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Jeruzalska E, Mazur AJ. The Role of non-muscle actin paralogs in cell cycle progression and proliferation. Eur J Cell Biol 2023; 102:151315. [PMID: 37099935 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2023.151315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Uncontrolled cell proliferation leads to several pathologies, including cancer. Thus, this process must be tightly regulated. The cell cycle accounts for cell proliferation, and its progression is coordinated with changes in cell shape, for which cytoskeleton reorganization is responsible. Rearrangement of the cytoskeleton allows for its participation in the precise division of genetic material and cytokinesis. One of the main cytoskeletal components is filamentous actin-based structures. Mammalian cells have at least six actin paralogs, four of which are muscle-specific, while two, named β- and γ-actin, are abundantly present in all types of cells. This review summarizes the findings that establish the role of non-muscle actin paralogs in regulating cell cycle progression and proliferation. We discuss studies showing that the level of a given non-muscle actin paralog in a cell influences the cell's ability to progress through the cell cycle and, thus, proliferation. Moreover, we elaborate on the non-muscle actins' role in regulating gene transcription, interactions of actin paralogs with proteins involved in controlling cell proliferation, and the contribution of non-muscle actins to different structures in a dividing cell. The data cited in this review show that non-muscle actins regulate the cell cycle and proliferation through varying mechanisms. We point to the need for further studies addressing these mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estera Jeruzalska
- Department of Cell Pathology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Antonina J Mazur
- Department of Cell Pathology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, Poland.
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2
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Wang Y, Huang Z, Sun M, Huang W, Xia L. ETS transcription factors: Multifaceted players from cancer progression to tumor immunity. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188872. [PMID: 36841365 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
The E26 transformation specific (ETS) family comprises 28 transcription factors, the majority of which are involved in tumor initiation and development. Serving as a group of functionally heterogeneous gene regulators, ETS factors possess a structurally conserved DNA-binding domain. As one of the most prominent families of transcription factors that control diverse cellular functions, ETS activation is modulated by multiple intracellular signaling pathways and post-translational modifications. Disturbances in ETS activity often lead to abnormal changes in oncogenicity, including cancer cell survival, growth, proliferation, metastasis, genetic instability, cell metabolism, and tumor immunity. This review systematically addresses the basics and advances in studying ETS factors, from their tumor relevance to clinical translational utility, with a particular focus on elucidating the role of ETS family in tumor immunity, aiming to decipher the vital role and clinical potential of regulation of ETS factors in the cancer field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufei Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhao Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Mengyu Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Wenjie Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
| | - Limin Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China.
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3
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Liu JX, Huang T, Xie D, Yu Q. Bves maintains vascular smooth muscle cell contractile phenotype and protects against transplant vasculopathy via Dusp1-dependent p38MAPK and ERK1/2 signaling. Atherosclerosis 2022; 357:20-32. [PMID: 36037759 DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2022.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) plasticity is tightly associated with the pathological process of vasculopathy. Blood vessel epicardial substance (Bves) has emerged as an important regulator of intracardiac vasculogenesis and organ homeostasis. However, the involvement and role of Bves in VSMC plasticity and neointimal lesion development remain unclear. METHODS We used an in vivo rat model of graft arteriosclerosis and in vitro PDGF-treated VSMCs and identified the novel VSMC contractile phenotype-related gene Bves using a transcriptomic analysis and literature search. In vitro knockdown and overexpression approaches were used to investigate the mechanisms underlying VSMC phenotypic plasticity. In vivo, VSMC-specific Bves overexpression in rat aortic grafts was generated to assess the physiological function of Bves in neointimal lesion development. RESULTS Here, we found that Bves expression was negatively regulated in aortic allografts in vivo and PDGF-treated VSMCs in vitro. The genetic knockdown of Bves dramatically inhibited, whereas Bves overexpression markedly promoted, the VSMC contractile phenotype. Furthermore, RNA sequencing unraveled a positive correlation between Bves and dual-specificity protein phosphatase 1 (Dusp1) expression in VSMCs. We found that Bves knockdown restrained Dusp1 expression, but enhanced p38MAPK and ERK1/2 activation, resulting in the loss of the VSMC contractile phenotype. In vivo, an analysis of a rat graft model confirmed that VSMC-specific Bves and Dusp1 overexpression in aortic allografts significantly attenuated neointimal lesion formation. CONCLUSIONS Bves maintains the VSMC contractile phenotype through Dusp1-dependent p38MAPK and ERK1/2 signaling, and protects against neointimal formation, underscoring the important role of Bves in preventing transplant vasculopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Xin Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Tong Huang
- The Eight Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dawei Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Qihong Yu
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Clinical Medical Research Center of Hepatic Surgery at Hubei Province, Wuhan, China.
