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Hu L, Xiao X, Huang W, Zhou T, Chen W, Zhang C, Ying QL. A novel chemical genetic approach reveals paralog-specific role of ERK1/2 in mouse embryonic stem cell fate control. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1415621. [PMID: 39071800 PMCID: PMC11272557 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1415621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Mouse embryonic stem cell (ESC) self-renewal can be maintained through dual inhibition of GSK3 and MEK kinases. MEK has two highly homologous downstream kinases, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2). However, the exact roles of ERK1/2 in mouse ESC self-renewal and differentiation remain unclear. Methods: We selectively deleted or inhibited ERK1, ERK2, or both using genetic and chemical genetic approaches combined with small molecule inhibitors. The effects of ERK paralog-specific inhibition on mouse ESC self-renewal and differentiation were then assessed. Results: ERK1/2 were found to be dispensable for mouse ESC survival and self-renewal. The inhibition of both ERK paralogs, in conjunction with GSK3 inhibition, was sufficient to maintain mouse ESC self-renewal. In contrast, selective deletion or inhibition of only one ERK paralog did not mimic the effect of MEK inhibition in promoting mouse ESC self-renewal. Regarding ESC differentiation, inhibition of ERK1/2 prevented mesendoderm differentiation. Additionally, selective inhibition of ERK1, but not ERK2, promoted mesendoderm differentiation. Discussion: These findings suggest that ERK1 and ERK2 have both overlapping and distinct roles in regulating ESC self-renewal and differentiation. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of ERK1/2 in governing ESC maintenance and lineage commitment, potentially informing future strategies for controlling stem cell fate in research and therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Hu
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Xiong Xiao
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Wesley Huang
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Tao Zhou
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Weilu Chen
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Chao Zhang
- Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Qi-Long Ying
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Rodríguez-Martín M, Báez-Flores J, Ribes V, Isidoro-García M, Lacal J, Prieto-Matos P. Non-Mammalian Models for Understanding Neurological Defects in RASopathies. Biomedicines 2024; 12:841. [PMID: 38672195 PMCID: PMC11048513 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12040841] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
RASopathies, a group of neurodevelopmental congenital disorders stemming from mutations in the RAS/MAPK pathway, present a unique opportunity to delve into the intricacies of complex neurological disorders. Afflicting approximately one in a thousand newborns, RASopathies manifest as abnormalities across multiple organ systems, with a pronounced impact on the central and peripheral nervous system. In the pursuit of understanding RASopathies' neurobiology and establishing phenotype-genotype relationships, in vivo non-mammalian models have emerged as indispensable tools. Species such as Danio rerio, Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, Xenopus species and Gallus gallus embryos have proven to be invaluable in shedding light on the intricate pathways implicated in RASopathies. Despite some inherent weaknesses, these genetic models offer distinct advantages over traditional rodent models, providing a holistic perspective on complex genetics, multi-organ involvement, and the interplay among various pathway components, offering insights into the pathophysiological aspects of mutations-driven symptoms. This review underscores the value of investigating the genetic basis of RASopathies for unraveling the underlying mechanisms contributing to broader neurological complexities. It also emphasizes the pivotal role of non-mammalian models in serving as a crucial preliminary step for the development of innovative therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Rodríguez-Martín
- Laboratory of Functional Genetics of Rare Diseases, Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (M.R.-M.); (J.B.-F.)
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (M.I.-G.); (P.P.-M.)
| | - Juan Báez-Flores
- Laboratory of Functional Genetics of Rare Diseases, Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (M.R.-M.); (J.B.-F.)
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (M.I.-G.); (P.P.-M.)
| | - Vanessa Ribes
- Institut Jacques Monod, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, F-75013 Paris, France;
| | - María Isidoro-García
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (M.I.-G.); (P.P.-M.)
- Clinical Biochemistry Department, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Clinical Rare Diseases Reference Unit DiERCyL, 37007 Castilla y León, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Jesus Lacal
- Laboratory of Functional Genetics of Rare Diseases, Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (M.R.-M.); (J.B.-F.)
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (M.I.-G.); (P.P.-M.)
| | - Pablo Prieto-Matos
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (M.I.-G.); (P.P.-M.)
- Clinical Rare Diseases Reference Unit DiERCyL, 37007 Castilla y León, Spain
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostics Science, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
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Fasano G, Petrini S, Bonavolontà V, Paradisi G, Pedalino C, Tartaglia M, Lauri A. Assessment of the FRET-based Teen sensor to monitor ERK activation changes preceding morphological defects in a RASopathy zebrafish model and phenotypic rescue by MEK inhibitor. Mol Med 2024; 30:47. [PMID: 38594640 PMCID: PMC11005195 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-024-00807-w] [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: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND RASopathies are genetic syndromes affecting development and having variable cancer predisposition. These disorders are clinically related and are caused by germline mutations affecting key players and regulators of the RAS-MAPK signaling pathway generally leading to an upregulated ERK activity. Gain-of-function (GOF) mutations in PTPN11, encoding SHP2, a cytosolic protein tyrosine phosphatase positively controlling RAS function, underlie approximately 50% of Noonan syndromes (NS), the most common RASopathy. A different class of these activating mutations occurs as somatic events in childhood leukemias. METHOD Here, we evaluated the application of a FRET-based zebrafish ERK reporter, Teen, and used quantitative FRET protocols to monitor non-physiological RASopathy-associated changes in ERK activation. In a multi-level experimental workflow, we tested the suitability of the Teen reporter to detect pan-embryo ERK activity correlates of morphometric alterations driven by the NS-causing Shp2D61G allele. RESULTS Spectral unmixing- and acceptor photobleaching (AB)-FRET analyses captured pathological ERK activity preceding the manifestation of quantifiable body axes defects, a morphological pillar used to test the strength of SHP2 GoF mutations. Last, the work shows that by multi-modal FRET analysis, we can quantitatively trace back the modulation of ERK phosphorylation obtained by low-dose MEK inhibitor treatment to early development, before the onset of morphological defects. CONCLUSION This work proves the usefulness of FRET imaging protocols on both live and fixed Teen ERK reporter fish to readily monitor and quantify pharmacologically- and genetically-induced ERK activity modulations in early embryos, representing a useful tool in pre-clinical applications targeting RAS-MAPK signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Fasano
- Molecular Genetics and Functional Genomics, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Rome, 00146, Italy
| | - Stefania Petrini
- Microscopy facility, Research laboratories, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Rome, 00146, Italy
| | - Valeria Bonavolontà
- Molecular Genetics and Functional Genomics, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Rome, 00146, Italy
| | - Graziamaria Paradisi
- Molecular Genetics and Functional Genomics, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Rome, 00146, Italy
- Department for Innovation in Biological Agro-food and Forest systems (DIBAF), University of Tuscia, Viterbo, 01100, Italy
| | - Catia Pedalino
- Molecular Genetics and Functional Genomics, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Rome, 00146, Italy
| | - Marco Tartaglia
- Molecular Genetics and Functional Genomics, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Rome, 00146, Italy.
| | - Antonella Lauri
- Molecular Genetics and Functional Genomics, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Rome, 00146, Italy.
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Norcross RG, Abdelmoti L, Rouchka EC, Andreeva K, Tussey O, Landestoy D, Galperin E. Shoc2 controls ERK1/2-driven neural crest development by balancing components of the extracellular matrix. Dev Biol 2022; 492:156-171. [PMID: 36265687 PMCID: PMC10019579 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) pathway is essential in embryonic development. The scaffold protein Shoc2 is a critical modulator of ERK1/2 signals, and mutations in the shoc2 gene lead to the human developmental disease known as Noonan-like syndrome with loose anagen hair (NSLH). The loss of Shoc2 and the shoc2 NSLH-causing mutations affect the tissues of neural crest (NC) origin. In this study, we utilized the zebrafish model to dissect the role of Shoc2-ERK1/2 signals in the development of NC. These studies established that the loss of Shoc2 significantly altered the expression of transcription factors regulating the specification and differentiation of NC cells. Using comparative transcriptome analysis of NC-derived cells from shoc2 CRISPR/Cas9 mutant larvae, we found that Shoc2-mediated signals regulate gene programs at several levels, including expression of genes coding for the proteins of extracellular matrix (ECM) and ECM regulators. Together, our results demonstrate that Shoc2 is an essential regulator of NC development. This study also indicates that disbalance in the turnover of the ECM may lead to the abnormalities found in NSLH patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca G Norcross
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Lina Abdelmoti
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Eric C Rouchka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA; KY INBRE Bioinformatics Core, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
| | - Kalina Andreeva
- KY INBRE Bioinformatics Core, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA; Department of Neuroscience Training, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA; Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Olivia Tussey
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Daileen Landestoy
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Emilia Galperin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA.
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McFann SE, Shvartsman SY, Toettcher JE. Putting in the Erk: Growth factor signaling and mesoderm morphogenesis. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 149:263-310. [PMID: 35606058 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2022.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
It has long been known that FGF signaling contributes to mesoderm formation, a germ layer found in triploblasts that is composed of highly migratory cells that give rise to muscles and to the skeletal structures of vertebrates. FGF signaling activates several pathways in the developing mesoderm, including transient activation of the Erk pathway, which triggers mesodermal fate specification through the induction of the gene brachyury and activates morphogenetic programs that allow mesodermal cells to position themselves in the embryo. In this review, we discuss what is known about the generation and interpretation of transient Erk signaling in mesodermal tissues across species. We focus specifically on mechanisms that translate the level and duration of Erk signaling into cell fate and cell movement instructions and discuss strategies for further interrogating the role that Erk signaling dynamics play in mesodermal gastrulation and morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E McFann
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States; Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
| | - Stanislav Y Shvartsman
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States; Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States; Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute, Simons Foundation, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jared E Toettcher
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States.
