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Nipper M, Xu Y, Liu J, Yin X, Liu Z, Ye Z, Zhang J, Chen Y, Wang P. TGFβ and Hippo Signaling Pathways Coordinate to Promote Acinar to Ductal Metaplasia in Human Pancreas. Cells 2024; 13:186. [PMID: 38247878 PMCID: PMC10813953 DOI: 10.3390/cells13020186] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM) serves as a precursor event in the development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) upon constitutive environmental and genetical stress. While the role of ADM in PDAC progression has been established, the molecular mechanisms underlying human ADM remain elusive. We previously demonstrated the induction of ADM in human acinar cells through the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signaling pathway. We aim to investigate the interaction between TGFβ and Hippo pathways in mediating ADM. METHODS RNA-sequencing was conducted on sorted normal primary human acinar, ductal, and AD (acinar cells that have undergone ADM) cells. ATAC-seq analysis was utilized to reveal the chromatin accessibility in these three cell types. ChIP-Seq of YAP1, SMAD4, and H3K27ac was performed to identify the gene targets of YAP1 and SMAD4. The role of YAP1/TAZ in ADM-driven cell proliferation, as well as in oncogenic KRAS driven proliferation, was assessed using sphere formation assay. RESULTS AD cells have a unique transcription profile, with upregulated genes in open chromatin states in acinar cells. YAP1 and SMAD4 co-occupy the loci of ADM-related genes, including PROM1, HES1, and MMP7, co-regulating biological functions such as cell adhesion, cell migration, and inflammation. Overexpression of YAP1/TAZ promoted acinar cell proliferation but still required the TGFβ pathway. YAP1/TAZ were also crucial for TGFβ-induced sphere formation and were necessary for KRAS-induced proliferation. CONCLUSIONS Our study reveals the intricate transition between acinar and AD states in human pancreatic tissues. It unveils the complex interaction between the Hippo and TGF-β pathways during ADM, highlighting the pivotal role of YAP1/TAZ and SMAD4 in PDAC initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Nipper
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (M.N.); (Y.X.); (J.L.); (X.Y.)
| | - Yi Xu
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (M.N.); (Y.X.); (J.L.); (X.Y.)
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (M.N.); (Y.X.); (J.L.); (X.Y.)
| | - Xue Yin
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (M.N.); (Y.X.); (J.L.); (X.Y.)
| | - Zhijie Liu
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA;
| | - Zhengqing Ye
- Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (Z.Y.); (Y.C.)
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Jianmin Zhang
- Department of Cancer Genetics and Genomics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA;
| | - Yidong Chen
- Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (Z.Y.); (Y.C.)
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Pei Wang
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (M.N.); (Y.X.); (J.L.); (X.Y.)
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Bohuslavova R, Fabriciova V, Smolik O, Lebrón-Mora L, Abaffy P, Benesova S, Zucha D, Valihrach L, Berkova Z, Saudek F, Pavlinkova G. NEUROD1 reinforces endocrine cell fate acquisition in pancreatic development. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5554. [PMID: 37689751 PMCID: PMC10492842 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41306-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
NEUROD1 is a transcription factor that helps maintain a mature phenotype of pancreatic β cells. Disruption of Neurod1 during pancreatic development causes severe neonatal diabetes; however, the exact role of NEUROD1 in the differentiation programs of endocrine cells is unknown. Here, we report a crucial role of the NEUROD1 regulatory network in endocrine lineage commitment and differentiation. Mechanistically, transcriptome and chromatin landscape analyses demonstrate that Neurod1 inactivation triggers a downregulation of endocrine differentiation transcription factors and upregulation of non-endocrine genes within the Neurod1-deficient endocrine cell population, disturbing endocrine identity acquisition. Neurod1 deficiency altered the H3K27me3 histone modification pattern in promoter regions of differentially expressed genes, which resulted in gene regulatory network changes in the differentiation pathway of endocrine cells, compromising endocrine cell potential, differentiation, and functional properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romana Bohuslavova
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenetics, Institute of Biotechnology CAS, 25250, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Valeria Fabriciova
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenetics, Institute of Biotechnology CAS, 25250, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Ondrej Smolik
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenetics, Institute of Biotechnology CAS, 25250, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Laura Lebrón-Mora
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenetics, Institute of Biotechnology CAS, 25250, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Pavel Abaffy
- Laboratory of Gene Expression, Institute of Biotechnology CAS, 25250, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Sarka Benesova
- Laboratory of Gene Expression, Institute of Biotechnology CAS, 25250, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Daniel Zucha
- Laboratory of Gene Expression, Institute of Biotechnology CAS, 25250, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Lukas Valihrach
- Laboratory of Gene Expression, Institute of Biotechnology CAS, 25250, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Zuzana Berkova
- Diabetes Centre, Experimental Medicine Centre, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 14021, Prague, Czechia
| | - Frantisek Saudek
- Diabetes Centre, Experimental Medicine Centre, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 14021, Prague, Czechia
| | - Gabriela Pavlinkova
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenetics, Institute of Biotechnology CAS, 25250, Vestec, Czechia.