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4
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Dupont S, Wickström SA. Mechanical regulation of chromatin and transcription. Nat Rev Genet 2022; 23:624-643. [DOI: 10.1038/s41576-022-00493-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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5
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Kuchler O, Gerlach J, Vomhof T, Hettich J, Steinmetz J, Gebhardt JCM, Michaelis J, Knöll B. Single-molecule tracking (SMT) and localization of SRF and MRTF transcription factors during neuronal stimulation and differentiation. Open Biol 2022; 12:210383. [PMID: 35537478 PMCID: PMC9090491 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.210383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In cells, proteins encoded by the same gene do not all behave uniformly but engage in functional subpopulations induced by spatial or temporal segregation. While conventional microscopy has limitations in revealing such spatial and temporal diversity, single-molecule tracking (SMT) microscopy circumvented this problem and allows for high-resolution imaging and quantification of dynamic single-molecule properties. Particularly in the nucleus, SMT has identified specific DNA residence times of transcription factors (TFs), DNA-bound TF fractions and positions of transcriptional hot-spots upon cell stimulation. By contrast to cell stimulation, SMT has not been employed to follow dynamic TF changes along stages of cell differentiation. Herein, we analysed the serum response factor (SRF), a TF involved in the differentiation of many cell types to study nuclear single-molecule dynamics in neuronal differentiation. Our data in living mouse hippocampal neurons show dynamic changes in SRF DNA residence time and SRF DNA-bound fraction between the stages of adhesion, neurite growth and neurite differentiation in axon and dendrites. Using TALM (tracking and localization microscopy), we identified nuclear positions of SRF clusters and observed changes in their numbers and size during differentiation. Furthermore, we show that the SRF cofactor MRTF-A (myocardin-related TF or MKL1) responds to cell activation by enhancing the long-bound DNA fraction. Finally, a first SMT colocalization study of two proteins was performed in living cells showing enhanced SRF/MRTF-A colocalization upon stimulation. In summary, SMT revealed modulation of dynamic TF properties during cell stimulation and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Kuchler
- Institute of Neurobiochemistry, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany,Institute of Biophysics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Jule Gerlach
- Institute of Neurobiochemistry, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany,Institute of Biophysics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Thomas Vomhof
- Institute of Biophysics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Johannes Hettich
- Institute of Biophysics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Julia Steinmetz
- Department of Statistics, TU Dortmund University, August-Schmidt Straße 1, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | | | - Jens Michaelis
- Institute of Biophysics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Bernd Knöll
- Institute of Neurobiochemistry, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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ELK1 Promotes Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and the Progression of Lung Adenocarcinoma by Upregulating B7-H3. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2021:2805576. [PMID: 34970415 PMCID: PMC8714344 DOI: 10.1155/2021/2805576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
In previous studies, we found that B7 homolog 3 (B7-H3) was highly expressed in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and promoted epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of LUAD cells. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is unclear. This study is aimed at evaluating the role of Ets-like protein 1 (ELK1) as a transcriptional regulator of B7-H3 for mediating the development and progression of LUAD in vitro and in vivo. We confirmed that ELK1 is highly expressed in LUAD and is associated with poor patient prognosis. ELK1 was found to promote proliferation, invasion, migration, and EMT of LUAD cells through in vivo and in vitro experiments. In terms of mechanism, ELK1 binds to the B7-H3 promoter region and induces the upregulation of B7-H3 in LUAD. Our data suggest that ELK1 plays an important role in the development of LUAD and could be used as a prognostic marker and therapeutic target for LUAD.
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7
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Romani P, Valcarcel-Jimenez L, Frezza C, Dupont S. Crosstalk between mechanotransduction and metabolism. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2021; 22:22-38. [PMID: 33188273 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-020-00306-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 61.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Mechanical forces shape cells and tissues during development and adult homeostasis. In addition, they also signal to cells via mechanotransduction pathways to control cell proliferation, differentiation and death. These processes require metabolism of nutrients for both energy generation and biosynthesis of macromolecules. However, how cellular mechanics and metabolism are connected is still poorly understood. Here, we discuss recent evidence indicating how the mechanical cues exerted by the extracellular matrix (ECM), cell-ECM and cell-cell adhesion complexes influence metabolic pathways. Moreover, we explore the energy and metabolic requirements associated with cell mechanics and ECM remodelling, implicating a reciprocal crosstalk between cell mechanics and metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrizia Romani
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua Medical School, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Christian Frezza
- MRC Cancer Unit, University of Cambridge, Hutchison/MRC Research Centre, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Sirio Dupont
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua Medical School, Padua, Italy.
