1
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Abu Nahia K, Sulej A, Migdał M, Ochocka N, Ho R, Kamińska B, Zagorski M, Winata CL. scRNA-seq reveals the diversity of the developing cardiac cell lineage and molecular players in heart rhythm regulation. iScience 2024; 27:110083. [PMID: 38872974 PMCID: PMC11170199 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
We utilized scRNA-seq to delineate the diversity of cell types in the zebrafish heart. Transcriptome profiling of over 50,000 cells at 48 and 72 hpf defined at least 18 discrete cell lineages of the developing heart. Utilizing well-established gene signatures, we identified a population of cells likely to be the primary pacemaker and characterized the transcriptome profile defining this critical cell type. Two previously uncharacterized genes, atp1b3b and colec10, were found to be enriched in the sinoatrial cardiomyocytes. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of these two genes significantly reduced heart rate, implicating their role in cardiac development and conduction. Additionally, we describe other cardiac cell lineages, including the endothelial and neural cells, providing their expression profiles as a resource. Our results established a detailed atlas of the developing heart, providing valuable insights into cellular and molecular mechanisms, and pinpointed potential new players in heart rhythm regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim Abu Nahia
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agata Sulej
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Migdał
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Natalia Ochocka
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Richard Ho
- Institute of Theoretical Physics and Mark Kac Center for Complex Systems Research, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
- The Njord Centre, Department of Physics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bożena Kamińska
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marcin Zagorski
- Institute of Theoretical Physics and Mark Kac Center for Complex Systems Research, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
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2
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Cardeira-da-Silva J, Wang Q, Sagvekar P, Mintcheva J, Latting S, Günther S, Ramadass R, Yekelchyk M, Preussner J, Looso M, Junker JP, Stainier DYR. Antigen presentation plays positive roles in the regenerative response to cardiac injury in zebrafish. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3637. [PMID: 38684665 PMCID: PMC11058276 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47430-1] [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: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
In contrast to adult mammals, adult zebrafish can fully regenerate injured cardiac tissue, and this regeneration process requires an adequate and tightly controlled immune response. However, which components of the immune response are required during regeneration is unclear. Here, we report positive roles for the antigen presentation-adaptive immunity axis during zebrafish cardiac regeneration. We find that following the initial innate immune response, activated endocardial cells (EdCs), as well as immune cells, start expressing antigen presentation genes. We also observe that T helper cells, a.k.a. Cd4+ T cells, lie in close physical proximity to these antigen-presenting EdCs. We targeted Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class II antigen presentation by generating cd74a; cd74b mutants, which display a defective immune response. In these mutants, Cd4+ T cells and activated EdCs fail to efficiently populate the injured tissue and EdC proliferation is significantly decreased. cd74a; cd74b mutants exhibit additional defects in cardiac regeneration including reduced cardiomyocyte dedifferentiation and proliferation. Notably, Cd74 also becomes activated in neonatal mouse EdCs following cardiac injury. Altogether, these findings point to positive roles for antigen presentation during cardiac regeneration, potentially involving interactions between activated EdCs, classical antigen-presenting cells, and Cd4+ T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Cardeira-da-Silva
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany.
- DZHK German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Partner Site Rhine-Main, Bad Nauheim, Germany.
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Bad Nauheim, Germany.
| | - Qianchen Wang
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- DZHK German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Partner Site Rhine-Main, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Pooja Sagvekar
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- DZHK German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Partner Site Rhine-Main, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Janita Mintcheva
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Berlin, Germany
- Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stephan Latting
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Stefan Günther
- DZHK German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Partner Site Rhine-Main, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Bioinformatics and Deep Sequencing Platform, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Radhan Ramadass
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Michail Yekelchyk
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Bioinformatics and Deep Sequencing Platform, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Jens Preussner
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Bioinformatics Core Unit (BCU), Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Mario Looso
- DZHK German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Partner Site Rhine-Main, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Bioinformatics Core Unit (BCU), Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Jan Philipp Junker
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Berlin, Germany
- DZHK German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Didier Y R Stainier
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany.
- DZHK German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Partner Site Rhine-Main, Bad Nauheim, Germany.
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Bad Nauheim, Germany.
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3
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Coppola A, Lombari P, Mazzella E, Capolongo G, Simeoni M, Perna AF, Ingrosso D, Borriello M. Zebrafish as a Model of Cardiac Pathology and Toxicity: Spotlight on Uremic Toxins. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065656. [PMID: 36982730 PMCID: PMC10052014 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an increasing health care problem. About 10% of the general population is affected by CKD, representing the sixth cause of death in the world. Cardiovascular events are the main mortality cause in CKD, with a cardiovascular risk 10 times higher in these patients than the rate observed in healthy subjects. The gradual decline of the kidney leads to the accumulation of uremic solutes with a negative effect on every organ, especially on the cardiovascular system. Mammalian models, sharing structural and functional similarities with humans, have been widely used to study cardiovascular disease mechanisms and test new therapies, but many of them are rather expensive and difficult to manipulate. Over the last few decades, zebrafish has become a powerful non-mammalian model to study alterations associated with human disease. The high conservation of gene function, low cost, small size, rapid growth, and easiness of genetic manipulation are just some of the features of this experimental model. More specifically, embryonic cardiac development and physiological responses to exposure to numerous toxin substances are similar to those observed in mammals, making zebrafish an ideal model to study cardiac development, toxicity, and cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annapaola Coppola
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Patrizia Lombari
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Elvira Mazzella
- Department of Translational Medical Science, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanna Capolongo
- Department of Translational Medical Science, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Mariadelina Simeoni
- Department of Translational Medical Science, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandra F. Perna
- Department of Translational Medical Science, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Diego Ingrosso
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Margherita Borriello
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence:
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4
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Minhas R, Loeffler-Wirth H, Siddiqui YH, Obrębski T, Vashisht S, Abu Nahia K, Paterek A, Brzozowska A, Bugajski L, Piwocka K, Korzh V, Binder H, Winata CL. Transcriptome profile of the sinoatrial ring reveals conserved and novel genetic programs of the zebrafish pacemaker. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:715. [PMID: 34600492 PMCID: PMC8487553 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08016-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sinoatrial Node (SAN) is part of the cardiac conduction system, which controls the rhythmic contraction of the vertebrate heart. The SAN consists of a specialized pacemaker cell population that has the potential to generate electrical impulses. Although the SAN pacemaker has been extensively studied in mammalian and teleost models, including the zebrafish, their molecular nature remains inadequately comprehended. RESULTS To characterize the molecular profile of the zebrafish sinoatrial ring (SAR) and elucidate the mechanism of pacemaker function, we utilized the transgenic line sqet33mi59BEt to isolate cells of the SAR of developing zebrafish embryos and profiled their transcriptome. Our analyses identified novel candidate genes and well-known conserved signaling pathways involved in pacemaker development. We show that, compared to the rest of the heart, the zebrafish SAR overexpresses several mammalian SAN pacemaker signature genes, which include hcn4 as well as those encoding calcium- and potassium-gated channels. Moreover, genes encoding components of the BMP and Wnt signaling pathways, as well as members of the Tbx family, which have previously been implicated in pacemaker development, were also overexpressed in the SAR. Among SAR-overexpressed genes, 24 had human homologues implicated in 104 different ClinVar phenotype entries related to various forms of congenital heart diseases, which suggest the relevance of our transcriptomics resource to studying human heart conditions. Finally, functional analyses of three SAR-overexpressed genes, pard6a, prom2, and atp1a1a.2, uncovered their novel role in heart development and physiology. CONCLUSION Our results established conserved aspects between zebrafish and mammalian pacemaker function and revealed novel factors implicated in maintaining cardiac rhythm. The transcriptome data generated in this study represents a unique and valuable resource for the study of pacemaker function and associated heart diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashid Minhas
