Prostaglandin E2 regulates liver versus pancreas cell-fate decisions and endodermal outgrowth

The Crosstalk between Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells and Hepatocytes in Homeostasis and under Stress

Liver diseases, characterized by high morbidity and mortality, represent a substantial medical problem globally. The current therapeutic approaches are mainly aimed at reducing symptoms and slowing down the progression of the diseases. Organ transplantation remains the only effective treatment method in cases of severe liver pathology. In this regard, the development of new effective approaches aimed at stimulating liver regeneration, both by activation of the organ's own resources or by different therapeutic agents that trigger regeneration, does not cease to be relevant. To date, many systematic reviews and meta-analyses have been published confirming the effectiveness of mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) transplantation in the treatment of liver diseases of various severities and etiologies. However, despite the successful use of MSCs in clinical practice and the promising therapeutic results in animal models of liver diseases, the mechanisms of their protective and regenerative action remain poorly understood. Specifically, data about the molecular agents produced by these cells and mediating their therapeutic action are fragmentary and often contradictory. Since MSCs or MSC-like cells are found in all tissues and organs, it is likely that many key intercellular interactions within the tissue niches are dependent on MSCs. In this context, it is essential to understand the mechanisms underlying communication between MSCs and differentiated parenchymal cells of each particular tissue. This is important both from the perspective of basic science and for the development of therapeutic approaches involving the modulation of the activity of resident MSCs. With regard to the liver, the research is concentrated on the intercommunication between MSCs and hepatocytes under normal conditions and during the development of the pathological process. The goals of this review were to identify the key factors mediating the crosstalk between MSCs and hepatocytes and determine the possible mechanisms of interaction of the two cell types under normal and stressful conditions. The analysis of the hepatocyte-MSC interaction showed that MSCs carry out chaperone-like functions, including the synthesis of the supportive extracellular matrix proteins; prevention of apoptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis; support of regeneration; elimination of lipotoxicity and ER stress; promotion of antioxidant effects; and donation of mitochondria. The underlying mechanisms suggest very close interdependence, including even direct cytoplasm and organelle exchange.

Zebrafish as a Useful Model System for Human Liver Disease

Liver diseases represent a significant global health challenge, thereby necessitating extensive research to understand their intricate complexities and to develop effective treatments. In this context, zebrafish (Danio rerio) have emerged as a valuable model organism for studying various aspects of liver disease. The zebrafish liver has striking similarities to the human liver in terms of structure, function, and regenerative capacity. Researchers have successfully induced liver damage in zebrafish using chemical toxins, genetic manipulation, and other methods, thereby allowing the study of disease mechanisms and the progression of liver disease. Zebrafish embryos or larvae, with their transparency and rapid development, provide a unique opportunity for high-throughput drug screening and the identification of potential therapeutics. This review highlights how research on zebrafish has provided valuable insights into the pathological mechanisms of human liver disease.

Monoacylglycerol lipase reprograms hepatocytes and macrophages to promote liver regeneration

Background & Aims

Liver regeneration is a repair process in which metabolic reprogramming of parenchymal and inflammatory cells plays a major role. Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is an ubiquitous enzyme at the crossroad between lipid metabolism and inflammation. It converts monoacylglycerols into free fatty acids and metabolises 2-arachidonoylglycerol into arachidonic acid, being thus the major source of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins in the liver. In this study, we investigated the role of MAGL in liver regeneration.

Methods

Hepatocyte proliferation was studied in vitro in hepatoma cell lines and ex vivo in precision-cut human liver slices. Liver regeneration was investigated in mice treated with a pharmacological MAGL inhibitor, MJN110, as well as in animals globally invalidated for MAGL (MAGL-/-) and specifically invalidated in hepatocytes (MAGLHep-/-) or myeloid cells (MAGLMye-/-). Two models of liver regeneration were used: acute toxic carbon tetrachloride injection and two-thirds partial hepatectomy. MAGLMye-/- liver macrophages profiling was analysed by RNA sequencing. A rescue experiment was performed by in vivo administration of interferon receptor antibody in MAGLMye-/- mice.

Results

Precision-cut human liver slices from patients with chronic liver disease and human hepatocyte cell lines exposed to MJN110 showed reduced hepatocyte proliferation. Mice with global invalidation or mice treated with MJN110 showed blunted liver regeneration. Moreover, mice with specific deletion of MAGL in either hepatocytes or myeloid cells displayed delayed liver regeneration. Mechanistically, MAGLHep-/- mice showed reduced liver eicosanoid production, in particular prostaglandin E2 that negatively impacts on hepatocyte proliferation. MAGL inhibition in macrophages resulted in the induction of the type I interferon pathway. Importantly, neutralising the type I interferon pathway restored liver regeneration of MAGLMye-/- mice.

Conclusions

Our data demonstrate that MAGL promotes liver regeneration by hepatocyte and macrophage reprogramming.

Impact and Implications

By using human liver samples and mouse models of global or specific cell type invalidation, we show that the monoacylglycerol pathway plays an essential role in liver regeneration. We unveil the mechanisms by which MAGL expressed in both hepatocytes and macrophages impacts the liver regeneration process, via eicosanoid production by hepatocytes and the modulation of the macrophage interferon pathway profile that restrains hepatocyte proliferation.