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8
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Darnell M, O'Neil A, Mao A, Gu L, Rubin LL, Mooney DJ. Material microenvironmental properties couple to induce distinct transcriptional programs in mammalian stem cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E8368-E8377. [PMID: 30120125 PMCID: PMC6130338 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1802568115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Variations in a multitude of material microenvironmental properties have been observed across tissues in vivo, and these have profound effects on cell phenotype. Phenomenological experiments have suggested that certain of these features of the physical microenvironment, such as stiffness, could sensitize cells to other features; meanwhile, mechanistic studies have detailed a number of biophysical mechanisms for this sensing. However, the broad molecular consequences of these potentially complex and nonlinear interactions bridging from biophysical sensing to phenotype have not been systematically characterized, limiting the overall understanding and rational deployment of these biophysical cues. Here, we explore these interactions by employing a 3D cell culture system that allows for the independent control of culture substrate stiffness, stress relaxation, and adhesion ligand density to systematically explore the transcriptional programs affected by distinct combinations of biophysical parameters using RNA-seq. In mouse mesenchymal stem cells and human cortical neuron progenitors, we find dramatic coupling among these substrate properties, and that the relative contribution of each property to changes in gene expression varies with cell type. Motivated by the bioinformatic analysis, the stiffness of hydrogels encapsulating mouse mesenchymal stem cells was found to regulate the secretion of a wide range of cytokines, and to accordingly influence hematopoietic stem cell differentiation in a Transwell coculture model. These results give insights into how biophysical features are integrated by cells across distinct tissues and offer strategies to synthetic biologists and bioengineers for designing responses to a cell's biophysical environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Darnell
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Alison O'Neil
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Angelo Mao
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Luo Gu
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute for Nanobiotechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - Lee L Rubin
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - David J Mooney
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138;
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
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9
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Jehanno C, Flouriot G, Nicol-Benoît F, Le Page Y, Le Goff P, Michel D. Envisioning metastasis as a transdifferentiation phenomenon clarifies discordant results on cancer. Breast Dis 2017; 36:47-59. [PMID: 27177343 DOI: 10.3233/bd-150210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is generally conceived as a dedifferentiation process in which quiescent post-mitotic differentiated cells acquire stem-like properties and the capacity to proliferate. This view holds for the initial stages of carcinogenesis but is more questionable for advanced stages when the cells can transdifferentiate into the contractile phenotype associated to migration and metastasis. Singularly from this perspective, the hallmark of the most aggressive cancers would correspond to a genuine differentiation status, even if it is different from the original one. This seeming paradox could help reconciling discrepancies in the literature about the pro- or anti-tumoral functions of candidate molecules involved in cancer and whose actual effects depend on the tumoral grade. These ambiguities which are likely to concern a myriad of molecules and pathways, are illustrated here with the selected examples of chromatin epigenetics and myocardin-related transcription factors, using the human MCF10A and MCF7 breast cancer cells. Self-renewing stem like cells are characterized by a loose chromatin with low levels of the H3K9 trimetylation, but high levels of this mark can also appear in cancer cells acquiring a contractile-type differentiation state associated to metastasis. Similarly, the myocardin-related transcription factor MRTF-A is involved in metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, whereas this factor is naturally enriched in the quiescent cells which are precisely the most resistant to cancer: cardiomyocytes. These seeming paradoxes reflect the bistable epigenetic landscape of cancer in which dedifferentiated self-renewing and differentiated migrating states are incompatible at the single cell level, though coexisting at the population level.
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10
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Gualdrini F, Esnault C, Horswell S, Stewart A, Matthews N, Treisman R. SRF Co-factors Control the Balance between Cell Proliferation and Contractility. Mol Cell 2016; 64:1048-1061. [PMID: 27867007 PMCID: PMC5179500 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2016.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2016] [Revised: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The ERK-regulated ternary complex factors (TCFs) act with the transcription factor serum response factor (SRF) to activate mitogen-induced transcription. However, the extent of their involvement in the immediate-early transcriptional response, and their wider functional significance, has remained unclear. We show that, in MEFs, TCF inactivation significantly inhibits over 60% of TPA-inducible gene transcription and impairs cell proliferation. Using integrated SRF ChIP-seq and Hi-C data, we identified over 700 TCF-dependent SRF direct target genes involved in signaling, transcription, and proliferation. These also include a significant number of cytoskeletal gene targets for the Rho-regulated myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF) SRF cofactor family. The TCFs act as general antagonists of MRTF-dependent SRF target gene expression, competing directly with the MRTFs for access to SRF. As a result, TCF-deficient MEFs exhibit hypercontractile and pro-invasive behavior. Thus, competition between TCFs and MRTFs for SRF determines the balance between antagonistic proliferative and contractile programs of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Gualdrini
- Signalling and Transcription Group, Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Rd, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Cyril Esnault
- Signalling and Transcription Group, Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Rd, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Stuart Horswell
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics STP, Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Rd, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Aengus Stewart
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics STP, Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Rd, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Nik Matthews
- Advanced Sequencing STP, Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Rd, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Richard Treisman
- Signalling and Transcription Group, Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Rd, London NW1 1AT, UK.
