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Xu H, Dugué GP, Cantaut-Belarif Y, Lejeune FX, Gupta S, Wyart C, Lehtinen MK. SCO-spondin knockout mice exhibit small brain ventricles and mild spine deformation. Fluids Barriers CNS 2023; 20:89. [PMID: 38049798 PMCID: PMC10696872 DOI: 10.1186/s12987-023-00491-8] [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: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Reissner's fiber (RF) is an extracellular polymer comprising the large monomeric protein SCO-spondin (SSPO) secreted by the subcommissural organ (SCO) that extends through cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-filled ventricles into the central canal of the spinal cord. In zebrafish, RF and CSF-contacting neurons (CSF-cNs) form an axial sensory system that detects spinal curvature, instructs morphogenesis of the body axis, and enables proper alignment of the spine. In mammalian models, RF has been implicated in CSF circulation. However, challenges in manipulating Sspo, an exceptionally large gene of 15,719 nucleotides, with traditional approaches has limited progress. Here, we generated a Sspo knockout mouse model using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome-editing. Sspo knockout mice lacked RF-positive material in the SCO and fibrillar condensates in the brain ventricles. Remarkably, Sspo knockout brain ventricle sizes were reduced compared to littermate controls. Minor defects in thoracic spine curvature were detected in Sspo knockouts, which did not alter basic motor behaviors tested. Altogether, our work in mouse demonstrates that SSPO and RF regulate ventricle size during development but only moderately impact spine geometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huixin Xu
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Guillaume P Dugué
- Neurophysiology of Brain Circuits, Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Yasmine Cantaut-Belarif
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute (Institut du Cerveau, ICM), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1127, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Unité Mixte de Recherche 7225, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Campus Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47, bld Hospital, 75013, Paris, France
| | - François-Xavier Lejeune
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute (Institut du Cerveau, ICM), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1127, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Unité Mixte de Recherche 7225, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Campus Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47, bld Hospital, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Suhasini Gupta
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Claire Wyart
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute (Institut du Cerveau, ICM), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1127, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Unité Mixte de Recherche 7225, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Campus Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47, bld Hospital, 75013, Paris, France.
| | - Maria K Lehtinen
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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Bellegarda C, Zavard G, Moisan L, Brochard-Wyart F, Joanny JF, Gray RS, Cantaut-Belarif Y, Wyart C. The Reissner fiber under tension in vivo shows dynamic interaction with ciliated cells contacting the cerebrospinal fluid. eLife 2023; 12:e86175. [PMID: 37772792 PMCID: PMC10617989 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86175] [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: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The Reissner fiber (RF) is an acellular thread positioned in the midline of the central canal that aggregates thanks to the beating of numerous cilia from ependymal radial glial cells (ERGs) generating flow in the central canal of the spinal cord. RF together with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-contacting neurons (CSF-cNs) form an axial sensory system detecting curvature. How RF, CSF-cNs and the multitude of motile cilia from ERGs interact in vivo appears critical for maintenance of RF and sensory functions of CSF-cNs to keep a straight body axis, but is not well-understood. Using in vivo imaging in larval zebrafish, we show that RF is under tension and resonates dorsoventrally. Focal RF ablations trigger retraction and relaxation of the fiber's cut ends, with larger retraction speeds for rostral ablations. We built a mechanical model that estimates RF stress diffusion coefficient D at 5 mm2/s and reveals that tension builds up rostrally along the fiber. After RF ablation, spontaneous CSF-cN activity decreased and ciliary motility changed, suggesting physical interactions between RF and cilia projecting into the central canal. We observed that motile cilia were caudally-tilted and frequently interacted with RF. We propose that the numerous ependymal motile monocilia contribute to RF's heterogenous tension via weak interactions. Our work demonstrates that under tension, the Reissner fiber dynamically interacts with motile cilia generating CSF flow and spinal sensory neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celine Bellegarda
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute (Institut du Cerveau, ICM), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1127, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Unité Mixte de Recherche 7225, Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Paris, Campus Hospitalier Pitié-SalpêtrièreParisFrance
| | - Guillaume Zavard
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute (Institut du Cerveau, ICM), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1127, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Unité Mixte de Recherche 7225, Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Paris, Campus Hospitalier Pitié-SalpêtrièreParisFrance
| | | | | | - Jean-François Joanny
- Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) University, Institut Curie, Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
- Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) University, Collège de FranceParisFrance
| | - Ryan S Gray
- Dell Pediatrics Research Institute, The University of Texas at AustinAustinUnited States
| | - Yasmine Cantaut-Belarif
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute (Institut du Cerveau, ICM), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1127, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Unité Mixte de Recherche 7225, Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Paris, Campus Hospitalier Pitié-SalpêtrièreParisFrance
| | - Claire Wyart
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute (Institut du Cerveau, ICM), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1127, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Unité Mixte de Recherche 7225, Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Paris, Campus Hospitalier Pitié-SalpêtrièreParisFrance
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Nualart F, Cifuentes M, Ramírez E, Martínez F, Barahona MJ, Ferrada L, Saldivia N, Bongarzone ER, Thorens B, Salazar K. Hyperglycemia increases SCO-spondin and Wnt5a secretion into the cerebrospinal fluid to regulate ependymal cell beating and glucose sensing. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002308. [PMID: 37733692 PMCID: PMC10513282 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Hyperglycemia increases glucose concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), activating glucose-sensing mechanisms and feeding behavior in the hypothalamus. Here, we discuss how hyperglycemia temporarily modifies ependymal cell ciliary beating to increase hypothalamic glucose sensing. A high level of glucose in the rat CSF stimulates glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2)-positive subcommissural organ (SCO) cells to release SCO-spondin into the dorsal third ventricle. Genetic inactivation of mice GLUT2 decreases hyperglycemia-induced SCO-spondin secretion. In addition, SCO cells secrete Wnt5a-positive vesicles; thus, Wnt5a and SCO-spondin are found at the apex of dorsal ependymal cilia to regulate ciliary beating. Frizzled-2 and ROR2 receptors, as well as specific proteoglycans, such as glypican/testican (essential for the interaction of Wnt5a with its receptors) and Cx43 coupling, were also analyzed in ependymal cells. Finally, we propose that the SCO-spondin/Wnt5a/Frizzled-2/Cx43 axis in ependymal cells regulates ciliary beating, a cyclic and adaptive signaling mechanism to control glucose sensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Nualart
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Stem Cells, NeuroCellT, Department of Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile
- Center for Advanced Microscopy CMA BIO BIO, University of Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile
| | - Manuel Cifuentes
- Department of Cell Biology, Genetics and Physiology, University of Malaga, Málaga Biomedical Research Institute and Nanomedicine Platform (IBIMA-BIONAND Platform), Malaga, Spain
| | - Eder Ramírez
- Center for Advanced Microscopy CMA BIO BIO, University of Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile
| | - Fernando Martínez
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Stem Cells, NeuroCellT, Department of Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile
| | - María José Barahona
- Center for Advanced Microscopy CMA BIO BIO, University of Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile
| | - Luciano Ferrada
- Center for Advanced Microscopy CMA BIO BIO, University of Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile
| | - Natalia Saldivia
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Stem Cells, NeuroCellT, Department of Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile
| | - Ernesto R. Bongarzone
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Bernard Thorens
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Katterine Salazar
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Stem Cells, NeuroCellT, Department of Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile
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Xu H, Dugué GP, Cantaut-Belarif Y, Lejeune FX, Gupta S, Wyart C, Lehtinen MK. SCO-spondin knockout mice exhibit small brain ventricles and mild spine deformation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.01.551512. [PMID: 37577601 PMCID: PMC10418289 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.01.551512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Reissner's fiber (RF) is an extracellular polymer comprising the large monomeric protein SCO-spondin (SSPO) secreted by the subcommissural organ (SCO) that extends through cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-filled ventricles into the central canal of the spinal cord. In zebrafish, RF and CSF-contacting neurons (CSF-cNs) form an axial sensory system that detects spinal curvature, instructs morphogenesis of the body axis, and enables proper alignment of the spine. In mammalian models, RF has been implicated in CSF circulation. However, challenges in manipulating Sspo , an exceptionally large gene of 15,719 nucleotides, with traditional approaches has limited progress. Here, we generated a Sspo knockout mouse model using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome-editing. Sspo knockout mice lacked RF-positive material in the SCO and fibrillar condensates in the brain ventricles. Remarkably, Sspo knockout brain ventricle sizes were reduced compared to littermate controls. Minor defects in thoracic spine curvature were detected in Sspo knockouts, which did not alter basic motor behaviors tested. Altogether, our work in mouse demonstrates that SSPO and RF regulate ventricle size during development but only moderately impact spine geometry.
