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Moss C, Vacca B, Arnold J, Hubens C, Lynch DM, Pegge J, Green MAR, Hosie CA, Smith TE, Green JBA. A double ovulation protocol for Xenopus laevis produces doubled fertilisation yield and moderately transiently elevated corticosterone levels without loss of egg quality. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299179. [PMID: 39028705 PMCID: PMC11259257 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The African claw-toed frog, Xenopus laevis, is a well-established laboratory model for the biology of vertebrate oogenesis, fertilisation, and development at embryonic, larval, and metamorphic stages. For ovulation, X. laevis females are usually injected with chorionic gonadotropin, whereupon they lay typically hundreds to thousands of eggs in a day. After being rested for a minimum of three months, animals are re-used. The literature suggests that adult females can lay much larger numbers of eggs in a short period. Here, we compared the standard "single ovulation" protocol with a "double ovulation" protocol, in which females were ovulated, then re-ovulated after seven days and then rested for three months before re-use. We quantified egg number, fertilisation rate (development to cleavage stage), and corticosterone secretion rate as a measure of stress response for the two protocol groups over seven 3-month cycles. We found no differences in egg number-per-ovulation or egg quality between the groups and no long-term changes in any measures over the 21-month trial period. Corticosterone secretion was elevated by ovulation, similarly for the single ovulation as for the first ovulation in the double-ovulation protocol, but more highly for the second ovulation (to a level comparable to that seen following shipment) in the latter. However, both groups exhibited the same baseline secretion rates by the time of the subsequent cycle. Double ovulation is thus transiently more stressful/demanding than single ovulation but within the levels routinely experienced by laboratory X. laevis. Noting that "stress hormone" corticosterone/cortisol secretion is linked to physiological processes, such as ovulation, that are not necessarily harmful to the individual, we suggest that the benefits of a doubling in egg yield-per-cycle per animal without loss of egg quality or signs of acute or long-term harm may outweigh the relatively modest and transient corticosterone elevation we observed. The double ovulation protocol therefore represents a potential new standard practice for promoting the "3Rs" (animal use reduction, refinement and replacement) mission for Xenopus research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Moss
- Centre for Craniofacial Regeneration and Biology, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Barbara Vacca
- Centre for Craniofacial Regeneration and Biology, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jo Arnold
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Chester, Chester, United Kingdom
| | - Chantal Hubens
- Centre for Craniofacial Regeneration and Biology, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dominic M. Lynch
- Centre for Craniofacial Regeneration and Biology, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - James Pegge
- Centre for Craniofacial Regeneration and Biology, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Charlotte A. Hosie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Chester, Chester, United Kingdom
| | - Tessa E. Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Chester, Chester, United Kingdom
| | - Jeremy B. A. Green
- Centre for Craniofacial Regeneration and Biology, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
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El Mir J, Nasrallah A, Thézé N, Cario M, Fayyad-Kazan H, Thiébaud P, Rezvani HR. Xenopus as a model system for studying pigmentation and pigmentary disorders. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2024. [PMID: 38849973 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.13178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Human pigmentary disorders encompass a broad spectrum of phenotypic changes arising from disruptions in various stages of melanocyte formation, the melanogenesis process, or the transfer of pigment from melanocytes to keratinocytes. A large number of pigmentation genes associated with pigmentary disorders have been identified, many of them awaiting in vivo confirmation. A more comprehensive understanding of the molecular basis of pigmentary disorders requires a vertebrate animal model where changes in pigmentation are easily observable in vivo and can be combined to genomic modifications and gain/loss-of-function tools. Here we present the amphibian Xenopus with its unique features that fulfill these requirements. Changes in pigmentation are particularly easy to score in Xenopus embryos, allowing whole-organism based phenotypic screening. The development and behavior of Xenopus melanocytes closely mimic those observed in mammals. Interestingly, both Xenopus and mammalian skins exhibit comparable reactions to ultraviolet radiation. This review highlights how Xenopus constitutes an alternative and complementary model to the more commonly used mouse and zebrafish, contributing to the advancement of knowledge in melanocyte cell biology and related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joudi El Mir
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, BRIC, UMR 1312, Bordeaux, France
| | - Ali Nasrallah
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, BRIC, UMR 1312, Bordeaux, France
| | - Nadine Thézé
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, BRIC, UMR 1312, Bordeaux, France
| | - Muriel Cario
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, BRIC, UMR 1312, Bordeaux, France
- Aquiderm, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Hussein Fayyad-Kazan
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Molecular Immunology, Lebanese University, Hadath, Lebanon
| | - Pierre Thiébaud
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, BRIC, UMR 1312, Bordeaux, France
| | - Hamid-Reza Rezvani
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, BRIC, UMR 1312, Bordeaux, France
- Aquiderm, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
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3
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Cervino AS, Collodel MG, Lopez IA, Roa C, Hochbaum D, Hukriede NA, Cirio MC. Xenopus Ssbp2 is required for embryonic pronephros morphogenesis and terminal differentiation. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16671. [PMID: 37794075 PMCID: PMC10551014 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43662-1] [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: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The nephron, functional unit of the vertebrate kidney, is specialized in metabolic wastes excretion and body fluids osmoregulation. Given the high evolutionary conservation of gene expression and segmentation patterning between mammalian and amphibian nephrons, the Xenopus laevis pronephric kidney offers a simplified model for studying nephrogenesis. The Lhx1 transcription factor plays several roles during embryogenesis, regulating target genes expression by forming multiprotein complexes with LIM binding protein 1 (Ldb1). However, few Lhx1-Ldb1 cofactors have been identified for kidney organogenesis. By tandem- affinity purification from kidney-induced Xenopus animal caps, we identified single-stranded DNA binding protein 2 (Ssbp2) interacts with the Ldb1-Lhx1 complex. Ssbp2 is expressed in the Xenopus pronephros, and knockdown prevents normal morphogenesis and differentiation of the glomus and the convoluted renal tubules. We demonstrate a role for a member of the Ssbp family in kidney organogenesis and provide evidence of a fundamental function for the Ldb1-Lhx1-Ssbp transcriptional complexes in embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ailen S Cervino
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-CONICET), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria Pabellón II, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariano G Collodel
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-CONICET), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria Pabellón II, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ivan A Lopez
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-CONICET), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria Pabellón II, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carolina Roa
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-CONICET), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria Pabellón II, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniel Hochbaum
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos, Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Neil A Hukriede
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - M Cecilia Cirio
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-CONICET), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria Pabellón II, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Carotenuto R, Pallotta MM, Tussellino M, Fogliano C. Xenopus laevis (Daudin, 1802) as a Model Organism for Bioscience: A Historic Review and Perspective. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:890. [PMID: 37372174 DOI: 10.3390/biology12060890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
In vitro systems have been mainly promoted by authorities to sustain research by following the 3Rs principle, but continuously increasing amounts of evidence point out that in vivo experimentation is also of extreme relevance. Xenopus laevis, an anuran amphibian, is a significant model organism in the study of evolutionary developmental biology, toxicology, ethology, neurobiology, endocrinology, immunology and tumor biology; thanks to the recent development of genome editing, it has also acquired a relevant position in the field of genetics. For these reasons, X. laevis appears to be a powerful and alternative model to the zebrafish for environmental and biomedical studies. Its life cycle, as well as the possibility to obtain gametes from adults during the whole year and embryos by in vitro fertilization, allows experimental studies of several biological endpoints, such as gametogenesis, embryogenesis, larval growth, metamorphosis and, of course, the young and adult stages. Moreover, with respect to alternative invertebrate and even vertebrate animal models, the X. laevis genome displays a higher degree of similarity with that of mammals. Here, we have reviewed the main available literature on the use of X. laevis in the biosciences and, inspired by Feymann's revised view, "Plenty of room for biology at the bottom", suggest that X. laevis is a very useful model for all possible studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Carotenuto