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11
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Mylona A, Theillet FX, Foster C, Cheng TM, Miralles F, Bates PA, Selenko P, Treisman R. Opposing effects of Elk-1 multisite phosphorylation shape its response to ERK activation. Science 2016; 354:233-237. [PMID: 27738173 PMCID: PMC5321235 DOI: 10.1126/science.aad1872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Multisite phosphorylation regulates many transcription factors, including the serum response factor partner Elk-1. Phosphorylation of the transcriptional activation domain (TAD) of Elk-1 by the protein kinase ERK at multiple sites potentiates recruitment of the Mediator transcriptional coactivator complex and transcriptional activation, but the roles of individual phosphorylation events had remained unclear. Using time-resolved nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we found that ERK2 phosphorylation proceeds at markedly different rates at eight TAD sites in vitro, which we classified as fast, intermediate, and slow. Mutagenesis experiments showed that phosphorylation of fast and intermediate sites promoted Mediator interaction and transcriptional activation, whereas modification of slow sites counteracted both functions, thereby limiting Elk-1 output. Progressive Elk-1 phosphorylation thus ensures a self-limiting response to ERK activation, which occurs independently of antagonizing phosphatase activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Mylona
- Signalling and Transcription Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratory, London WC2A 3LY, UK
| | - Francois-Xavier Theillet
- In-Cell NMR Laboratory, Department of NMR-Supported Structural Biology, Leibniz Institute of Molecular Pharmacology (FMP Berlin), Berlin, Germany
| | - Charles Foster
- Signalling and Transcription Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratory, London WC2A 3LY, UK
| | - Tammy M Cheng
- Biomolecular Modelling Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratory, London WC2A 3LY, UK
| | - Francesc Miralles
- Signalling and Transcription Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratory, London WC2A 3LY, UK. Molecular & Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St. George's, University of London, London SW17 0RE, UK
| | - Paul A Bates
- Biomolecular Modelling Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratory, London WC2A 3LY, UK
| | - Philipp Selenko
- In-Cell NMR Laboratory, Department of NMR-Supported Structural Biology, Leibniz Institute of Molecular Pharmacology (FMP Berlin), Berlin, Germany
| | - Richard Treisman
- Signalling and Transcription Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratory, London WC2A 3LY, UK.
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12
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Gilbert PM, Weaver VM. Cellular adaptation to biomechanical stress across length scales in tissue homeostasis and disease. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2016; 67:141-152. [PMID: 27641825 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2016.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Revised: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Human tissues are remarkably adaptable and robust, harboring the collective ability to detect and respond to external stresses while maintaining tissue integrity. Following injury, many tissues have the capacity to repair the damage - and restore form and function - by deploying cellular and molecular mechanisms reminiscent of developmental programs. Indeed, it is increasingly clear that cancer and chronic conditions that develop with age arise as a result of cells and tissues re-implementing and deregulating a selection of developmental programs. Therefore, understanding the fundamental molecular mechanisms that drive cell and tissue responses is a necessity when designing therapies to treat human conditions. Extracellular matrix stiffness synergizes with chemical cues to drive single cell and collective cell behavior in culture and acts to establish and maintain tissue homeostasis in the body. This review will highlight recent advances that elucidate the impact of matrix mechanics on cell behavior and fate across these length scales during times of homeostasis and in disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penney M Gilbert
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Valerie M Weaver
- Center for Bioengineering and Tissue Regeneration, Department of Surgery, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Anatomy and Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA; UCSF Helen Diller Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
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13
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Xin T, Greco V, Myung P. Hardwiring Stem Cell Communication through Tissue Structure. Cell 2016; 164:1212-1225. [PMID: 26967287 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.02.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Adult stem cells across diverse organs self-renew and differentiate to maintain tissue homeostasis. How stem cells receive input to preserve tissue structure and function largely relies on their communication with surrounding cellular and non-cellular elements. As such, how tissues are organized and patterned not only reflects organ function, but also inherently hardwires networks of communication between stem cells and their environment to direct tissue homeostasis and injury repair. This review highlights how different methods of stem cell communication reflect the unique organization and function of diverse tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianchi Xin
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA
| | - Valentina Greco
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA; Department of Dermatology, Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA; Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA.
| | - Peggy Myung
- Department of Dermatology, Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA; Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA.
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14
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Peñalver Bernabé B, Shin S, Rios PD, Broadbelt LJ, Shea LD, Seidlits SK. Dynamic transcription factor activity networks in response to independently altered mechanical and adhesive microenvironmental cues. Integr Biol (Camb) 2016; 8:844-60. [PMID: 27470442 DOI: 10.1039/c6ib00093b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Multiple aspects of the local extracellular environment profoundly affect cell phenotype and function. Physical and chemical cues in the environment trigger intracellular signaling cascades that ultimately activate transcription factors (TFs) - powerful regulators of the cell phenotype. TRACER (TRanscriptional Activity CEll aRrays) was employed for large-scale, dynamic quantification of TF activity in human fibroblasts cultured on hydrogels with a controlled elastic modulus and integrin ligand density. We identified three groups of TFs: responders to alterations in ligand density alone, substrate stiffness or both. Dynamic networks of regulatory TFs were constructed computationally and revealed distinct TF activity levels, directionality (i.e., activation or inhibition), and dynamics for adhesive and mechanical cues. Moreover, TRACER networks predicted conserved hubs of TF activity across multiple cell types, which are significantly altered in clinical fibrotic tissues. Our approach captures the distinct and overlapping effects of adhesive and mechanical stimuli, identifying conserved signaling mechanisms in normal and disease states.