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- Randall Centre of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Henry Loeffler-Wirth
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Yusra H Siddiqui
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- School of Human Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, University of Derby, Derby, UK
| | - Tomasz Obrębski
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Shikha Vashisht
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karim Abu Nahia
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alexandra Paterek
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Angelika Brzozowska
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Lukasz Bugajski
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Laboratory of Cytometry, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Piwocka
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Laboratory of Cytometry, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Vladimir Korzh
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Hans Binder
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cecilia Lanny Winata
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
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5
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Abu Nahia K, Migdał M, Quinn TA, Poon KL, Łapiński M, Sulej A, Liu J, Mondal SS, Pawlak M, Bugajski Ł, Piwocka K, Brand T, Kohl P, Korzh V, Winata C. Genomic and physiological analyses of the zebrafish atrioventricular canal reveal molecular building blocks of the secondary pacemaker region. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:6669-6687. [PMID: 34557935 PMCID: PMC8558220 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03939-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The atrioventricular canal (AVC) is the site where key structures responsible for functional division between heart regions are established, most importantly, the atrioventricular (AV) conduction system and cardiac valves. To elucidate the mechanism underlying AVC development and function, we utilized transgenic zebrafish line sqet31Et expressing EGFP in the AVC to isolate this cell population and profile its transcriptome at 48 and 72 hpf. The zebrafish AVC transcriptome exhibits hallmarks of mammalian AV node, including the expression of genes implicated in its development and those encoding connexins forming low conductance gap junctions. Transcriptome analysis uncovered protein-coding and noncoding transcripts enriched in AVC, which have not been previously associated with this structure, as well as dynamic expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition markers and components of TGF-β, Notch, and Wnt signaling pathways likely reflecting ongoing AVC and valve development. Using transgenic line Tg(myl7:mermaid) encoding voltage-sensitive fluorescent protein, we show that abolishing the pacemaker-containing sinoatrial ring (SAR) through Isl1 loss of function resulted in spontaneous activation in the AVC region, suggesting that it possesses inherent automaticity although insufficient to replace the SAR. The SAR and AVC transcriptomes express partially overlapping species of ion channels and gap junction proteins, reflecting their distinct roles. Besides identifying conserved aspects between zebrafish and mammalian conduction systems, our results established molecular hallmarks of the developing AVC which underlies its role in structural and electrophysiological separation between heart chambers. This data constitutes a valuable resource for studying AVC development and function, and identification of novel candidate genes implicated in these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim Abu Nahia
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Migdał
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - T Alexander Quinn
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Kar-Lai Poon
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 61 Biopolis Dr, Singapore , Singapore.,Developmental Dynamics, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Maciej Łapiński
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agata Sulej
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jiandong Liu
- McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Shamba S Mondal
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Michał Pawlak
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | | | - Thomas Brand
- Developmental Dynamics, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Peter Kohl
- Institute for Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine, University Heart Centre, Faculty of Medicine, and Faculty of Engineering, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Vladimir Korzh
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Cecilia Winata
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
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6
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Allanki S, Strilic B, Scheinberger L, Onderwater YL, Marks A, Günther S, Preussner J, Kikhi K, Looso M, Stainier DYR, Reischauer S. Interleukin-11 signaling promotes cellular reprogramming and limits fibrotic scarring during tissue regeneration. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabg6497. [PMID: 34516874 PMCID: PMC8442930 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg6497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Damage-induced fibrotic scarring limits tissue regeneration in mammals and is a leading cause of morbidity. In contrast, species like zebrafish can regenerate damaged tissues without excessive fibrosis. However, whether specific signaling pathways can both limit fibrosis and promote regeneration is unclear. Here, we show that interleukin-11 (Il-11)/Stat3 signaling has such a dual function. Zebrafish lacking Il-11 receptor function display severely compromised heart, fin, and scale regeneration. Deep phenotyping and transcriptional analysis of adult hearts and fins show that Il-11 signaling drives cellular reprogramming to orchestrate global and tissue-specific regenerative programs and broadly antagonizes hallmarks of adult mammalian scarring. Mechanistically, our data indicate that IL-11 signaling in endothelial cells antagonizes profibrotic transforming growth factor–β signaling and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition, limiting scarring and promoting cardiomyocyte repopulation, after injury. Overall, our findings position damage-induced Il-11/Stat3 signaling in a key role limiting fibrosis and promoting regeneration, revealing novel targets for regenerative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srinivas Allanki
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Medical Clinic I (Cardiology/Angiology) and Campus Kerckhoff, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Boris Strilic
- Department of Pharmacology, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Lilly Scheinberger
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Yeszamin L. Onderwater
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Alora Marks
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Stefan Günther
- Bioinformatics and Deep Sequencing Platform, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Jens Preussner
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Bioinformatics Core Unit (BCU), Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Khrievono Kikhi
- Flow Cytometry Service Group, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Mario Looso
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Bioinformatics Core Unit (BCU), Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Didier Y. R. Stainier
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sven Reischauer
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Medical Clinic I (Cardiology/Angiology) and Campus Kerckhoff, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute, Frankfurt, Germany
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7
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Parisi C, Vashisht S, Winata CL. Fish-Ing for Enhancers in the Heart. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:3914. [PMID: 33920121 PMCID: PMC8069060 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22083914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Precise control of gene expression is crucial to ensure proper development and biological functioning of an organism. Enhancers are non-coding DNA elements which play an essential role in regulating gene expression. They contain specific sequence motifs serving as binding sites for transcription factors which interact with the basal transcription machinery at their target genes. Heart development is regulated by intricate gene regulatory network ensuring precise spatiotemporal gene expression program. Mutations affecting enhancers have been shown to result in devastating forms of congenital heart defect. Therefore, identifying enhancers implicated in heart biology and understanding their mechanism is key to improve diagnosis and therapeutic options. Despite their crucial role, enhancers are poorly studied, mainly due to a lack of reliable way to identify them and determine their function. Nevertheless, recent technological advances have allowed rapid progress in enhancer discovery. Model organisms such as the zebrafish have contributed significant insights into the genetics of heart development through enabling functional analyses of genes and their regulatory elements in vivo. Here, we summarize the current state of knowledge on heart enhancers gained through studies in model organisms, discuss various approaches to discover and study their function, and finally suggest methods that could further advance research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costantino Parisi
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland; (C.P.); (S.V.)
| | - Shikha Vashisht
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland; (C.P.); (S.V.)
| | - Cecilia Lanny Winata
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland; (C.P.); (S.V.)
