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Yang A, Chidiac R, Russo E, Steenland H, Pauli Q, Bonin R, Blazer LL, Adams JJ, Sidhu SS, Goeva A, Salahpour A, Angers S. Exploiting spatiotemporal regulation of FZD5 during neural patterning for efficient ventral midbrain specification. Development 2024; 151:dev202545. [PMID: 38358799 PMCID: PMC10946437 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202545] [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: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The Wnt/β-catenin signaling governs anterior-posterior neural patterning during development. Current human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) differentiation protocols use a GSK3 inhibitor to activate Wnt signaling to promote posterior neural fate specification. However, GSK3 is a pleiotropic kinase involved in multiple signaling pathways and, as GSK3 inhibition occurs downstream in the signaling cascade, it bypasses potential opportunities for achieving specificity or regulation at the receptor level. Additionally, the specific roles of individual FZD receptors in anterior-posterior patterning are poorly understood. Here, we have characterized the cell surface expression of FZD receptors in neural progenitor cells with different regional identity. Our data reveal unique upregulation of FZD5 expression in anterior neural progenitors, and this expression is downregulated as cells adopt a posterior fate. This spatial regulation of FZD expression constitutes a previously unreported regulatory mechanism that adjusts the levels of β-catenin signaling along the anterior-posterior axis and possibly contributes to midbrain-hindbrain boundary formation. Stimulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in hPSCs, using a tetravalent antibody that selectively triggers FZD5 and LRP6 clustering, leads to midbrain progenitor differentiation and gives rise to functional dopaminergic neurons in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Yang
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Rony Chidiac
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Emma Russo
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Hendrik Steenland
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- NeuroTek Innovative Technology, Toronto, ON M6C 3A2, Canada
| | - Quinn Pauli
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Robert Bonin
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Levi L. Blazer
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Jarrett J. Adams
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Sachdev S. Sidhu
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Aleksandrina Goeva
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Ali Salahpour
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Stephane Angers
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
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2
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Offen N, Filatova A, Nuber UA. Enrichment of FGF8-expressing cells from neurally induced human pluripotent stem cell cultures. Stem Cell Reports 2023; 18:2240-2253. [PMID: 37922914 PMCID: PMC10679777 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2023.10.007] [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: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In early vertebrate development, organizer regions-groups of cells that signal to and thereby influence neighboring cells by secreted morphogens-play pivotal roles in the establishment and maintenance of cell identities within defined tissue territories. The midbrain-hindbrain organizer drives regionalization of neural tissue into midbrain and hindbrain territories with fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8) acting as a key morphogen. This organizer has been extensively studied in chicken, mouse, and zebrafish. Here, we demonstrate the enrichment of FGF8-expressing cells from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), cultured as attached embryoid bodies using antibodies that recognize "Similar Expression to Fgf" (SEF) and Frizzled proteins. The arrangement of cells in embryoid body subsets of these cultures and the gene expression profile of the FGF8-expressing population show certain similarities to the midbrain-hindbrain organizer in animal models. In the embryonic chick brain, the enriched cell population induces formation of midbrain structures, consistent with FGF8-organizing capability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Offen
- Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Alina Filatova
- Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Ulrike A Nuber
- Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
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3
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Da Silva F, Niehrs C. Multimodal Wnt signalling in the mouse neocortex. Cells Dev 2023; 174:203838. [PMID: 37060946 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdev.2023.203838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
The neocortex is the site of higher cognitive functions and its development is tightly regulated by cell signalling pathways. Wnt signalling is inexorably linked with neocortex development but its precise role remains unclear. Most studies demonstrate that Wnt/β-catenin regulates neural progenitor self-renewal but others suggest it can also promote differentiation. Wnt/STOP signalling is a novel branch of the Wnt pathway that stabilizes proteins during G2/M by inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3)-mediated protein degradation. Recent data from Da Silva et al. (2021) demonstrate that Wnt/STOP is involved in neocortex development where, by stabilizing the neurogenic transcription factors Sox4 and Sox11, it promotes neural progenitor differentiation. The authors also show that Wnt/STOP regulates asymmetric cell division and cell cycle dynamics in apical and basal progenitors, respectively. This study reveals a division of labour in the Wnt signalling pathway by suggesting that Wnt/STOP is the primary driver of cortical neurogenesis while Wnt/β-catenin is mainly responsible for self-renewal. These results resolve a decades-old question on the role of Wnt signalling in cortical neural progenitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Da Silva
- Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christof Niehrs
- Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), 55128 Mainz, Germany.
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4
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Álvarez-Ferradas C, Wellmann M, Morales K, Fuenzalida M, Cerpa W, Inestrosa NC, Bonansco C. Wnt-5a induces the conversion of silent to functional synapses in the hippocampus. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1024034. [DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1024034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapse unsilencing is an essential mechanism for experience-dependent plasticity. Here, we showed that the application of the ligand Wnt-5a converts glutamatergic silent synapses into functional ones by increasing both α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) currents (IAMPA and INMDA, respectively). These effects were mimicked by the hexapeptide Foxy-5 and inhibited by secreted frizzled-related protein sFRP-2. INMDA potentiation was produced by increased synaptic potency, followed by an increase in the probability of release (Pr), even in the presence of 7-nitro-2,3-dioxo-1,4-dihydroquinoxaline-6-carbonitrile (CNQX). At a longer time of Wnt-5a exposure, the Pr increments were higher in INMDA than in IAMPA. In the presence of NMDAR inhibitors, Wnt-5a-induced conversion was fully inhibited in 69.0% of silent synapses, whereas in the remaining synapses were converted into functional one. Our study findings showed that the Wnt-5a-activated pathway triggers AMPAR insertion into mammalian glutamatergic synapses, unsilencing non-functional synapses and promoting the formation of nascent synapses during the early postnatal development of the brain circuits.
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Ko EA, Zhou T. GPCR genes as a predictor of glioma severity and clinical outcome. J Int Med Res 2022; 50:3000605221113911. [PMID: 35903880 PMCID: PMC9340954 DOI: 10.1177/03000605221113911] [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: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To undertake a comprehensive analysis of the differential expression of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) genes in order to construct a GPCR gene signature for human glioma prognosis. METHODS This current study investigated several glioma transcriptomic datasets and identified the GPCR genes potentially associated with glioma severity. RESULTS A gene signature comprising 13 GPCR genes (nine upregulated and four downregulated genes in high-grade glioma) was developed. The predictive power of the 13-gene signature was tested in two validation cohorts and a strong positive correlation (Spearman's rank correlation test: ρ = 0.649 for the Validation1 cohort; ρ = 0.693 for the Validation2 cohort) was observed between the glioma grade and 13-gene based severity score in both cohorts. The 13-gene signature was also predictive of glioma prognosis based on Kaplan-Meier survival curve analyses and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis in four cohorts of patients with glioma. CONCLUSIONS Knowledge of GPCR gene expression in glioma may help researchers gain a better understanding of the pathogenesis of high-grade glioma. Further studies are needed to validate the association between these GPCR genes and glioma pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-A Ko
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea
| | - Tong Zhou
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Reno, NV, USA
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Wang Y, Venkatesh A, Xu J, Xu M, Williams J, Smallwood PM, James A, Nathans J. The WNT7A/WNT7B/GPR124/RECK signaling module plays an essential role in mammalian limb development. Development 2022; 149:275368. [PMID: 35552394 PMCID: PMC9148564 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
In central nervous system vascular endothelial cells, signaling via the partially redundant ligands WNT7A and WNT7B requires two co-activator proteins, GPR124 and RECK. WNT7A and RECK have been shown previously to play a role in limb development, but the mechanism of RECK action in this context is unknown. The roles of WNT7B and GPR124 in limb development have not been investigated. Using combinations of conventional and/or conditional loss-of-function alleles for mouse Wnt7a, Wnt7b, Gpr124 and Reck, including a Reck allele that codes for a protein that is specifically defective in WNT7A/WNT7B signaling, we show that reductions in ligand and/or co-activator function synergize to cause reduced and dysmorphic limb bone growth. Two additional limb phenotypes – loss of distal Lmx1b expression and ectopic growth of nail-like structures – occur with reduced Wnt7a/Wnt7b gene copy number and, respectively, with Reck mutations and with combined Reck and Gpr124 mutations. A third limb phenotype – bleeding into a digit – occurs with the most severe combinations of Wnt7a/Wnt7b, Reck and Gpr124 mutations. These data imply that the WNT7A/WNT7B-FRIZZLED-LRP5/LRP6-GPR124-RECK signaling system functions as an integral unit in limb development. Summary: Genetic analyses in mice show that the WNT7A/WNT7B-FRIZZLED-LRP5/LRP6-GPR124-RECK signaling system, first defined in the context of CNS angiogenesis and barrier development, also functions as an integral unit in limb development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanshu Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Arjun Venkatesh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jiajia Xu
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Mingxin Xu
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - John Williams
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Philip M. Smallwood
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Aaron James
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jeremy Nathans
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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7
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Constitutive activation of canonical Wnt signaling disrupts choroid plexus epithelial fate. Nat Commun 2022; 13:633. [PMID: 35110543 PMCID: PMC8810795 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27602-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The choroid plexus secretes cerebrospinal fluid and is critical for the development and function of the brain. In the telencephalon, the choroid plexus epithelium arises from the Wnt- expressing cortical hem. Canonical Wnt signaling pathway molecules such as nuclear β-CATENIN are expressed in the mouse and human embryonic choroid plexus epithelium indicating that this pathway is active. Point mutations in human β-CATENIN are known to result in the constitutive activation of canonical Wnt signaling. In a mouse model that recapitulates this perturbation, we report a loss of choroid plexus epithelial identity and an apparent transformation of this tissue to a neuronal identity. Aspects of this phenomenon are recapitulated in human embryonic stem cell derived organoids. The choroid plexus is also disrupted when β-Catenin is conditionally inactivated. Together, our results indicate that canonical Wnt signaling is required in a precise and regulated manner for normal choroid plexus development in the mammalian brain.