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5
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Inada H, Corales LG, Osumi N. A novel feature of the ancient organ: A possible involvement of the subcommissural organ in neurogenic/gliogenic potential in the adult brain. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1141913. [PMID: 36960167 PMCID: PMC10027738 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1141913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The subcommissural organ (SCO) is a circumventricular organ highly conserved in vertebrates from Cyclostomata such as lamprey to mammals including human. The SCO locates in the boundary between the third ventricle and the entrance of the aqueduct of Sylvius. The SCO functions as a secretory organ producing a variety of proteins such as SCO-spondin, transthyretin, and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF) into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). A significant contribution of the SCO has been thought to maintain the homeostasis of CSF dynamics. However, evidence has shown a possible role of SCO on neurogenesis in the adult brain. This review highlights specific features of the SCO related to adult neurogenesis, suggested by the progress of understanding SCO functions. We begin with a brief history of the SCO discovery and continue to structural features, gene expression, and a possible role in adult neurogenesis suggested by the SCO transplant experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hitoshi Inada
- Laboratory of Health and Sports Sciences, Division of Biomedical Engineering for Health and Welfare, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- *Correspondence: Hitoshi Inada,
| | - Laarni Grace Corales
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Noriko Osumi
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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Muñoz-Montecinos C, Romero A, Sepúlveda V, Vira MÁ, Fehrmann-Cartes K, Marcellini S, Aguilera F, Caprile T, Fuentes R. Turning the Curve Into Straight: Phenogenetics of the Spine Morphology and Coordinate Maintenance in the Zebrafish. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:801652. [PMID: 35155449 PMCID: PMC8826430 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.801652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The vertebral column, or spine, provides mechanical support and determines body axis posture and motion. The most common malformation altering spine morphology and function is adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), a three-dimensional spinal deformity that affects approximately 4% of the population worldwide. Due to AIS genetic heterogenicity and the lack of suitable animal models for its study, the etiology of this condition remains unclear, thus limiting treatment options. We here review current advances in zebrafish phenogenetics concerning AIS-like models and highlight the recently discovered biological processes leading to spine malformations. First, we focus on gene functions and phenotypes controlling critical aspects of postembryonic aspects that prime in spine architecture development and straightening. Second, we summarize how primary cilia assembly and biomechanical stimulus transduction, cerebrospinal fluid components and flow driven by motile cilia have been implicated in the pathogenesis of AIS-like phenotypes. Third, we highlight the inflammatory responses associated with scoliosis. We finally discuss recent innovations and methodologies for morphometrically characterize and analyze the zebrafish spine. Ongoing phenotyping projects are expected to identify novel and unprecedented postembryonic gene functions controlling spine morphology and mutant models of AIS. Importantly, imaging and gene editing technologies are allowing deep phenotyping studies in the zebrafish, opening new experimental paradigms in the morphometric and three-dimensional assessment of spinal malformations. In the future, fully elucidating the phenogenetic underpinnings of AIS etiology in zebrafish and humans will undoubtedly lead to innovative pharmacological treatments against spinal deformities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Muñoz-Montecinos
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Grupo de Procesos en Biología del Desarrollo (GDeP), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Adrián Romero
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Grupo de Procesos en Biología del Desarrollo (GDeP), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Vania Sepúlveda
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Grupo de Procesos en Biología del Desarrollo (GDeP), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - María Ángela Vira
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Grupo de Procesos en Biología del Desarrollo (GDeP), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Karen Fehrmann-Cartes
- Núcleo de Investigaciones Aplicadas en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Universidad de las Américas, Concepción, Chile
| | - Sylvain Marcellini
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Grupo de Procesos en Biología del Desarrollo (GDeP), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Felipe Aguilera
- Grupo de Procesos en Biología del Desarrollo (GDeP), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Teresa Caprile
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Grupo de Procesos en Biología del Desarrollo (GDeP), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- *Correspondence: Teresa Caprile, ; Ricardo Fuentes,
| | - Ricardo Fuentes
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Grupo de Procesos en Biología del Desarrollo (GDeP), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- *Correspondence: Teresa Caprile, ; Ricardo Fuentes,
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Sepúlveda V, Maurelia F, González M, Aguayo J, Caprile T. SCO-spondin, a giant matricellular protein that regulates cerebrospinal fluid activity. Fluids Barriers CNS 2021; 18:45. [PMID: 34600566 PMCID: PMC8487547 DOI: 10.1186/s12987-021-00277-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebrospinal fluid is a clear fluid that occupies the ventricular and subarachnoid spaces within and around the brain and spinal cord. Cerebrospinal fluid is a dynamic signaling milieu that transports nutrients, waste materials and neuroactive substances that are crucial for the development, homeostasis and functionality of the central nervous system. The mechanisms that enable cerebrospinal fluid to simultaneously exert these homeostatic/dynamic functions are not fully understood. SCO-spondin is a large glycoprotein secreted since the early stages of development into the cerebrospinal fluid. Its domain architecture resembles a combination of a matricellular protein and the ligand-binding region of LDL receptor family. The matricellular proteins are a group of extracellular proteins with the capacity to interact with different molecules, such as growth factors, cytokines and cellular receptors; enabling the integration of information to modulate various physiological and pathological processes. In the same way, the LDL receptor family interacts with many ligands, including β-amyloid peptide and different growth factors. The domains similarity suggests that SCO-spondin is a matricellular protein enabled to bind, modulate, and transport different cerebrospinal fluid molecules. SCO-spondin can be found soluble or polymerized into a dynamic threadlike structure called the Reissner fiber, which extends from the diencephalon to the caudal tip of the spinal cord. Reissner fiber continuously moves caudally as new SCO-spondin molecules are added at the cephalic end and are disaggregated at the caudal end. This movement, like a conveyor belt, allows the transport of the bound molecules, thereby increasing their lifespan and action radius. The binding of SCO-spondin to some relevant molecules has already been reported; however, in this review we suggest more than 30 possible binding partners, including peptide β-amyloid and several growth factors. This new perspective characterizes SCO-spondin as a regulator of cerebrospinal fluid activity, explaining its high evolutionary conservation, its apparent multifunctionality, and the lethality or severe malformations, such as hydrocephalus and curved body axis, of knockout embryos. Understanding the regulation and identifying binding partners of SCO-spondin are crucial for better comprehension of cerebrospinal fluid physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vania Sepúlveda
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Felipe Maurelia
