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Kocere A, Lalonde RL, Mosimann C, Burger A. Lateral thinking in syndromic congenital cardiovascular disease. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm049735. [PMID: 37125615 PMCID: PMC10184679 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049735] [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] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Syndromic birth defects are rare diseases that can present with seemingly pleiotropic comorbidities. Prime examples are rare congenital heart and cardiovascular anomalies that can be accompanied by forelimb defects, kidney disorders and more. Whether such multi-organ defects share a developmental link remains a key question with relevance to the diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and long-term care of affected patients. The heart, endothelial and blood lineages develop together from the lateral plate mesoderm (LPM), which also harbors the progenitor cells for limb connective tissue, kidneys, mesothelia and smooth muscle. This developmental plasticity of the LPM, which founds on multi-lineage progenitor cells and shared transcription factor expression across different descendant lineages, has the potential to explain the seemingly disparate syndromic defects in rare congenital diseases. Combining patient genome-sequencing data with model organism studies has already provided a wealth of insights into complex LPM-associated birth defects, such as heart-hand syndromes. Here, we summarize developmental and known disease-causing mechanisms in early LPM patterning, address how defects in these processes drive multi-organ comorbidities, and outline how several cardiovascular and hematopoietic birth defects with complex comorbidities may be LPM-associated diseases. We also discuss strategies to integrate patient sequencing, data-aggregating resources and model organism studies to mechanistically decode congenital defects, including potentially LPM-associated orphan diseases. Eventually, linking complex congenital phenotypes to a common LPM origin provides a framework to discover developmental mechanisms and to anticipate comorbidities in congenital diseases affecting the cardiovascular system and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnese Kocere
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Department of Molecular Life Science, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Robert L. Lalonde
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Christian Mosimann
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Alexa Burger
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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Fresch R, Courtney J, Brockway H, Wilson RL, Jones H. HAND1 knockdown disrupts trophoblast global gene expression. Physiol Rep 2023; 11:e15553. [PMID: 36695714 PMCID: PMC9875743 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.15553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenital heart disease (CHD) affects nearly 1% of births annually, and CHD pregnancies carry increased risk of developing pathologies of abnormal placentation. We previously reported significant developmental impacts of disrupting Hand1, a gene associated with CHD, expression in placenta trophoblast and endothelial cells in multiple mouse models. In this study, we aimed to build upon this knowledge and characterize the mechanistic impacts of disrupting HAND1 on human placenta trophoblast and vascular endothelial cell gene expression. HAND1 gene expression was silenced in BeWo cells, a choriocarcinoma model of human cytotrophoblasts, (n = 3-9 passages) and isolated human placental microvascular endothelial cells (HPMVEC; n = 3 passages), with HAND1 siRNA for 96 h. Cells were harvested, mRNA isolated and RNA sequencing performed using the Illumina NextSeq 550 platform. Normalization and differential gene expression analyses were conducted using general linear modeling in edgeR packages. Statistical significance was determined using a log2 fold change of >1.0 or < -1.0 and unadjusted p-value ≤0.05. Panther DB was used for overrepresentation analysis, and String DB for protein association network analysis. There was downregulation of 664 genes, and upregulation of 59 genes in BeWo cells with direct HAND1 knockdown. Overrepresentation analysis identified disruption to pathways including cell differentiation, localization, and cell projection organization. In contrast, only seven genes were changed with direct HAND1 knockdown in HPMVECs. Disruption to HAND1 expression significantly alters gene expression profile in trophoblast but not endothelial cells. This data provides further evidence that future studies on genetic perturbations in CHDs should consider the extra-embryonic tissue in addition to the fetal heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Fresch
- Division of Maternal‐Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyUniversity of Cincinnati College of MedicineCincinnatiOhioUSA
| | - Jennifer Courtney
- Center for Fetal and Placental ResearchCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical CenterCincinnatiOhioUSA
| | - Heather Brockway
- Center for Scientific ReviewNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMarylandUSA
- Department of Physiology and AgingUniversity of Florida College of MedicineGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Rebecca L. Wilson
- Department of Physiology and AgingUniversity of Florida College of MedicineGainesvilleFloridaUSA
- Center for Research in Perinatal OutcomesUniversity of Florida College of MedicineGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Helen Jones
- Department of Physiology and AgingUniversity of Florida College of MedicineGainesvilleFloridaUSA
- Center for Research in Perinatal OutcomesUniversity of Florida College of MedicineGainesvilleFloridaUSA
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Hand2 delineates mesothelium progenitors and is reactivated in mesothelioma. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1677. [PMID: 35354817 PMCID: PMC8967825 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29311-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The mesothelium lines body cavities and surrounds internal organs, widely contributing to homeostasis and regeneration. Mesothelium disruptions cause visceral anomalies and mesothelioma tumors. Nonetheless, the embryonic emergence of mesothelia remains incompletely understood. Here, we track mesothelial origins in the lateral plate mesoderm (LPM) using zebrafish. Single-cell transcriptomics uncovers a post-gastrulation gene expression signature centered on hand2 in distinct LPM progenitor cells. We map mesothelial progenitors to lateral-most, hand2-expressing LPM and confirm conservation in mouse. Time-lapse imaging of zebrafish hand2 reporter embryos captures mesothelium formation including pericardium, visceral, and parietal peritoneum. We find primordial germ cells migrate with the forming mesothelium as ventral migration boundary. Functionally, hand2 loss disrupts mesothelium formation with reduced progenitor cells and perturbed migration. In mouse and human mesothelioma, we document expression of LPM-associated transcription factors including Hand2, suggesting re-initiation of a developmental program. Our data connects mesothelium development to Hand2, expanding our understanding of mesothelial pathologies.