Prostaglandins differentially modulate mucosal-associated invariant T-cell activation and function according to stimulus

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are an innate-like T-cell type conserved in many mammals and especially abundant in humans. Their semi-invariant T-cell receptor (TCR) recognizes the major histocompatibility complex-like molecule MR1 presenting riboflavin intermediates associated with microbial metabolism. Full MAIT cell triggering requires costimulation via cytokines, and the cells can also be effectively triggered in a TCR-independent manner by cytokines [e.g. interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-18 in combination]. Thus, triggering of MAIT cells is highly sensitive to local soluble mediators. Suppression of MAIT cell activation has not been well explored and could be very relevant to their roles in infection, inflammation and cancer. Prostaglandins (PG) are major local mediators of these microenvironments which can have regulatory roles for T cells. Here, we explored whether prostaglandins suppressed MAIT cell activation in response to TCR-dependent and TCR-independent signals. We found that protaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) and to a lesser extent protaglandin D2 (PGD2 ), but not leukotrienes, suppressed MAIT cell responses to Escherichia coli or TCR triggers. However, there was no impact on cytokine-induced triggering. The inhibition was blocked by targeting the signaling mediated via PG receptor 2 (PTGER2) and 4 (PTGER4) receptors in combination. These data indicate that prostaglandins can potentially modulate local MAIT cell functions in vivo and indicate distinct regulation of the TCR-dependent and TCR-independent pathways of MAIT cell activation.

Embryonic alcohol exposure disrupts the ubiquitin-proteasome system

Ethanol (EtOH) is a commonly encountered teratogen that can disrupt organ development and lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs); many mechanisms of developmental toxicity are unknown. Here, we used transcriptomic analysis in an established zebrafish model of embryonic alcohol exposure (EAE) to identify the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) as a critical target of EtOH during development. Surprisingly, EAE alters 20S, 19S, and 11S proteasome gene expression and increases ubiquitylated protein load. EtOH and its metabolite acetaldehyde decrease proteasomal peptidase activity in a cell type-specific manner. Proteasome 20S subunit β 1 (psmb1hi2939Tg) and proteasome 26S subunit, ATPase 6 (psmc6hi3593Tg), genetic KOs define the developmental impact of decreased proteasome function. Importantly, loss of psmb1 or psmc6 results in widespread developmental abnormalities resembling EAE phenotypes, including growth restriction, abnormal craniofacial structure, neurodevelopmental defects, and failed hepatopancreas maturation. Furthermore, pharmacologic inhibition of chymotrypsin-like proteasome activity potentiates the teratogenic effects of EAE on craniofacial structure, the nervous system, and the endoderm. Our studies identify the proteasome as a target of EtOH exposure and signify that UPS disruptions contribute to craniofacial, neurological, and endodermal phenotypes in FASDs.

Identification of the Shared Gene Signatures and Biological Mechanism in Type 2 Diabetes and Pancreatic Cancer

Background

The relationship between pancreatic cancer (PC) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has long been widely recognized, but the interaction mechanisms are still unknown. This study was aimed to investigate the shared gene signatures and molecular processes between PC and T2DM.

Methods

The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was used to retrieve the RNA sequence and patient information of PC and T2DM. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to discover a co-expression network associated with PC and T2DM. Enrichment analysis of shared genes present in PC and T2DM was performed by ClueGO software. These results were validated in the other four cohorts based on differential gene analysis. The predictive significance of S100A6 in PC was evaluated using univariate and multivariate Cox analyses, as well as Kaplan-Meier plots. The biological process of S100A6 enrichment in PC was detected using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). The involvement of S100A6 in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) was assessed by CIBERSORT. In vitro assays were used to further confirm the function of S100A6 in PC.

Results

WGCNA recognized three major modules for T2DM and two major modules for PC. There were 44 shared genes identified for PC and T2DM, and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that regulation of endodermal cell fate specification was primarily enriched. In addition, a key shared gene S100A6 was derived in the validation tests. S100A6 was shown to be highly expressed in PC compared to non-tumor tissues. PC patients with high S100A6 expression had worse overall survival (OS) than those with low expression. GSEA revealed that S100A6 is involved in cancer-related pathways and glycometabolism-related pathways. There is a strong relationship between S100A6 and TIME. In vitro functional assays showed that S100A6 helped to induce the PC cells' proliferation and migration. We also proposed a diagram of common mechanisms of PC and T2DM.

Conclusions

This study firstly revealed that the regulation of endodermal cell fate specification may be common pathogenesis of PC and T2DM and identified S100A6 as a possible biomarker and therapeutic target for PC and T2DM patients.

Prostaglandin signaling in ciliogenesis and development

Prostaglandin (PG) signaling regulates a wide variety of physiological and pathological processes, including body temperature, cardiovascular homeostasis, reproduction, and inflammation. Recent studies have revealed that PGs play pivotal roles in embryo development, ciliogenesis, and organ formation. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and its receptor EP4 modulate ciliogenesis by increasing the anterograde intraflagellar transport. Many G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) including EP4 are localized in cilia for modulating cAMP signaling under various conditions. During development, PGE2 signaling regulates embryogenesis, hepatocyte differentiation, hematopoiesis, and kidney formation. Prostaglandins are also essential for skeletal muscle repair. This review outlines recent advances in understanding the functions and mechanisms of prostaglandin signaling in ciliogenesis, embryo development, and organ formation.

Investigating the molecular guts of endoderm formation using zebrafish

The vertebrate endoderm makes major contributions to the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts and all associated organs. Zebrafish and humans share a high degree of genetic homology and strikingly similar endodermal organ systems. Combined with a multitude of experimental advantages, zebrafish are an attractive model organism to study endoderm development and disease. Recent functional genomics studies have shed considerable light on the gene regulatory programs governing early zebrafish endoderm development, while advances in biological and technological approaches stand to further revolutionize our ability to investigate endoderm formation, function and disease. Here, we discuss the present understanding of endoderm specification in zebrafish compared to other vertebrates, how current and emerging methods will allow refined and enhanced analysis of endoderm formation, and how integration with human data will allow modeling of the link between non-coding sequence variants and human disease.