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8
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Chan WK, Fetit R, Griffiths R, Marshall H, Mason JO, Price DJ. Using organoids to study human brain development and evolution. Dev Neurobiol 2021; 81:608-622. [PMID: 33773072 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in methods for making cerebral organoids have opened a window of opportunity to directly study human brain development and disease, countering limitations inherent in non-human-based approaches. Whether freely patterned, guided into a region-specific fate or fused into assembloids, organoids have successfully recapitulated key features of in vivo neurodevelopment, allowing its examination from early to late stages. Although organoids have enormous potential, their effective use relies on understanding the extent of their limitations in accurately reproducing specific processes and components in the developing human brain. Here we review the potential of cerebral organoids to model and study human brain development and evolution and discuss the progress and current challenges in their use for reproducing specific human neurodevelopmental processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wai-Kit Chan
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rana Fetit
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rosie Griffiths
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Helen Marshall
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - John O Mason
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - David J Price
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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9
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Nouri P, Götz S, Rauser B, Irmler M, Peng C, Trümbach D, Kempny C, Lechermeier CG, Bryniok A, Dlugos A, Euchner E, Beckers J, Brodski C, Klümper C, Wurst W, Prakash N. Dose-Dependent and Subset-Specific Regulation of Midbrain Dopaminergic Neuron Differentiation by LEF1-Mediated WNT1/b-Catenin Signaling. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:587778. [PMID: 33195246 PMCID: PMC7649324 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.587778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The mesodiencephalic dopaminergic (mdDA) neurons, including the nigrostriatal subset that preferentially degenerates in Parkinson’s Disease (PD), strongly depend on an accurately balanced Wingless-type MMTV integration site family member 1 (WNT1)/beta-catenin signaling pathway during their development. Loss of this pathway abolishes the generation of these neurons, whereas excessive WNT1/b-catenin signaling prevents their correct differentiation. The identity of the cells responding to this pathway in the developing mammalian ventral midbrain (VM) as well as the precise progression of WNT/b-catenin action in these cells are still unknown. We show that strong WNT/b-catenin signaling inhibits the differentiation of WNT/b-catenin-responding mdDA progenitors into PITX3+ and TH+ mdDA neurons by repressing the Pitx3 gene in mice. This effect is mediated by RSPO2, a WNT/b-catenin agonist, and lymphoid enhancer binding factor 1 (LEF1), an essential nuclear effector of the WNT/b-catenin pathway, via conserved LEF1/T-cell factor binding sites in the Pitx3 promoter. LEF1 expression is restricted to a caudolateral mdDA progenitor subset that preferentially responds to WNT/b-catenin signaling and gives rise to a fraction of all mdDA neurons. Our data indicate that an attenuation of WNT/b-catenin signaling in mdDA progenitors is essential for their correct differentiation into specific mdDA neuron subsets. This is an important consideration for stem cell-based regenerative therapies and in vitro models of neuropsychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parivash Nouri
- Laboratory of Applied Genetics and Stem Cell Biology, Department Hamm 2, Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences, Hamm, Germany
| | - Sebastian Götz
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Benedict Rauser
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Martin Irmler
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Changgeng Peng
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.,Advanced Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Tongji University School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dietrich Trümbach
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Christian Kempny
- Laboratory of Applied Genetics and Stem Cell Biology, Department Hamm 2, Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences, Hamm, Germany
| | - Carina G Lechermeier
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Agnes Bryniok
- Laboratory of Applied Genetics and Stem Cell Biology, Department Hamm 2, Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences, Hamm, Germany
| | - Andrea Dlugos
- Laboratory of Applied Genetics and Stem Cell Biology, Department Hamm 2, Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences, Hamm, Germany
| | - Ellen Euchner
- Laboratory of Applied Genetics and Stem Cell Biology, Department Hamm 2, Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences, Hamm, Germany
| | - Johannes Beckers
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.,Chair of Experimental Genetics, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Claude Brodski
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Claudia Klümper
- Laboratory of Applied Genetics and Stem Cell Biology, Department Hamm 2, Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences, Hamm, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wurst
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.,Chair of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Technical University of Munich/Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Munich, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Nilima Prakash
- Laboratory of Applied Genetics and Stem Cell Biology, Department Hamm 2, Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences, Hamm, Germany
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10
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Langford MB, O'Leary CJ, Veeraval L, White A, Lanoue V, Cooper HM. WNT5a Regulates Epithelial Morphogenesis in the Developing Choroid Plexus. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:3617-3631. [PMID: 31912879 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The choroid plexus (CP) is the predominant supplier of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and the site of the blood-CSF barrier and is thus essential for brain development and central nervous system homeostasis. Despite these crucial roles, our understanding of the molecular and cellular processes giving rise to the CPs within the ventricles of the mammalian brain is very rudimentary. Here, we identify WNT5a as an important regulator of CP development, where it acts as a pivotal factor driving CP epithelial morphogenesis in all ventricles. We show that WNT5a is essential for the establishment of a cohesive epithelium in the developing CP. We find that in its absence all CPs are substantially reduced in size and complexity and fail to expand into the ventricles. Severe defects were observed in the epithelial cytoarchitecture of all Wnt5a-/- CPs, exemplified by loss of apicobasally polarized morphology and detachment from the ventricular surface and/or basement membrane. We also present evidence that the WNT5a receptor, RYK, and the RHOA kinase, ROCK, are required for normal CP epithelial morphogenesis. Our study, therefore, reveals important insights into the molecular and cellular mechanisms governing CP development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael B Langford
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane 4072, Australia and
| | - Conor J O'Leary
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane 4072, Australia and
| | - Lenin Veeraval
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane 4072, Australia and
| | - Amanda White
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane 4072, Australia and
| | - Vanessa Lanoue
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane 4072, Australia and.,Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst 2010, Australia
| | - Helen M Cooper
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane 4072, Australia and
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11
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Brodski C, Blaess S, Partanen J, Prakash N. Crosstalk of Intercellular Signaling Pathways in the Generation of Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons In Vivo and from Stem Cells. J Dev Biol 2019; 7:jdb7010003. [PMID: 30650592 PMCID: PMC6473842 DOI: 10.3390/jdb7010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine-synthesizing neurons located in the mammalian ventral midbrain are at the center stage of biomedical research due to their involvement in severe human neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, most prominently Parkinson’s Disease (PD). The induction of midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons depends on two important signaling centers of the mammalian embryo: the ventral midline or floor plate (FP) of the neural tube, and the isthmic organizer (IsO) at the mid-/hindbrain boundary (MHB). Cells located within and close to the FP secrete sonic hedgehog (SHH), and members of the wingless-type MMTV integration site family (WNT1/5A), as well as bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family. The IsO cells secrete WNT1 and the fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8). Accordingly, the FGF8, SHH, WNT, and BMP signaling pathways play crucial roles during the development of the mDA neurons in the mammalian embryo. Moreover, these morphogens are essential for the generation of stem cell-derived mDA neurons, which are critical for the modeling, drug screening, and cell replacement therapy of PD. This review summarizes our current knowledge about the functions and crosstalk of these signaling pathways in mammalian mDA neuron development in vivo and their applications in stem cell-based paradigms for the efficient derivation of these neurons in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claude Brodski
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva 84105, Israel.
| | - Sandra Blaess
- Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, University of Bonn Medical Center, 53127 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Juha Partanen
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, FIN00014-University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, Viikinkaari 9, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Nilima Prakash
- Department Hamm 2, Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences, 59063 Hamm, Germany.
