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Tan M, Andersen LJ, Bruun NE, Lindholm MG, Tan Q, Snoer M. Transcription Factor Regulation of Gene Expression Network by ZNF385D and HAND2 in Carotid Atherosclerosis. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:213. [PMID: 38397203 PMCID: PMC10888454 DOI: 10.3390/genes15020213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a surrogate indicator for atherosclerosis and has been shown to predict cardiovascular risk in multiple large studies. Identification of molecular markers for carotid atheroma plaque formation can be critical for early intervention and prevention of atherosclerosis. This study performed transcription factor (TF) network analysis of global gene expression data focusing on two TF genes, ZNF385D and HAND2, whose polymorphisms have been recently reported to show association with CIMT. Genome-wide gene expression data were measured from pieces of carotid endarterectomy collected from 34 hypertensive patients (atheroma plaque of stages IV and above according to the Stary classification) each paired with one sample of distant macroscopically intact tissue (stages I and II). Transcriptional regulation networks or the regulons were reconstructed for ZNF385D (5644 target genes) and HAND2 (781 target genes) using network inference. Their association with the progression of carotid atheroma was examined using gene-set enrichment analysis with extremely high statistical significance for regulons of both ZNF385D and HAND2 (p < 6.95 × 10-7) suggesting the involvement of expression quantitative loci (eQTL). Functional annotation of the regulon genes found heavy involvement in the immune system's response to inflammation and infection in the development of atherosclerosis. Detailed examination of the regulation and correlation patterns suggests that activities of the two TF genes could have high clinical and interventional impacts on impairing carotid atheroma plaque formation and preventing carotid atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Tan
- Department of Cardiology, Zealand University Hospital, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark; (M.T.); (L.J.A.); (N.E.B.); (M.G.L.); (M.S.)
| | - Lars Juel Andersen
- Department of Cardiology, Zealand University Hospital, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark; (M.T.); (L.J.A.); (N.E.B.); (M.G.L.); (M.S.)
| | - Niels Eske Bruun
- Department of Cardiology, Zealand University Hospital, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark; (M.T.); (L.J.A.); (N.E.B.); (M.G.L.); (M.S.)
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Aalborg, 9260 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Matias Greve Lindholm
- Department of Cardiology, Zealand University Hospital, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark; (M.T.); (L.J.A.); (N.E.B.); (M.G.L.); (M.S.)
| | - Qihua Tan
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Science, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
- Unit of Human Genetics, Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Science, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Martin Snoer
- Department of Cardiology, Zealand University Hospital, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark; (M.T.); (L.J.A.); (N.E.B.); (M.G.L.); (M.S.)
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2
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Farhat B, Bordeu I, Jagla B, Ibrahim S, Stefanovic S, Blanc H, Loulier K, Simons BD, Beaurepaire E, Livet J, Pucéat M. Understanding the cell fate and behavior of progenitors at the origin of the mouse cardiac mitral valve. Dev Cell 2024; 59:339-350.e4. [PMID: 38198889 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Congenital heart malformations include mitral valve defects, which remain largely unexplained. During embryogenesis, a restricted population of endocardial cells within the atrioventricular canal undergoes an endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition to give rise to mitral valvular cells. However, the identity and fate decisions of these progenitors as well as the behavior and distribution of their derivatives in valve leaflets remain unknown. We used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of genetically labeled endocardial cells and microdissected mouse embryonic and postnatal mitral valves to characterize the developmental road. We defined the metabolic processes underlying the specification of the progenitors and their contributions to subtypes of valvular cells. Using retrospective multicolor clonal analysis, we describe specific modes of growth and behavior of endocardial cell-derived clones, which build up, in a proper manner, functional valve leaflets. Our data identify how both genetic and metabolic mechanisms specifically drive the fate of a subset of endocardial cells toward their distinct clonal contribution to the formation of the valve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Batoul Farhat
- INSERM U1251/Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille 13885, France
| | - Ignacio Bordeu
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA, UK; Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK; Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 9160000, Chile
| | - Bernd Jagla
- Pasteur Institute UtechS CB & Hub de Bioinformatique et Biostatistiques, C3BI, Paris, France
| | - Stéphanie Ibrahim
- C2VN Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM 1263, INRAE 1260, Marseille 13885, France
| | - Sonia Stefanovic
- C2VN Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM 1263, INRAE 1260, Marseille 13885, France
| | - Hugo Blanc
- Laboratory for Optics and Biosciences, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS, INSERM, IP Paris, Palaiseau 91120, France
| | - Karine Loulier
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris 75012, France
| | - Benjamin D Simons
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA, UK; Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK; Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 A0W, UK
| | - Emmanuel Beaurepaire
- Laboratory for Optics and Biosciences, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS, INSERM, IP Paris, Palaiseau 91120, France
| | - Jean Livet
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris 75012, France
| | - Michel Pucéat
- INSERM U1251/Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille 13885, France.
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3
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Teng D, Ueda K, Honda T. HAND2 suppresses favipiravir efficacy in treatment of Borna disease virus infection. Antiviral Res 2024; 222:105812. [PMID: 38262560 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Borna disease virus (BoDV-1) is a bornavirus prototype that infects the central nervous system of various animal species and can cause fatal encephalitis in various animals including humans. Among the reported anti-BoDV-1 treatments, favipiravir (T-705) is one of the best candidates since it has been shown to be effective in reducing various bornavirus titers in cell culture. However, T-705 effectiveness on BoDV-1 is cell type-dependent, and the molecular mechanisms that explain this cell type-dependent difference remain unknown. In this study, we noticed a fact that T-705 efficiently suppressed BoDV-1 in infected 293T cells, but not in infected SH-SY5Y cells, and sought to identify protein(s) responsible for this cell-type-dependent difference in T-705 efficacy. By comparing the transcriptomes of BoDV-1-infected 293T and SH-SY5Y cells, we identified heart- and neural crest derivatives-expressed protein 2 (HAND2) as a candidate involved in T-705 interference. HAND2 overexpression partly attenuated the inhibitory effect of T-705, whereas HAND2 knockdown enhanced this effect. We also demonstrated an interaction between T-705 and HAND2. Furthermore, T-705 impaired HAND2-mediated host gene expression. Because HAND2 is an essential transcriptional regulator of embryogenesis, T-705 may exhibit its adverse effects such as teratogenicity and embryotoxicity through the impairment of HAND2 function. This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying T-705 interference in some cell types and inspires the development of improved T-705 derivatives for the treatment of RNA viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Teng
- Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Keiji Ueda
- Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Honda
- Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan; Department of Virology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan; Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan.
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4
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Cao X, Ma T, Fan R, Yuan GC. Broad H3K4me3 Domain Is Associated with Spatial Coherence during Mammalian Embryonic Development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.11.570452. [PMID: 38168252 PMCID: PMC10760050 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.11.570452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
It is well known that the chromatin states play a major role in cell-fate decision and cell-identity maintenance; however, the spatial variation of chromatin states in situ remains poorly characterized. Here, by leveraging recently available spatial-CUT&Tag data, we systematically characterized the global spatial organization of the H3K4me3 profiles in a mouse embryo. Our analysis identified a subset of genes with spatially coherent H3K4me3 patterns, which together delineate the tissue boundaries. The spatially coherent genes are strongly enriched with tissue-specific transcriptional regulators. Remarkably, their corresponding genomic loci are marked by broad H3K4me3 domains, which is distinct from the typical H3K4me3 signature. Spatial transition across tissue boundaries is associated with continuous shortening of the broad H3K4me3 domains as well as expansion of H3K27me3 domains. Our analysis reveals a strong connection between the genomic and spatial variation of chromatin states, which may play an important role in embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Cao
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Terry Ma
- Department of Statistics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Rong Fan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Havens, CT, USA
| | - Guo-Cheng Yuan
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, NY, USA
- Lead contact
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5
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Komatsu V, Cooper B, Yim P, Chan K, Gong W, Wheatley L, Rohs R, Fraser SE, Trinh LA. Hand2 represses non-cardiac cell fates through chromatin remodeling at cis- regulatory elements. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.23.559156. [PMID: 37790542 PMCID: PMC10542161 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.23.559156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Developmental studies have revealed the importance of the transcription factor Hand2 in cardiac development. Hand2 promotes cardiac progenitor differentiation and epithelial maturation, while repressing other tissue types. The mechanisms underlying the promotion of cardiac fates are far better understood than those underlying the repression of alternative fates. Here, we assess Hand2-dependent changes in gene expression and chromatin remodeling in cardiac progenitors of zebrafish embryos. Cell-type specific transcriptome analysis shows a dual function for Hand2 in activation of cardiac differentiation genes and repression of pronephric pathways. We identify functional cis- regulatory elements whose chromatin accessibility are increased in hand2 mutant cells. These regulatory elements associate with non-cardiac gene expression, and drive reporter gene expression in tissues associated with Hand2-repressed genes. We find that functional Hand2 is sufficient to reduce non-cardiac reporter expression in cardiac lineages. Taken together, our data support a model of Hand2-dependent coordination of transcriptional programs, not only through transcriptional activation of cardiac and epithelial maturation genes, but also through repressive chromatin remodeling at the DNA regulatory elements of non-cardiac genes.
