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Weng Z, Xu C, Chen X, Yan Q, Fu Z, Jiao J, Xu J, Liu Q, Wang D, Liang J, Li W, Gu A. Sp1-activated FGFR2 is involved in early-life exposure to nickel-induced craniosynostosis by regulating the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 184:108477. [PMID: 38340406 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Nickel, a common environmental hazard, is a risk factor for craniosynostosis. However, the underlying biological mechanism remains unclear. Here, we found that early-life nickel exposure induced craniosynostosis in mice. In vitro, nickel promoted the osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), and its osteogenic ability in vivo was confirmed by an ectopic osteogenesis model. Further mRNA sequencing showed that ERK1/2 signaling and FGFR2 were aberrantly activated. FGFR2 was identified as a key regulator of ERK1/2 signaling. By promoter methylation prediction and methylation-specific PCR (MSP) assays, we found that nickel induced hypomethylation in the promoter of FGFR2, which increased its binding affinity to the transcription factor Sp1. During pregnancy and postnatal stages, AZD4547 rescued nickel-induced craniosynostosis by inhibiting FGFR2 and ERK1/2. Compared with normal individuals, nickel levels were increased in the serum of individuals with craniosynostosis. Further logistic and RCS analyses showed that nickel was an independent risk factor for craniosynostosis with a nonlinear correlation. Mediated analysis showed that FGFR2 mediated 30.13% of the association between nickel and craniosynostosis risk. Collectively, we demonstrate that early-life nickel exposure triggers the hypomethylation of FGFR2 and its binding to Sp1, thereby promoting the osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs by ERK1/2 signaling, leading to craniosynostosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenkun Weng
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; The Affiliated Changzhou Second People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou Second People's Hospital, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, China
| | - Cheng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Xiu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Qing Yan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zuqiang Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; School of Public Health, Southeast University, 101 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Jian Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Jin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Department of Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Qian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Dongmei Wang
- The Affiliated Changzhou Second People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou Second People's Hospital, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, China
| | - Jingjia Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Wenxiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Aihua Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
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