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12
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Zuccarini M, Giuliani P, Ziberi S, Carluccio M, Iorio PD, Caciagli F, Ciccarelli R. The Role of Wnt Signal in Glioblastoma Development and Progression: A Possible New Pharmacological Target for the Therapy of This Tumor. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9020105. [PMID: 29462960 PMCID: PMC5852601 DOI: 10.3390/genes9020105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt is a complex signaling pathway involved in the regulation of crucial biological functions such as development, proliferation, differentiation and migration of cells, mainly stem cells, which are virtually present in all embryonic and adult tissues. Conversely, dysregulation of Wnt signal is implicated in development/progression/invasiveness of different kinds of tumors, wherein a certain number of multipotent cells, namely “cancer stem cells”, are characterized by high self-renewal and aggressiveness. Hence, the pharmacological modulation of Wnt pathway could be of particular interest, especially in tumors for which the current standard therapy results to be unsuccessful. This might be the case of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), one of the most lethal, aggressive and recurrent brain cancers, probably due to the presence of highly malignant GBM stem cells (GSCs) as well as to a dysregulation of Wnt system. By examining the most recent literature, here we point out several factors in the Wnt pathway that are altered in human GBM and derived GSCs, as well as new molecular strategies or experimental drugs able to modulate/inhibit aberrant Wnt signal. Altogether, these aspects serve to emphasize the existence of alternative pharmacological targets that may be useful to develop novel therapies for GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariachiara Zuccarini
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini 29, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- Aging Research Center and Translational Medicine (CeSI-MeT), via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
| | - Patricia Giuliani
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini 29, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- Aging Research Center and Translational Medicine (CeSI-MeT), via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
| | - Sihana Ziberi
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini 29, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- Aging Research Center and Translational Medicine (CeSI-MeT), via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- StemTeCh Group, via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
| | - Marzia Carluccio
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini 29, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- Aging Research Center and Translational Medicine (CeSI-MeT), via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- StemTeCh Group, via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
| | - Patrizia Di Iorio
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini 29, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- Aging Research Center and Translational Medicine (CeSI-MeT), via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
| | - Francesco Caciagli
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini 29, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- Aging Research Center and Translational Medicine (CeSI-MeT), via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
| | - Renata Ciccarelli
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini 29, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- Aging Research Center and Translational Medicine (CeSI-MeT), via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- StemTeCh Group, via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
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13
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Levchenko A, Kanapin A, Samsonova A, Gainetdinov RR. Human Accelerated Regions and Other Human-Specific Sequence Variations in the Context of Evolution and Their Relevance for Brain Development. Genome Biol Evol 2018; 10:166-188. [PMID: 29149249 PMCID: PMC5767953 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evx240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The review discusses, in a format of a timeline, the studies of different types of genetic variants, present in Homo sapiens, but absent in all other primate, mammalian, or vertebrate species, tested so far. The main characteristic of these variants is that they are found in regions of high evolutionary conservation. These sequence variations include single nucleotide substitutions (called human accelerated regions), deletions, and segmental duplications. The rationale for finding such variations in the human genome is that they could be responsible for traits, specific to our species, of which the human brain is the most remarkable. As became obvious, the vast majority of human-specific single nucleotide substitutions are found in noncoding, likely regulatory regions. A number of genes, associated with these human-specific alleles, often through novel enhancer activity, were in fact shown to be implicated in human-specific development of certain brain areas, including the prefrontal cortex. Human-specific deletions may remove regulatory sequences, such as enhancers. Segmental duplications, because of their large size, create new coding sequences, like new functional paralogs. Further functional study of these variants will shed light on evolution of our species, as well as on the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Levchenko
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State University, Russia
| | - Alexander Kanapin
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State University, Russia
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anastasia Samsonova
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State University, Russia
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Raul R Gainetdinov
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State University, Russia
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo, Moscow, Russia
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14
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Ma J, Huang C, Ma K, Wu YP, Li BX, Sun Y. Effect of Wnt1 and Wnt5a on the development of dopaminergic neurons, and toxicity induced by combined exposure to paraquat and maneb during gestation and lactation. Mol Med Rep 2017; 16:9721-9728. [PMID: 29152652 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2017.7833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Paraquat (PQ) and maneb (MB) are widely used herbicides. Wingless (Wnt) proteins serve a role in the development and differentiation of dopaminergic neurons. Previous studies demonstrated that combined exposure to PQ and MB damages dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain. Effects of PQ and MB exposure on midbrain Wnt proteins have also been previously reported. In the present study, from the 5th day of gestation to weaning of the offspring, pregnant Sprague‑Dawley rats were administrated saline, or PQ and MB at two different doses: high, 15 mg/kg body weight PQ + 45 mg/kg body weight MB; or low, 10 mg/kg body weight PQ + 30 mg/kg body weight MB. Dopamine content in the striatum was examined by high performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector and mRNA and protein expression of Wnt1, Wnt5a, nuclear receptor related factor 1 (Nurr1) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the midbrain was examined by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Combined exposure to PQ and MB during development decreased mRNA and protein expression of Wnt1, TH and Nurr1 and increased expression of Wnt5a in the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Ma
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, P.R. China
| | - Cui Huang
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, P.R. China
| | - Kun Ma
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, P.R. China
| | - Yan-Ping Wu
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, P.R. China
| | - Bai-Xiang Li
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, P.R. China
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, P.R. China
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15
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Plouhinec JL, Medina-Ruiz S, Borday C, Bernard E, Vert JP, Eisen MB, Harland RM, Monsoro-Burq AH. A molecular atlas of the developing ectoderm defines neural, neural crest, placode, and nonneural progenitor identity in vertebrates. PLoS Biol 2017; 15:e2004045. [PMID: 29049289 PMCID: PMC5663519 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2004045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Revised: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
During vertebrate neurulation, the embryonic ectoderm is patterned into lineage progenitors for neural plate, neural crest, placodes and epidermis. Here, we use Xenopus laevis embryos to analyze the spatial and temporal transcriptome of distinct ectodermal domains in the course of neurulation, during the establishment of cell lineages. In order to define the transcriptome of small groups of cells from a single germ layer and to retain spatial information, dorsal and ventral ectoderm was subdivided along the anterior-posterior and medial-lateral axes by microdissections. Principal component analysis on the transcriptomes of these ectoderm fragments primarily identifies embryonic axes and temporal dynamics. This provides a genetic code to define positional information of any ectoderm sample along the anterior-posterior and dorsal-ventral axes directly from its transcriptome. In parallel, we use nonnegative matrix factorization to predict enhanced gene expression maps onto early and mid-neurula embryos, and specific signatures for each ectoderm area. The clustering of spatial and temporal datasets allowed detection of multiple biologically relevant groups (e.g., Wnt signaling, neural crest development, sensory placode specification, ciliogenesis, germ layer specification). We provide an interactive network interface, EctoMap, for exploring synexpression relationships among genes expressed in the neurula, and suggest several strategies to use this comprehensive dataset to address questions in developmental biology as well as stem cell or cancer research. Vertebrate embryo germ layers become progressively regionalized by evolutionarily conserved molecular processes. Catching the early steps of this dynamic spatial cell diversification at the scale of the transcriptome was challenging, even with the advent of efficient RNA sequencing. We have microdissected complementary and defined areas of a single germ layer, the developing ectoderm, and explored how the transcriptome changes over time and space in the ectoderm during the differentiation of frog epidermis, neural plate, and neural crest. We have created EctoMap, a searchable interface using these regional transcriptomes, to predict the expression of the 31 thousand genes expressed in neurulae and their networks of co-expression, predictive of functional relationships. Through several examples, we illustrate how these data provide insights in development, cancer, evolution and stem cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Louis Plouhinec
- Université Paris Sud, Université Paris Saclay, CNRS UMR 3347, INSERM U1021, Orsay, France
- Institut Curie Research Division, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 3347, INSERM U1021, Orsay, France
- MINES ParisTech, PSL Research University, CBIO - Centre for Computational Biology, Paris, France
| | - Sofía Medina-Ruiz
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Division of Genetics, Genomics and Development Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Caroline Borday
- Université Paris Sud, Université Paris Saclay, CNRS UMR 3347, INSERM U1021, Orsay, France
- Institut Curie Research Division, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 3347, INSERM U1021, Orsay, France
| | - Elsa Bernard
- MINES ParisTech, PSL Research University, CBIO - Centre for Computational Biology, Paris, France
- Institut Curie, INSERM U900, Paris, France
- INSERM U900, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Philippe Vert
- MINES ParisTech, PSL Research University, CBIO - Centre for Computational Biology, Paris, France
- Institut Curie, INSERM U900, Paris, France
- INSERM U900, Paris, France
| | - Michael B. Eisen
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Division of Genetics, Genomics and Development Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Richard M. Harland
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Division of Genetics, Genomics and Development Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Anne H. Monsoro-Burq
- Université Paris Sud, Université Paris Saclay, CNRS UMR 3347, INSERM U1021, Orsay, France
- Institut Curie Research Division, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 3347, INSERM U1021, Orsay, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
- * E-mail:
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16
