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Martini D, Pucci C, Gabellini C, Pellegrino M, Andreazzoli M. Exposure to the natural alkaloid Berberine affects cardiovascular system morphogenesis and functionality during zebrafish development. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17358. [PMID: 33060638 PMCID: PMC7566475 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73661-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The plant-derived natural alkaloid berberine displays therapeutic potential to treat several pathological conditions, including dyslipidemias, diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. However, data on berberine effects during embryonic development are scarce and in part controversial. In this study, using zebrafish embryos as vertebrate experimental model, we address the effects of berberine treatment on cardiovascular system development and functionality. Starting from the observation that berberine induces developmental toxicity and pericardial edema in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, we found that treated embryos display cardiac looping defects and, at later stages, present an abnormal heart characterized by a stretched morphology and atrial endocardial/myocardial detachment. Furthermore, berberine affected cardiac functionality of the embryos, promoting bradycardia and reducing the cardiac output, the atrial shortening fraction percentage and the atrial stroke volume. We also found that, during development, berberine interferes with the angiogenic process, without altering vascular permeability. These alterations are associated with increased levels of vascular endothelial growth factor aa (vegfaa) mRNA, suggesting an important role for Vegfaa as mediator of berberine-induced cardiovascular defects. Altogether, these data indicate that berberine treatment during vertebrate development leads to an impairment of cardiovascular system morphogenesis and functionality, suggesting a note of caution in its use during pregnancy and lactation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Martini
- Cell and Developmental Biology Unit, Department of Biology, University of Pisa, SS12 Abetone e Brennero, 56127, Pisa, Italy
| | - Cecilia Pucci
- Cell and Developmental Biology Unit, Department of Biology, University of Pisa, SS12 Abetone e Brennero, 56127, Pisa, Italy.,Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.,Institute of Genomic Medicine, Catholic University, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Gabellini
- Cell and Developmental Biology Unit, Department of Biology, University of Pisa, SS12 Abetone e Brennero, 56127, Pisa, Italy
| | - Mario Pellegrino
- National Institute of Optics, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Andreazzoli
- Cell and Developmental Biology Unit, Department of Biology, University of Pisa, SS12 Abetone e Brennero, 56127, Pisa, Italy. .,Interdepartmental Research Center Nutrafood "Nutraceuticals and Food for Health", University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
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Evans AL, Faial T, Gilchrist MJ, Down T, Vallier L, Pedersen RA, Wardle FC, Smith JC. Genomic targets of Brachyury (T) in differentiating mouse embryonic stem cells. PLoS One 2012; 7:e33346. [PMID: 22479388 PMCID: PMC3316570 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2010] [Accepted: 02/13/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The T-box transcription factor Brachyury (T) is essential for formation of the posterior mesoderm and the notochord in vertebrate embryos. Work in the frog and the zebrafish has identified some direct genomic targets of Brachyury, but little is known about Brachyury targets in the mouse. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we use chromatin immunoprecipitation and mouse promoter microarrays to identify targets of Brachyury in embryoid bodies formed from differentiating mouse ES cells. The targets we identify are enriched for sequence-specific DNA binding proteins and include components of signal transduction pathways that direct cell fate in the primitive streak and tailbud of the early embryo. Expression of some of these targets, such as Axin2, Fgf8 and Wnt3a, is down regulated in Brachyury mutant embryos and we demonstrate that they are also Brachyury targets in the human. Surprisingly, we do not observe enrichment of the canonical T-domain DNA binding sequence 5′-TCACACCT-3′ in the vicinity of most Brachyury target genes. Rather, we have identified an (AC)n repeat sequence, which is conserved in the rat but not in human, zebrafish or Xenopus. We do not understand the significance of this sequence, but speculate that it enhances transcription factor binding in the regulatory regions of Brachyury target genes in rodents. Conclusions/Significance Our work identifies the genomic targets of a key regulator of mesoderm formation in the early mouse embryo, thereby providing insights into the Brachyury-driven genetic regulatory network and allowing us to compare the function of Brachyury in different species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda L. Evans
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council, National Institute for Medical Research, London, United Kingdome
| | - Tiago Faial
- The Anne McLaren Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council, National Institute for Medical Research, London, United Kingdome
| | - Michael J. Gilchrist
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council, National Institute for Medical Research, London, United Kingdome
| | - Thomas Down
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ludovic Vallier
- The Anne McLaren Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Roger A. Pedersen
- The Anne McLaren Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Fiona C. Wardle
- Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - James C. Smith
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council, National Institute for Medical Research, London, United Kingdome
- * E-mail:
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Krikun G, Hu Z, Osteen K, Bruner-Tran KL, Schatz F, Taylor HS, Toti P, Arcuri F, Konigsberg W, Garen A, Booth CJ, Lockwood CJ. The immunoconjugate "icon" targets aberrantly expressed endothelial tissue factor causing regression of endometriosis. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2009; 176:1050-6. [PMID: 20042667 DOI: 10.2353/ajpath.2010.090757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Endometriosis is a major cause of chronic pain, infertility, medical and surgical interventions, and health care expenditures. Tissue factor (TF), the primary initiator of coagulation and a modulator of angiogenesis, is not normally expressed by the endothelium; however, prior studies have demonstrated that both blood vessels in solid tumors and choroidal tissue in macular degeneration express endothelial TF. The present study describes the anomalous expression of TF by endothelial cells in endometriotic lesions. The immunoconjugate molecule (Icon), which binds with high affinity and specificity to this aberrant endothelial TF, has been shown to induce a cytolytic immune response that eradicates tumor and choroidal blood vessels. Using an athymic mouse model of endometriosis, we now report that Icon largely destroys endometriotic implants by vascular disruption without apparent toxicity, reduced fertility, or subsequent teratogenic effects. Unlike antiangiogenic treatments that can only target developing angiogenesis, Icon eliminates pre-existing pathological vessels. Thus, Icon could serve as a novel, nontoxic, fertility-preserving, and effective treatment for endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graciela Krikun
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520-8063, USA.