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Zheng M, Erhardt S, Ai D, Wang J. Bmp Signaling Regulates Hand1 in a Dose-Dependent Manner during Heart Development. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22189835. [PMID: 34576009 PMCID: PMC8465227 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22189835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp) signaling pathway and the basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factor Hand1 are known key regulators of cardiac development. In this study, we investigated the Bmp signaling regulation of Hand1 during cardiac outflow tract (OFT) development. In Bmp2 and Bmp4loss-of-function embryos with varying levels of Bmp in the heart, Hand1 is sensitively decreased in response to the dose of Bmp expression. In contrast, Hand1 in the heart is dramatically increased in Bmp4 gain-of-function embryos. We further identified and characterized the Bmp/Smad regulatory elements in Hand1. Combined transfection assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiments indicated that Hand1 is directly activated and bound by Smads. In addition, we found that upon the treatment of Bmp2 and Bmp4, P19 cells induced Hand1 expression and favored cardiac differentiation. Together, our data indicated that the Bmp signaling pathway directly regulates Hand1 expression in a dose-dependent manner during heart development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingjie Zheng
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (M.Z.); (S.E.)
| | - Shannon Erhardt
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (M.Z.); (S.E.)
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Di Ai
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA;
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (M.Z.); (S.E.)
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Correspondence:
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Firulli BA, George RM, Harkin J, Toolan KP, Gao H, Liu Y, Zhang W, Field LJ, Liu Y, Shou W, Payne RM, Rubart-von der Lohe M, Firulli AB. HAND1 loss-of-function within the embryonic myocardium reveals survivable congenital cardiac defects and adult heart failure. Cardiovasc Res 2020; 116:605-618. [PMID: 31286141 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvz182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS To examine the role of the basic Helix-loop-Helix (bHLH) transcription factor HAND1 in embryonic and adult myocardium. METHODS AND RESULTS Hand1 is expressed within the cardiomyocytes of the left ventricle (LV) and myocardial cuff between embryonic days (E) 9.5-13.5. Hand gene dosage plays an important role in ventricular morphology and the contribution of Hand1 to congenital heart defects requires further interrogation. Conditional ablation of Hand1 was carried out using either Nkx2.5 knockin Cre (Nkx2.5Cre) or α-myosin heavy chain Cre (αMhc-Cre) driver. Interrogation of transcriptome data via ingenuity pathway analysis reveals several gene regulatory pathways disrupted including translation and cardiac hypertrophy-related pathways. Embryo and adult hearts were subjected to histological, functional, and molecular analyses. Myocardial deletion of Hand1 results in morphological defects that include cardiac conduction system defects, survivable interventricular septal defects, and abnormal LV papillary muscles (PMs). Resulting Hand1 conditional mutants are born at Mendelian frequencies; but the morphological alterations acquired during cardiac development result in, the mice developing diastolic heart failure. CONCLUSION Collectively, these data reveal that HAND1 contributes to the morphogenic patterning and maturation of cardiomyocytes during embryogenesis and although survivable, indicates a role for Hand1 within the developing conduction system and PM development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth A Firulli
- Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Rajani M George
- Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Jade Harkin
- Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Kevin P Toolan
- Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Hongyu Gao
- Department of and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 975 West Walnut Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Yunlong Liu
- Department of and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 975 West Walnut Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Wenjun Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Loren J Field
- Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Weinian Shou
- Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Ronald Mark Payne
- Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Michael Rubart-von der Lohe
- Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Anthony B Firulli
- Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
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Partially Penetrant Cardiac Neural Crest Defects in Hand1 Phosphomutant Mice: Dimer Choice That Is Not So Critical. Pediatr Cardiol 2019; 40:1339-1344. [PMID: 31338559 PMCID: PMC6786956 DOI: 10.1007/s00246-019-02162-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Hand1 is a basic Helix-loop-Helix transcription factor that exhibits post-translationally regulated dimer partner choice that allows for a diverse set of Hand1 transcriptional complexes. Indeed, when Hand1 phosphoregulation is altered, conditionally activated hypophorylation (Hand1PO4-) and phosphorylation mimic (Hand1PO4+) Hand1 alleles disrupt both craniofacial and limb morphogenesis with 100% penetrance. Interestingly, activation of conditional Hand1 Phosphomutant alleles within post-migratory neural crest cells produce heart defects that include ventricular septal defects, double-outlet right ventricle, persistent truncus arteriosus with partial penetrance. Single versus double-lobed thymus is a distinguishing feature between Wnt1-Cre;Hand1PO4-/+ and Wnt1-Cre;Hand1PO4+/+ mice. These data show that although Hand1 dimer regulation plays critical and consistent roles in disrupting craniofacial and limb morphogenesis, Hand1 dimer regulation during cardiac outflow track formation is less critical for normal morphogenesis. This review will present the OFT phenotypes observed in Hand1 Phosphomutant mice, and discuss possible mechanisms of how penetrance differences within the same tissues within the same embryos could be variable.
