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Bai CW, Lu L, Zhang JN, Zhou C, Ni YC, Li KR, Yao J, Zhou XZ, Lan CG, Cao C. G protein subunit alpha i2's pivotal role in angiogenesis. Theranostics 2024; 14:2190-2209. [PMID: 38505600 PMCID: PMC10945342 DOI: 10.7150/thno.92909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Here we explored the potential role of Gαi2 (G protein subunit alpha i2) in endothelial cell function and angiogenesis. Methods: Genetic methodologies such as shRNA, CRISPR/Cas9, dominant negative mutation, and overexpression were utilized to modify Gαi2 expression or regulate its function. Their effects on endothelial cell functions were assessed in vitro. In vivo, the endothelial-specific Gαi2 shRNA adeno-associated virus (AAV) was utilized to silence Gαi2 expression. The impact of this suppression on retinal angiogenesis in control mice and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic retinopathy (DR) mice was analyzed. Results: Analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing data revealed Gαi2 (GNAI2) was predominantly expressed in retinal endothelial cells and expression was increased in retinal endothelial cells following oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) in mice. Moreover, transcriptome analysis linking Gαi2 to angiogenesis-related processes/pathways, supported by increased Gαi2 expression in experimental OIR mouse retinas, highlighted its possible role in angiogenesis. In various endothelial cell types, shRNA-induced silencing and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout (KO) of Gαi2 resulted in substantial reductions in cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and capillary tube formation. Conversely, Gαi2 over-expression in endothelial cells induced pro-angiogenic activities, enhancing cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and capillary tube formation. Furthermore, our investigation revealed a crucial role of Gαi2 in NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells) activation, as evidenced by the down-regulation of NFAT-luciferase reporter activity and pro-angiogenesis NFAT-targeted genes (Egr3, CXCR7, and RND1) in Gαi2-silenced or -KO HUVECs, which were up-regulated in Gαi2-overexpressing endothelial cells. Expression of a dominant negative Gαi2 mutation (S48C) also down-regulated NFAT-targeted genes, slowing proliferation, migration, invasion, and capillary tube formation in HUVECs. Importantly, in vivo experiments revealed that endothelial Gαi2 knockdown inhibited retinal angiogenesis in mice, with a concomitant down-regulation of NFAT-targeted genes in mouse retinal tissue. In contrast, Gαi2 over-expression in endothelial cells enhanced retinal angiogenesis in mice. Single-cell RNA sequencing data confirmed increased levels of Gαi2 specifically in retinal endothelial cells of mice with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic retinopathy (DR). Importantly, endothelial Gαi2 silencing ameliorated retinal pathological angiogenesis in DR mice. Conclusion: Our study highlights a critical role for Gαi2 in NFAT activation, endothelial cell activation and angiogenesis, offering valuable insights into potential therapeutic strategies for modulating these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-wen Bai
- Department of Orthopedics, Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Institution of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Department of Joint Surgery and Geriatric Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University for Nationalities, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research of Bone and Joint Degenerative Diseases, Guangxi Biomedical Materials Engineering Research Center for Bone and Joint Degenerative Diseases, Baise City, China
| | - Jia-nan Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Institution of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Chengyu Zhou
- Department of Neuroscience, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
| | - Yi-chao Ni
- Department of Orthopedics, Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Institution of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Ke-ran Li
- The Fourth Medical School, Eye hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jin Yao
- The Fourth Medical School, Eye hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiao-zhong Zhou
- Department of Orthopedics, Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Institution of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Chang-gong Lan
- Department of Joint Surgery and Geriatric Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University for Nationalities, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research of Bone and Joint Degenerative Diseases, Guangxi Biomedical Materials Engineering Research Center for Bone and Joint Degenerative Diseases, Baise City, China
| | - Cong Cao
- Department of Orthopedics, Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Institution of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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Zhang K, Aung T, Yao E, Chuang PT. Lung patterning: Is a distal-to-proximal gradient of cell allocation and fate decision a general paradigm?: A gradient of distal-to-proximal distribution and differentiation of tip progenitors produces distinct compartments in the lung. Bioessays 2024; 46:e2300083. [PMID: 38010492 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202300083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies support a model in which the progeny of SOX9+ epithelial progenitors at the distal tip of lung branches undergo cell allocation and differentiation sequentially along the distal-to-proximal axis. Concomitant with the elongation and ramification of lung branches, the descendants of the distal SOX9+ progenitors are distributed proximally, express SOX2, and differentiate into cell types in the conducting airways. Amid subsequent sacculation, the distal SOX9+ progenitors generate alveolar epithelial cells to form alveoli. Sequential cell allocation and differentiation are integrated with the branching process to generate a functional branching organ. This review focuses on the roles of SOX9+ cells as precursors for new branches, as the source of various cell types in the conducting airways, and as progenitors of the alveolar epithelium. All of these processes are controlled by multiple signaling pathways. Many mouse mutants with defective lung branching contain underlying defects in one or more steps of cell allocation and differentiation of SOX9+ progenitors. This model provides a framework to understand the molecular basis of lung phenotypes and to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of lung patterning. It builds a foundation on which comparing and contrasting the mechanisms employed by different branching organs in diverse species can be made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuan Zhang
