF1 which also restored generation of Bcl-xL and functionless ICAD. Pnn expression is, therefore, essential for survival of mouse embryos and the breast carcinoma cell line MCF-7. Moreover, Pnn-depletion, modulated by SRSF1, determines cellular apoptosis through activation of expression of pro-apoptotic Bcl-xS transcripts.
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Lee YJ, McPherron A, Choe S, Sakai Y, Chandraratna RA, Lee SJ, Oh SP. Growth differentiation factor 11 signaling controls retinoic acid activity for axial vertebral development. Dev Biol 2010; 347:195-203. [PMID: 20801112 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2010.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2010] [Revised: 08/20/2010] [Accepted: 08/20/2010] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Mice deficient in growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) signaling display anterior transformation of axial vertebrae and truncation of caudal vertebrae. However, the in vivo molecular mechanisms by which GDF11 signaling regulates the development of the vertebral column have yet to be determined. We found that Gdf11 and Acvr2b mutants are sensitive to exogenous RA treatment on vertebral specification and caudal vertebral development. We show that diminished expression of Cyp26a1, a retinoic acid inactivating enzyme, and concomitant elevation of retinoic acid activity in the caudal region of Gdf11(-/-) embryos may account for this phenomenon. Reduced expression or function of Cyp26a1 enhanced anterior transformation of axial vertebrae in wild-type and Acvr2b mutants. Furthermore, a pan retinoic acid receptor antagonist (AGN193109) could lessen the anterior transformation phenotype and rescue the tail truncation phenotype of Gdf11(-/-) mice. Taken together, these results suggest that GDF11 signaling regulates development of caudal vertebrae and is involved in specification of axial vertebrae in part by maintaining Cyp26a1 expression, which represses retinoic acid activity in the caudal region of embryos during the somitogenesis stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Jae Lee
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
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Joo JH, Taxter TJ, Munguba GC, Kim YH, Dhaduvai K, Dunn NW, Degan WJ, Oh SP, Sugrue SP. Pinin modulates expression of an intestinal homeobox gene, Cdx2, and plays an essential role for small intestinal morphogenesis. Dev Biol 2010; 345:191-203. [PMID: 20637749 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2010.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2010] [Revised: 07/06/2010] [Accepted: 07/07/2010] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Pinin (Pnn), a nuclear speckle-associated protein, has been shown to function in maintenance of epithelial integrity through altering expression of several key adhesion molecules. Here we demonstrate that Pnn plays a crucial role in small intestinal development by influencing expression of an intestinal homeobox gene, Cdx2. Conditional inactivation of Pnn within intestinal epithelia resulted in significant downregulation of a caudal type homeobox gene, Cdx2, leading to obvious villus dysmorphogenesis and severely disrupted epithelial differentiation. Additionally, in Pnn-deficient small intestine, we observed upregulated Tcf/Lef reporter activity, as well as misregulated expression/distribution of beta-catenin and Tcf4. Since regulation of Cdx gene expression has been closely linked to Wnt/beta-catenin signaling activity, we explored the possibility of Pnn's interaction with beta-catenin, a major effector of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. Co-immunoprecipitation assays revealed that Pnn, together with its interaction partner CtBP2, a transcriptional co-repressor, was in a complex with beta-catenin. Moreover, both of these proteins were found to be recruited to the proximal promoter area of Cdx2. Taken together, our results suggest that Pnn is essential for tight regulation of Wnt signaling and Cdx2 expression during small intestinal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong-Hoon Joo
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Joo JH, Kim YH, Dunn NW, Sugrue SP. Disruption of mouse corneal epithelial differentiation by conditional inactivation of pnn. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2009; 51:1927-34. [PMID: 19892877 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.09-4591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose. To investigate the specific role of Pinin (Pnn) in the development of anterior eye segment in mice. Methods. Conditional inactivation of Pnn in the developing surface eye ectoderm and lens was achieved by creating mice carrying a Pnn null and a floxed Pnn allele as well as a Pax6-Cre-GFP (Le-Cre) transgene. The resultant Pnn conditional knockout mice were examined by histologic and immunohistologic approaches. Results. Pax6-Cre-mediated deletion of Pnn resulted in severe malformation of lens placode-derived tissues including cornea and lens. Pnn mutant corneal epithelium displayed the loss of corneal epithelial identity and appeared epidermis-like, downregulating corneal keratins (K12) and ectopically expressing epidermal keratins (K10 and K14). This squamous metaplasia of Pnn mutant corneal epithelium closely correlated with significantly elevated beta-catenin activity and Tcf4 level. In addition, Pnn inactivation also led to misregulated level of p68 RNA helicase in mutant corneal epithelium. Conclusions. These data indicate that Pnn plays an essential role in modulating and/or orchestrating the activities of major developmental factors of anterior eye segments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong-Hoon Joo
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Corepressor CtBP and nuclear speckle protein Pnn/DRS differentially modulate transcription and splicing of the E-cadherin gene. Mol Cell Biol 2007; 28:1584-95. [PMID: 18086895 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00421-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
CtBP is a transcriptional corepressor with tumorigenic potential that targets the promoter of the tumor suppressor gene E-cadherin. Pnn/DRS (Pnn) is a "nuclear speckle"-associated protein involved in mRNA processing as well as transcriptional regulation of E-cadherin via its binding to CtBP. Here, we show that CtBP can recruit Pnn to CtBP-associated complexes, resulting in Pnn-dependent chromatin remodeling at the E-cadherin promoter. In addition, CtBP and Pnn can differentially modulate E-cadherin mRNA splicing, with polymerase II serving as an interface in this event. Therefore, the Pnn/CtBP functional interplay represents a novel mechanism linking the corepressor CtBP and Pnn to the transcription-coupled mRNA splicing of a major tumor suppressor gene. Our findings implicate the existence of the molecular switches involved in tumorigenesis, which coordinate promoter-specific events and mRNA processing, by serving as bridging elements between the regulatory complexes both at gene promoters and within the mRNA splicing machineries.
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