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Maryori González
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Jaime Aguayo
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Teresa Caprile
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
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Aboitiz F, Montiel JF. The Enigmatic Reissner's Fiber and the Origin of Chordates. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:703835. [PMID: 34248511 PMCID: PMC8261243 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.703835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Reissner’s fiber (RF) is a secreted filament that floats in the neural canal of chordates. Since its discovery in 1860, there has been no agreement on its primary function, and its strong conservation across chordate species has remained a mystery for comparative neuroanatomists. Several findings, including the chemical composition and the phylogenetic history of RF, clinical observations associating RF with the development of the neural canal, and more recent studies suggesting that RF is needed to develop a straight vertebral column, may shed light on the functions of this structure across chordates. In this article, we will briefly review the evidence mentioned above to suggest a role of RF in the origin of fundamental innovations of the chordate body plan, especially the elongation of the neural tube and maintenance of the body axis. We will also mention the relevance of RF for medical conditions like hydrocephalus, scoliosis of the vertebral spine and possibly regeneration of the spinal cord.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Aboitiz
- Departamento de Psiquiatría, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan F Montiel
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile
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Neupane S, Goto J, Berardinelli SJ, Ito A, Haltiwanger RS, Holdener BC. Hydrocephalus in mouse B3glct mutants is likely caused by defects in multiple B3GLCT substrates in ependymal cells and subcommissural organ. Glycobiology 2021; 31:988-1004. [PMID: 33909046 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwab033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Peters plus syndrome, characterized by defects in eye and skeletal development with isolated cases of ventriculomegaly/hydrocephalus, is caused by mutations in the β3-glucosyltransferase (B3GLCT) gene. In the endoplasmic reticulum, B3GLCT adds glucose to O-linked fucose on properly folded Thrombospondin Type 1 Repeats (TSRs). The resulting glucose-fucose disaccharide is proposed to stabilize the TSR fold and promote secretion of B3GLCT substrates, with some substrates more sensitive than others to loss of glucose. Mouse B3glct mutants develop hydrocephalus at high frequency. In this study, we demonstrated that B3glct mutant ependymal cells had fewer cilia basal bodies and altered translational polarity compared to controls. Localization of mRNA encoding A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase with ThromboSpondin type 1 repeat 20 (ADAMTS20) and ADAMTS9, suggested that reduced function of these B3GLCT substrates contributed to ependymal cell abnormalities. In addition, we showed that multiple B3GLCT substrates (Adamts3, Adamts9, and Adamts20) are expressed by the subcommissural organ, that subcommissural organ-spondin (SSPO) TSRs were modified with O-linked glucose-fucose, and that loss of B3GLCT reduced secretion of SSPO in cultured cells. In the B3glct mutant subcommissural organ intracellular SSPO levels were reduced and BiP levels increased, suggesting a folding defect. Secreted SSPO colocalized with BiP, raising the possibility that abnormal extracellular assembly of SSPO into Reissner's fiber also contributed to impaired CSF flow in mutants. Combined, these studies underscore the complexity of the B3glct mutant hydrocephalus phenotype and demonstrate that impaired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow likely stems from the collective effects of the mutation on multiple processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjiv Neupane
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
| | - June Goto
- Division of Neurosurgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Steven J Berardinelli
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
| | - Atsuko Ito
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
| | - Robert S Haltiwanger
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
| | - Bernadette C Holdener
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
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10
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Delétage N, Le Douce J, Callizot N, Godfrin Y, Lemarchant S. SCO-spondin-derived Peptide Protects Neurons from Glutamate-induced Excitotoxicity. Neuroscience 2021; 463:317-336. [PMID: 33577953 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Subcommissural organ (SCO)-spondin is a brain-specific glycoprotein produced during embryogenesis, that strongly contributes to neuronal development. The SCO becomes atrophic in adults, halting SCO-spondin production and its neuroprotective functions. Using rat and human neuronal cultures, we evaluated the neuroprotective effect of an innovative peptide derived from SCO-spondin against glutamate excitotoxicity. Primary neurons were exposed to glutamate and treated with the linear (NX210) and cyclic (NX210c) forms of the peptide. Neuronal survival and neurite networks were assessed using immunohistochemistry or biochemistry. The mechanism of action of both peptide forms was investigated by exposing neurons to inhibitors targeting receptors and intracellular mediators that trigger apoptosis, neuronal survival, or neurite growth. NX210c promoted neuronal survival and prevented neurite network retraction in rat cortical and hippocampal neurons, whereas NX210 was efficient only in neuronal survival (cortical neurons) or neurite networks (hippocampal neurons). They triggered neuroprotection via integrin receptors and γ-secretase substrate(s), activation of the PI3K/mTOR pathway and disruption of the apoptotic cascade. The neuroprotective effect of NX210c was confirmed in human cortical neurons via the reduction of lactate dehydrogenase release and recovery of normal basal levels of apoptotic cells. Together, these results show that NX210 and NX210c protect against glutamate neurotoxicity through common and distinct mechanisms of action and that, most often, NX210c is more efficient than NX210. Proof of concept in central nervous system animal models are under investigation to evaluate the neuroprotective action of SCO-spondin-derived peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Noëlle Callizot
- Neuro-Sys, 410 Chemin Départemental 60, 13120 Gardanne, France.
| | - Yann Godfrin
- Axoltis Pharma, 60 Avenue Rockefeller, 69008 Lyon, France; Godfrin Life Sciences, 8 impasse de la source, 69300 Caluire-et-Cuire, France.
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11
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Bearce EA, Grimes DT. On being the right shape: Roles for motile cilia and cerebrospinal fluid flow in body and spine morphology. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2020; 110:104-112. [PMID: 32693941 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2020.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
How developing and growing organisms attain their proper shape is a central problem of developmental biology. In this review, we investigate this question with respect to how the body axis and spine form in their characteristic linear head-to-tail fashion in vertebrates. Recent work in the zebrafish has implicated motile cilia and cerebrospinal fluid flow in axial morphogenesis and spinal straightness. We begin by introducing motile cilia, the fluid flows they generate and their roles in zebrafish development and growth. We then describe how cilia control body and spine shape through sensory cells in the spinal canal, a thread-like extracellular structure called the Reissner fiber, and expression of neuropeptide signals. Last, we discuss zebrafish mutants in which spinal straightness breaks down and three-dimensional curves form. These curves resemble the common but little-understood human disease Idiopathic Scoliosis. Zebrafish research is therefore poised to make progress in our understanding of this condition and, more generally, how body and spine shape is acquired and maintained through development and growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Bearce
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA.
| | - Daniel T Grimes
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA.