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
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8
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Duong TB, Holowiecki A, Waxman JS. Retinoic acid signaling restricts the size of the first heart field within the anterior lateral plate mesoderm. Dev Biol 2021; 473:119-129. [PMID: 33607112 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Retinoic acid (RA) signaling is required to restrict heart size through limiting the posterior boundary of the vertebrate cardiac progenitor field within the anterior lateral plate mesoderm (ALPM). However, we still do not fully understand how different cardiac progenitor populations that contribute to the developing heart, including earlier-differentiating first heart field (FHF), later-differentiating second heart field (SHF), and neural crest-derived progenitors, are each affected in RA-deficient embryos. Here, we quantified the number of cardiac progenitors and differentiating cardiomyocytes (CMs) in RA-deficient zebrafish embryos. While Nkx2.5+ cells were increased overall in the nascent hearts of RA-deficient embryos, unexpectedly, we found that the major effect within this population was a significant expansion in the number of differentiating FHF CMs. In contrast to the expansion of the FHF, there was a progressive decrease in SHF progenitors at the arterial pole as the heart tube elongated. Temporal differentiation assays and immunostaining in RA-deficient embryos showed that the outflow tracts (OFTs) of the hearts were significantly smaller, containing fewer differentiated SHF-derived ventricular CMs and a complete absence of SHF-derived smooth muscle at later stages. At the venous pole of the heart, pacemaker cells of the sinoatrial node also failed to differentiate in RA-deficient embryos. Interestingly, genetic lineage tracing showed that the number of neural-crest derived CMs was not altered within the enlarged hearts of RA-deficient zebrafish embryos. Altogether, our data show that the enlarged hearts in RA-deficient zebrafish embryos are comprised of an expansion in earlier differentiating FHF-derived CMs coupled with a progressive depletion of the SHF, suggesting RA signaling determines the relative ratios of earlier- and later-differentiation cardiac progenitors within an expanded cardiac progenitor pool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany B Duong
- Molecular Genetics Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Molecular Cardiovascular Biology Division and Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Andrew Holowiecki
- Molecular Cardiovascular Biology Division and Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Joshua S Waxman
- Molecular Cardiovascular Biology Division and Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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9
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Andrés-Delgado L, Galardi-Castilla M, Münch J, Peralta M, Ernst A, González-Rosa JM, Tessadori F, Santamaría L, Bakkers J, Vermot J, de la Pompa JL, Mercader N. Notch and Bmp signaling pathways act coordinately during the formation of the proepicardium. Dev Dyn 2020; 249:1455-1469. [PMID: 33103836 PMCID: PMC7754311 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The epicardium is the outer mesothelial layer of the heart. It encloses the myocardium and plays key roles in heart development and regeneration. It derives from the proepicardium (PE), cell clusters that appear in the dorsal pericardium (DP) close to the atrioventricular canal and the venous pole of the heart, and are released into the pericardial cavity. PE cells are advected around the beating heart until they attach to the myocardium. Bmp and Notch signaling influence PE formation, but it is unclear how both signaling pathways interact during this process in the zebrafish. RESULTS Here, we show that the developing PE is influenced by Notch signaling derived from the endothelium. Overexpression of the intracellular receptor of notch in the endothelium enhances bmp expression, increases the number of pSmad1/5 positive cells in the DP and PE, and enhances PE formation. On the contrary, pharmacological inhibition of Notch1 impairs PE formation. bmp2b overexpression can rescue loss of PE formation in the presence of a Notch1 inhibitor, but Notch gain-of-function could not recover PE formation in the absence of Bmp signaling. CONCLUSIONS Endothelial Notch signaling activates bmp expression in the heart tube, which in turn induces PE cluster formation from the DP layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Andrés-Delgado
- Development of the Epicardium and its Role During Regeneration Laboratory, National Center of Cardiovascular Research Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Anatomy, Histology, and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autonoma University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Galardi-Castilla
- Development of the Epicardium and its Role During Regeneration Laboratory, National Center of Cardiovascular Research Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juliane Münch
- Intercellular Signaling in Cardiovascular Development and Disease Laboratory, National Center of Cardiovascular Research Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Ciber CV, Madrid, Spain.,Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam University, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Marina Peralta
- Development of the Epicardium and its Role During Regeneration Laboratory, National Center of Cardiovascular Research Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology (IGBMC), Illkirch, France.,Australian Regenerative Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Juan Manuel González-Rosa
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Luis Santamaría
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autonoma University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jeroen Bakkers
- Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Division of Heart and Lungs, Department of Medical Physiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Julien Vermot
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology (IGBMC), Illkirch, France.,Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - José Luis de la Pompa
- Intercellular Signaling in Cardiovascular Development and Disease Laboratory, National Center of Cardiovascular Research Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Ciber CV, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nadia Mercader
- Development of the Epicardium and its Role During Regeneration Laboratory, National Center of Cardiovascular Research Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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10
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Marín-Juez R, El-Sammak H, Helker CSM, Kamezaki A, Mullapuli ST, Bibli SI, Foglia MJ, Fleming I, Poss KD, Stainier DYR. Coronary Revascularization During Heart Regeneration Is Regulated by Epicardial and Endocardial Cues and Forms a Scaffold for Cardiomyocyte Repopulation. Dev Cell 2020; 51:503-515.e4. [PMID: 31743664 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 07/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Defective coronary network function and insufficient blood supply are both cause and consequence of myocardial infarction. Efficient revascularization after infarction is essential to support tissue repair and function. Zebrafish hearts exhibit a remarkable ability to regenerate, and coronary revascularization initiates within hours of injury, but how this process is regulated remains unknown. Here, we show that revascularization requires a coordinated multi-tissue response culminating with the formation of a complex vascular network available as a scaffold for cardiomyocyte repopulation. During a process we term "coronary-endocardial anchoring," new coronaries respond by sprouting (1) superficially within the regenerating epicardium and (2) intra-ventricularly toward the activated endocardium. Mechanistically, superficial revascularization is guided by epicardial Cxcl12-Cxcr4 signaling and intra-ventricular sprouting by endocardial Vegfa signaling. Our findings indicate that the injury-activated epicardium and endocardium support cardiomyocyte replenishment initially through the guidance of coronary sprouting. Simulating this process in the injured mammalian heart should help its healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Marín-Juez
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany; German Center of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner site RheinMain, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Hadil El-Sammak
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany; German Center of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner site RheinMain, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christian S M Helker
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany; German Center of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner site RheinMain, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Aosa Kamezaki
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany; German Center of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner site RheinMain, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sri Teja Mullapuli
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany; German Center of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner site RheinMain, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sofia-Iris Bibli
- German Center of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner site RheinMain, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Institute for Vascular Signalling, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Matthew J Foglia
- Regeneration Next, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Ingrid Fleming
- German Center of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner site RheinMain, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Institute for Vascular Signalling, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Kenneth D Poss
- Regeneration Next, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Didier Y R Stainier
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany; German Center of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner site RheinMain, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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11
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Beisaw A, Kuenne C, Guenther S, Dallmann J, Wu CC, Bentsen M, Looso M, Stainier DYR. AP-1 Contributes to Chromatin Accessibility to Promote Sarcomere Disassembly and Cardiomyocyte Protrusion During Zebrafish Heart Regeneration. Circ Res 2020; 126:1760-1778. [PMID: 32312172 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.119.316167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE The adult human heart is an organ with low regenerative potential. Heart failure following acute myocardial infarction is a leading cause of death due to the inability of cardiomyocytes to proliferate and replenish lost cardiac muscle. While the zebrafish has emerged as a powerful model to study endogenous cardiac regeneration, the molecular mechanisms by which cardiomyocytes respond to damage by disassembling sarcomeres, proliferating, and repopulating the injured area remain unclear. Furthermore, we are far from understanding the regulation of the chromatin landscape and epigenetic barriers that must be overcome for cardiac regeneration to occur. OBJECTIVE To identify transcription factor regulators of the chromatin landscape, which promote cardiomyocyte regeneration in zebrafish, and investigate their function. METHODS AND RESULTS Using the Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin coupled to high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-Seq), we first find that the regenerating cardiomyocyte chromatin accessibility landscape undergoes extensive changes following cryoinjury, and that activator protein-1 (AP-1) binding sites are the most highly enriched motifs in regions that gain accessibility during cardiac regeneration. Furthermore, using bioinformatic and gene expression analyses, we find that the AP-1 response in regenerating adult zebrafish cardiomyocytes is largely different from the response in adult mammalian cardiomyocytes. Using a cardiomyocyte-specific dominant negative approach, we show that blocking AP-1 function leads to defects in cardiomyocyte proliferation as well as decreased chromatin accessibility at the fbxl22 and ilk loci, which regulate sarcomere disassembly and cardiomyocyte protrusion into the injured area, respectively. We further show that overexpression of the AP-1 family members Junb and Fosl1 can promote changes in mammalian cardiomyocyte behavior in vitro. CONCLUSIONS AP-1 transcription factors play an essential role in the cardiomyocyte response to injury by regulating chromatin accessibility changes, thereby allowing the activation of gene expression programs that promote cardiomyocyte dedifferentiation, proliferation, and protrusion into the injured area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arica Beisaw