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15
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Semenchenko K, Wasylyk C, Cheung H, Tourrette Y, Maas P, Schalken JA, van der Pluijm G, Wasylyk B. XRP44X, an Inhibitor of Ras/Erk Activation of the Transcription Factor Elk3, Inhibits Tumour Growth and Metastasis in Mice. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0159531. [PMID: 27427904 PMCID: PMC4948895 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription factors have an important role in cancer but are difficult targets for the development of tumour therapies. These factors include the Ets family, and in this study Elk3 that is activated by Ras oncogene /Erk signalling, and is involved in angiogenesis, malignant progression and epithelial-mesenchymal type processes. We previously described the identification and in-vitro characterisation of an inhibitor of Ras / Erk activation of Elk3 that also affects microtubules, XRP44X. We now report an initial characterisation of the effects of XRP44X in-vivo on tumour growth and metastasis in three preclinical models mouse models, subcutaneous xenografts, intra-cardiac injection-bone metastasis and the TRAMP transgenic mouse model of prostate cancer progression. XRP44X inhibits tumour growth and metastasis, with limited toxicity. Tumours from XRP44X-treated animals have decreased expression of genes containing Elk3-like binding motifs in their promoters, Elk3 protein and phosphorylated Elk3, suggesting that perhaps XRP44X acts in part by inhibiting the activity of Elk3. Further studies are now warranted to develop XRP44X for tumour therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kostyantyn Semenchenko
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Christine Wasylyk
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Henry Cheung
- Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Yves Tourrette
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Peter Maas
- SPECS, Kluyverweg 6, 2629 HT Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Jack A Schalken
- Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | | | - Bohdan Wasylyk
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
- * E-mail:
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16
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Dupont S. Role of YAP/TAZ in cell-matrix adhesion-mediated signalling and mechanotransduction. Exp Cell Res 2015; 343:42-53. [PMID: 26524510 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2015.10.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 305] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Signalling from the extracellular matrix (ECM) is a fundamental cellular input that sustains proliferation, opposes cell death and regulates differentiation. Through integrins, cells perceive both the chemical composition and physical properties of the ECM. In particular, cell behaviour is profoundly influenced by the mechanical elasticity or stiffness of the ECM, which regulates the ability of cells to develop forces through their contractile actomyosin cytoskeleton and to mature focal adhesions. This mechanosensing ability affects fundamental cellular functions, such that alterations of ECM stiffness is nowadays considered not a simple consequence of pathology, but a causative input driving aberrant cell behaviours. We here discuss recent advances on how mechanical signals intersect nuclear transcription and in particular the activity of YAP/TAZ transcriptional coactivators, known downstream transducers of the Hippo pathway and important effectors of ECM mechanical cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirio Dupont
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua Medical School, via Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padua, Italy.
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17
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Abstract
Mechanical stimuli are known to be potent regulators of the form and function of cells and organisms. Although biological regulation has classically been understood in terms of principles from solution biochemistry, advancements in many fields have led to the development of a suite of techniques that are able to reveal the interplay between mechanical loading and changes in the biochemical properties of proteins in systems ranging from single molecules to living organisms. Here, we review these techniques and highlight the emergence of a new molecular-scale understanding of the mechanisms mediating the detection and response of cells to mechanical stimuli, a process termed mechanotransduction. Specifically, we focus on the role of subcellular adhesion structures in sensing the stiffness of the surrounding environment because this process is pertinent to applications in tissue engineering as well the onset of several mechanosensitive disease states, including cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S LaCroix
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708;
| | - Katheryn E Rothenberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708;
| | - Brenton D Hoffman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708;
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18
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Bardwell AJ, Bardwell L. Two hydrophobic residues can determine the specificity of mitogen-activated protein kinase docking interactions. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:26661-74. [PMID: 26370088 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.691436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
MAPKs bind to many of their upstream regulators and downstream substrates via a short docking motif (the D-site) on their binding partner. MAPKs that are in different families (e.g. ERK, JNK, and p38) can bind selectively to D-sites in their authentic substrates and regulators while discriminating against D-sites in other pathways. Here we demonstrate that the short hydrophobic region at the distal end of the D-site plays a critical role in determining the high selectivity of JNK MAPKs for docking sites in their cognate MAPK kinases. Changing just 1 or 2 key hydrophobic residues in this submotif is sufficient to turn a weak JNK-binding D-site into a strong one, or vice versa. These specificity-determining differences are also found in the D-sites of the ETS family transcription factors Elk-1 and Net. Moreover, swapping two hydrophobic residues between these D-sites switches the relative efficiency of Elk-1 and Net as substrates for ERK versus JNK, as predicted. These results provide new insights into docking specificity and suggest that this specificity can evolve rapidly by changes to just 1 or 2 amino acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Jane Bardwell
- From the Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, Center for Complex Biological Systems, University of California, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Lee Bardwell
- From the Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, Center for Complex Biological Systems, University of California, Irvine, California 92697
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19
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Abstract
Mechanical forces shape biological tissues. They are the effectors of the developmental programs that orchestrate morphogenesis. A lot of effort has been devoted to understanding morphogenetic processes in mechanical terms. In this review, we focus on the interplay between tissue mechanics and growth. We first describe how tissue mechanics affects growth, by influencing the orientation of cell divisions and the signaling pathways that control the rate of volume increase and proliferation. We then address how the mechanical state of a tissue is affected by the patterns of growth. The forward and reverse interactions between growth and mechanics must be investigated in an integrative way if we want to understand how tissues grow and shape themselves. To illustrate this point, we describe examples in which growth homeostasis is achieved by feedback mechanisms that use mechanical forces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loïc LeGoff