Mechanisms of Nephrogenesis Revealed by Zebrafish Chemical Screen: Prostaglandin Signaling Modulates Nephron Progenitor Fate

Nephron development involves the creation of discrete segment populations that are specialized to fulfill unique physiological roles. As such, renal function is reliant on the proper execution of segment patterning programs. Despite the central importance of nephron segmentation, the genetic mechanisms that regulate this process are far from understood, in large part due to the experimental complexities and cost of interrogating these events in the mammalian metanephros. For this reason, forward genetics utilizing phenotypic screening in the zebrafish pronephros provides an avenue to gain novel insights about the mechanisms of nephron segmentation in the vertebrate kidney. Discoveries from zebrafish can highlight possible conserved pathways and provide a useful starting point for reverse genetic analyses with other animal models or in vitro approaches. In this review, we discuss the results of a novel chemical screen using the zebrafish to identify segmentation regulators. Through this screen, we identified for the first time that prostaglandin signaling can modulate nephron segmentation, and that it is normally requisite during development to mitigate segment fate choice in the embryonic kidney. We briefly discuss how these discoveries relate to current knowledge about nephron segmentation. Finally, we explore the possible implications of these findings for understanding renal ontogeny and disease, and how this knowledge may be useful for ongoing research initiatives that are aimed at deciphering how to build or rebuild the human kidney.

A Roadmap for Human Liver Differentiation from Pluripotent Stem Cells

How are closely related lineages, including liver, pancreas, and intestines, diversified from a common endodermal origin? Here, we apply principles learned from developmental biology to rapidly reconstitute liver progenitors from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). Mapping the formation of multiple endodermal lineages revealed how alternate endodermal fates (e.g., pancreas and intestines) are restricted during liver commitment. Human liver fate was encoded by combinations of inductive and repressive extracellular signals at different doses. However, these signaling combinations were temporally re-interpreted: cellular competence to respond to retinoid, WNT, TGF-β, and other signals sharply changed within 24 hr. Consequently, temporally dynamic manipulation of extracellular signals was imperative to suppress the production of unwanted cell fates across six consecutive developmental junctures. This efficiently generated 94.1% ± 7.35% TBX3⁺HNF4A⁺ human liver bud progenitors and 81.5% ± 3.2% FAH⁺ hepatocyte-like cells by days 6 and 18 of hPSC differentiation, respectively; the latter improved short-term survival in the Fah^-/-Rag2^-/-Il2rg^-/- mouse model of liver failure.

Prostaglandin signaling regulates renal multiciliated cell specification and maturation

Multiciliated cells (MCCs) have core roles in organ formation and function, where they control fluid flow and particle displacement. MCCs direct fluid movement in the brain and spinal cord, clearance of respiratory mucus, and ovum transport from the ovary to the uterus. Deficiencies in MCC functionality lead to hydrocephalus, chronic respiratory infections, and infertility. Prostaglandins are lipids that are used to coordinate cellular functions. Here, we discovered that prostaglandin signaling is required for MCC development in the embryonic zebrafish kidney. Understanding renal MCC genesis can lend insights into the puzzling origins of MCCs in several chronic kidney diseases, where it is unclear whether MCCs are a cause or phenotypic outcome of the condition.

Multiciliated cells (MCCs) are specialized epithelia with apical bundles of motile cilia that direct fluid flow. MCC dysfunction is associated with human diseases of the respiratory, reproductive, and central nervous systems. Further, the appearance of renal MCCs has been cataloged in several kidney conditions, where their function is unknown. Despite their pivotal health importance, many aspects of MCC development remain poorly understood. Here, we utilized a chemical screen to identify molecules that affect MCC ontogeny in the zebrafish embryo kidney, and found prostaglandin signaling is essential both for renal MCC progenitor formation and terminal differentiation. Moreover, we show that prostaglandin activity is required downstream of the transcription factor ets variant 5a (etv5a) during MCC fate choice, where modulating prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) levels rescued MCC number. The discovery that prostaglandin signaling mediates renal MCC development has broad implications for other tissues, and could provide insight into a multitude of pathological states.

Dissecting metabolism using zebrafish models of disease

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are becoming an increasingly powerful model organism to study the role of metabolism in disease. Since its inception, the zebrafish model has relied on unique attributes such as the transparency of embryos, high fecundity and conservation with higher vertebrates, to perform phenotype-driven chemical and genetic screens. In this review, we describe how zebrafish have been used to reveal novel mechanisms by which metabolism regulates embryonic development, obesity, fatty liver disease and cancer. In addition, we will highlight how new approaches in advanced microscopy, transcriptomics and metabolomics using zebrafish as a model system have yielded fundamental insights into the mechanistic underpinnings of disease.

ppargc1a controls nephron segmentation during zebrafish embryonic kidney ontogeny

Nephron segmentation involves a concert of genetic and molecular signals that are not fully understood. Through a chemical screen, we discovered that alteration of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling disrupts nephron segmentation in the zebrafish embryonic kidney (Poureetezadi et al., 2016). Here, we show that the PPAR co-activator ppargc1a directs renal progenitor fate. ppargc1a mutants form a small distal late (DL) segment and an expanded proximal straight tubule (PST) segment. ppargc1a promotes DL fate by regulating the transcription factor tbx2b, and restricts expression of the transcription factor sim1a to inhibit PST fate. Interestingly, sim1a restricts ppargc1a expression to promote the PST, and PST development is fully restored in ppargc1a/sim1a-deficient embryos, suggesting Ppargc1a and Sim1a counterbalance each other in an antagonistic fashion to delineate the PST segment boundary during nephrogenesis. Taken together, our data reveal new roles for Ppargc1a during development, which have implications for understanding renal birth defects.