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | | | | | - Chiara Fogliano
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
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Cervino AS, Collodel MG, Lopez IA, Hochbaum D, Hukriede NA, Cirio MC. Xenopus Ssbp2 is required for embryonic pronephros morphogenesis and terminal differentiation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.15.537039. [PMID: 37090653 PMCID: PMC10120741 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.15.537039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
The nephron, functional unit of the vertebrate kidney, is specialized in metabolic wastes excretion and body fluids osmoregulation. Given the high evolutionary conservation of gene expression and segmentation patterning between mammalian and amphibian nephrons, the Xenopus laevis pronephric kidney offers a simplified model for studying nephrogenesis. The Lhx1 transcription factor plays several roles during embryogenesis, regulating target genes expression by forming multiprotein complexes with LIM binding protein 1 (Ldb1). However, few Lhx1-Ldb1 cofactors have been identified for kidney organogenesis. By tandem-affinity purification from kidney-induced Xenopus animal caps, we identified s ingle- s tranded DNA b inding p rotein 2 (Ssbp2) interacts with the Ldb1-Lhx1 complex. Ssbp2 is expressed in the Xenopus pronephros, and knockdown prevents normal morphogenesis and differentiation of the glomus and the convoluted renal tubules. We demonstrate a role for a member of the Ssbp family in kidney organogenesis and provide evidence of a fundamental function for the Ldb1-Lhx1-Ssbp transcriptional complexes in embryonic development.
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6
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Grand K, Stoltz M, Rizzo L, Röck R, Kaminski MM, Salinas G, Getwan M, Naert T, Pichler R, Lienkamp SS. HNF1B Alters an Evolutionarily Conserved Nephrogenic Program of Target Genes. J Am Soc Nephrol 2023; 34:412-432. [PMID: 36522156 PMCID: PMC10103355 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2022010076] [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: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Mutations in hepatocyte nuclear factor-1 β ( HNF1B ) are the most common monogenic causes of congenital renal malformations. HNF1B is necessary to directly reprogram fibroblasts to induced renal tubule epithelial cells (iRECs) and, as we demonstrate, can induce ectopic pronephric tissue in Xenopus ectodermal organoids. Using these two systems, we analyzed the effect of HNF1B mutations found in patients with cystic dysplastic kidney disease. We found cross-species conserved targets of HNF1B, identified transcripts that are differentially regulated by the patient-specific mutant protein, and functionally validated novel HNF1B targets in vivo . These results highlight evolutionarily conserved transcriptional mechanisms and provide insights into the genetic circuitry of nephrogenesis. BACKGROUND Hepatocyte nuclear factor-1 β (HNF1B) is an essential transcription factor during embryogenesis. Mutations in HNF1B are the most common monogenic causes of congenital cystic dysplastic renal malformations. The direct functional consequences of mutations in HNF1B on its transcriptional activity are unknown. METHODS Direct reprogramming of mouse fibroblasts to induced renal tubular epithelial cells was conducted both with wild-type HNF1B and with patient mutations. HNF1B was expressed in Xenopus ectodermal explants. Transcriptomic analysis by bulk RNA-Seq identified conserved targets with differentially regulated expression by the wild-type or R295C mutant. CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in Xenopus embryos evaluated transcriptional targets in vivo . RESULTS HNF1B is essential for reprogramming mouse fibroblasts to induced renal tubular epithelial cells and induces development of ectopic renal organoids from pluripotent Xenopus cells. The mutation R295C retains reprogramming and inductive capacity but alters the expression of specific sets of downstream target genes instead of diminishing overall transcriptional activity of HNF1B. Surprisingly, targets associated with polycystic kidney disease were less affected than genes affected in congenital renal anomalies. Cross-species-conserved transcriptional targets were dysregulated in hnf1b CRISPR-depleted Xenopus embryos, confirming their dependence on hnf1b . CONCLUSIONS HNF1B activates an evolutionarily conserved program of target genes that disease-causing mutations selectively disrupt. These findings provide insights into the renal transcriptional network that controls nephrogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelli Grand
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martine Stoltz
- The University Medical Center Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ludovica Rizzo
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ruth Röck
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael M. Kaminski
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Maike Getwan
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Naert
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roman Pichler
- The University Medical Center Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Soeren S. Lienkamp
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- The University Medical Center Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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7
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Durant-Vesga J, Suzuki N, Ochi H, Le Bouffant R, Eschstruth A, Ogino H, Umbhauer M, Riou JF. Retinoic acid control of pax8 during renal specification of Xenopus pronephros involves hox and meis3. Dev Biol 2023; 493:17-28. [PMID: 36279927 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.10.009] [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: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Development of the Xenopus pronephros relies on renal precursors grouped at neurula stage into a specific region of dorso-lateral mesoderm called the kidney field. Formation of the kidney field at early neurula stage is dependent on retinoic (RA) signaling acting upstream of renal master transcriptional regulators such as pax8 or lhx1. Although lhx1 might be a direct target of RA-mediated transcriptional activation in the kidney field, how RA controls the emergence of the kidney field remains poorly understood. In order to better understand RA control of renal specification of the kidney field, we have performed a transcriptomic profiling of genes affected by RA disruption in lateral mesoderm explants isolated prior to the emergence of the kidney field and cultured at different time points until early neurula stage. Besides genes directly involved in pronephric development (pax8, lhx1, osr2, mecom), hox (hoxa1, a3, b3, b4, c5 and d1) and the hox co-factor meis3 appear as a prominent group of genes encoding transcription factors (TFs) downstream of RA. Supporting the idea of a role of meis3 in the kidney field, we have observed that meis3 depletion results in a severe inhibition of pax8 expression in the kidney field. Meis3 depletion only marginally affects expression of lhx1 and aldh1a2 suggesting that meis3 principally acts upstream of pax8. Further arguing for a role of meis3 and hox in the control of pax8, expression of a combination of meis3, hoxb4 and pbx1 in animal caps induces pax8 expression, but not that of lhx1. The same combination of TFs is also able to transactivate a previously identified pax8 enhancer, Pax8-CNS1. Mutagenesis of potential PBX-Hox binding motifs present in Pax8-CNS1 further allows to identify two of them that are necessary for transactivation. Finally, we have tested deletions of regulatory sequences in reporter assays with a previously characterized transgene encompassing 36.5 kb of the X. tropicalis pax8 gene that allows expression of a truncated pax8-GFP fusion protein recapitulating endogenous pax8 expression. This transgene includes three conserved pax8 enhancers, Pax8-CNS1, Pax8-CNS2 and Pax8-CNS3. Deletion of Pax8-CNS1 alone does not affect reporter expression, but deletion of a 3.5 kb region encompassing Pax8-CNS1 and Pax8-CNS2 results in a severe inhibition of reporter expression both in the otic placode and kidney field domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Durant-Vesga
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, IBPS, Laboratoire de Biologie Du Développement, UMR7622, 9, Quai Saint-Bernard, 75252, Paris, Cedex05, France
| | - Nanoka Suzuki
- Institute for Promotion of Medical Science Research, Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata University, 2-2-2 Iida-Nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan; Amphibian Research Center / Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagami-yama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan
| | - Haruki Ochi
- Institute for Promotion of Medical Science Research, Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata University, 2-2-2 Iida-Nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan
| | - Ronan Le Bouffant
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, IBPS, Laboratoire de Biologie Du Développement, UMR7622, 9, Quai Saint-Bernard, 75252, Paris, Cedex05, France
| | - Alexis Eschstruth
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, IBPS, Laboratoire de Biologie Du Développement, UMR7622, 9, Quai Saint-Bernard, 75252, Paris, Cedex05, France
| | - Hajime Ogino
- Amphibian Research Center / Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagami-yama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan
| | - Muriel Umbhauer
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, IBPS, Laboratoire de Biologie Du Développement, UMR7622, 9, Quai Saint-Bernard, 75252, Paris, Cedex05, France
| | - Jean-François Riou
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, IBPS, Laboratoire de Biologie Du Développement, UMR7622, 9, Quai Saint-Bernard, 75252, Paris, Cedex05, France.