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Paganos P, Ronchi P, Carl J, Mizzon G, Martinez P, Benvenuto G, Arnone MI. Integrating single cell transcriptomics and volume electron microscopy confirms the presence of pancreatic acinar-like cells in sea urchins. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:991664. [PMID: 36060803 PMCID: PMC9437490 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.991664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The identity and function of a given cell type relies on the differential expression of gene batteries that promote diverse phenotypes and functional specificities. Therefore, the identification of the molecular and morphological fingerprints of cell types across taxa is essential for untangling their evolution. Here we use a multidisciplinary approach to identify the molecular and morphological features of an exocrine, pancreas-like cell type harbored within the sea urchin larval gut. Using single cell transcriptomics, we identify various cell populations with a pancreatic-like molecular fingerprint that are enriched within the S. purpuratus larva digestive tract. Among these, in the region where they reside, the midgut/stomach domain, we find that populations of exocrine pancreas-like cells have a unique regulatory wiring distinct from the rest the of the cell types of the same region. Furthermore, Serial Block-face scanning Electron Microscopy (SBEM) of the exocrine cells shows that this reported molecular diversity is associated to distinct morphological features that reflect the physiological and functional properties of this cell type. Therefore, we propose that these sea urchin exocrine cells are homologous to the well-known mammalian pancreatic acinar cells and thus we trace the origin of this particular cell type to the time of deuterostome diversification. Overall, our approach allows a thorough characterization of a complex cell type and shows how both the transcriptomic and morphological information contribute to disentangling the evolution of cell types and organs such as the pancreatic cells and pancreas.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paolo Ronchi
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jil Carl
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Giulia Mizzon
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pedro Martinez
- Institut Català de Recerca i Estudis Avancats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain,Genetics Department, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Maria Ina Arnone
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN), Naples, Italy,*Correspondence: Maria Ina Arnone,
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Zhdanovskaya N, Firrincieli M, Lazzari S, Pace E, Scribani Rossi P, Felli MP, Talora C, Screpanti I, Palermo R. Targeting Notch to Maximize Chemotherapeutic Benefits: Rationale, Advanced Strategies, and Future Perspectives. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13205106. [PMID: 34680255 PMCID: PMC8533696 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The Notch signaling pathway regulates cell proliferation, apoptosis, stem cell self-renewal, and differentiation in a context-dependent fashion both during embryonic development and in adult tissue homeostasis. Consistent with its pleiotropic physiological role, unproper activation of the signaling promotes or counteracts tumor pathogenesis and therapy response in distinct tissues. In the last twenty years, a wide number of studies have highlighted the anti-cancer potential of Notch-modulating agents as single treatment and in combination with the existent therapies. However, most of these strategies have failed in the clinical exploration due to dose-limiting toxicity and low efficacy, encouraging the development of novel agents and the design of more appropriate combinations between Notch signaling inhibitors and chemotherapeutic drugs with improved safety and effectiveness for distinct types of cancer. Abstract Notch signaling guides cell fate decisions by affecting proliferation, apoptosis, stem cell self-renewal, and differentiation depending on cell and tissue context. Given its multifaceted function during tissue development, both overactivation and loss of Notch signaling have been linked to tumorigenesis in ways that are either oncogenic or oncosuppressive, but always context-dependent. Notch signaling is critical for several mechanisms of chemoresistance including cancer stem cell maintenance, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, tumor-stroma interaction, and malignant neovascularization that makes its targeting an appealing strategy against tumor growth and recurrence. During the last decades, numerous Notch-interfering agents have been developed, and the abundant preclinical evidence has been transformed in orphan drug approval for few rare diseases. However, the majority of Notch-dependent malignancies remain untargeted, even if the application of Notch inhibitors alone or in combination with common chemotherapeutic drugs is being evaluated in clinical trials. The modest clinical success of current Notch-targeting strategies is mostly due to their limited efficacy and severe on-target toxicity in Notch-controlled healthy tissues. Here, we review the available preclinical and clinical evidence on combinatorial treatment between different Notch signaling inhibitors and existent chemotherapeutic drugs, providing a comprehensive picture of molecular mechanisms explaining the potential or lacking success of these combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadezda Zhdanovskaya
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (N.Z.); (M.F.); (S.L.); (E.P.); (P.S.R.); (C.T.)
| | - Mariarosaria Firrincieli
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (N.Z.); (M.F.); (S.L.); (E.P.); (P.S.R.); (C.T.)
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Lazzari
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (N.Z.); (M.F.); (S.L.); (E.P.); (P.S.R.); (C.T.)
| | - Eleonora Pace
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (N.Z.); (M.F.); (S.L.); (E.P.); (P.S.R.); (C.T.)
| | - Pietro Scribani Rossi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (N.Z.); (M.F.); (S.L.); (E.P.); (P.S.R.); (C.T.)
| | - Maria Pia Felli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Claudio Talora
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (N.Z.); (M.F.); (S.L.); (E.P.); (P.S.R.); (C.T.)
| | - Isabella Screpanti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (N.Z.); (M.F.); (S.L.); (E.P.); (P.S.R.); (C.T.)