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Jones WD, Mullins MC. Cell signaling pathways controlling an axis organizing center in the zebrafish. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 150:149-209. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2022.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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Nakayama J, Tan L, Li Y, Goh BC, Wang S, Makinoshima H, Gong Z. A zebrafish embryo screen utilizing gastrulation identifies the HTR2C inhibitor pizotifen as a suppressor of EMT-mediated metastasis. eLife 2021; 10:e70151. [PMID: 34919051 PMCID: PMC8824480 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is responsible for approximately 90% of cancer-associated mortality but few models exist that allow for rapid and effective screening of anti-metastasis drugs. Current mouse models of metastasis are too expensive and time consuming to use for rapid and high-throughput screening. Therefore, we created a unique screening concept utilizing conserved mechanisms between zebrafish gastrulation and cancer metastasis for identification of potential anti-metastatic drugs. We hypothesized that small chemicals that interrupt zebrafish gastrulation might also suppress metastatic progression of cancer cells and developed a phenotype-based chemical screen to test the hypothesis. The screen used epiboly, the first morphogenetic movement in gastrulation, as a marker and enabled 100 chemicals to be tested in 5 hr. The screen tested 1280 FDA-approved drugs and identified pizotifen, an antagonist for serotonin receptor 2C (HTR2C) as an epiboly-interrupting drug. Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of HTR2C suppressed metastatic progression in a mouse model. Blocking HTR2C with pizotifen restored epithelial properties to metastatic cells through inhibition of Wnt signaling. In contrast, HTR2C induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition through activation of Wnt signaling and promoted metastatic dissemination of human cancer cells in a zebrafish xenotransplantation model. Taken together, our concept offers a novel platform for discovery of anti-metastasis drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joji Nakayama
- Department of Biological Science, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Tsuruoka Metabolomics Laboratory, National Cancer CenterTsuruokaJapan
- Shonai Regional Industry Promotion CenterTsuruokaJapan
| | - Lora Tan
- Department of Biological Science, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Biological Science, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Boon Cher Goh
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Shu Wang
- Department of Biological Science, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Institute of Bioengineering and NanotechnologySingaporeSingapore
| | - Hideki Makinoshima
- Tsuruoka Metabolomics Laboratory, National Cancer CenterTsuruokaJapan
- Division of Translational Research, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer CenterKashiwaJapan
| | - Zhiyuan Gong
- Department of Biological Science, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
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Cai P, Mao X, Zhao J, Nie L, Jiang Y, Yang Q, Ni R, He J, Luo L. Farnesoid X Receptor Is Required for the Redifferentiation of Bipotential Progenitor Cells During Biliary-Mediated Zebrafish Liver Regeneration. Hepatology 2021; 74:3345-3361. [PMID: 34320243 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Liver regeneration after extreme hepatocyte loss occurs through transdifferentiation of biliary epithelial cells (BECs), which includes dedifferentiation of BECs into bipotential progenitor cells (BPPCs) and subsequent redifferentiation into nascent hepatocytes and BECs. Although multiple molecules and signaling pathways have been implicated to play roles in the BEC-mediated liver regeneration, mechanisms underlying the dedifferentiation-redifferentiation transition and the early phase of BPPC redifferentiation that is pivotal for both hepatocyte and BEC directions remain largely unknown. APPROACH AND RESULTS The zebrafish extreme liver damage model, genetic mutation, pharmacological inhibition, transgenic lines, whole-mount and fluorescent in situ hybridizations and antibody staining, single-cell RNA sequencing, quantitative real-time PCR, and heat shock-inducible overexpression were used to investigate roles and mechanisms of farnesoid X receptor (FXR; encoded by nuclear receptor subfamily 1, group H, member 4 [nr1h4]) in regulating BPPC redifferentiation. The nr1h4 expression was significantly up-regulated in response to extreme liver injury. Genetic mutation or pharmacological inhibition of FXR was ineffective to BEC-to-BPPC dedifferentiation but blocked the redifferentiation of BPPCs to both hepatocytes and BECs, leading to accumulation of undifferentiated or less-differentiated BPPCs. Mechanistically, induced overexpression of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) 1 (encoded by mitogen-activated protein kinase 3) rescued the defective BPPC-to-hepatocyte redifferentiation in the nr1h4 mutant, and ERK1 itself was necessary for the BPPC-to-hepatocyte redifferentiation. The Notch activities in the regenerating liver of nr1h4 mutant attenuated, and induced Notch activation rescued the defective BPPC-to-BEC redifferentiation in the nr1h4 mutant. CONCLUSIONS FXR regulates BPPC-to-hepatocyte and BPPC-to-BEC redifferentiations through ERK1 and Notch, respectively. Given recent applications of FXR agonists in the clinical trials for liver diseases, this study proposes potential underpinning mechanisms by characterizing roles of FXR in the stimulation of dedifferentiation-redifferentiation transition and BPPC redifferentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengcheng Cai
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoyu Mao
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Jieqiong Zhao
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Li Nie
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Jiang
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Qifen Yang
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Rui Ni
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Jianbo He
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Lingfei Luo
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
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Nicolas HA, Bertrand AT, Labib S, Mohamed-Uvaize M, Bolongo PM, Wu WY, Bilińska ZT, Bonne G, Akimenko MA, Tesson F. Protein Kinase C Alpha Cellular Distribution, Activity, and Proximity with Lamin A/C in Striated Muscle Laminopathies. Cells 2020; 9:cells9112388. [PMID: 33142761 PMCID: PMC7693451 DOI: 10.3390/cells9112388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Striated muscle laminopathies are cardiac and skeletal muscle conditions caused by mutations in the lamin A/C gene (LMNA). LMNA codes for the A-type lamins, which are nuclear intermediate filaments that maintain the nuclear structure and nuclear processes such as gene expression. Protein kinase C alpha (PKC-α) interacts with lamin A/C and with several lamin A/C partners involved in striated muscle laminopathies. To determine PKC-α’s involvement in muscular laminopathies, PKC-α’s localization, activation, and interactions with the A-type lamins were examined in various cell types expressing pathogenic lamin A/C mutations. The results showed aberrant nuclear PKC-α cellular distribution in mutant cells compared to WT. PKC-α activation (phos-PKC-α) was decreased or unchanged in the studied cells expressing LMNA mutations, and the activation of its downstream targets, ERK 1/2, paralleled PKC-α activation alteration. Furthermore, the phos-PKC-α-lamin A/C proximity was altered. Overall, the data showed that PKC-α localization, activation, and proximity with lamin A/C were affected by certain pathogenic LMNA mutations, suggesting PKC-α involvement in striated muscle laminopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah A. Nicolas
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (H.A.N.); (W.Y.W.); (M.-A.A.)
| | - Anne T. Bertrand
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, UMRS 974, G.H. Pitié-Salpêtrière, 75013 Paris, France; (A.T.B.); (G.B.)
| | - Sarah Labib
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (S.L.); (M.M.-U.); (P.M.B.)
| | - Musfira Mohamed-Uvaize
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (S.L.); (M.M.-U.); (P.M.B.)
| | - Pierrette M. Bolongo
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (S.L.); (M.M.-U.); (P.M.B.)
| | - Wen Yu Wu
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (H.A.N.); (W.Y.W.); (M.-A.A.)
| | - Zofia T. Bilińska
- Unit for Screening Studies in Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases, National Institute of Cardiology, 04-628 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Gisèle Bonne
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, UMRS 974, G.H. Pitié-Salpêtrière, 75013 Paris, France; (A.T.B.); (G.B.)
| | - Marie-Andrée Akimenko
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (H.A.N.); (W.Y.W.); (M.-A.A.)
| | - Frédérique Tesson
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (S.L.); (M.M.-U.); (P.M.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-613-562-5800 (ext. 7370)
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Muraina IA, Bury NR, Scott A, Graham A, Hogstrand C. The zebrafish Znt1a sa17 mutant reveals roles of zinc transporter-1a in embryonic development. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2020; 60:126496. [PMID: 32199393 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2020.126496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Zinc is one of the vital micronutrients required through various developmental stages in animals. Zinc transporter-1 (ZnT1; Slc30a1) is essential in vertebrates for nutritional zinc uptake and cellular zinc extrusion. Knockout of ZnT1 is lethal in vertebrates and there are therefore few functional studies of this protein in vivo. METHODS In the present study we characterised the embryonic development in a zebrafish Znt1a mutant (Znt1asa17) which is lacking the last 40 amino acids of Znt1a as generated by TILLING. In parallel experiments, we compared the development of a zebrafish embryo Znt1a morphant (Znt1aMO) which was generated by knockdown of Znt1a using morpholino-modified oligonucliotides. RESULTS The homozygous Znt1asa17 embryo is viable, but displays a subtle phenotype informing on the biological roles of Znt1a. The Znt1asa17 fish have delayed development, including attenuated epiboly. They further show a decrease in phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (pERK1/2), retarded yolk resorption, and impaired clearance of free Zn2+ from the vitelline fluid and its storage in hatching gland cells. All these aberrations are milder versions of those observed upon knockdown of Znt1a by morpholinos. Interestingly, the phenotype could be rescued by addition of the cell-permeable zinc chelator, N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridinylmethyl)-1,2-ethanediamine (TPEN) to the incubation medium and was aggravated by addition of zinc(II). Thus, the Znt1asa17 mutant has a reduced ability to handle zinc and can be characterised as a hypomorph. CONCLUSION This study is the first to show that the last 40 amino acids of Znt1a are of importance for its role in zinc homeostasis and ability to activate the MAPK/ERK pathway contrary to what was previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Issa A Muraina
- King's College London, Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Life Course Sciences, Metal Metabolism Group, London, UK
| | - Nic R Bury
- King's College London, Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Life Course Sciences, Metal Metabolism Group, London, UK
| | - Annabella Scott
- Kings College London, Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, London, UK
| | - Anthony Graham
- Kings College London, Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, London, UK
| | - Christer Hogstrand
- King's College London, Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Life Course Sciences, Metal Metabolism Group, London, UK.