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6
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Kocere A, Lalonde RL, Mosimann C, Burger A. Lateral thinking in syndromic congenital cardiovascular disease. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm049735. [PMID: 37125615 PMCID: PMC10184679 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049735] [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] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Syndromic birth defects are rare diseases that can present with seemingly pleiotropic comorbidities. Prime examples are rare congenital heart and cardiovascular anomalies that can be accompanied by forelimb defects, kidney disorders and more. Whether such multi-organ defects share a developmental link remains a key question with relevance to the diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and long-term care of affected patients. The heart, endothelial and blood lineages develop together from the lateral plate mesoderm (LPM), which also harbors the progenitor cells for limb connective tissue, kidneys, mesothelia and smooth muscle. This developmental plasticity of the LPM, which founds on multi-lineage progenitor cells and shared transcription factor expression across different descendant lineages, has the potential to explain the seemingly disparate syndromic defects in rare congenital diseases. Combining patient genome-sequencing data with model organism studies has already provided a wealth of insights into complex LPM-associated birth defects, such as heart-hand syndromes. Here, we summarize developmental and known disease-causing mechanisms in early LPM patterning, address how defects in these processes drive multi-organ comorbidities, and outline how several cardiovascular and hematopoietic birth defects with complex comorbidities may be LPM-associated diseases. We also discuss strategies to integrate patient sequencing, data-aggregating resources and model organism studies to mechanistically decode congenital defects, including potentially LPM-associated orphan diseases. Eventually, linking complex congenital phenotypes to a common LPM origin provides a framework to discover developmental mechanisms and to anticipate comorbidities in congenital diseases affecting the cardiovascular system and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnese Kocere
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Department of Molecular Life Science, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Robert L. Lalonde
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Christian Mosimann
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Alexa Burger
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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7
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Örd T, Lönnberg T, Nurminen V, Ravindran A, Niskanen H, Kiema M, Õunap K, Maria M, Moreau PR, Mishra PP, Palani S, Virta J, Liljenbäck H, Aavik E, Roivainen A, Ylä-Herttuala S, Laakkonen JP, Lehtimäki T, Kaikkonen MU. Dissecting the polygenic basis of atherosclerosis via disease-associated cell state signatures. Am J Hum Genet 2023; 110:722-740. [PMID: 37060905 PMCID: PMC10183377 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2023.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a pandemic disease where up to half of the risk is explained by genetic factors. Advanced insights into the genetic basis of CAD require deeper understanding of the contributions of different cell types, molecular pathways, and genes to disease heritability. Here, we investigate the biological diversity of atherosclerosis-associated cell states and interrogate their contribution to the genetic risk of CAD by using single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of mouse and human lesions. We identified 12 disease-associated cell states that we characterized further by gene set functional profiling, ligand-receptor prediction, and transcription factor inference. Importantly, Vcam1+ smooth muscle cell state genes contributed most to SNP-based heritability of CAD. In line with this, genetic variants near smooth muscle cell state genes and regulatory elements explained the largest fraction of CAD-risk variance between individuals. Using this information for variant prioritization, we derived a hybrid polygenic risk score (PRS) that demonstrated improved performance over a classical PRS. Our results provide insights into the biological mechanisms associated with CAD risk, which could make a promising contribution to precision medicine and tailored therapeutic interventions in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiit Örd
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland.
| | - Tapio Lönnberg
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, 20520 Turku, Finland; InFLAMES Research Flagship Center, University of Turku
| | - Valtteri Nurminen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Aarthi Ravindran
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Henri Niskanen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Miika Kiema
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Kadri Õunap
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Maleeha Maria
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Pierre R Moreau
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Pashupati P Mishra
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Fimlab Laboratories and Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center Tampere, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33100 Tampere, Finland
| | - Senthil Palani
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Jenni Virta
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Heidi Liljenbäck
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland; Turku Center for Disease Modeling, University of Turku, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Einari Aavik
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Anne Roivainen
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland; Turku Center for Disease Modeling, University of Turku, 20520 Turku, Finland; Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Seppo Ylä-Herttuala
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Johanna P Laakkonen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Terho Lehtimäki
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Fimlab Laboratories and Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center Tampere, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33100 Tampere, Finland
| | - Minna U Kaikkonen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland.
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8
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George RM, Firulli BA, Podicheti R, Rusch DB, Mannion BJ, Pennacchio LA, Osterwalder M, Firulli AB. Single cell evaluation of endocardial Hand2 gene regulatory networks reveals HAND2-dependent pathways that impact cardiac morphogenesis. Development 2023; 150:dev201341. [PMID: 36620995 PMCID: PMC10110492 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The transcription factor HAND2 plays essential roles during cardiogenesis. Hand2 endocardial deletion (H2CKO) results in tricuspid atresia or double inlet left ventricle with accompanying intraventricular septum defects, hypo-trabeculated ventricles and an increased density of coronary lumens. To understand the regulatory mechanisms of these phenotypes, single cell transcriptome analysis of mouse E11.5 H2CKO hearts was performed revealing a number of disrupted endocardial regulatory pathways. Using HAND2 DNA occupancy data, we identify several HAND2-dependent enhancers, including two endothelial enhancers for the shear-stress master regulator KLF2. A 1.8 kb enhancer located 50 kb upstream of the Klf2 TSS imparts specific endothelial/endocardial expression within the vasculature and endocardium. This enhancer is HAND2-dependent for ventricular endocardium expression but HAND2-independent for Klf2 vascular and valve expression. Deletion of this Klf2 enhancer results in reduced Klf2 expression within ventricular endocardium. These data reveal that HAND2 functions within endocardial gene regulatory networks including shear-stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajani M. George
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana Medical School, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Beth A. Firulli
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana Medical School, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Ram Podicheti
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Douglas B. Rusch
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Brandon J. Mannion
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Comparative Biochemistry Program, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Len A. Pennacchio
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Comparative Biochemistry Program, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Marco Osterwalder
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern 3008, Switzerland
- Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital, Bern 3010, Switzerland
| | - Anthony B. Firulli
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana Medical School, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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9
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Ming Z, Vining B, Bagheri-Fam S, Harley V. SOX9 in organogenesis: shared and unique transcriptional functions. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:522. [PMID: 36114905 PMCID: PMC9482574 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04543-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The transcription factor SOX9 is essential for the development of multiple organs including bone, testis, heart, lung, pancreas, intestine and nervous system. Mutations in the human SOX9 gene led to campomelic dysplasia, a haploinsufficiency disorder with several skeletal malformations frequently accompanied by 46, XY sex reversal. The mechanisms underlying the diverse SOX9 functions during organ development including its post-translational modifications, the availability of binding partners, and tissue-specific accessibility to target gene chromatin. Here we summarize the expression, activities, and downstream target genes of SOX9 in molecular genetic pathways essential for organ development, maintenance, and function. We also provide an insight into understanding the mechanisms that regulate the versatile roles of SOX9 in different organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhua Ming
- Sex Development Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 5152, Melbourne, VIC, 3168, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Brittany Vining
- Sex Development Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 5152, Melbourne, VIC, 3168, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Stefan Bagheri-Fam
- Sex Development Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 5152, Melbourne, VIC, 3168, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Vincent Harley
- Sex Development Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 5152, Melbourne, VIC, 3168, Australia.
- Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
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10
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Generation of a recombinant version of a biologically active cell-permeant human HAND2 transcription factor from E. coli. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16129. [PMID: 36167810 PMCID: PMC9515176 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19745-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription factor HAND2 has a significant role in vascularization, angiogenesis, and cardiac neural crest development. It is one of the key cardiac factors crucial for the enhanced derivation of functional and mature myocytes from non-myocyte cells. Here, we report the generation of the recombinant human HAND2 fusion protein from the heterologous system. First, we cloned the full-length human HAND2 gene (only protein-coding sequence) after codon optimization along with the fusion tags (for cell penetration, nuclear translocation, and affinity purification) into the expression vector. We then transformed and expressed it in Escherichia coli strain, BL21(DE3). Next, the effect (in terms of expression) of tagging fusion tags with this recombinant protein at two different terminals was also investigated. Using affinity chromatography, we established the one-step homogeneous purification of recombinant human HAND2 fusion protein; and through circular dichroism spectroscopy, we established that this purified protein had retained its secondary structure. We then showed that this purified human protein could transduce the human cells and translocate to its nucleus. The generated recombinant HAND2 fusion protein showed angiogenic potential in the ex vivo chicken embryo model. Following transduction in MEF2C overexpressing cardiomyoblast cells, this purified recombinant protein synergistically activated the α-MHC promoter and induced GFP expression in the α-MHC-eGFP reporter assay. Prospectively, the purified bioactive recombinant HAND2 protein can potentially be a safe and effective molecular tool in the direct cardiac reprogramming process and other biological applications.
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11
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Zakaria ZZ, Eisa-Beygi S, Benslimane FM, Ramchandran R, Yalcin HC. Design and Microinjection of Morpholino Antisense Oligonucleotides and mRNA into Zebrafish Embryos to Elucidate Specific Gene Function in Heart Development. J Vis Exp 2022:10.3791/63324. [PMID: 36036621 PMCID: PMC10388372 DOI: 10.3791/63324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The morpholino oligomer-based knockdown system has been used to identify the function of various gene products through loss or reduced expression. Morpholinos (MOs) have the advantage in biological stability over DNA oligos because they are not susceptible to enzymatic degradation. For optimal effectiveness, MOs are injected into 1-4 cell stage embryos. The temporal efficacy of knockdown is variable, but MOs are believed to lose their effects due to dilution eventually. Morpholino dilution and injection amount should be closely controlled to minimize the occurrence of off-target effects while maintaining on-target efficacy. Additional complementary tools, such as CRISPR/Cas9 should be performed against the target gene of interest to generate mutant lines and to confirm the morphant phenotype with these lines. This article will demonstrate how to design, prepare, and microinject a translation-blocking morpholino against hand2 into the yolk of 1-4 cell stage zebrafish embryos to knockdown hand2 function and rescue these "morphants" by co-injection of mRNA encoding the corresponding cDNA. Subsequently, the efficacy of the morpholino microinjections is assessed by first verifying the presence of morpholino in the yolk (co-injected with phenol red) and then by phenotypic analysis. Moreover, cardiac functional analysis to test for knockdown efficacy will be discussed. Finally, assessing the effect of morpholino-induced blockage of gene translation via western blotting will be explained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zain Zaki Zakaria
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Science, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Shahram Eisa-Beygi
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin
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12
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Bencivenga D, Stampone E, Vastante A, Barahmeh M, Della Ragione F, Borriello A. An Unanticipated Modulation of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors: The Role of Long Non-Coding RNAs. Cells 2022; 11:cells11081346. [PMID: 35456025 PMCID: PMC9028986 DOI: 10.3390/cells11081346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It is now definitively established that a large part of the human genome is transcribed. However, only a scarce percentage of the transcriptome (about 1.2%) consists of RNAs that are translated into proteins, while the large majority of transcripts include a variety of RNA families with different dimensions and functions. Within this heterogeneous RNA world, a significant fraction consists of sequences with a length of more than 200 bases that form the so-called long non-coding RNA family. The functions of long non-coding RNAs range from the regulation of gene transcription to the changes in DNA topology and nucleosome modification and structural organization, to paraspeckle formation and cellular organelles maturation. This review is focused on the role of long non-coding RNAs as regulators of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors’ (CDKIs) levels and activities. Cyclin-dependent kinases are enzymes necessary for the tuned progression of the cell division cycle. The control of their activity takes place at various levels. Among these, interaction with CDKIs is a vital mechanism. Through CDKI modulation, long non-coding RNAs implement control over cellular physiology and are associated with numerous pathologies. However, although there are robust data in the literature, the role of long non-coding RNAs in the modulation of CDKIs appears to still be underestimated, as well as their importance in cell proliferation control.
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13
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Hand2 delineates mesothelium progenitors and is reactivated in mesothelioma. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1677. [PMID: 35354817 PMCID: PMC8967825 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29311-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The mesothelium lines body cavities and surrounds internal organs, widely contributing to homeostasis and regeneration. Mesothelium disruptions cause visceral anomalies and mesothelioma tumors. Nonetheless, the embryonic emergence of mesothelia remains incompletely understood. Here, we track mesothelial origins in the lateral plate mesoderm (LPM) using zebrafish. Single-cell transcriptomics uncovers a post-gastrulation gene expression signature centered on hand2 in distinct LPM progenitor cells. We map mesothelial progenitors to lateral-most, hand2-expressing LPM and confirm conservation in mouse. Time-lapse imaging of zebrafish hand2 reporter embryos captures mesothelium formation including pericardium, visceral, and parietal peritoneum. We find primordial germ cells migrate with the forming mesothelium as ventral migration boundary. Functionally, hand2 loss disrupts mesothelium formation with reduced progenitor cells and perturbed migration. In mouse and human mesothelioma, we document expression of LPM-associated transcription factors including Hand2, suggesting re-initiation of a developmental program. Our data connects mesothelium development to Hand2, expanding our understanding of mesothelial pathologies.
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14
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Hisamatsu Y, Murata H, Tsubokura H, Hashimoto Y, Kitada M, Tanaka S, Okada H. Matrix Metalloproteinases in Human Decidualized Endometrial Stromal Cells. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2021; 43:2111-2123. [PMID: 34940120 PMCID: PMC8929033 DOI: 10.3390/cimb43030146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclic changes, such as growth, decidualization, shedding, and regeneration, in the human endometrium are regulated by the reciprocal action of female hormones, such as estradiol (E2), and progesterone (P4). Matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) control the invasion of extravillous trophoblast cells after implantation. Several MMPs and TIMPs function in the decidua and endometrial stromal cells (ESCs). Here, we aimed to systematically investigate the changes in MMPs and TIMPs associated with ESC decidualization. We evaluated the expression of 23 MMPs, four TIMPs, and four anti-sense non-coding RNAs from MMP loci. Primary ESC cultures treated with E2 + medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), a potent P4 receptor agonist, showed significant down-regulation of MMP3, MMP10, MMP11, MMP12, MMP20, and MMP27 in decidualized ESCs, as assessed by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Further, MMP15 and MMP19 were significantly upregulated in decidualized ESCs. siRNA-mediated silencing of Heart and Neural Crest Derivatives Expressed 2 (HAND2), a master transcriptional regulator in ESC decidualization, significantly increased MMP15 expression in untreated human ESCs. These results collectively indicate the importance of MMP15 and MMP19 in ESC decidualization and highlight the role of HAND2 in repressing MMP15 transcription, thereby regulating decidualization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoji Hisamatsu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka 573-1010, Japan; (Y.H.); (H.M.); (H.T.); (Y.H.)
| | - Hiromi Murata
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka 573-1010, Japan; (Y.H.); (H.M.); (H.T.); (Y.H.)
| | - Hiroaki Tsubokura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka 573-1010, Japan; (Y.H.); (H.M.); (H.T.); (Y.H.)
| | - Yoshiko Hashimoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka 573-1010, Japan; (Y.H.); (H.M.); (H.T.); (Y.H.)
| | - Masaaki Kitada
- Department of Anatomy, Kansai Medical University, Osaka 573-1010, Japan;
| | - Susumu Tanaka
- Department of Anatomy, Kansai Medical University, Osaka 573-1010, Japan;
- Correspondence: (S.T.); (H.O.)
| | - Hidetaka Okada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka 573-1010, Japan; (Y.H.); (H.M.); (H.T.); (Y.H.)
