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Zhao Y, Sun B, Fu X, Zuo Z, Qin H, Yao K. YAP in development and disease: Navigating the regulatory landscape from retina to brain. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 175:116703. [PMID: 38713948 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The distinctive role of Yes-associated protein (YAP) in the nervous system has attracted widespread attention. This comprehensive review strategically uses the retina as a vantage point, embarking on an extensive exploration of YAP's multifaceted impact from the retina to the brain in development and pathology. Initially, we explore the crucial roles of YAP in embryonic and cerebral development. Our focus then shifts to retinal development, examining in detail YAP's regulatory influence on the development of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and retinal progenitor cells (RPCs), and its significant effects on the hierarchical structure and functionality of the retina. We also investigate the essential contributions of YAP in maintaining retinal homeostasis, highlighting its precise regulation of retinal cell proliferation and survival. In terms of retinal-related diseases, we explore the epigenetic connections and pathophysiological regulation of YAP in diabetic retinopathy (DR), glaucoma, and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Lastly, we broaden our exploration from the retina to the brain, emphasizing the research paradigm of "retina: a window to the brain." Special focus is given to the emerging studies on YAP in brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), underlining its potential therapeutic value in neurodegenerative disorders and neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqin Zhao
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China; College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China
| | - Bin Sun
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China; College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China
| | - Xuefei Fu
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China; College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China
| | - Zhuan Zuo
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China; College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China
| | - Huan Qin
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China; College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.
| | - Kai Yao
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China; College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.
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2
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Kumar R, Hong W. Hippo Signaling at the Hallmarks of Cancer and Drug Resistance. Cells 2024; 13:564. [PMID: 38607003 PMCID: PMC11011035 DOI: 10.3390/cells13070564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Originally identified in Drosophila melanogaster in 1995, the Hippo signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in organ size control and tumor suppression by inhibiting proliferation and promoting apoptosis. Large tumor suppressors 1 and 2 (LATS1/2) directly phosphorylate the Yki orthologs YAP (yes-associated protein) and its paralog TAZ (also known as WW domain-containing transcription regulator 1 [WWTR1]), thereby inhibiting their nuclear localization and pairing with transcriptional coactivators TEAD1-4. Earnest efforts from many research laboratories have established the role of mis-regulated Hippo signaling in tumorigenesis, epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), oncogenic stemness, and, more recently, development of drug resistances. Hippo signaling components at the heart of oncogenic adaptations fuel the development of drug resistance in many cancers for targeted therapies including KRAS and EGFR mutants. The first U.S. food and drug administration (US FDA) approval of the imatinib tyrosine kinase inhibitor in 2001 paved the way for nearly 100 small-molecule anti-cancer drugs approved by the US FDA and the national medical products administration (NMPA). However, the low response rate and development of drug resistance have posed a major hurdle to improving the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of cancer patients. Accumulating evidence has enabled scientists and clinicians to strategize the therapeutic approaches of targeting cancer cells and to navigate the development of drug resistance through the continuous monitoring of tumor evolution and oncogenic adaptations. In this review, we highlight the emerging aspects of Hippo signaling in cross-talk with other oncogenic drivers and how this information can be translated into combination therapy to target a broad range of aggressive tumors and the development of drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Kumar
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology, and Research), Singapore 138673, Singapore;
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3
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Ghomlaghi M, Theocharous M, Hoang N, Shin SY, von Kriegsheim A, O’ Neill E, Zhang T, Nguyen LK. Integrative modeling and analysis of signaling crosstalk reveal molecular switches coordinating Yes-associated protein transcriptional activities. iScience 2024; 27:109031. [PMID: 38380257 PMCID: PMC10877689 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The transcriptional co-activator YAP forms complexes with distinct transcription factors, controlling cell fate decisions, such as proliferation and apoptosis. However, the mechanisms underlying its context-dependent function are poorly defined. This study explores the interplay between the TGF-β and Hippo pathways and their influence on YAP's association with specific transcription factors. By integrating iterative mathematical modeling with experimental validation, we uncover molecular switches, predominantly controlled by RASSF1A and ITCH, which dictate the formation of YAP-SMAD (proliferative) and YAP-p73 (apoptotic) complexes. Our results show that RASSF1A enhances the formation of apoptotic complexes, whereas ITCH promotes the formation of proliferative complexes. Notably, higher levels of ITCH transform YAP-SMAD activity from a transient to a sustained state, impacting cellular behaviors. Extending these findings to various breast cancer cell lines highlights the role of cellular context in YAP regulation. Our study provides new insights into the mechanisms of YAP transcriptional activities and their therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Ghomlaghi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Mandy Theocharous
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Nhan Hoang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Sung-Young Shin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Alex von Kriegsheim
- Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Eric O’ Neill
- CRUK/MRC Institute for Radiation Oncology and Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Tao Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Lan K. Nguyen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
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4
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Cruz SP, Zhang Q, Devarajan R, Paia C, Luo B, Zhang K, Koivusalo S, Qin L, Xia J, Ahtikoski A, Vaarala M, Wenta T, Wei G, Manninen A. Dampened Regulatory Circuitry of TEAD1/ITGA1/ITGA2 Promotes TGFβ1 Signaling to Orchestrate Prostate Cancer Progression. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2305547. [PMID: 38169150 PMCID: PMC10953553 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) undergoes substantial changes during prostate cancer (PCa) progression, thereby regulating PCa growth and invasion. Herein, a meta-analysis of multiple PCa cohorts is performed which revealed that downregulation or genomic loss of ITGA1 and ITGA2 integrin genes is associated with tumor progression and worse prognosis. Genomic deletion of both ITGA1 and ITGA2 activated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in benign prostate epithelial cells, thereby enhancing their invasive potential in vitro and converting them into tumorigenic cells in vivo. Mechanistically, EMT is induced by enhanced secretion and autocrine activation of TGFβ1 and nuclear targeting of YAP1. An unbiased genome-wide co-expression analysis of large PCa cohort datasets identified the transcription factor TEAD1 as a key regulator of ITGA1 and ITGA2 expression in PCa cells while TEAD1 loss phenocopied the dual loss of α1- and α2-integrins in vitro and in vivo. Remarkably, clinical data analysis revealed that TEAD1 downregulation or genomic loss is associated with aggressive PCa and together with low ITGA1 and ITGA2 expression synergistically impacted PCa prognosis and progression. This study thus demonstrated that loss of α1- and α2-integrins, either via deletion/inactivation of the ITGA1/ITGA2 locus or via loss of TEAD1, contributes to PCa progression by inducing TGFβ1-driven EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara P. Cruz
- Disease Networks Research Unit, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter OuluUniversity of OuluAapistie 5aOulu90220Finland