Patterning of the hepato-pancreatobiliary boundary by BMP reveals heterogeneity within the murine liver bud

During development, the endoderm initiates organ-restricted gene expression patterns in a spatiotemporally controlled manner. This process, termed induction, requires signals from adjacent mesodermal derivatives. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) emanating from the cardiac mesoderm and the septum transversum mesenchyme (STM), respectively, are believed to be simultaneously and uniformly required to directly induce hepatic gene expression from the murine endoderm. Using small molecule inhibitors of BMP signals during liver bud induction in the developing mouse embryo, we found that BMP signaling was not uniformly required to induce hepatic gene expression. Although BMP inhibition caused an overall reduction in the number of induced hepatoblasts, the STM-bounded posterior liver bud demonstrated the most severe loss of the essential hepatic transcription factor, hepatocyte nuclear factor 4-α (HNF4α), whereas the sinus venosus-lined anterior liver bud was less affected. We found that the posterior liver bud progenitors were anteriorly displaced and aberrantly activated pancreatobiliary markers, including sex-determining region Y-box 9 (SOX9). Additionally, we found that ectopically expressed SOX9 inhibited HNF4α and that BMP was indirectly required for hepatoblast induction. Finally, because previous studies have demonstrated that FGF signals are essential for anterior but not posterior liver bud induction, we examined synchronous BMP and FGF inhibition and found this led to a nearly complete loss of hepatoblasts.

CONCLUSION

BMP signaling is required to maintain the hepato-pancreatobiliary boundary, at least in part, by indirectly repressing SOX9 in the hepatic endoderm. BMP and FGF signals are each required for the induction of spatially complementary subsets of hepatoblasts. These results underscore the importance of studying early inductive processes in the whole embryo. (Hepatology 2018;68:274-288).

In situ expansion of engineered human liver tissue in a mouse model of chronic liver disease

Control of both tissue architecture and scale is a fundamental translational roadblock in tissue engineering. An experimental framework that enables investigation into how architecture and scaling may be coupled is needed. We fabricated a structurally organized engineered tissue unit that expanded in response to regenerative cues after implantation into mice with liver injury. Specifically, we found that tissues containing patterned human primary hepatocytes, endothelial cells, and stromal cells in a degradable hydrogel expanded more than 50-fold over the course of 11 weeks in mice with injured livers. There was a concomitant increase in graft function as indicated by the production of multiple human liver proteins. Histologically, we observed the emergence of characteristic liver stereotypical microstructures mediated by coordinated growth of hepatocytes in close juxtaposition with a perfused vasculature. We demonstrated the utility of this system for probing the impact of multicellular geometric architecture on tissue expansion in response to liver injury. This approach is a hybrid strategy that harnesses both biology and engineering to more efficiently deploy a limited cell mass after implantation.

An overview of type 2 diabetes and importance of vitamin D3-vitamin D receptor interaction in pancreatic β-cells

One significant health issue that plagues contemporary society is that of Type 2 diabetes (T2D). This disease is characterised by higher-than-average blood glucose levels as a result of a combination of insulin resistance and insufficient insulin secretions from the β-cells of pancreatic islets of Langerhans. Previous developmental research into the pancreas has identified how early precursor genes of pancreatic β-cells, such as Cpal, Ngn3, NeuroD, Ptf1a, and cMyc, play an essential role in the differentiation of these cells. Furthermore, β-cell molecular characterization has also revealed the specific role of β-cell-markers, such as Glut2, MafA, Ins1, Ins2, and Pdx1 in insulin expression. The expression of these genes appears to be suppressed in the T2D β-cells, along with the reappearance of the early endocrine marker genes. Glucose transporters transport glucose into β-cells, thereby controlling insulin release during hyperglycaemia. This stimulates glycolysis through rises in intracellular calcium (a process enhanced by vitamin D) (Norman et al., 1980), activating 2 of 4 proteinases. The rise in calcium activates half of pancreatic β-cell proinsulinases, thus releasing free insulin from granules. The synthesis of ATP from glucose by glycolysis, Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation plays a role in insulin release. Some studies have found that the β-cells contain high levels of the vitamin D receptor; however, the role that this plays in maintaining the maturity of the β-cells remains unknown. Further research is required to develop a more in-depth understanding of the role VDR plays in β-cell function and the processes by which the beta cell function is preserved.