- National Center for Scientific Research, Developmental Biology Institute of Marseille-Luminy, Aix Marseille Université, 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Thomas Lecuit
- National Center for Scientific Research, Developmental Biology Institute of Marseille-Luminy, Aix Marseille Université, 13009 Marseille, France
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20
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O'Connor JW, Riley PN, Nalluri SM, Ashar PK, Gomez EW. Matrix Rigidity Mediates TGFβ1-Induced Epithelial-Myofibroblast Transition by Controlling Cytoskeletal Organization and MRTF-A Localization. J Cell Physiol 2015; 230:1829-39. [PMID: 25522130 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.24895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2014] [Accepted: 12/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Myofibroblasts mediate normal wound healing and upon chronic activation can contribute to the development of pathological conditions including organ fibrosis and cancer. Myofibroblasts can develop from epithelial cells through an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) during which epithelial cells exhibit drastic morphological changes and upregulate cytoskeletal associated proteins that enable exertion of large contractile forces and remodeling of the surrounding microenvironment. Increased matrix rigidity is a hallmark of fibrosis and tumor progression and mechanical tension has been identified as a regulator of EMT; however, the mechanisms governing the mechanical regulation of EMT are not completely understood. Here, we find that matrix rigidity regulates transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-induced EMT, with rigid substrata enabling increased myofibroblast marker expression, cell morphology changes, and cytoskeletal reorganization while soft matrices block these changes. Furthermore, we find that matrix rigidity controls the subcellular localization of myocardin related transcription factor (MRTF)-A, a regulator of cytoskeletal protein expression that contributes to the acquisition of myogenic features during EMT. Results from these studies provide insight into how biophysical cues contribute to myofibroblast development from epithelial cells and may suggest ways to enhance wound healing or to engineer therapeutic solutions for fibrosis and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph W O'Connor
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
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21
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Roche PL, Filomeno KL, Bagchi RA, Czubryt MP. Intracellular Signaling of Cardiac Fibroblasts. Compr Physiol 2015; 5:721-60. [DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c140044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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22
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Robertson ED, Wasylyk C, Ye T, Jung AC, Wasylyk B. The oncogenic MicroRNA Hsa-miR-155-5p targets the transcription factor ELK3 and links it to the hypoxia response. PLoS One 2014; 9:e113050. [PMID: 25401928 PMCID: PMC4234625 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0113050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2014] [Accepted: 10/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular response to hypoxia is a critical cellular process implicated in cancer, and a target for drug development. The activity of the major player, HIF1α, is regulated at different levels by various factors, including the transcription factor ELK3. The molecular mechanisms of this intimate connection remain largely unknown. Whilst investigating global ELK3-chromatin interactions, we uncovered an unexpected connection that involves the microRNA hsa-miR-155-5p, a hypoxia-inducible oncomir that targets HIF1α. One of the ELK3 chromatin binding sites, detected by Chromatin Immuno-Precipitation Sequencing (ChIP-seq) of normal Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC), is located at the transcription start site of the MIR155HG genes that expresses hsa-miR-155-5p. We confirmed that ELK3 binds to this promoter by ChIP and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR). We showed that ELK3 and hsa-miR-155-5p form a double-negative regulatory loop, in that ELK3 depletion induced hsa-miR-155-5p expression and hsa-miR-155-5p expression decreased ELK3 expression at the RNA level through a conserved target sequence in its 3'-UTR. We further showed that the activities of hsa-miR-155-5p and ELK3 are functionally linked. Pathway analysis indicates that both factors are implicated in related processes, including cancer and angiogenesis. Hsa-miR-155-5p expression and ELK3 depletion have similar effects on expression of known ELK3 target genes, and on in-vitro angiogenesis and wound closure. Bioinformatic analysis of cancer RNA-seq data shows that hsa-miR-155-5p and ELK3 expression are significantly anti-correlated, as would be expected from hsa-miR-155-5p targeting ELK3 RNA. Finally, hypoxia (0% oxygen) down-regulates ELK3 mRNA in a microRNA and hsa-miR-155-5p dependent manner. These results tie ELK3 into the hypoxia response pathway through an oncogenic microRNA and into a circuit implicated in the dynamics of the hypoxic response. This crosstalk could be important for the development of new treatments for a range of pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Douglas Robertson
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Christine Wasylyk
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Tao Ye
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Alain C. Jung
- Laboratoire de Biologie Tumorale, Centre Régional de Lutte Contre le Cancer Paul Strauss, EA3430 de l’Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Bohdan Wasylyk
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
- * E-mail:
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23
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Bellas E, Chen CS. Forms, forces, and stem cell fate. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2014; 31:92-7. [PMID: 25269668 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2014.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Cells change their shape and mechanics dramatically during development and tissue healing in response to morphogens, cell-cell contact, adhesion to extracellular matrix, and more. Several regulatory links have been described between cell shape, cytoskeletal tension, matrix adhesiveness and stiffness, and recent studies have begun to uncover how these mechanotransduction pathways can impact transcriptional signaling and cell fate decision. The integrated mechanisms linking cell forces, form and fate are likely critical for driving normal morphogenesis, tissue development, and healing. Dysregulation of these mechanisms may also tip the scale from normal to diseased states. Here, we highlight mechanisms that alter cell shape and mechanics, and the pathways affected by these changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangelia Bellas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, United States; The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Christopher S Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, United States; The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, United States.