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Putnová I, Dosedělová H, Bryja V, Landová M, Buchtová M, Štembírek J. Angled Growth of the Dental Lamina Is Accompanied by Asymmetrical Expression of the WNT Pathway Receptor Frizzled 6. Front Physiol 2017; 8:29. [PMID: 28197104 PMCID: PMC5281629 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2016] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Frizzled 6 (FZD6) belongs to a family of proteins that serve as receptors in the WNT signaling pathway. FZD6 plays an important role in the establishment of planar cell polarity in many embryonic processes such as convergent extension during gastrulation, neural tube closure, or hair patterning. Based on its role during hair development, we hypothesized that FZD6 may have similar expression pattern and function in the dental lamina, which is also a distinct epithelial protrusion growing characteristically angled into the mesenchyme. Diphyodont minipig was selected as a model species because its dentition closely resemble human ones with successional generation of teeth initiated from the dental lamina. We revealed asymmetrical expression of FZD6 in the dental lamina of early as well as late stages during its regression with stronger expression located on the labial side of the dental lamina. During lamina regression, FZD6-positive cells were found in its superficial part and the signal coincided with the upregulation of molecules involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition and increased migratory potential of epithelial cells. FZD6-expression was also turned on during differentiation of cells producing hard tissues, in which mature odontoblasts, ameloblasts, or surrounding osteoblasts were FZD6-positive. On the other hand, the tip of successional lamina and its lingual part, in which progenitor cells are located, exhibited FZD6-negativity. In conclusion, asymmetrical expression of FZD6 correlates with the growth directionality and side-specific morphological differences in the dental lamina of diphyodont species. Based on observed expression pattern, we propose that the dental lamina is other epithelial tissue, where planar cell polarity signaling is involved during its asymmetrical growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iveta Putnová
- Laboratory of Molecular Morphogenesis, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Academy of SciencesBrno, Czechia; Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical SciencesBrno, Czechia
| | - Hana Dosedělová
- Laboratory of Molecular Morphogenesis, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Academy of SciencesBrno, Czechia; Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical SciencesBrno, Czechia
| | - Vitezslav Bryja
- Department of Animal Physiology and Immunology, Institute of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University Brno, Czechia
| | - Marie Landová
- Laboratory of Molecular Morphogenesis, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Academy of Sciences Brno, Czechia
| | - Marcela Buchtová
- Laboratory of Molecular Morphogenesis, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Academy of SciencesBrno, Czechia; Department of Animal Physiology and Immunology, Institute of Experimental Biology, Masaryk UniversityBrno, Czechia
| | - Jan Štembírek
- Laboratory of Molecular Morphogenesis, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Academy of SciencesBrno, Czechia; Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital OstravaOstrava, Czechia
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17
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Mulligan KA, Cheyette BNR. Neurodevelopmental Perspectives on Wnt Signaling in Psychiatry. MOLECULAR NEUROPSYCHIATRY 2017; 2:219-246. [PMID: 28277568 DOI: 10.1159/000453266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mounting evidence indicates that Wnt signaling is relevant to pathophysiology of diverse mental illnesses including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. In the 35 years since Wnt ligands were first described, animal studies have richly explored how downstream Wnt signaling pathways affect an array of neurodevelopmental processes and how their disruption can lead to both neurological and behavioral phenotypes. Recently, human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) models have begun to contribute to this literature while pushing it in increasingly translational directions. Simultaneously, large-scale human genomic studies are providing evidence that sequence variation in Wnt signal pathway genes contributes to pathogenesis in several psychiatric disorders. This article reviews neurodevelopmental and postneurodevelopmental functions of Wnt signaling, highlighting mechanisms, whereby its disruption might contribute to psychiatric illness, and then reviews the most reliable recent genetic evidence supporting that mutations in Wnt pathway genes contribute to psychiatric illness. We are proponents of the notion that studies in animal and hiPSC models informed by the human genetic data combined with the deep knowledge base and tool kits generated over the last several decades of basic neurodevelopmental research will yield near-term tangible advances in neuropsychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A Mulligan
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin N R Cheyette
- Department of Psychiatry, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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18
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Corda G, Sala G, Lattanzio R, Iezzi M, Sallese M, Fragassi G, Lamolinara A, Mirza H, Barcaroli D, Ermler S, Silva E, Yasaei H, Newbold RF, Vagnarelli P, Mottolese M, Natali PG, Perracchio L, Quist J, Grigoriadis A, Marra P, Tutt AN, Piantelli M, Iacobelli S, De Laurenzi V, Sala A. Functional and prognostic significance of the genomic amplification of frizzled 6 (FZD6) in breast cancer. J Pathol 2016; 241:350-361. [PMID: 27859262 PMCID: PMC5248601 DOI: 10.1002/path.4841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Revised: 09/09/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Frizzled receptors mediate Wnt ligand signalling, which is crucially involved in regulating tissue development and differentiation, and is often deregulated in cancer. In this study, we found that the gene encoding the Wnt receptor frizzled 6 (FZD6) is frequently amplified in breast cancer, with an increased incidence in the triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype. Ablation of FZD6 expression in mammary cancer cell lines: (1) inhibited motility and invasion; (2) induced a more symmetrical shape of organoid three‐dimensional cultures; and (3) inhibited bone and liver metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, FZD6 signalling is required for the assembly of the fibronectin matrix, interfering with the organization of the actin cytoskeleton. Ectopic delivery of fibronectin in FZD6‐depleted, triple‐negative MDA‐MB‐231 cells rearranged the actin cytoskeleton and restored epidermal growth factor‐mediated invasion. In patients with localized, lymph node‐negative (early) breast cancer, positivity of tumour cells for FZD6 protein identified patients with reduced distant relapse‐free survival. Multivariate analysis indicated an independent prognostic significance of FZD6 expression in TNBC tumours, predicting distant, but not local, relapse. We conclude that the FZD6–fibronectin actin axis identified in our study could be exploited for drug development in highly metastatic forms of breast cancer, such as TNBC. © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Corda
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK.,Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK
| | - Gianluca Sala
- MediaPharma srl, Chieti, Italy.,Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Orali e Biotecnologiche, CESI-MeT, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
| | - Rossano Lattanzio
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Orali e Biotecnologiche, CESI-MeT, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
| | - Manuela Iezzi
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Scienze dell'Invecchiamento, CESI-MeT, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
| | - Michele Sallese
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Orali e Biotecnologiche, CESI-MeT, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy.,Fondazione Mario Negri Sud, S. Maria Imbaro, Italy
| | - Giorgia Fragassi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Orali e Biotecnologiche, CESI-MeT, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy.,Fondazione Mario Negri Sud, S. Maria Imbaro, Italy
| | - Alessia Lamolinara
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Scienze dell'Invecchiamento, CESI-MeT, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
| | - Hasan Mirza
- Breast Cancer Now Unit, Research Oncology, King's Health Partners AHSC, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Daniela Barcaroli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Psicologiche, della Salute e del Territorio, CESI-MeT, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
| | - Sibylle Ermler
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK.,Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK
| | - Elisabete Silva
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK.,Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK
| | - Hemad Yasaei
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK
| | - Robert F Newbold
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK.,Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK
| | - Paola Vagnarelli
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK.,Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK
| | | | | | | | - Jelmar Quist
- Breast Cancer Now Unit, Research Oncology, King's Health Partners AHSC, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Anita Grigoriadis
- Breast Cancer Now Unit, Research Oncology, King's Health Partners AHSC, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Pierfrancesco Marra
- Breast Cancer Now Unit, Research Oncology, King's Health Partners AHSC, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew N Tutt
- Breast Cancer Now Unit, Research Oncology, King's Health Partners AHSC, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.,Breast Cancer Now, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Mauro Piantelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Orali e Biotecnologiche, CESI-MeT, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
| | - Stefano Iacobelli
- MediaPharma srl, Chieti, Italy.,Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Orali e Biotecnologiche, CESI-MeT, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
| | - Vincenzo De Laurenzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Orali e Biotecnologiche, CESI-MeT, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
| | - Arturo Sala
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK.,Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK.,Dipartimento di Scienze Psicologiche, della Salute e del Territorio, CESI-MeT, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
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19
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Klafke R, Prem Anand AA, Wurst W, Prakash N, Wizenmann A. Differences in the spatiotemporal expression and epistatic gene regulation of the mesodiencephalic dopaminergic precursor marker PITX3 during chicken and mouse development. Development 2016; 143:691-702. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.126748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Mesodiencephalic dopaminergic (mdDA) neurons are located in the ventral mesencephalon and caudal diencephalon of all tetrapod species studied so far. They are the most prominent DA neuronal population and are implicated in control and modulation of motor, cognitive and rewarding/affective behaviors. Their degeneration or dysfunction is intimately linked to several neurological and neuropsychiatric human diseases. To gain further insights into their generation, we studied spatiotemporal expression patterns and epistatic interactions in chick embryos of selected marker genes and signaling pathways associated with mdDA neuron development in mouse. We detected striking differences in the expression patterns of the chick orthologs of the mouse mdDA marker genes Pitx3 and Aldh1a1, which suggests important differences between the species in the generation/generating of these cells. We also discovered that the Sonic hedgehog signaling pathway is both, necessary and sufficient for the induction of ectopic PITX3 expression in chick mesencephalon downstream of WNT9A induced LMX1a transcription. These aspects of early chicken development resemble the ontogeny of zebrafish diencephalic DA neuronal populations, and suggest a divergence between birds and mammals during evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Klafke
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - A. Alwin Prem Anand
- Institute of Clinical Anatomy and Cell Analysis, University of Tübingen, Oesterbergstrasse 3, 72074 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wurst
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Technische Universität München-Weihenstephan, Lehrstuhl für Entwicklungsgenetik c/o Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) Standort München, Schillerstr. 44, 80336 München, Germany
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Adolf-Butenandt-Institut, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Schillerstrasse 44, 80336 München, Germany
| | - Nilima Prakash
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Technische Universität München-Weihenstephan, Lehrstuhl für Entwicklungsgenetik c/o Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Andrea Wizenmann
- Institute of Clinical Anatomy and Cell Analysis, University of Tübingen, Oesterbergstrasse 3, 72074 Tuebingen, Germany
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20
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Silver DL. Genomic divergence and brain evolution: How regulatory DNA influences development of the cerebral cortex. Bioessays 2015; 38:162-71. [PMID: 26642006 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201500108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The cerebral cortex controls our most distinguishing higher cognitive functions. Human-specific gene expression differences are abundant in the cerebral cortex, yet we have only begun to understand how these variations impact brain function. This review discusses the current evidence linking non-coding regulatory DNA changes, including enhancers, with neocortical evolution. Functional interrogation using animal models reveals converging roles for our genome in key aspects of cortical development including progenitor cell cycle and neuronal signaling. New technologies, including iPS cells and organoids, offer potential alternatives to modeling evolutionary modifications in a relevant species context. Several diseases rooted in the cerebral cortex uniquely manifest in humans compared to other primates, thus highlighting the importance of understanding human brain differences. Future studies of regulatory loci, including those implicated in disease, will collectively help elucidate key cellular and genetic mechanisms underlying our distinguishing cognitive traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debra L Silver
