Developmental changes in phosphorylation of the transcription factor CREB in the embryonic murine palate

Genetic polymorphism of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate is associated with developmental dyslexia in Chinese school-aged populations

Developmental dyslexia (DD) is a neurodevelopment disorder characterized by reading disabilities without apparent etiologies. Nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) is a structural craniofacial malformation featured by isolated orofacial abnormalities. Despite substantial phenotypic differences, potential linkage between these two disorders has been suggested as prevalence of DD among NSCL/P patients was much higher than that in general populations. Previous neuroimaging studies observed impaired short-term memory in patients with DD and NSCL/P, respectively. Genetic factors have a fundamental role during neurodevelopment and craniofacial morphogenesis but there lacks of evidence to support the linkage between DD and NSCL/P at genetic level. A recent genome-wide association study in Chinese populations identified a number of genetic polymorphisms associated with NSCL/P. Herein, we selected three risk variants of NSCL/P namely rs8049367, rs4791774 and rs2235371, and performed association analysis with DD in a Chinese population consisting 631 elementary school-aged children with 288 dyslexic cases without NSCL/P and 343 healthy controls. After Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons, the T allele of rs8049367 showed significant association with DD (OR=1.41, P=0.0085). It is an intergenic variant between CREBBP and ADCY9 located at 16p13.3. The CREBBP gene was reported to have an essential role during memory formation, although ADCY9 was involved in dental development. In future studies, understanding functional effects of rs8049367 on CERBBP and ADCY9 might contribute to explain underlying etiologies shared by DD and NSCL/P.

Neural crest-specific loss of Prkar1a causes perinatal lethality resulting from defects in intramembranous ossification

The cranial neural crest (CNC) undergoes complex molecular and morphological changes during embryogenesis in order to form the vertebrate skull, and nearly three quarters of all birth defects result from defects in craniofacial development. The molecular events leading to CNC differentiation have been extensively studied; however, the role of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase [protein kinase A (PKA)] during craniofacial development has only been described in palate formation. Here, we provide evidence that strict PKA regulation in postmigratory CNC cells is essential during craniofacial bone development. Selective inactivation of Prkar1a, a regulatory subunit of the PKA holoenzyme, in the CNC results in perinatal lethality caused by dysmorphic craniofacial development and subsequent asphyxiation. Additionally, aberrant differentiation of CNC mesenchymal cells results in anomalous intramembranous ossification characterized by formation of cartilaginous islands in some areas and osteolysis of bony trabeculae with fibrous connective tissue stabilization in others. Genetic interaction studies revealed that genetic reduction of the PKA catalytic subunit C(alpha) was able to rescue the phenotype, whereas reduction in Cbeta had no effect. Overall, these observations provide evidence of the essential role of proper regulation of PKA during the ossification of the bones of the skull. This knowledge may have implications for the understanding and treatment of craniofacial birth defects.

Alterations in protein kinase A signalling and cleft palate: a review

Cyclic AMP is an important second messenger mediating the actions of many hormones and other ligands in a variety of cells. Cells of the developing organism are no exception. Once generated, it releases the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A (PKA) from the inhibitory influence of its regulatory subunit, which then migrates into the nucleus to phosphorylate and enhance the binding of relevant transcription factors to the promoter element CRE of genes involved in above cellular responses. This review summarizes the available data on the essential role of this pathway in embryonic development as well as the functionality, ontogeny and consequences of genetic and chemical disruption of this pathway in the developing orofacial structures, especially the secondary palate as influenced by the mycotoxin, secalonic acid D.

Relevance of the palatal protein kinase A pathway to the pathogenesis of cleft palate by secalonic acid D in mice

Secalonic acid-D (SAD) is a teratogenic mycotoxin inducing cleft palate (CP) in the offspring of the exposed mice by reducing palatal shelf size secondary to reduced proliferation of the palatal mesenchymal (PM) cells. Co-administration of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) reversed the CP-inducing effect of SAD. Although SAD has been shown to affect both protein kinases A (PKA) and C (PKC) pathways, the relevance of each of these pathways to its CP induction is unknown. The present studies were designed to test the hypothesis that the protective effect of DMSO is mediated by its specific reversal of the effect(s) of SAD on one of these two pathways using ELISA-based activity assays, Western blot analysis, electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA), and murine embryonic PM (MEPM) cell growth in culture. Within the PKA pathway, SAD inhibited the activity of the catalytic subunit of PKA and its migration into the nucleus, elevated phosphorylated cyclic AMP (cAMP) response element (CRE)-binding protein (pCREB) level, and reduced the binding of CREB to CRE. In the PKC pathway, SAD reduced the activity of PKC and the binding of transcription factors (TF) to 12-O-tetradecanoate-13 phorbol acetate-response element (TRE). SAD also inhibited MEPM cell growth and the expression of the CRE- and TRE-containing gene, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Reversal, by DMSO, of the effects of SAD on MEPM cell growth, on PCNA expression and on all components of the PKA, but not of PKC, pathway suggests that the perturbation of the PKA pathway by SAD is relevant to its induction of CP in mice.