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Thin Aung
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Erica Yao
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Pao-Tien Chuang
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
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Major AT, Estermann MA, Smith CA. Anatomy, Endocrine Regulation, and Embryonic Development of the Rete Testis. Endocrinology 2021; 162:6154516. [PMID: 33661305 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqab046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Reproduction in males requires the transfer of spermatozoa from testis tubules via the rete system to the efferent ductules, epididymis, and vas deferens. The rete therefore forms an essential bridging system between the testis and excurrent ducts. Yet the embryonic origin and molecular regulation of rete testis development is poorly understood. This review examines the anatomy, endocrine control, and development of the mammalian rete testis, focusing on recent findings on its molecular regulation, identifying gaps in our knowledge, and identifying areas for future research. The rete testis develops in close association with Sertoli cells of the seminiferous cords, although unique molecular markers are sparce. Most recently, modern molecular approaches such as global RNA-seq have revealed the transcriptional signature of rete cell precursors, pointing to at least a partial common origin with Sertoli cells. In the mouse, genes involved in Sertoli cell development or maintenance, such as Sox9, Wt1, Sf1, and Dmrt1, are also expressed in cells of the rete system. Rete progenitor cells also express unique markers, such as Pax8, E-cadherin, and keratin 8. These must directly or indirectly regulate the physical joining of testis tubules to the efferent duct system and confer other physiological functions of the rete. The application of technologies such as single-cell RNA-seq will clarify the origin and developmental trajectory of this essential component of the male reproductive tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T Major
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedical Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Martin A Estermann
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedical Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Craig A Smith
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedical Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
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Gorgoń S, Świątek P. The apical cell - An enigmatic somatic cell in leech ovaries - Structure and putative functions. Dev Biol 2020; 469:111-124. [PMID: 33141038 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.10.004] [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: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Although somatic cells play an integral role in animal gametogenesis, their organization and function are usually poorly characterized, especially in non-model systems. One such example is a peculiar cell found in leech ovaries - the apical cell (AC). A single AC can be found at the apical tip of each ovary cord, the functional unit of leech ovaries, where it is surrounded by other somatic and germline cells. The AC is easily distinguished due to its enormous size and its numerous long cytoplasmic projections that penetrate the space between neighboring cells. It is also characterized by a prominent accumulation of mitochondria, Golgi complexes and electron-dense vesicles. ACs are also enriched in cytoskeleton, mainly in form of intermediate filaments. Additionally, the AC is connected to neighboring cells via junctions that structurally resemble hemidesmosomes. In spite of numerous descriptive data about the AC, its functions remain poorly understood. Its suggested functions include a role in forming skeleton for the germline cells, and a role in defining a niche for germline stem cells. The latter is more speculative, since germline stem cells have not been identified in leech ovaries. Somatic cells with similar morphological properties to those of the AC have been found in gonads of nematodes - the distal tip cell - and in insects - Verson's cell, hub cells and cap cells. In the present article we summarize information about the AC structure and its putative functions. AC is compared with other well-described somatic cells with potentially similar roles in gametogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szymon Gorgoń
- University of Silesia in Katowice, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Bankowa 9, 40-032, Katowice, Poland; Umeå University, Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Surgery, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Piotr Świątek
- University of Silesia in Katowice, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Bankowa 9, 40-032, Katowice, Poland
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Cohen E, Sawyer JK, Peterson NG, Dow JAT, Fox DT. Physiology, Development, and Disease Modeling in the Drosophila Excretory System. Genetics 2020; 214:235-264. [PMID: 32029579 PMCID: PMC7017010 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The insect excretory system contains two organ systems acting in concert: the Malpighian tubules and the hindgut perform essential roles in excretion and ionic and osmotic homeostasis. For over 350 years, these two organs have fascinated biologists as a model of organ structure and function. As part of a recent surge in interest, research on the Malpighian tubules and hindgut of Drosophila have uncovered important paradigms of organ physiology and development. Further, many human disease processes can be modeled in these organs. Here, focusing on discoveries in the past 10 years, we provide an overview of the anatomy and physiology of the Drosophila excretory system. We describe the major developmental events that build these organs during embryogenesis, remodel them during metamorphosis, and repair them following injury. Finally, we highlight the use of the Malpighian tubules and hindgut as accessible models of human disease biology. The Malpighian tubule is a particularly excellent model to study rapid fluid transport, neuroendocrine control of renal function, and modeling of numerous human renal conditions such as kidney stones, while the hindgut provides an outstanding model for processes such as the role of cell chirality in development, nonstem cell-based injury repair, cancer-promoting processes, and communication between the intestine and nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jessica K Sawyer