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12
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Kang V, Lengerer B, Wattiez R, Flammang P. Molecular insights into the powerful mucus-based adhesion of limpets ( Patella vulgata L.). Open Biol 2020; 10:200019. [PMID: 32543352 PMCID: PMC7333891 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.200019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Limpets (Patella vulgata L.) are renowned for their powerful attachments to rocks on wave-swept seashores. Unlike adult barnacles and mussels, limpets do not adhere permanently; instead, they repeatedly transition between long-term adhesion and locomotive adhesion depending on the tide. Recent studies on the adhesive secretions (bio-adhesives) of marine invertebrates have expanded our knowledge on the composition and function of temporary and permanent bio-adhesives. In comparison, our understanding of the limpets' transitory adhesion remains limited. In this study, we demonstrate that suction is not the primary attachment mechanism in P. vulgata; rather, they secrete specialized pedal mucus for glue-like adhesion. Through combined transcriptomics and proteomics, we identified 171 protein sequences from the pedal mucus. Several of these proteins contain conserved domains found in temporary bio-adhesives from sea stars, sea urchins, marine flatworms and sea anemones. Many of these proteins share homology with fibrous gel-forming glycoproteins, including fibrillin, hemolectin and SCO-spondin. Moreover, proteins with potential protein- and glycan-degrading domains could have an immune defence role or assist degrading adhesive mucus to facilitate the transition from stationary to locomotive states. We also discovered glycosylation patterns unique to the pedal mucus, indicating that specific sugars may be involved in transitory adhesion. Our findings elucidate the mechanisms underlying P. vulgata adhesion and provide opportunities for future studies on bio-adhesives that form strong attachments and resist degradation until necessary for locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Kang
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Birgit Lengerer
- Biology of Marine Organisms and Biomimetics Unit, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons 7000, Belgium.,Institute of Zoology, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ruddy Wattiez
- Laboratory of Proteomics and Microbiology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons 7000, Belgium
| | - Patrick Flammang
- Biology of Marine Organisms and Biomimetics Unit, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons 7000, Belgium
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13
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Rose CD, Pompili D, Henke K, Van Gennip JLM, Meyer-Miner A, Rana R, Gobron S, Harris MP, Nitz M, Ciruna B. SCO-Spondin Defects and Neuroinflammation Are Conserved Mechanisms Driving Spinal Deformity across Genetic Models of Idiopathic Scoliosis. Curr Biol 2020; 30:2363-2373.e6. [PMID: 32386528 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) affects 3% to 4% of children between the ages of 11 and 18 [1, 2]. This disorder, characterized by abnormal three-dimensional spinal curvatures that typically develop during periods of rapid growth, occurs in the absence of congenital vertebral malformations or neuromuscular defects [1]. Genetic heterogeneity [3] and a historical lack of appropriate animal models [4] have confounded basic understanding of AIS biology; thus, treatment options remain limited [5, 6]. Recently, genetic studies using zebrafish have linked idiopathic-like scoliosis to irregularities in motile cilia-mediated cerebrospinal fluid flow [7-9]. However, because loss of cilia motility in human primary ciliary dyskinesia patients is not fully associated with scoliosis [10, 11], other pathogenic mechanisms remain to be determined. Here, we demonstrate that zebrafish scospondin (sspo) mutants develop late-onset idiopathic-like spinal curvatures in the absence of obvious cilia motility defects. Sspo is a large secreted glycoprotein functionally associated with the subcommissural organ and Reissner's fiber [12]-ancient and enigmatic organs of the brain ventricular system reported to govern cerebrospinal fluid homeostasis [13, 14], neurogenesis [12, 15-18], and embryonic morphogenesis [19]. We demonstrate that irregular deposition of Sspo within brain ventricles is associated with idiopathic-like scoliosis across diverse genetic models. Furthermore, Sspo defects are sufficient to induce oxidative stress and neuroinflammatory responses implicated in AIS pathogenesis [9]. Through screening for chemical suppressors of sspo mutant phenotypes, we also identify potent agents capable of blocking severe juvenile spine deformity. Our work thus defines a new preclinical model of AIS and provides tools to realize novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe D Rose
- Program in Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, The University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - David Pompili
- Program in Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, The University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Katrin Henke
- Department of Orthopedic Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jenica L M Van Gennip
- Program in Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, The University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Anne Meyer-Miner
- Program in Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, The University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Rahul Rana
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
| | | | - Matthew P Harris
- Department of Orthopedic Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mark Nitz
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Brian Ciruna
- Program in Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, The University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
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14
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The Reissner Fiber Is Highly Dynamic In Vivo and Controls Morphogenesis of the Spine. Curr Biol 2020; 30:2353-2362.e3. [PMID: 32386529 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) physiology is important for the development and homeostasis of the central nervous system, and its disruption has been linked to scoliosis in zebrafish [1, 2]. Suspended in the CSF is an extracellular structure called the Reissner fiber, which extends from the brain through the central canal of the spinal cord. Zebrafish scospondin-null mutants are unable to assemble a Reissner fiber and fail to form a straight body axis during embryonic development [3]. Here, we describe hypomorphic missense mutations of scospondin, which allow Reissner fiber assembly and extension of a straight axis. However, during larval development, these mutants display progressive Reissner fiber disassembly, which is concomitant with the emergence of axial curvatures and scoliosis in adult animals. Using a scospondin-GFP knockin zebrafish line, we demonstrate several dynamic properties of the Reissner fiber in vivo, including embryonic fiber assembly, the continuous rostral to caudal movement of the fiber within the brain and central canal, and subcommissural organ (SCO)-spondin-GFP protein secretion from the floor plate to merge with the fiber. Finally, we show that disassembly of the Reissner fiber is also associated with the progression of axial curvatures in distinct scoliosis mutant zebrafish models. Together, these data demonstrate a critical role for the Reissner fiber for the maintenance of a straight body axis and spine morphogenesis in adult zebrafish. Our study establishes a framework for future investigations to address the cellular effectors responsible for Reissner-fiber-dependent regulation of axial morphology. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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15
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Driever W. Developmental Biology: Reissner's Fiber and Straightening of the Body Axis. Curr Biol 2019; 28:R833-R835. [PMID: 30086316 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.05.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
A straight longitudinal body axis supports efficient directed locomotion of fish and other vertebrates. New research demonstrates that Reissner's fiber, an enigmatic structure within the spinal central canal, is essential for development of an extended trunk to tail axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Driever
- Developmental Biology, Institute of Biology I, and BIOSS, Albert Ludwig University Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
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16