Phosphatase regulation of gene expression during development of the palate

In mammalian cells, including those of the embryonic palate, the level of phosphorylation of cellular proteins at any given time reflects the activities of protein kinases and protein phosphatases. Both protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1) and PP-2A inhibit cAMP-mediated increases in transcription by dephosphorylating CREB at ser-133. Western blot analysis indicated that protein phosphatase 1 (PP-1) was expressed constitutively in palatal tissue during its development. Expression of PP-2A was regulated developmentally with maximal expression on gestational day (gd) 14. Densitometric scanning revealed a 30% increase in expression from gd 13 to gd 14. Virtually all phosphatase activity in the tissue extracts could be inhibited by 5 microM okadaic acid, demonstrating that PP-1 and PP-2A account for all detectable ser/thr protein phosphatase activity present in the developing palate. Moreover, no significant differences in PP-1 and PP-2A activities were observed during the period of palate development. Treatment of primary cultures of murine embryonic palate mesenchymal (MEPM) cells with forskolin (20 microM) to elevate intracellular cAMP levels, resulted in a time-dependent increase in CREB ser-133 phosphorylation and a corresponding time dependent decrease in PP-1 and PP-2A levels. Moreover, treatment of MEPM cells with okadaic acid resulted in a dramatic increase in basal CREB ser-133 phosphorylation. This suggests that PP-1 activity may contribute to transcriptional regulation of CREB and that PP-1 and PP-2A are regulated differentially by cAMP. Treatment of MEPM cells with TGF beta 1 (1 ng/ml) under conditions of TGF beta-induced CREB phosphorylation resulted in no effect on the expression of either PP-1 or PP-2A proteins and no significant alterations in total basal protein phosphatase activity. These results demonstrate that transcriptional regulation of CREB in embryonic palatal issue is dependent on the coordinate activity of specific kinases and phosphatases.

Temporal activation of the sea urchin late H1 gene requires stage-specific phosphorylation of the embryonic transcription factor SSAP

Stage-specific activator protein (SSAP) is a 41-kDa polypeptide that binds to embryonic enhancer elements of the sea urchin late H1 gene. These enhancer elements mediate the transcriptional activation of the late H1 gene in a temporally specific manner at the mid-blastula stage of embryogenesis. Although SSAP can transactivate the late H1 gene only at late stages of the development, it resides in the sea urchin nucleus and maintains DNA binding activity throughout early embryogenesis. In addition, it has been shown that SSAP undergoes a conversion from a 41-kDa monomer to a approximately 80- to 100-kDa dimer when the late H1 gene is activated. We have demonstrated that SSAP is differentially phosphorylated during embryogenesis. Serine 87, a cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase consensus site located in the N-terminal DNA binding domain, is constitutively phosphorylated. At the mid-blastula stage of embryogenesis, temporally correlated with SSAP dimer formation and late H1 gene activation, a threonine residue in the C-terminal transactivation domain is phosphorylated. This phosphorylation can be catalyzed by a break-ended double-stranded DNA-activated protein kinase activity from the sea urchin nucleus in vitro. Microinjection of synthetic SSAP mRNAs encoding either serine or threonine phosphorylation mutants results in the failure to transactivate reporter genes that contain the enhancer element, suggesting that both serine and threonine phosphorylation of SSAP are required for the activation of the late H1 gene. Furthermore, SSAP can undergo blastula-stage-specific homodimerization through its GQ-rich transactivation domain. The late-specific threonine phosphorylation in this domain is essential for the dimer assembly. These observations indicate that temporally regulated SSAP activation is promoted by threonine phosphorylation on its transactivation domain, which triggers the formation of a transcriptionally active SSAP homodimer.