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24
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Weinl C, Wasylyk C, Garcia Garrido M, Sothilingam V, Beck SC, Riehle H, Stritt C, Roux MJ, Seeliger MW, Wasylyk B, Nordheim A. Elk3 deficiency causes transient impairment in post-natal retinal vascular development and formation of tortuous arteries in adult murine retinae. PLoS One 2014; 9:e107048. [PMID: 25203538 PMCID: PMC4159304 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2014] [Accepted: 08/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Serum Response Factor (SRF) fulfills essential roles in post-natal retinal angiogenesis and adult neovascularization. These functions have been attributed to the recruitment by SRF of the cofactors Myocardin-Related Transcription Factors MRTF-A and -B, but not the Ternary Complex Factors (TCFs) Elk1 and Elk4. The role of the third TCF, Elk3, remained unknown. We generated a new Elk3 knockout mouse line and showed that Elk3 had specific, non-redundant functions in the retinal vasculature. In Elk3(−/−) mice, post-natal retinal angiogenesis was transiently delayed until P8, after which it proceeded normally. Interestingly, tortuous arteries developed in Elk3(−/−) mice from the age of four weeks, and persisted into late adulthood. Tortuous vessels have been observed in human pathologies, e.g. in ROP and FEVR. These human disorders were linked to altered activities of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the affected eyes. However, in Elk3(−/−) mice, we did not observe any changes in VEGF or several other potential confounding factors, including mural cell coverage and blood pressure. Instead, concurrent with the post-natal transient delay of radial outgrowth and the formation of adult tortuous arteries, Elk3-dependent effects on the expression of Angiopoietin/Tie-signalling components were observed. Moreover, in vitro microvessel sprouting and microtube formation from P10 and adult aortic ring explants were reduced. Collectively, these results indicate that Elk3 has distinct roles in maintaining retinal artery integrity. The Elk3 knockout mouse is presented as a new animal model to study retinal artery tortuousity in mice and human patients.
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MESH Headings
- Angiopoietins/genetics
- Angiopoietins/metabolism
- Animals
- Arteries/abnormalities
- Arteries/metabolism
- Arteries/pathology
- Disease Models, Animal
- Female
- Joint Instability/genetics
- Joint Instability/metabolism
- Joint Instability/pathology
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Neovascularization, Pathologic/genetics
- Neovascularization, Pathologic/metabolism
- Neovascularization, Pathologic/pathology
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets/deficiency
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets/genetics
- Receptors, TIE/genetics
- Receptors, TIE/metabolism
- Retina/metabolism
- Retina/pathology
- Retinal Neovascularization/genetics
- Retinal Neovascularization/metabolism
- Retinal Neovascularization/pathology
- Retinal Vessels/metabolism
- Retinal Vessels/pathology
- Serum Response Factor/genetics
- Serum Response Factor/metabolism
- Signal Transduction/physiology
- Skin Diseases, Genetic/genetics
- Skin Diseases, Genetic/metabolism
- Skin Diseases, Genetic/pathology
- Transcription Factors/genetics
- Transcription Factors/metabolism
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors/genetics
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors/metabolism
- Vascular Malformations/genetics
- Vascular Malformations/metabolism
- Vascular Malformations/pathology
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Weinl
- Department of Molecular Biology, Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Christine Wasylyk
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Marina Garcia Garrido
- Division of Ocular Neurodegeneration, Centre for Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Vithiyanjali Sothilingam
- Division of Ocular Neurodegeneration, Centre for Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Susanne C. Beck
- Division of Ocular Neurodegeneration, Centre for Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Heidemarie Riehle
- Department of Molecular Biology, Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Christine Stritt
- Department of Molecular Biology, Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Michel J. Roux
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Mathias W. Seeliger
- Division of Ocular Neurodegeneration, Centre for Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Bohdan Wasylyk
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Alfred Nordheim
- Department of Molecular Biology, Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- * E-mail:
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25
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Stroka KM, Gu Z, Sun SX, Konstantopoulos K. Bioengineering paradigms for cell migration in confined microenvironments. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2014; 30:41-50. [PMID: 24973724 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2014.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Revised: 05/27/2014] [Accepted: 06/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Cell migration is a fundamental process underlying diverse (patho)physiological phenomena. The classical understanding of the molecular mechanisms of cell migration has been based on in vitro studies on two-dimensional substrates. More recently, mounting evidence from intravital studies has shown that during metastasis, tumor cells must navigate complex microenvironments in vivo, including narrow, pre-existing microtracks created by anatomical structures. It is becoming apparent that unraveling the mechanisms of confined cell migration in this context requires a multi-disciplinary approach through integration of in vivo and in vitro studies, along with sophisticated bioengineering techniques and mathematical modeling. Here, we highlight such an approach that has led to discovery of a new model for cell migration in confined microenvironments (i.e., the Osmotic Engine Model).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly M Stroka
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences - Oncology Center, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Zhizhan Gu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences - Oncology Center, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Sean X Sun
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences - Oncology Center, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Konstantinos Konstantopoulos
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences - Oncology Center, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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26
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Abstract
Cells sense their mechanical and physical environment through diverse mechanisms, and these interactions specify a wide range of responses including growth, survival, migration and differentiation. Although much work has focused on dissecting the adhesive and structural components of the cell responsible for transducing external mechanical forces into biochemical signalling cascades, only recently have studies begun to examine how mechanical signals are transmitted to the nucleus and activate specific gene expression programmes. One necessary step in these processes is the transport of signalling molecules from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. The SRF (serum-response factor) and YAP (Yes-associated protein)/TAZ (transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif) pathways are known mediators of this process in multiple cell types, including mesenchymal stem cells, keratinocytes, mammary epithelial cells and smooth muscle cells. In addition, recent evidence suggests a potential role for β-catenin and Smad signalling in mechanotransduction, but further mechanistic studies are needed to prove this hypothesis. As a model system, the epidermis of the skin is one tissue in which nucleocytoplasmic shuttling mediates cellular mechanosensing and is essential for tissue development, homoeostasis and repair. We propose that nuclear translocation is a common element of mechanotransduction conserved across multiple cell types and tissues.