| | - Qin Zhang
- Disease Networks Research Unit, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter OuluUniversity of OuluAapistie 5aOulu90220Finland
| | - Raman Devarajan
- Disease Networks Research Unit, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter OuluUniversity of OuluAapistie 5aOulu90220Finland
| | - Christos Paia
- Disease Networks Research Unit, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter OuluUniversity of OuluAapistie 5aOulu90220Finland
| | - Binjie Luo
- Disease Networks Research Unit, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter OuluUniversity of OuluAapistie 5aOulu90220Finland
| | - Kai Zhang
- Disease Networks Research Unit, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter OuluUniversity of OuluAapistie 5aOulu90220Finland
| | - Saara Koivusalo
- Disease Networks Research Unit, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter OuluUniversity of OuluAapistie 5aOulu90220Finland
| | - Longguang Qin
- Disease Networks Research Unit, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter OuluUniversity of OuluAapistie 5aOulu90220Finland
| | - Jihan Xia
- Disease Networks Research Unit, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter OuluUniversity of OuluAapistie 5aOulu90220Finland
| | - Anne Ahtikoski
- Departments of Urology, Pathology and Radiology, and Medical Research Center OuluOulu University Hospital and University of OuluAapistie 5aOulu90220Finland
| | - Markku Vaarala
- Departments of Urology, Pathology and Radiology, and Medical Research Center OuluOulu University Hospital and University of OuluAapistie 5aOulu90220Finland
| | - Tomasz Wenta
- Disease Networks Research Unit, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter OuluUniversity of OuluAapistie 5aOulu90220Finland
- Department of General and Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of BiologyUniversity of GdanskJana Bażyńskiego 8Gdańsk80–309Poland
| | - Gong‐Hong Wei
- Disease Networks Research Unit, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter OuluUniversity of OuluAapistie 5aOulu90220Finland
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center & MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of School of Basic Medical SciencesShanghai Medical College of Fudan University138 Yi Xue Yuan RoadShanghai200032China
| | - Aki Manninen
- Disease Networks Research Unit, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter OuluUniversity of OuluAapistie 5aOulu90220Finland
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5
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Sadri F, Hosseini SF, Rezaei Z, Fereidouni M. Hippo-YAP/TAZ signaling in breast cancer: Reciprocal regulation of microRNAs and implications in precision medicine. Genes Dis 2024; 11:760-771. [PMID: 37692482 PMCID: PMC10491881 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2023.01.017] [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: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a molecularly heterogeneous disease and the most common female malignancy. In recent years, therapy approaches have evolved to accommodate molecular diversity, with a focus on more biologically based therapies to minimize negative consequences. To regulate cell fate in human breast cells, the Hippo signaling pathway has been associated with the alpha subtype of estrogen receptors. This pathway regulates tissue size, regeneration, and healing, as well as the survival of tissue-specific stem cells, proliferation, and apoptosis in a variety of organs, allowing for cell differentiation. Hippo signaling is mediated by the kinases MST1, MST2, LATS1, and LATS2, as well as the adaptor proteins SAV1 and MOB. These kinases phosphorylate the downstream effectors of the Hippo pathway, yes-associated protein (YAP), and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ), suppressing the expression of their downstream target genes. The Hippo signaling pathway kinase cascade plays a significant role in all cancers. Understanding the principles of this kinase cascade would prevent the occurrence of breast cancer. In recent years, small noncoding RNAs, or microRNAs, have been implicated in the development of several malignancies, including breast cancer. The interconnections between miRNAs and Hippo signaling pathway core proteins in the breast, on the other hand, remain poorly understood. In this review, we focused on highlighting the Hippo signaling system, its key parts, its importance in breast cancer, and its regulation by miRNAs and other related pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzad Sadri
- Student Research Committee, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand 9717853577, Iran
| | | | - Zohreh Rezaei
- Department of Biology, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan 9816745785, Iran
| | - Mohammad Fereidouni
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand 9717853577, Iran
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Caven L, Carabeo R. Chlamydial YAP activation in host endocervical epithelial cells mediates pro-fibrotic paracrine stimulation of fibroblasts. mSystems 2023; 8:e0090423. [PMID: 37874141 PMCID: PMC10734534 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00904-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Chronic or repeated infection of the female upper genital tract by C. trachomatis can lead to severe fibrotic sequelae, including tubal factor infertility and ectopic pregnancy. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this effect are unclear. In this report, we define a transcriptional program specific to C. trachomatis infection of the upper genital tract, identifying tissue-specific induction of host YAP-a pro-fibrotic transcriptional cofactor-as a potential driver of infection-mediated fibrotic gene expression. Furthermore, we show that infected endocervical epithelial cells stimulate collagen production by fibroblasts and implicate chlamydial induction of YAP in this effect. Our results define a mechanism by which infection mediates tissue-level fibrotic pathology via paracrine signaling and identify YAP as a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of Chlamydia-associated scarring of the female genital tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Caven
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Rey Carabeo
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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Chakrabarti M, Chattha A, Nair A, Jiao K, Potts JD, Wang L, Branch S, Harrelson S, Khan S, Azhar M. Hippo Signaling Mediates TGFβ-Dependent Transcriptional Inputs in Cardiac Cushion Mesenchymal Cells to Regulate Extracellular Matrix Remodeling. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2023; 10:483. [PMID: 38132651 PMCID: PMC10744298 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd10120483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) and Hippo signaling pathways are evolutionarily conserved pathways that play a critical role in cardiac fibroblasts during embryonic development, tissue repair, and fibrosis. TGFβ signaling and Hippo signaling are also important for cardiac cushion remodeling and septation during embryonic development. Loss of TGFβ2 in mice causes cardiac cushion remodeling defects resulting in congenital heart disease. In this study, we used in vitro molecular and pharmacologic approaches in the cushion mesenchymal cell line (tsA58-AVM) and investigated if the Hippo pathway acts as a mediator of TGFβ2 signaling. Immunofluorescence staining showed that TGFβ2 induced nuclear translocation of activated SMAD3 in the cushion mesenchymal cells. In addition, the results indicate increased nuclear localization of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) following a similar treatment of TGFβ2. In collagen lattice formation assays, the TGFβ2 treatment of cushion cells resulted in an enhanced collagen contraction compared to the untreated cushion cells. Interestingly, verteporfin, a YAP1 inhibitor, significantly blocked the ability of cushion cells to contract collagen gel in the absence or presence of exogenously added TGFβ2. To confirm the molecular mechanisms of the verteporfin-induced inhibition of TGFβ2-dependent extracellular matrix (ECM) reorganization, we performed a gene expression analysis of key mesenchymal genes involved in ECM remodeling in heart development and disease. Our results confirm that verteporfin significantly decreased the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (Acta2), collagen 1a1 (Col1a1), Ccn1 (i.e., Cyr61), and Ccn2 (i.e., Ctgf). Western blot analysis indicated that verteporfin treatment significantly blocked the TGFβ2-induced activation of SMAD2/3 in cushion mesenchymal cells. Collectively, these results indicate that TGFβ2 regulation of cushion mesenchymal cell behavior and ECM remodeling is mediated by YAP1. Thus, the TGFβ2 and Hippo pathway integration represents an important step in understanding the etiology of congenital heart disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mrinmay Chakrabarti
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29202, USA; (M.C.); (A.C.); (A.N.); (J.D.P.)