- From the Department of Developmental Genetics (A.B., J.D., C.-C.W., D.Y.R.S.), Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany.,German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) Partner Site Rhine-Main (A.B., S.G., D.Y.R.S.), Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Carsten Kuenne
- ECCPS Bioinformatics and Deep Sequencing Platform (C.K., S.G., M.B., M.L.), Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Stefan Guenther
- ECCPS Bioinformatics and Deep Sequencing Platform (C.K., S.G., M.B., M.L.), Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany.,German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) Partner Site Rhine-Main (A.B., S.G., D.Y.R.S.), Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Julia Dallmann
- From the Department of Developmental Genetics (A.B., J.D., C.-C.W., D.Y.R.S.), Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Chi-Chung Wu
- From the Department of Developmental Genetics (A.B., J.D., C.-C.W., D.Y.R.S.), Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Mette Bentsen
- ECCPS Bioinformatics and Deep Sequencing Platform (C.K., S.G., M.B., M.L.), Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Mario Looso
- ECCPS Bioinformatics and Deep Sequencing Platform (C.K., S.G., M.B., M.L.), Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Didier Y R Stainier
- From the Department of Developmental Genetics (A.B., J.D., C.-C.W., D.Y.R.S.), Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany.,German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) Partner Site Rhine-Main (A.B., S.G., D.Y.R.S.), Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
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12
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Ciliary neurotrophic factor stimulates cardioprotection and the proliferative activity in the adult zebrafish heart. NPJ Regen Med 2019; 4:2. [PMID: 30701084 PMCID: PMC6345746 DOI: 10.1038/s41536-019-0064-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike mammals, adult zebrafish can regenerate their hearts after injury via proliferation of cardiomyocytes. The cell-cycle entry of zebrafish cardiac cells can also be stimulated through preconditioning by thoracotomy, a chest incision without myocardial damage. To identify effector genes of heart preconditioning, we performed transcriptome analysis of ventricles from thoracotomized zebrafish. This intervention led to enrichment of cardioprotective factors, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition genes, matrix proteins and components of LIFR/gp130 signaling. We identified that inhibition of the downstream signal transducer of the LIFR/gp130 pathway through treatment with Ruxolitinib, a specific JAK1/2 antagonist, suppressed the cellular effects of preconditioning. Activation of LIFR/gp130 signaling by a single injection of the ligand Cilliary Neurotrophic Factor, CNTF, was sufficient to trigger cardiomyocyte proliferation in the intact heart. In addition, CNTF induced other pro-regenerative processes, including expression of cardioprotective genes, activation of the epicardium, enhanced intramyocardial Collagen XII deposition and leucocyte recruitment. These effects were abrogated by the concomitant inhibition of the JAK/STAT activity. Mutation of the cntf gene suppressed the proliferative response of cardiomyocytes after thoracotomy. In the regenerating zebrafish heart, CNTF injection prior to ventricular cryoinjury improved the initiation of regeneration via reduced cell apoptosis and boosted cardiomyocyte proliferation. Our findings reveal the molecular effectors of preconditioning and demonstrate that exogenous CNTF exerts beneficial regenerative effects by rendering the heart more resilient to injury and efficient in activation of the proliferative programs.
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13
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Cao Y, Cao J. Covering and Re-Covering the Heart: Development and Regeneration of the Epicardium. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2018; 6:jcdd6010003. [PMID: 30586891 PMCID: PMC6463056 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd6010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The epicardium, a mesothelial layer that envelops vertebrate hearts, has become a therapeutic target in cardiac repair strategies because of its vital role in heart development and cardiac injury response. Epicardial cells serve as a progenitor cell source and signaling center during both heart development and regeneration. The importance of the epicardium in cardiac repair strategies has been reemphasized by recent progress regarding its requirement for heart regeneration in zebrafish, and by the ability of patches with epicardial factors to restore cardiac function following myocardial infarction in mammals. The live surveillance of epicardial development and regeneration using zebrafish has provided new insights into this topic. In this review, we provide updated knowledge about epicardial development and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxi Cao
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA.
| | - Jingli Cao
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA.
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14
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Zhong Y, Huang W, Du J, Wang Z, He J, Luo L. Improved Tol2-mediated enhancer trap identifies weakly expressed genes during liver and β cell development and regeneration in zebrafish. J Biol Chem 2018; 294:932-940. [PMID: 30504219 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.005568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The liver and pancreas are two major digestive organs, and among the different cell types in them, hepatocytes and the insulin-producing β cells have roles in both health and diseases. Accordingly, clinicians and researchers are very interested in the mechanisms underlying the development and regeneration of liver and pancreatic β cells. Gene and enhancer traps such as the Tol2 transposon-based system are useful for identifying genes potentially involved in developmental processes in the zebrafish model. Here, we developed a strategy that combines a Tol2-mediated enhancer trap and the Cre/loxP system by using loxP-flanked reporters driven by β cell- or hepatocyte-specific promoters and the upstream activating sequence (UAS)-driving Cre. Two double-transgenic reporter lines, Tg(ins:loxP-CFPNTR-loxP-DsRed; 10×UAS:Cre, cryaa:Venus) and Tg(fabp10:loxP-CFPNTR-loxP-DsRed; 10×UAS:Cre, cryaa:Venus), were established to label pancreatic β cells and hepatocytes, respectively. These two double-transgenic lines were each crossed with the Tol2-enhancer trap founder lines to screen for and identify genes expressed in the β cell and hepatocytes during development. This trap system coupled with application of nitroreductase (NTR)/metronidazole (Mtz)-mediated cell ablation could identify genes expressed during regeneration. Of note, pilot enhancer traps captured transiently and weakly expressed genes such as rab3da and ensab with higher efficiencies than traditional enhancer trap systems. In conclusion, through permanent genetic labeling by Cre/loxP, this improved Tol2-mediated enhancer trap system provides a promising method to identify transiently or weakly expressed, but potentially important, genes during development and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yadong Zhong
- From the Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, and.,Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Beibei, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Wei Huang
- From the Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, and.,Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Beibei, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Jiang Du
- From the Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, and.,Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Beibei, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Zekun Wang
- From the Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, and.,Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Beibei, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Jianbo He
- From the Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, and.,Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Beibei, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Lingfei Luo
- From the Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, and .,Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Beibei, 400715 Chongqing, China
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15
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Abstract
After decades of directed research, no effective regenerative therapy is currently available to repair the injured human heart. The epicardium, a layer of mesothelial tissue that envelops the heart in all vertebrates, has emerged as a new player in cardiac repair and regeneration. The epicardium is essential for muscle regeneration in the zebrafish model of innate heart regeneration, and the epicardium also participates in fibrotic responses in mammalian hearts. This structure serves as a source of crucial cells, such as vascular smooth muscle cells, pericytes, and fibroblasts, during heart development and repair. The epicardium also secretes factors that are essential for proliferation and survival of cardiomyocytes. In this Review, we describe recent advances in our understanding of the biology of the epicardium and the effect of these findings on the candidacy of this structure as a therapeutic target for heart repair and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingli Cao
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
- Regeneration Next, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Kenneth D Poss
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
- Regeneration Next, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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16
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sox9b is required in cardiomyocytes for cardiac morphogenesis and function. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13906. [PMID: 30224706 PMCID: PMC6141582 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32125-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The high mobility group transcription factor SOX9 is expressed in stem cells, progenitor cells, and differentiated cell-types in developing and mature organs. Exposure to a variety of toxicants including dioxin, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate, and chlorpyrifos results in the downregulation of tetrapod Sox9 and/or zebrafish sox9b. Disruption of Sox9/sox9b function through environmental exposures or genetic mutations produce a wide range of phenotypes and adversely affect organ development and health. We generated a dominant-negative sox9b (dnsox9b) to inhibit sox9b target gene expression and used the Gal4/UAS system to drive dnsox9b specifically in cardiomyocytes. Cardiomyocyte-specific inhibition of sox9b function resulted in a decrease in ventricular cardiomyocytes, an increase in atrial cardiomyocytes, hypoplastic endothelial cushions, and impaired epicardial development, ultimately culminating in heart failure. Cardiomyocyte-specific dnsox9b expression significantly reduced end diastolic volume, which corresponded with a decrease in stroke volume, ejection fraction, and cardiac output. Further analysis of isolated cardiac tissue by RT-qPCR revealed cardiomyocyte-specific inhibition of sox9b function significantly decreased the expression of the critical cardiac development genes nkx2.5, nkx2.7, and myl7, as well as c-fos, an immediate early gene necessary for cardiomyocyte progenitor differentiation. Together our studies indicate sox9b transcriptional regulation is necessary for cardiomyocyte development and function.