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Vincentz JW, Firulli BA, Toolan KP, Arking DE, Sotoodehnia N, Wan J, Chen PS, de Gier-de Vries C, Christoffels VM, Rubart-von der Lohe M, Firulli AB. Variation in a Left Ventricle-Specific Hand1 Enhancer Impairs GATA Transcription Factor Binding and Disrupts Conduction System Development and Function. Circ Res 2019; 125:575-589. [PMID: 31366290 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.119.315313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The ventricular conduction system (VCS) rapidly propagates electrical impulses through the working myocardium of the ventricles to coordinate chamber contraction. GWAS (Genome-wide association studies) have associated nucleotide polymorphisms, most are located within regulatory intergenic or intronic sequences, with variation in VCS function. Two highly correlated polymorphisms (r2>0.99) associated with VCS functional variation (rs13165478 and rs13185595) occur 5' to the gene encoding the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor HAND1 (heart- and neural crest derivatives-expressed protein 1). OBJECTIVE Here, we test the hypothesis that these polymorphisms influence HAND1 transcription thereby influencing VCS development and function. METHODS AND RESULTS We employed transgenic mouse models to identify an enhancer that is sufficient for left ventricle (LV) cis-regulatory activity. Two evolutionarily conserved GATA transcription factor cis-binding elements within this enhancer are bound by GATA4 and are necessary for cis-regulatory activity, as shown by in vitro DNA binding assays. CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas9-mediated deletion of this enhancer dramatically reduces Hand1 expression solely within the LV but does not phenocopy previously published mouse models of cardiac Hand1 loss-of-function. Electrophysiological and morphological analyses reveals that mice homozygous for this deleted enhancer display a morphologically abnormal VCS and a conduction system phenotype consistent with right bundle branch block. Using 1000 Genomes Project data, we identify 3 additional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), located within the Hand1 LV enhancer, that compose a haplotype with rs13165478 and rs13185595. One of these SNPs, rs10054375, overlaps with a critical GATA cis-regulatory element within the Hand1 LV enhancer. This SNP, when tested in electrophoretic mobility shift assays, disrupts GATA4 DNA-binding. Modeling 2 of these SNPs in mice causes diminished Hand1 expression and mice present with abnormal VCS function. CONCLUSIONS Together, these findings reveal that SNP rs10054375, which is located within a necessary and sufficient LV-specific Hand1 enhancer, exhibits reduces GATA DNA-binding in electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and this enhancer in total, is required for VCS development and function in mice and perhaps humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua W Vincentz
- From the Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana Medical School, Indianapolis (J.W.V., B.A.F., K.P.T., M.R.L., A.B.F.)
| | - Beth A Firulli
- From the Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana Medical School, Indianapolis (J.W.V., B.A.F., K.P.T., M.R.L., A.B.F.)
| | - Kevin P Toolan
- From the Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana Medical School, Indianapolis (J.W.V., B.A.F., K.P.T., M.R.L., A.B.F.)
| | - Dan E Arking
- McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (D.E.A.)
| | - Nona Sotoodehnia
- Department of Epidemiology, Division of Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle (N.S.)
| | - Juyi Wan
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Krannert Institute of Cardiology, Indianapolis (J.W., P.-S.C.).,Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China (J.W.)
| | - Peng-Sheng Chen
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Krannert Institute of Cardiology, Indianapolis (J.W., P.-S.C.)
| | - Corrie de Gier-de Vries
- Department of Medical Biology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands (C.d.G.V., V.M.C.)
| | - Vincent M Christoffels
- Department of Medical Biology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands (C.d.G.V., V.M.C.)
| | - Michael Rubart-von der Lohe
- From the Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana Medical School, Indianapolis (J.W.V., B.A.F., K.P.T., M.R.L., A.B.F.)
| | - Anthony B Firulli
- From the Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana Medical School, Indianapolis (J.W.V., B.A.F., K.P.T., M.R.L., A.B.F.)