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.,Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
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Kim MY, Kim HY, Hong J, Kim D, Lee H, Cheong E, Lee Y, Roth J, Kim DG, Min DS, Choi KY. CXXC5 plays a role as a transcription activator for myelin genes on oligodendrocyte differentiation. Glia 2015; 64:350-62. [DOI: 10.1002/glia.22932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2015] [Revised: 09/07/2015] [Accepted: 09/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mi-Yeon Kim
- Translational Research Center for Protein Function Control; Yonsei University; Seoul 120-749 Korea
- Department of Biotechnology; College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University; Seoul 120-749 Korea
| | - Hyun-Yi Kim
- Translational Research Center for Protein Function Control; Yonsei University; Seoul 120-749 Korea
- Department of Biotechnology; College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University; Seoul 120-749 Korea
| | - Jiso Hong
- Biological Sciences; Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST); Daejeon 305-701 Korea
| | - Daesoo Kim
- Biological Sciences; Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST); Daejeon 305-701 Korea
| | - Hyojung Lee
- Translational Research Center for Protein Function Control; Yonsei University; Seoul 120-749 Korea
- Department of Biotechnology; College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University; Seoul 120-749 Korea
| | - Eunji Cheong
- Translational Research Center for Protein Function Control; Yonsei University; Seoul 120-749 Korea
- Department of Biotechnology; College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University; Seoul 120-749 Korea
| | - Yangsin Lee
- Department of Integrated OMICS For Biomedical Science; WCU Program of Graduate School, Yonsei University; Seoul 120-749 Korea
| | - Jürgen Roth
- Department of Integrated OMICS For Biomedical Science; WCU Program of Graduate School, Yonsei University; Seoul 120-749 Korea
| | - Dong Goo Kim
- Department of Pharmacology; Brain Research Institute, Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University, College of Medicine; Seoul 120-749 Korea
| | - Do Sik Min
- Translational Research Center for Protein Function Control; Yonsei University; Seoul 120-749 Korea
- Department of Molecular Biology; College of Natural Science, Pusan National University; Busan 609-735 Korea
| | - Kang-Yell Choi
- Translational Research Center for Protein Function Control; Yonsei University; Seoul 120-749 Korea
- Department of Biotechnology; College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University; Seoul 120-749 Korea
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22
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Wnt1 signal determines the patterning of the diencephalic dorso-ventral axis. Brain Struct Funct 2015; 221:3693-708. [PMID: 26452989 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-015-1126-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2015] [Accepted: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The diencephalon is a complex brain area that derives from the caudal region of the prosencephalon. This structure is divided into four longitudinal neuroepithelial zones: roof, alar, basal and floor plates, which constitute its dorso-ventral (DV) columnar domains. Morphogenetic differences between alar and basal plates in the prosencephalon and mesencephalon contribute to the characteristic expansion of alar plate derivatives in the brain and the formation of the cephalic flexure. Although differential histogenesis among DV regions seems to be relevant in understanding structural and functional complexity of the brain, most of our knowledge about DV regionalization comes from the spinal cord development. Therefore, it seems of interest to study the molecular mechanisms that govern DV patterning in the diencephalon, the brain region where strong differences in size and complexity between alar and basal derivatives are evident in all vertebrates. Different morphogenetic signals, which induce specific progenitors fate to the neighboring epithelium, are involved in the spinal cord DV patterning. To study if Wnt1, one of these signaling molecules, has a role for the establishment of the diencephalic longitudinal domains, we carried out gain- and loss-of-function experiments, using mice and chick embryos. Our results demonstrated functional differences in the molecular mechanisms downstream of Wnt1 function in the diencephalon, in relation to the spinal cord. We further demonstrated that Bmp4 signal induces Wnt1 expression in the diencephalon, unraveling a new molecular regulatory code downstream of primary dorsalizing signals to control ventral regionalization in the diencephalon.
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23
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A WNT1-regulated developmental gene cascade prevents dopaminergic neurodegeneration in adult En1 mice. Neurobiol Dis 2015; 82:32-45. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2015.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2015] [Revised: 05/18/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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24
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Boyd JL, Skove SL, Rouanet JP, Pilaz LJ, Bepler T, Gordân R, Wray GA, Silver DL. Human-chimpanzee differences in a FZD8 enhancer alter cell-cycle dynamics in the developing neocortex. Curr Biol 2015; 25:772-779. [PMID: 25702574 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.01.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2014] [Revised: 08/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The human neocortex differs from that of other great apes in several notable regards, including altered cell cycle, prolonged corticogenesis, and increased size [1-5]. Although these evolutionary changes most likely contributed to the origin of distinctively human cognitive faculties, their genetic basis remains almost entirely unknown. Highly conserved non-coding regions showing rapid sequence changes along the human lineage are candidate loci for the development and evolution of uniquely human traits. Several studies have identified human-accelerated enhancers [6-14], but none have linked an expression difference to a specific organismal trait. Here we report the discovery of a human-accelerated regulatory enhancer (HARE5) of FZD8, a receptor of the Wnt pathway implicated in brain development and size [15, 16]. Using transgenic mice, we demonstrate dramatic differences in human and chimpanzee HARE5 activity, with human HARE5 driving early and robust expression at the onset of corticogenesis. Similar to HARE5 activity, FZD8 is expressed in neural progenitors of the developing neocortex [17-19]. Chromosome conformation capture assays reveal that HARE5 physically and specifically contacts the core Fzd8 promoter in the mouse embryonic neocortex. To assess the phenotypic consequences of HARE5 activity, we generated transgenic mice in which Fzd8 expression is under control of orthologous enhancers (Pt-HARE5::Fzd8 and Hs-HARE5::Fzd8). In comparison to Pt-HARE5::Fzd8, Hs-HARE5::Fzd8 mice showed marked acceleration of neural progenitor cell cycle and increased brain size. Changes in HARE5 function unique to humans thus alter the cell-cycle dynamics of a critical population of stem cells during corticogenesis and may underlie some distinctive anatomical features of the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Lomax Boyd
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Stephanie L Skove
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Jeremy P Rouanet
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Louis-Jan Pilaz
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Tristan Bepler
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Raluca Gordân
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Gregory A Wray
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Debra L Silver
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Durham, NC 27710 USA.
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25
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Meier F, Giesert F, Delic S, Faus-Kessler T, Matheus F, Simeone A, Hölter SM, Kühn R, Weisenhorn DMV, Wurst W, Prakash N. FGF/FGFR2 signaling regulates the generation and correct positioning of Bergmann glia cells in the developing mouse cerebellum. PLoS One 2014; 9:e101124. [PMID: 24983448 PMCID: PMC4077754 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Accepted: 06/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The normal cellular organization and layering of the vertebrate cerebellum is established during embryonic and early postnatal development by the interplay of a complex array of genetic and signaling pathways. Disruption of these processes and of the proper layering of the cerebellum usually leads to ataxic behaviors. Here, we analyzed the relative contribution of Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2)-mediated signaling to cerebellar development in conditional Fgfr2 single mutant mice. We show that during embryonic mouse development, Fgfr2 expression is higher in the anterior cerebellar primordium and excluded from the proliferative ventricular neuroepithelium. Consistent with this finding, conditional Fgfr2 single mutant mice display the most prominent defects in the anterior lobules of the adult cerebellum. In this context, FGFR2-mediated signaling is required for the proper generation of Bergmann glia cells and the correct positioning of these cells within the Purkinje cell layer, and for cell survival in the developing cerebellar primordium. Using cerebellar microexplant cultures treated with an FGFR agonist (FGF9) or antagonist (SU5402), we also show that FGF9/FGFR-mediated signaling inhibits the outward migration of radial glia and Bergmann glia precursors and cells, and might thus act as a positioning cue for these cells. Altogether, our findings reveal the specific functions of the FGFR2-mediated signaling pathway in the generation and positioning of Bergmann glia cells during cerebellar development in the mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Meier
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Florian Giesert
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Sabit Delic
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Neuropathology, Regensburg University Hospital, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Theresa Faus-Kessler
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Friederike Matheus
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Antonio Simeone
- Centre of Genetics Engineering (CEINGE) Biotecnologie Avanzate, European School of Molecular Medicine and Institute of Genetics and Biophysics “A. Buzzati-Traverso”, Naples, Italy
| | - Sabine M. Hölter
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Ralf Kühn
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Technische Universität München-Weihenstephan, Lehrstuhl für Entwicklungsgenetik c/o Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Daniela M. Vogt. Weisenhorn
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Technische Universität München-Weihenstephan, Lehrstuhl für Entwicklungsgenetik c/o Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) Standort München, München, Germany
- Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, München, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wurst
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Technische Universität München-Weihenstephan, Lehrstuhl für Entwicklungsgenetik c/o Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) Standort München, München, Germany
- Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, München, Germany
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Adolf-Butenandt-Institut, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany
- * E-mail: (WW) (WW); (NP) (NP)
| | - Nilima Prakash
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Technische Universität München-Weihenstephan, Lehrstuhl für Entwicklungsgenetik c/o Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
- * E-mail: (WW) (WW); (NP) (NP)
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26
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Arenas E. Wnt signaling in midbrain dopaminergic neuron development and regenerative medicine for Parkinson's disease. J Mol Cell Biol 2014; 6:42-53. [DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mju001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
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27
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Wurst W, Prakash N. Wnt1-regulated genetic networks in midbrain dopaminergic neuron development. J Mol Cell Biol 2013; 6:34-41. [DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjt046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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28
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Hock S, Ng YK, Hasenauer J, Wittmann D, Lutter D, Trümbach D, Wurst W, Prakash N, Theis FJ. Sharpening of expression domains induced by transcription and microRNA regulation within a spatio-temporal model of mid-hindbrain boundary formation. BMC SYSTEMS BIOLOGY 2013; 7:48. [PMID: 23799959 PMCID: PMC4103684 DOI: 10.1186/1752-0509-7-48] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2013] [Accepted: 06/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Background The establishment of the mid-hindbrain region in vertebrates is mediated by the
isthmic organizer, an embryonic secondary organizer characterized by a
well-defined pattern of locally restricted gene expression domains with sharply
delimited boundaries. While the function of the isthmic organizer at the
mid-hindbrain boundary has been subject to extensive experimental studies, it
remains unclear how this well-defined spatial gene expression pattern, which is
essential for proper isthmic organizer function, is established during vertebrate
development. Because the secreted Wnt1 protein plays a prominent role in isthmic
organizer function, we focused in particular on the refinement of Wnt1