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17
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Paone C, Diofano F, Park DD, Rottbauer W, Just S. Genetics of Cardiovascular Disease: Fishing for Causality. Front Cardiovasc Med 2018; 5:60. [PMID: 29911105 PMCID: PMC5992778 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2018.00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is still the leading cause of death in all western world countries and genetic predisposition in combination with traditional risk factors frequently mediates their manifestation. Genome-wide association (GWA) studies revealed numerous potentially disease modifying genetic loci often including several SNPs and associated genes. However, pure genetic association does not prove direct or indirect relevance of the modifier region on pathogenesis, nor does it define within the associated region the exact genetic driver of the disease. Therefore, the relevance of the identified genetic disease associations needs to be confirmed either in monogenic traits or in experimental in vivo model system by functional genomic studies. In this review, we focus on the use of functional genomic approaches such as gene knock-down or CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing in the zebrafish model to validate disease-associated genomic loci and to identify novel cardiovascular disease genes. We summarize the benefits of the zebrafish for cardiovascular research and highlight examples demonstrating the successful combination of GWA studies and functional genomics in zebrafish to broaden our knowledge on the genetic and molecular underpinnings of cardiovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Paone
- Molecular Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Federica Diofano
- Molecular Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Deung-Dae Park
- Molecular Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Steffen Just
- Molecular Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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18
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Münch J, Grivas D, González-Rajal Á, Torregrosa-Carrión R, de la Pompa JL. Notch signalling restricts inflammation and serpine1 expression in the dynamic endocardium of the regenerating zebrafish heart. Development 2017; 144:1425-1440. [PMID: 28242613 DOI: 10.1242/dev.143362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The zebrafish heart regenerates after ventricular damage through a process involving inflammation, fibrotic tissue deposition/removal and myocardial regeneration. Using 3D whole-mount imaging, we reveal a highly dynamic endocardium during cardiac regeneration, including changes in cell morphology, behaviour and gene expression. These events lay the foundation for an initial expansion of the endocardium that matures to form a coherent endocardial structure within the injury site. We studied two important endocardial molecules, Serpine1 and Notch, which are implicated in different aspects of endocardial regeneration. Notch signalling regulates developmental gene expression and features of endocardial maturation. Also, Notch manipulation interferes with attenuation of the inflammatory response and cardiomyocyte proliferation and dedifferentiation. serpine1 is strongly expressed very early in the wound endocardium, with decreasing expression at later time points. serpine1 expression persists in Notch-abrogated hearts, via what appears to be a conserved mechanism. Functional inhibition studies show that Serpine1 controls endocardial maturation and proliferation and cardiomyocyte proliferation. Thus, we describe a highly dynamic endocardium in the regenerating zebrafish heart, with two key endocardial players, Serpine1 and Notch signalling, regulating crucial regenerative processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Münch
- Intercellular Signalling in Cardiovascular Development and Disease Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid E-28029, Spain.,Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam University, Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 24-25, Potsdam D-14476, Germany
| | - Dimitrios Grivas
- Intercellular Signalling in Cardiovascular Development and Disease Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid E-28029, Spain.,CIBER CV, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Álvaro González-Rajal
- Intercellular Signalling in Cardiovascular Development and Disease Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid E-28029, Spain.,Cancer Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, 370 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Rebeca Torregrosa-Carrión
- Intercellular Signalling in Cardiovascular Development and Disease Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid E-28029, Spain.,CIBER CV, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - José Luis de la Pompa
- Intercellular Signalling in Cardiovascular Development and Disease Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid E-28029, Spain .,CIBER CV, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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19
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Grant MG, Patterson VL, Grimes DT, Burdine RD. Modeling Syndromic Congenital Heart Defects in Zebrafish. Curr Top Dev Biol 2017; 124:1-40. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2016.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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20
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Development of the cardiac conduction system in zebrafish. Gene Expr Patterns 2016; 21:89-96. [PMID: 27593944 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2016.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Revised: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The cardiac conduction system (CCS) propagates and coordinates the electrical excitation that originates from the pacemaker cells, throughout the heart, resulting in rhythmic heartbeat. Its defects result in life-threatening arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Understanding of the factors involved in the formation and function of the CCS remains incomplete. By transposon assisted transgenesis, we have developed enhancer trap (ET) lines of zebrafish that express fluorescent protein in the pacemaker cells at the sino-atrial node (SAN) and the atrio-ventricular region (AVR), termed CCS transgenics. This expression pattern begins at the stage when the heart undergoes looping morphogenesis at 36 h post fertilization (hpf) and is maintained into adulthood. Using the CCS transgenics, we investigated the effects of perturbation of cardiac function, as simulated by either the absence of endothelium or hemodynamic stimulation, on the cardiac conduction cells, which resulted in abnormal compaction of the SAN. To uncover the identity of the gene represented by the EGFP expression in the CCS transgenics, we mapped the transposon integration sites on the zebrafish genome to positions in close proximity to the gene encoding fibroblast growth homologous factor 2a (fhf2a). Fhf2a is represented by three transcripts, one of which is expressed in the developing heart. These transgenics are useful tools for studies of development of the CCS and cardiac disease.