Induction of hepatocytes-derived insulin-producing cells using small molecules and identification of microRNA profiles during this procedure

The transplantation of insulin-producing cells (IPCs) or pancreatic progenitor cells is a theoretical therapy for diabetes with insulin insufficiency. Isolated hepatocytes from newborn rats (within 24 h after birth) were progressively induced into IPCs using 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, Trichostatin A, retinoic acid, insulin-transferrin-selenium, and nicotinamide. We transplanted Pdx1+ pancreatic progenitors into STZ-induced diabetic mice and found the decreased blood glucose and increased insulin level in comparison with diabetic model. The dynamic expression profiles of microRNAs (miRNAs) were identified using microarray. We found 67 miRNAs were decreasingly expressed; 52 miRNAs were increasingly expressed; 27 miRNAs were specially inhibited in Stage 1 cells (multipotent progenitor cells); and 58 miRNAs were specially inhibited in Pdx1+ cells (Stage 2). Further analysis showed these miRNAs' targets were associated with genetic recombination, stem cell pluripotency maintenance, cellular structure reorganization and insulin secretion. Enrichment analysis using KEGG pathway showed the differentiation of IPCs from hepatocytes was massively more likely not mediated by canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling. In addition, the BMP/Smad signaling was involved in this progression. We found the dysregulated miRNAs profiles were inconsistent with cell phenotypes and might be responsible for small molecule-mediated cell differentiation during IPCs induction.

Prostaglandins in teleost ovulation: A review of the roles with a view to comparison with prostaglandins in mammalian ovulation

Prostaglandins are well known to be central regulators of vertebrate ovulation. Studies addressing the role of prostaglandins in mammalian ovulation have established that they are involved in the processes of oocyte maturation and cumulus oocyte complex expansion. In contrast, despite the first indication of the role of prostaglandins in teleost ovulation appearing 40 years ago, the mechanistic background of their role has long been unknown. However, studies conducted on medaka over the past decade have provided valuable information. Emerging evidence indicates an indispensable role of prostaglandin E₂ and its receptor subtype Ptger4b in the process of follicle rupture. In this review, we summarize studies addressing the role of prostaglandins in teleost ovulation and describe recent advances. To help understand differences from and similarities to ovulation in mammalian species, the findings on the roles of prostaglandins in mammalian ovulation are discussed in parallel.

Omega-6 and omega-3 oxylipins are implicated in soybean oil-induced obesity in mice

Soybean oil consumption is increasing worldwide and parallels a rise in obesity. Rich in unsaturated fats, especially linoleic acid, soybean oil is assumed to be healthy, and yet it induces obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, and fatty liver in mice. Here, we show that the genetically modified soybean oil Plenish, which came on the U.S. market in 2014 and is low in linoleic acid, induces less obesity than conventional soybean oil in C57BL/6 male mice. Proteomic analysis of the liver reveals global differences in hepatic proteins when comparing diets rich in the two soybean oils, coconut oil, and a low-fat diet. Metabolomic analysis of the liver and plasma shows a positive correlation between obesity and hepatic C18 oxylipin metabolites of omega-6 (ω6) and omega-3 (ω3) fatty acids (linoleic and α-linolenic acid, respectively) in the cytochrome P450/soluble epoxide hydrolase pathway. While Plenish induced less insulin resistance than conventional soybean oil, it resulted in hepatomegaly and liver dysfunction as did olive oil, which has a similar fatty acid composition. These results implicate a new class of compounds in diet-induced obesity–C18 epoxide and diol oxylipins.

PGE2 Receptor Subtype 1 (EP1) Regulates Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Osteogenic Differentiation by Modulating Cellular Energy Metabolism

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are multipotent progenitors capable of differentiation into osteoblasts and can potentially serve as a source for cell-based therapies for bone repair. Many factors have been shown to regulate MSC differentiation into the osteogenic lineage such as the Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2)/Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) signaling pathway that is critical for bone repair. PGE2 binds four different receptors EP1-4. While most studies focus on the role PGE2 receptors EP2 and EP4 in MSC differentiation, our study focuses on the less studied, receptor subtype 1 (EP1) in MSC function. Recent work from our laboratory showed that EP1^-/- mice have enhanced fracture healing, stronger cortical bones, higher trabecular bone volume and increased in vivo bone formation, suggesting that EP1 is a negative regulator of bone formation. In this study, the regulation of MSC osteogenic differentiation by EP1 receptor was investigated using EP1 genetic deletion in EP1^-/- mice. The data suggest that EP1 receptor functions to maintain MSCs in an undifferentiated state. Loss of the EP1 receptor changes MSC characteristics and permits stem cells to undergo more rapid osteogenic differentiation. Notably, our studies suggest that EP1 receptor regulates MSC differentiation by modulating MSC bioenergetics, preventing the shift to mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation by maintaining high Hif1α activity. Loss of EP1 results in inactivation of Hif1α, increased oxygen consumption rate and thus increased osteoblast differentiation. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 4383-4393, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

ptf1a+ , ela3l- cells are developmentally maintained progenitors for exocrine regeneration following extreme loss of acinar cells in zebrafish larvae

The exocrine pancreas displays a significant capacity for regeneration and renewal. In humans and mammalian model systems, the partial loss of exocrine tissue, such as after acute pancreatitis or partial pancreatectomy induces rapid recovery via expansion of surviving acinar cells. In mouse it was further found that an almost complete removal of acinar cells initiates regeneration from a currently not well-defined progenitor pool. Here, we used the zebrafish as an alternative model to study cellular mechanisms of exocrine regeneration following an almost complete removal of acinar cells. We introduced and validated two novel transgenic approaches for genetically encoded conditional cell ablation in the zebrafish, either by caspase-8-induced apoptosis or by rendering cells sensitive to diphtheria toxin. By using the ela3l promoter for exocrine-specific expression, we show that both approaches allowed cell-type-specific removal of >95% of acinar tissue in larval and adult zebrafish without causing any signs of unspecific side effects. We find that zebrafish larvae are able to recover from a virtually complete acinar tissue ablation within 2 weeks. Using short-term lineage-tracing experiments and EdU incorporation assays, we exclude duct-associated Notch-responsive cells as the source of regeneration. Rather, a rare population of slowly dividing ela3l-negative cells expressing ptf1a and CPA was identified as the origin of the newly forming exocrine cells. Cells are actively maintained, as revealed by a constant number of these cells at different larval stages and after repeated cell ablation. These cells establish ela3l expression about 4-6 days after ablation without signs of increased proliferation in between. With onset of ela3l expression, cells initiate rapid proliferation, leading to fast expansion of the ela3l-positive population. Finally, we show that this proliferation is blocked by overexpression of the Wnt-signaling antagonist dkk1b In conclusion, we show a conserved requirement for Wnt signaling in exocrine tissue expansion and reveal a potential novel progenitor or stem cell population as a source for exocrine neogenesis after complete loss of acinar cells.