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George RM, Firulli AB. Hand Factors in Cardiac Development. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2018; 302:101-107. [PMID: 30288953 DOI: 10.1002/ar.23910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Congenital heart defects account for 1% of infant mortality and 10% of in utero deaths. As the vertebrate embryo develops, multiple tissue types develop in tandem to morphologically pattern the functional heart. Underlying cardiac development is a network of transcription factors known to tightly control these morphological events. Members of the Twist family of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors, Hand1 and Hand2, are essential to this process. The expression patterns and functional role of Hand factors in neural crest cells, endocardium, myocardium, and epicardium is indicative of their importance during cardiogenesis; however, to date, an extensive understanding of the transcriptional targets of Hand proteins and their overall mechanism of action remain unclear. In this review, we summarize the recent findings that further outline the crucial functions of Hand factors during heart development and in post-natal heart function. Anat Rec, 302:101-107, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajani M George
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Anthony B Firulli
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
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Courtney JA, Cnota JF, Jones HN. The Role of Abnormal Placentation in Congenital Heart Disease; Cause, Correlate, or Consequence? Front Physiol 2018; 9:1045. [PMID: 30131711 PMCID: PMC6091057 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect, affecting ~1% of all live births (van der Linde et al., 2011). Despite improvements in clinical care, it is the leading cause of infant mortality related to birth defects (Yang et al., 2006) and burdens survivors with significant morbidity (Gilboa et al., 2016). Furthermore, CHD accounts for the largest proportion (26.7%) of birth defect-associated hospitalization costs—up to $6.1 billion in 2013 (Arth et al., 2017). Yet after decades of research with a primary focus on genetic etiology, the underlying cause of these defects remains unknown in the majority of cases (Zaidi and Brueckner, 2017). Unexplained CHD may be secondary to undiscovered roles of noncoding genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors, among others (Russell et al., 2018). Population studies have recently demonstrated that pregnancies complicated by CHD also carry a higher risk of developing pathologies associated with an abnormal placenta including growth disturbances (Puri et al., 2017), preeclampsia (Auger et al., 2015; Brodwall et al., 2016), preterm birth (Laas et al., 2012), and stillbirth (Jorgensen et al., 2014). Both the heart and placenta are vascular organs and develop concurrently; therefore, shared pathways almost certainly direct the development of both. The involvement of placental abnormalities in congenital heart disease, whether causal, commensurate or reactive, is under investigated and given the common developmental window and shared developmental pathways of the heart and placenta and concurrent vasculature development, we propose that further investigation combining clinical data, in vitro, in vivo, and computer modeling is fundamental to our understanding and the potential to develop therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Courtney
- Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Division of General Pediatric and Thoracic Surgery, Center for Fetal and Placental Research, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - James F Cnota
- Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Helen N Jones
- Division of General Pediatric and Thoracic Surgery, Center for Fetal and Placental Research, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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Firulli BA, Toolan KP, Harkin J, Millar H, Pineda S, Firulli AB. The HAND1 frameshift A126FS mutation does not cause hypoplastic left heart syndrome in mice. Cardiovasc Res 2018; 113:1732-1742. [PMID: 29016838 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvx166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims To test if a human Hand1 frame shift mutation identified in human samples is causative of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Methods and results HLHS is a poorly understood single ventricle congenital heart defect that affects two to three infants in every 10 000 live births. The aetiologies of HLHS are largely unknown. The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor HAND1 is required for normal heart development. Interrogation of HAND1 sequence from fixed HLHS tissues identified a somatic frame-shift mutation at Alanine 126 (NP_004812.1 p.Ala126Profs13X defined as Hand1A126fs). Hand1A126fs creates a truncated HAND1 protein that predictively functions as dominant negative. To determine if this mutation is causative of HLHS, we engineered a conditional Hand1A126fs mouse allele. Activation of this allele with Nkx2.5Cre results in E14.5 lethality accompanied by cardiac outflow tract and intraventricular septum abnormalities. Using αMHC-Cre or Mef2CAHF-Cre to activate Hand1A126fs results in reduced phenotype and limited viability. Left ventricles of Hand1A126FS mutant mice are not hypoplastic. Conclusions Somatically acquired Hand1A126FS mutation is not causative of HLHS. Hand1A126FS mutation does exhibit embryonic lethal cardiac defects that reflect a dominant negative function supporting the critical role of Hand1 in cardiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth A Firulli
- Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Kevin P Toolan
- Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Jade Harkin
- Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Hannah Millar
- Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Santiago Pineda
- Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Anthony B Firulli
- Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