- Correspondence: (I.S.); (R.P.)
| | - Rocco Palermo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (N.Z.); (M.F.); (S.L.); (E.P.); (P.S.R.); (C.T.)
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (I.S.); (R.P.)
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Seymour PA, Collin CA, Egeskov-Madsen ALR, Jørgensen MC, Shimojo H, Imayoshi I, de Lichtenberg KH, Kopan R, Kageyama R, Serup P. Jag1 Modulates an Oscillatory Dll1-Notch-Hes1 Signaling Module to Coordinate Growth and Fate of Pancreatic Progenitors. Dev Cell 2020; 52:731-747.e8. [PMID: 32059775 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Notch signaling controls proliferation of multipotent pancreatic progenitor cells (MPCs) and their segregation into bipotent progenitors (BPs) and unipotent pro-acinar cells (PACs). Here, we showed that fast ultradian oscillations of the ligand Dll1 and the transcriptional effector Hes1 were crucial for MPC expansion, and changes in Hes1 oscillation parameters were associated with selective adoption of BP or PAC fate. Conversely, Jag1, a uniformly expressed ligand, restrained MPC growth. However, when its expression later segregated to PACs, Jag1 became critical for the specification of all but the most proximal BPs, and BPs were entirely lost in Jag1; Dll1 double mutants. Anatomically, ductal morphogenesis and organ architecture are minimally perturbed in Jag1 mutants until later stages, when ductal remodeling fails, and signs of acinar-to-ductal metaplasia appear. Our study thus uncovers that oscillating Notch activity in the developing pancreas, modulated by Jag1, is required to coordinate MPC growth and fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Allan Seymour
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark
| | - Caitlin Alexis Collin
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark
| | - Anuska la Rosa Egeskov-Madsen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark
| | - Mette Christine Jørgensen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark
| | - Hiromi Shimojo
- Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Itaru Imayoshi
- Research Center for Dynamic Living Systems, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | | | - Raphael Kopan
- Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Ryoichiro Kageyama
- Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Palle Serup
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark.
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6
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Jørgensen MC, de Lichtenberg KH, Collin CA, Klinck R, Ekberg JH, Engelstoft MS, Lickert H, Serup P. Neurog3-dependent pancreas dysgenesis causes ectopic pancreas in Hes1 mutant mice. Development 2018; 145:dev.163568. [PMID: 30093553 DOI: 10.1242/dev.163568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in Hes1, a target gene of the Notch signalling pathway, lead to ectopic pancreas by a poorly described mechanism. Here, we use genetic inactivation of Hes1 combined with lineage tracing and live imaging to reveal an endodermal requirement for Hes1, and show that ectopic pancreas tissue is derived from the dorsal pancreas primordium. RNA-seq analysis of sorted E10.5 Hes1+/+ and Hes1-/- Pdx1-GFP+ cells suggested that upregulation of endocrine lineage genes in Hes1-/- embryos was the major defect and, accordingly, early pancreas morphogenesis was normalized, and the ectopic pancreas phenotype suppressed, in Hes1-/-Neurog3-/- embryos. In Mib1 mutants, we found a near total depletion of dorsal progenitors, which was replaced by an anterior Gcg+ extension. Together, our results demonstrate that aberrant morphogenesis is the cause of ectopic pancreas and that a part of the endocrine differentiation program is mechanistically involved in the dysgenesis. Our results suggest that the ratio of endocrine lineage to progenitor cells is important for morphogenesis and that a strong endocrinogenic phenotype without complete progenitor depletion, as seen in Hes1 mutants, provokes an extreme dysgenesis that causes ectopic pancreas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mette C Jørgensen
- NNF Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kristian H de Lichtenberg
- NNF Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Caitlin A Collin
- NNF Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rasmus Klinck
- Novo Nordisk A/S, Department of User Research and Communication, Brennum Park 1, DK-3400 Hillerød, Denmark
| | - Jeppe H Ekberg
- NNF Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Section for Metabolic Receptology, Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maja S Engelstoft
- NNF Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Section for Metabolic Receptology, Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Heiko Lickert
- Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Palle Serup
- NNF Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
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7
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Abstract
Notch 1 to 4 receptors are important determinants of cell fate and function, and Notch signaling plays an important role in skeletal development and bone remodeling. After direct interactions with ligands of the Jagged and Delta-like families, a series of cleavages release the Notch intracellular domain (NICD), which translocates to the nucleus where it induces transcription of Notch target genes. Classic gene targets of Notch are hairy and enhancer of split (Hes) and Hes-related with YRPW motif (Hey). In cells of the osteoblastic lineage, Notch activation inhibits cell differentiation and causes cancellous bone osteopenia because of impaired bone formation. In osteocytes, Notch1 has distinct effects that result in an inhibition of bone resorption secondary to an induction of osteoprotegerin and suppression of sclerostin with a consequent enhancement of Wnt signaling. Notch1 inhibits, whereas Notch2 enhances, osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption. Congenital disorders of loss- and gain-of-Notch function present with severe clinical manifestations, often affecting the skeleton. Enhanced Notch signaling is associated with osteosarcoma, and Notch can influence the invasive potential of carcinoma of the breast and prostate. Notch signaling can be controlled by the use of inhibitors of Notch activation, small peptides that interfere with the formation of a transcriptional complex, or antibodies to the extracellular domain of specific Notch receptors or to Notch ligands. In conclusion, Notch plays a critical role in skeletal development and homeostasis, and serious skeletal disorders can be attributed to alterations in Notch signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Zanotti
- Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Medicine and the UConn Musculoskeletal Institute, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut 06030
| | - Ernesto Canalis
- Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Medicine and the UConn Musculoskeletal Institute, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut 06030
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Cras-Méneur C, Conlon M, Zhang Y, Pasca Di Magliano M, Bernal-Mizrachi E. Early pancreatic islet fate and maturation is controlled through RBP-Jκ. Sci Rep 2016; 6:26874. [PMID: 27240887 PMCID: PMC4886527 DOI: 10.1038/srep26874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Notch signaling is known to control early pancreatic differentiation through Ngn3 repression. In later stages, downstream of Notch, the Presenilins are still required to maintain the endocrine fate allocation. Amongst their multiple targets, it remains unclear which one actually controls the maintenance of the fate of the early islets. Conditional deletions of the Notch effector RBP-Jκ with lineage tracing in Presenilin-deficient endocrine progenitors, demonstrated that this factor is central to the control of the fate through a non-canonical Notch mechanism. RBP-Jκ mice exhibit normal islet morphogenesis and function, however, a fraction of the progenitors fails to differentiate and develop into disorganized masses resembling acinar to ductal metaplasia and chronic pancreatitis. A subsequent deletion of RBP-Jκ in forming β-cells led to the transdifferentiation into the other endocrine cells types, indicating that this factor still mediates the maintenance of the fate within the endocrine lineage itself. These results highlight the dual importance of Notch signaling for the endocrine lineage. Even after Ngn3 expression, Notch activity is required to maintain both fate and maturation of the Ngn3 progenitors. In a subset of the cells, these alterations of Notch signaling halt their differentiation and leads to acinar to ductal metaplasia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corentin Cras-Méneur
- University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Internal Medicine Department, MEND Division Brehm Tower, 1000 Wall St, Ann Arbor, MI 48105-1912, USA
| | - Megan Conlon
- University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Internal Medicine Department, MEND Division Brehm Tower, 1000 Wall St, Ann Arbor, MI 48105-1912, USA
| | - Yaqing Zhang
- University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Department of Surgery, General Surgery Division 4304 Cancer Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor MI 48109-5936, USA
| | - Marina Pasca Di Magliano
- University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Department of Surgery, General Surgery Division 4304 Cancer Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor MI 48109-5936, USA
| | - Ernesto Bernal-Mizrachi
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism 1400 NW 10th Ave, Miami, FL 33136-1031, USA
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9
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Pin CL, Ryan JF, Mehmood R. Acinar cell reprogramming: a clinically important target in pancreatic disease. Epigenomics 2015; 7:267-81. [PMID: 25942535 DOI: 10.2217/epi.14.83] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Acinar cells of the pancreas produce the majority of enzymes required for digestion and make up >90% of the cells within the pancreas. Due to a common developmental origin and the plastic nature of the acinar cell phenotype, these cells have been identified as a possible source of β cells as a therapeutic option for Type I diabetes. However, recent evidence indicates that acinar cells are the main source of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias (PanINs), the predecessor of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The conversion of acinar cells to either β cells or precursors to PDAC is dependent on reprogramming of the cells to a more primitive, progenitor-like phenotype, which involves changes in transcription factor expression and activity, and changes in their epigenetic program. This review will focus on the mechanisms that promote acinar cell reprogramming, as well as the factors that may affect these mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher L Pin
- Department of Paediatrics, Physiology & Pharmacology, & Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6C 2V5, Canada
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10
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Nakano Y, Negishi N, Gocho S, Mine T, Sakurai Y, Yazawa M, Abe K, Yagita H, Habu S, Kageyama R, Kawaguchi Y, Hozumi K. Disappearance of centroacinar cells in the Notch ligand-deficient pancreas. Genes Cells 2015; 20:500-11. [DOI: 10.1111/gtc.12243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiro Nakano
- Department of Immunology and Research Center for Regenerative Medicine; Tokai University School of Medicine; 143 Shimokasuya Isehara 259-1193 Japan
- Department of Clinical Application; Center for iPS Cell Research and Application; Kyoto University; 53 Kawahara-cho Shogoin Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 Japan
| | - Naoko Negishi
- Department of Immunology and Research Center for Regenerative Medicine; Tokai University School of Medicine; 143 Shimokasuya Isehara 259-1193 Japan
- Department of Immunology; Juntendo University School of Medicine; 2-1-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku 113-0033 Japan
| | - Seiho Gocho
- Department of Internal Medicine; Tokai University School of Medicine; 143 Shimokasuya Isehara Kanagawa 259-1193 Japan