| | - Ahad Chattha
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29202, USA; (M.C.); (A.C.); (A.N.); (J.D.P.)
| | - Abhijith Nair
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29202, USA; (M.C.); (A.C.); (A.N.); (J.D.P.)
| | - Kai Jiao
- Center for Biotechnology & Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA;
| | - Jay D. Potts
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29202, USA; (M.C.); (A.C.); (A.N.); (J.D.P.)
| | - Lianming Wang
- Department of Statistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA;
| | - Scotty Branch
- KOR Life Sciences, KOR Medical, and Vikor Scientific, Charleston, SC 29403, USA; (S.B.); (S.H.); (S.K.)
| | - Shea Harrelson
- KOR Life Sciences, KOR Medical, and Vikor Scientific, Charleston, SC 29403, USA; (S.B.); (S.H.); (S.K.)
| | - Saeed Khan
- KOR Life Sciences, KOR Medical, and Vikor Scientific, Charleston, SC 29403, USA; (S.B.); (S.H.); (S.K.)
| | - Mohamad Azhar
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29202, USA; (M.C.); (A.C.); (A.N.); (J.D.P.)
- William Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center, Columbia, SC 29202, USA
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8
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Ge R, Huang GM. Targeting transforming growth factor beta signaling in metastatic osteosarcoma. J Bone Oncol 2023; 43:100513. [PMID: 38021074 PMCID: PMC10666000 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbo.2023.100513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma is a rare type of bone cancer, and half of the cases affect children and adolescents younger than 20 years of age. Despite intensive efforts to improve both chemotherapeutics and surgical management, the clinical outcome for metastatic osteosarcoma remains poor. Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is one of the most abundant growth factors in bones. The TGF-β signaling pathway has complex and contradictory roles in the pathogenesis of human cancers. TGF-β is primarily a tumor suppressor that inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of premalignant epithelial cells. In the later stages of cancer progression, however, TGF-β functions as a metastasis promoter by promoting tumor growth, inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), blocking antitumor immune responses, increasing tumor-associated fibrosis, and enhancing angiogenesis. In contrast with the dual effects of TGF-β on carcinoma (epithelial origin) progression, TGF-β seems to mainly have a pro-tumoral effect on sarcomas including osteosarcoma (mesenchymal origin). Many drugs that target TGF-β signaling have been developed: neutralizing antibodies that prevent TGF-β binding to receptor complexes; ligand trap employing recombinant Fc-fusion proteins containing the soluble ectodomain of either type II (TβRII) or the type III receptor ((TβRIII), preventing TGF-β from binding to its receptors; antisense nucleotides that reduce TGF-β expression at the transcriptional/translational level; small molecule inhibitors of serine/threonine kinases of the type I receptor (TβRI) preventing downstream signaling; and vaccines that contain cell lines transfected with TβRII antisense genes, or target furin convertase, resulting in reduced TGF-β signaling. TGF-β antagonists have been shown to have effects on osteosarcoma in vitro and in vivo. One of the small molecule TβRI inhibitors, Vactosertib, is currently undergoing a phase 1/2 clinical trial to evaluate its effect on osteosarcoma. Several phase 1/2/3 clinical trials have shown TGF-β antagonists are safe and well tolerated. For instance, Luspatercept, a TGF-β ligand trap, has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of anemia associated with myeloid dysplastic syndrome (MDS) with ring sideroblasts/mutated SF3B1 with acceptable safety. Clinical trials evaluating the long-term safety of Luspatercept are in process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongrong Ge
- Hillman Cancer Center at Central Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburg Medical Center, Harrisburg, PA, 17109, USA
| | - Gavin M. Huang
- Harrisburg Academy School, 10 Erford Rd, Wormleysburg, PA, 17043, USA
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Yang X, Rocks JW, Jiang K, Walters AJ, Rai K, Liu J, Nguyen J, Olson SD, Mehta P, Collins JJ, Daringer NM, Bashor CJ. Engineering synthetic phosphorylation signaling networks in human cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.11.557100. [PMID: 37745327 PMCID: PMC10515791 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.11.557100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Protein phosphorylation signaling networks play a central role in how cells sense and respond to their environment. Here, we describe the engineering of artificial phosphorylation networks in which "push-pull" motifs-reversible enzymatic phosphorylation cycles consisting of opposing kinase and phosphatase activities-are assembled from modular protein domain parts and then wired together to create synthetic phosphorylation circuits in human cells. We demonstrate that the composability of our design scheme enables model-guided tuning of circuit function and the ability to make diverse network connections; synthetic phosphorylation circuits can be coupled to upstream cell surface receptors to enable fast-timescale sensing of extracellular ligands, while downstream connections can regulate gene expression. We leverage these capabilities to engineer cell-based cytokine controllers that dynamically sense and suppress activated T cells. Our work introduces a generalizable approach for designing and building phosphorylation signaling circuits that enable user-defined sense-and-respond function for diverse biosensing and therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Yang
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University; Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Graduate Program in Systems, Synthetic and Physical Biology, Rice University; Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jason W. Rocks
- Department of Physics, Boston University; Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Kaiyi Jiang
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University; Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Andrew J. Walters
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University; Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Graduate Program in Bioengineering, Rice University; Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kshitij Rai
- Graduate Program in Systems, Synthetic and Physical Biology, Rice University; Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University; Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jason Nguyen
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University; Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Scott D. Olson
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Pankaj Mehta
- Department of Physics, Boston University; Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Biological Design Center, Boston University; Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Faculty of Computing and Data Science, Boston University; Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - James J. Collins
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University; Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nichole M Daringer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rowan University; Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
| | - Caleb J. Bashor
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University; Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University; Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Kim MK, Han SH, Park TG, Song SH, Lee JY, Lee YS, Yoo SY, Chi XZ, Kim EG, Jang JW, Lim DS, van Wijnen AJ, Lee JW, Bae SC. The TGFβ→TAK1→LATS→YAP1 Pathway Regulates the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of YAP1. Mol Cells 2023; 46:592-610. [PMID: 37706312 PMCID: PMC10590711 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2023.0088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The Hippo kinase cascade functions as a central hub that relays input from the "outside world" of the cell and translates it into specific cellular responses by regulating the activity of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1). How Hippo translates input from the extracellular signals into specific intracellular responses remains unclear. Here, we show that transforming growth factor β (TGFβ)-activated TAK1 activates LATS1/2, which then phosphorylates YAP1. Phosphorylated YAP1 (p-YAP1) associates with RUNX3, but not with TEAD4, to form a TGFβ-stimulated restriction (R)-point-associated complex which activates target chromatin loci in the nucleus. Soon after, p-YAP1 is exported to the cytoplasm. Attenuation of TGFβ signaling results in re-localization of unphosphorylated YAP1 to the nucleus, where it forms a YAP1/TEAD4/SMAD3/AP1/p300 complex. The TGFβ-stimulated spatiotemporal dynamics of YAP1 are abrogated in many cancer cells. These results identify a new pathway that integrates TGFβ signals and the Hippo pathway (TGFβ→TAK1→LATS1/2→YAP1 cascade) with a novel dynamic nuclear role for p-YAP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Kyu Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Institute for Tumour Research, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Sang-Hyun Han
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Institute for Tumour Research, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Tae-Geun Park
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Institute for Tumour Research, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Soo-Hyun Song