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11
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Patterson VL, Burdine RD. Swimming toward solutions: Using fish and frogs as models for understanding RASopathies. Birth Defects Res 2020; 112:749-765. [PMID: 32506834 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The RAS signaling pathway regulates cell growth, survival, and differentiation, and its inappropriate activation is associated with disease in humans. The RASopathies, a set of developmental syndromes, arise when the pathway is overactive during development. Patients share a core set of symptoms, including congenital heart disease, craniofacial anomalies, and neurocognitive delay. Due to the conserved nature of the pathway, animal models are highly informative for understanding disease etiology, and zebrafish and Xenopus are emerging as advantageous model systems. Here we discuss these aquatic models of RASopathies, which recapitulate many of the core symptoms observed in patients. Craniofacial structures become dysmorphic upon expression of disease-associated mutations, resulting in wider heads. Heart defects manifest as delays in cardiac development and changes in heart size, and behavioral deficits are beginning to be explored. Furthermore, early convergence and extension defects cause elongation of developing embryos: this phenotype can be quantitatively assayed as a readout of mutation strength, raising interesting questions regarding the relationship between pathway activation and disease. Additionally, the observation that RAS signaling may be simultaneously hyperactive and attenuated suggests that downregulation of signaling may also contribute to etiology. We propose that models should be characterized using a standardized approach to allow easier comparison between models, and a better understanding of the interplay between mutation and disease presentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria L Patterson
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Rebecca D Burdine
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
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12
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Abstract
Optogenetic approaches are transforming quantitative studies of cell-signaling systems. A recently developed photoswitchable mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MEK1) enzyme (psMEK) short-circuits the highly conserved Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK)-signaling cascade at the most proximal step of effector kinase activation. However, since this optogenetic tool relies on phosphorylation-mimicking substitutions in the activation loop of MEK, its catalytic activity is predicted to be substantially lower than that of wild-type MEK that has been phosphorylated at these residues. Here, we present evidence that psMEK indeed has suboptimal functionality in vivo and propose a strategy to circumvent this limitation by harnessing gain-of-function, destabilizing mutations in MEK. Specifically, we demonstrate that combining phosphomimetic mutations with additional mutations in MEK, chosen for their activating potential, restores maximal kinase activity in vitro. We establish that this modification can be tuned by the choice of the destabilizing mutation and does not interfere with reversible activation of psMEK in vivo in both Drosophila and zebrafish. To illustrate the types of perturbations enabled by optimized psMEK, we use it to deliver pulses of ERK activation during zebrafish embryogenesis, revealing rheostat-like responses of an ERK-dependent morphogenetic event.
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13
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Hoeksma J, Misset T, Wever C, Kemmink J, Kruijtzer J, Versluis K, Liskamp RMJ, Boons GJ, Heck AJR, Boekhout T, den Hertog J. A new perspective on fungal metabolites: identification of bioactive compounds from fungi using zebrafish embryogenesis as read-out. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17546. [PMID: 31772307 PMCID: PMC6879544 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54127-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a constant need for new therapeutic compounds. Fungi have proven to be an excellent, but underexplored source for biologically active compounds with therapeutic potential. Here, we combine mycology, embryology and chemistry by testing secondary metabolites from more than 10,000 species of fungi for biological activity using developing zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. Zebrafish development is an excellent model for high-throughput screening. Development is rapid, multiple cell types are assessed simultaneously and embryos are available in high numbers. We found that 1,526 fungal strains produced secondary metabolites with biological activity in the zebrafish bioassay. The active compounds from 39 selected fungi were purified by liquid-liquid extraction and preparative HPLC. 34 compounds were identified by a combination of chemical analyses, including LCMS, UV-Vis spectroscopy/ spectrophotometry, high resolution mass spectrometry and NMR. Our results demonstrate that fungi express a wide variety of biologically active compounds, consisting of both known therapeutic compounds as well as relatively unexplored compounds. Understanding their biological activity in zebrafish may provide insight into underlying biological processes as well as mode of action. Together, this information may provide the first step towards lead compound development for therapeutic drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelmer Hoeksma
- Hubrecht Institute - KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Tim Misset
- Hubrecht Institute - KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Christie Wever
- Hubrecht Institute - KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Johan Kemmink
- Utrecht University, Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - John Kruijtzer
- Utrecht University, Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kees Versluis
- Utrecht University, Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rob M J Liskamp
- Utrecht University, Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Geert Jan Boons
- Utrecht University, Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Albert J R Heck
- Utrecht University, Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Teun Boekhout
- Westerdijk Institute for Fungal Biodiversity - KNAW, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Institute of Biodynamics and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen den Hertog
- Hubrecht Institute - KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Institute Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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14
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Samson SC, Elliott A, Mueller BD, Kim Y, Carney KR, Bergman JP, Blenis J, Mendoza MC. p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK) phosphorylates myosin phosphatase and thereby controls edge dynamics during cell migration. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:10846-10862. [PMID: 31138649 PMCID: PMC6635457 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.007431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell migration is essential to embryonic development, wound healing, and cancer cell dissemination. Cells move via leading-edge protrusion, substrate adhesion, and retraction of the cell's rear. The molecular mechanisms by which extracellular cues signal to the actomyosin cytoskeleton to control these motility mechanics are poorly understood. The growth factor-responsive and oncogenically activated protein extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) promotes motility by signaling in actin polymerization-mediated edge protrusion. Using a combination of immunoblotting, co-immunoprecipitation, and myosin-binding experiments and cell migration assays, we show here that ERK also signals to the contractile machinery through its substrate, p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK). We probed the signaling and migration dynamics of multiple mammalian cell lines and found that RSK phosphorylates myosin phosphatase–targeting subunit 1 (MYPT1) at Ser-507, which promotes an interaction of Rho kinase (ROCK) with MYPT1 and inhibits myosin targeting. We find that by inhibiting the myosin phosphatase, ERK and RSK promote myosin II–mediated tension for lamella expansion and optimal edge dynamics for cell migration. These findings suggest that ERK activity can coordinately amplify both protrusive and contractile forces for optimal cell motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiela C Samson
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 and
| | - Andrew Elliott
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 and
| | - Brian D Mueller
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 and
| | - Yung Kim
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 and
| | - Keith R Carney
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 and
| | - Jared P Bergman
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 and
| | - John Blenis
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Michelle C Mendoza
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 and; Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
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15
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M-Ras/Shoc2 signaling modulates E-cadherin turnover and cell-cell adhesion during collective cell migration. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:3536-3545. [PMID: 30808747 PMCID: PMC6397545 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1805919116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Collective cell migration is required for normal embryonic development and contributes to various biological processes, including wound healing and cancer cell invasion. The M-Ras GTPase and its effector, the Shoc2 scaffold, are proteins mutated in the developmental RASopathy Noonan syndrome, and, here, we report that activated M-Ras recruits Shoc2 to cell surface junctions where M-Ras/Shoc2 signaling contributes to the dynamic regulation of cell-cell junction turnover required for collective cell migration. MCF10A cells expressing the dominant-inhibitory M-RasS27N variant or those lacking Shoc2 exhibited reduced junction turnover and were unable to migrate effectively as a group. Through further depletion/reconstitution studies, we found that M-Ras/Shoc2 signaling contributes to junction turnover by modulating the E-cadherin/p120-catenin interaction and, in turn, the junctional expression of E-cadherin. The regulatory effect of the M-Ras/Shoc2 complex was mediated at least in part through the phosphoregulation of p120-catenin and required downstream ERK cascade activation. Strikingly, cells rescued with the Noonan-associated, myristoylated-Shoc2 mutant (Myr-Shoc2) displayed a gain-of-function (GOF) phenotype, with the cells exhibiting increased junction turnover and reduced E-cadherin/p120-catenin binding and migrating as a faster but less cohesive group. Consistent with these results, Noonan-associated C-Raf mutants that bypass the need for M-Ras/Shoc2 signaling exhibited a similar GOF phenotype when expressed in Shoc2-depleted MCF10A cells. Finally, expression of the Noonan-associated Myr-Shoc2 or C-Raf mutants, but not their WT counterparts, induced gastrulation defects indicative of aberrant cell migration in zebrafish embryos, further demonstrating the function of the M-Ras/Shoc2/ERK cascade signaling axis in the dynamic control of coordinated cell movement.
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16
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ERK Activity Dynamics during Zebrafish Embryonic Development. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 20:ijms20010109. [PMID: 30597912 PMCID: PMC6337290 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20010109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Revised: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
During vertebrate development, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) is activated by growth factors such as fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and it regulates the formation of tissues/organs including eyes, brains, somites, limbs, and inner ears. However, an experimental system to monitor ERK activity dynamics in the entire body of the vertebrate embryo is lacking. We recently studied ERK activity dynamics in the pre-somitic mesoderm of living zebrafish embryos injected with mRNAs encoding a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based ERK biosensor. In this study, transgenic zebrafish stably and ubiquitously expressing the ERK biosensor were generated to monitor ERK activity dynamics throughout embryonic development. The system allowed the identification of ERK activation domains in embryos from the late blastula to the late segmentation stage, consistent with immunostaining patterns obtained using anti-phosphorylated ERK antibody. A spatiotemporal map of ERK activity in the entire body during zebrafish embryogenesis was generated, and previously unidentified activation dynamics and ERK domains were identified. The proposed system is the first reported method to monitor ERK activity dynamics during vertebrate embryogenesis, providing insight into the role of ERK activity in normal and abnormal development in living vertebrate embryos.