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Firulli BA, Milliar H, Toolan KP, Harkin J, Fuchs RK, Robling AG, Firulli AB. Defective Hand1 phosphoregulation uncovers essential roles for Hand1 in limb morphogenesis. Development 2017; 144:2480-2489. [PMID: 28576769 PMCID: PMC5536869 DOI: 10.1242/dev.149963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The morphogenesis of the vertebrate limbs is a complex process in which cell signaling and transcriptional regulation coordinate diverse structural adaptations in diverse species. In this study, we examine the consequences of altering Hand1 dimer choice regulation within developing vertebrate limbs. Although Hand1 deletion via the limb-specific Prrx1-Cre reveals a non-essential role for Hand1 in mouse limb morphogenesis, altering Hand1 phosphoregulation, and consequently Hand1 dimerization affinities, results in a severe truncation of proximal-anterior limb elements. Molecular analysis reveals a non-cell-autonomous mechanism that causes widespread cell death within the embryonic limb bud. In addition, we observe changes in proximal-anterior gene regulation, including a reduction in the expression of Irx3, Irx5, Gli3 and Alx4, all of which are upregulated in Hand2 limb conditional knockouts. A reduction of Hand2 and Shh gene dosage improves the integrity of anterior limb structures, validating the importance of the Twist-family bHLH dimer pool in limb morphogenesis. Summary: Altering Hand1 phosphoregulation, and consequently Hand1 dimerization affinities, results in a severe truncation of anterior-proximal limb elements in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth A Firulli
- Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine
| | - Hannah Milliar
- Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine
| | - Kevin P Toolan
- Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine
| | - Jade Harkin
- Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine
| | - Robyn K Fuchs
- Department of Physical Therapy and the Center for Translational Musculoskeletal Research, School of Health and Rehabilitation Science, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Alex G Robling
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Anthony B Firulli
- Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine
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12
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Starkovich M, Lalani SR, Mercer CL, Scott DA. Chromosome 5q33 deletions associated with congenital heart defects. Am J Med Genet A 2016; 170:3338-3342. [PMID: 27589475 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.37957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Congenital heart defects (CHD) are present in over 1% of all newborns and are the leading cause of birth-defect-related deaths in the United States. We describe two male subjects with CHD, one with an atrial septal defect, a ventricular septal defect, and pulmonary artery stenosis; and the other with tetralogy of Fallot and a right aortic arch, who carry partially overlapping, de novo deletions of chromosome 5q33. The maximum region of overlap between these deletions encompasses HAND1 and SAP30L, two genes that have previously been shown to play a role in cardiac development. HAND1 encodes a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor. Cardiac-specific ablation of Hand1 in mice causes septal, valvular, and outflow tract defects. SAP30L, its paralog SAP30, and other SAP proteins form part of a multi-subunit complex involved in transcriptional regulation via histone deacetylation. Morpholino knockdown of sap30L in zebrafish, which do not have a distinct sap30 gene, leads to cardiac hypoplasia and cardiac insufficiency. We subsequently identified two other individuals with chromosomal deletions involving HAND1 and SAP30L in whom cardiac-related medical problems were not described. These observations suggest that haploinsufficiency of HAND1 and/or SAP30L may contribute to the development of CHD, although the contribution of other genes on chromosome 5q33 cannot be excluded. Our findings also suggest that the penetrance of CHD associated with 5q33 deletions is incomplete and may be influenced by other genetic, environmental or stochastic factors. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly Starkovich
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Seema R Lalani
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Catherine L Mercer
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Daryl A Scott
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.,Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
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13
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Wang Y, Wang Q, Guo C, Wang S, Qiu Y, Li H, Ma X. Decreased mRNA and protein expression of TWIST1 in myocardial tissue of fetuses with ventricular septal defects. Mol Med Rep 2015; 12:3089-94. [PMID: 25955272 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2015.3734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2014] [Accepted: 03/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is the most common type of congenital heart disease (CHD). The single gene mutations or absences that contribute to VSD development are well established; however, the aim of the present study was to measure gene expression variation between VSDs and normal fetal myocardial tissue. TWIST1, an important tumor biomarker, is a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that regulates cell proliferation, migration and differentiation in embryonic development and transformed tumor cells. Although growing evidence demonstrates that TWIST1 participates in a variety of human neoplastic diseases, the role of TWIST1 in VSD has remained elusive. Twenty-six VSD fetal myocardial tissue samples and 12 normal samples at matched gestational weeks (22-28 weeks) were included in the present study. Using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time PCR, it was demonstrated that TWIST1 mRNA was reduced by almost two-fold in the VSD samples compared with the normal samples. Western blot analysis also revealed that TWIST1 expression was decreased by ~three-fold (P=0.001) in the VSD samples compared with that in the normal samples. Of note, five complete ventricular (also called functionally univentricular or single ventricular) septal ageneses were identified among the specimens. For the five complete ventricular septal agenesis samples, similar results to those for other VSD fetal myocardial tissues were obtained. In conclusion, the results of the present study showed that TWIST1 mRNA and protein levels were reduced in VSDs. The present study was the first, to the best of our knowledge, to report that TWIST1 is not only a tumor biomarker, but may also be involved in the pathogenesis of VSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P.R. China