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Institute for Tumour Research, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Ja-Youl Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Institute for Tumour Research, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - You-Soub Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Institute for Tumour Research, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Seo-Yeong Yoo
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Institute for Tumour Research, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Xin-Zi Chi
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Institute for Tumour Research, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Eung-Gook Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Medical Research Center, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Ju-Won Jang
- Department of Biomedical Science, Cheongju University, Cheongju 28503, Korea
| | - Dae Sik Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Andre J. van Wijnen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Jung-Won Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Institute for Tumour Research, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Suk-Chul Bae
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Institute for Tumour Research, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
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11
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Caven L, Carabeo R. Chlamydial YAP activation in host endocervical epithelial cells mediates pro-fibrotic paracrine stimulation of fibroblasts. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.30.542940. [PMID: 37398163 PMCID: PMC10312526 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.30.542940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Infection of the female genital tract by Chlamydia trachomatis can produce severe fibrotic sequelae, including tubal factor infertility and ectopic pregnancy. While infection demonstrably mediates a pro-fibrotic response in host cells, it remains unclear if intrinsic properties of the upper genital tract exacerbate chlamydial fibrosis. The relatively sterile environment of the upper genital tract is primed for a pro-inflammatory response to infection, potentially enhancing fibrosis - however, subclinical C. trachomatis infections still develop fibrosis-related sequelae. Here, we compare infection-associated and steady-state gene expression of primary human cervical and vaginal epithelial cells. In the former, we observe enhanced baseline expression and infection-mediated induction of fibrosis-associated signal factors (e.g. TGFA , IL6 , IL8 , IL20 ), implying predisposition to Chlamydia -associated pro-fibrotic signaling. Transcription factor enrichment analysis identified regulatory targets of YAP, a transcriptional cofactor induced by infection of cervical epithelial cells, but not vaginal epithelial cells. YAP target genes induced by infection include secreted fibroblast-activating signal factors; therefore, we developed an in vitro model involving coculture of infected endocervical epithelial cells with uninfected fibroblasts. Coculture enhanced fibroblast expression of type I collagen, as well as prompting reproducible (albeit statistically insignificant) induction of α-smooth muscle actin. Fibroblast collagen induction was sensitive to siRNA-mediated YAP knockdown in infected epithelial cells, implicating chlamydial YAP activation in this effect. Collectively, our results present a novel mechanism of fibrosis initiated by Chlamydia, wherein infection-mediated induction of host YAP facilitates pro-fibrotic intercellular communication. Chlamydial YAP activation in cervical epithelial cells is thus a determinant of this tissue's susceptibility to fibrosis. Importance Chronic or repeated infection of the female upper genital tract by C. trachomatis can lead to severe fibrotic sequelae, including tubal factor infertility and ectopic pregnancy. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this effect are unclear. In this report, we define a transcriptional program specific to C. trachomatis infection of the upper genital tract, identifying tissue-specific induction of host YAP - a pro-fibrotic transcriptional cofactor - as a potential driver of infection-mediated fibrotic gene expression. Further, we show that infected endocervical epithelial cells stimulate collagen production by fibroblasts, and implicate chlamydial induction of YAP in this effect. Our results define a mechanism by which infection mediates tissue-level fibrotic pathology via paracrine signaling, and identify YAP as a potential therapeutic target for prevention of Chlamydia -associated scarring of the female genital tract.
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12
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Gallardo FS, Córdova-Casanova A, Bock-Pereda A, Rebolledo DL, Ravasio A, Casar JC, Brandan E. Denervation Drives YAP/TAZ Activation in Muscular Fibro/Adipogenic Progenitors. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065585. [PMID: 36982659 PMCID: PMC10059792 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Loss of motoneuron innervation (denervation) is a hallmark of neurodegeneration and aging of the skeletal muscle. Denervation induces fibrosis, a response attributed to the activation and expansion of resident fibro/adipogenic progenitors (FAPs), i.e., multipotent stromal cells with myofibroblast potential. Using in vivo and in silico approaches, we revealed FAPs as a novel cell population that activates the transcriptional coregulators YAP/TAZ in response to skeletal muscle denervation. Here, we found that denervation induces the expression and transcriptional activity of YAP/TAZ in whole muscle lysates. Using the PdgfraH2B:EGFP/+ transgenic reporter mice to trace FAPs, we demonstrated that denervation leads to increased YAP expression that accumulates within FAPs nuclei. Consistently, re-analysis of published single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) data indicates that FAPs from denervated muscles have a higher YAP/TAZ signature level than control FAPs. Thus, our work provides the foundations to address the functional role of YAP/TAZ in FAPs in a neurogenic pathological context, which could be applied to develop novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of muscle disorders triggered by motoneuron degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe S. Gallardo
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile
- Centro Científico y Tecnológico de Excelencia Ciencia & Vida, Santiago 7750000, Chile
| | - Adriana Córdova-Casanova
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile
- Centro Científico y Tecnológico de Excelencia Ciencia & Vida, Santiago 7750000, Chile
| | - Alexia Bock-Pereda
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile
- Centro Científico y Tecnológico de Excelencia Ciencia & Vida, Santiago 7750000, Chile
| | - Daniela L. Rebolledo
- Centro de Excelencia en Biomedicina de Magallanes (CEBIMA), Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas 6213515, Chile
| | - Andrea Ravasio
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, School of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile
| | - Juan Carlos Casar
- Departamento de Neurología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile
| | - Enrique Brandan
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile
- Centro Científico y Tecnológico de Excelencia Ciencia & Vida, Santiago 7750000, Chile
- Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago 7510602, Chile
- Correspondence:
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13
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Molecular insights of Hippo signaling in the chick developing lung. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2023; 1866:194904. [PMID: 36572276 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2022.194904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Hippo signaling pathway and its effector YAP have been recognized as an essential growth regulator during embryonic development. Hippo has been studied in different contexts; nevertheless, its role during chick lung branching morphogenesis remains unknown. Therefore, this work aims to determine Hippo role during early pulmonary organogenesis in the avian animal model. The current study describes the spatial distribution of Hippo signaling members in the embryonic chick lung by in situ hybridization. Overall, their expression is comparable to their mammalian counterparts. Moreover, the expression levels of phosphorylated-YAP (pYAP) and total YAP revealed that Hippo signaling is active in the embryonic chick lung. Furthermore, the presence of pYAP in the cytoplasm demonstrated that the Hippo machinery distribution is maintained in this tissue. In vitro studies were performed to assess the role of the Hippo signaling pathway in lung branching. Lung explants treated with a YAP/TEAD complex inhibitor (verteporfin) displayed a significant reduction in lung size and branching and decreased expression of ctgf (Hippo target gene) compared to the control. This approach also revealed that Hippo seems to modulate the expression of key molecular players involved in lung branching morphogenesis (sox2, sox9, axin2, and gli1). Conversely, when treated with dobutamine, an upstream regulator that promotes YAP phosphorylation, explant morphology was not severely affected. Overall, our data indicate that Hippo machinery is present and active in the early stages of avian pulmonary branching and that YAP is likely involved in the regulation of lung growth.