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17
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Jindal GA, Goyal Y, Humphreys JM, Yeung E, Tian K, Patterson VL, He H, Burdine RD, Goldsmith EJ, Shvartsman SY. How activating mutations affect MEK1 regulation and function. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:18814-18820. [PMID: 29018093 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.c117.806067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Revised: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The MEK1 kinase directly phosphorylates ERK2, after the activation loop of MEK1 is itself phosphorylated by Raf. Studies over the past decade have revealed a large number of disease-related mutations in the MEK1 gene that lead to tumorigenesis and abnormal development. Several of these mutations result in MEK1 constitutive activity, but how they affect MEK1 regulation and function remains largely unknown. Here, we address these questions focusing on two pathogenic variants of the Phe-53 residue, which maps to the well-characterized negative regulatory region of MEK1. We found that these variants are phosphorylated by Raf faster than the wild-type enzyme, and this phosphorylation further increases their enzymatic activity. However, the maximal activities of fully phosphorylated wild-type and mutant enzymes are indistinguishable. On the basis of available structural information, we propose that the activating substitutions destabilize the inactive conformation of MEK1, resulting in its constitutive activity and making it more prone to Raf-mediated phosphorylation. Experiments in zebrafish revealed that the effects of activating variants on embryonic development reflect the joint control of the negative regulatory region and activating phosphorylation. Our results underscore the complexity of the effects of activating mutations on signaling systems, even at the level of a single protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Granton A Jindal
- From the Departments of Chemical and Biological Engineering and.,Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544 and.,Molecular Biology
| | - Yogesh Goyal
- From the Departments of Chemical and Biological Engineering and.,Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544 and.,Molecular Biology
| | - John M Humphreys
- the Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas 75390-8816
| | - Eyan Yeung
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544 and.,Molecular Biology
| | - Kaijia Tian
- From the Departments of Chemical and Biological Engineering and.,Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544 and
| | - Victoria L Patterson
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544 and.,Molecular Biology
| | - Haixia He
- the Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas 75390-8816
| | | | - Elizabeth J Goldsmith
- the Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas 75390-8816
| | - Stanislav Y Shvartsman
- From the Departments of Chemical and Biological Engineering and .,Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544 and.,Molecular Biology
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18
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Chang MY, Ma TL, Hung CC, Tian YC, Chen YC, Yang CW, Cheng YC. Metformin Inhibits Cyst Formation in a Zebrafish Model of Polycystin-2 Deficiency. Sci Rep 2017; 7:7161. [PMID: 28769124 PMCID: PMC5541071 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-07300-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a common kidney disease caused by mutations in PKD1 or PKD2. Metformin reduces cyst growth in mouse models of PKD1. However, metformin has not been studied in animal models of PKD2, and the cellular mechanism underlying its effectiveness is not entirely clear. This study investigated the effects of metformin on cyst formation in a zebrafish model of polycystin-2 deficiency resulting from morpholino knockdown of pkd2. We added metformin (2.5 to 20 mM) to the embryo media between 4 and 48 hours post fertilisation and observed pronephric cyst formation by using the wt1b promoter-driven GFP signal in Tg(wt1b:GFP) pkd2 morphants. Metformin inhibited pronephric cyst formation by 42–61% compared with the untreated controls. Metformin also reduced the number of proliferating cells in the pronephric ducts, the degree of dorsal body curvature, and the infiltration of leukocytes surrounding the pronephros. Moreover, metformin treatment increased the phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and enhanced autophagy in the pronephros. Our data suggest that metformin reduces cyst formation through activation of the AMPK pathway and modulation of defective cellular events such as proliferation and autophagy. These results also imply that metformin could have therapeutic potential for ADPKD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Yang Chang
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Tsu-Lin Ma
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chieh Hung
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Chung Tian
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Chang Chen
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Wei Yang
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chuan Cheng
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
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19
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Goyal Y, Jindal GA, Pelliccia JL, Yamaya K, Yeung E, Futran AS, Burdine RD, Schüpbach T, Shvartsman SY. Divergent effects of intrinsically active MEK variants on developmental Ras signaling. Nat Genet 2017; 49:465-469. [PMID: 28166211 PMCID: PMC5621734 DOI: 10.1038/ng.3780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 12/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Germline mutations in Ras pathway components are associated with a large class of human developmental abnormalities, known as RASopathies, that are characterized by a range of structural and functional phenotypes, including cardiac defects and neurocognitive delays. Although it is generally believed that RASopathies are caused by altered levels of pathway activation, the signaling changes in developing tissues remain largely unknown. We used assays with spatiotemporal resolution in Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) and Danio rerio (zebrafish) to quantify signaling changes caused by mutations in MAP2K1 (encoding MEK), a core component of the Ras pathway that is mutated in both RASopathies and cancers in humans. Surprisingly, we discovered that intrinsically active MEK variants can both increase and reduce the levels of pathway activation in vivo. The sign of the effect depends on cellular context, implying that some of the emerging phenotypes in RASopathies may be caused by increased, as well as attenuated, levels of Ras signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yogesh Goyal
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
- The Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | - Granton A. Jindal
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
- The Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | - José L. Pelliccia
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | - Kei Yamaya
- The Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | - Eyan Yeung
- The Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | - Alan S. Futran
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
- The Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | - Rebecca D. Burdine
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | - Trudi Schüpbach
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | - Stanislav Y. Shvartsman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
- The Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
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20
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Neuregulin1 alpha activates migration of neuronal progenitors expressing ErbB4. Mol Cell Neurosci 2016; 77:87-94. [PMID: 27989735 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2016.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2015] [Revised: 10/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Deficits in neuronal migration during development in the central nervous system may contribute to psychiatric diseases. The ligand neuregulin1 (NRG1) and its receptor ErbB4 are genes conferring susceptibility to schizophrenia, playing a key role in the control of neuronal migration both during development and adulthood. Several NRG1 and ErbB4 isoforms were identified, which deeply differ in their characteristics. Here we focused on the four ErbB4 isoforms and the two NRG1 isoforms differing in their EGF-like domain, namely α and β. We hypothesized that these isoforms, which are differently regulated in schizophrenic patients, could play different roles in neuronal migration. Our hypothesis was strengthened by the observation that both NRG1α and NRG1β and the four ErbB4 isoforms are expressed in the medial and lateral ganglionic eminences and in the cortex during development in rat. We analysed in vitro the signal transduction pathways activated by the different ErbB4 isoforms following the treatment with soluble recombinant NRG1α or NRG1β and the ability to stimulate migration. Our data show that two ErbB4 isoforms, namely JMa-cyt2 and JMb-cyt1, following NRG1α and NRG1β treatment, strongly activate AKT phosphorylation, conferring high migratory activity to neuronal progenitors, thus demonstrating that both NRG1α and NRG1β can play a role in neuronal migration.
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21
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Chang MY, Cheng YC, Hsu SH, Ma TL, Chou LF, Hsu HH, Tian YC, Chen YC, Sun YJ, Hung CC, Pan RL, Yang CW. Leptospiral outer membrane protein LipL32 induces inflammation and kidney injury in zebrafish larvae. Sci Rep 2016; 6:27838. [PMID: 27278903 PMCID: PMC4899798 DOI: 10.1038/srep27838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is an often overlooked cause of acute kidney injury that can lead to multiple organ failure and even death. The principle protein that conserved in many pathogenic leptospires is the outer membrane protein LipL32. However, the role of LipL32 in the pathogenesis of renal injury in leptospirosis is not entirely clear. Here we studied the effects of LipL32 on the developing kidney in zebrafish larvae. Incubation of zebrafish larvae with Leptospira santarosai serovar Shermani induced acute tubular injury predominantly in the proximal pronephric ducts. Furthermore, microinjection of lipl32 mRNA or recombinant LipL32 protein into zebrafish larvae increased macrophage accumulation and disrupted the basolateral location of NA-K-ATPase in pronephric ducts. These changes led to substantial impairment of the pronephric kidney structure. We further demonstrated that morpholino knockdown of tlr2, but not tlr4, reduced the LipL32-induced leukocyte infiltration and kidney injury. These data demonstrate that LipL32 contributes to the renal pathology in leptospirosis and gives some clues to the potential virulence of LipL32. Our results support the use of zebrafish as a model organism for studying the disease mechanism of leptospiral infection. This model might permit the future exploration of the virulence and molecular pathways of different leptospiral outer membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Yang Chang
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chuan Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Shen-Hsing Hsu
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Tsu-Lin Ma
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Li-Fang Chou
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Hsiang-Hao Hsu
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Chung Tian
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Chang Chen
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yuh-Ju Sun
- Department of Life Science and Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, College of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chieh Hung
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Rong-Long Pan
- Department of Life Science and Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, College of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Wei Yang
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
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22
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Buscà R, Pouysségur J, Lenormand P. ERK1 and ERK2 Map Kinases: Specific Roles or Functional Redundancy? Front Cell Dev Biol 2016; 4:53. [PMID: 27376062 PMCID: PMC4897767 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2016.00053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The MAP kinase signaling cascade Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK has been involved in a large variety of cellular and physiological processes that are crucial for life. Many pathological situations have been associated to this pathway. More than one isoform has been described at each level of the cascade. In this review we devoted our attention to ERK1 and ERK2, which are the effector kinases of the pathway. Whether ERK1 and ERK2 specify functional differences or are in contrast functionally redundant, constitutes an ongoing debate despite the huge amount of studies performed to date. In this review we compiled data on ERK1 vs. ERK2 gene structures, protein sequences, expression levels, structural and molecular mechanisms of activation and substrate recognition. We have also attempted to perform a rigorous analysis of studies regarding the individual roles of ERK1 and ERK2 by the means of morpholinos, siRNA, and shRNA silencing as well as gene disruption or gene replacement in mice. Finally, we comment on a recent study of gene and protein evolution of ERK isoforms as a distinct approach to address the same question. Our review permits the evaluation of the relevance of published studies in the field especially when measurements of global ERK activation are taken into account. Our analysis favors the hypothesis of ERK1 and ERK2 exhibiting functional redundancy and points to the concept of the global ERK quantity, and not isoform specificity, as being the essential determinant to achieve ERK function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roser Buscà