| | - Tetsuya Mine
- Department of Internal Medicine; Tokai University School of Medicine; 143 Shimokasuya Isehara Kanagawa 259-1193 Japan
| | - Yuri Sakurai
- Department of Immunology and Research Center for Regenerative Medicine; Tokai University School of Medicine; 143 Shimokasuya Isehara 259-1193 Japan
| | - Masaki Yazawa
- Department of Immunology and Research Center for Regenerative Medicine; Tokai University School of Medicine; 143 Shimokasuya Isehara 259-1193 Japan
| | - Koichiro Abe
- Division of Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine; Tokai University School of Medicine; 143 Shimokasuya Isehara 259-1193 Japan
| | - Hideo Yagita
- Department of Immunology; Juntendo University School of Medicine; 2-1-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku 113-0033 Japan
| | - Sonoko Habu
- Department of Immunology; Juntendo University School of Medicine; 2-1-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku 113-0033 Japan
| | - Ryoichiro Kageyama
- Institute of Virus Research; Kyoto University; 53 Kawahara-cho Kyoto 606-8507 Japan
| | - Yoshiya Kawaguchi
- Department of Clinical Application; Center for iPS Cell Research and Application; Kyoto University; 53 Kawahara-cho Shogoin Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 Japan
| | - Katsuto Hozumi
- Department of Immunology and Research Center for Regenerative Medicine; Tokai University School of Medicine; 143 Shimokasuya Isehara 259-1193 Japan
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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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Arda HE, Benitez CM, Kim SK. Gene regulatory networks governing pancreas development. Dev Cell 2013; 25:5-13. [PMID: 23597482 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2013.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Elucidation of cellular and gene regulatory networks (GRNs) governing organ development will accelerate progress toward tissue replacement. Here, we have compiled reference GRNs underlying pancreas development from data mining that integrates multiple approaches, including mutant analysis, lineage tracing, cell purification, gene expression and enhancer analysis, and biochemical studies of gene regulation. Using established computational tools, we integrated and represented these networks in frameworks that should enhance understanding of the surging output of genomic-scale genetic and epigenetic studies of pancreas development and diseases such as diabetes and pancreatic cancer. We envision similar approaches would be useful for understanding the development of other organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Efsun Arda
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5329, USA
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13
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Afelik S, Jensen J. Notch signaling in the pancreas: patterning and cell fate specification. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2012; 2:531-44. [DOI: 10.1002/wdev.99] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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14
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Shih HP, Kopp JL, Sandhu M, Dubois CL, Seymour PA, Grapin-Botton A, Sander M. A Notch-dependent molecular circuitry initiates pancreatic endocrine and ductal cell differentiation. Development 2012; 139:2488-99. [PMID: 22675211 DOI: 10.1242/dev.078634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 170] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In the pancreas, Notch signaling is thought to prevent cell differentiation, thereby maintaining progenitors in an undifferentiated state. Here, we show that Notch renders progenitors competent to differentiate into ductal and endocrine cells by inducing activators of cell differentiation. Notch signaling promotes the expression of Sox9, which cell-autonomously activates the pro-endocrine gene Ngn3. However, at high Notch activity endocrine differentiation is blocked, as Notch also induces expression of the Ngn3 repressor Hes1. At the transition from high to intermediate Notch activity, only Sox9, but not Hes1, is maintained, thus de-repressing Ngn3 and initiating endocrine differentiation. In the absence of Sox9 activity, endocrine and ductal cells fail to differentiate, resulting in polycystic ducts devoid of primary cilia. Although Sox9 is required for Ngn3 induction, endocrine differentiation necessitates subsequent Sox9 downregulation and evasion from Notch activity via cell-autonomous repression of Sox9 by Ngn3. If high Notch levels are maintained, endocrine progenitors retain Sox9 and undergo ductal fate conversion. Taken together, our findings establish a novel role for Notch in initiating both ductal and endocrine development and reveal that Notch does not function in an on-off mode, but that a gradient of Notch activity produces distinct cellular states during pancreas development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hung Ping Shih
- Department of Pediatrics and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0695, USA
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15
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Ahnfelt-Rønne J, Jørgensen MC, Klinck R, Jensen JN, Füchtbauer EM, Deering T, MacDonald RJ, Wright CVE, Madsen OD, Serup P. Ptf1a-mediated control of Dll1 reveals an alternative to the lateral inhibition mechanism. Development 2011; 139:33-45. [PMID: 22096075 DOI: 10.1242/dev.071761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Neurog3-induced Dll1 expression in pancreatic endocrine progenitors ostensibly activates Hes1 expression via Notch and thereby represses Neurog3 and endocrine differentiation in neighboring cells by lateral inhibition. Here we show in mouse that Dll1 and Hes1 expression deviate during regionalization of early endoderm, and later during early pancreas morphogenesis. At that time, Ptf1a activates Dll1 in multipotent pancreatic progenitor cells (MPCs), and Hes1 expression becomes Dll1 dependent over a brief time window. Moreover, Dll1, Hes1 and Dll1/Hes1 mutant phenotypes diverge during organ regionalization, become congruent at early bud stages, and then diverge again at late bud stages. Persistent pancreatic hypoplasia in Dll1 mutants after eliminating Neurog3 expression and endocrine development, together with reduced proliferation of MPCs in both Dll1 and Hes1 mutants, reveals that the hypoplasia is caused by a growth defect rather than by progenitor depletion. Unexpectedly, we find that Hes1 is required to sustain Ptf1a expression, and in turn Dll1 expression in early MPCs. Our results show that Ptf1a-induced Dll1 expression stimulates MPC proliferation and pancreatic growth by maintaining Hes1 expression and Ptf1a protein levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Ahnfelt-Rønne