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14
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Song J, Dang X, Shen X, Liu Y, Gu J, Peng X, Huang Z, Hong W, Cui L, Liu CY. The YAP/TEAD4 complex promotes tumor lymphangiogenesis by transcriptionally upregulating CCBE1 in colorectal cancer. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:103012. [PMID: 36781122 PMCID: PMC10124907 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.103012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The secreted protein Collagen and calcium-binding EGF Domain 1 (CCBE1) is critical for embryonic lymphatic development through its role in the proteolytic activation of mature vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGFC). We previously reported that CCBE1 is overexpressed in colorectal cancer (CRC) and that its transcription is negatively regulated by the TGFβ-SMAD pathway, but the transcriptional activation mechanism of CCBE1 in CRC remains unknown. Recent studies have revealed the vital role of the hippo effectors YAP/TAZ in lymphatic development; however, the role of YAP/TAZ in tumor lymphangiogenesis has not been clarified. In this study, we found that high nuclear expression of transcription factor TEAD4 is associated with lymph node metastasis and high lymphatic vessel density in CRC patients. YAP/TAZ/TEAD4 complexes transcriptionally upregulated the expression of CCBE1 by directly binding to the enhancer region of CCBE1 in both CRC cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which resulted in enhanced VEGFC proteolysis and induced tube formation and migration of human lymphatic endothelial cells (HLECs) in vitro and lymphangiogenesis in a CRC cell-derived xenograft (CDX) model in vivo. In addition, the bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) inhibitor JQ1 significantly inhibited the transcription of CCBE1, suppressed VEGFC proteolysis and inhibited tumor lymphangiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, our study reveals a new positive transcriptional regulatory mechanism of CCBE1 via YAP/TAZ/TEAD4/BRD4 complexes in CRC, which exposes the protumor lymphangiogenic role of YAP/TAZ and the potential inhibitory effect of BET inhibitors on tumor lymphangiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinglue Song
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Colorectal Cancer Research Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuening Dang
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Colorectal Cancer Research Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Xia Shen
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Colorectal Cancer Research Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Yun Liu
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Colorectal Cancer Research Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiani Gu
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang Peng
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Colorectal Cancer Research Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenyu Huang
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Colorectal Cancer Research Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanjin Hong
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Proteos, Singapore.
| | - Long Cui
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Colorectal Cancer Research Center, Shanghai, China.
| | - Chen-Ying Liu
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Colorectal Cancer Research Center, Shanghai, China.
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15
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Ippolito F, Consalvi V, Noce V, Battistelli C, Cicchini C, Tripodi M, Amicone L, Marchetti A. Extracellular signal-Regulated Kinase 5 (ERK5) is required for the Yes-associated protein (YAP) co-transcriptional activity. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:32. [PMID: 36650140 PMCID: PMC9845357 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-05569-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
YES-associated protein (YAP) is a transcriptional cofactor with a key role in the regulation of several physio-pathological cellular processes, by integrating multiple cell autonomous and microenvironmental cues. YAP is the main downstream effector of the Hippo pathway, a tumor-suppressive signaling able to transduce several extracellular signals. The Hippo pathway acts restraining YAP activity, since its activation induces YAP phosphorylation and cytoplasmic sequestration. However, recent observations indicate that YAP activity can be also modulated by Hippo independent/integrating pathways, still largely unexplored. In this study, we demonstrated the role of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5)/mitogen-activated protein kinase in the regulation of YAP activity. By means of ERK5 inhibition/silencing and overexpression experiments, and by using as model liver stem cells, hepatocytes, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines, we provided evidence that ERK5 is required for YAP-dependent gene expression. Mechanistically, ERK5 controls the recruitment of YAP on promoters of target genes and its physical interaction with the transcriptional partner TEAD; moreover, it mediates the YAP activation occurring in cell adhesion, migration, and TGFβ-induced EMT of liver cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that ERK5 signaling modulates YAP activity in a LATS1/2-independent manner. Therefore, our observations identify ERK5 as a novel upstream Hippo-independent regulator of YAP activity, thus unveiling a new target for therapeutic approaches aimed at interfering with its function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Ippolito
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Veronica Consalvi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Noce
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Carla Cicchini
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Tripodi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- National Institute for Infectious Diseases L. Spallanzani, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Amicone
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
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16
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Wehling L, Keegan L, Fernández-Palanca P, Hassan R, Ghallab A, Schmitt J, Tang Y, Le Marois M, Roessler S, Schirmacher P, Kummer U, Hengstler JG, Sahle S, Breuhahn K. Spatial modeling reveals nuclear phosphorylation and subcellular shuttling of YAP upon drug-induced liver injury. eLife 2022; 11:78540. [PMID: 36255405 PMCID: PMC9578710 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The Hippo signaling pathway controls cell proliferation and tissue regeneration via its transcriptional effectors yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ). The canonical pathway topology is characterized by sequential phosphorylation of kinases in the cytoplasm that defines the subcellular localization of YAP and TAZ. However, the molecular mechanisms controlling the nuclear/cytoplasmic shuttling dynamics of both factors under physiological and tissue-damaging conditions are poorly understood. By implementing experimental in vitro data, partial differential equation modeling, as well as automated image analysis, we demonstrate that nuclear phosphorylation contributes to differences between YAP and TAZ localization in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Treatment of hepatocyte-derived cells with hepatotoxic acetaminophen (APAP) induces a biphasic protein phosphorylation eventually leading to nuclear protein enrichment of YAP but not TAZ. APAP-dependent regulation of nuclear/cytoplasmic YAP shuttling is not an unspecific cellular response but relies on the sequential induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT, synonym: protein kinase B), as well as elevated nuclear interaction between YAP and AKT. Mouse experiments confirm this sequence of events illustrated by the expression of ROS-, AKT-, and YAP-specific gene signatures upon APAP administration. In summary, our data illustrate the importance of nuclear processes in the regulation of Hippo pathway activity. YAP and TAZ exhibit different shuttling dynamics, which explains distinct cellular responses of both factors under physiological and tissue-damaging conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilija Wehling
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Modeling of Biological Processes, COS Heidelberg/BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Liam Keegan
- Department of Modeling of Biological Processes, COS Heidelberg/BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Paula Fernández-Palanca
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Institute of Biomedicine (IBIOMED), University of León, León, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Reham Hassan
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Department of Toxicology, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany.,Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Ghallab