| | - Qidi Wang
- Department of Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing 100081, P.R. China
| | - Changlong Guo
- Department of Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing 100081, P.R. China
| | - Shuo Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P.R. China
| | - Yue Qiu
- Department of Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing 100081, P.R. China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P.R. China
| | - Xu Ma
- Department of Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing 100081, P.R. China
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Pappas A, Chaiworapongsa T, Romero R, Korzeniewski SJ, Cortez JC, Bhatti G, Gomez-Lopez N, Hassan SS, Shankaran S, Tarca AL. Transcriptomics of maternal and fetal membranes can discriminate between gestational-age matched preterm neonates with and without cognitive impairment diagnosed at 18-24 months. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0118573. [PMID: 25822971 PMCID: PMC4379164 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2014] [Accepted: 01/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurocognitive impairment among children born preterm may arise from complex interactions between genes and the intra-uterine environment. OBJECTIVES (1) To characterize the transcriptomic profiles of chorioamniotic membranes in preterm neonates with and without neurocognitive impairment via microarrays and (2) to determine if neonates with neurocognitive impairment can be identified at birth. MATERIALS/METHODS A retrospective case-control study was conducted to examine the chorioamniotic transcriptome of gestational-age matched very preterm neonates with and without neurocognitive impairment at 18-24 months' corrected-age defined by a Bayley-III Cognitive Composite Score <80 (n = 14 each). Pathway analysis with down-weighting of overlapping genes (PADOG) was performed to identify KEGG pathways relevant to the phenotype. Select differentially expressed genes were profiled using qRT-PCR and a multi-gene disease prediction model was developed using linear discriminant analysis. The model's predictive performance was tested on a new set of cases and controls (n = 19 each). RESULTS 1) 117 genes were differentially expressed among neonates with and without subsequent neurocognitive impairment (p<0.05 and fold change >1.5); 2) Gene ontology analysis indicated enrichment of 19 biological processes and 3 molecular functions; 3)PADOG identified 4 significantly perturbed KEGG pathways: oxidative phosphorylation, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease (q-value <0.1); 4) 48 of 90 selected differentially expressed genes were confirmed by qRT-PCR, including genes implicated in energy metabolism, neuronal signaling, vascular permeability and response to injury (e.g., up-regulation of SEPP1, APOE, DAB2, CD163, CXCL12, VWF; down-regulation of HAND1, OSR1)(p<0.05); and 5) a multi-gene model predicted 18-24 month neurocognitive impairment (using the ratios of OSR1/VWF and HAND1/VWF at birth) in a larger, independent set (sensitivity = 74%, at specificity = 83%). CONCLUSIONS Gene expression patterns in the chorioamniotic membranes link neurocognitive impairment in preterm infants to neurodegenerative disease pathways and might be used to predict neurocognitive impairment. Further prospective studies are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athina Pappas
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development / NIH / DHHS, Bethesda, MD and Detroit, MI, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal and Perinatal Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States of America
- * E-mail: (AP); (AT)
| | - Tinnakorn Chaiworapongsa
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development / NIH / DHHS, Bethesda, MD and Detroit, MI, United States of America
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States of America
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development / NIH / DHHS, Bethesda, MD and Detroit, MI, United States of America
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States of America
| | - Steven J. Korzeniewski
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development / NIH / DHHS, Bethesda, MD and Detroit, MI, United States of America
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States of America
| | - Josef C. Cortez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development / NIH / DHHS, Bethesda, MD and Detroit, MI, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal and Perinatal Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States of America
| | - Gaurav Bhatti
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development / NIH / DHHS, Bethesda, MD and Detroit, MI, United States of America
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development / NIH / DHHS, Bethesda, MD and Detroit, MI, United States of America
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States of America
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States of America
| | - Sonia S. Hassan
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development / NIH / DHHS, Bethesda, MD and Detroit, MI, United States of America
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States of America
| | - Seetha Shankaran
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development / NIH / DHHS, Bethesda, MD and Detroit, MI, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal and Perinatal Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States of America
| | - Adi L. Tarca
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development / NIH / DHHS, Bethesda, MD and Detroit, MI, United States of America