gene expression in this context. Results We analyzed the dynamics of the corresponding murine gene regulatory network and
the related, diffusive signaling proteins using a macroscopic model for the
biological two-scale signaling process. Despite the discontinuity arising
from the sharp gene expression domain boundaries, we proved the existence of
unique, positive solutions for the partial differential equation system. This
enabled the numerically and analytically analysis of the formation and stability
of the expression pattern. Notably, the calculated expression domain of
Wnt1 has no sharp boundary in contrast to experimental evidence. We
subsequently propose a post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism for Wnt1
miRNAs which yields the observed sharp expression domain boundaries. We
established a list of candidate miRNAs and confirmed their expression pattern by
radioactive in situ hybridization. The miRNA miR-709 was identified as a
potential regulator of Wnt1 mRNA, which was validated by luciferase
sensor assays. Conclusion In summary, our theoretical analysis of the gene expression pattern induction at
the mid-hindbrain boundary revealed the need to extend the model by an additional
Wnt1 regulation. The developed macroscopic model of a two-scale
process facilitate the stringent analysis of other morphogen-based patterning
processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Hock
- Institute of computational Biology, Helmholtz Center Munich, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
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Blakely BD, Bye CR, Fernando CV, Prasad AA, Pasterkamp RJ, Macheda ML, Stacker SA, Parish CL. Ryk, a receptor regulating Wnt5a-mediated neurogenesis and axon morphogenesis of ventral midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Stem Cells Dev 2013; 22:2132-44. [PMID: 23517308 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2013.0066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Ryk is an atypical transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase that has been shown to play multiple roles in development through the modulation of Wnt signaling. Within the developing ventral midbrain (VM), Wnts have been shown to contribute to the proliferation, differentiation, and connectivity of dopamine (DA) neurons; however, the Wnt-related receptors regulating these events remain less well described. In light of the established roles of Wnt5a in dopaminergic development (regulating DA differentiation as well as axonal growth and repulsion), and its interaction with Ryk elsewhere within the central nervous system, we investigated the potential role of Ryk in VM development. Here we show temporal and spatial expression of Ryk within the VM, suggestive of a role in DA neurogenesis and axonal plasticity. In VM primary cultures, we show that the effects of Wnt5a on VM progenitor proliferation, DA differentiation, and DA axonal connectivity can be inhibited using an Ryk-blocking antibody. In support, Ryk knockout mice showed reduced VM progenitors and DA precursor populations, resulting in a significant decrease in DA cells. However, Ryk(-/-) mice displayed no defects in DA axonal growth, guidance, or fasciculation of the MFB, suggesting other receptors may be involved and/or compensate for the loss of this receptor. These findings identify for the first time Ryk as an important receptor for midbrain DA development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brette D Blakely
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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30
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Wnt5a cooperates with canonical Wnts to generate midbrain dopaminergic neurons in vivo and in stem cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:E602-10. [PMID: 23324743 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1208524110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnts are a family of secreted proteins that regulate multiple steps of neural development and stem cell differentiation. Two of them, Wnt1 and Wnt5a, activate distinct branches of Wnt signaling and individually regulate different aspects of midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neuron development. However, several of their functions and interactions remain to be elucidated. Here, we report that loss of Wnt1 results in loss of Lmx1a and Ngn2 expression, as well as agenesis of DA neurons in the midbrain floor plate. Remarkably, a few ectopic DA neurons still emerge in the basal plate of Wnt1(-/-) mice, where Lmx1a is ectopically expressed. These results indicate that Wnt1 orchestrates DA specification and neurogenesis in vivo. Analysis of Wnt1(-/-);Wnt5a(-/-) mice revealed a greater loss of Nurr1(+) cells and DA neurons than in single mutants, indicating that Wnt1 and Wnt5a interact genetically and cooperate to promote midbrain DA neuron development in vivo. Our results unravel a functional interaction between Wnt1 and Wnt5a resulting in enhanced DA neurogenesis. Taking advantage of these findings, we have developed an application of Wnts to improve the generation of midbrain DA neurons from neural and embryonic stem cells. We thus show that coordinated Wnt actions promote DA neuron development in vivo and in stem cells and suggest that coordinated Wnt administration can be used to improve DA differentiation of stem cells and the development of stem cell-based therapies for Parkinson's disease.
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31
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A unilateral negative feedback loop between miR-200 microRNAs and Sox2/E2F3 controls neural progenitor cell-cycle exit and differentiation. J Neurosci 2012; 32:13292-308. [PMID: 22993445 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2124-12.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs have emerged as key posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression during vertebrate development. We show that the miR-200 family plays a crucial role for the proper generation and survival of ventral neuronal populations in the murine midbrain/hindbrain region, including midbrain dopaminergic neurons, by directly targeting the pluripotency factor Sox2 and the cell-cycle regulator E2F3 in neural stem/progenitor cells. The lack of a negative regulation of Sox2 and E2F3 by miR-200 in conditional Dicer1 mutants (En1(+/Cre); Dicer1(flox/flox) mice) and after miR-200 knockdown in vitro leads to a strongly reduced cell-cycle exit and neuronal differentiation of ventral midbrain/hindbrain (vMH) neural progenitors, whereas the opposite effect is seen after miR-200 overexpression in primary vMH cells. Expression of miR-200 is in turn directly regulated by Sox2 and E2F3, thereby establishing a unilateral negative feedback loop required for the cell-cycle exit and neuronal differentiation of neural stem/progenitor cells. Our findings suggest that the posttranscriptional regulation of Sox2 and E2F3 by miR-200 family members might be a general mechanism to control the transition from a pluripotent/multipotent stem/progenitor cell to a postmitotic and more differentiated cell.
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32
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van Amerongen R, Fuerer C, Mizutani M, Nusse R. Wnt5a can both activate and repress Wnt/β-catenin signaling during mouse embryonic development. Dev Biol 2012; 369:101-14. [PMID: 22771246 PMCID: PMC3435145 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2012.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2012] [Revised: 06/20/2012] [Accepted: 06/27/2012] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Embryonic development is controlled by a small set of signal transduction pathways, with vastly different phenotypic outcomes depending on the time and place of their recruitment. How the same molecular machinery can elicit such specific and distinct responses, remains one of the outstanding questions in developmental biology. Part of the answer may lie in the high inherent genetic complexity of these signaling cascades, as observed for the Wnt-pathway. The mammalian genome encodes multiple Wnt proteins and receptors, each of which show dynamic and tightly controlled expression patterns in the embryo. Yet how these components interact in the context of the whole organism remains unknown. Here we report the generation of a novel, inducible transgenic mouse model that allows spatiotemporal control over the expression of Wnt5a, a protein implicated in many developmental processes and multiple Wnt-signaling responses. We show that ectopic Wnt5a expression from E10.5 onwards results in a variety of developmental defects, including loss of hair follicles and reduced bone formation in the skull. Moreover, we find that Wnt5a can have dual signaling activities during mouse embryonic development. Specifically, Wnt5a is capable of both inducing and repressing β-catenin/TCF signaling in vivo, depending on the time and site of expression and the receptors expressed by receiving cells. These experiments show for the first time that a single mammalian Wnt protein can have multiple signaling activities in vivo, thereby furthering our understanding of how signaling specificity is achieved in a complex developmental context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renée van Amerongen
- Department of Developmental Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Lorry I. Lokey Stem Cell Research Building, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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33
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Abstract
Components of the Wnt signaling pathway are expressed in a tightly regulated and spatially specific manner during development of the forebrain, and Wnts are key regulators of regional forebrain identity. Wnt signaling from the cortical hem regulates the expansion and cell-type specification of the adjacent neuroepithelium and, in conjunction with Bmp, Fgf, and Shh signaling, controls dorsal-ventral forebrain patterning. Subsequently, Wnt signaling dynamically regulates the behavior of cortical progenitor cells, initially promoting the expansion of radial glia progenitor cells and later inducing neurogenesis by promoting terminal differentiation of intermediate progenitor cells. A role for Wnt signaling in cell-type specification has also been proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan J Harrison-Uy
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
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Cantilena S, Pastorino F, Pezzolo A, Chayka O, Pistoia V, Ponzoni M, Sala A. Frizzled receptor 6 marks rare, highly tumourigenic stem-like cells in mouse and human neuroblastomas. Oncotarget 2012; 2:976-83. [PMID: 22249030 PMCID: PMC3282103 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt signalling is an important component of vertebrate development, required for specification of the neural crest. Ten Wnt receptors [Frizzled receptor 1-10 (Fzd1-10)] have been identified so far, some of which are expressed in the developing nervous system and the neural crest. Here we show that expression of one such receptors, Fzd6, predicts poor survival in neuroblastoma patients and marks rare, HIF1/2 α-positive cells in tumour hypoxic areas. Fzd6 positive neuroblastoma cells form neurospheres with high efficiency, are resistant to doxorubicin killing and express high levels of mesenchymal markers such as Twist1 and Notch1. Expression of Fzd6 is required for the expression of genes of the non-canonical Wnt pathway and the spheres forming activity. When transplanted into immunodeficient mice, neuroblastoma cells expressing the Fzd6 marker grow more aggressively than their Fzd6 negative counterparts. We conclude that Fzd6 is a new surface marker of aggressive neuroblastoma cells with stem cell-like features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Cantilena
- Molecular Haematology and Cancer Biology Unit, UCL Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford st London WC1N 1EH London UK
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35
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Saburi S, Hester I, Goodrich L, McNeill H. Functional interactions between Fat family cadherins in tissue morphogenesis and planar polarity. Development 2012; 139:1806-20. [PMID: 22510986 DOI: 10.1242/dev.077461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The atypical cadherin fat (ft) was originally discovered as a tumor suppressor in Drosophila and later shown to regulate a form of tissue patterning known as planar polarity. In mammals, four ft homologs have been identified (Fat1-4). Recently, we demonstrated that Fat4 plays a role in vertebrate planar polarity. Fat4 has the highest homology to ft, whereas other Fat family members are homologous to the second ft-like gene, ft2. Genetic studies in flies and mice imply significant functional differences between the two groups of Fat cadherins. Here, we demonstrate that Fat family proteins act both synergistically and antagonistically to influence multiple aspects of tissue morphogenesis. We find that Fat1 and Fat4 cooperate during mouse development to control renal tubular elongation, cochlear extension, cranial neural tube formation and patterning of outer hair cells in the cochlea. Similarly, Fat3 and Fat4 synergize to drive vertebral arch fusion at the dorsal midline during caudal vertebra morphogenesis. We provide evidence that these effects depend on conserved interactions with planar polarity signaling components. In flies, the transcriptional co-repressor Atrophin (Atro) physically interacts with Ft and acts as a component of Fat signaling for planar polarity. We find that the mammalian orthologs of atro, Atn1 and Atn2l, modulate Fat4 activity during vertebral arch fusion and renal tubular elongation, respectively. Moreover, Fat4 morphogenetic defects are enhanced by mutations in Vangl2, a 'core' planar cell polarity gene. These studies highlight the wide range and complexity of Fat activities and suggest that a Fat-Atrophin interaction is a conserved element of planar polarity signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakura Saburi
- Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X5, Canada.