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Department of Toxicology, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany.,Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt
| | - Jennifer Schmitt
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yingyue Tang
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maxime Le Marois
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stephanie Roessler
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Peter Schirmacher
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ursula Kummer
- Department of Modeling of Biological Processes, COS Heidelberg/BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jan G Hengstler
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Department of Toxicology, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Sven Sahle
- Department of Modeling of Biological Processes, COS Heidelberg/BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kai Breuhahn
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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17
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Jinesh GG, Brohl AS. Classical epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and alternative cell death process-driven blebbishield metastatic-witch (BMW) pathways to cancer metastasis. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:296. [PMID: 35999218 PMCID: PMC9399134 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01132-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is a pivotal event that accelerates the prognosis of cancer patients towards mortality. Therapies that aim to induce cell death in metastatic cells require a more detailed understanding of the metastasis for better mitigation. Towards this goal, we discuss the details of two distinct but overlapping pathways of metastasis: a classical reversible epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (hybrid-EMT)-driven transport pathway and an alternative cell death process-driven blebbishield metastatic-witch (BMW) transport pathway involving reversible cell death process. The knowledge about the EMT and BMW pathways is important for the therapy of metastatic cancers as these pathways confer drug resistance coupled to immune evasion/suppression. We initially discuss the EMT pathway and compare it with the BMW pathway in the contexts of coordinated oncogenic, metabolic, immunologic, and cell biological events that drive metastasis. In particular, we discuss how the cell death environment involving apoptosis, ferroptosis, necroptosis, and NETosis in BMW or EMT pathways recruits immune cells, fuses with it, migrates, permeabilizes vasculature, and settles at distant sites to establish metastasis. Finally, we discuss the therapeutic targets that are common to both EMT and BMW pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goodwin G Jinesh
- Department of Molecular Oncology, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, 33612, FL, USA. .,Sarcoma Department, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, 33612, FL, USA.
| | - Andrew S Brohl
- Department of Molecular Oncology, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, 33612, FL, USA. .,Sarcoma Department, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, 33612, FL, USA.
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18
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Chen M, Xu C, Xu Z, He W, Zhang H, Su J, Song Q. Uncovering the dynamic effects of DEX treatment on lung cancer by integrating bioinformatic inference and multiscale modeling of scRNA-seq and proteomics data. Comput Biol Med 2022; 149:105999. [PMID: 35998480 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.105999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death, with a five-year survival rate of 18%. It is a priority for us to understand the underlying mechanisms affecting lung cancer therapeutics' implementation and effectiveness. In this study, we combine the power of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology to comprehensively uncover functional and signaling pathways of drug treatment using bioinformatics inference and multiscale modeling of both scRNA-seq data and proteomics data. Based on a time series of lung adenocarcinoma derived A549 cells after DEX treatment, we first identified the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in those lung cancer cells. Through the interrogation of regulatory network of those DEGs, we identified key hub genes including TGFβ, MYC, and SMAD3 varied underlie DEX treatment. Further gene set enrichment analysis revealed the TGFβ signaling pathway as the top enriched term. Those genes involved in the TGFβ pathway and their crosstalk with the ERBB pathway presented a strong survival prognosis in clinical lung cancer samples. With the basis of biological validation and literature-based curation, a multiscale model of tumor regulation centered on both TGFβ-induced and ERBB-amplified signaling pathways was developed to characterize the dynamic effects of DEX therapy on lung cancer cells. Our simulation results were well matched to available data of SMAD2, FOXO3, TGFβ1, and TGFβR1 over the time course. Moreover, we provided predictions of different doses to illustrate the trend and therapeutic potential of DEX treatment. The innovative and cross-disciplinary approach can be further applied to other computational studies in tumorigenesis and oncotherapy. We released the approach as a user-friendly tool named BIMM (Bioinformatic Inference and Multiscale Modeling), with all the key features available at https://github.com/chenm19/BIMM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghan Chen
- Department of Computer Science, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Chunrui Xu
- Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Ziang Xu
- Department of Computer Science, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Department of Chemistry, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Wei He
- Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Haorui Zhang
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Jing Su
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Data Science, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Qianqian Song
- Center for Cancer Genomics and Precision Oncology, Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston Salem, NC, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA.
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19
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Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts: Mechanisms of Tumor Progression and Novel Therapeutic Targets. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14051231. [PMID: 35267539 PMCID: PMC8909913 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14051231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The tumor microenvironment plays an important role in determining the biological behavior of several of the more aggressive malignancies. Among the various cell types evident in the tumor “field”, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a heterogenous collection of activated fibroblasts secreting a wide repertoire of factors that regulate tumor development and progression, inflammation, drug resistance, metastasis and recurrence. Insensitivity to chemotherapeutics and metastatic spread are the major contributors to cancer patient mortality. This review discusses the complex interactions between CAFs and the various populations of normal and neoplastic cells that interact within the dynamic confines of the tumor microenvironment with a focus on the involved pathways and genes. Abstract Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a heterogenous population of stromal cells found in solid malignancies that coexist with the growing tumor mass and other immune/nonimmune cellular elements. In certain neoplasms (e.g., desmoplastic tumors), CAFs are the prominent mesenchymal cell type in the tumor microenvironment, where their presence and abundance signal a poor prognosis in multiple cancers. CAFs play a major role in the progression of various malignancies by remodeling the supporting stromal matrix into a dense, fibrotic structure while secreting factors that lead to the acquisition of cancer stem-like characteristics and promoting tumor cell survival, reduced sensitivity to chemotherapeutics, aggressive growth and metastasis. Tumors with high stromal fibrotic signatures are more likely to be associated with drug resistance and eventual relapse. Clarifying the molecular basis for such multidirectional crosstalk among the various normal and neoplastic cell types present in the tumor microenvironment may yield novel targets and new opportunities for therapeutic intervention. This review highlights the most recent concepts regarding the complexity of CAF biology including CAF heterogeneity, functionality in drug resistance, contribution to a progressively fibrotic tumor stroma, the involved signaling pathways and the participating genes.