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Stoddard SV, Welsh CL, Palopoli MM, Stoddard SD, Aramandla MP, Patel RM, Ma H, Beck LH. Structure and function insights garnered from in silico modeling of the thrombospondin type-1 domain-containing 7A antigen. Proteins 2018; 87:136-145. [PMID: 30520531 DOI: 10.1002/prot.25640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 10/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The thrombospondin type-1 domain containing 7A (THSD7A) protein is known to be one of the antigens responsible for the autoimmune disorder idiopathic membranous nephropathy. The structure of this antigen is currently unsolved experimentally. Here we present a homology model of the extracellular portion of the THSD7A antigen. The structure was evaluated for folding patterns, epitope site prediction, and function was predicted. Results show that this protein contains 21 extracellular domains and with the exception of the first two domains, has a regular repeating pattern of TSP-1-like followed by F-spondin-like domains. Our results indicate the presence of a novel Trp-ladder sequence of WxxxxW in the TSP-1-like domains. Of the 21 domains, 18 were shown to have epitope binding sites as predicted by epitopia. Several of the F-spondin-like domains have insertions in the canonical TSP fold, most notably the coiled coil region in domain 4, which may be utilized in protein-protein binding interactions, suggesting that this protein functions as a heparan sulfate binding site.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Colin L Welsh
- Department of Chemistry, Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee
| | | | - Serena D Stoddard
- Department of Chemistry, Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee.,Department of Animal Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | | | - Riya M Patel
- Department of Chemistry, Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Hong Ma
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Laurence H Beck
- Department of Medicine, Nephrology Section, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
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17
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Cantaut-Belarif Y, Sternberg JR, Thouvenin O, Wyart C, Bardet PL. The Reissner Fiber in the Cerebrospinal Fluid Controls Morphogenesis of the Body Axis. Curr Biol 2018; 28:2479-2486.e4. [PMID: 30057305 PMCID: PMC6089837 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.05.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Organ development depends on the integration of coordinated long-range communication between cells. The cerebrospinal fluid composition and flow properties regulate several aspects of central nervous system development, including progenitor proliferation, neurogenesis, and migration [1-3]. One understudied component of the cerebrospinal fluid, described over a century ago in vertebrates, is the Reissner fiber. This extracellular thread forming early in development results from the assembly of the SCO-spondin protein in the third and fourth brain ventricles and central canal of the spinal cord [4]. Up to now, the function of the Reissner fiber has remained elusive, partly due to the lack of genetic invalidation models [4]. Here, by mutating the scospondin gene, we demonstrate that the Reissner fiber is critical for the morphogenesis of a straight posterior body axis. In zebrafish mutants where the Reissner fiber is lost, ciliogenesis and cerebrospinal fluid flow are intact but body axis morphogenesis is impaired. Our results also explain the frequently observed phenotype that mutant embryos with defective cilia exhibit defects in body axis curvature. Here, we reveal that these mutants systematically fail to assemble the Reissner fiber. We show that cilia promote the formation of the Reissner fiber and that the fiber is necessary for proper body axis morphogenesis. Our study sets the stage for future investigations of the mechanisms linking the Reissner fiber to the control of body axis curvature during vertebrate development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmine Cantaut-Belarif
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière (ICM), Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Jenna R Sternberg
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière (ICM), Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Olivier Thouvenin
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière (ICM), Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France; Institut Langevin ESPCI, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 7587, 1 Rue Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Claire Wyart
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière (ICM), Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France.
| | - Pierre-Luc Bardet
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière (ICM), Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France.
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18
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Videlock EJ, Mahurkar-Joshi S, Hoffman JM, Iliopoulos D, Pothoulakis C, Mayer EA, Chang L. Sigmoid colon mucosal gene expression supports alterations of neuronal signaling in irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2018; 315:G140-G157. [PMID: 29565640 PMCID: PMC6109711 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00288.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Peripheral factors likely play a role in at least a subset of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients. Few studies have investigated mucosal gene expression using an unbiased approach. Here, we performed mucosal gene profiling in a sex-balanced sample to identify relevant signaling pathways and gene networks and compare with publicly available profiling data from additional cohorts. Twenty Rome III+ IBS patients [10 IBS with constipation (IBS-C), 10 IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D), 5 men/women each), and 10 age-/sex-matched healthy controls (HCs)] underwent sigmoidoscopy with biopsy for gene microarray analysis, including differential expression, weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA), gene set enrichment analysis, and comparison with publicly available data. Expression levels of 67 genes were validated in an expanded cohort, including the above samples and 18 additional participants (6 each of IBS-C, IBS-D, HCs) using NanoString nCounter technology. There were 1,270 differentially expressed genes (FDR < 0.05) in IBS-C vs. HCs but none in IBS or IBS-D vs. HCs. WGNCA analysis identified activation of the cAMP/protein kinase A signaling pathway. Nine of 67 genes were validated by the NanoString nCounter technology (FDR < 0.05) in the expanded sample. Comparison with publicly available microarray data from the Mayo Clinic and University of Nottingham supports the reproducibility of 17 genes from the microarray analysis and three of nine genes validated by nCounter in IBS-C vs. HCs. This study supports the involvement of peripheral mechanisms in IBS-C, particularly pathways mediating neuronal signaling. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Peripheral factors play a role in the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which, to date, has been mostly evident in IBS with diarrhea. Here, we show that sigmoid colon mucosal gene expression profiles differentiate IBS with constipation from healthy controls. These profiling data and analysis of additional cohorts also support the concept that peripheral neuronal pathways contribute to IBS pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J Videlock
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California , Los Angeles, California
| | - Swapna Mahurkar-Joshi
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California , Los Angeles, California
| | - Jill M Hoffman
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research Center, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California , Los Angeles, California
| | - Dimitrios Iliopoulos
- Center for Systems Biomedicine, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California , Los Angeles, California
| | - Charalabos Pothoulakis
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research Center, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California , Los Angeles, California
| | - Emeran A Mayer
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California , Los Angeles, California
| | - Lin Chang
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California , Los Angeles, California
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19