- Correspondence: (S.T.); (H.O.)
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15
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Vincentz JW, Firulli BA, Toolan KP, Osterwalder M, Pennacchio LA, Firulli AB. HAND transcription factors cooperatively specify the aorta and pulmonary trunk. Dev Biol 2021; 476:1-10. [PMID: 33757801 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Congenital heart defects (CHDs) affecting the cardiac outflow tract (OFT) constitute a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The OFT develops from migratory cell populations which include the cardiac neural crest cells (cNCCs) and secondary heart field (SHF) derived myocardium and endocardium. The related transcription factors HAND1 and HAND2 have been implicated in human CHDs involving the OFT. Although Hand1 is expressed within the OFT, Hand1 NCC-specific conditional knockout mice (H1CKOs) are viable. Here we show that these H1CKOs present a low penetrance of OFT phenotypes, whereas SHF-specific Hand1 ablation does not reveal any cardiac phenotypes. Further, HAND1 and HAND2 appear functionally redundant within the cNCCs, as a reduction/ablation of Hand2 on an NCC-specific H1CKO background causes pronounced OFT defects. Double conditional Hand1 and Hand2 NCC knockouts exhibit persistent truncus arteriosus (PTA) with 100% penetrance. NCC lineage-tracing and Sema3c in situ mRNA expression reveal that Sema3c-expressing cells are mis-localized, resulting in a malformed septal bridge within the OFTs of H1CKO;H2CKO embryos. Interestingly, Hand1 and Hand2 also genetically interact within the SHF, as SHF H1CKOs on a heterozygous Hand2 background exhibit Ventricular Septal Defects (VSDs) with incomplete penetrance. Previously, we identified a BMP, HAND2, and GATA-dependent Hand1 OFT enhancer sufficient to drive reporter gene expression within the nascent OFT and aorta. Using these transcription inputs as a probe, we identify a novel Hand2 OFT enhancer, suggesting that a conserved BMP-GATA dependent mechanism transcriptionally regulates both HAND factors. These findings support the hypothesis that HAND factors interpret BMP signaling within the cNCCs to cooperatively coordinate OFT morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua W Vincentz
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5225, USA.
| | - Beth A Firulli
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5225, USA
| | - Kevin P Toolan
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5225, USA
| | - Marco Osterwalder
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA; Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 35, 3008, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Len A Pennacchio
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA; U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA; Comparative Biochemistry Program, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Anthony B Firulli
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1044 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5225, USA.
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16
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Yuan X, Scott IC, Wilson MD. Heart Enhancers: Development and Disease Control at a Distance. Front Genet 2021; 12:642975. [PMID: 33777110 PMCID: PMC7987942 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.642975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Bound by lineage-determining transcription factors and signaling effectors, enhancers play essential roles in controlling spatiotemporal gene expression profiles during development, homeostasis and disease. Recent synergistic advances in functional genomic technologies, combined with the developmental biology toolbox, have resulted in unprecedented genome-wide annotation of heart enhancers and their target genes. Starting with early studies of vertebrate heart enhancers and ending with state-of-the-art genome-wide enhancer discovery and testing, we will review how studying heart enhancers in metazoan species has helped inform our understanding of cardiac development and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuefei Yuan
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ian C. Scott
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael D. Wilson
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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17
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Abstract
Evidence accumulated over the past decade shows that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are widely expressed and have key roles in gene regulation. Recent studies have begun to unravel how the biogenesis of lncRNAs is distinct from that of mRNAs and is linked with their specific subcellular localizations and functions. Depending on their localization and their specific interactions with DNA, RNA and proteins, lncRNAs can modulate chromatin function, regulate the assembly and function of membraneless nuclear bodies, alter the stability and translation of cytoplasmic mRNAs and interfere with signalling pathways. Many of these functions ultimately affect gene expression in diverse biological and physiopathological contexts, such as in neuronal disorders, immune responses and cancer. Tissue-specific and condition-specific expression patterns suggest that lncRNAs are potential biomarkers and provide a rationale to target them clinically. In this Review, we discuss the mechanisms of lncRNA biogenesis, localization and functions in transcriptional, post-transcriptional and other modes of gene regulation, and their potential therapeutic applications.
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18
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The Future of Direct Cardiac Reprogramming: Any GMT Cocktail Variety? Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21217950. [PMID: 33114756 PMCID: PMC7663133 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21217950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Direct cardiac reprogramming has emerged as a novel therapeutic approach to treat and regenerate injured hearts through the direct conversion of fibroblasts into cardiac cells. Most studies have focused on the reprogramming of fibroblasts into induced cardiomyocytes (iCMs). The first study in which this technology was described, showed that at least a combination of three transcription factors, GATA4, MEF2C and TBX5 (GMT cocktail), was required for the reprogramming into iCMs in vitro using mouse cells. However, this was later demonstrated to be insufficient for the reprogramming of human cells and additional factors were required. Thereafter, most studies have focused on implementing reprogramming efficiency and obtaining fully reprogrammed and functional iCMs, by the incorporation of other transcription factors, microRNAs or small molecules to the original GMT cocktail. In this respect, great advances have been made in recent years. However, there is still no consensus on which of these GMT-based varieties is best, and robust and highly reproducible protocols are still urgently required, especially in the case of human cells. On the other hand, apart from CMs, other cells such as endothelial and smooth muscle cells to form new blood vessels will be fundamental for the correct reconstruction of damaged cardiac tissue. With this aim, several studies have centered on the direct reprogramming of fibroblasts into induced cardiac progenitor cells (iCPCs) able to give rise to all myocardial cell lineages. Especially interesting are reports in which multipotent and highly expandable mouse iCPCs have been obtained, suggesting that clinically relevant amounts of these cells could be created. However, as of yet, this has not been achieved with human iCPCs, and exactly what stage of maturity is appropriate for a cell therapy product remains an open question. Nonetheless, the major concern in regenerative medicine is the poor retention, survival, and engraftment of transplanted cells in the cardiac tissue. To circumvent this issue, several cell pre-conditioning approaches are currently being explored. As an alternative to cell injection, in vivo reprogramming may face fewer barriers for its translation to the clinic. This approach has achieved better results in terms of efficiency and iCMs maturity in mouse models, indicating that the heart environment can favor this process. In this context, in recent years some studies have focused on the development of safer delivery systems such as Sendai virus, Adenovirus, chemical cocktails or nanoparticles. This article provides an in-depth review of the in vitro and in vivo cardiac reprograming technology used in mouse and human cells to obtain iCMs and iCPCs, and discusses what challenges still lie ahead and what hurdles are to be overcome before results from this field can be transferred to the clinical settings.