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20
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Dehghani-Ghobadi Z, Sheikh Hasani S, Arefian E, Hossein G. Wnt5A and TGFβ1 Converges through YAP1 Activity and Integrin Alpha v Up-Regulation Promoting Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Ovarian Cancer Cells and Mesothelial Cell Activation. Cells 2022; 11:cells11020237. [PMID: 35053353 PMCID: PMC8773996 DOI: 10.3390/cells11020237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we investigate whether Wnt5A is associated with the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 and Hippo-YAP1/TAZ-TEAD pathways, implicated in epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in epithelial ovarian cancer. We used 3D and 2D cultures of human epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines SKOV-3, OVCAR-3, CAOV-4, and different subtypes of human serous ovarian cancer compared to normal ovary specimens. Wnt5A showed a positive correlation with TAZ and TGFβ1 in high- and low-grade serous ovarian cancer specimens compared to borderline serous and normal ovaries. Silencing Wnt5A by siRNAs significantly decreased Smad2/3 activation and YAP1 expression and nuclear shuttling in ovarian cancer (OvCa) cells. Furthermore, Wnt5A was required for TGFβ1-induced cell migration and invasion. In addition, inhibition of YAP1 transcriptional activity by Verteporfin (VP) altered OvCa cell migration and invasion through decreased Wnt5A expression and inhibition of Smad2/3 activation, which was reverted in the presence of exogenous Wnt5A. We found that the activation of TGFβ1 and YAP1 nuclear shuttling was promoted by Wnt5A-induced integrin alpha v. Lastly, Wnt5A was implicated in activating human primary omental mesothelial cells and subsequent invasion of ovarian cancer cells. Together, we propose that Wnt5A could be a critical mediator of EMT-associated pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab Dehghani-Ghobadi
- Developmental Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417614411, Iran;
| | - Shahrzad Sheikh Hasani
- Department of Gynecology Oncology Valiasr, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran 1419733141, Iran;
| | - Ehsan Arefian
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417614411, Iran;
| | - Ghamartaj Hossein
- Developmental Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417614411, Iran;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +98-21-6111-2622; Fax: +98-21-6649-2992
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21
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Deng F, Wu Z, Xu M, Xia P. YAP Activates STAT3 Signalling to Promote Colonic Epithelial Cell Proliferation in DSS-Induced Colitis and Colitis Associated Cancer. J Inflamm Res 2022; 15:5471-5482. [PMID: 36164660 PMCID: PMC9508680 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s377077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a key transcriptional coactivator of cell proliferation and differentiation. In this study, we sought to identify the roles of YAP in colonic epithelial regeneration and tumourigenesis. METHODS Murine DSS-induced colitis and YAP overexpression models were constructed via lentiviral intraperitoneal injection. Stable YAP-overexpressing cells, protein immunoprecipitation, and ChIP were used to deeply explore the molecular mechanism. RESULTS We found that the expression of YAP was dramatically diminished in the colonic crypts during the acute colitis phase, while YAP was strikingly enhanced to initiate tissue repair after DSS withdrawal. Overexpressing YAP in mice drastically accelerated epithelial regeneration, presenting with more intact structural integrity and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in the mucosa. Further mechanistic studies showed that the expression of YAP in the nucleus was significantly increased by 2 h post-DSS removal, accompanied by upregulated protein levels of activated STAT3. Overexpression of YAP (YAPWT) elevated the expression of activated STAT3 and its transcriptional targets and strengthened the proliferation and "wound healing" ability of colonic cells. However, these effects were reversed when STAT3 was silenced in YAPWT cells. Moreover, YAP could directly interact with STAT3 in the nucleus, and c-Myc and CyclinD1 were the transcriptional targets. Finally, during colitis-associated cancer (CAC), YAPWT promoted the progression of CAC, while the phosphomimetic YAP downregulated the expression of STAT3 and inhibited the development and progression of CAC. CONCLUSION YAP activates STAT3 signalling to facilitate mucosal regeneration after DSS-induced colitis. However, excessive YAP activation in the colonic epithelium promotes CAC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feihong Deng
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, People’s Republic of China
- Research Center of Digestive Disease, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Feihong Deng, Department of Gastroenterology, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University; Research Center of Digestive Disease, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, People’s Republic of China, Email
| | - Zengrong Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, People’s Republic of China
- Research Center of Digestive Disease, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, People’s Republic of China
| | - Mengmeng Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, People’s Republic of China
- Research Center of Digestive Disease, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, People’s Republic of China
| | - Pianpian Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, People’s Republic of China
- Research Center of Digestive Disease, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, People’s Republic of China
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22
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Christ B, Collatz M, Dahmen U, Herrmann KH, Höpfl S, König M, Lambers L, Marz M, Meyer D, Radde N, Reichenbach JR, Ricken T, Tautenhahn HM. Hepatectomy-Induced Alterations in Hepatic Perfusion and Function - Toward Multi-Scale Computational Modeling for a Better Prediction of Post-hepatectomy Liver Function. Front Physiol 2021; 12:733868. [PMID: 34867441 PMCID: PMC8637208 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.733868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver resection causes marked perfusion alterations in the liver remnant both on the organ scale (vascular anatomy) and on the microscale (sinusoidal blood flow on tissue level). These changes in perfusion affect hepatic functions via direct alterations in blood supply and drainage, followed by indirect changes of biomechanical tissue properties and cellular function. Changes in blood flow impose compression, tension and shear forces on the liver tissue. These forces are perceived by mechanosensors on parenchymal and non-parenchymal cells of the liver and regulate cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions as well as cellular signaling and metabolism. These interactions are key players in tissue growth and remodeling, a prerequisite to restore tissue function after PHx. Their dysregulation is associated with metabolic impairment of the liver eventually leading to liver failure, a serious post-hepatectomy complication with high morbidity and mortality. Though certain links are known, the overall functional change after liver surgery is not understood due to complex feedback loops, non-linearities, spatial heterogeneities and different time-scales of events. Computational modeling is a unique approach to gain a better understanding of complex biomedical systems. This approach allows (i) integration of heterogeneous data and knowledge on multiple scales into a consistent view of how perfusion is related to hepatic function; (ii) testing and generating hypotheses based on predictive models, which must be validated experimentally and clinically. In the long term, computational modeling will (iii) support surgical planning by predicting surgery-induced perfusion perturbations and their functional (metabolic) consequences; and thereby (iv) allow minimizing surgical risks for the individual patient. Here, we review the alterations of hepatic perfusion, biomechanical properties and function associated with hepatectomy. Specifically, we provide an overview over the clinical problem, preoperative diagnostics, functional imaging approaches, experimental approaches in animal models, mechanoperception in the liver and impact on cellular metabolism, omics approaches with a focus on transcriptomics, data integration and uncertainty analysis, and computational modeling on multiple scales. Finally, we provide a perspective on how multi-scale computational models, which couple perfusion changes to hepatic function, could become part of clinical workflows to predict and optimize patient outcome after complex liver surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Christ
