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Brinkmeier ML, Wang SQ, Pittman H, Cheung LY, Prasov L. Myelin regulatory factor ( Myrf ) is a critical early regulator of retinal pigment epithelial development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.26.591281. [PMID: 38746430 PMCID: PMC11092522 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.26.591281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Myelin regulatory factor (Myrf) is a critical transcription factor in early retinal and retinal pigment epithelial development, and human variants in MYRF are a cause for nanophthalmos. Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) was performed on Myrf conditional knockout mice ( Rx>Cre Myrf fl/fl ) at 3 developmental timepoints. Myrf was expressed specifically in the RPE, and expression was abrogated in Rx>Cre Myrf fl/fl eyes. scRNAseq analysis revealed a loss of RPE cells at all timepoints resulting from cell death. GO-term analysis in the RPE revealed downregulation of melanogenesis and anatomic structure morphogenesis pathways, which were supported by electron microscopy and histologic analysis. Novel structural target genes including Ermn and Upk3b , along with macular degeneration and inherited retinal disease genes were identified as downregulated, and a strong upregulation of TGFß/BMP signaling and effectors was observed. Regulon analysis placed Myrf downstream of Pax6 and Mitf and upstream of Sox10 in RPE differentiation. Together, these results suggest a strong role for Myrf in the RPE maturation by regulating melanogenesis, cell survival, and cell structure, in part acting through suppression of TGFß signaling and activation of Sox10 . SUMMARY STATEMENT Myrf regulates RPE development, melanogenesis, and is important for cell structure and survival, in part through regulation of Ermn , Upk3b and Sox10, and BMP/TGFb signaling.
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Ma L, Zhu Z, Zhang S, Yang R, Liu C, Yu Y, Yang X. Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of the Skin and the Peritoneal Wall Layer of Triplophysa stenura Distributed in High Elevations. BIOLOGY 2023; 13:5. [PMID: 38275726 PMCID: PMC10812932 DOI: 10.3390/biology13010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
A total of 81,868 All-Unigenes were sequenced and assembled by the transcriptome in the dorsal skin, the lateral skin, and the peritoneal wall layer of Triplophysa stenura with a total assembly length of 123,827,585 bp, and 68,750 unigenes were annotated to seven functional databases. A total of 588 DEGs were screened between the dorsal and lateral skin, 17,097 DEGs were screened between the dorsal skin and the peritoneal wall layer, and 16,598 DEGs were screened between the lateral skin and the peritoneal wall layer. Most of DEGs in three tissues were annotated to GO terms related to cellular structures, binding, cellular processes, and catalytic activity. They were also annotated to KEGG pathways such as the MAPK signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, melanogenesis, tyrosine metabolism, and cell cycle. A total of twenty-three DEGs were found to be enriched in the melanin synthesis pathway by a local Blast comparison, of which nine DEGs were significantly upregulated in the peritoneal wall layer and six DEGs were significantly upregulated in the dorsal and lateral skin. The results suggest that these genes may be associated with the molecular mechanism of melanin synthesis in T. stenura, and the differential regulation of genes may be related to the differences in UVR intensity and tissue sites of melanin synthesis. Further investigation is needed on how these genes specifically regulate melanin synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Ma
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (L.M.); (Z.Z.); (R.Y.); (C.L.); (Y.Y.)
| | - Zhen Zhu
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (L.M.); (Z.Z.); (R.Y.); (C.L.); (Y.Y.)
- Hubei Vocational College of Bio-Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Shanzhong Zhang
- Hechuan Campus, Sichuan Fisheries School, Hechuan, Chongqing 401520, China;
| | - Ruibin Yang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (L.M.); (Z.Z.); (R.Y.); (C.L.); (Y.Y.)
| | - Chen Liu
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (L.M.); (Z.Z.); (R.Y.); (C.L.); (Y.Y.)
| | - Yongyao Yu
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (L.M.); (Z.Z.); (R.Y.); (C.L.); (Y.Y.)
| | - Xuefen Yang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (L.M.); (Z.Z.); (R.Y.); (C.L.); (Y.Y.)