- Department of Developmental Biology, Hagedorn Research Institute, Niels Steensens Vej 6, DK-2820 Gentofte, Denmark
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Honig G, Liou A, Berger M, German MS, Tecott LH. Precise pattern of recombination in serotonergic and hypothalamic neurons in a Pdx1-cre transgenic mouse line. J Biomed Sci 2010; 17:82. [PMID: 20950489 PMCID: PMC2966455 DOI: 10.1186/1423-0127-17-82] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2010] [Accepted: 10/17/2010] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Multicellular organisms are characterized by a remarkable diversity of morphologically distinct and functionally specialized cell types. Transgenic techniques for the manipulation of gene expression in specific cellular populations are highly useful for elucidating the development and function of these cellular populations. Given notable similarities in developmental gene expression between pancreatic β-cells and serotonergic neurons, we examined the pattern of Cre-mediated recombination in the nervous system of a widely used mouse line, Pdx1-cre (formal designation, Tg(Ipf1-cre)89.1Dam), in which the expression of Cre recombinase is driven by regulatory elements upstream of the pdx1 (pancreatic-duodenal homeobox 1) gene. Methods Single (hemizygous) transgenic mice of the pdx1-creCre/0 genotype were bred to single (hemizygous) transgenic reporter mice (Z/EG and rosa26R lines). Recombination pattern was examined in offspring using whole-mount and sectioned histological preparations at e9.5, e10.5, e11.5, e16.5 and adult developmental stages. Results In addition to the previously reported pancreatic recombination, recombination in the developing nervous system and inner ear formation was observed. In the central nervous system, we observed a highly specific pattern of recombination in neuronal progenitors in the ventral brainstem and diencephalon. In the rostral brainstem (r1-r2), recombination occurred in newborn serotonergic neurons. In the caudal brainstem, recombination occurred in non-serotonergic cells. In the adult, this resulted in reporter expression in the vast majority of forebrain-projecting serotonergic neurons (located in the dorsal and median raphe nuclei) but in none of the spinal cord-projecting serotonergic neurons of the caudal raphe nuclei. In the adult caudal brainstem, reporter expression was widespread in the inferior olive nucleus. In the adult hypothalamus, recombination was observed in the arcuate nucleus and dorsomedial hypothalamus. Recombination was not observed in any other region of the central nervous system. Neuronal expression of endogenous pdx1 was not observed. Conclusions The Pdx1-cre mouse line, and the regulatory elements contained in the corresponding transgene, could be a valuable tool for targeted genetic manipulation of developing forebrain-projecting serotonergic neurons and several other unique neuronal sub-populations. These results suggest that investigators employing this mouse line for studies of pancreatic function should consider the possible contributions of central nervous system effects towards resulting phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard Honig
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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Pierreux CE, Cordi S, Hick AC, Achouri Y, Ruiz de Almodovar C, Prévot PP, Courtoy PJ, Carmeliet P, Lemaigre FP. Epithelial: Endothelial cross-talk regulates exocrine differentiation in developing pancreas. Dev Biol 2010; 347:216-27. [PMID: 20807526 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2010.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2010] [Revised: 07/22/2010] [Accepted: 08/23/2010] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Endothelial cells are required to initiate pancreas development from the endoderm. They also control the function of endocrine islets after birth. Here we investigate in developing pancreas how the endothelial cells become organized during branching morphogenesis and how their development affects pancreatic cell differentiation. We show that endothelial cells closely surround the epithelial bud at the onset of pancreas morphogenesis. During branching morphogenesis, the endothelial cells become preferentially located near the central (trunk) epithelial cells and remain at a distance from the branch tips where acinar cells differentiate. This correlates with predominant expression of the angiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) in trunk cells. In vivo ablation of VEGF-A expression by pancreas-specific inactivation of floxed Vegfa alleles results in reduced endothelial development and in excessive acinar differentiation. On the contrary, acinar differentiation is repressed when endothelial cells are recruited around tip cells that overexpress VEGF-A. Treatment of embryonic day 12.5 explants with VEGF-A or with VEGF receptor antagonists confirms that acinar development is tightly controlled by endothelial cells. We also provide evidence that endothelial cells repress the expression of Ptf1a, a transcription factor essential for acinar differentiation, and stimulate the expression of Hey-1 and Hey-2, two repressors of Ptf1a activity. In explants, we provide evidence that VEGF-A signaling is required, but not sufficient, to induce endocrine differentiation. In conclusion, our data suggest that, in developing pancreas, epithelial production of VEGF-A determines the spatial organization of endothelial cells which, in turn, limit acinar differentiation of the epithelium.