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Pitx3 is a critical mediator of GDNF-induced BDNF expression in nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. J Neurosci 2011; 31:12802-15. [PMID: 21900559 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0898-11.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pitx3 is a critical homeodomain transcription factor for the proper development and survival of mesodiencephalic dopaminergic (mdDA) neurons in mammals. Several variants of this gene have been associated with human Parkinson's disease (PD), and lack of Pitx3 in mice causes the preferential loss of substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) mdDA neurons that are most affected in PD. It is currently unclear how Pitx3 activity promotes the survival of SNc mdDA neurons and which factors act upstream and downstream of Pitx3 in this context. Here we show that a transient expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in the murine ventral midbrain (VM) induces transcription of Pitx3 via NF-κB-mediated signaling, and that Pitx3 is in turn required for activating the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in a rostrolateral (SNc) mdDA neuron subpopulation during embryogenesis. The loss of BDNF expression correlates with the increased apoptotic cell death of this mdDA neuronal subpopulation in Pitx3(-/-) mice, whereas treatment of VM cell cultures with BDNF augments the survival of the Pitx3(-/-) mdDA neurons. Most importantly, only BDNF but not GDNF protects mdDA neurons against 6-hydroxydopamine-induced cell death in the absence of Pitx3. As the feedforward regulation of GDNF, Pitx3, and BDNF expression also persists in the adult rodent brain, our data suggest that the disruption of the regulatory interaction between these three factors contributes to the loss of mdDA neurons in Pitx3(-/-) mutant mice and perhaps also in human PD.
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Expression profile of frizzled receptors in human medulloblastomas. J Neurooncol 2011; 106:271-80. [PMID: 21850537 DOI: 10.1007/s11060-011-0682-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2011] [Accepted: 08/03/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Secreted WNT proteins signal through ten receptors of the frizzled (FZD) family. Because of the relevance of the WNT/β-catenin (CTNNB1) signaling pathway in medulloblastomas (MBs), we investigated the expression of all ten members of the FZD gene family (FZD1-10) in 17 human MBs, four MB cell lines and in normal human cerebellum, using real-time PCR. We found that FZD2 transcript was over-expressed in all MBs and MB cell lines. Western blot analysis confirmed the expression of FZD2 at the protein level. Moreover, the levels of FZD2 transcript were found to correlate with those of ASPM transcript, a marker of mitosis essential for mitotic spindle function. Accordingly, ASPM mRNA was expressed at a very low level in the adult, post-mitotic, human cerebellum, at higher levels in fetal cerebellum and at highest levels in MB tissues and cell lines. Unlike FZD2, the other FZDs were overexpressed (e.g., FZD1, FZD3 and FZD8) or underexpressed (e.g., FZD7, FZD9 and FZD10) in a case-restricted manner. Interestingly, we did not find any nuclear immuno-reactivity to CTNNB1 in four MBs over-expressing both FZD2 and other FZD receptors, confirming the lack of nuclear CTNNB1 staining in the presence of increased FZD expression, as in other tumor types. Overall, our results indicate that altered expression of FZD2 might be associated with a proliferative status, thus playing a role in the biology of human MBs, and possibly of cerebellar progenitors from which these malignancies arise.
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Selvadurai HJ, Mason JO. Wnt/β-catenin signalling is active in a highly dynamic pattern during development of the mouse cerebellum. PLoS One 2011; 6:e23012. [PMID: 21857982 PMCID: PMC3152553 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2011] [Accepted: 07/08/2011] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The adult cerebellum is composed of several distinct cell types with well defined developmental origins. However, the molecular mechanisms that govern the generation of these cell types are only partially resolved. Wnt/β-catenin signalling has a wide variety of roles in generation of the central nervous system, though the specific activity of this pathway during cerebellum development is not well understood. Here, we present data that delineate the spatio-temporal specific pattern of Wnt/β-catenin signaling during mouse cerebellum development between E12.5 and P21. Using the BAT-gal Wnt/β-catenin reporter mouse, we found that Wnt/β-catenin activity is present transiently at the embryonic rhombic lip but not at later stages during the expansion of cell populations that arise from there. At late embryonic and early postnatal stages, Wnt/β-catenin activity shifts to the cerebellar ventricular zone and to cells arising from this germinal centre. Subsequently, the expression pattern becomes progressively restricted to Bergmann glial cells, which show expression of the reporter at P21. These results indicate a variety of potential functions for Wnt/β-catenin activity during cerebellum development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayden J Selvadurai
- Centre for Integrative Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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En1 and Wnt signaling in midbrain dopaminergic neuronal development. Neural Dev 2011; 6:23. [PMID: 21569278 PMCID: PMC3104484 DOI: 10.1186/1749-8104-6-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2011] [Accepted: 05/10/2011] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopaminergic neurons of the ventral mesodiencephalon are affected in significant health disorders such as Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and addiction. The ultimate goal of current research endeavors is to improve the clinical treatment of such disorders, such as providing a protocol for cell replacement therapy in Parkinson's disease that will successfully promote the specific differentiation of a stem cell into a dopaminergic neuronal phenotype. Decades of research on the developmental mechanisms of the mesodiencephalic dopaminergic (mdDA) system have led to the identification of many signaling pathways and transcription factors critical in its development. The unraveling of these pathways will help fill in the pieces of the puzzle that today dominates neurodevelopment research: how to make and maintain a mdDA neuron. In the present review, we provide an overview of the mdDA system, the processes and signaling molecules involved in its genesis, with a focus on the transcription factor En1 and the canonical Wnt pathway, highlighting recent findings on their relevance--and interplay--in the development and maintenance of the mdDA system.