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Harfouche R, Hentschel DM, Piecewicz S, Basu S, Print C, Eavarone D, Kiziltepe T, Sasisekharan R, Sengupta S. Glycome and transcriptome regulation of vasculogenesis. Circulation 2009; 120:1883-1892. [PMID: 19858418 PMCID: PMC4001715 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.108.837724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Therapeutic vasculogenesis is an emerging concept that can potentially be harnessed for the management of ischemic pathologies. The present study elucidates the potential coregulation of vasculogenesis by the heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycan-rich cell-surface glycome and the transcriptome. METHODS AND RESULTS Differentiation of embryonic stem cells into endothelial cells in an in vitro embryoid body is paralleled by an amplification of heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycan sulfation, which correlates with the levels of the enzyme N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase 1 (NDST1). Small hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of NDST1 or modification of heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans in embryonic stem cells with heparinases or sodium chlorate inhibited differentiation of embryonic stem cells into endothelial cells. This was translated to an in vivo zebrafish embryo model, in which the genetic knockdown of NDST1 resulted in impaired vascularization characterized by a concentration-dependent decrease in intersegmental vessel lumen and a large tail-vessel configuration, which could be rescued by use of exogenous sulfated heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans. To explore the cross talk between the glycome and the transcriptome during vasculogenesis, we identified by microarray and then validated wild-type and NDST1 knockdown-associated gene-expression patterns in zebrafish embryos. Temporal analysis at 3 developmental stages critical for vasculogenesis revealed a cascade of pathways that may mediate glycocalyx regulation of vasculogenesis. These pathways were intimately connected to cell signaling, cell survival, and cell fate determination. Specifically, we demonstrated that forkhead box O3A/5 proteins and insulin-like growth factor were key downstream signals in this process. CONCLUSIONS The present study for the first time implicates interplay between the glycome and the transcriptome during vasculogenesis, revealing the possibility of harnessing specific cellular glyco-microenvironments for therapeutic vascularization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rania Harfouche
- Department of Medicine (R.H., D.M.H., S.P., S.B., S.S.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass; Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology (C.P.), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Biological Engineering (D.E., T.K., R.S.), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass; and Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (R.H., S.P., S.B., D.E., T.K., R.S., S.S.), Cambridge, Mass
| | - Dirk M Hentschel
- Department of Medicine (R.H., D.M.H., S.P., S.B., S.S.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass; Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology (C.P.), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Biological Engineering (D.E., T.K., R.S.), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass; and Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (R.H., S.P., S.B., D.E., T.K., R.S., S.S.), Cambridge, Mass
| | - Stephanie Piecewicz
- Department of Medicine (R.H., D.M.H., S.P., S.B., S.S.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass; Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology (C.P.), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Biological Engineering (D.E., T.K., R.S.), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass; and Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (R.H., S.P., S.B., D.E., T.K., R.S., S.S.), Cambridge, Mass
| | - Sudipta Basu
- Department of Medicine (R.H., D.M.H., S.P., S.B., S.S.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass; Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology (C.P.), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Biological Engineering (D.E., T.K., R.S.), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass; and Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (R.H., S.P., S.B., D.E., T.K., R.S., S.S.), Cambridge, Mass
| | - Cristin Print
- Department of Medicine (R.H., D.M.H., S.P., S.B., S.S.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass; Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology (C.P.), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Biological Engineering (D.E., T.K., R.S.), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass; and Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (R.H., S.P., S.B., D.E., T.K., R.S., S.S.), Cambridge, Mass
| | - David Eavarone
- Department of Medicine (R.H., D.M.H., S.P., S.B., S.S.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass; Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology (C.P.), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Biological Engineering (D.E., T.K., R.S.), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass; and Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (R.H., S.P., S.B., D.E., T.K., R.S., S.S.), Cambridge, Mass
| | - Tanyel Kiziltepe
- Department of Medicine (R.H., D.M.H., S.P., S.B., S.S.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass; Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology (C.P.), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Biological Engineering (D.E., T.K., R.S.), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass; and Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (R.H., S.P., S.B., D.E., T.K., R.S., S.S.), Cambridge, Mass
| | - Ram Sasisekharan
- Department of Medicine (R.H., D.M.H., S.P., S.B., S.S.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass; Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology (C.P.), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Biological Engineering (D.E., T.K., R.S.), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass; and Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (R.H., S.P., S.B., D.E., T.K., R.S., S.S.), Cambridge, Mass
| | - Shiladitya Sengupta
- Department of Medicine (R.H., D.M.H., S.P., S.B., S.S.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass; Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology (C.P.), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Biological Engineering (D.E., T.K., R.S.), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass; and Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (R.H., S.P., S.B., D.E., T.K., R.S., S.S.), Cambridge, Mass
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