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Khan GN, di Magliano MP, Simeone DM. New frontiers in pancreatic cancer research. Surg Oncol Clin N Am 2010; 19:431-51. [PMID: 20159524 DOI: 10.1016/j.soc.2009.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a highly lethal and aggressive malignancy with high mortality rates. It is critical to evaluate novel therapeutic strategies and targets for the treatment of this disease. In this article, the authors describe the important areas of focus in pancreatic cancer research, recent advances in these areas, and novel approaches that have the potential to bring about positive patient outcomes in this lethal disease. This article also focuses on recent developments in identifying new, more sensitive, and more specific blood biomarkers with potential use in the early detection of PDA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gazala N Khan
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive and devastating human malignancies. Despite new knowledge in the molecular profile of pancreatic cancer and its precursor lesions, survival rates have changed very little over the last 40 years. Therefore, a better understanding of the detailed mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of this disease is critical if we expect to develop new and effective strategies for prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer. The review herein focuses on a distinctive signaling pathway, the Notch pathway, which has recently been associated with carcinogenesis, including pancreatic cancer. It is aimed at summarizing key results which support a role for this pathway in the initiation, progression and maintenance of pancreatic cancer as a rationale for targeting and inhibiting this pathway in pancreatic cancer patients.
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Abstract
In recent years a substantial body of evidence derived from not only preclinical but also clinical studies has accumulated in support of Notch signaling playing important oncogenic roles in several types of cancer. The finding that activating Notch mutations are frequently found in patients suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia is one of the best examples for a critical role of Notch signaling in cancer, a fact that motivated many researchers and clinicians to study the role of Notch also in solid tumors. Hence Notch signaling has gained increasing attention as a potential therapeutic target. In this book chapter we would like to discuss our current knowledge of Notch signaling within different types of solid cancers as well as advantages and disadvantages of potential new therapies that try to target the oncogenic properties of Notch signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ute Koch
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), Lausanne, Switzerland
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21
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Abstract
RBP-J/Su(H)/Lag1, the main transcriptional mediator of Notch signaling, binds DNA with the consensus sequence YRTGDGAD. Notch target genes can be controlled by two opposing activities of RBP-J. The interaction of the Notch intracellular domain with RBP-J induces a weak transcriptional activation and requires an additional tissue-specific transcriptional activator such as bHLH proteins or GATA to mediate strong target gene expression. For example, during Drosophila sensory organ precursor (SOP) cell development, proneural bHLH interacts with Da, a Drosophila orthologue of E2A, to form a tissue-specific activator of Su(H), the Drosophila orthologue of RBP-J. This complex and Su(H) act synergistically to promote the epidermal cell fate. In contrast, a complex of Su(H) with Hairless, a Drosophila functional homologue of MINT, has transcriptional repression activity that promotes SOP differentiation to neurons. Recent conditional loss-of-function studies demonstrated that transcriptional networks involving RBP-J, MINT, and E2A are conserved in mammalian cell differentiation, including multiple steps of lymphocyte development, and probably also in neuronal maturation in adult neurogenesis. During neurogenesis, Notch-RBP-J signaling was thought historically to be involved mainly in the maintenance of undifferentiated neural progenitors. However, the identification of a tissue-specific transcriptional activator of RBP-J-Notch has revealed new roles of RBP-J in the promotion of neuronal maturation. Finally, the Notch-independent function of RBP-J was recently discovered and will be reviewed here.
