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Mendes FA, Coelho Aguiar JM, Kahn SA, Reis AH, Dubois LG, Romão LF, Ferreira LSS, Chneiweiss H, Moura Neto V, Abreu JG. Connective-Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF/CCN2) Induces Astrogenesis and Fibronectin Expression of Embryonic Neural Cells In Vitro. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0133689. [PMID: 26241738 PMCID: PMC4524627 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Connective-tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a modular secreted protein implicated in multiple cellular events such as chondrogenesis, skeletogenesis, angiogenesis and wound healing. CTGF contains four different structural modules. This modular organization is characteristic of members of the CCN family. The acronym was derived from the first three members discovered, cysteine-rich 61 (CYR61), CTGF and nephroblastoma overexpressed (NOV). CTGF is implicated as a mediator of important cell processes such as adhesion, migration, proliferation and differentiation. Extensive data have shown that CTGF interacts particularly with the TGFβ, WNT and MAPK signaling pathways. The capacity of CTGF to interact with different growth factors lends it an important role during early and late development, especially in the anterior region of the embryo. ctgf knockout mice have several cranio-facial defects, and the skeletal system is also greatly affected due to an impairment of the vascular-system development during chondrogenesis. This study, for the first time, indicated that CTGF is a potent inductor of gliogenesis during development. Our results showed that in vitro addition of recombinant CTGF protein to an embryonic mouse neural precursor cell culture increased the number of GFAP- and GFAP/Nestin-positive cells. Surprisingly, CTGF also increased the number of Sox2-positive cells. Moreover, this induction seemed not to involve cell proliferation. In addition, exogenous CTGF activated p44/42 but not p38 or JNK MAPK signaling, and increased the expression and deposition of the fibronectin extracellular matrix protein. Finally, CTGF was also able to induce GFAP as well as Nestin expression in a human malignant glioma stem cell line, suggesting a possible role in the differentiation process of gliomas. These results implicate ctgf as a key gene for astrogenesis during development, and suggest that its mechanism may involve activation of p44/42 MAPK signaling. Additionally, CTGF-induced differentiation of glioblastoma stem cells into a less-tumorigenic state could increase the chances of successful intervention, since differentiated cells are more vulnerable to cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio A. Mendes
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Programa de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Juliana M. Coelho Aguiar
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Programa de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Suzana A. Kahn
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Programa de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Inserm, UMR894, Team Glial Plasticity, University Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Alice H. Reis
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Programa de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Luiz Gustavo Dubois
- Instituto Estadual do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer (IEC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Lais S. S. Ferreira
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Programa de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Hervé Chneiweiss
- Inserm, UMR894, Team Glial Plasticity, University Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Vivaldo Moura Neto
- Instituto Estadual do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer (IEC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - José G. Abreu
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Programa de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Aguiar DP, de Farias GC, de Sousa EB, de Mattos Coelho-Aguiar J, Lobo JC, Casado PL, Duarte MEL, Abreu JGR. New strategy to control cell migration and metastasis regulated by CCN2/CTGF. Cancer Cell Int 2014; 14:61. [PMID: 25120383 PMCID: PMC4130434 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2867-14-61] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2014] [Accepted: 06/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF)/CCN family member 2 (CCN2) is a CCN family member of matricellular signaling modulators. It has been shown that CCN2/CTGF mediates cell adhesion, aggregation and migration in a large variety of cell types, including vascular endothelial cells, fibroblasts, epithelial cells, aortic smooth muscle and also pluripotent stem cells. Others matricellular proteins are capable of interacting with CCN2/CTGF to mediate its function. Cell migration is a key feature for tumor cell invasion and metastasis. CCN2/CTGF seems to be a prognostic marker for cancer. In addition, here we intend to discuss recent discoveries and a new strategy to develop therapies against CCN2/CTGF, in order to treat cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Pinheiro Aguiar
- Research Division, National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Correa de Farias
- Research Division, National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Branco de Sousa
- Research Division, National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Juliana de Mattos Coelho-Aguiar
- Program of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Julie Calixto Lobo
- Research Division, National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Priscila Ladeira Casado
- Research Division, National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - José Garcia Ribeiro Abreu
- Program of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Rosin NL, Falkenham A, Sopel MJ, Lee TDG, Légaré JF. Regulation and role of connective tissue growth factor in AngII-induced myocardial fibrosis. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2012; 182:714-26. [PMID: 23287510 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2012.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2012] [Revised: 11/09/2012] [Accepted: 11/15/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Exposure of rodents to angiotensin II (AngII) is a common model of fibrosis. We have previously shown that cellular infiltration of bone marrow-derived progenitor cells (fibrocytes) occurs before deposition of extracellular matrix and is associated with the production of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). In the present study, we characterized the role of CTGF in promoting fibrocyte accumulation and regulation after AngII exposure. In animals exposed to AngII using osmotic minipumps (2.0 μg/kg per min), myocardial CTGF mRNA peaked at 6 hours (21-fold; P < 0.01), whereas transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) peaked at 3 days (fivefold; P < 0.05) compared with saline control. Early CTGF expression occurred before fibrocyte migration (1 day) into the myocardium or ECM deposition (3 days). CTGF protein expression was evident by day 3 of AngII exposure and seemed to be localized to resident cells. Isolated cardiomyocytes and microvascular endothelial cells responded to AngII with increased CTGF production (2.1-fold and 2.8-fold, respectively; P < 0.05), which was abolished with the addition of anti-TGF-β neutralizing antibody. The effect of CTGF on isolated fibrocytes suggested a role in fibrocyte proliferation (twofold; P < 0.05) and collagen production (2.3-fold; P < 0.05). In summary, we provide strong evidence that AngII exposure first resulted in Smad2-dependent production of CTGF by resident cells (6 hours), well before the accumulation of fibrocytes or TGF-β mRNA up-regulation. In addition, CTGF contributes to fibrocyte proliferation in the myocardium and enhances fibrocyte differentiation into a myofibroblast phenotype responsible for ECM deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole L Rosin
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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