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8
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Corkins ME, Achieng M, DeLay BD, Krneta-Stankic V, Cain MP, Walker BL, Chen J, Lindström NO, Miller RK. A comparative study of cellular diversity between the Xenopus pronephric and mouse metanephric nephron. Kidney Int 2023; 103:77-86. [PMID: 36055600 PMCID: PMC9822858 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2022.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The kidney is an essential organ that ensures bodily fluid homeostasis and removes soluble waste products from the organism. Nephrons, the functional units of the kidney, comprise a blood filter, the glomerulus or glomus, and an epithelial tubule that processes the filtrate from the blood or coelom and selectively reabsorbs solutes, such as sugars, proteins, ions, and water, leaving waste products to be eliminated in the urine. Genes coding for transporters are segmentally expressed, enabling the nephron to sequentially process the filtrate. The Xenopus embryonic kidney, the pronephros, which consists of a single large nephron, has served as a valuable model to identify genes involved in nephron formation and patterning. Therefore, the developmental patterning program that generates these segments is of great interest. Prior work has defined the gene expression profiles of Xenopus nephron segments via in situ hybridization strategies, but a comprehensive understanding of the cellular makeup of the pronephric kidney remains incomplete. Here, we carried out single-cell mRNA sequencing of the functional Xenopus pronephric nephron and evaluated its cellular composition through comparative analyses with previous Xenopus studies and single-cell mRNA sequencing of the adult mouse kidney. This study reconstructs the cellular makeup of the pronephric kidney and identifies conserved cells, segments, and associated gene expression profiles. Thus, our data highlight significant conservation in podocytes, proximal and distal tubule cells, and divergence in cellular composition underlying the capacity of each nephron to remove wastes in the form of urine, while emphasizing the Xenopus pronephros as a model for physiology and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark E Corkins
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Research Center, McGovern Medical School, UTHealth Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
| | - MaryAnne Achieng
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Bridget D DeLay
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Research Center, McGovern Medical School, UTHealth Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Vanja Krneta-Stankic
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Research Center, McGovern Medical School, UTHealth Houston, Houston, Texas, USA; Program in Genes and Development, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Margo P Cain
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Brandy L Walker
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Research Center, McGovern Medical School, UTHealth Houston, Houston, Texas, USA; Program in Genetics and Epigenetics, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jichao Chen
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA; Program in Genetics and Epigenetics, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Nils O Lindström
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Rachel K Miller
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Research Center, McGovern Medical School, UTHealth Houston, Houston, Texas, USA; Program in Genetics and Epigenetics, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas, USA; Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA; Program in Biochemistry and Cell Biology, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas, USA.
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9
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Boettcher S, Simons M. Model organisms for functional validation in genetic renal disease. MED GENET-BERLIN 2022; 34:287-296. [PMID: 38836086 PMCID: PMC11006349 DOI: 10.1515/medgen-2022-2162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Functional validation is key for establishing new disease genes in human genetics. Over the years, model organisms have been utilized in a very effective manner to prove causality of genes or genetic variants for a wide variety of diseases. Also in hereditary renal disease, model organisms are very helpful for functional validation of candidate genes and variants identified by next-generation sequencing strategies and for obtaining insights into the pathophysiology. Due to high genetic conservation as well as high anatomical and physiological similarities with the human kidney, almost all genetic kidney diseases can be studied in the mouse. However, mouse work is time consuming and expensive, so there is a need for alternative models. In this review, we will provide an overview of model organisms used in renal research, focusing on mouse, zebrafish, frog, and fruit flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Boettcher
- Sektion Nephrogenetik, Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matias Simons
- Sektion Nephrogenetik, Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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10
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Adrenergic receptor signaling induced by Klf15, a regulator of regeneration enhancer, promotes kidney reconstruction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2204338119. [PMID: 35939709 PMCID: PMC9388080 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2204338119] [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: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the recent discovery of tissue regeneration enhancers in highly regenerative animals, upstream and downstream genetic programs connected by these enhancers still remain unclear. Here, we performed a genome-wide analysis of enhancers and associated genes in regenerating nephric tubules of Xenopus laevis. Putative enhancers were identified using assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) and H3K27ac chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) analyses. Their target genes were predicted based on their proximity to enhancers on genomic DNA and consistency of their transcriptome profiles to ATAC-seq/ChIP-seq profiles of the enhancers. Motif enrichment analysis identified the central role of Krüppel-like factors (Klf) in the enhancer. Klf15, a member of the Klf family, directly binds enhancers and stimulates expression of regenerative genes, including adrenoreceptor alpha 1A (adra1a), whereas inhibition of Klf15 activity results in failure of nephric tubule regeneration. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of Adra1a-signaling suppresses nephric tubule regeneration, while its activation promotes nephric tubule regeneration and restores organ size. These results indicate that Klf15-dependent adrenergic receptor signaling through regeneration enhancers plays a central role in the genetic network for kidney regeneration.