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR7284, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre A. Lacassagne, Institute for Research on Cancer and Ageing of Nice, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis Nice, France
| | - Jacques Pouysségur
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR7284, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre A. Lacassagne, Institute for Research on Cancer and Ageing of Nice, University of Nice-Sophia AntipolisNice, France; Centre Scientifique de MonacoMonaco, Monaco
| | - Philippe Lenormand
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR7284, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre A. Lacassagne, Institute for Research on Cancer and Ageing of Nice, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis Nice, France
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Jindal GA, Goyal Y, Burdine RD, Rauen KA, Shvartsman SY. RASopathies: unraveling mechanisms with animal models. Dis Model Mech 2016. [PMID: 26203125 PMCID: PMC4527292 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.020339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
RASopathies are developmental disorders caused by germline mutations in the Ras-MAPK pathway, and are characterized by a broad spectrum of functional and morphological abnormalities. The high incidence of these disorders (∼1/1000 births) motivates the development of systematic approaches for their efficient diagnosis and potential treatment. Recent advances in genome sequencing have greatly facilitated the genotyping and discovery of mutations in affected individuals, but establishing the causal relationships between molecules and disease phenotypes is non-trivial and presents both technical and conceptual challenges. Here, we discuss how these challenges could be addressed using genetically modified model organisms that have been instrumental in delineating the Ras-MAPK pathway and its roles during development. Focusing on studies in mice, zebrafish and Drosophila, we provide an up-to-date review of animal models of RASopathies at the molecular and functional level. We also discuss how increasingly sophisticated techniques of genetic engineering can be used to rigorously connect changes in specific components of the Ras-MAPK pathway with observed functional and morphological phenotypes. Establishing these connections is essential for advancing our understanding of RASopathies and for devising rational strategies for their management and treatment. Summary: Developmental disorders caused by germline mutations in the Ras-MAPK pathway are called RASopathies. Studies with animal models, including mice, zebrafish and Drosophila, continue to enhance our understanding of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Granton A Jindal
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Yogesh Goyal
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Rebecca D Burdine
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Katherine A Rauen
- Department of Pediatrics, MIND Institute, Division of Genomic Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Stanislav Y Shvartsman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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24
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Sipieter F, Cappe B, Gonzalez Pisfil M, Spriet C, Bodart JF, Cailliau-Maggio K, Vandenabeele P, Héliot L, Riquet FB. Novel Reporter for Faithful Monitoring of ERK2 Dynamics in Living Cells and Model Organisms. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140924. [PMID: 26517832 PMCID: PMC4627772 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Uncoupling of ERK1/2 phosphorylation from subcellular localization is essential towards the understanding of molecular mechanisms that control ERK1/2-mediated cell-fate decision. ERK1/2 non-catalytic functions and discoveries of new specific anchors responsible of the subcellular compartmentalization of ERK1/2 signaling pathway have been proposed as regulation mechanisms for which dynamic monitoring of ERK1/2 localization is necessary. However, studying the spatiotemporal features of ERK2, for instance, in different cellular processes in living cells and tissues requires a tool that can faithfully report on its subcellular distribution. We developed a novel molecular tool, ERK2-LOC, based on the T2A-mediated coexpression of strictly equimolar levels of eGFP-ERK2 and MEK1, to faithfully visualize ERK2 localization patterns. MEK1 and eGFP-ERK2 were expressed reliably and functionally both in vitro and in single living cells. We then assessed the subcellular distribution and mobility of ERK2-LOC using fluorescence microscopy in non-stimulated conditions and after activation/inhibition of the MAPK/ERK1/2 signaling pathway. Finally, we used our coexpression system in Xenopus laevis embryos during the early stages of development. This is the first report on MEK1/ERK2 T2A-mediated coexpression in living embryos, and we show that there is a strong correlation between the spatiotemporal subcellular distribution of ERK2-LOC and the phosphorylation patterns of ERK1/2. Our approach can be used to study the spatiotemporal localization of ERK2 and its dynamics in a variety of processes in living cells and embryonic tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Sipieter
- Molecular Signaling and Cell Death Unit, Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Molecular Signaling and Cell Death Unit, Inflammation Research Center (IRC), VIB, Ghent, Belgium
- Equipe Biophotonique Cellulaire Fonctionnelle, Laboratoire de Physique des Lasers, Atomes et Molécules (PhLAM), CNRS-UMR 8523, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
- Regulation of Signal Division Team, Structural and Functional Glycobiology Unit (UGSF), CNRS-UMR 8576, Lille 1 University, Villeneuve d’Ascq, France
- Groupement de Recherche Microscopie Imagerie du Vivant, GDR2588 MIV-CNRS, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
| | - Benjamin Cappe
- Molecular Signaling and Cell Death Unit, Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Molecular Signaling and Cell Death Unit, Inflammation Research Center (IRC), VIB, Ghent, Belgium
- Groupement de Recherche Microscopie Imagerie du Vivant, GDR2588 MIV-CNRS, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
| | - Mariano Gonzalez Pisfil
- Equipe Biophotonique Cellulaire Fonctionnelle, Laboratoire de Physique des Lasers, Atomes et Molécules (PhLAM), CNRS-UMR 8523, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
- Groupement de Recherche Microscopie Imagerie du Vivant, GDR2588 MIV-CNRS, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
| | - Corentin Spriet
- TISBio, Structural and Functional Glycobiology Unit (UGSF), CNRS-UMR 8576, FR3688, Lille 1 University, Villeneuve d’Ascq, France
| | - Jean-François Bodart
- Regulation of Signal Division Team, Structural and Functional Glycobiology Unit (UGSF), CNRS-UMR 8576, Lille 1 University, Villeneuve d’Ascq, France
| | - Katia Cailliau-Maggio
- Regulation of Signal Division Team, Structural and Functional Glycobiology Unit (UGSF), CNRS-UMR 8576, Lille 1 University, Villeneuve d’Ascq, France
| | - Peter Vandenabeele
- Molecular Signaling and Cell Death Unit, Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Molecular Signaling and Cell Death Unit, Inflammation Research Center (IRC), VIB, Ghent, Belgium
- Methusalem Program, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Laurent Héliot
- Equipe Biophotonique Cellulaire Fonctionnelle, Laboratoire de Physique des Lasers, Atomes et Molécules (PhLAM), CNRS-UMR 8523, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
- Groupement de Recherche Microscopie Imagerie du Vivant, GDR2588 MIV-CNRS, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
| | - Franck B. Riquet
- Molecular Signaling and Cell Death Unit, Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Molecular Signaling and Cell Death Unit, Inflammation Research Center (IRC), VIB, Ghent, Belgium
- Structural and Functional Glycobiology Unit (UGSF), CNRS-UMR 8576, Lille 1 University, Villeneuve d’Ascq, France
- Groupement de Recherche Microscopie Imagerie du Vivant, GDR2588 MIV-CNRS, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
- * E-mail:
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25
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Carrella S, D'Agostino Y, Barbato S, Huber-Reggi SP, Salierno FG, Manfredi A, Neuhauss SCF, Banfi S, Conte I. miR-181a/b control the assembly of visual circuitry by regulating retinal axon specification and growth. Dev Neurobiol 2015; 75:1252-67. [PMID: 25728313 PMCID: PMC5033011 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Revised: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Connectivity and function of neuronal circuitry require the correct specification and growth of axons and dendrites. Here, we identify the microRNAs miR‐181a and miR‐181b as key regulators of retinal axon specification and growth. Loss of miR‐181a/b in medaka fish (Oryzias latipes) failed to consolidate amacrine cell processes into axons and delayed the growth of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons. These alterations were accompanied by defects in visual connectivity and function. We demonstrated that miR‐181a/b exert these actions through negative modulation of MAPK/ERK signaling that in turn leads to RhoA reduction and proper neuritogenesis in both amacrine cells and RGCs via local cytoskeletal rearrangement. Our results identify a new pathway for axon specification and growth unraveling a crucial role of miR‐181a/b in the proper establishment of visual system connectivity and function. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 75: 1252–1267, 2015
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Carrella
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli (Naples), 80078, Italy
| | - Ylenia D'Agostino
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli (Naples), 80078, Italy
| | - Sara Barbato
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli (Naples), 80078, Italy
| | - Sabina P Huber-Reggi
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, Division of Neurobiology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Francesco G Salierno
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli (Naples), 80078, Italy
| | - Anna Manfredi
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli (Naples), 80078, Italy
| | - Stephan C F Neuhauss
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, Division of Neurobiology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sandro Banfi
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli (Naples), 80078, Italy.,Medical Genetics, Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and General Pathology, Second University of Naples, via Luigi De Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Ivan Conte
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli (Naples), 80078, Italy
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26
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Jia QJ, Fan ZJ, Yao CL. Identification and expression profiles of ERK2 and ERK5 in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) after temperature stress and immune challenge. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 44:410-419. [PMID: 25772549 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2015.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2015] [Revised: 03/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Fish is highly affected by many environmental stresses such as temperature and invasive infection. The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway, part of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family, is found to act as crucial mediators for cell differentiation, proliferation and cell response to various stresses. In the present study, ERK2 (LcERK2) and ERK5 (LcERK2) were cloned and characterized from large yellow croaker, Larimichthys crocea. The full length cDNA sequence of LcERK2 was of 1910 bp, including an ORF of 1110bp encoding a polypeptide of 369 amino acids. The full length cDNA sequence of LcERK5 was of 3720bp, including an ORF of 3375bp encoding a polypeptide of 1124 amino acids. Multiple alignments showed that both LcERK2 and LcERK5 contained highly conserved TEY motif and S_TKc domain in MAPK family and the unique catalytic and active structures of ERK2 and ERK5. Subcellular localization revealed that both LcERK2 and LcERK5 expressed in the cytoplasm and cell nucleus. The expression of LcERK2 and LcERK5 were detected in most tissues of large yellow croaker, with the most predominant expression of LcERK2 in brain and LcERK5 in gill, and the weakest expression of LcERK2 in liver and LcERK5 in intestine, respectively. The expression levels of LcERK2 and LcERK5 after temperature stress and poly I:C and flagellin challenge were investigated in LCK (L. crocea kidney) cells. After temperature stress, significant down-regulations of LcERK2 transcripts were detected after 10 °C stress (p < 0.05) whereas LcERK2 transcripts increased significantly after 35 °C stress (p < 0.05). However, significant down-regulations of LcERK5 expression were detected at most time points after both cold and heat stress (p < 0.05). However, significant up-regulations of LcERK2 and LcERK5 transcripts were found after immune challenge (p < 0.05). Our results showed that LcERK2 transcripts enhanced after heat stress and both LcERK2 and LcERK5 transcripts could be induced by immune challenge. These findings indicated that LcERK2 might be more important in fish response to high temperature stress and both LcERK2 and LcERK5 might play an important role in fish immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao-Jing Jia
- Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, PR China
| | - Ze-Jun Fan
- Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, PR China
| | - Cui-Luan Yao
- Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, PR China.