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21
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Liu C, Song G, Mao L, Long Y, Li Q, Cui Z. Generation of an Enhancer-Trapping Vector for Insertional Mutagenesis in Zebrafish. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0139612. [PMID: 26436547 PMCID: PMC4593583 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2015] [Accepted: 09/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Enhancer trapping (ET) is a powerful approach to establish tissue- or cell-specific reporters and identify expression patterns of uncharacterized genes. Although a number of enhancer-trapping vectors have been developed and a large library of fish lines with distinct tissue- or cell-specific expression of reporter genes have been generated, the specificity and efficiency of trapping vectors need to be improved because of the bias interaction of minimal promoters with genomic enhancers. Accordingly, we generated an enhancer-trapping vector pTME that contains a minimal mouse metallothionein gene (mMTI) promoter upstream of EGFP reporter. In the first round of screening, twelve zebrafish lines that carry a single copy of ET cassettes were characterized to have tissue- or cell-specific EGFP expression. One of the highly conserved noncoding elements near an insertion site of trapping cassettes was characterized as an enhancer that can specifically regulate the expression of EGFP in cells of the central nervous system. In addition, the pTME vector contains a mutation-cassette that is able to effectively block the transcription of an endogenous gene in an ET line with ubiquitous EGFP expression. Thus, the pTME vector can be used as an alternative tool for both enhancer trapping and mutagenesis across a target genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guili Song
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Lin Mao
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yong Long
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Qing Li
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China
- * E-mail: (ZC); (QL)
| | - Zongbin Cui
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China
- * E-mail: (ZC); (QL)
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22
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Johnson B, Bark D, Van Herck I, Garrity D, Dasi LP. Altered mechanical state in the embryonic heart results in time-dependent decreases in cardiac function. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2015; 14:1379-89. [DOI: 10.1007/s10237-015-0681-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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23
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Bugel SM, Tanguay RL, Planchart A. Zebrafish: A marvel of high-throughput biology for 21 st century toxicology. Curr Environ Health Rep 2014; 1:341-352. [PMID: 25678986 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-014-0029-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The evolutionary conservation of genomic, biochemical and developmental features between zebrafish and humans is gradually coming into focus with the end result that the zebrafish embryo model has emerged as a powerful tool for uncovering the effects of environmental exposures on a multitude of biological processes with direct relevance to human health. In this review, we highlight advances in automation, high-throughput (HT) screening, and analysis that leverage the power of the zebrafish embryo model for unparalleled advances in our understanding of how chemicals in our environment affect our health and wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean M Bugel
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97333
| | - Robert L Tanguay
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97333
| | - Antonio Planchart
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
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24
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Lanham KA, Plavicki J, Peterson RE, Heideman W. Cardiac myocyte-specific AHR activation phenocopies TCDD-induced toxicity in zebrafish. Toxicol Sci 2014; 141:141-54. [PMID: 25037585 PMCID: PMC4271120 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfu111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2013] [Accepted: 05/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure of zebrafish embryos to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) activates the zebrafish aryl hydrocarbon receptor 2 (AHR) to produce developmental and cardiovascular toxicity. AHR is found in the heart; however, AHR activation by TCDD is not confined to the heart and occurs throughout the organism. In order to understand the cause of cardiotoxicity, we constructed a constitutively active AHR (caAHR) based on the zebrafish AHR2 and expressed it specifically in cardiomyocytes. We show that AHR activation within the cardiomyocytes can account for the heart failure induced by TCDD. Expression of the caAHR within the heart produced cardiac malformations, loss of circulation, and pericardial edema. The heart-specific activation of AHR reproduced several other well-characterized endpoints of TCDD toxicity outside of the cardiovascular system, including defects in swim bladder and craniofacial development. This work identifies a single cellular site of TCDD action, the myocardial cell, that can account for the severe cardiovascular collapse observed following early life stage exposure to TCDD, and contributes to other forms of toxicity.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cardiotoxicity
- Embryo, Nonmammalian/drug effects
- Embryo, Nonmammalian/metabolism
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental/drug effects
- Heart Defects, Congenital/chemically induced
- Heart Defects, Congenital/embryology
- Heart Defects, Congenital/metabolism
- Myocytes, Cardiac/drug effects
- Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism
- Plasmids
- Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins/toxicity
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon/genetics
- Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon/metabolism
- Regional Blood Flow/drug effects
- Zebrafish/embryology
- Zebrafish/metabolism
- Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
- Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin A Lanham
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 777 Highland Avenue, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53705-2222
| | - Jessica Plavicki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 777 Highland Avenue, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53705-2222
| | - Richard E Peterson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 777 Highland Avenue, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53705-2222
| | - Warren Heideman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 777 Highland Avenue, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53705-2222
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25
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Plavicki JS, Hofsteen P, Yue MS, Lanham KA, Peterson RE, Heideman W. Multiple modes of proepicardial cell migration require heartbeat. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2014; 14:18. [PMID: 24885804 PMCID: PMC4048602 DOI: 10.1186/1471-213x-14-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2013] [Accepted: 05/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Background The outermost layer of the vertebrate heart, the epicardium, forms from a cluster of progenitor cells termed the proepicardium (PE). PE cells migrate onto the myocardium to give rise to the epicardium. Impaired epicardial development has been associated with defects in valve development, cardiomyocyte proliferation and alignment, cardiac conduction system maturation and adult heart regeneration. Zebrafish are an excellent model for studying cardiac development and regeneration; however, little is known about how the zebrafish epicardium forms. Results We report that PE migration occurs through multiple mechanisms and that the zebrafish epicardium is composed of a heterogeneous population of cells. Heterogeneity is first observed within the PE and persists through epicardium formation. Using in vivo imaging, histology and confocal microscopy, we show that PE cells migrate through a cellular bridge that forms between the pericardial mesothelium and the heart. We also observed the formation of PE aggregates on the pericardial surface, which were released into the pericardial cavity. It was previously reported that heartbeat-induced pericardiac fluid advections are necessary for PE cluster formation and subsequent epicardium development. We manipulated heartbeat genetically and pharmacologically and found that PE clusters clearly form in the absence of heartbeat. However, when heartbeat was inhibited the PE failed to migrate to the myocardium and the epicardium did not form. We isolated and cultured hearts with only a few epicardial progenitor cells and found a complete epicardial layer formed. However, pharmacologically inhibiting contraction in culture prevented epicardium formation. Furthermore, we isolated control and silent heart (sih) morpholino (MO) injected hearts prior to epicardium formation (60 hpf) and co-cultured these hearts with “donor” hearts that had an epicardium forming (108 hpf). Epicardial cells from donor hearts migrated on to control but not sih MO injected hearts. Conclusions Epicardial cells stem from a heterogeneous population of progenitors, suggesting that the progenitors in the PE have distinct identities. PE cells attach to the heart via a cellular bridge and free-floating cell clusters. Pericardiac fluid advections are not necessary for the development of the PE cluster, however heartbeat is required for epicardium formation. Epicardium formation can occur in culture without normal hydrodynamic and hemodynamic forces, but not without contraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica S Plavicki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705-2222, USA.
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26
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Abstract
The epicardium is the mesothelial outer layer of the vertebrate heart. It plays an important role during cardiac development by, among other functions, nourishing the underlying myocardium, contributing to cardiac fibroblasts and giving rise to the coronary vasculature. The epicardium also exerts key functions during injury responses in the adult and contributes to cardiac repair. In this article, we review current knowledge on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying epicardium formation in the zebrafish, a teleost fish, which is rapidly gaining status as an animal model in cardiovascular research, and compare it with the mechanisms described in other vertebrate models. We moreover describe the expression patterns of a subset of available zebrafish Wilms' tumor 1 transgenic reporter lines and discuss their specificity, applicability and limitations in the study of epicardium formation.
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27
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Van Slyke CE, Bradford YM, Westerfield M, Haendel MA. The zebrafish anatomy and stage ontologies: representing the anatomy and development of Danio rerio. J Biomed Semantics 2014; 5:12. [PMID: 24568621 PMCID: PMC3944782 DOI: 10.1186/2041-1480-5-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2013] [Accepted: 02/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The Zebrafish Anatomy Ontology (ZFA) is an OBO Foundry ontology that is used in conjunction with the Zebrafish Stage Ontology (ZFS) to describe the gross and cellular anatomy and development of the zebrafish, Danio rerio, from single cell zygote to adult. The zebrafish model organism database (ZFIN) uses the ZFA and ZFS to annotate phenotype and gene expression data from the primary literature and from contributed data sets. Results The ZFA models anatomy and development with a subclass hierarchy, a partonomy, and a developmental hierarchy and with relationships to the ZFS that define the stages during which each anatomical entity exists. The ZFA and ZFS are developed utilizing OBO Foundry principles to ensure orthogonality, accessibility, and interoperability. The ZFA has 2860 classes representing a diversity of anatomical structures from different anatomical systems and from different stages of development. Conclusions The ZFA describes zebrafish anatomy and development semantically for the purposes of annotating gene expression and anatomical phenotypes. The ontology and the data have been used by other resources to perform cross-species queries of gene expression and phenotype data, providing insights into genetic relationships, morphological evolution, and models of human disease.