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11
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Massé K, Bhamra S, Paroissin C, Maneta-Peyret L, Boué-Grabot E, Jones EA. The enpp4 ectonucleotidase regulates kidney patterning signalling networks in Xenopus embryos. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1158. [PMID: 34620987 PMCID: PMC8497618 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02688-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The enpp ectonucleotidases regulate lipidic and purinergic signalling pathways by controlling the extracellular concentrations of purines and bioactive lipids. Although both pathways are key regulators of kidney physiology and linked to human renal pathologies, their roles during nephrogenesis remain poorly understood. We previously showed that the pronephros was a major site of enpp expression and now demonstrate an unsuspected role for the conserved vertebrate enpp4 protein during kidney formation in Xenopus. Enpp4 over-expression results in ectopic renal tissues and, on rare occasion, complete mini-duplication of the entire kidney. Enpp4 is required and sufficient for pronephric markers expression and regulates the expression of RA, Notch and Wnt pathway members. Enpp4 is a membrane protein that binds, without hydrolyzing, phosphatidylserine and its effects are mediated by the receptor s1pr5, although not via the generation of S1P. Finally, we propose a novel and non-catalytic mechanism by which lipidic signalling regulates nephrogenesis. Massé and colleagues identify enpp4 as a key regulator in the development of the kidney in Xenopus. The gene signalling pathways regulated by this ectonucleotidase are described and lipidic signalling regulatory mechanisms are explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Massé
- School of Life Sciences, Warwick University, Coventry, CV47AL, UK. .,Université de Bordeaux, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, F-33000, Bordeaux, France. .,CNRS, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, F-33000, Bordeaux, France.
| | - Surinder Bhamra
- School of Life Sciences, Warwick University, Coventry, CV47AL, UK
| | - Christian Paroissin
- Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, Laboratoire de Mathématiques et de leurs Applications-UMR CNRS 5142, 64013, Pau cedex, France
| | - Lilly Maneta-Peyret
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biogenèse Membranaire UMR 5200, F-33800, Villenave d'Ornon, France
| | - Eric Boué-Grabot
- Université de Bordeaux, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, F-33000, Bordeaux, France.,CNRS, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, F-33000, Bordeaux, France
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12
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Exner CRT, Willsey HR. Xenopus leads the way: Frogs as a pioneering model to understand the human brain. Genesis 2021; 59:e23405. [PMID: 33369095 PMCID: PMC8130472 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
From its long history in the field of embryology to its recent advances in genetics, Xenopus has been an indispensable model for understanding the human brain. Foundational studies that gave us our first insights into major embryonic patterning events serve as a crucial backdrop for newer avenues of investigation into organogenesis and organ function. The vast array of tools available in Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis allows interrogation of developmental phenomena at all levels, from the molecular to the behavioral, and the application of CRISPR technology has enabled the investigation of human disorder risk genes in a higher-throughput manner. As the only major tetrapod model in which all developmental stages are easily manipulated and observed, frogs provide the unique opportunity to study organ development from the earliest stages. All of these features make Xenopus a premier model for studying the development of the brain, a notoriously complex process that demands an understanding of all stages from fertilization to organogenesis and beyond. Importantly, core processes of brain development are conserved between Xenopus and human, underlining the advantages of this model. This review begins by summarizing discoveries made in amphibians that form the cornerstones of vertebrate neurodevelopmental biology and goes on to discuss recent advances that have catapulted our understanding of brain development in Xenopus and in relation to human development and disease. As we engage in a new era of patient-driven gene discovery, Xenopus offers exceptional potential to uncover conserved biology underlying human brain disorders and move towards rational drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron R T Exner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, 94143, USA
| | - Helen Rankin Willsey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, 94143, USA
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13
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Walentek P. Xenopus epidermal and endodermal epithelia as models for mucociliary epithelial evolution, disease, and metaplasia. Genesis 2021; 59:e23406. [PMID: 33400364 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The Xenopus embryonic epidermis is a powerful model to study mucociliary biology, development, and disease. Particularly, the Xenopus system is being used to elucidate signaling pathways, transcription factor functions, and morphogenetic mechanisms regulating cell fate specification, differentiation and cell function. Thereby, Xenopus research has provided significant insights into potential underlying molecular mechanisms for ciliopathies and chronic airway diseases. Recent studies have also established the embryonic epidermis as a model for mucociliary epithelial remodeling, multiciliated cell trans-differentiation, cilia loss, and mucus secretion. Additionally, the tadpole foregut epithelium is lined by a mucociliary epithelium, which shows remarkable features resembling mammalian airway epithelia, including its endodermal origin and a variable cell type composition along the proximal-distal axis. This review aims to summarize the advantages of the Xenopus epidermis for mucociliary epithelial biology and disease modeling. Furthermore, the potential of the foregut epithelium as novel mucociliary model system is being highlighted. Additional perspectives are presented on how to expand the range of diseases that can be modeled in the frog system, including proton pump inhibitor-associated pneumonia as well as metaplasia in epithelial cells of the airway and the gastroesophageal region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Walentek
- Renal Division, Department of Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg University Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany.,CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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14
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Schwenty-Lara J, Pauli S, Borchers A. Using Xenopus to analyze neurocristopathies like Kabuki syndrome. Genesis 2020; 59:e23404. [PMID: 33351273 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23404] [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: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Neurocristopathies are human congenital syndromes that arise from defects in neural crest (NC) development and are typically associated with malformations of the craniofacial skeleton. Genetic analyses have been very successful in identifying pathogenic mutations, however, model organisms are required to characterize how these mutations affect embryonic development thereby leading to complex clinical conditions. The African clawed frog Xenopus laevis provides a broad range of in vivo and in vitro tools allowing for a detailed characterization of NC development. Due to the conserved nature of craniofacial morphogenesis in vertebrates, Xenopus is an efficient and versatile system to dissect the morphological and cellular phenotypes as well as the signaling events leading to NC defects. Here, we review a set of techniques and resources how Xenopus can be used as a disease model to investigate the pathogenesis of Kabuki syndrome and neurocristopathies in a wider sense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janina Schwenty-Lara
- Department of Biology, Molecular Embryology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Silke Pauli
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Annette Borchers
- Department of Biology, Molecular Embryology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,DFG Research Training Group, Membrane Plasticity in Tissue Development and Remodeling, GRK 2213, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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15
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Lametschwandtner A, Minnich B. Renal microvasculature in the adult pipid frog, Xenopus laevis: A scanning electron microscope study of vascular corrosion casts. J Morphol 2020; 281:725-736. [PMID: 32374496 PMCID: PMC7383921 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