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States of America
- * E-mail: (AP); (AT)
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15
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Firulli BA, Fuchs RK, Vincentz JW, Clouthier DE, Firulli AB. Hand1 phosphoregulation within the distal arch neural crest is essential for craniofacial morphogenesis. Development 2014; 141:3050-61. [PMID: 25053435 DOI: 10.1242/dev.107680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
In this study we examine the consequences of altering Hand1 phosphoregulation in the developing neural crest cells (NCCs) of mice. Whereas Hand1 deletion in NCCs reveals a nonessential role for Hand1 in craniofacial development and embryonic survival, altering Hand1 phosphoregulation, and consequently Hand1 dimerization affinities, in NCCs results in severe mid-facial clefting and neonatal death. Hand1 phosphorylation mutants exhibit a non-cell-autonomous increase in pharyngeal arch cell death accompanied by alterations in Fgf8 and Shh pathway expression. Together, our data indicate that the extreme distal pharyngeal arch expression domain of Hand1 defines a novel bHLH-dependent activity, and that disruption of established Hand1 dimer phosphoregulation within this domain disrupts normal craniofacial patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth A Firulli
- Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Departments of Anatomy and Medical, Biochemistry, and Molecular Genetics, Indiana Medical School, 1044 W. Walnut Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Robyn K Fuchs
- Department of Physical Therapy and the Center for Translational Musculoskeletal Research, School of Health and Rehabilitation Science, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Joshua W Vincentz
- Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Departments of Anatomy and Medical, Biochemistry, and Molecular Genetics, Indiana Medical School, 1044 W. Walnut Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - David E Clouthier
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 E 17th Avenue, Rm. 11-109, MS 8120, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Anthony B Firulli
- Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Departments of Anatomy and Medical, Biochemistry, and Molecular Genetics, Indiana Medical School, 1044 W. Walnut Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
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16
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Schindler YL, Garske KM, Wang J, Firulli BA, Firulli AB, Poss KD, Yelon D. Hand2 elevates cardiomyocyte production during zebrafish heart development and regeneration. Development 2014; 141:3112-22. [PMID: 25038045 DOI: 10.1242/dev.106336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Embryonic heart formation requires the production of an appropriate number of cardiomyocytes; likewise, cardiac regeneration following injury relies upon the recovery of lost cardiomyocytes. The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor Hand2 has been implicated in promoting cardiomyocyte formation. It is unclear, however, whether Hand2 plays an instructive or permissive role during this process. Here, we find that overexpression of hand2 in the early zebrafish embryo is able to enhance cardiomyocyte production, resulting in an enlarged heart with a striking increase in the size of the outflow tract. Our evidence indicates that these increases are dependent on the interactions of Hand2 in multimeric complexes and are independent of direct DNA binding by Hand2. Proliferation assays reveal that hand2 can impact cardiomyocyte production by promoting division of late-differentiating cardiac progenitors within the second heart field. Additionally, our data suggest that hand2 can influence cardiomyocyte production by altering the patterning of the anterior lateral plate mesoderm, potentially favoring formation of the first heart field at the expense of hematopoietic and vascular lineages. The potency of hand2 during embryonic cardiogenesis suggested that hand2 could also impact cardiac regeneration in adult zebrafish; indeed, we find that overexpression of hand2 can augment the regenerative proliferation of cardiomyocytes in response to injury. Together, our studies demonstrate that hand2 can drive cardiomyocyte production in multiple contexts and through multiple mechanisms. These results contribute to our understanding of the potential origins of congenital heart disease and inform future strategies in regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yocheved L Schindler
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA Developmental Genetics Program and Department of Cell Biology, Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Kristina M Garske
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jinhu Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Beth A Firulli
- Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B. Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Departments of Pediatrics and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Anthony B Firulli
- Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B. Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Departments of Pediatrics and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Kenneth D Poss
- Department of Cell Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Deborah Yelon
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA Developmental Genetics Program and Department of Cell Biology, Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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17