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27
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Zhu M, Duan H, Gao M, Zhang H, Peng Y. Both ERK1 and ERK2 are required for enterovirus 71 (EV71) efficient replication. Viruses 2015; 7:1344-56. [PMID: 25803100 PMCID: PMC4379574 DOI: 10.3390/v7031344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2015] [Revised: 03/12/2015] [Accepted: 03/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been demonstrated that MEK1, one of the two MEK isoforms in Raf-MEK-ERK1/2 pathway, is essential for successful EV71 propagation. However, the distinct function of ERK1 and ERK2 isoforms, the downstream kinases of MEKs, remains unclear in EV71 replication. In this study, specific ERK siRNAs and selective inhibitor U0126 were applied. Silencing specific ERK did not significantly impact on the EV71-caused biphasic activation of the other ERK isoform, suggesting the EV71-induced activations of ERK1 and ERK2 were non-discriminative and independent to one another. Knockdown of either ERK1 or ERK2 markedly impaired progeny EV71 propagation (both by more than 90%), progeny viral RNA amplification (either by about 30% to 40%) and protein synthesis (both by around 70%), indicating both ERK1 and ERK2 were critical and not interchangeable to EV71 propagation. Moreover, suppression of EV71 replication by inhibiting both early and late phases of ERK1/2 activation showed no significant difference from that of only blocking the late phase, supporting the late phase activation was more importantly responsible for EV71 life cycle. Taken together, this study for the first time identified both ERK1 and ERK2 were required for EV71 efficient replication and further verified the important role of MEK1-ERK1/2 in EV71 replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Zhu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Hao Duan
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Meng Gao
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Yihong Peng
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China.
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28
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Koch BEV, Stougaard J, Spaink HP. Keeping track of the growing number of biological functions of chitin and its interaction partners in biomedical research. Glycobiology 2015; 25:469-82. [PMID: 25595947 PMCID: PMC4373397 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwv005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chitin is a vital polysaccharide component of protective structures in many eukaryotic organisms but seems absent in vertebrates. Chitin or chitin oligomers are therefore prime candidates for non-self-molecules, which are recognized and degraded by the vertebrate immune system. Despite the absence of polymeric chitin in vertebrates, chitinases and chitinase-like proteins (CLPs) are well conserved in vertebrate species. In many studies, these proteins have been found to be involved in immune regulation and in mediating the degradation of chitinous external protective structures of invading pathogens. Several important aspects of chitin immunostimulation have recently been uncovered, advancing our understanding of the complex regulatory mechanisms that chitin mediates. Likewise, the last few years have seen large advances in our understanding of the mechanisms and molecular interactions of chitinases and CLPs in relation to immune response regulation. It is becoming increasingly clear that their function in this context is not exclusive to chitin producing pathogens, but includes bacterial infections and cancer signaling as well. Here we provide an overview of the immune signaling properties of chitin and other closely related biomolecules. We also review the latest literature on chitinases and CLPs of the GH18 family. Finally, we examine the existing literature on zebrafish chitinases, and propose the use of zebrafish as a versatile model to complement the existing murine models. This could especially be of benefit to the exploration of the function of chitinases in infectious diseases using high-throughput approaches and pharmaceutical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bjørn E V Koch
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark Leiden University, Institute of Biology, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jens Stougaard
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Herman P Spaink
- Leiden University, Institute of Biology, Leiden, The Netherlands
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29
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Kelly ML, Astsaturov A, Rhodes J, Chernoff J. A Pak1/Erk signaling module acts through Gata6 to regulate cardiovascular development in zebrafish. Dev Cell 2014; 29:350-9. [PMID: 24823378 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2014.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2013] [Revised: 01/31/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Proper neural crest development and migration is critical during embryonic development, but the molecular mechanisms regulating this process remain incompletely understood. Here, we show that the protein kinase Erk, which plays a central role in a number of key developmental processes in vertebrates, is regulated in the developing neural crest by p21-activated protein kinase 1 (Pak1). Furthermore, we show that activated Erk signals by phosphorylating the transcription factor Gata6 on a conserved serine residue to promote neural crest migration and proper formation of craniofacial structures, pigment cells, and the outflow tract of the heart. Our data suggest an essential role for Pak1 as an Erk activator, and Gata6 as an Erk target, during neural crest development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mollie L Kelly
- Cancer Biology Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA
| | - Artyom Astsaturov
- Cancer Biology Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA
| | - Jennifer Rhodes
- Cancer Biology Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA
| | - Jonathan Chernoff
- Cancer Biology Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA.
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30
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van der Ent W, Jochemsen AG, Teunisse AFAS, Krens SFG, Szuhai K, Spaink HP, Hogendoorn PCW, Snaar-Jagalska BE. Ewing sarcoma inhibition by disruption of EWSR1-FLI1 transcriptional activity and reactivation of p53. J Pathol 2014; 233:415-24. [DOI: 10.1002/path.4378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2013] [Revised: 05/14/2014] [Accepted: 05/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wietske van der Ent
- Institute of Biology; Leiden University; The Netherlands
- Department of Pathology; Leiden University Medical Center; The Netherlands
| | - Aart G Jochemsen
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Leiden University Medical Center; The Netherlands
| | - Amina FAS Teunisse
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Leiden University Medical Center; The Netherlands
| | | | - Karoly Szuhai
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Leiden University Medical Center; The Netherlands
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31
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Abstract
The Raf/MEK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway has a pivotal role in facilitating cell proliferation, and its deregulated activation is a central signature of many epithelial cancers. However paradoxically, sustained activity of Raf/MEK/ERK can also result in growth arrest in many different cell types. This anti-proliferative Raf/MEK/ERK signaling also has physiological significance, as exemplified by its potential as a tumor suppressive mechanism. Therefore, significant questions include in which cell types and by what mechanisms this pathway can mediate such an opposing context of signaling. Particularly, our understating of the role of ERK1 and ERK2, the focal points of pathway signaling, in growth arrest signaling is still limited. This review discusses these aspects of Raf/MEK/ERK-mediated growth arrest signaling.
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32
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Araf kinase antagonizes Nodal-Smad2 activity in mesendoderm development by directly phosphorylating the Smad2 linker region. Nat Commun 2013; 4:1728. [PMID: 23591895 PMCID: PMC3644095 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2012] [Accepted: 03/18/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Smad2/3-mediated transforming growth factor β signalling and the Ras-Raf-Mek-Erk cascade have important roles in stem cell and development and tissue homeostasis. However, it remains unknown whether Raf kinases directly crosstalk with Smad2/3 signalling and how this would regulate embryonic development. Here we show that Araf antagonizes mesendoderm induction and patterning activity of Nodal/Smad2 signals in vertebrate embryos by directly inhibiting Smad2 signalling. Knockdown of araf in zebrafish embryos leads to an increase of activated Smad2 with a decrease in linker phosphorylation; consequently, the embryos have excess mesendoderm precursors and are dorsalized. Mechanistically, Araf physically binds to and phosphorylates Smad2 in the linker region with S253 being indispensable in a Mek/Erk-independent manner, thereby attenuating Smad2 signalling by accelerating degradation of activated Smad2. Our findings open avenues for investigating the potential significance of Raf regulation of transforming growth factor β signalling in versatile biological and pathological processes in the future.