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Fischer T, Faus-Kessler T, Welzl G, Simeone A, Wurst W, Prakash N. Fgf15-mediated control of neurogenic and proneural gene expression regulates dorsal midbrain neurogenesis. Dev Biol 2011; 350:496-510. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2010.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2010] [Revised: 11/14/2010] [Accepted: 12/13/2010] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Johansson PA, Cappello S, Götz M. Stem cells niches during development—lessons from the cerebral cortex. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2010; 20:400-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2010.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2010] [Accepted: 04/04/2010] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Castelo-Branco G, Andersson ER, Minina E, Sousa KM, Ribeiro D, Kokubu C, Imai K, Prakash N, Wurst W, Arenas E. Delayed dopaminergic neuron differentiation in Lrp6 mutant mice. Dev Dyn 2010; 239:211-21. [PMID: 19795519 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.22094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnts are known to bind and activate multiple membrane receptors/coreceptors and to regulate dopaminergic (DA) neuron development and ventral midbrain (VM) morphogenesis. The low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (Lrp6) is a Wnt co-receptor, yet it remains unclear whether Lrp6 is required for DA neuron development or VM morphogenesis. Lrp6 is expressed ubiquitously in the developing VM. In this study, we show that Lrp6(-/-) mice exhibit normal patterning, proliferation and cell death in the VM, but display a delay in the onset of DA precursor differentiation. A transient 50% reduction in tyrosine hydroxylase-positive DA neurons and in the expression of DA markers such as Nurr1 and Pitx3, as well as a defect in midbrain morphogenesis was detected in the mutant embryos at embryonic day 11.5. Our results, therefore, suggest a role for Lrp6 in the onset of DA neuron development in the VM as well as a role in midbrain morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonçalo Castelo-Branco
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Stuebner S, Faus-Kessler T, Fischer T, Wurst W, Prakash N. Fzd3 and Fzd6 deficiency results in a severe midbrain morphogenesis defect. Dev Dyn 2010; 239:246-60. [PMID: 19842188 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.22127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt/beta-catenin signaling controls the proper development of the mid-/hindbrain region (MHR) and of midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons, but the Frizzled (Fzd) receptors transducing these signals are still unknown. Fzd3 is expressed throughout the mouse anterior neural tube, whereas Fzd6 is restricted to the MHR. We show that the MHR is properly established and mDA neurons develop normally in Fzd6(-/-) mutants, but the number of mDA neurons is initially reduced and recovers at later stages in Fzd3(-/-) embryos. Fzd3(-/-); Fzd6(-/-) double mutants exhibit a severe midbrain morphogenesis defect consisting of collapsed brain ventricles, apparent thickening of the neuroepithelium, focal disruption of the ventricular basal lamina and protrusion of individual cells, and increased proliferation at later stages, despite a normal closure of the anterior neural tube and the rescue of the mDA defect in these embryos. Fzd3 and Fzd6 thus control proper midbrain morphogenesis by a yet unknown mechanism in the mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Stuebner
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Centre Munich, German Research Centre for Environmental Health, and Technical University Munich, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Munich/Neuherberg, Germany
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Fotaki V, Larralde O, Zeng S, McLaughlin D, Nichols J, Price DJ, Theil T, Mason JO. Loss of Wnt8b has no overt effect on hippocampus development but leads to altered Wnt gene expression levels in dorsomedial telencephalon. Dev Dyn 2010; 239:284-296. [PMID: 19890917 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.22137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt signalling proteins regulate many aspects of animal development. We have investigated the function of mouse Wnt8b during forebrain development. Wnt8b is expressed in a highly restricted pattern including the prospective hippocampus and hypothalamus. Mutant mice lacking Wnt8b are viable and healthy. The size and morphology of the hippocampus appeared normal in mutant embryos and adults, and we found no evidence of hypothalamic defects in mutants. Wnt8b is also expressed in the neurogenic region of the adult dentate gyrus, however, cell proliferation was unchanged in Wnt8b(-/-) mutants. Mutant embryos did, however, display altered levels of expression of other Wnt genes normally expressed in forebrain. The spatial expression patterns of other Wnt genes and the overall level of canonical Wnt activity were indistinguishable from wild-types. Thus, loss of Wnt8b does not give rise to an overt morphological phenotype, but does affect expression levels of other Wnts in developing forebrain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vassiliki Fotaki
- Genes and Development Group, Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Osmany Larralde
- Genes and Development Group, Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Shaoju Zeng
- Genes and Development Group, Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
- Key Laboratory for Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology, Beijing Normal University, China
| | - David McLaughlin
- Genes and Development Group, Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Jennifer Nichols
- Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ, UK
| | - David J Price
- Genes and Development Group, Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Thomas Theil
- Genes and Development Group, Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - John O Mason
- Genes and Development Group, Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
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Bluske KK, Kawakami Y, Koyano-Nakagawa N, Nakagawa Y. Differential activity of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in the embryonic mouse thalamus. Dev Dyn 2010; 238:3297-309. [PMID: 19924825 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.22167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
In neural development, several Wnt genes are expressed in the vertebrate diencephalon, including the thalamus. However, roles of Wnt signaling in the thalamus during neurogenesis are not well understood. We examined Wnt/beta-catenin activity in embryonic mouse thalamus and found that a Wnt target gene Axin2 and reporter activity of BAT-gal transgenic mice show similar, differential patterns within the thalamic ventricular zone, where ventral and rostral regions had lower activity than other regions. Expression of Wnt ligands and signaling components also showed complex, differential patterns. Finally, based on partially reciprocal patterns of Wnt and Shh signals in the thalamic ventricular zone, we tested if Shh signal is sufficient or necessary for the differential Axin2 expression. Analysis of mice with enhanced or reduced Shh signal showed that Axin2 expression is similar to controls. These results suggest that differential Wnt signaling may play a role in patterning the thalamus independent of Shh signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista K Bluske
- Department of Neuroscience, and Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA
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Mani P, Jarrell A, Myers J, Atit R. Visualizing canonical Wnt signaling during mouse craniofacial development. Dev Dyn 2010; 239:354-63. [PMID: 19718763 PMCID: PMC2921970 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.22072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt signaling is critical for proper development of the head and face in the mouse embryo, playing important roles in various aspects of craniofacial development ranging from axis formation to survival of cranial neural crest cells to patterning of the brain. The signaling requirements for the development of different cell lineages in the head and face are active areas of investigation. In this study, we use a recently developed TCF/Lef-LacZ transgenic reporter mouse to characterize the expression of canonical Wnt signaling activity during craniofacial development. We present an atlas of representative sections to show embryonic craniofacial development. Our results demonstrate a pattern of sustained Wnt signaling reporter activity in most tissues which suggests sequential roles in craniofacial development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preethi Mani
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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48
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Hu Z, Dandekar D, O'Shaughnessy PJ, De Gendt K, Verhoeven G, Wilkinson MF. Androgen-induced Rhox homeobox genes modulate the expression of AR-regulated genes. Mol Endocrinol 2009; 24:60-75. [PMID: 19901196 DOI: 10.1210/me.2009-0303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhox5, the founding member of the reproductive homeobox on the X chromosome (Rhox) gene cluster, encodes a homeodomain-containing transcription factor that is selectively expressed in Sertoli cells, where it promotes the survival of male germ cells. To identify Rhox5-regulated genes, we generated 15P-1 Sertoli cell clones expressing physiological levels of Rhox5 from a stably transfected expression vector. Microarray analysis identified many genes altered in expression in response to Rhox5, including those encoding proteins controlling cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, metabolism, and cell-cell interactions. Fifteen of these Rhox5-regulated genes were chosen for further analysis. Analysis of Rhox5-null male mice indicated that at least nine of these are Rhox5-regulated in the testes in vivo. Many of them have distinct postnatal expression patterns and are regulated by Rhox5 at different postnatal time points. Most of them are expressed in Sertoli cells, indicating that they are candidates to be directly regulated by Rhox5. Transfection analysis with expression vectors encoding different mouse and human Rhox family members revealed that the regulatory response of a subset of these Rhox5-regulated genes is both conserved and redundant. Given that Rhox5 depends on androgen receptor (AR) for expression in Sertoli cells, we examined whether some Rhox5-regulated genes are also regulated by AR. We provide several lines of evidence that this is the case, leading us to propose that RHOX5 serves as a key intermediate transcription factor that directs some of the actions of AR in the testes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiying Hu
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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49
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van Amerongen R, Nusse R. Towards an integrated view of Wnt signaling in development. Development 2009; 136:3205-14. [PMID: 19736321 DOI: 10.1242/dev.033910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 895] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Wnt signaling is crucial for embryonic development in all animal species studied to date. The interaction between Wnt proteins and cell surface receptors can result in a variety of intracellular responses. A key remaining question is how these specific responses take shape in the context of a complex, multicellular organism. Recent studies suggest that we have to revise some of our most basic ideas about Wnt signal transduction. Rather than thinking about Wnt signaling in terms of distinct, linear, cellular signaling pathways, we propose a novel view that considers the integration of multiple, often simultaneous, inputs at the level of both Wnt-receptor binding and the downstream, intracellular response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renée van Amerongen
- Department of Developmental Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Beckman Center, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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50
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Prakash N, Puelles E, Freude K, Trümbach D, Omodei D, Di Salvio M, Sussel L, Ericson J, Sander M, Simeone A, Wurst W. Nkx6-1 controls the identity and fate of red nucleus and oculomotor neurons in the mouse midbrain. Development 2009; 136:2545-55. [PMID: 19592574 PMCID: PMC2729334 DOI: 10.1242/dev.031781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/21/2009] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about the cues controlling the generation of motoneuron populations in the mammalian ventral midbrain. We show that Otx2 provides the crucial anterior-posterior positional information for the generation of red nucleus neurons in the murine midbrain. Moreover, the homeodomain transcription factor Nkx6-1 controls the proper development of the red nucleus and of the oculomotor and trochlear nucleus neurons. Nkx6-1 is expressed in ventral midbrain progenitors and acts as a fate determinant of the Brn3a(+) (also known as Pou4f1) red nucleus neurons. These progenitors are partially dorsalized in the absence of Nkx6-1, and a fraction of their postmitotic offspring adopts an alternative cell fate, as revealed by the activation of Dbx1 and Otx2 in these cells. Nkx6-1 is also expressed in postmitotic Isl1(+) oculomotor and trochlear neurons. Similar to hindbrain visceral (branchio-) motoneurons, Nkx6-1 controls the proper migration and axon outgrowth of these neurons by regulating the expression of at least three axon guidance/neuronal migration molecules. Based on these findings, we provide additional evidence that the developmental mechanism of the oculomotor and trochlear neurons exhibits more similarity with that of special visceral motoneurons than with that controlling the generation of somatic motoneurons located in the murine caudal hindbrain and spinal cord.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilima Prakash
- Helmholtz Centre Munich, German Research Centre for Environmental Health (GmbH) and Technical University Munich, Institute of Developmental Genetics, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Munich/Neuherberg, Germany.
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