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Hu D, Scott IC, Snider F, Geary-Joo C, Zhao X, Simmons DG, Cross JC. The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor Hand1 regulates mouse development as a homodimer. Dev Biol 2013; 382:470-81. [PMID: 23911935 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2013.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2013] [Revised: 07/04/2013] [Accepted: 07/28/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Hand1 is a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that is essential for development of the placenta, yolk sac and heart during mouse development. While Hand1 is essential for trophoblast giant cell (TGC) differentiation, its potential heterodimer partners are not co-expressed in TGCs. To test the hypothesis that Hand1 functions as homodimer, we generated knock-in mice in which the Hand1 gene was altered to encode a tethered homodimer (TH). Some Hand1(TH/-) conceptuses in which the only form of Hand1 is Hand1(TH) are viable and fertile, indicating that homodimer Hand1 is sufficient for mouse survival. ~2/3 of Hand1(TH/-) and all Hand1(TH/TH) mice died in utero and displayed severe placental defects and variable cardial and cranial-facial abnormalities, indicating a dosage-dependent effect of Hand1(TH). Meanwhile, expression of the Hand1(TH) protein did not have negative effects on viability or fertility in all Hand1(TH/+) mice. These data imply that Hand1 homodimer plays a dominant role during development and its expression dosage is critical for survival, whereas Hand1 heterodimers can be either dispensable or play a regulatory role to modulate the activity of Hand1 homodimer in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Hu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Center for Stem Cell Application and Research, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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18
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VanDusen NJ, Firulli AB. Twist factor regulation of non-cardiomyocyte cell lineages in the developing heart. Differentiation 2012; 84:79-88. [PMID: 22516205 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2012.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2011] [Revised: 02/14/2012] [Accepted: 03/07/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The heart is a complex organ that is composed of numerous cell types, which must integrate their programs for proper specification, differentiation and cardiac morphogenesis. During cardiogenesis members of the Twist-family of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors play distinct roles within cardiac lineages such as the endocardium and extra-cardiac lineages such as the cardiac neural crest (cNCC) and epicardium. While the study of these cell populations is often eclipsed by that of cardiomyocytes, the contributions of non-cardiomyocytes to development and disease are increasingly being appreciated as both dynamic and essential. This review summarizes what is known regarding Twist-family bHLH function in extra-cardiac cell populations and the endocardium, with a focus on regulatory mechanisms, downstream targets, and expression profiles. Improving our understanding of the molecular pathways that Twist-family bHLH factors mediate in these lineages will be necessary to ascertain how their dysfunction leads to congenital disease and adult pathologies such as myocardial infarctions and cardiac fibroblast induced fibrosis. Indeed, this knowledge will prove to be critical to clinicians seeking to improve current treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan J VanDusen
- Riley Heart Research Center, Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana Medical School, 1044 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
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19
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Vincentz JW, Barnes RM, Firulli AB. Hand factors as regulators of cardiac morphogenesis and implications for congenital heart defects. BIRTH DEFECTS RESEARCH. PART A, CLINICAL AND MOLECULAR TERATOLOGY 2011; 91:485-94. [PMID: 21462297 PMCID: PMC3119928 DOI: 10.1002/bdra.20796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2010] [Revised: 01/06/2011] [Accepted: 02/02/2011] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Almost 15 years of careful study have established the related basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) transcription factors Hand1 and Hand2 as critical for heart development across evolution. Hand factors make broad contributions, revealed through animal models, to the development of multiple cellular lineages that ultimately contribute to the heart. They perform critical roles in ventricular cardiomyocyte growth, differentiation, morphogenesis, and conduction. They are also important for the proper development of the cardiac outflow tract, epicardium, and endocardium. Molecularly, they function both through DNA binding and through protein-protein interactions, which are regulated transcriptionally, posttranscriptionally by microRNAs, and posttranslationally through phosphoregulation. Although direct Hand factor transcriptional targets are progressively being identified, confirmed direct targets of Hand factor transcriptional activity in the heart are limited. Identification of these targets will be critical to model the mechanisms by which Hand factor bHLH interactions affect developmental pathways. Improved understanding of Hand factor-mediated transcriptional cascades will be necessary to determine how Hand factor dysregulation translates to human disease phenotypes. This review summarizes the insight that animal models have provided into the regulation and function of these factors during heart development, in addition to the recent findings that suggest roles for HAND1 and HAND2 in human congenital heart disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua W. Vincentz
- Riley Heart Research Center, Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Departments of Anatomy, Biochemistry and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana Medical School, 1044 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Ralston M. Barnes
- Riley Heart Research Center, Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Departments of Anatomy, Biochemistry and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana Medical School, 1044 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
| | - Anthony B. Firulli
- Riley Heart Research Center, Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Departments of Anatomy, Biochemistry and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana Medical School, 1044 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN 46202-5225, USA
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