Making It New Again: Insight Into Liver Development, Regeneration, and Disease From Zebrafish Research

The adult liver of most vertebrates is predominantly comprised of hepatocytes. However, these cells must work in concert with biliary, stellate, vascular, and immune cells to accomplish the vast array of hepatic functions required for physiological homeostasis. Our understanding of liver development was accelerated as zebrafish emerged as an ideal vertebrate system to study embryogenesis. Through work in zebrafish and other models, it is now clear that the cells in the liver develop in a coordinated fashion during embryogenesis through a complex yet incompletely understood set of molecular guidelines. Zebrafish research has uncovered many key players that govern the acquisition of hepatic potential, cell fate, and plasticity. Although rare, some hepatobiliary diseases-especially biliary atresia-are caused by developmental defects; we discuss how research using zebrafish to study liver development has informed our understanding of and approaches to liver disease. The liver can be injured in response to an array of stressors including viral, mechanical/surgical, toxin-induced, immune-mediated, or inborn defects in metabolism. The liver has thus evolved the capacity to efficiently repair and regenerate. We discuss the emerging field of using zebrafish to study liver regeneration and highlight recent advances where zebrafish genetics and imaging approaches have provided novel insights into how cell plasticity contributes to liver regeneration.

The molecular and morphogenetic basis of pancreas organogenesis

The pancreas is an essential endoderm-derived organ that ensures nutrient metabolism via its endocrine and exocrine functions. Here we review the essential processes governing the embryonic and early postnatal development of the pancreas discussing both the mechanisms and molecules controlling progenitor specification, expansion and differentiation. We elaborate on how these processes are orchestrated in space and coordinated with morphogenesis. We draw mainly from experiments conducted in the mouse model but also from investigations in other model organisms, complementing a recent comprehensive review of human pancreas development (Jennings et al., 2015) [1]. The understanding of pancreas development in model organisms provides a framework to interpret how human mutations lead to neonatal diabetes and may contribute to other forms of diabetes and to guide the production of desired pancreatic cell types from pluripotent stem cells for therapeutic purposes.

Phospholipase A2-activating protein is associated with a novel form of leukoencephalopathy

Leukoencephalopathies are a group of white matter disorders related to abnormal formation, maintenance, and turnover of myelin in the central nervous system. These disorders of the brain are categorized according to neuroradiological and pathophysiological criteria. Herein, we have identified a unique form of leukoencephalopathy in seven patients presenting at ages 2 to 4 months with progressive microcephaly, spastic quadriparesis, and global developmental delay. Clinical, metabolic, and imaging characterization of seven patients followed by homozygosity mapping and linkage analysis were performed. Next generation sequencing, bioinformatics, and segregation analyses followed, to determine a loss of function sequence variation in the phospholipase A₂-activating protein encoding gene (PLAA). Expression and functional studies of the encoded protein were performed and included measurement of prostaglandin E₂ and cytosolic phospholipase A₂ activity in membrane fractions of fibroblasts derived from patients and healthy controls. Plaa-null mice were generated and prostaglandin E₂ levels were measured in different tissues. The novel phenotype of our patients segregated with a homozygous loss-of-function sequence variant, causing the substitution of leucine at position 752 to phenylalanine, in PLAA, which causes disruption of the protein's ability to induce prostaglandin E₂ and cytosolic phospholipase A₂ synthesis in patients' fibroblasts. Plaa-null mice were perinatal lethal with reduced brain levels of prostaglandin E₂ The non-functional phospholipase A₂-activating protein and the associated neurological phenotype, reported herein for the first time, join other complex phospholipid defects that cause leukoencephalopathies in humans, emphasizing the importance of this axis in white matter development and maintenance.

Prostaglandin signaling regulates nephron segment patterning of renal progenitors during zebrafish kidney development

Kidney formation involves patterning events that induce renal progenitors to form nephrons with an intricate composition of multiple segments. Here, we performed a chemical genetic screen using zebrafish and discovered that prostaglandins, lipid mediators involved in many physiological functions, influenced pronephros segmentation. Modulating levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂) or PGB₂ restricted distal segment formation and expanded a proximal segment lineage. Perturbation of prostaglandin synthesis by manipulating Cox1 or Cox2 activity altered distal segment formation and was rescued by exogenous PGE₂. Disruption of the PGE₂ receptors Ptger2a and Ptger4a similarly affected the distal segments. Further, changes in Cox activity or PGE₂ levels affected expression of the transcription factors irx3b and sim1a that mitigate pronephros segment patterning. These findings show for the first time that PGE₂ is a regulator of nephron formation in the zebrafish embryonic kidney, thus revealing that prostaglandin signaling may have implications for renal birth defects and other diseases.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.17551.001

Iterative use of nuclear receptor Nr5a2 regulates multiple stages of liver and pancreas development

