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Lv Y, Wang Q, Lin C, Zheng X, Zhang Y, Hu X. Overexpression of Fgf18 in cranial neural crest cells recapitulates Pierre Robin sequence in mice. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1376814. [PMID: 38694818 PMCID: PMC11061347 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1376814] [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: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The pivotal role of FGF18 in the regulation of craniofacial and skeletal development has been well established. Previous studies have demonstrated that mice with deficiency in Fgf18 exhibit severe craniofacial dysplasia. Recent clinical reports have revealed that the duplication of chromosome 5q32-35.3, which encompasses the Fgf18 gene, can lead to cranial bone dysplasia and congenital craniosynostosis, implicating the consequence of possible overdosed FGF18 signaling. This study aimed to test the effects of augmented FGF18 signaling by specifically overexpressing the Fgf18 gene in cranial neural crest cells using the Wnt1-Cre;pMes-Fgf18 mouse model. The results showed that overexpression of Fgf18 leads to craniofacial abnormalities in mice similar to the Pierre Robin sequence in humans, including abnormal tongue morphology, micrognathia, and cleft palate. Further examination revealed that elevated levels of Fgf18 activated the Akt and Erk signaling pathways, leading to an increase in the proliferation level of tongue tendon cells and alterations in the contraction pattern of the genioglossus muscle. Additionally, we observed that excessive FGF18 signaling contributed to the reduction in the length of Meckel's cartilage and disrupted the development of condylar cartilage, ultimately resulting in mandibular defects. These anomalies involve changes in several downstream signals, including Runx2, p21, Akt, Erk, p38, Wnt, and Ihh. This study highlights the crucial role of maintaining the balance of endogenous FGF18 signaling for proper craniofacial development and offers insights into potential formation mechanisms of the Pierre Robin sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Xuefeng Hu
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
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Halurkar MS, Inoue O, Mukherjee R, Paese CLB, Duszynski M, Brugmann SA, Lim HW, Sanchez-Gurmaches J. The widely used Ucp1-CreEvdr transgene elicits complex developmental and metabolic phenotypes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.20.563165. [PMID: 37904917 PMCID: PMC10614962 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.20.563165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic models, including most Cre-recombinases, enable potent interrogation of gene function in vivo but require rigorous validation as limitations emerge. Due to its high relevance to metabolic studies, we performed comprehensive analysis of the Ucp1-CreEvdr line which is widely used for brown fat research. Hemizygotes exhibited major brown and white fat transcriptomic dysregulation, indicating potential altered tissue function. Ucp1-CreEvdr homozygotes also show high mortality, growth defects, and craniofacial abnormalities. Mapping the transgene insertion site revealed insertion in chromosome 1 accompanied by large genomic alterations disrupting several genes expressed in a range of tissues. Notably, Ucp1-CreEvdr transgene retains an extra Ucp1 gene copy that may be highly expressed under high thermogenic burden. Our multi-faceted analysis highlights a complex phenotype arising from the presence of the Ucp1-CreEvdr transgene independently of the intended genetic manipulations. Overall, comprehensive validation of transgenic mice is imperative to maximize discovery while mitigating unexpected, off-target effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manasi Suchit Halurkar
- Division of Endocrinology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Oto Inoue
- Division of Endocrinology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Rajib Mukherjee
- Division of Endocrinology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | | | - Molly Duszynski
- Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Samantha A. Brugmann
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA
| | - Hee-Woong Lim
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA
| | - Joan Sanchez-Gurmaches
- Division of Endocrinology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA
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Martínez Traverso IM, Steimle JD, Zhao X, Wang J, Martin JF. LATS1/2 control TGFB-directed epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in the murine dorsal cranial neuroepithelium through YAP regulation. Development 2022; 149:dev200860. [PMID: 36125128 PMCID: PMC9587805 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200860] [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: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Hippo signaling, an evolutionarily conserved kinase cascade involved in organ size control, plays key roles in various tissue developmental processes, but its role in craniofacial development remains poorly understood. Using the transgenic Wnt1-Cre2 driver, we inactivated the Hippo signaling components Lats1 and Lats2 in the cranial neuroepithelium of mouse embryos and found that the double conditional knockout (DCKO) of Lats1/2 resulted in neural tube and craniofacial defects. Lats1/2 DCKO mutant embryos had microcephaly with delayed and defective neural tube closure. Furthermore, neuroepithelial cell shape and architecture were disrupted within the cranial neural tube in Lats1/2 DCKO mutants. RNA sequencing of embryonic neural tubes revealed increased TGFB signaling in Lats1/2 DCKO mutants. Moreover, markers of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were upregulated in the cranial neural tube. Inactivation of Hippo signaling downstream effectors, Yap and Taz, suppressed neuroepithelial defects, aberrant EMT and TGFB upregulation in Lats1/2 DCKO embryos, indicating that LATS1/2 function via YAP and TAZ. Our findings reveal important roles for Hippo signaling in modulating TGFB signaling during neural crest EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Idaliz M. Martínez Traverso
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jeffrey D. Steimle
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xiaolei Zhao
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - James F. Martin
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Cardiomyocyte Renewal Laboratory, Texas Heart Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Center for Organ Repair and Renewal, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030 , USA
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Craniofacial Defects in Embryos with Homozygous Deletion of Eftud2 in Their Neural Crest Cells Are Not Rescued by Trp53 Deletion. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169033. [PMID: 36012294 PMCID: PMC9409426 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryos with homozygous mutation of Eftud2 in their neural crest cells (Eftud2ncc−/−) have brain and craniofacial malformations, hyperactivation of the P53-pathway and die before birth. Treatment of Eftud2ncc−/− embryos with pifithrin-α, a P53-inhibitor, partly improved brain and craniofacial development. To uncover if craniofacial malformations and death were indeed due to P53 hyperactivation we generated embryos with homozygous loss of function mutations in both Eftud2 and Trp53 in the neural crest cells. We evaluated the molecular mechanism underlying craniofacial development in pifithrin-α-treated embryos and in Eftud2; Trp53 double homozygous (Eftud2ncc−/−; Trp53ncc−/−) mutant embryos. Eftud2ncc−/− embryos that were treated with pifithrin-α or homozygous mutant for Trp53 in their neural crest cells showed reduced apoptosis in their neural tube and reduced P53-target activity. Furthermore, although the number of SOX10 positive cranial neural crest cells was increased in embryonic day (E) 9.0 Eftud2ncc−/−; Trp53ncc−/− embryos compared to Eftud2ncc−/− mutants, brain and craniofacial development, and survival were not improved in double mutant embryos. Furthermore, mis-splicing of both P53-regulated transcripts, Mdm2 and Foxm1, and a P53-independent transcript, Synj2bp, was increased in the head of Eftud2ncc−/−; Trp53ncc−/− embryos. While levels of Zmat3, a P53- regulated splicing factor, was similar to those of wild-type. Altogether, our data indicate that both P53-regulated and P53-independent pathways contribute to craniofacial malformations and death of Eftud2ncc−/− embryos.
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