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Transcriptional Control of Acinar Development and Homeostasis. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2010; 97:1-40. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-385233-5.00001-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Cras-Méneur C, Li L, Kopan R, Permutt MA. Presenilins, Notch dose control the fate of pancreatic endocrine progenitors during a narrow developmental window. Genes Dev 2009; 23:2088-101. [PMID: 19723764 PMCID: PMC2751975 DOI: 10.1101/gad.1800209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2009] [Accepted: 07/24/2009] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Canonical Notch signaling is thought to control the endocrine/exocrine decision in early pancreatic progenitors. Later, RBP-Jkappa interacts with Ptf1a and E12 to promote acinar differentiation. To examine the involvement of Notch signaling in selecting specific endocrine lineages, we deregulated this pathway by targeted deletion of presenilin1 and presenilin2, the catalytic core of gamma-secretase, in Ngn3- or Pax6-expressing endocrine progenitors. Surprisingly, whereas Pax6(+) progenitors were irreversibly committed to the endocrine fate, we discovered that Ngn3(+) progenitors were bipotential in vivo and in vitro. When presenilin amounts are limiting, Ngn3(+) progenitors default to an acinar fate; subsequently, they expand rapidly to form the bulk of the exocrine pancreas. gamma-Secretase inhibitors confirmed that enzymatic activity was required to block acinar fate selection by Ngn3 progenitors. Genetic interactions identified Notch2 as the substrate, and suggest that gamma-secretase and Notch2 act in a noncanonical titration mechanism to sequester RBP-Jkappa away from Ptf1a, thus securing selection of the endocrine fate by Ngn3 progenitors. These results revise the current view of pancreatic cell fate hierarchy, establish that Ngn3 is not in itself sufficient to commit cells to the endocrine fate in the presence of Ptf1a, reveal a noncanonical action for Notch2 protein in endocrine cell fate selection, and demonstrate that acquisition of an endocrine fate by Ngn3(+) progenitors is gamma-secretase-dependent until Pax6 expression begins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corentin Cras-Méneur
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Lipid Research, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Lin Li
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Lipid Research, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Raphael Kopan
- Department of Developmental Biology and Department of Medicine, Division of Dermatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - M. Alan Permutt
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Lipid Research, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
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Abstract
Notch signaling regulates pancreatic cell differentiation, and mutations of various Notch signaling components result in perturbed pancreas development. Members of the Fringe family of beta1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases, Manic Fringe (MFng), Lunatic Fringe (LFng), and Radical Fringe (RFng), modulate Notch signaling, and MFng has been suggested to regulate pancreatic endocrine cell differentiation. We have characterized the expression of the three mouse Fringe genes in the developing mouse pancreas between embryonic days 9 and 14 and show that the expression of MFng colocalized with the proendocrine transcription factor Ngn3. In contrast, the expression of LFng colocalized with the exocrine marker Ptf1a, whereas RFng was not expressed. Moreover, we show that expression of MFng is lost in Ngn3 mutant mice, providing evidence that MFng is genetically downstream of Ngn3. Gain- and loss-of-function analyses of MFng by the generation of mice that overexpress MFng in early pancreatic progenitor cells and mice with a targeted deletion of MFng provide, however, evidence that MFng is dispensable for pancreas development and function, since no pancreatic defects in these mice were observed.
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Abstract
The major forms of diabetes are characterized by pancreatic islet beta-cell dysfunction and decreased beta-cell numbers, raising hope for cell replacement therapy. Although human islet transplantation is a cell-based therapy under clinical investigation for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, the limited availability of human cadaveric islets for transplantation will preclude its widespread therapeutic application. The result has been an intense focus on the development of alternate sources of beta cells, such as through the guided differentiation of stem or precursor cell populations or the transdifferentiation of more plentiful mature cell populations. Realizing the potential for cell-based therapies, however, requires a thorough understanding of pancreas development and beta-cell formation. Pancreas development is coordinated by a complex interplay of signaling pathways and transcription factors that determine early pancreatic specification as well as the later differentiation of exocrine and endocrine lineages. This review describes the current knowledge of these factors as they relate specifically to the emergence of endocrine beta cells from pancreatic endoderm. Current therapeutic efforts to generate insulin-producing beta-like cells from embryonic stem cells have already capitalized on recent advances in our understanding of the embryonic signals and transcription factors that dictate lineage specification and will most certainly be further enhanced by a continuing emphasis on the identification of novel factors and regulatory relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M. Oliver-Krasinski
- Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism and the Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Doris A. Stoffers
- Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism and the Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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Nakhai H, Siveke JT, Klein B, Mendoza-Torres L, Mazur PK, Algül H, Radtke F, Strobl L, Zimber-Strobl U, Schmid RM. Conditional ablation of Notch signaling in pancreatic development. Development 2008; 135:2757-65. [PMID: 18635610 DOI: 10.1242/dev.013722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The role of the Notch signaling members Notch1, Notch2 and Rbpj in exocrine pancreatic development is not well defined. We therefore analyzed conditional pancreas-specific Rbpj and combined Notch1/Notch2 knockout mice using Ptf1a(+/Cre(ex1)) mice crossed with floxed Rbpj or Notch1/Notch2 mice. Mice were analyzed at different embryonic stages for pancreatic exocrine and endocrine development. The absence of Rbpj in pancreatic progenitor cells impaired exocrine pancreas development up to embryonic day 18.5 and led to premature differentiation of pancreatic progenitors into endocrine cells. In Rbpj-deficient pancreata, amylase-expressing acini and islets formed during late embryonic and postnatal development, suggesting an essential role of Rbpj in early but not late development. Contrary to this severe phenotype, the concomitant inactivation of Notch1 and Notch2 only moderately disturbed the proliferation of pancreatic epithelial cells during early embryonic development, and did not inhibit pancreatic development. Our results show that, in contrast to Rbpj, Notch1 and Notch2 are not essential for pancreatogenesis. These data favor a Notch-independent role of Rbpj in the development of the exocrine pancreas. Furthermore, our findings suggest that in late stages of pancreatic development exocrine cell differentiation and maintenance are independent of Rbpj.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Nakhai
- Department of Internal Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Ismaniger Strasse 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
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