We studied the opisthonephric (mesonephric) kidneys of adult male and female Xenopus laevis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of vascular corrosion casts and light microscopy of paraplast embedded tissue sections. Both techniques displayed glomeruli from ventral to mid-dorsal regions of the kidneys with single glomeruli located dorsally close beneath the renal capsule. Glomeruli in general were fed by a single afferent arteriole and drained via a single thinner efferent arteriole into peritubular vessels. Light microscopy and SEM of vascular corrosion casts revealed sphincters at the origins of afferent arterioles, which arose closely, spaced from their parent renal arteries. The second source of renal blood supply via renal portal veins varied interindividually in branching patterns with vessels showing up to five branching orders before they became peritubular vessels. Main trunks and their first- and second-order branches revealed clear longish endothelial cell nuclei imprint patterns oriented parallel to the vessels longitudinal axis, a pattern characteristic for arteries. Peritubular vessels had irregular contours and were never seen as clear cylindrical structures. They ran rather parallel, anastomosed with neighbors and changed into renal venules and veins, which finally emptied into the ventrally located posterior caval vein. A third source of blood supply of the peritubular vessels by straight terminal portions of renal arteries (vasa recta) was not found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alois Lametschwandtner
- Department of BiosciencesUniversity of Salzburg, Vascular and Exercise Biology Research GroupSalzburgAustria
| | - Bernd Minnich
- Department of BiosciencesUniversity of Salzburg, Vascular and Exercise Biology Research GroupSalzburgAustria
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16
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Suzuki N, Ochi H. Regeneration enhancers: A clue to reactivation of developmental genes. Dev Growth Differ 2020; 62:343-354. [PMID: 32096563 PMCID: PMC7383998 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
During tissue and organ regeneration, cells initially detect damage and then alter nuclear transcription in favor of tissue/organ reconstruction. Until recently, studies of tissue regeneration have focused on the identification of relevant genes. These studies show that many developmental genes are reused during regeneration. Concurrently, comparative genomics studies have shown that the total number of genes does not vastly differ among vertebrate taxa. Moreover, functional analyses of developmental genes using various knockout/knockdown techniques demonstrated that the functions of these genes are conserved among vertebrates. Despite these data, the ability to regenerate damaged body parts varies widely between animals. Thus, it is important to determine how regenerative transcriptional programs are triggered and why animals with low regenerative potential fail to express developmental genes after injury. Recently, we discovered relevant enhancers and named them regeneration signal-response enhancers (RSREs) after identifying their activation mechanisms in a Xenopus laevis transgenic system. In this review, we summarize recent studies of injury/regeneration-associated enhancers and then discuss their mechanisms of activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanoka Suzuki
- Amphibian Research CenterHiroshima UniversityHigashi‐HiroshimaJapan
| | - Haruki Ochi
- Institute for Promotion of Medical Science ResearchFaculty of MedicineYamagata UniversityYamagataJapan
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17
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Burggren W, Bautista N. Invited review: Development of acid-base regulation in vertebrates. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2019; 236:110518. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2019.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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18
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Blanchard C, Boué-Grabot E, Massé K. Comparative Embryonic Spatio-Temporal Expression Profile Map of the Xenopus P2X Receptor Family. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:340. [PMID: 31402854 PMCID: PMC6676501 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
P2X receptors are ATP-gated cations channels formed by the homo or hetero-trimeric association from the seven cloned subunits (P2X1-7). P2X receptors are widely distributed in different organs and cell types throughout the body including the nervous system and are involved in a large variety of physiological but also pathological processes in adult mammals. However, their expression and function during embryogenesis remain poorly understood. Here, we report the cloning and the comparative expression map establishment of the entire P2X subunit family in the clawed frog Xenopus. Orthologous sequences for 6 mammalian P2X subunits were identified in both X. laevis and X. tropicalis, but not for P2X3 subunit, suggesting a potential loss of this subunit in the Pipidae family. Three of these genes (p2rx1, p2rx2, and p2rx5) exist as homeologs in the pseudoallotetraploid X. laevis, making a total of 9 subunits in this species. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrate the high level of conservation of these receptors between amphibian and other vertebrate species. RT-PCR revealed that all subunits are expressed during the development although zygotic p2rx6 and p2rx7 transcripts are mainly detected at late organogenesis stages. Whole mount in situ hybridization shows that each subunit displays a specific spatio-temporal expression profile and that these subunits can therefore be grouped into two groups, based on their expression or not in the developing nervous system. Overlapping expression in the central and peripheral nervous system and in the sensory organs suggests potential heteromerization and/or redundant functions of P2X subunits in Xenopus embryos. The developmental expression of the p2rx subunit family during early phases of embryogenesis indicates that these subunits may have distinct roles during vertebrate development, especially embryonic neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Blanchard
- Université de Bordeaux, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Bordeaux, France
- CNRS, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Bordeaux, France
| | - Eric Boué-Grabot
- Université de Bordeaux, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Bordeaux, France
- CNRS, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Bordeaux, France
| | - Karine Massé
- Université de Bordeaux, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Bordeaux, France
- CNRS, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Bordeaux, France
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19
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Lasser M, Pratt B, Monahan C, Kim SW, Lowery LA. The Many Faces of Xenopus: Xenopus laevis as a Model System to Study Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome. Front Physiol 2019; 10:817. [PMID: 31297068 PMCID: PMC6607408 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00817] [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: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Wolf–Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is a rare developmental disorder characterized by intellectual disability and various physical malformations including craniofacial, skeletal, and cardiac defects. These phenotypes, as they involve structures that are derived from the cranial neural crest, suggest that WHS may be associated with abnormalities in neural crest cell (NCC) migration. This syndrome is linked with assorted mutations on the short arm of chromosome 4, most notably the microdeletion of a critical genomic region containing several candidate genes. However, the function of these genes during embryonic development, as well as the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the disorder, are still unknown. The model organism Xenopus laevis offers a number of advantages for studying WHS. With the Xenopus genome sequenced, genetic manipulation strategies can be readily designed in order to alter the dosage of the WHS candidate genes. Moreover, a variety of assays are available for use in Xenopus to examine how manipulation of WHS genes leads to changes in the development of tissue and organ systems affected in WHS. In this review article, we highlight the benefits of using X. laevis as a model system for studying human genetic disorders of development, with a focus on WHS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micaela Lasser
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
| | - Benjamin Pratt
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
| | - Connor Monahan
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
| | - Seung Woo Kim
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
| | - Laura Anne Lowery
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
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20
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Nenni MJ, Fisher ME, James-Zorn C, Pells TJ, Ponferrada V, Chu S, Fortriede JD, Burns KA, Wang Y, Lotay VS, Wang DZ, Segerdell E, Chaturvedi P, Karimi K, Vize PD, Zorn AM. Xenbase: Facilitating the Use of Xenopus to Model Human Disease. Front Physiol 2019; 10:154. [PMID: 30863320 PMCID: PMC6399412 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