- Cell Transplantation/Molecular Hepatology Lab, Department of Visceral, Transplant, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Maximilian Collatz
- RNA Bioinformatics and High-Throughput Analysis, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Optisch-Molekulare Diagnostik und Systemtechnologié, Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (IPHT), Jena, Germany
- InfectoGnostics Research Campus Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Uta Dahmen
- Experimental Transplantation Surgery, Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Karl-Heinz Herrmann
- Medical Physics Group, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Sebastian Höpfl
- Faculty of Engineering Design, Production Engineering and Automotive Engineering, Institute for Systems Theory and Automatic Control, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Matthias König
- Systems Medicine of the Liver Lab, Institute for Theoretical Biology, Humboldt-University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lena Lambers
- Faculty of Aerospace Engineering and Geodesy, Institute of Mechanics, Structural Analysis and Dynamics, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Manja Marz
- RNA Bioinformatics and High-Throughput Analysis, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Daria Meyer
- RNA Bioinformatics and High-Throughput Analysis, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Nicole Radde
- Faculty of Engineering Design, Production Engineering and Automotive Engineering, Institute for Systems Theory and Automatic Control, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Jürgen R. Reichenbach
- Medical Physics Group, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Tim Ricken
- Faculty of Aerospace Engineering and Geodesy, Institute of Mechanics, Structural Analysis and Dynamics, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Hans-Michael Tautenhahn
- Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
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23
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Higgins CE, Tang J, Higgins SP, Gifford CC, Mian BM, Jones DM, Zhang W, Costello A, Conti DJ, Samarakoon R, Higgins PJ. The Genomic Response to TGF-β1 Dictates Failed Repair and Progression of Fibrotic Disease in the Obstructed Kidney. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:678524. [PMID: 34277620 PMCID: PMC8284093 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.678524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Tubulointerstitial fibrosis is a common and diagnostic hallmark of a spectrum of chronic renal disorders. While the etiology varies as to the causative nature of the underlying pathology, persistent TGF-β1 signaling drives the relentless progression of renal fibrotic disease. TGF-β1 orchestrates the multifaceted program of kidney fibrogenesis involving proximal tubular dysfunction, failed epithelial recovery or re-differentiation, capillary collapse and subsequent interstitial fibrosis eventually leading to chronic and ultimately end-stage disease. An increasing complement of non-canonical elements function as co-factors in TGF-β1 signaling. p53 is a particularly prominent transcriptional co-regulator of several TGF-β1 fibrotic-response genes by complexing with TGF-β1 receptor-activated SMADs. This cooperative p53/TGF-β1 genomic cluster includes genes involved in cellular proliferative control, survival, apoptosis, senescence, and ECM remodeling. While the molecular basis for this co-dependency remains to be determined, a subset of TGF-β1-regulated genes possess both p53- and SMAD-binding motifs. Increases in p53 expression and phosphorylation, moreover, are evident in various forms of renal injury as well as kidney allograft rejection. Targeted reduction of p53 levels by pharmacologic and genetic approaches attenuates expression of the involved genes and mitigates the fibrotic response confirming a key role for p53 in renal disorders. This review focuses on mechanisms underlying TGF-β1-induced renal fibrosis largely in the context of ureteral obstruction, which mimics the pathophysiology of pediatric unilateral ureteropelvic junction obstruction, and the role of p53 as a transcriptional regulator within the TGF-β1 repertoire of fibrosis-promoting genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig E. Higgins
- Department of Regenerative and Cancer Cell Biology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, United States
| | - Jiaqi Tang
- Department of Regenerative and Cancer Cell Biology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, United States
| | - Stephen P. Higgins
- Department of Regenerative and Cancer Cell Biology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, United States
| | - Cody C. Gifford
- Department of Regenerative and Cancer Cell Biology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, United States
| | - Badar M. Mian
- The Urological Institute of Northeastern New York, Albany, NY, United States
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, United States
| | - David M. Jones
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, United States
| | - Wenzheng Zhang
- Department of Regenerative and Cancer Cell Biology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, United States
| | - Angelica Costello
- Department of Regenerative and Cancer Cell Biology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, United States
| | - David J. Conti
- Division of Transplantation Surgery, Department of Surgery, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, United States
| | - Rohan Samarakoon
- Department of Regenerative and Cancer Cell Biology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, United States
| | - Paul J. Higgins
- Department of Regenerative and Cancer Cell Biology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, United States
- The Urological Institute of Northeastern New York, Albany, NY, United States
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, United States
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High-content imaging and analysis to quantify the nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio of TGFβ and hippo effectors in mammalian cells. STAR Protoc 2021; 2:100632. [PMID: 34258593 PMCID: PMC8254078 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Automated high-content immunofluorescence (IF) microscopy is used to monitor and quantify localization of the TGFβ/Smads and Taz/Yap Hippo effectors in mouse epithelial EpH4 cells transfected with Taz/Yap siRNAs. The nuclear-to-cytoplasmic protein ratios obtained by IF are converted into normalized masses by estimating the ratio of the compartment volumes. This method has the advantage that endogenous rather than tagged proteins are tracked and that knockdown of Taz/Yap can be simultaneously monitored at the single-cell level. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Labibi et al. (2020). Automated immunofluorescence microscopy to analyze protein subcellular localization Time- and dose-dependent tracking of TGFβ-stimulated Smad2/3 and Smad4 localization Efficient siRNA-mediated knockdown of Hippo mediators, TAZ and YAP in epithelial cells Analysis of TGFβ and Hippo cross talk by monitoring localization of endogenous effectors
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