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33
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Wang L, Liu T, Xu L, Gao Y, Wei Y, Duan C, Chen GQ, Lin S, Patient R, Zhang B, Hong D, Liu F. Fev regulates hematopoietic stem cell development via ERK signaling. Blood 2013; 122:367-75. [PMID: 23591790 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2012-10-462655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Reprogramming of somatic cells to desired cell types holds great promise in regenerative medicine. However, production of transplantable hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in vitro by defined factors has not yet been achieved. Therefore, it is critical to fully understand the molecular mechanisms of HSC development in vivo. Here, we show that Fev, an ETS transcription factor, is a pivotal regulator of HSC development in vertebrates. In fev-deficient zebrafish embryos, the first definitive HSC population was compromised and fewer T cells were found in the thymus. Genetic and chemical analyses support a mechanism whereby Fev regulates HSC through direct regulation of ERK signaling. Blastula transplant assay demonstrates that Fev regulation of HSC development is cell autonomous. Experiments performed with purified cord blood show that fev is expressed and functions in primitive HSCs in humans, indicating its conserved role in higher vertebrates. Our data indicate that Fev-ERK signaling is essential for hemogenic endothelium-based HSC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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34
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Blaker-Lee A, Gupta S, McCammon JM, De Rienzo G, Sive H. Zebrafish homologs of genes within 16p11.2, a genomic region associated with brain disorders, are active during brain development, and include two deletion dosage sensor genes. Dis Model Mech 2012; 5:834-51. [PMID: 22566537 PMCID: PMC3484866 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.009944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2012] [Accepted: 04/25/2012] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Deletion or duplication of one copy of the human 16p11.2 interval is tightly associated with impaired brain function, including autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), intellectual disability disorder (IDD) and other phenotypes, indicating the importance of gene dosage in this copy number variant region (CNV). The core of this CNV includes 25 genes; however, the number of genes that contribute to these phenotypes is not known. Furthermore, genes whose functional levels change with deletion or duplication (termed 'dosage sensors'), which can associate the CNV with pathologies, have not been identified in this region. Using the zebrafish as a tool, a set of 16p11.2 homologs was identified, primarily on chromosomes 3 and 12. Use of 11 phenotypic assays, spanning the first 5 days of development, demonstrated that this set of genes is highly active, such that 21 out of the 22 homologs tested showed loss-of-function phenotypes. Most genes in this region were required for nervous system development - impacting brain morphology, eye development, axonal density or organization, and motor response. In general, human genes were able to substitute for the fish homolog, demonstrating orthology and suggesting conserved molecular pathways. In a screen for 16p11.2 genes whose function is sensitive to hemizygosity, the aldolase a (aldoaa) and kinesin family member 22 (kif22) genes were identified as giving clear phenotypes when RNA levels were reduced by ∼50%, suggesting that these genes are deletion dosage sensors. This study leads to two major findings. The first is that the 16p11.2 region comprises a highly active set of genes, which could present a large genetic target and might explain why multiple brain function, and other, phenotypes are associated with this interval. The second major finding is that there are (at least) two genes with deletion dosage sensor properties among the 16p11.2 set, and these could link this CNV to brain disorders such as ASD and IDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Blaker-Lee
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Nine Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Sunny Gupta
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Nine Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Jasmine M. McCammon
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Nine Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Gianluca De Rienzo
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Nine Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Hazel Sive
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Nine Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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35
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He S, Lamers GE, Beenakker JWM, Cui C, Ghotra VP, Danen EH, Meijer AH, Spaink HP, Snaar-Jagalska BE. Neutrophil-mediated experimental metastasis is enhanced by VEGFR inhibition in a zebrafish xenograft model. J Pathol 2012; 227:431-45. [PMID: 22374800 PMCID: PMC3504093 DOI: 10.1002/path.4013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2011] [Revised: 02/02/2012] [Accepted: 02/21/2012] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Inhibition of VEGF signalling effectively suppresses localized tumour growth but accelerates tumour invasiveness and micrometastasis by unknown mechanisms. To study the dynamic and reciprocal interactions between tumour cells and their microenvironment during these processes, we established a xenograft model by injecting tumour cells into the blood circulation of transparent zebrafish embryos. This reproducibly results in rapid simultaneous formation of a localized tumour and experimental micrometastasis, allowing time-resolved imaging of both processes at single-cell resolution within 1 week. The tumour vasculature was initiated de novo by remodelling of primitive endothelial cells into a functional network. Roles of myeloid cells in critical tumourigenesis steps such as vascularization and invasion were revealed by genetic and pharmaceutical approaches. We discovered that the physiological migration of neutrophils controlled tumour invasion by conditioning the collagen matrix and forming the metastatic niche, as detected by two-photon confocal microscopy and second harmonic generation. Administration of VEGFR inhibitors blocked tumour vascularization and a localized tumour growth but enhanced migration of neutrophils, which in turn promoted tumour invasion and formation of micrometastasis. This demonstrates the in vivo cooperation between VEGF signalling and myeloid cells in metastasis and provides a new mechanism underlying the recent findings that VEGFR targeting can promote tumour invasiveness. Copyright © 2012 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuning He
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
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36
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Distinct roles for extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1) and ERK2 in the structure and production of a primate gammaherpesvirus. J Virol 2012; 86:9721-36. [PMID: 22740395 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00695-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
During their progression from intranuclear capsids to mature trilaminar virions, herpesviruses incorporate an extensive array of viral as well as a smaller subset of cellular proteins. Our laboratory previously reported that rhesus monkey rhadinovirus (RRV), a close homolog of the human pathogen Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), is comprised of at least 33 different virally encoded proteins. In the current study, we found that RRV infection activated the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway and nascent virions preferentially incorporated the activated form of ERK2 (pERK2) into the tegument. This was evident even in the face of greatly diminished stores of intracellular ERK2, suggesting a clear bias toward the incorporation of pERK2 into the RRV particle. Similar to earlier findings with KSHV, activation of ERK was essential for the production of lytic viral proteins and virions. Knockdown of intracellular ERK, however, failed to inhibit virus production, likely due to maintenance of residual pools of intracellular pERK2. Paradoxically, selective knockdown of ERK1 enhanced virion production nearly 5-fold and viral titers more than 10-fold. These data are the first to implicate ERK1 as a negative regulator of lytic replication in a herpesvirus and the first to demonstrate the incorporation of an activated signaling molecule within a herpesvirus. Together, the results further our understanding of how herpesviruses interact with host cells during infection and demonstrate how this family of viruses can exploit cellular signal transduction pathways to modulate their own replication.
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Lambaerts K, Van Dyck S, Mortier E, Ivarsson Y, Degeest G, Luyten A, Vermeiren E, Peers B, David G, Zimmermann P. Syntenin, a syndecan adaptor and an Arf6 phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate effector, is essential for epiboly and gastrulation cell movements in zebrafish. J Cell Sci 2012; 125:1129-40. [PMID: 22399807 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.089987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Epiboly, the spreading and the thinning of the blastoderm to cover the yolk cell and close the blastopore in fish embryos, is central to the process of gastrulation. Despite its fundamental importance, little is known about the molecular mechanisms that control this coordinated cell movement. By a combination of knockdown studies and rescue experiments in zebrafish (Danio rerio), we show that epiboly relies on the molecular networking of syntenin with syndecan heparan sulphate proteoglycans, which act as co-receptors for adhesion molecules and growth factors. Furthermore, we show that the interaction of syntenin with phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) and with the small GTPase ADP-ribosylation factor 6 (Arf6), which regulate the endocytic recycling of syndecan, is necessary for epiboly progression. Analysis of the earliest cellular defects suggests a role for syntenin in the autonomous vegetal expansion of the yolk syncytial layer and the rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton in extra-embryonic tissues, but not in embryonic cell fate determination. This study identifies the importance of the syntenin-syndecan-PIP2-Arf6 complex for the progression of fish epiboly and establishes its key role in directional cell movements during early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Lambaerts
- Laboratory for Signal Integration in Cell Fate Decision, Department of Human Genetics and VIB, K.U.Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Anastasaki C, Rauen KA, Patton EE. Continual low-level MEK inhibition ameliorates cardio-facio-cutaneous phenotypes in zebrafish. Dis Model Mech 2012; 5:546-52. [PMID: 22301711 PMCID: PMC3380717 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.008672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardio-facio-cutaneous (CFC) syndrome is caused by germline mutations in KRAS, BRAF and MEK1/2. The highly selective and potent MEK inhibitors that have been developed as anti-cancer agents hold potential as therapeutics for CFC syndrome. We have previously shown that the effects of CFC mutations on zebrafish gastrulation can be prevented by a 1-hour treatment with MEK inhibitors within a specific developmental time-window. However, MEK activity is essential for normal development and PD0325901 treatment outside this treatment window leads to additional developmental defects in MEK-dependent tissues. We now test ten different doses of PD0325901 at six developmental time points and assess the effects on body axis length, heart development and craniofacial structures in zebrafish embryos. Notably, we find that a continuous low-level dose of PD0325901 that has only minor inhibition of MEK activity can prevent the action of both the common CFC BRAFQ257R kinase-active allele and the BRAFG596V kinase-impaired mutant allele through the first 5 days of development. These results provide a detailed study of the effects of PD0325901 in development and show that, unlike in cancer, which requires robust inhibition of MAPK signalling, a partial reduction in phospho-ERK1/2 activity is sufficient to moderate the developmental effects of BRAFCFC mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corina Anastasaki
- The Institute for Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Medical Research Council, Human Genetics Unit and Edinburgh University, Crewe Road South, Western General Hospital Campus, EH4 2XR, UK
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Abstract
Migration is a key cellular process, involved during morphogenetic movements as well as in the adult where it participates in immune cell trafficking, wound healing or tumour invasion. As they migrate, cells interact with a microenvironment composed of extracellular matrix and neighbouring cells. Cell-cell adhesions ensure tissue integrity while they allow migration of single or grouped cells within this tissue. Cadherin and nectin-based adherens junctions are key players in intercellular interactions. They are used as adhesive complexes whose mechanical properties improve cell coordination during collective migration and promote cell motility on cadherin substrates. In addition, adherens junctions transduce signals that actively participate in the control of directed cell migration, by providing polarity cues and also participating in contact inhibition of motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandrine Etienne-Manneville
- Institut Pasteur, Cell Polarity and Migration Group and CNRS URA 2582, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France,
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von Thun A, Birtwistle M, Kalna G, Grindlay J, Strachan D, Kolch W, von Kriegsheim A, Norman JC. ERK2 drives tumour cell migration in 3D microenvironments by suppressing expression of Rab17 and Liprin-β2. J Cell Sci 2012; 125:1465-77. [DOI: 10.1242/jcs.092916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Upregulation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway has been shown to contribute to tumour invasion and progression. Since the two predominant ERK isoforms (ERK1 and ERK2) are highly homologous and have indistinguishable kinase activities in vitro, both enzymes were believed to be redundant and interchangeable. To challenge this view, here we show that ERK2 silencing inhibits invasive migration of MDA-MB-231 cells, and re-expression of ERK2 but not ERK1 restores the normal invasive phenotype. A detailed quantitative analysis of cell movement on 3D matrices indicates that ERK2 knockdown impairs cellular motility by decreasing the migration velocity as well as increasing the time that cells spend not moving. We used gene expression arrays to identify rab17 and liprin-β2 as genes whose expression was increased by knockdown of ERK2 and restored to normal levels following re-expression of ERK2, but not ERK1. Both Rab17 and Liprin-β2 play inhibitory roles in the invasive behaviour of three independent cancer cell lines. Importantly, knockdown of either Rab17 or Liprin-β2 restores invasiveness of ERK2-depleted cells, indicating that ERK2 drives invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells by suppressing expression of these genes.
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Abstract
Non-reinforced retrieval induces memory extinction, a phenomenon characterized by a decrease in the intensity of the learned response. This attribute has been used to develop extinction-based therapies to treat anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorders. Histamine modulates memory and anxiety but its role on fear extinction has not yet been evaluated. Therefore, using male Wistar rats, we determined the effect of the intra-hippocampal administration of different histaminergic agents on the extinction of step-down inhibitory avoidance (IA), a form of aversive learning. We found that intra-CA1 infusion of histamine immediately after non-reinforced retrieval facilitated consolidation of IA extinction in a dose-dependent manner. This facilitation was mimicked by the histamine N-methyltransferase inhibitor SKF91488 and the H2 receptor agonist dimaprit, reversed by the H2 receptor antagonist ranitidine, and unaffected by the H1 antagonist pyrilamine, the H3 antagonist thioperamide and the antagonist at the NMDA receptor (NMDAR) polyamine-binding site ifenprodil. Neither the H1 agonist 2-2-pyridylethylamine nor the NMDAR polyamine-binding site agonist spermidine affected the consolidation of extinction while the H3 receptor agonist imetit hampered it. Extinction induced the phosphorylation of ERK1 in dorsal CA1 while intra-CA1 infusion of the MEK inhibitor U0126 blocked extinction of the avoidance response. The extinction-induced phosphorylation of ERK1 was enhanced by histamine and dimaprit and blocked by ranitidine administered to dorsal CA1 after non-reinforced retrieval. Taken together, our data indicate that the hippocampal histaminergic system modulates the consolidation of fear extinction through a mechanism involving the H2-dependent activation of ERK signalling.