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Bibes R, Gobron S, Vincent F, Mélin C, Vedrenne N, Perraud A, Labrousse F, Jauberteau MO, Lalloué F. SCO-spondin oligopeptide inhibits angiogenesis in glioblastoma. Oncotarget 2017; 8:85969-85983. [PMID: 29156770 PMCID: PMC5689660 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.20837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis plays a critical role in glioblastoma growth and progression. We therefore aimed at evaluating the anti-angiogenic properties of an oligopeptide originating from SCO-spondin (NX) on a model of human glioblastoma. To this end, we studied the impact of NX treatment on human brain endothelial cells (HBMECs) alone or co-cultured with glioblastoma cells (U87-MG) on apoptosis, proliferation, migration and release of angiogenic factors. We further investigated the anti-angiogenic potential of NX on human glioblastoma cells grown on chorio-allantoic membrane (CAM) or in glioblastoma xenografts. The results of our experiments showed that NX treatment impaired the microvascular network and induced a decrease in cell proliferation, vascularization and tumor growth in the CAM model as well as in xenotransplants. Interestingly, our in vitro experiments showed that NX impairs HBMECs migration but also regulates the release of angiogenic factors from U87-MG. These results are confirmed by the profiling of NX-treated U87-MG grown on CAM that highlighted modifications of several genes involved in angiogenesis. In conclusion, NX inhibits tumorigenesis by impairing the ability of glioblastoma cells to induce angiogenesis and by inhibiting endothelial cell migration. This molecule might therefore be an interesting candidate for future cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Bibes
- EA3842 Cellular Homeostasis and Diseases, University of Limoges, Faculty of Medicine, 87025 Limoges Cedex, France
| | - Stéphane Gobron
- Neuronax, Biopôle Clermont-Limagne, 63360 Saint-Beauzire, France
| | - François Vincent
- EA3842 Cellular Homeostasis and Diseases, University of Limoges, Faculty of Medicine, 87025 Limoges Cedex, France.,Limoges University Hospital, Department of Physiological Functional Investigation, 87042 Limoges Cedex, France
| | - Carole Mélin
- EA3842 Cellular Homeostasis and Diseases, University of Limoges, Faculty of Medicine, 87025 Limoges Cedex, France
| | - Nicolas Vedrenne
- EA3842 Cellular Homeostasis and Diseases, University of Limoges, Faculty of Medicine, 87025 Limoges Cedex, France
| | - Aurélie Perraud
- EA3842 Cellular Homeostasis and Diseases, University of Limoges, Faculty of Medicine, 87025 Limoges Cedex, France.,Limoges University Hospital, Department of Digestive Surgery, 87042 Limoges Cedex, France
| | - Francois Labrousse
- EA3842 Cellular Homeostasis and Diseases, University of Limoges, Faculty of Medicine, 87025 Limoges Cedex, France.,Limoges University Hospital, Department of Pathology, 87042 Limoges Cedex, France
| | - Marie-Odile Jauberteau
- EA3842 Cellular Homeostasis and Diseases, University of Limoges, Faculty of Medicine, 87025 Limoges Cedex, France.,Limoges University Hospital, Department of Immunology, 87042 Limoges Cedex, France
| | - Fabrice Lalloué
- EA3842 Cellular Homeostasis and Diseases, University of Limoges, Faculty of Medicine, 87025 Limoges Cedex, France
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20
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Anatomical, molecular and pathological consideration of the circumventricular organs. Neurochirurgie 2014; 61:90-100. [PMID: 24974365 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuchi.2013.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2013] [Revised: 04/15/2013] [Accepted: 04/23/2013] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Circumventricular organs (CVOs) are a diverse group of specialised structures characterized by peculiar vascular and position around the third and fourth ventricles of the brain. In humans, these organs are present during the fetal period and some become vestigial after birth. Some, such as the pineal gland (PG), subcommissural organ (SCO) and organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis (OVLT), which are located around the third ventricle, might be the site of origin of periventricular tumours. In contrast to humans, CVOs are present in the adult rat and can be dissected by laser capture microdissection (LCM). METHODS In this study, we used LCM and microarrays to analyse the transcriptomes of three CVOs, the SCO, the subfornical organ (SFO) and the PG and the third ventricle ependyma of the adult rat, in order to better characterise these organs at the molecular level. Furthermore, an immunohistochemical study of Claudin-3 (CLDN3), a membrane protein involved in forming cellular tight junctions, was performed at the level of the SCO. RESULTS This study highlighted some potentially new or already described specific markers of these structures as Erbb2 and Col11a1 in ependyma, Epcam and CLDN3 in the SCO, Ren1 and Slc22a3 in the SFO and Tph, Anat and Asmt in the PG. Moreover, we found that CLDN3 expression was restricted to the apical pole of ependymocytes in the SCO.
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21
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Vera A, Stanic K, Montecinos H, Torrejón M, Marcellini S, Caprile T. SCO-spondin from embryonic cerebrospinal fluid is required for neurogenesis during early brain development. Front Cell Neurosci 2013; 7:80. [PMID: 23761733 PMCID: PMC3669746 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2013.00080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2013] [Accepted: 05/09/2013] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The central nervous system (CNS) develops from the neural tube, a hollow structure filled with embryonic cerebrospinal fluid (eCSF) and surrounded by neuroepithelial cells. Several lines of evidence suggest that the eCSF contains diffusible factors regulating the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of the neuroepithelium, although these factors are only beginning to be uncovered. One possible candidate as eCSF morphogenetic molecule is SCO-spondin, a large glycoprotein whose secretion by the diencephalic roof plate starts at early developmental stages. In vitro, SCO-spondin promotes neuronal survival and differentiation, but its in vivo function still remains to be elucidated. Here we performed in vivo loss of function experiments for SCO-spondin during early brain development by injecting and electroporating a specific shRNA expression vector into the neural tube of chick embryos. We show that SCO-spondin knock down induces an increase in neuroepithelial cells proliferation concomitantly with a decrease in cellular differentiation toward neuronal lineages, leading to hyperplasia in both the diencephalon and the mesencephalon. In addition, SCO-spondin is required for the correct morphogenesis of the posterior commissure and pineal gland. Because SCO-spondin is secreted by the diencephalon, we sought to corroborate the long-range function of this protein in vitro by performing gain and loss of function experiments on mesencephalic explants. We find that culture medium enriched in SCO-spondin causes an increased neurodifferentiation of explanted mesencephalic region. Conversely, inhibitory antibodies against SCO-spondin cause a reduction in neurodifferentiation and an increase of mitosis when such explants are cultured in eCSF. Our results suggest that SCO-spondin is a crucial eCSF diffusible factor regulating the balance between proliferation and differentiation of the brain neuroepithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Vera
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Concepción Biobío Region, Chile
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Grondona JM, Hoyo-Becerra C, Visser R, Fernández-Llebrez P, López-Ávalos MD. The subcommissural organ and the development of the posterior commissure. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2012; 296:63-137. [PMID: 22559938 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-394307-1.00002-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Growing axons navigate through the developing brain by means of axon guidance molecules. Intermediate targets producing such signal molecules are used as guideposts to find distal targets. Glial, and sometimes neuronal, midline structures represent intermediate targets when axons cross the midline to reach the contralateral hemisphere. The subcommissural organ (SCO), a specialized neuroepithelium located at the dorsal midline underneath the posterior commissure, releases SCO-spondin, a large glycoprotein belonging to the thrombospondin superfamily that shares molecular domains with axonal pathfinding molecules. Several evidences suggest that the SCO could be involved in the development of the PC. First, both structures display a close spatiotemporal relationship. Second, certain mutants lacking an SCO present an abnormal PC. Third, some axonal guidance molecules are expressed by SCO cells. Finally, SCO cells, the Reissner's fiber (the aggregated form of SCO-spondin), or synthetic peptides from SCO-spondin affect the neurite outgrowth or neuronal aggregation in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús M Grondona
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Genética y Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Spain.