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, and
| | | | - Julian A T Dow
- Institute of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Donald T Fox
- Department of Cell Biology and
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, and
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Abstract
During morphogenesis, epithelial tubes elongate. In the case of the mammalian lung, biased elongation has been linked to a bias in cell shape and cell division, but it has remained unclear whether a bias in cell shape along the axis of outgrowth is sufficient for biased outgrowth and how it arises. Here, we use our 2D cell-based tissue simulation software [Formula: see text] to investigate the conditions for biased epithelial outgrowth. We show that the observed bias in cell shape and cell division can result in the observed bias in outgrowth only in the case of strong cortical tension, and comparison to biological data suggests that the cortical tension in epithelia is likely sufficient. We explore mechanisms that may result in the observed bias in cell division and cell shapes. To this end, we test the possibility that the surrounding tissue or extracellular matrix acts as a mechanical constraint that biases growth in the longitudinal direction. While external compressive forces can result in the observed bias in outgrowth, we find that they do not result in the observed bias in cell shapes. We conclude that other mechanisms must exist that generate the bias in lung epithelial outgrowth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Stopka
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Switzerland. Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Mattenstrasse 26, 4053 Basel, Switzerland
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Chen W, Xia P, Wang H, Tu J, Liang X, Zhang X, Li L. The endothelial tip-stalk cell selection and shuffling during angiogenesis. J Cell Commun Signal 2019; 13:291-301. [PMID: 30903604 DOI: 10.1007/s12079-019-00511-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis is a critical, fine-tuned, multi-staged biological process. Tip-stalk cell selection and shuffling are the building blocks of sprouting angiogenesis. Accumulated evidences show that tip-stalk cell selection and shuffling are regulated by a variety of physical, chemical and biological factors, especially the interaction among multiple genes, their products and environments. The classic Notch-VEGFR, Slit-Robo, ECM-binding integrin, semaphorin and CCN family play important roles in tip-stalk cell selection and shuffling. In this review, we outline the progress and prospect in the mechanism and the roles of the various molecules and related signaling pathways in endothelial tip-stalk cell selection and shuffling. In the future, the regulators of tip-stalk cell selection and shuffling would be the potential markers and targets for angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqi Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Pathobiology, Ministry of Education, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Peng Xia
- Department of Anesthesia, Jilin Provincial People's Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Heping Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical School, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jihao Tu
- The Key Laboratory of Pathobiology, Ministry of Education, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xinyue Liang
- The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaoling Zhang
- The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China. .,Institute of Immunology, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
| | - Lisha Li
- The Key Laboratory of Pathobiology, Ministry of Education, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
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Venhuizen JH, Zegers MM. Making Heads or Tails of It: Cell-Cell Adhesion in Cellular and Supracellular Polarity in Collective Migration. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2017; 9:cshperspect.a027854. [PMID: 28246177 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a027854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Collective cell migration is paramount to morphogenesis and contributes to the pathogenesis of cancer. To migrate directionally and reach their site of destination, migrating cells must distinguish a front and a rear. In addition to polarizing individually, cell-cell interactions in collectively migrating cells give rise to a higher order of polarity, which allows them to move as a supracellular unit. Rather than just conferring adhesion, emerging evidence indicates that cadherin-based adherens junctions intrinsically polarize the cluster and relay mechanical signals to establish both intracellular and supracellular polarity. In this review, we discuss the various functions of adherens junctions in polarity of migrating cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan-Hendrik Venhuizen
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Mirjam M Zegers
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Abstract
My aim in this article is to soften certain rigid concepts concerning the radial and bilateral symmetry of the animal body plan, and to offer a more flexible framework of thinking for them, based on recent understandings of how morphogenesis is regulated by the mosaically acting gene regulatory networks. Based on general principles of the genetic regulation of morphogenesis, it can be seen that the difference between the symmetry of the whole body and that of minor anatomical structures is only a question of a diverse timing during development. I propose that the animal genome, as such, is capable of expressing both radial and bilateral symmetries, and deploys them according to the functional requirements which must be satisfied by both the anatomical structure and body as a whole. Although it may seem paradoxical, this flexible view of symmetry, together with the idea that symmetry is strongly determined by function, bolsters the concept that the presence of the two main symmetries in the animal world is not due to chance: they are necessary biological patterns emerging in evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gábor Holló
- Institute of Psychology , University of Debrecen , PO Box 28, 4010 Debrecen , Hungary
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Collective cell migration: guidance principles and hierarchies. Trends Cell Biol 2015; 25:556-66. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2015.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 227] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2015] [Revised: 05/21/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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