In vivo and in vitro assessment of mitogen activated protein kinase involvement during quail secondary palate formation

Spatiotemporally regulated cell proliferation and differentiation are crucial for the successful completion of morphogenesis of the vertebrate secondary palate. An understanding of the mechanisms by which these cellular phenomena are regulated during palate development involves the identification of the various signal transduction pathways. In the present study, the presence and activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases were investigated during the development of quail secondary palate. The palatal shelves were dissected on days 5-9 of incubation, homogenized, and centrifuged, after which the samples were separated by anion exchange fast protein liquid chromatography. The fractions were analyzed for myelin basic protein (MBP) phosphorylation. In addition, primary cultures of quail palate mesenchymal cells (QPMCs) were treated with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and prepared for MBP phosphorylation assays. A temporally regulated pattern of phosphotransferase activity, characterized by a three-fold increase in phosphotransferase activity toward MBP between days 5 and 8 of incubation, was observed during quail palate development. Western blotting, using MAP kinase antibodies, demonstrated the presence of a 42-kDa isoform between days 5 and 9 of incubation, during which the level of protein remained constant. Antityrosine immunoblotting with 4G10 also detected a 42-kDa protein. Phosphotransferase assays, using either a MAP kinase-specific substrate peptide (S5) or a protein kinase C inhibitor (R3), further confirmed the presence of a MAP kinase in the developing palate of quail. Because diverse biological processes occur concurrently during in vivo palate morphogenesis, the involvement of MAP kinase was explored further in primary cell culture. The data showed that EGF stimulated proliferation and activated 42-kDa MAP kinase in QPMCs. It is suggested that MAP kinase cascade may be involved in growth factor-regulated cell proliferation during morphogenesis of quail secondary palate.

Occurrence and nuclear localization of cAMP response element-binding protein in the post-natal development of the rat submandibular gland

Cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB) is a 43-kDa polypeptide that binds a cAMP response element located at the 5' promoter region of cAMP regulatory genes. The spatial and temporal distribution of CREB in the postnatal development of the rat submandibular gland was investigated using immunohistochemistry with a specific antibody. At birth, cells of the terminal tubules and ducts in the submandibular gland showed a nuclear CREB immunoreactivity of moderate intensity. At 1-2 weeks after birth, an intense CREB immunoreactivity was localized primarily to acinar cells. When the beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol was administered to 2-week-old rats, a twofold transient increase in the number of immunoreactive acinar cells was induced. Beginning 3 weeks after birth, CREB immunoreactivity shifted from acini to the duct system and showed a clear localization in the cells of the intercalated ducts and distal portions of striated ducts, where the granular convoluted tubule develops after 4 weeks. Immunopositive materials were localized exclusively in the nuclei of both acinar and ductal immunoreactive cells. After the development of the granular convoluted tubules, CREB immunoreactivity was absent in the tubule cells and was gradually reduced in intensity over the entire gland. In order to examine a hypothesis that CREB is involved in the initial differentiation of the granular convoluted tubular cells, testosterone was administered to hypophysectomized adult rats. Whereas the tubular cells of hypophysectomized rats showed a complete regression, and no CREB immunoreactivity was found in any acinar or duct cells, administration of testosterone for a few days induced an intense CREB immunoreactivity in the nuclei of duct cells, followed by their differentiation into the granular convoluted tubular cells. These results suggested that CREB is involved not only in the growth and differentiation of acinar cells that are regulated by beta-adrenergic nerves but also in those of the duct system, and especially in the androgen-regulated differentiation of the granular convoluted tubular cells, during the post-natal development of the rat submandibular gland.

TGF-beta signaling in murine embryonic palate cells involves phosphorylation of the CREB transcription factor

A number of studies over the last several years have demonstrated a crucial role for TGF-beta in epithelial and mesenchymal differentiation during development of the embryonic palate. Molecular mechanism(s) of signal transduction responsible for eliciting these responses remain unresolved. Since cAMP signaling also modulates the same tissue differentiation in the developing palate and palate-derived cells, we hypothesized that TGF-beta activity may be mediated through cAMP-inducible pathways. We thus examined the effects of TGF-beta on activation of the cAMP regulatory element binding protein CREB, a nuclear transcription factor which mediates transcription of genes containing CRE recognition sequences in their promoters. We examined the ability of TGF-beta-treated murine embryonic palate mesenchymal (MEPM) cells to phosphorylate CREB on the amino acid residue serine 133, phosphorylation of which is indispensable for transcriptional activation. TGF-beta treatment led to increased phosphorylation of CREB ser-133 in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Inhibition of serine-threonine phosphatases by okadaic acid enhanced but did not prolong this response. TGF-beta failed to induce the activity of protein kinase A (PKA), a known CREB kinase. Inhibition of either PKA or calcium/calmodulin kinase II (CaMK II) did not abrogate phosphorylation of CREB by TGF-beta. TGF-beta treatment also did not induce phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, erk-1 and erk-2, on tyrosine 185, suggesting that these kinases do not mediate CREB phosphorylation by TGF-beta. Additionally, TGF-beta had no effect on CREB binding to known CREB DNA consensus recognition sequences, CRE and TRE. Together, these data suggest an alternative or novel CREB kinase in MEPM cells through which TGF-beta acts to induce CREB ser-133 phosphorylation and subsequent activation of CRE-containing genes.