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23
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Expression profiles of genes regulating dairy cow fertility: recent findings, ongoing activities and future possibilities. Animal 2012; 2:1158-67. [PMID: 22443728 DOI: 10.1017/s1751731108002371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Subfertility has negative effects for dairy farm profitability, animal welfare and sustainability of animal production. Increasing herd sizes and economic pressures restrict the amount of time that farmers can spend on counteractive management. Genetic improvement will become increasingly important to restore reproductive performance. Complementary to traditional breeding value estimation procedures, genomic selection based on genome-wide information will become more widely applied. Functional genomics, including transcriptomics (gene expression profiling), produces the information to understand the consequences of selection as it helps to unravel physiological mechanisms underlying female fertility traits. Insight into the latter is needed to develop new effective management strategies to combat subfertility. Here, the importance of functional genomics for dairy cow reproduction so far and in the near future is evaluated. Recent gene profiling studies in the field of dairy cow fertility are reviewed and new data are presented on genes that are expressed in the brains of dairy cows and that are involved in dairy cow oestrus (behaviour). Fast-developing new research areas in the field of functional genomics, such as epigenetics, RNA interference, variable copy numbers and nutrigenomics, are discussed including their promising future value for dairy cow fertility.
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Wohlsein P, Deschl U, Baumgärtner W. Nonlesions, unusual cell types, and postmortem artifacts in the central nervous system of domestic animals. Vet Pathol 2012; 50:122-43. [PMID: 22692622 DOI: 10.1177/0300985812450719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In the central nervous system (CNS) of domestic animals, numerous specialized normal structures, unusual cell types, findings of uncertain or no significance, artifacts, and various postmortem alterations can be observed. They may cause confusion for inexperienced pathologists and those not specialized in neuropathology, leading to misinterpretations and wrong diagnoses. Alternatively, changes may mask underlying neuropathological processes. "Specialized structures" comprising the hippocampus and the circumventricular organs, including the vascular organ of the lamina terminalis, subfornical organ, subcommissural organ, pineal gland, median eminence/neurohypophyseal complex, choroid plexus, and area postrema, are displayed. Unusual cell types, including cerebellar external germinal cells, CNS progenitor cells, and Kolmer cells, are presented. In addition, some newly recognized cell types as of yet incompletely understood significance and functionality, such as synantocytes and aldynoglia, are introduced and described. Unusual reactive astrocytes in cats, central chromatolysis, neuronal vacuolation, spheroids, spongiosis, satellitosis, melanosis, neuromelanin, lipofuscin, polyglucosan bodies, and psammoma bodies may represent incidental findings of uncertain or no significance and should not be confused with significant microscopic changes. Auto- and heterolysis as well as handling and histotechnological processing may cause postmortem morphological changes of the CNS, including vacuolization, cerebellar conglutination, dark neurons, Buscaino bodies, freezing, and shrinkage artifacts, all of which have to be differentiated from genuine lesions. Postmortem invasion of micro-organisms should not be confused with intravital infections. Awareness of these different changes and their recognition are a prerequisite for identifying genuine lesions and may help to formulate a professional morphological and etiological diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Wohlsein
- Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 17, D-30559 Hannover, Germany.
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25
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Galat A. Common structural traits for cystine knot domain of the TGFβ superfamily of proteins and three-fingered ectodomain of their cellular receptors. Cell Mol Life Sci 2011; 68:3437-51. [PMID: 21369710 PMCID: PMC11114550 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-011-0643-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2010] [Revised: 01/08/2011] [Accepted: 02/15/2011] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) superfamily of proteins and their receptors are crucial developmental factors for all metazoan organisms. Cystine-knot (CK) motif is a spatial feature of the TGFβ superfamily of proteins whereas the extra-cellular domains (ectodomains) of their respective receptors form three-fingered protein domain (TFPD), both stabilized by tight cystine networks. Analyses of multiple sequence alignments of these two domains encoded in various genomes revealed that the cystines forming the CK and TFPD folds are conserved, whereas the remaining polypeptide patches are diversified. Orthologues of the human TGFβs and their respective receptors expressed in diverse vertebrates retain high sequence conservation. Examination of 3D structures of various TGFβ factors bound to their receptors have revealed that the CK and TFPD domains display several similar spatial traits suggesting that these two different protein folds might have been acquired from a common ancestor.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Galat
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, Direction des Sciences du Vivant, Institut de Biologie et de Technologies de Saclay, Service d'Ingénierie Moléculaire des Protéines, Bat. 152, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
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26
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Hoyo-Becerra C, López-Ávalos MD, Cifuentes M, Visser R, Fernández-Llebrez P, Grondona JM. The subcommissural organ and the development of the posterior commissure in chick embryos. Cell Tissue Res 2009; 339:383-95. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-009-0899-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2009] [Accepted: 10/09/2009] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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27
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Mashanov VS, Zueva OR, Heinzeller T, Aschauer B, Naumann WW, Grondona JM, Cifuentes M, Garcia-Arraras JE. The central nervous system of sea cucumbers (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) shows positive immunostaining for a chordate glial secretion. Front Zool 2009; 6:11. [PMID: 19538733 PMCID: PMC2705372 DOI: 10.1186/1742-9994-6-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2009] [Accepted: 06/18/2009] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Echinoderms and chordates belong to the same monophyletic taxon, the Deuterostomia. In spite of significant differences in body plan organization, the two phyla may share more common traits than was thought previously. Of particular interest are the common features in the organization of the central nervous system. The present study employs two polyclonal antisera raised against bovine Reissner's substance (RS), a secretory product produced by glial cells of the subcomissural organ, to study RS-like immunoreactivity in the central nervous system of sea cucumbers. RESULTS In the ectoneural division of the nervous system, both antisera recognize the content of secretory vacuoles in the apical cytoplasm of the radial glia-like cells of the neuroepithelium and in the flattened glial cells of the non-neural epineural roof epithelium. The secreted immunopositive material seems to form a thin layer covering the cell apices. There is no accumulation of the immunoreactive material on the apical surface of the hyponeural neuroepithelium or the hyponeural roof epithelium. Besides labelling the supporting cells and flattened glial cells of the epineural roof epithelium, both anti-RS antisera reveal a previously unknown putative glial cell type within the neural parenchyma of the holothurian nervous system. CONCLUSION Our results show that: a) the glial cells of the holothurian tubular nervous system produce a material similar to Reissner's substance known to be synthesized by secretory glial cells in all chordates studied so far; b) the nervous system of sea cucumbers shows a previously unrealized complexity of glial organization. Our findings also provide significant clues for interpretation of the evolution of the nervous system in the Deuterostomia. It is suggested that echinoderms and chordates might have inherited the RS-producing radial glial cell type from the central nervous system of their common ancestor, i.e., the last common ancestor of all the Deuterostomia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir S Mashanov
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 23360, UPR Station, Rio Piedras, PR 00931-3360, Puerto Rico
- Anatomische Anstalt, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Pettenkoferstrasse 11, D-80336 München, Germany
| | - Olga R Zueva
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 23360, UPR Station, Rio Piedras, PR 00931-3360, Puerto Rico
- Anatomische Anstalt, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Pettenkoferstrasse 11, D-80336 München, Germany
| | - Thomas Heinzeller
- Anatomische Anstalt, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Pettenkoferstrasse 11, D-80336 München, Germany