The stepwise progression of common endoderm progenitors into differentiated liver and pancreas organs is regulated by a dynamic array of signals that are not well understood. The nuclear receptor subfamily 5, group A, member 2 gene nr5a2, also known as Liver receptor homolog-1 (Lrh-1) is expressed in several tissues including the developing liver and pancreas. Here, we interrogate the role of Nr5a2 at multiple developmental stages using genetic and chemical approaches and uncover novel pleiotropic requirements during zebrafish liver and pancreas development. Zygotic loss of nr5a2 in a targeted genetic null mutant disrupted the development of the exocrine pancreas and liver, while leaving the endocrine pancreas intact. Loss of nr5a2 abrogated exocrine pancreas markers such as trypsin, while pancreas progenitors marked by ptf1a or pdx1 remained unaffected, suggesting a role for Nr5a2 in regulating pancreatic acinar cell differentiation. In the developing liver, Nr5a2 regulates hepatic progenitor outgrowth and differentiation, as nr5a2 mutants exhibited reduced hepatoblast markers hnf4α and prox1 as well as differentiated hepatocyte marker fabp10a. Through the first in vivo use of Nr5a2 chemical antagonist Cpd3, the iterative requirement for Nr5a2 for exocrine pancreas and liver differentiation was temporally elucidated: chemical inhibition of Nr5a2 function during hepatopancreas progenitor specification was sufficient to disrupt exocrine pancreas formation and enhance the size of the embryonic liver, suggesting that Nr5a2 regulates hepatic vs. pancreatic progenitor fate choice. Chemical inhibition of Nr5a2 at a later time during pancreas and liver differentiation was sufficient to block the formation of mature acinar cells and hepatocytes. These findings define critical iterative and pleiotropic roles for Nr5a2 at distinct stages of pancreas and liver organogenesis, and provide novel perspectives for interpreting the role of Nr5a2 in disease.

Endoderm specification and liver development

The endoderm is the innermost embryonic germ layer, and in zebrafish, it gives rise to the lining of the gut, the gills, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and derivatives of the pharyngeal pouch. These organs form the gastrointestinal tract and are involved with the absorption, delivery, and metabolism of nutrients. The liver has a central role in regulating these processes because it controls carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, protein synthesis, and breakdown of endogenous and xenobiotic products. Liver dysfunction frequently leads to significant morbidity and mortality; however, in most settings of organ injury, the liver exhibits remarkable regenerative capacity. In this chapter, we review the principal mechanisms of endoderm and liver formation and provide protocols to assess liver formation and liver regeneration.

Cannabinoid receptor signaling regulates liver development and metabolism

Endocannabinoid (EC) signaling mediates psychotropic effects and regulates appetite. By contrast, potential roles in organ development and embryonic energy consumption remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that genetic or chemical inhibition of cannabinoid receptor (Cnr) activity disrupts liver development and metabolic function in zebrafish (Danio rerio), impacting hepatic differentiation, but not endodermal specification: loss of cannabinoid receptor 1 (cnr1) and cnr2 activity leads to smaller livers with fewer hepatocytes, reduced liver-specific gene expression and proliferation. Functional assays reveal abnormal biliary anatomy and lipid handling. Adult cnr2 mutants are susceptible to hepatic steatosis. Metabolomic analysis reveals reduced methionine content in Cnr mutants. Methionine supplementation rescues developmental and metabolic defects in Cnr mutant livers, suggesting a causal relationship between EC signaling, methionine deficiency and impaired liver development. The effect of Cnr on methionine metabolism is regulated by sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factors (Srebfs), as their overexpression rescues Cnr mutant liver phenotypes in a methionine-dependent manner. Our work describes a novel developmental role for EC signaling, whereby Cnr-mediated regulation of Srebfs and methionine metabolism impacts liver development and function.

From Endoderm to Liver Bud: Paradigms of Cell Type Specification and Tissue Morphogenesis

The early specification, rapid growth and morphogenesis, and conserved functions of the embryonic liver across diverse model organisms have made the system an experimentally facile paradigm for understanding basic regulatory mechanisms that govern cell differentiation and organogenesis. This essay highlights concepts that have emerged from studies of the discrete steps of foregut endoderm development into the liver bud, as well as from modeling the steps via embryonic stem cell differentiation. Such concepts include understanding the chromatin basis for the competence of progenitor cells to develop into specific lineages; the importance of combinatorial signaling from different sources to induce cell fates; the impact of inductive signaling on preexisting chromatin states; the ability of separately specified domains of cells to merge into a common tissue; and the marked cell biological dynamics, including interactions with the developing vasculature, which establish the initial morphogenesis and patterning of a tissue. The principles gleaned from these studies, focusing on the 2 days it takes for the endoderm to develop into a liver bud, should be instructive for many other organogenic systems and for manipulating tissues in regenerative contexts for biomedical purposes.

Zebrafish: an important tool for liver disease research

As the incidence of hepatobiliary diseases increases, we must improve our understanding of the molecular, cellular, and physiological factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of liver disease. Animal models help us identify disease mechanisms that might be targeted therapeutically. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) have traditionally been used to study embryonic development but are also important to the study of liver disease. Zebrafish embryos develop rapidly; all of their digestive organs are mature in larvae by 5 days of age. At this stage, they can develop hepatobiliary diseases caused by developmental defects or toxin- or ethanol-induced injury and manifest premalignant changes within weeks. Zebrafish are similar to humans in hepatic cellular composition, function, signaling, and response to injury as well as the cellular processes that mediate liver diseases. Genes are highly conserved between humans and zebrafish, making them a useful system to study the basic mechanisms of liver disease. We can perform genetic screens to identify novel genes involved in specific disease processes and chemical screens to identify pathways and compounds that act on specific processes. We review how studies of zebrafish have advanced our understanding of inherited and acquired liver diseases as well as liver cancer and regeneration.