At a fundamental level most genes, signaling pathways, biological functions and organ systems are highly conserved between man and all vertebrate species. Leveraging this conservation, researchers are increasingly using the experimental advantages of the amphibian Xenopus to model human disease. The online Xenopus resource, Xenbase, enables human disease modeling by curating the Xenopus literature published in PubMed and integrating these Xenopus data with orthologous human genes, anatomy, and more recently with links to the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man resource (OMIM) and the Human Disease Ontology (DO). Here we review how Xenbase supports disease modeling and report on a meta-analysis of the published Xenopus research providing an overview of the different types of diseases being modeled in Xenopus and the variety of experimental approaches being used. Text mining of over 50,000 Xenopus research articles imported into Xenbase from PubMed identified approximately 1,000 putative disease- modeling articles. These articles were manually assessed and annotated with disease ontologies, which were then used to classify papers based on disease type. We found that Xenopus is being used to study a diverse array of disease with three main experimental approaches: cell-free egg extracts to study fundamental aspects of cellular and molecular biology, oocytes to study ion transport and channel physiology and embryo experiments focused on congenital diseases. We integrated these data into Xenbase Disease Pages to allow easy navigation to disease information on external databases. Results of this analysis will equip Xenopus researchers with a suite of experimental approaches available to model or dissect a pathological process. Ideally clinicians and basic researchers will use this information to foster collaborations necessary to interrogate the development and treatment of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mardi J Nenni
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Malcolm E Fisher
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Christina James-Zorn
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Troy J Pells
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Virgilio Ponferrada
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Stanley Chu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Joshua D Fortriede
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Kevin A Burns
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Vaneet S Lotay
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Dong Zhou Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Erik Segerdell
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Praneet Chaturvedi
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Kamran Karimi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Peter D Vize
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Aaron M Zorn
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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21
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Suzuki N, Hirano K, Ogino H, Ochi H. Arid3a regulates nephric tubule regeneration via evolutionarily conserved regeneration signal-response enhancers. eLife 2019; 8:43186. [PMID: 30616715 PMCID: PMC6324879 DOI: 10.7554/elife.43186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Amphibians and fish have the ability to regenerate numerous tissues, whereas mammals have a limited regenerative capacity. Despite numerous developmental genes becoming reactivated during regeneration, an extensive analysis is yet to be performed on whether highly regenerative animals utilize unique cis-regulatory elements for the reactivation of genes during regeneration and how such cis-regulatory elements become activated. Here, we screened regeneration signal-response enhancers at the lhx1 locus using Xenopus and found that the noncoding elements conserved from fish to human function as enhancers in the regenerating nephric tubules. A DNA-binding motif of Arid3a, a component of H3K9me3 demethylases, was commonly found in RSREs. Arid3a binds to RSREs and reduces the H3K9me3 levels. It promotes cell cycle progression and causes the outgrowth of nephric tubules, whereas the conditional knockdown of arid3a using photo-morpholino inhibits regeneration. These results suggest that Arid3a contributes to the regeneration of nephric tubules by decreasing H3K9me3 on RSREs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanoka Suzuki
- Institute for Promotion of Medical Science Research, Yamagata University, Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Kodai Hirano
- Institute for Promotion of Medical Science Research, Yamagata University, Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Hajime Ogino
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Higashi-hiroshima, Japan
| | - Haruki Ochi
- Institute for Promotion of Medical Science Research, Yamagata University, Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan
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22
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Kosfeld A, Martens H, Hennies I, Haffner D, Weber RG. Kongenitale Anomalien der Nieren und ableitenden Harnwege (CA KUT). MED GENET-BERLIN 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s11825-018-0226-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Zusammenfassung
Der Begriff CAKUT (Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract) bezeichnet diverse angeborene Fehlbildungen der Nieren und ableitenden Harnwege. Da alle CAKUT-Phänotypen zusammengenommen etwa 15–30 % aller pränatal diagnostizierten Fehlbildungen ausmachen und etwa 40 % der Fälle mit terminalem Nierenversagen bei Kindern und Jugendlichen verursachen, sind diese Anomalien epidemiologisch hochrelevant. Die Diagnosestellung erfolgt mit radiologischen Verfahren, insbesondere mit Ultraschall, wobei bei vielen Patienten eine Kombination verschiedener CAKUT-Phänotypen nachgewiesen wird. CAKUT tritt zu etwa 85 % sporadisch auf, zu etwa 15 % familiär. Das Vererbungsmuster ist häufig dominant, kann aber auch rezessiv sein. CAKUT kann isoliert auftreten, aber auch als Teil einer syndromalen Erkrankung. Variable Expressivität und inkomplette Penetranz sind bei CAKUT häufig. CAKUT ist genetisch sehr heterogen. Im Mausmodell wurden bislang über 180 CAKUT-assoziierte Gene beschrieben. Da Mutationen in den etwa 50 bisher bekannten humanen CAKUT-Genen nur ca. 20 % der CAKUT-Fälle erklären und sich verschiedene chromosomale Aberrationen wie Mikrodeletionen in weiteren ca. 15 % der Patienten insbesondere mit syndromalen CAKUT finden, sind exom-/genomweite Screeningverfahren für die Aufklärung genetischer CAKUT-Ursachen besonders geeignet. Bei sporadischen Fällen ist eine Trio-basierte Analyse der Exome/Genome von Patienten-Eltern-Trios zur Identifizierung von De-novo-Aberrationen und biallelischen Varianten vielversprechend. Eine Abklärung der genetischen Ursache ist für die Präzisierung von Wiederholungsrisiken sowie eine gezielte Untersuchung von CAKUT-Patienten im Hinblick auf extrarenale Phänotypen von klinischer Bedeutung.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Kosfeld
- Aff1 0000 0000 9529 9877 grid.10423.34 Institut für Humangenetik Medizinische Hochschule Hannover Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1 30625 Hannover Deutschland
| | - Helge Martens
- Aff1 0000 0000 9529 9877 grid.10423.34 Institut für Humangenetik Medizinische Hochschule Hannover Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1 30625 Hannover Deutschland
| | - Imke Hennies
- Aff2 0000 0000 9529 9877 grid.10423.34 Klinik für Pädiatrische Nieren-, Leber- und Stoffwechselerkrankungen Medizinische Hochschule Hannover Hannover Deutschland
| | - Dieter Haffner
- Aff2 0000 0000 9529 9877 grid.10423.34 Klinik für Pädiatrische Nieren-, Leber- und Stoffwechselerkrankungen Medizinische Hochschule Hannover Hannover Deutschland
| | - Ruthild G. Weber
- Aff1 0000 0000 9529 9877 grid.10423.34 Institut für Humangenetik Medizinische Hochschule Hannover Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1 30625 Hannover Deutschland
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23
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Futel M, Le Bouffant R, Buisson I, Umbhauer M, Riou JF. Characterization of potential TRPP2 regulating proteins in early Xenopus embryos. J Cell Biochem 2018; 119:10338-10350. [PMID: 30171710 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.27376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Transient receptor potential cation channel-2 (TRPP2) is a nonspecific Ca2+ -dependent cation channel with versatile functions including control of extracellular calcium entry at the plasma membrane, release of intracellular calcium ([Ca2+ ]i) from internal stores of endoplasmic reticulum, and calcium-dependent mechanosensation in the primary cilium. In early Xenopus embryos, TRPP2 is expressed in cilia of the gastrocoel roof plate (GRP) involved in the establishment of left-right asymmetry, and in nonciliated kidney field (KF) cells, where it plays a central role in early specification of nephron tubule cells dependent on [Ca2+ ]i signaling. Identification of proteins binding to TRPP2 in embryo cells can provide interesting clues about the mechanisms involved in its regulation during these various processes. Using mass spectrometry, we have therefore characterized proteins from late gastrula/early neurula stage embryos coimmunoprecipitating with TRPP2. Binding of three of these proteins, golgin A2, protein kinase-D1, and disheveled-2 has been confirmed by immunoblotting analysis of TRPP2-coprecipitated proteins. Expression analysis of the genes, respectively, encoding these proteins, golga2, prkd1, and dvl2 indicates that they are likely to play a role in these two regions. Golga2 and prkd1 are expressed at later stage in the developing pronephric tubule where golgin A2 and protein kinase-D1 might also interact with TRPP2. Colocalization experiments using exogenously expressed fluorescent versions of TRPP2 and dvl2 in GRP and KF reveal that these two proteins are generally not coexpressed, and only colocalized in discrete region of cells. This was observed in KF cells, but does not appear to occur in the apical ciliated region of GRP cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélinée Futel