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He S, Krens SG, Zhan H, Gong Z, Hogendoorn PC, Spaink HP, Snaar-Jagalska BE. A ΔRaf1-ER-inducible oncogenic zebrafish liver cell model identifies hepatocellular carcinoma signatures. J Pathol 2011; 225:19-28. [PMID: 21744342 DOI: 10.1002/path.2936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2010] [Revised: 04/21/2011] [Accepted: 05/10/2011] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Although the underlying molecular mechanism of hepatocellular carcinoma remains unclear, signalling pathways essential in cell survival and growth are altered, including the Raf-MEK-MAPK pathway. This pathway can be activated by hepatitis B or C virus infections and the ectopic expression of the Raf-1 oncogene is frequently seen in hepatocellular carcinomas. In addition, the Raf-MEK-MAPK pathway was also shown to be deregulated in zebrafish liver tumours. Based on the genetic conservation between zebrafish and human liver tumours, the zebrafish was used as an animal model to better understand the molecular basis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Here we establish an inducible oncogenic zebrafish cell model, in which oncogenic human Raf-1(ΔRaf1) can be post-transcriptionally activated in zebrafish liver cells by administration of 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4HT). The ΔRaf1 activation resulted in the hyperactivation of the zebrafish MEK-ERK cascade, promoted cell growth and proliferation, and inhibited apoptosis. The mitogenic transformation of the ZFL-ΔRaf1-ER cells was confirmed by in vivo allo-transplantation and in silico microarray analyses. Gene expression profiling of cells treated with 4HT and a MEK-inhibitor identified a Raf-MEK-dependent signature set. This transcriptome response was compared to zebrafish and human liver cancer transcriptomes. We identified, and validated by quantitative PCR, a set of genes transcriptionally regulated by hyperactive MAPK signalling in ZFL-ΔRaf1-ER cells, zebrafish liver tumours and human liver tumours, suggesting that the in vitro zebrafish liver cell model can be used for further study of the molecular basis of human hepatocellular carcinoma. The molecular targeting of the commonly regulated hepatocellular carcinoma genes using the ZFL-ΔRaf1-ER cell model can be applied for high-throughput preclinical target discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuning He
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, The Netherlands
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Chang MY, Lu JK, Tian YC, Chen YC, Hung CC, Huang YH, Chen YH, Wu MS, Yang CW, Cheng YC. Inhibition of the P2X7 receptor reduces cystogenesis in PKD. J Am Soc Nephrol 2011; 22:1696-706. [PMID: 21636640 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2010070728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The P2X7 receptor participates in purinergic signaling, which may promote the progression of ADPKD. We examined the effects of a P2X7 receptor antagonist and a P2X7 receptor agonist on cyst development in a zebrafish model of polycystic kidney disease in which we knocked down pkd2 by morpholinos. We used live wt-1b pronephric-specific GFP-expressing zebrafish embryos to directly observe changes in the pronephros. Exposure of pkd2-morphant zebrafish to a P2X7 receptor antagonist (oxidized ATP [OxATP]) significantly reduced the frequency of the cystic phenotype compared with either exposure to a P2X7 receptor agonist (BzATP) or with no treatment (P < 0.01). Histology confirmed improvement of glomerular cysts in OxATP-treated pkd2 morphants. OxATP also reduced p-ERK activity and cell proliferation in pronephric kidneys in pkd2 morphants. Inhibition of P2X7 with an additional specific antagonist (A-438079), and through morpholino-mediated knockdown of p2rx7, confirmed these effects. In conclusion, blockade of the P2X7 receptor reduces cyst formation via ERK-dependent pathways in a zebrafish model of polycystic kidney disease, suggesting that P2X7 antagonists may have therapeutic potential in ADPKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Yang Chang
- Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
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Hadwiger JA, Nguyen HN. MAPKs in development: insights from Dictyostelium signaling pathways. Biomol Concepts 2011; 2:39-46. [PMID: 21666837 DOI: 10.1515/bmc.2011.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) play important roles in the development of eukaryotic organisms through the regulation of signal transduction pathways stimulated by external signals. MAPK signaling pathways have been associated with the regulation of cell growth, differentiation, and chemotaxis, indicating MAPKs contribute to a diverse set of developmental processes. In most eukaryotes, the diversity of external signals is likely to far exceed the diversity of MAPKs, suggesting that multiple signaling pathways might share MAPKs. Do different signaling pathways converge before MAPK function or can MAPKs maintain signaling specificity through interactions with specific proteins? The genetic and biochemical analysis of MAPK pathways in simple eukaryotes such as Dictyostelium offers opportunities to investigate functional specificity of MAPKs in G protein-mediated signal transduction pathways. This review considers the regulation and specificity of MAPK function in pathways that control Dictyostelium growth and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A Hadwiger
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Oklahoma State University 74078-3020, USA
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46
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Mitogen-activated protein kinases in hepatocellular carcinoma development. Semin Cancer Biol 2011; 21:10-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2010.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2010] [Revised: 10/05/2010] [Accepted: 10/13/2010] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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The cell adhesion-associated protein Git2 regulates morphogenetic movements during zebrafish embryonic development. Dev Biol 2010; 349:225-37. [PMID: 21034731 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2010.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2010] [Revised: 09/13/2010] [Accepted: 10/19/2010] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Signaling through cell adhesion complexes plays a critical role in coordinating cytoskeletal remodeling necessary for efficient cell migration. During embryonic development, normal morphogenesis depends on a series of concerted cell movements; but the roles of cell adhesion signaling during these movements are poorly understood. The transparent zebrafish embryo provides an excellent system to study cell migration during development. Here, we have identified zebrafish git2a and git2b, two new members of the GIT family of genes that encode ArfGAP proteins associated with cell adhesions. Loss-of-function studies revealed an essential role for Git2a in zebrafish cell movements during gastrulation. Time-lapse microscopy analysis demonstrated that antisense depletion of Git2a greatly reduced or arrested cell migration towards the vegetal pole of the embryo. These defects were rescued by expression of chicken GIT2, indicating a specific and conserved role for Git2 in controlling embryonic cell movements. Git2a knockdown embryos showed defects in cell morphology that were associated with reduced cell contractility. We show that Git2a is required for phosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC), which regulates myosin II-mediated cell contractility. Consistent with this, embryos treated with Blebbistatin-a small molecule inhibitor for myosin II activity-exhibited cell movement defects similar to git2a knockdown embryos. These observations provide in vivo evidence of a physiologic role for Git2a in regulating cell morphogenesis and directed cell migration via myosin II activation during zebrafish embryonic development.
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48
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Sanchez-Simon FM, Zhang XX, Loh HH, Law PY, Rodriguez RE. Morphine regulates dopaminergic neuron differentiation via miR-133b. Mol Pharmacol 2010; 78:935-42. [PMID: 20716624 DOI: 10.1124/mol.110.066837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphine is one of the analgesics used most to treat chronic pain, although its long-term administration produces tolerance and dependence through neuronal plasticity. The ability of morphine to regulate neuron differentiation in vivo has been reported. However, the detailed mechanisms have not yet been elucidated because of the inability to separate maternal influences from embryonic events. Using zebrafish embryos as the model, we demonstrate that morphine decreases miR-133b expression, hence increasing the expression of its target, Pitx3, a transcription factor that activates tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter. Using a specific morpholino to knock down the zebrafish μ-opioid receptor (zfMOR) in the embryos and selective mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors, we demonstrate that the morphine-induced miR-133b decrease in zebrafish embryos is mediated by zfMOR activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2. A parallel morphine-induced down-regulation of miR-133b was observed in the immature but not in mature rat hippocampal neurons. Our results indicate for the first time that zebrafish embryos express a functional μ-opioid receptor and that zebrafish serves as an excellent model to investigate the roles of microRNA in neuronal development affected by long-term morphine exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Macho Sanchez-Simon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Neuroscience, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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49
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Kok FO, Shepherd IT, Sirotkin HI. Churchill and Sip1a repress fibroblast growth factor signaling during zebrafish somitogenesis. Dev Dyn 2010; 239:548-58. [PMID: 20034103 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.22201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell-type specific regulation of a small number of growth factor signal transduction pathways generates diverse developmental outcomes. The zinc finger protein Churchill (ChCh) is a key effector of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling during gastrulation. ChCh is largely thought to act by inducing expression of the multifunctional Sip1 (Smad Interacting Protein 1). We investigated the function of ChCh and Sip1a during zebrafish somitogenesis. Knockdown of ChCh or Sip1a results in misshapen somites that are short and narrow. As in wild-type embryos, cycling gene expression occurs in the developing somites in ChCh and Sip1a compromised embryos, but expression of her1 and her7 is maintained in formed somites. In addition, tail bud fgf8 expression is expanded anteriorly in these embryos. Finally, we found that blocking FGF8 restores somite morphology in ChCh and Sip1a compromised embryos. These results demonstrate a novel role for ChCh and Sip1a in repression of FGF activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatma O Kok
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
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50
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Abstract
The migration of single cells and epithelial sheets is of great importance for gastrulation and organ formation in developing embryos and, if misregulated, can have dire consequences e.g. during cancer metastasis. A keystone of cell migration is the regulation of adhesive contacts, which are dynamically assembled and disassembled via endocytosis. Here, we discuss some of the basic concepts about the function of endocytic trafficking during cell migration: transport of integrins from the cell rear to the leading edge in fibroblasts; confinement of signalling to the front of single cells by endocytic transport of growth factors; regulation of movement coherence in multicellular sheets by cadherin turnover; and shaping of extracellular chemokine gradients. Taken together, endocytosis enables migrating cells and tissues to dynamically modulate their adhesion and signalling, allowing them to efficiently migrate through their extracellular environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Ulrich
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York, USA
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