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19
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Ali T, Grote P. Beyond the RNA-dependent function of LncRNA genes. eLife 2020; 9:60583. [PMID: 33095159 PMCID: PMC7584451 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
While long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) genes have attracted a lot of attention in the last decade, the focus regarding their mechanisms of action has been primarily on the RNA product of these genes. Recent work on several lncRNAs genes demonstrates that not only is the produced RNA species important, but also that transcription of the lncRNA locus alone can have regulatory functions. Like the functions of lncRNA transcripts, the mechanisms that underlie these genome-based functions are varied. Here we highlight some of these examples and provide an outlook on how the functional mechanisms of a lncRNA gene can be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamer Ali
- Institute of Cardiovascular Regeneration, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Faculty of Science, Benha University, Benha, Egypt
| | - Phillip Grote
- Institute of Cardiovascular Regeneration, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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20
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Sharma A, Wasson LK, Willcox JA, Morton SU, Gorham JM, DeLaughter DM, Neyazi M, Schmid M, Agarwal R, Jang MY, Toepfer CN, Ward T, Kim Y, Pereira AC, DePalma SR, Tai A, Kim S, Conner D, Bernstein D, Gelb BD, Chung WK, Goldmuntz E, Porter G, Tristani-Firouzi M, Srivastava D, Seidman JG, Seidman CE. GATA6 mutations in hiPSCs inform mechanisms for maldevelopment of the heart, pancreas, and diaphragm. eLife 2020; 9:53278. [PMID: 33054971 PMCID: PMC7593088 DOI: 10.7554/elife.53278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Damaging GATA6 variants cause cardiac outflow tract defects, sometimes with pancreatic and diaphragmic malformations. To define molecular mechanisms for these diverse developmental defects, we studied transcriptional and epigenetic responses to GATA6 loss of function (LoF) and missense variants during cardiomyocyte differentiation of isogenic human induced pluripotent stem cells. We show that GATA6 is a pioneer factor in cardiac development, regulating SMYD1 that activates HAND2, and KDR that with HAND2 orchestrates outflow tract formation. LoF variants perturbed cardiac genes and also endoderm lineage genes that direct PDX1 expression and pancreatic development. Remarkably, an exon 4 GATA6 missense variant, highly associated with extra-cardiac malformations, caused ectopic pioneer activities, profoundly diminishing GATA4, FOXA1/2, and PDX1 expression and increasing normal retinoic acid signaling that promotes diaphragm development. These aberrant epigenetic and transcriptional signatures illuminate the molecular mechanisms for cardiovascular malformations, pancreas and diaphragm dysgenesis that arise in patients with distinct GATA6 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Sharma
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.,Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, United States.,Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Lauren K Wasson
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Jon Al Willcox
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Sarah U Morton
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.,Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, United States
| | - Joshua M Gorham
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | | | - Meraj Neyazi
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.,Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Manuel Schmid
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.,Deutsches Herzzentrum München, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Radhika Agarwal
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Min Young Jang
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Christopher N Toepfer
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.,Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Tarsha Ward
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Yuri Kim
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Alexandre C Pereira
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.,Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Cardiology, Heart Institute, Medical School of University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Steven R DePalma
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Angela Tai
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Seongwon Kim
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - David Conner
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Daniel Bernstein
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States
| | - Bruce D Gelb
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, United States
| | - Wendy K Chung
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, United States
| | - Elizabeth Goldmuntz
- Department of Pediatrics, The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - George Porter
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, United States
| | - Martin Tristani-Firouzi
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, United States
| | | | | | - Christine E Seidman
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.,Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, United States
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21
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Ma J, Chen S, Hao L, Sheng W, Chen W, Ma X, Zhang B, Ma D, Huang G. Long non-coding RNA SAP30-2:1 is downregulated in congenital heart disease and regulates cell proliferation by targeting HAND2. Front Med 2020; 15:91-100. [PMID: 32820380 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-020-0778-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect worldwide. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in many diseases. However, their involvement in CHD is not well understood. This study aimed to investigate the role of dysregulated lncRNAs in CHD. We used Gene Expression Omnibus data mining, bioinformatics analysis, and analysis of clinical tissue samples and observed that the novel lncRNA SAP30-2:1 with unknown function was significantly downregulated in damaged cardiac tissues from patients with CHD. Knockdown of lncRNA SAP30-2:1 inhibited the proliferation of human embryonic kidney and AC16 cells and decreased the expression of heart and neural crest derivatives expressed 2 (HAND2). Moreover, lncRNA SAP30-2:1 was associated with HAND2 by RNA immunoprecipitation. Overall, these results suggest that lncRNA SAP30-2:1 may be involved in heart development through affecting cell proliferation via targeting HAND2 and may thus represent a novel therapeutic target for CHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Ma
- ENT Institute, Department of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China.,Research Center for Birth Defects, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shiyu Chen
- Research Center for Birth Defects, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lili Hao
- Research Center for Birth Defects, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wei Sheng
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Weicheng Chen
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Xiaojing Ma
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Bowen Zhang
- Research Center for Birth Defects, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Duan Ma
- Research Center for Birth Defects, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China.
| | - Guoying Huang
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China.
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22
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Hand2 Selectively Reorganizes Chromatin Accessibility to Induce Pacemaker-like Transcriptional Reprogramming. Cell Rep 2020; 27:2354-2369.e7. [PMID: 31116981 PMCID: PMC6657359 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.04.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Gata4, Hand2, Mef2c, and Tbx5 (GHMT) can reprogram transduced fibroblasts into induced pacemaker-like myocytes (iPMs), but the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Here, we explore the role of Hand2 in iPM formation by using a combination of transcriptome, genome, and biochemical as-says. We found many shared transcriptional signatures between iPMs and the endogenous sinoatrial node (SAN), yet key regulatory networks remain missing. We demonstrate that Hand2 augments chromatin accessibility at loci involved in sarcomere organization, electrical coupling, and membrane depolarization. Focusing on an established cardiac Hand2 cistrome, we observe selective reorganization of chromatin accessibility to promote pacemaker-specific gene expression. Moreover, we identify a Hand2 cardiac subtype diversity (CSD) domain through biochemical analysis of the N terminus. By integrating our RNA-seq and ATAC-seq datasets, we highlight desmosome organization as a hallmark feature of iPM formation. Collectively, our results illuminate Hand2-dependent mechanisms that may guide future efforts to rationally improve iPM formation. Gata4, Hand2, Mef2c, and Tbx5 can reprogram fibroblasts into cardiomyocyte-like cells, including induced pacemakers (iPMs). Fernandez-Perez et al. show that Hand2 coordinates this process by influencing chromatin accessibility and gene expression in fibroblasts undergoing iPM lineage conversion. These insights could eventually inform the production of superior replacement cells.
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23
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van Weerd JH, Mohan RA, van Duijvenboden K, Hooijkaas IB, Wakker V, Boukens BJ, Barnett P, Christoffels VM. Trait-associated noncoding variant regions affect TBX3 regulation and cardiac conduction. eLife 2020; 9:56697. [PMID: 32672536 PMCID: PMC7365664 DOI: 10.7554/elife.56697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies have implicated common genomic variants in the gene desert upstream of TBX3 in cardiac conduction velocity. Whether these noncoding variants affect expression of TBX3 or neighboring genes and how they affect cardiac conduction is not understood. Here, we use high-throughput STARR-seq to test the entire 1.3 Mb human and mouse TBX3 locus, including two cardiac conduction-associated variant regions, for regulatory function. We identified multiple accessible and functional regulatory DNA elements that harbor variants affecting their activity. Both variant regions drove gene expression in the cardiac conduction tissue in transgenic reporter mice. Genomic deletion from the mouse genome of one of the regions caused increased cardiac expression of only Tbx3, PR interval shortening and increased QRS duration. Combined, our findings address the mechanistic link between trait-associated variants in the gene desert, TBX3 regulation and cardiac conduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Hendrik van Weerd
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Rajiv A Mohan
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Karel van Duijvenboden
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ingeborg B Hooijkaas
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Vincent Wakker
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Bastiaan J Boukens
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Phil Barnett
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Vincent M Christoffels
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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24