Genomics and drug profiling of fatal TCF3-HLF-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia identifies recurrent mutation patterns and therapeutic options

TCF3-HLF-fusion positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is currently incurable. Employing an integrated approach, we uncovered distinct mutation, gene expression, and drug response profiles in TCF3-HLF-positive and treatment-responsive TCF3-PBX1-positive ALL. Recurrent intragenic deletions of PAX5 or VPREB1 were identified in constellation with TCF3-HLF. Moreover somatic mutations in the non-translocated allele of TCF3 and a reduction of PAX5 gene dosage in TCF3-HLF ALL suggest cooperation within a restricted genetic context. The enrichment for stem cell and myeloid features in the TCF3-HLF signature may reflect reprogramming by TCF3-HLF of a lymphoid-committed cell of origin towards a hybrid, drug-resistant hematopoietic state. Drug response profiling of matched patient-derived xenografts revealed a distinct profile for TCF3-HLF ALL with resistance to conventional chemotherapeutics, but sensitivity towards glucocorticoids, anthracyclines and agents in clinical development. Striking on-target sensitivity was achieved with the BCL2-specific inhibitor venetoclax (ABT-199). This integrated approach thus provides alternative treatment options for this deadly disease.

Biomechanical forces promote blood development through prostaglandin E2 and the cAMP-PKA signaling axis

Blood flow promotes emergence of definitive hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in the developing embryo, yet the signals generated by hemodynamic forces that influence hematopoietic potential remain poorly defined. Here we show that fluid shear stress endows long-term multilineage engraftment potential upon early hematopoietic tissues at embryonic day 9.5, an embryonic stage not previously described to harbor HSCs. Effects on hematopoiesis are mediated in part by a cascade downstream of wall shear stress that involves calcium efflux and stimulation of the prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA) signaling axis. Blockade of the PGE2-cAMP-PKA pathway in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros (AGM) abolished enhancement in hematopoietic activity. Furthermore, Ncx1 heartbeat mutants, as well as static cultures of AGM, exhibit lower levels of expression of prostaglandin synthases and reduced phosphorylation of the cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB). Similar to flow-exposed cultures, transient treatment of AGM with the synthetic analogue 16,16-dimethyl-PGE2 stimulates more robust engraftment of adult recipients and greater lymphoid reconstitution. These data provide one mechanism by which biomechanical forces induced by blood flow modulate hematopoietic potential.

The lure of zebrafish in liver research: regulation of hepatic growth in development and regeneration

The liver is an essential organ that plays a pivotal role in metabolism, digestion and nutrient storage. Major efforts have been made to develop zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model system to study the pathways regulating hepatic growth during liver development and regeneration. Zebrafish offer unique advantages over other vertebrates including in vivo imaging at cellular resolution and the capacity for large-scale chemical and genetic screens. Here, we review the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate hepatic growth during liver development in zebrafish. We also highlight emerging evidence that developmental pathways are reactivated following liver injury to facilitate regeneration. Finally, we discuss how zebrafish have transformed drug discovery efforts and enabled the identification of drugs that stimulate hepatic growth and provide hepatoprotection in pre-clinical models of liver injury, with the ultimate goal of identifying novel therapeutic approaches to treat liver disease.

Wound healing effects of new 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase inhibitors

Previously, we reported that the antidiabetic drug ciglitazone and its analogs were potent inhibitors of 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH). In continuing attempts to develop highly potent 15-PGDH inhibitors, a series of thiazolidinedione analogs were synthesized and tested. Compound 17 exhibited IC50 of 45 nM. This compound also significantly increased levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in A549 cells by approximately eight-fold that in the control. Much experimental data suggests that PGE2 plays a role in the prevention of excessive scarring. However, it has a very short half-life in blood, its oxidization to 15-ketoprostaglandins is catalyzed by 15-PGDH. Therefore, 15-PGDH inhibitors may have utility for the therapeutic management of diseases requiring elevated PGE2 levels. Scratch wounds were analyzed in confluent monolayers of HaCaT cells. Cells exposed to compound 17 showed significantly improved wound healing with respect to a control.

FGF signaling is required for anterior but not posterior specification of the murine liver bud

BACKGROUND

The definitive endoderm arises as a naive epithelial sheet that produces the entire gut tube and associated organs including the liver, pancreas and lungs. Murine explant studies demonstrate that fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling from adjacent tissues is required to induce hepatic gene expression from isolated foregut endoderm. The requirement of FGF signaling during liver development is examined by means of small molecule inhibition during whole embryo culture.

RESULTS

Loss of FGF signaling before hepatic induction results in morphological defects and gene expression changes that are confined to the anterior liver bud. In contrast the posterior portion of the liver bud remains relatively unaffected. Because FGF is thought to act as a morphogen during endoderm organogenesis, the ventral pancreas was also examined after FGF inhibition. Although the size of the ventral pancreas is not affected, loss of FGF signaling results in a significantly higher density of ventral pancreas cells.

CONCLUSIONS

The requirement for FGF-mediated induction of hepatic gene expression differs across the anterior/posterior axis of the developing liver bud. These results underscore the importance of studying tissue differentiation in the context of the whole embryo.