| | - Beate Aschauer
- Anatomische Anstalt, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Pettenkoferstrasse 11, D-80336 München, Germany
| | - Wilfried W Naumann
- Institut für Zoologie, Universität Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jesus M Grondona
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Animal. Departamento de Biología Celular, Genética y Fisiología. Facultad de Ciencias. Universidad de Málaga. 29071 Málaga. Spain
| | - Manuel Cifuentes
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Animal. Departamento de Biología Celular, Genética y Fisiología. Facultad de Ciencias. Universidad de Málaga. 29071 Málaga. Spain
| | - Jose E Garcia-Arraras
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 23360, UPR Station, Rio Piedras, PR 00931-3360, Puerto Rico
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28
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Huh MS, Todd MAM, Picketts DJ. SCO-ping out the mechanisms underlying the etiology of hydrocephalus. Physiology (Bethesda) 2009; 24:117-26. [PMID: 19364914 DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00039.2008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The heterogeneous nature of congenital hydrocephalus has hampered our understanding of the molecular basis of this common clinical problem. However, disease gene identification and characterization of multiple transgenic mouse models has highlighted the importance of the subcommissural organ (SCO) and the ventricular ependymal (vel) cells. Here, we review how altered development and function of the SCO and vel cells contributes to hydrocephalus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Huh
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Health Research Institute, Canada
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29
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Heinonen TYK, Maki M. Peters'-plus syndrome is a congenital disorder of glycosylation caused by a defect in the beta1,3-glucosyltransferase that modifies thrombospondin type 1 repeats. Ann Med 2009; 41:2-10. [PMID: 18720094 DOI: 10.1080/07853890802301975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic defects in glycosyltransferases are responsible for a number of developmental defects and diseases known as congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDGs). Peters'-plus syndrome, a rare autosomal recessive disorder, is now known to be a CDG. This syndrome is characterized by a specific malformation of the eye that includes corneal opaqueness and iridocorneal adhesions (Peters' anomaly). Affected individuals are short in stature and have short limbs, and may have cleft lip/palate, defects in the central nervous system, heart, and various other organs. The phenotype varies in severity, ranging from death in early childhood to a general delay in growth and development, and is often associated with mental retardation. The mutations responsible for Peters'-plus syndrome inactivate a beta1,3-glucosyltransferase whose function is to add a glucose moiety to O-linked fucose, forming a rare glucose-beta1,3-fucose disaccharide. This disaccharide modification is specific to thrombospondin type 1 repeats (TSRs), domains found in extracellular proteins that function in cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions and signalling. Some ninety human proteins contain TSRs, but thus far the disaccharide has been demonstrated on only thrombospondin 1, properdin, F-spondin, ADAMTS-13, and ADAMTSL-1. These proteins perform essential functions in embryonic development, tissue remodelling, angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and complement activation. Identification of the beta1,3-glucosyltransferase and its substrate proteins is a key step towards understanding their roles in human development, and to uncovering the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the clinical manifestations of Peters'-plus syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taisto Y K Heinonen
- Paediatric Research Centre, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
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30
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Meiniel O, Meiniel R, Lalloué F, Didier R, Jauberteau MO, Meiniel A, Petit D. The lengthening of a giant protein: when, how, and why? J Mol Evol 2007; 66:1-10. [PMID: 18046595 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-007-9055-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2007] [Revised: 09/27/2007] [Accepted: 11/07/2007] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Subcommissural organ (SCO)-spondin is a giant glycoprotein of more than 5000 amino acids found in Vertebrata, expressed in the central nervous system and constitutive of Reissner's fiber. For the first time, in situ hybridization performed on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos shows that the gene encoding this protein is expressed transitionally in the floor plate, the ventral midline of the neural tube, and later in the diencephalic third ventricle roof, the SCO. The modular organization of the protein in Echinodermata (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus), Urochordata (Ciona savignyi and C. intestinalis), and Vertebrata (Teleostei, Amphibia, Aves and Mammalia) is also described. As the thrombospondin type 1 repeat motifs represent an increasingly large part of the protein during Deuterostomia evolution, the duplication mechanisms leading to this complex organization are examined. The functional significance of the particularly well-preserved arrangement of the series of SCO-spondin repeat motifs and thombospondin type 1 repeats is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Meiniel
- Faculté de Médecine, INSERM/UMR 384, 28 place Henri Dunant, Clermont-Ferrand cedex, France
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31
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Lang T, Hansson GC, Samuelsson T. Gel-forming mucins appeared early in metazoan evolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007; 104:16209-14. [PMID: 17911254 PMCID: PMC2042186 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0705984104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 196] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Mucins are proteins that cover and protect epithelial cells and are characterized by domains rich in proline, threonine, and serine that are heavily glycosylated (PTS or mucin domains). Because of their sequence polymorphism, these domains cannot be used for evolutionary analysis. Instead, we have made use of the von Willebrand D (VWD) and SEA domains, typical for mucins. A number of animal genomes were examined for these domains to identify mucin homologues, and domains of the resulting proteins were used in phylogenetic studies. The frog Xenopus tropicalis stands out because the number of gel-forming mucins has markedly increased to at least 25 as compared with 5 for higher animals. Furthermore, the frog Muc2 homologues contain unique PTS domains where cysteines are abundant. This animal also has a unique family of secreted mucin-like proteins with alternating PTS and SEA domains, a type of protein also identified in the fishes. The evolution of the Muc4 mucin seems to have occurred by recruitment of a PTS domain to AMOP, NIDO, and VWD domains from a sushi domain-containing family of proteins present in lower animals, and Xenopus is the most deeply branching animal where a protein similar to the mammalian Muc4 was identified. All transmembrane mucins seem to have appeared in the vertebrate lineage, and the MUC1 mucin is restricted to mammals. In contrast, proteins with properties of the gel-forming mucins were identified also in the starlet sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, demonstrating an early origin of this group of mucins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiange Lang
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Institute of Biomedicine, Göteborg University, Box 440, SE-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Gunnar C. Hansson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Institute of Biomedicine, Göteborg University, Box 440, SE-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Tore Samuelsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Institute of Biomedicine, Göteborg University, Box 440, SE-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden
- *To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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32
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Joly JS, Osório J, Alunni A, Auger H, Kano S, Rétaux S. Windows of the brain: Towards a developmental biology of circumventricular and other neurohemal organs. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2007; 18:512-24. [PMID: 17631396 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2007.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2007] [Accepted: 06/05/2007] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
We review the anatomical and functional features of circumventricular organs in vertebrates and their homologous neurohemal organs in invertebrates. Focusing on cyclostomes (lamprey) and urochordates (ascidians), we discuss the evolutionary origin of these organs as a function of their cell type specification and morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Stéphane Joly
- U1126/INRA Morphogenèse du système nerveux des chordés group, DEPSN, UPR2197, Institut Fessard, CNRS, 1 Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 GIF SUR YVETTE, France.
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