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Jiang Q, Lu D, Wang F, Zhang Y, Cao L, Gui Y, Sun S. Folic acid supplement rescues ethanol-induced developmental defects in the zebrafish embryos. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2020; 52:536-545. [PMID: 32369106 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmaa030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FASD) describes a range of birth defects. Mechanisms of FASD-associated defects are not well understood. It has great significance to investigate whether nutrient supplements like folic acid (FA) can effectively rescue ethanol-induced defects. Moreover, it is very important to determine the optimal time for FA supplementation when it can most effectively antagonize the teratogenic effects of ethanol during embryonic development. Our results indicated that ethanol exposure interrupted the development of zebrafish embryos and induced multiple defects in cardiac function, pharyngeal arch arteries, vessel, craniofacial cartilage, pharyngeal arches, brain, somite and hemoglobin formation. The expressions of critical genes that play important roles in above organs such as tbx1, flk-1, hand2, ngn1, huc, titin, gata-1 and c-myb were reduced, and the apoptosis was increased in ethanol-treated group. FA supplementation could reverse ethanol-induced defects, improve the decreased expressions of above genes and reduce the apoptosis. We also found that giving FA at 6-12 h post-fertilization (hpf), which is at the gastrula period (5.25-10 hpf), can obviously prevent the teratogenicity of ethanol. This research provides clues for elucidating the mechanism of fetal abnormalities caused by alcohol intake and for preventing FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu Jiang
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital and Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ding Lu
- Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Municipal Eighth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200235, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Children’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China
| | - Yawen Zhang
- Children’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China
| | - Li Cao
- Department of Ultrasound, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Yonghao Gui
- Children’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China
| | - Shuna Sun
- Children’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China
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25
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van den Brink SC, Alemany A, van Batenburg V, Moris N, Blotenburg M, Vivié J, Baillie-Johnson P, Nichols J, Sonnen KF, Martinez Arias A, van Oudenaarden A. Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics reveal somitogenesis in gastruloids. Nature 2020; 582:405-409. [PMID: 32076263 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2024-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 201] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Gastruloids are three-dimensional aggregates of embryonic stem cells that display key features of mammalian development after implantation, including germ-layer specification and axial organization1-3. To date, the expression pattern of only a small number of genes in gastruloids has been explored with microscopy, and the extent to which genome-wide expression patterns in gastruloids mimic those in embryos is unclear. Here we compare mouse gastruloids with mouse embryos using single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics. We identify various embryonic cell types that were not previously known to be present in gastruloids, and show that key regulators of somitogenesis are expressed similarly between embryos and gastruloids. Using live imaging, we show that the somitogenesis clock is active in gastruloids and has dynamics that resemble those in vivo. Because gastruloids can be grown in large quantities, we performed a small screen that revealed how reduced FGF signalling induces a short-tail phenotype in embryos. Finally, we demonstrate that embedding in Matrigel induces gastruloids to generate somites with the correct rostral-caudal patterning, which appear sequentially in an anterior-to-posterior direction over time. This study thus shows the power of gastruloids as a model system for exploring development and somitogenesis in vitro in a high-throughput manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne C van den Brink
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Anna Alemany
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent van Batenburg
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Naomi Moris
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Marloes Blotenburg
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Judith Vivié
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jennifer Nichols
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Katharina F Sonnen
- Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Alexander van Oudenaarden
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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26
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Gunawan F, Gentile A, Gauvrit S, Stainier DYR, Bensimon-Brito A. Nfatc1 Promotes Interstitial Cell Formation During Cardiac Valve Development in Zebrafish. Circ Res 2020; 126:968-984. [PMID: 32070236 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.119.315992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The transcription factor NFATC1 (nuclear factor of activated T-cell 1) has been implicated in cardiac valve formation in humans and mice, but we know little about the underlying mechanisms. To gain mechanistic understanding of cardiac valve formation at single-cell resolution and insights into the role of NFATC1 in this process, we used the zebrafish model as it offers unique attributes for live imaging and facile genetics. OBJECTIVE To understand the role of Nfatc1 in cardiac valve formation. METHODS AND RESULTS Using the zebrafish atrioventricular valve, we focus on the valve interstitial cells (VICs), which confer biomechanical strength to the cardiac valve leaflets. We find that initially atrioventricular endocardial cells migrate collectively into the cardiac jelly to form a bilayered structure; subsequently, the cells that led this migration invade the ECM (extracellular matrix) between the 2 endocardial cell monolayers, undergo endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition as marked by loss of intercellular adhesion, and differentiate into VICs. These cells proliferate and are joined by a few neural crest-derived cells. VIC expansion and a switch from a promigratory to an elastic ECM drive valve leaflet elongation. Functional analysis of Nfatc1 reveals its requirement during VIC development. Zebrafish nfatc1 mutants form significantly fewer VICs due to reduced proliferation and impaired recruitment of endocardial and neural crest cells during the early stages of VIC development. With high-speed microscopy and echocardiography, we show that reduced VIC formation correlates with valvular dysfunction and severe retrograde blood flow that persist into adulthood. Analysis of downstream effectors reveals that Nfatc1 promotes the expression of twist1b-a well-known regulator of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. CONCLUSIONS Our study sheds light on the function of Nfatc1 in zebrafish cardiac valve development and reveals its role in VIC formation. It also further establishes the zebrafish as a powerful model to carry out longitudinal studies of valve formation and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Gunawan
- From the Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany (F.G., A.G., S.G., D.Y.R.S., A.B.-B.).,German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, Bad Nauheim (F.G., S.G., D.Y.R.S., A.B.-B.)
| | - Alessandra Gentile
- From the Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany (F.G., A.G., S.G., D.Y.R.S., A.B.-B.)
| | - Sébastien Gauvrit
- From the Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany (F.G., A.G., S.G., D.Y.R.S., A.B.-B.).,German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, Bad Nauheim (F.G., S.G., D.Y.R.S., A.B.-B.)
| | - Didier Y R Stainier
- From the Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany (F.G., A.G., S.G., D.Y.R.S., A.B.-B.).,German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, Bad Nauheim (F.G., S.G., D.Y.R.S., A.B.-B.)
| | - Anabela Bensimon-Brito
- From the Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany (F.G., A.G., S.G., D.Y.R.S., A.B.-B.).,German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, Bad Nauheim (F.G., S.G., D.Y.R.S., A.B.-B.)
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27
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Musa G, Srivastava S, Petzold J, Cazorla-Vázquez S, Engel FB. miR-27a/b is a posttranscriptional regulator of Gpr126 (Adgrg6). Ann N Y Acad Sci 2019; 1456:109-121. [PMID: 31596512 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Gpr126 (Adgrg6), a member of the adhesion G protein-coupled receptor family, has been associated with a variety of human diseases. Yet, despite its clinical importance, the mechanisms regulating Gpr126 expression are poorly understood. Here, we aimed at identifying upstream regulatory mechanisms of Gpr126 expression utilizing the heart as model organ in which Gpr126 regulates trabeculation. Here, we focused on possible regulation of Gpr126 regulation by microRNAs, which have emerged as key players in regulating development, have a critical role in disease progression, and might serve as putative therapeutic targets. In silico analyses identified one conserved binding site in the 3' UTR of Gpr126 for microRNA 27a and 27b (miR-27a/b). In addition, miR-27a/b and Gpr126 expression were differentially expressed during rat heart development. A regulatory role of miR-27a/b in controlling Gpr126 expression was substantiated by reduced Gpr126 mRNA levels upon ectopic expression of miR-27a/b in HEK293T cells and miR-27b in zebrafish embryos. Regulation of Gpr126 expression by direct binding of miR-27a/b to the 3' UTR of Gpr126 was verified by luciferase reporter assays in HEK293T cells. Finally, the modulation of gpr126 expression in zebrafish by injection of either miR-27b or miR-27b inhibitor in single cell-stage embryos resulted in hypo- or hypertrabeculation, respectively. Collectively, the data indicate that Gpr126 expression is regulated by miR-27a/b.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gentian Musa
- Experimental Renal and Cardiovascular Research, Department of Nephropathology, Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Swati Srivastava
- Experimental Renal and Cardiovascular Research, Department of Nephropathology, Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jana Petzold
- Experimental Renal and Cardiovascular Research, Department of Nephropathology, Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Salvador Cazorla-Vázquez
- Experimental Renal and Cardiovascular Research, Department of Nephropathology, Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Felix B Engel
- Experimental Renal and Cardiovascular Research, Department of Nephropathology, Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
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28
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Ritter N, Ali T, Kopitchinski N, Schuster P, Beisaw A, Hendrix DA, Schulz MH, Müller-McNicoll M, Dimmeler S, Grote P. The lncRNA Locus Handsdown Regulates Cardiac Gene Programs and Is Essential for Early Mouse Development. Dev Cell 2019; 50:644-657.e8. [PMID: 31422919 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Revised: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Precisely controlled gene regulatory networks are required during embryonic development to give rise to various structures, including those of the cardiovascular system. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) loci are known to be important regulators of these genetic programs. We have identified a novel and essential lncRNA locus Handsdown (Hdn), active in early heart cells, and show by genetic inactivation that it is essential for murine development. Hdn displays haploinsufficiency for cardiac development as Hdn-heterozygous adult mice exhibit hyperplasia in the right ventricular wall. Transcriptional activity of the Hdn locus, independent of its RNA, suppresses its neighboring gene Hand2. We reveal a switch in a topologically associated domain in differentiation of the cardiac lineage, allowing the Hdn locus to directly interact with regulatory elements of the Hand2 locus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Ritter
- Institute of Cardiovascular Regeneration, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Tamer Ali
- Institute of Cardiovascular Regeneration, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Faculty of Science, Benha University, Benha 13518, Egypt
| | - Nina Kopitchinski
- Institute of Cardiovascular Regeneration, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Peggy Schuster
- Institute of Cardiovascular Regeneration, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Arica Beisaw