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, IBPS, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, UMR7622, 9 quai Saint-Bernard, Paris F-75005, France
| | - Ronan Le Bouffant
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, IBPS, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, UMR7622, 9 quai Saint-Bernard, Paris F-75005, France
| | - Isabelle Buisson
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, IBPS, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, UMR7622, 9 quai Saint-Bernard, Paris F-75005, France
| | - Muriel Umbhauer
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, IBPS, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, UMR7622, 9 quai Saint-Bernard, Paris F-75005, France
| | - Jean-François Riou
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, IBPS, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, UMR7622, 9 quai Saint-Bernard, Paris F-75005, France
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24
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Takahashi C, Miyatake K, Kusakabe M, Nishida E. The atypical mitogen-activated protein kinase ERK3 is essential for establishment of epithelial architecture. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:8342-8361. [PMID: 29674317 PMCID: PMC5986203 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra117.000992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelia contribute to physical barriers that protect internal tissues from the external environment and also support organ structure. Accordingly, establishment and maintenance of epithelial architecture are essential for both embryonic development and adult physiology. Here, using gene knockout and knockdown techniques along with gene profiling, we show that extracellular signal-regulated kinase 3 (ERK3), a poorly characterized atypical mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), regulates the epithelial architecture in vertebrates. We found that in Xenopus embryonic epidermal epithelia, ERK3 knockdown impairs adherens and tight-junction protein distribution, as well as tight-junction barrier function, resulting in epidermal breakdown. Moreover, in human epithelial breast cancer cells, inhibition of ERK3 expression induced thickened epithelia with aberrant adherens and tight junctions. Results from microarray analyses suggested that transcription factor AP-2α (TFAP2A), a transcriptional regulator important for epithelial gene expression, is involved in ERK3-dependent changes in gene expression. Of note, TFAP2A knockdown phenocopied ERK3 knockdown in both Xenopus embryos and human cells, and ERK3 was required for full activation of TFAP2A-dependent transcription. Our findings reveal that ERK3 regulates epithelial architecture, possibly together with TFAP2A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chika Takahashi
- From the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan and
| | - Koichi Miyatake
- From the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan and
| | - Morioh Kusakabe
- From the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan and
| | - Eisuke Nishida
- From the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan and
- AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, 1-7-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
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25
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Corkins ME, Hanania HL, Krneta-Stankic V, DeLay BD, Pearl EJ, Lee M, Ji H, Davidson AJ, Horb ME, Miller RK. Transgenic Xenopus laevis Line for In Vivo Labeling of Nephrons within the Kidney. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:E197. [PMID: 29642376 PMCID: PMC5924539 DOI: 10.3390/genes9040197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Xenopus laevis embryos are an established model for studying kidney development. The nephron structure and genetic pathways that regulate nephrogenesis are conserved between Xenopus and humans, allowing for the study of human disease-causing genes. Xenopus embryos are also amenable to large-scale screening, but studies of kidney disease-related genes have been impeded because assessment of kidney development has largely been limited to examining fixed embryos. To overcome this problem, we have generated a transgenic line that labels the kidney. We characterize this cdh17:eGFP line, showing green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression in the pronephric and mesonephric kidneys and colocalization with known kidney markers. We also demonstrate the feasibility of live imaging of embryonic kidney development and the use of cdh17:eGFP as a kidney marker for secretion assays. Additionally, we develop a new methodology to isolate and identify kidney cells for primary culture. We also use morpholino knockdown of essential kidney development genes to establish that GFP expression enables observation of phenotypes, previously only described in fixed embryos. Taken together, this transgenic line will enable primary kidney cell culture and live imaging of pronephric and mesonephric kidney development. It will also provide a simple means for high-throughput screening of putative human kidney disease-causing genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark E. Corkins
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Research Center, UTHealth McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (M.E.C.); (H.L.H.); (V.K.-S.); (B.D.D.)
| | - Hannah L. Hanania
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Research Center, UTHealth McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (M.E.C.); (H.L.H.); (V.K.-S.); (B.D.D.)
- Program in Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Vanja Krneta-Stankic
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Research Center, UTHealth McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (M.E.C.); (H.L.H.); (V.K.-S.); (B.D.D.)
- Program in Genes and Development, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Bridget D. DeLay
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Research Center, UTHealth McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (M.E.C.); (H.L.H.); (V.K.-S.); (B.D.D.)
| | - Esther J. Pearl
- National Xenopus Resource and Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA; (E.J.P.); (M.E.H.)
| | - Moonsup Lee
- Program in Genes and Development, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Hong Ji
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Alan J. Davidson
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand;
| | - Marko E. Horb
- National Xenopus Resource and Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA; (E.J.P.); (M.E.H.)
| | - Rachel K. Miller
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Research Center, UTHealth McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (M.E.C.); (H.L.H.); (V.K.-S.); (B.D.D.)
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
- Program in Genetics and Epigenetics, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Program in Biochemistry and Cell Biology, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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26
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Tandon P, Conlon F, Furlow JD, Horb ME. Expanding the genetic toolkit in Xenopus: Approaches and opportunities for human disease modeling. Dev Biol 2017; 426:325-335. [PMID: 27109192 PMCID: PMC5074924 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The amphibian model Xenopus, has been used extensively over the past century to study multiple aspects of cell and developmental biology. Xenopus offers advantages of a non-mammalian system, including high fecundity, external development, and simple housing requirements, with additional advantages of large embryos, highly conserved developmental processes, and close evolutionary relationship to higher vertebrates. There are two main species of Xenopus used in biomedical research, Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis; the common perception is that both species are excellent models for embryological and cell biological studies, but only Xenopus tropicalis is useful as a genetic model. The recent completion of the Xenopus laevis genome sequence combined with implementation of genome editing tools, such as TALENs (transcription activator-like effector nucleases) and CRISPR-Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR associated nucleases), greatly facilitates the use of both Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis for understanding gene function in development and disease. In this paper, we review recent advances made in Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis with TALENs and CRISPR-Cas and discuss the various approaches that have been used to generate knockout and knock-in animals in both species. These advances show that both Xenopus species are useful for genetic approaches and in particular counters the notion that Xenopus laevis is not amenable to genetic manipulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panna Tandon
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, United States.
| | - Frank Conlon
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, United States
| | - J David Furlow
- Deparment of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Marko E Horb
- National Xenopus Resource and Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, United States.