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27
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Moreno-Layseca P, Streuli CH. Signalling pathways linking integrins with cell cycle progression. Matrix Biol 2014; 34:144-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2013.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2013] [Revised: 10/22/2013] [Accepted: 10/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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28
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O’Connor JW, Gomez EW. Cell adhesion and shape regulate TGF-beta1-induced epithelial-myofibroblast transition via MRTF-A signaling. PLoS One 2013; 8:e83188. [PMID: 24340092 PMCID: PMC3858353 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0083188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2013] [Accepted: 11/10/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Myofibroblasts, specialized cells that play important roles in wound healing and fibrosis, can develop from epithelial cells through an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). During EMT, epithelial cells detach from neighboring cells and acquire an elongated, mesenchymal-like morphology. These phenotypic changes are accompanied by changes in gene expression patterns including upregulation of a variety of cytoskeletal associated proteins which contribute to the ability of myofibroblasts to exert large contractile forces. Here, the relationship between cell shape and cytoskeletal tension and the expression of cytoskeletal proteins in transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-induced EMT is determined. We find that culturing cells in conditions which permit cell spreading and increased contractility promotes the increased expression of myofibroblast markers and cytoskeletal associated proteins. In contrast, blocking cell spreading prevents transdifferentiation to the myofibroblast phenotype. Furthermore, we find that cell shape regulates the expression of cytoskeletal proteins by controlling the subcellular localization of myocardin related transcription factor (MRTF)-A. Pharmacological inhibition of cytoskeletal tension or MRTF-A signaling blocks the acquisition of a myofibroblast phenotype in spread cells while overexpression of MRTF-A promotes the expression of cytoskeletal proteins for all cell shapes. These data suggest that cell shape is a critical determinant of myofibroblast development from epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph W. O’Connor
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Esther W. Gomez
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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29
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Janmey PA, Wells RG, Assoian RK, McCulloch CA. From tissue mechanics to transcription factors. Differentiation 2013; 86:112-20. [PMID: 23969122 PMCID: PMC4545622 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2013.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2013] [Revised: 07/09/2013] [Accepted: 07/23/2013] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Changes in tissue stiffness are frequently associated with diseases such as cancer, fibrosis, and atherosclerosis. Several recent studies suggest that, in addition to resulting from pathology, mechanical changes may play a role akin to soluble factors in causing the progression of disease, and similar mechanical control might be essential for normal tissue development and homeostasis. Many cell types alter their structure and function in response to exogenous forces or as a function of the mechanical properties of the materials to which they adhere. This review summarizes recent progress in identifying intracellular signaling pathways, and especially transcriptional programs, that are differentially activated when cells adhere to materials with different mechanical properties or when they are subject to tension arising from external forces. Several cytoplasmic or cytoskeletal signaling pathways involving small GTPases, focal adhesion kinase and transforming growth factor beta as well as the transcriptional regulators MRTF-A, NFκB, and Yap/Taz have emerged as important mediators of mechanical signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A Janmey
- Departments of Physiology and Institute for Medicine and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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Watt FM, Huck WTS. Role of the extracellular matrix in regulating stem cell fate. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2013; 14:467-73. [PMID: 23839578 DOI: 10.1038/nrm3620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 577] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The field of stem cells and regenerative medicine offers considerable promise as a means of delivering new treatments for a wide range of diseases. In order to maximize the effectiveness of cell-based therapies - whether stimulating expansion of endogenous cells or transplanting cells into patients - it is essential to understand the environmental (niche) signals that regulate stem cell behaviour. One of those signals is from the extracellular matrix (ECM). New technologies have offered insights into how stem cells sense signals from the ECM and how they respond to these signals at the molecular level, which ultimately regulate their fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona M Watt
- King's College London Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, London, UK.
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