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Ludwigstrasse 43, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - David A Hendrix
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA; School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Marcel H Schulz
- Institute of Cardiovascular Regeneration, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; German Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration (DZHK), Partner site Rhein-Main, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Michaela Müller-McNicoll
- RNA Regulation Group, Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Stefanie Dimmeler
- Institute of Cardiovascular Regeneration, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; German Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration (DZHK), Partner site Rhein-Main, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Phillip Grote
- Institute of Cardiovascular Regeneration, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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29
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Han X, Zhang J, Liu Y, Fan X, Ai S, Luo Y, Li X, Jin H, Luo S, Zheng H, Yue Y, Chang Z, Yang Z, Tang F, He A, Shen X. The lncRNA Hand2os1/ Uph locus orchestrates heart development through regulation of precise expression of Hand2. Development 2019; 146:146/13/dev176198. [PMID: 31273086 DOI: 10.1242/dev.176198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Exploration and dissection of potential actions and effects of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in animals remain challenging. Here, using multiple knockout mouse models and single cell RNA sequencing, we demonstrate that the divergent lncRNA Hand2os1/Uph has a key complex modulatory effect on the expression of its neighboring gene HAND2 and subsequently on heart development and function. Short deletion of the Hand2os1 promoter in mouse diminishes Hand2os1 transcription to ∼8-32%, but fails to affect HAND2 expression and yields no discernable heart phenotypes. Interestingly, full-length deletion of Hand2os1 in mouse causes moderate yet prevalent upregulation of HAND2 in hundreds of cardiac cells, leading to profound biological consequences, including dysregulated cardiac gene programs, congenital heart defects and perinatal lethality. We propose that the Hand2os1 locus dampens HAND2 expression to restrain cardiomyocyte proliferation, thereby orchestrating a balanced development of cardiac cell lineages. This study highlights the regulatory complexity of the lncRNA Hand2os1 on HAND2 expression, emphasizing the need for complementary genetic and single cell approaches to delineate the function and primary molecular effects of an lncRNA in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Han
- Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, and School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jiejie Zhang
- Peking Center for Life Sciences, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yaxi Liu
- Peking Center for Life Sciences, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xiaoying Fan
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shanshan Ai
- Peking Center for Life Sciences, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yingjie Luo
- Peking Center for Life Sciences, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xin Li
- Peking Center for Life Sciences, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Hengwei Jin
- Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China
| | - Sai Luo
- Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, and School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Hui Zheng
- Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, and School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yanzhu Yue
- Peking Center for Life Sciences, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zai Chang
- Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, and School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zhongzhou Yang
- Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China
| | - Fuchou Tang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Aibin He
- Peking Center for Life Sciences, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xiaohua Shen
- Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, and School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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30
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Cardiac Reprogramming Factors Synergistically Activate Genome-wide Cardiogenic Stage-Specific Enhancers. Cell Stem Cell 2019; 25:69-86.e5. [PMID: 31080136 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2019.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Revised: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The cardiogenic transcription factors (TFs) Mef2c, Gata4, and Tbx5 can directly reprogram fibroblasts to induced cardiac-like myocytes (iCLMs), presenting a potential source of cells for cardiac repair. While activity of these TFs is enhanced by Hand2 and Akt1, their genomic targets and interactions during reprogramming are not well studied. We performed genome-wide analyses of cardiogenic TF binding and enhancer profiling during cardiac reprogramming. We found that these TFs synergistically activate enhancers highlighted by Mef2c binding sites and that Hand2 and Akt1 coordinately recruit other TFs to enhancer elements. Intriguingly, these enhancer landscapes collectively resemble patterns of enhancer activation during embryonic cardiogenesis. We further constructed a cardiac reprogramming gene regulatory network and found repression of EGFR signaling pathway genes. Consistently, chemical inhibition of EGFR signaling augmented reprogramming. Thus, by defining epigenetic landscapes these findings reveal synergistic transcriptional activation across a broad landscape of cardiac enhancers and key signaling pathways that govern iCLM reprogramming.
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31
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Gharaat MA, Kashef M, Jameie B, Rajabi H. Regulation of PI3K and Hand2 gene on physiological hypertrophy of heart following high-intensity interval, and endurance training. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN MEDICAL SCIENCES 2019; 24:32. [PMID: 31143233 PMCID: PMC6521743 DOI: 10.4103/jrms.jrms_292_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Background: Physical training signals cardiac hypertrophy through PI3K as an upstream and Hand2 gene as a downstream agent. The present study aimed to find the role of PI3K and Hand2 gene in myocardial hypertrophy following interval and endurance training (ET). Materials and Methods: Twenty-four adult Wistar male rats (210–250 g) randomly divided into control, sham, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and ET group. Swimming time in ET increased incrementally 30–75 min, whereas in HIIT, load/body weight, and time/rest ratio increased within 12 weeks. Heart morphometry, including left ventricle end systolic (LVESV) and Diastolic (LVEDV) volume, LV posterior wall (LVPW), stroke volume (SV), ejection fraction (EF), fraction shortening (%FS), pure heart weight (HW) and left ventricle weight (LVW), and PI3K and Hand2 gene expression were measured. Results: HW and LVW were significantly more than control after ET (P < 0.05) and HIIT (P < 0.05). Both of the training groups demonstrated significantly thicker LVPW (P < 0.05), SV (P < 0.05), and %FS (P < 0.05). Furthermore, PI3K concentration and Hand2 expression significantly increased in ET (P < 0.001; P < 0.001, respectively) and HIIT (P < 0.05; P < 0.001, respectively) compared to control. Conclusion: It can be concluded that this training protocol caused physiological hypertrophy in both of ET and HIIT groups, whereas HIIT can be more beneficial because of shorter training time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Ali Gharaat
- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Kashef
- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Behnam Jameie
- Neuroscience Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Rajabi
- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
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32
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Piera-Velazquez S, Jimenez SA. Endothelial to Mesenchymal Transition: Role in Physiology and in the Pathogenesis of Human Diseases. Physiol Rev 2019; 99:1281-1324. [PMID: 30864875 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00021.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 300] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies have demonstrated that endothelial cells are capable of undergoing endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT), a newly recognized type of cellular transdifferentiation. EndMT is a complex biological process in which endothelial cells adopt a mesenchymal phenotype displaying typical mesenchymal cell morphology and functions, including the acquisition of cellular motility and contractile properties. Endothelial cells undergoing EndMT lose the expression of endothelial cell-specific proteins such as CD31/platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule, von Willebrand factor, and vascular-endothelial cadherin and initiate the expression of mesenchymal cell-specific genes and the production of their encoded proteins including α-smooth muscle actin, extra domain A fibronectin, N-cadherin, vimentin, fibroblast specific protein-1, also known as S100A4 protein, and fibrillar type I and type III collagens. Transforming growth factor-β1 is considered the main EndMT inducer. However, EndMT involves numerous molecular and signaling pathways that are triggered and modulated by multiple and often redundant mechanisms depending on the specific cellular context and on the physiological or pathological status of the cells. EndMT participates in highly important embryonic development processes, as well as in the pathogenesis of numerous genetically determined and acquired human diseases including malignant, vascular, inflammatory, and fibrotic disorders. Despite intensive investigation, many aspects of EndMT remain to be elucidated. The identification of molecules and regulatory pathways involved in EndMT and the discovery of specific EndMT inhibitors should provide novel therapeutic approaches for various human disorders mediated by EndMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonsoles Piera-Velazquez
- Jefferson Institute of Molecular Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Sergio A Jimenez
- Jefferson Institute of Molecular Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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33
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Wang M, Ling W, Xiong C, Xie D, Chu X, Li Y, Qiu X, Li Y, Xiao X. Potential Strategies for Cardiac Diseases: Lineage Reprogramming of Somatic Cells into Induced Cardiomyocytes. Cell Reprogram 2019; 21:63-77. [DOI: 10.1089/cell.2018.0052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mingyu Wang
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenhui Ling
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chunxia Xiong
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dengfeng Xie
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xinyue Chu
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yunxin Li
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Qiu
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuemin Li
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiong Xiao
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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34
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Dorr KM, Conlon FL. Proteomic-based approaches to cardiac development and disease. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2019; 48:150-157. [PMID: 30711722 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Revised: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Congenital malformations, or structural birth defects, are now the leading cause of infant mortality in the United States and Europe (Dolk et al., 2010; Heron et al., 2009). Of the congenital malformations, congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common (Dolk et al., 2010; Heron et al., 2009). Thus, a molecular understanding of heart development is an essential goal for improving clinical approaches to CHD. However, CHDs are commonly a result of genetic defects that manifest themselves in a spatial and temporal manner during the early stages of embryogenesis, leaving them mostly intractable to mass spectrometry-based analysis. Here, we describe the technologies and advancements in the field of mass spectrometry over the past few years that have begun to provide insights into the molecular and cellular basis of CHD and prospects for these types of approaches in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerry M Dorr