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27
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Sater AK, Moody SA. Using Xenopus to understand human disease and developmental disorders. Genesis 2017; 55. [PMID: 28095616 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.22997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Model animals are crucial to biomedical research. Among the commonly used model animals, the amphibian, Xenopus, has had tremendous impact because of its unique experimental advantages, cost effectiveness, and close evolutionary relationship with mammals as a tetrapod. Over the past 50 years, the use of Xenopus has made possible many fundamental contributions to biomedicine, and it is a cornerstone of research in cell biology, developmental biology, evolutionary biology, immunology, molecular biology, neurobiology, and physiology. The prospects for Xenopus as an experimental system are excellent: Xenopus is uniquely well-suited for many contemporary approaches used to study fundamental biological and disease mechanisms. Moreover, recent advances in high throughput DNA sequencing, genome editing, proteomics, and pharmacological screening are easily applicable in Xenopus, enabling rapid functional genomics and human disease modeling at a systems level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy K Sater
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Sally A Moody
- Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Biology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, District of Columbia
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28
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Toolbox in a tadpole: Xenopus for kidney research. Cell Tissue Res 2017; 369:143-157. [PMID: 28401306 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-017-2611-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Xenopus is a versatile model organism increasingly used to study organogenesis and genetic diseases. The rapid embryonic development, targeted injections, loss- and gain-of-function experiments and an increasing supply of tools for functional in vivo analysis are unique advantages of the Xenopus system. Here, we review the vast array of methods available that have facilitated its transition into a translational model. We will focus primarily on how these methods have been employed in the study of kidney development, renal function and kidney disease. Future advances in the fields of genome editing, imaging and quantitative 'omics approaches are likely to enable exciting and novel applications for Xenopus to deepen our understanding of core principles of renal development and molecular mechanisms of human kidney disease. Thus, using Xenopus in clinically relevant research diversifies the narrowing pool of "standard" model organisms and provides unique opportunities for translational research.
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29
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Vivante A, Mann N, Yonath H, Weiss AC, Getwan M, Kaminski MM, Bohnenpoll T, Teyssier C, Chen J, Shril S, van der Ven AT, Ityel H, Schmidt JM, Widmeier E, Bauer SB, Sanna-Cherchi S, Gharavi AG, Lu W, Magen D, Shukrun R, Lifton RP, Tasic V, Stanescu HC, Cavaillès V, Kleta R, Anikster Y, Dekel B, Kispert A, Lienkamp SS, Hildebrandt F. A Dominant Mutation in Nuclear Receptor Interacting Protein 1 Causes Urinary Tract Malformations via Dysregulation of Retinoic Acid Signaling. J Am Soc Nephrol 2017; 28:2364-2376. [PMID: 28381549 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2016060694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are the most common cause of CKD in the first three decades of life. However, for most patients with CAKUT, the causative mutation remains unknown. We identified a kindred with an autosomal dominant form of CAKUT. By whole-exome sequencing, we identified a heterozygous truncating mutation (c.279delG, p.Trp93fs*) of the nuclear receptor interacting protein 1 gene (NRIP1) in all seven affected members. NRIP1 encodes a nuclear receptor transcriptional cofactor that directly interacts with the retinoic acid receptors (RARs) to modulate retinoic acid transcriptional activity. Unlike wild-type NRIP1, the altered NRIP1 protein did not translocate to the nucleus, did not interact with RARα, and failed to inhibit retinoic acid-dependent transcriptional activity upon expression in HEK293 cells. Notably, we also showed that treatment with retinoic acid enhanced NRIP1 binding to RARα RNA in situ hybridization confirmed Nrip1 expression in the developing urogenital system of the mouse. In explant cultures of embryonic kidney rudiments, retinoic acid stimulated Nrip1 expression, whereas a pan-RAR antagonist strongly reduced it. Furthermore, mice heterozygous for a null allele of Nrip1 showed a CAKUT-spectrum phenotype. Finally, expression and knockdown experiments in Xenopus laevis confirmed an evolutionarily conserved role for NRIP1 in renal development. These data indicate that dominant NRIP1 mutations can cause CAKUT by interference with retinoic acid transcriptional signaling, shedding light on the well documented association between abnormal vitamin A levels and renal malformations in humans, and suggest a possible gene-environment pathomechanism in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asaf Vivante
- Departments of Medicine and.,Talpiot Medical Leadership Program, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
| | | | - Hagith Yonath
- Department of Internal Medicine A and Genetics Institute, Sheba Medical Center and Sackler Faculty of Medicine Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Anna-Carina Weiss
- Institut für Molekularbiologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Maike Getwan
- Department of Medicine, Renal Division, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, and
| | - Michael M Kaminski
- Department of Medicine, Renal Division, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, and
| | - Tobias Bohnenpoll
- Institut für Molekularbiologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Catherine Teyssier
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM), Montpellier, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Montpellier, France; Université Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Institut régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Eugen Widmeier
- Departments of Medicine and.,Department of Medicine, Renal Division, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, and
| | - Stuart B Bauer
- Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Ali G Gharavi
- Division of Nephrology, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Weining Lu
- Renal Section, Department of Medicine, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Daniella Magen
- Pediatric Nephrology Institute, Rambam Health Care Campus, and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Rachel Shukrun
- Department of Pediatrics, Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Richard P Lifton
- Department of Human Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland
| | - Velibor Tasic
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Medical Faculty Skopje, University Children's Hospital, Skopje, Macedonia; and
| | - Horia C Stanescu
- Centre for Nephrology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Vincent Cavaillès
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM), Montpellier, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Montpellier, France; Université Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Institut régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Robert Kleta
- Centre for Nephrology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yair Anikster
- Department of Pediatrics, Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Benjamin Dekel
- Department of Pediatrics, Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Andreas Kispert
- Institut für Molekularbiologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Soeren S Lienkamp
- Department of Medicine, Renal Division, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, and.,Center for Biological Signaling Studies (BIOSS), Albert Ludwig University, Freiburg, Germany
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30
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Pearl E, Morrow S, Noble A, Lerebours A, Horb M, Guille M. An optimized method for cryogenic storage of Xenopus sperm to maximise the effectiveness of research using genetically altered frogs. Theriogenology 2017; 92:149-155. [PMID: 28237331 PMCID: PMC5340284 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2017.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2016] [Revised: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cryogenic storage of sperm from genetically altered Xenopus improves cost effectiveness and animal welfare associated with their use in research; currently it is routine for X. tropicalis but not reliable for X. laevis. Here we compare directly the three published protocols for Xenopus sperm freeze-thaw and determine whether sperm storage temperature, method of testes maceration and delays in the freezing protocols affect successful fertilisation and embryo development in X. laevis. We conclude that the protocol is robust and that the variability observed in fertilisation rates is due to differences between individuals. We show that the embryos made from the frozen-thawed sperm are normal and that the adults they develop into are reproductively indistinguishable from others in the colony. This opens the way for using cryopreserved sperm to distribute dominant genetically altered (GA) lines, potentially saving travel-induced stress to the male frogs, reducing their numbers used and making Xenopus experiments more cost effective. Xenopus cryopreservation is robust using an optimized method. Success is dependent on the quality of animals from which the sperm are taken. Frozen sperm may now be used to distribute lines and wild-type male gametes around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Pearl
- National Xenopus Resource, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Sean Morrow
- European Xenopus Resource Centre, Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 2DT, UK
| | - Anna Noble
- European Xenopus Resource Centre, Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 2DT, UK
| | - Adelaide Lerebours
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 2DY, UK
| | - Marko Horb
- National Xenopus Resource, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Matthew Guille
- European Xenopus Resource Centre, Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 2DT, UK; School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 2DY, UK.
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