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28
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Teh C, Korzh V. In vivo optogenetics for light-induced oxidative stress in transgenic zebrafish expressing the KillerRed photosensitizer protein. Methods Mol Biol 2014; 1148:229-238. [PMID: 24718805 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-0470-9_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Optogenetic methods are gaining broad recognition. The zebrafish is particularly useful for these applications as a model vertebrate due to a unique combination of translucent embryos/larvae and efficient transgenesis. Here, we describe a zebrafish model of light-induced cardiac deficiency. Upon illumination with intense green light, the membrane-tethered photosensitizer protein KillerRed acts as a photoinducer of reactive oxygen species which in turn cause changes in heart rate and contractility in hearts that express this transgene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathleen Teh
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, Singapore, 138673
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29
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Poon KL, Brand T. The zebrafish model system in cardiovascular research: A tiny fish with mighty prospects. Glob Cardiol Sci Pract 2013; 2013:9-28. [PMID: 24688998 PMCID: PMC3963735 DOI: 10.5339/gcsp.2013.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2012] [Accepted: 01/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kar Lai Poon
- Harefield Heart Science Centre, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Hill End Road, Harefield, Middlesex, UB9 6JH, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Brand
- Harefield Heart Science Centre, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Hill End Road, Harefield, Middlesex, UB9 6JH, United Kingdom
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30
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Hofsteen P, Plavicki J, Johnson SD, Peterson RE, Heideman W. Sox9b is required for epicardium formation and plays a role in TCDD-induced heart malformation in zebrafish. Mol Pharmacol 2013; 84:353-60. [PMID: 23775563 DOI: 10.1124/mol.113.086413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Activation of the transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) prevents the formation of the epicardium and leads to severe heart malformations in developing zebrafish (Danio rerio). The downstream genes that cause heart malformation are not known. Because TCDD causes craniofacial malformations in zebrafish by downregulating the sox9b gene, we hypothesized that cardiotoxicity might also result from sox9b downregulation. We found that sox9b is expressed in the developing zebrafish heart ventricle and that TCDD exposure markedly reduces this expression. Furthermore, we found that manipulation of sox9b expression could phenocopy many but not all of the effects of TCDD at the heart. Loss of sox9b prevented the formation of epicardium progenitors comprising the proepicardium on the pericardial wall, and prevented the formation and migration of the epicardial layer around the heart. Zebrafish lacking sox9b showed pericardial edema, an elongated heart, and reduced blood circulation. Fish lacking sox9b failed to form valve cushions and leaflets. Sox9b is one of two mammalian Sox9 homologs, sox9b and sox9a. Knock down of sox9a expression did not cause cardiac malformations, or defects in epicardium development. We conclude that the decrease in sox9b expression in the heart caused by TCDD plays a role in many of the observed signs of cardiotoxicity. We find that while sox9b is expressed in myocardial cells, it is not normally expressed in the affected epicardial cells or progenitors. We therefore speculate that sox9b is involved in signals between the cardiomyocytes and the nascent epicardial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Hofsteen
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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31
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Trinh LA, Fraser SE. Enhancer and gene traps for molecular imaging and genetic analysis in zebrafish. Dev Growth Differ 2013; 55:434-45. [DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2013] [Revised: 03/04/2013] [Accepted: 03/05/2013] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Le A. Trinh
- Division of Biology; California Institute of Technology; Beckman Institute (139-74); 1200 E. California Blvd; Pasadena; California; 91125; USA
| | - Scott E. Fraser
- Division of Biology; California Institute of Technology; Beckman Institute (139-74); 1200 E. California Blvd; Pasadena; California; 91125; USA
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32
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Münch J, González-Rajal A, de la Pompa JL. Notch regulates blastema proliferation and prevents differentiation during adult zebrafish fin regeneration. Development 2013; 140:1402-11. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.087346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Zebrafish have the capacity to regenerate several organs, including the heart and fins. Fin regeneration is epimorphic, involving the formation at the amputation plane of a mass of undifferentiated, proliferating mesenchymal progenitor-like cells, called blastema. This tissue provides all the cell types that form the fin, so that after damage or amputation the fin pattern and structure are fully restored. How blastema cells remain in this progenitor-like state is poorly understood. Here, we show that the Notch pathway plays an essential role during fin regeneration. Notch signalling is activated during blastema formation and remains active throughout the regeneration process. Chemical inhibition or morpholino-mediated knockdown of Notch signalling impairs fin regeneration via decreased proliferation accompanied by reduced expression of Notch target genes in the blastema. Conversely, overexpression of a constitutively active form of the Notch1 receptor (N1ICD) in the regenerating fin leads to increased proliferation and to the expansion of the blastema cell markers msxe and msxb, as well as increased expression of the proliferation regulator aldh1a2. This blastema expansion prevents regenerative fin outgrowth, as indicated by the reduction in differentiating osteoblasts and the inhibition of bone regeneration. We conclude that Notch signalling maintains blastema cells in a plastic, undifferentiated and proliferative state, an essential requirement for fin regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Münch
- Program of Cardiovascular Developmental Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Development and Repair, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Alvaro González-Rajal
- Program of Cardiovascular Developmental Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Development and Repair, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - José Luis de la Pompa
- Program of Cardiovascular Developmental Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Development and Repair, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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33
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Plavicki J, Hofsteen P, Peterson RE, Heideman W. Dioxin inhibits zebrafish epicardium and proepicardium development. Toxicol Sci 2012; 131:558-67. [PMID: 23135548 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfs301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryonic exposure to the environmental contaminant and aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, dioxin), disrupts cardiac development and function in fish, birds, and mammals. In zebrafish, the temporal window of sensitivity to the cardiotoxic effects of TCDD coincides with epicardium formation. We hypothesized that this TCDD-induced heart failure results from disruption of epicardial development. To determine whether embryonic TCDD exposure inhibits epicardium and proepicardium (PE) development in zebrafish, we used histology and fluorescence immunocytochemistry to examine the epicardium formation in fish exposed to TCDD. TCDD exposure prevented epicardium formation. Using live imaging and in situ hybridization, we found that TCDD exposure blocked the formation of the PE cluster. In situ hybridization experiments showed that TCDD exposure also prevented the expression of the PE marker tcf21 at the site where the PE normally forms. TCDD also inhibited expansion of the epicardial layer across the developing heart: Exposure after PE formation was completed prevented further expansion of the epicardium. However, TCDD exposure did not affect epicardial cells already present. Because TCDD blocks epicardium formation, but is not directly toxic to the epicardium once complete, we propose that inhibition of epicardium formation can account for the window of sensitivity to TCDD cardiotoxicity in developing zebrafish. Epicardium development is crucial to heart development. Loss of this layer during development may account for most if not all of the TCDD-induced cardiotoxicity in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Plavicki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53705-2222, USA
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34
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González-Rosa JM, Peralta M, Mercader N. Pan-epicardial lineage tracing reveals that epicardium derived cells give rise to myofibroblasts and perivascular cells during zebrafish heart regeneration. Dev Biol 2012; 370:173-86. [PMID: 22877945 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2012.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2011] [Revised: 06/27/2012] [Accepted: 07/10/2012] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Myocardial infarction (MI) leads to a severe loss of cardiomyocytes, which in mammals are replaced by scar tissue. Epicardial derived cells (EPDCs) have been reported to differentiate into cardiomyocytes during development, and proposed to have cardiomyogenic potential in the adult heart. However, mouse MI models reveal little if any contribution of EPDCs to myocardium. In contrast to adult mammals, teleosts possess a high myocardial regenerative capacity. To test if this advantage relates to the properties of their epicardium, we studied the fate of EPDCs in cryoinjured zebrafish hearts. To avoid the limitations of genetic labelling, which might trace only a subpopulation of EPDCs, we used cell transplantation to track all EPDCs during regeneration. EPDCs migrated to the injured myocardium, where they differentiated into myofibroblasts and perivascular fibroblasts. However, we did not detect any differentiation of EPDCs nor any other non-cardiomyocyte population into cardiomyocytes, even in a context of impaired cardiomyocyte proliferation. Our results support a model in which the epicardium promotes myocardial regeneration by forming a cellular scaffold, and suggests that it might induce cardiomyocyte proliferation and contribute to neoangiogenesis in a paracrine manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Manuel González-Rosa
- Department of Cardiovascular Development and Repair, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Calle Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, E-28029 Madrid, Spain
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35
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Kondrychyn I, Teh C, Garcia-Lecea M, Guan Y, Kang A, Korzh V. Zebrafish Enhancer TRAP transgenic line database ZETRAP 2.0. Zebrafish 2012; 8:181-2. [PMID: 22181660 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2011.0718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Our first Zebrafish Enhancer TRAP lines database (ZETRAP) generated a few years ago was a web-based system informing the scientific community about the developmental, genetic, and genomic aspects of transgenic zebrafish lines expressing the cytosolic version of EGFP. These transgenic lines were obtained in a primary screen using Tol2 transposon-mediated transgenesis. Following that, several hundreds transgenics were generated by a systematic "rejump" of the transposon from the two distinct genomic sites. This collection was expanded further by generation of transgenics expressing the membrane-tethered version of a novel red protein KillerRed. These KR transgenics are useful not only to complement the cytosolic GFP in compound GFP/KR transgenics for improved bioimaging. They also could be used to affect cells physiology by tissue-specific optogenetic generation of reactive oxygen species. We have compiled the genomic data and expression patterns of these novel ET transgenic lines in an updated online database--the Zebrafish Enhancer TRAP lines database version 2.0 (ZETRAP 2.0). This improved and expanded version contains the sequence of regions flanking the insertion sites, links to genes in zebrafish genome, and confocal images of embryos/larvae of these transgenics.