- Department of Biology and Genetics, McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Frank L Conlon
- Department of Biology and Genetics, McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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Rothenberg EV. Encounters across networks: Windows into principles of genomic regulation. Mar Genomics 2019; 44:3-12. [PMID: 30661741 DOI: 10.1016/j.margen.2019.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 01/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Gene regulatory networks account for the ability of the genome to program development in complex multi-cellular organisms. Such networks are based on principles of gene regulation by combinations of transcription factors that bind to specific cis-regulatory DNA sites to activate transcription. These cis-regulatory regions mediate logic processing at each network node, enabling progressive increases in organismal complexity with development. Gene regulatory network explanations of development have been shown to account for patterning and cell type diversification in fly and sea urchin embryonic systems, where networks are characterized by fast coupling between transcriptional inputs and changes in target gene transcription rates, and crucial cis-regulatory elements are concentrated relatively close to the protein coding sequences of the target genes, thus facilitating their identification. Stem cell-based development in post-embryonic mammalian systems also depends on gene networks, but differs from the fly and sea urchin systems. First, the number of regulatory elements per gene and the distances between regulatory elements and the genes they control are considerably larger, forcing searches via genome-wide transcription factor binding surveys rather than functional assays. Second, the intrinsic timing of network state transitions can be slowed considerably by the need to undo stem-cell chromatin configurations, which presumably add stability to stem-cell states but retard responses to transcription factor changes during differentiation. The dispersed, partially redundant cis-regulatory systems controlling gene expression and the slow state transition kinetics in these systems already reveal new insights and opportunities to extend understanding of the repertoire of gene networks and regulatory system logic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen V Rothenberg
- Division of Biology & Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
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Yuan X, Song M, Devine P, Bruneau BG, Scott IC, Wilson MD. Heart enhancers with deeply conserved regulatory activity are established early in zebrafish development. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4977. [PMID: 30478328 PMCID: PMC6255839 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07451-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
During the phylotypic period, embryos from different genera show similar gene expression patterns, implying common regulatory mechanisms. Here we set out to identify enhancers involved in the initial events of cardiogenesis, which occurs during the phylotypic period. We isolate early cardiac progenitor cells from zebrafish embryos and characterize 3838 open chromatin regions specific to this cell population. Of these regions, 162 overlap with conserved non-coding elements (CNEs) that also map to open chromatin regions in human. Most of the zebrafish conserved open chromatin elements tested drive gene expression in the developing heart. Despite modest sequence identity, human orthologous open chromatin regions recapitulate the spatial temporal expression patterns of the zebrafish sequence, potentially providing a basis for phylotypic gene expression patterns. Genome-wide, we discover 5598 zebrafish-human conserved open chromatin regions, suggesting that a diverse repertoire of ancient enhancers is established prior to organogenesis and the phylotypic period. During early embryogenesis, critical cardiac specification events occur. Here the authors isolate cardiac progenitor cells from early zebrafish embryos and characterize accessible chromatin regions specific to this cell population, finding that many of these regions overlap with conserved non-coding elements that are ortholgous to accessible chromatin regions in human.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuefei Yuan
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada.,Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Mengyi Song
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada.,Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Patrick Devine
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.,Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0511, USA
| | - Benoit G Bruneau
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.,Department of Pediatrics and Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Ian C Scott
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada. .,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.
| | - Michael D Wilson
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada. .,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.
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George RM, Firulli AB. Hand Factors in Cardiac Development. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2018; 302:101-107. [PMID: 30288953 DOI: 10.1002/ar.23910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Congenital heart defects account for 1% of infant mortality and 10% of in utero deaths. As the vertebrate embryo develops, multiple tissue types develop in tandem to morphologically pattern the functional heart. Underlying cardiac development is a network of transcription factors known to tightly control these morphological events. Members of the Twist family of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors, Hand1 and Hand2, are essential to this process. The expression patterns and functional role of Hand factors in neural crest cells, endocardium, myocardium, and epicardium is indicative of their importance during cardiogenesis; however, to date, an extensive understanding of the transcriptional targets of Hand proteins and their overall mechanism of action remain unclear. In this review, we summarize the recent findings that further outline the crucial functions of Hand factors during heart development and in post-natal heart function. Anat Rec, 302:101-107, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajani M George
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Anthony B Firulli
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research Department of Pediatrics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
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Pawlak M, Niescierowicz K, Winata CL. Decoding the Heart through Next Generation Sequencing Approaches. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:E289. [PMID: 29880785 PMCID: PMC6027153 DOI: 10.3390/genes9060289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
: Vertebrate organs develop through a complex process which involves interaction between multiple signaling pathways at the molecular, cell, and tissue levels. Heart development is an example of such complex process which, when disrupted, results in congenital heart disease (CHD). This complexity necessitates a holistic approach which allows the visualization of genome-wide interaction networks, as opposed to assessment of limited subsets of factors. Genomics offers a powerful solution to address the problem of biological complexity by enabling the observation of molecular processes at a genome-wide scale. The emergence of next generation sequencing (NGS) technology has facilitated the expansion of genomics, increasing its output capacity and applicability in various biological disciplines. The application of NGS in various aspects of heart biology has resulted in new discoveries, generating novel insights into this field of study. Here we review the contributions of NGS technology into the understanding of heart development and its disruption reflected in CHD and discuss how emerging NGS based methodologies can contribute to the further understanding of heart repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Pawlak
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland.
| | | | - Cecilia Lanny Winata
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland.
- Max-Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany.
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Monti R, Barozzi I, Osterwalder M, Lee E, Kato M, Garvin TH, Plajzer-Frick I, Pickle CS, Akiyama JA, Afzal V, Beerenwinkel N, Dickel DE, Visel A, Pennacchio LA. Limb-Enhancer Genie: An accessible resource of accurate enhancer predictions in the developing limb. PLoS Comput Biol 2017; 13:e1005720. [PMID: 28827824 PMCID: PMC5578682 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Revised: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenomic mapping of enhancer-associated chromatin modifications facilitates the genome-wide discovery of tissue-specific enhancers in vivo. However, reliance on single chromatin marks leads to high rates of false-positive predictions. More sophisticated, integrative methods have been described, but commonly suffer from limited accessibility to the resulting predictions and reduced biological interpretability. Here we present the Limb-Enhancer Genie (LEG), a collection of highly accurate, genome-wide predictions of enhancers in the developing limb, available through a user-friendly online interface. We predict limb enhancers using a combination of >50 published limb-specific datasets and clusters of evolutionarily conserved transcription factor binding sites, taking advantage of the patterns observed at previously in vivo validated elements. By combining different statistical models, our approach outperforms current state-of-the-art methods and provides interpretable measures of feature importance. Our results indicate that including a previously unappreciated score that quantifies tissue-specific nuclease accessibility significantly improves prediction performance. We demonstrate the utility of our approach through in vivo validation of newly predicted elements. Moreover, we describe general features that can guide the type of datasets to include when predicting tissue-specific enhancers genome-wide, while providing an accessible resource to the general biological community and facilitating the functional interpretation of genetic studies of limb malformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remo Monti
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Joint Genome Institute, U.S. Department of Energy, Walnut Creek, California, United States of America
| | - Iros Barozzi
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Marco Osterwalder
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Lee
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Momoe Kato
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Tyler H. Garvin
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Ingrid Plajzer-Frick
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Catherine S. Pickle
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Jennifer A. Akiyama
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Veena Afzal
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Niko Beerenwinkel
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Diane E. Dickel
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Axel Visel
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Joint Genome Institute, U.S. Department of Energy, Walnut Creek, California, United States of America
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, California, United States of America
| | - Len A. Pennacchio
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Joint Genome Institute, U.S. Department of Energy, Walnut Creek, California, United States of America
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