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36
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Poon KL, Tan KT, Wei YY, Ng CP, Colman A, Korzh V, Xu XQ. RNA-binding protein RBM24 is required for sarcomere assembly and heart contractility. Cardiovasc Res 2012; 94:418-27. [DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvs095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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37
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Kim J, Rubin N, Huang Y, Tuan TL, Lien CL. In vitro culture of epicardial cells from adult zebrafish heart on a fibrin matrix. Nat Protoc 2012; 7:247-55. [PMID: 22262006 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2011.440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
We describe here a protocol for culturing epicardial cells from adult zebrafish hearts, which have a unique regenerative capacity after injury. Briefly, zebrafish hearts first undergo ventricular amputation or sham operation. Next, the hearts are excised and explanted onto fibrin gels prepared in advance in a multiwell tissue culture plate. The procedure allows the epicardial cells to outgrow from the ventricle onto a fibrin matrix in vitro. This protocol differs from those used in other organisms by using a fibrin gel to mimic blood clots that normally form after injury and that are essential for proper cell migration. The culture procedure can be accomplished within 5 h; epicardial cells can be obtained within 24-48 h and can be maintained in culture for 5-6 d. This protocol can be used to investigate the mechanisms underlying epicardial cell migration, proliferation and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition during heart regeneration, homeostatic cardiac growth or other physiological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieun Kim
- The Saban Research Institute of Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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38
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McCollum CW, Ducharme NA, Bondesson M, Gustafsson JA. Developmental toxicity screening in zebrafish. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 93:67-114. [DOI: 10.1002/bdrc.20210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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39
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Korzh V, Teh C, Kondrychyn I, Chudakov DM, Lukyanov S. Visualizing Compound Transgenic Zebrafish in Development: A Tale of Green Fluorescent Protein and KillerRed. Zebrafish 2011; 8:23-9. [DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2011.0689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Korzh
- Genomics and Development Division, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A-STAR, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Cathleen Teh
- Genomics and Development Division, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A-STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Igor Kondrychyn
- Genomics and Development Division, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A-STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Dmitry M. Chudakov
- Shemiakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey Lukyanov
- Shemiakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, Moscow, Russia
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40
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Go W, Bessarab D, Korzh V. atp2b1a regulates Ca(2+) export during differentiation and regeneration of mechanosensory hair cells in zebrafish. Cell Calcium 2010; 48:302-13. [PMID: 21084119 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2010.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2010] [Accepted: 09/30/2010] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms of development of mechanosensory hair cells have been tackled successfully due to in vivo studies in the zebrafish lateral line. The enhancer trap (ET) transgenic line, SqET4 was instrumental in these studies even despite a lack of a link of its GFP expression pattern to a particular gene(s). We mapped the Tol2 transposon insertion of the SqET4 transgenics onto Chr. 4 next to a gene encoding Atp2b1a (Pmca1) - one of the four PMCAs acting to export Ca(2+) from a cell. atp2b1a expression recapitulates that of GFP during the development of mechanoreceptors of the inner ear and lateral line. atp2b1a expression correlates with the regeneration of these cells. Thus, SqET4 represents the Tg:atp2b1a-GFP line, which links Ca(2+) metabolism and the differentiation of mechanoreceptors. The morpholino-mediated knockdown of atp2b1a blocks Ca(2+) export and affects the division of hair cell progenitors, resulting in their accumulation. Under the control of a master gene of hair cells, Atoh1a, Atp2b1a functions during progenitor cell proliferation and hair cell differentiation. Given the similarity between the phenotypes of atp2b1a morphants and embryos treated with the pan-PMCA inhibitor 5(6)-carboxyeosin, Atp2b1a emerges as member of the Atp2b family responsible for Ca(2+) export during the development of hair cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Go
- Cancer and Developmental Cell Biology Division, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Singapore
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41
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Teh C, Chudakov DM, Poon KL, Mamedov IZ, Sek JY, Shidlovsky K, Lukyanov S, Korzh V. Optogenetic in vivo cell manipulation in KillerRed-expressing zebrafish transgenics. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2010; 10:110. [PMID: 21040591 PMCID: PMC2989954 DOI: 10.1186/1471-213x-10-110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2010] [Accepted: 11/02/2010] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Background KillerRed (KR) is a novel photosensitizer that efficiently generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) in KR-expressing cells upon intense green or white light illumination in vitro, resulting in damage to their plasma membrane and cell death. Results We report an in vivo modification of this technique using a fluorescent microscope and membrane-tagged KR (mem-KR)-expressing transgenic zebrafish. We generated several stable zebrafish Tol2 transposon-mediated enhancer-trap (ET) transgenic lines expressing mem-KR (SqKR series), and mapped the transposon insertion sites. As mem-KR accumulates on the cell membrane and/or Golgi, it highlights cell bodies and extensions, and reveals details of cellular morphology. The photodynamic property of KR made it possible to damage cells expressing this protein in a dose-dependent manner. As a proof-of-principle, two zebrafish transgenic lines were used to affect cell viability and function: SqKR2 expresses mem-KR in the hindbrain rhombomeres 3 and 5, and elsewhere; SqKR15 expresses mem-KR in the heart and elsewhere. Photobleaching of KR by intense light in the heart of SqKR15 embryos at lower levels caused a reduction in pumping efficiency of the heart and pericardial edema and at higher levels - in cell death in the hindbrain of SqKR2 and in the heart of SqKR15 embryos. Conclusions An intense illumination of tissues expressing mem-KR affects cell viability and function in living zebrafish embryos. Hence, the zebrafish transgenics expressing mem-KR in a tissue-specific manner are useful tools for studying the biological effects of ROS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathleen Teh
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A-STAR, Singapore
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