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Zhang X, Leavey P, Appel H, Makrides N, Blackshaw S. Molecular mechanisms controlling vertebrate retinal patterning, neurogenesis, and cell fate specification. Trends Genet 2023; 39:736-757. [PMID: 37423870 PMCID: PMC10529299 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
This review covers recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms controlling neurogenesis and specification of the developing retina, with a focus on insights obtained from comparative single cell multiomic analysis. We discuss recent advances in understanding the mechanisms by which extrinsic factors trigger transcriptional changes that spatially pattern the optic cup (OC) and control the initiation and progression of retinal neurogenesis. We also discuss progress in unraveling the core evolutionarily conserved gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that specify early- and late-state retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) and neurogenic progenitors and that control the final steps in determining cell identity. Finally, we discuss findings that provide insight into regulation of species-specific aspects of retinal patterning and neurogenesis, including consideration of key outstanding questions in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Patrick Leavey
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Haley Appel
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Neoklis Makrides
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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4
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Beaver D, Limnios IJ. A treatment within sight: challenges in the development of stem cell-derived photoreceptor therapies for retinal degenerative diseases. FRONTIERS IN TRANSPLANTATION 2023; 2:1130086. [PMID: 38993872 PMCID: PMC11235385 DOI: 10.3389/frtra.2023.1130086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Stem cell therapies can potentially treat various retinal degenerative diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and inherited retinal diseases like retinitis pigmentosa. For these diseases, transplanted cells may include stem cell-derived retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells, photoreceptors, or a combination of both. Although stem cell-derived RPE cells have progressed to human clinical trials, therapies using photoreceptors and other retinal cell types are lagging. In this review, we discuss the potential use of human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived photoreceptors for the treatment of retinal degeneration and highlight the progress and challenges for their efficient production and clinical application in regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davinia Beaver
- Clem Jones Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, QL, Australia
| | - Ioannis Jason Limnios
- Clem Jones Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, QL, Australia
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5
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Tresenrider A, Sridhar A, Eldred KC, Cuschieri S, Hoffer D, Trapnell C, Reh TA. Single-cell sequencing of individual retinal organoids reveals determinants of cell-fate heterogeneity. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100548. [PMID: 37671011 PMCID: PMC10475847 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
With a critical need for more complete in vitro models of human development and disease, organoids hold immense potential. Their complex cellular composition makes single-cell sequencing of great utility; however, the limitation of current technologies to a handful of treatment conditions restricts their use in screens or studies of organoid heterogeneity. Here, we apply sci-Plex, a single-cell combinatorial indexing (sci)-based RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) multiplexing method to retinal organoids. We demonstrate that sci-Plex and 10× methods produce highly concordant cell-class compositions and then expand sci-Plex to analyze the cell-class composition of 410 organoids upon modulation of critical developmental pathways. Leveraging individual organoid data, we develop a method to measure organoid heterogeneity, and we identify that activation of Wnt signaling early in retinal organoid cultures increases retinal cell classes up to 6 weeks later. Our data show sci-Plex's potential to dramatically scale up the analysis of treatment conditions on relevant human models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Tresenrider
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | | | - Kiara C. Eldred
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Sophia Cuschieri
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Dawn Hoffer
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Cole Trapnell
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Allen Discovery Center for Cell Lineage Tracing, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Thomas A. Reh
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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6
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Ovadia S, Cui G, Elkon R, Cohen-Gulkar M, Zuk-Bar N, Tuoc T, Jing N, Ashery-Padan R. SWI/SNF complexes are required for retinal pigmented epithelium differentiation and for the inhibition of cell proliferation and neural differentiation programs. Development 2023; 150:dev201488. [PMID: 37522516 PMCID: PMC10482007 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
During embryonic development, tissue-specific transcription factors and chromatin remodelers function together to ensure gradual, coordinated differentiation of multiple lineages. Here, we define this regulatory interplay in the developing retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE), a neuroectodermal lineage essential for the development, function and maintenance of the adjacent retina. We present a high-resolution spatial transcriptomic atlas of the developing mouse RPE and the adjacent ocular mesenchyme obtained by geographical position sequencing (Geo-seq) of a single developmental stage of the eye that encompasses young and more mature ocular progenitors. These transcriptomic data, available online, reveal the key transcription factors and their gene regulatory networks during RPE and ocular mesenchyme differentiation. Moreover, conditional inactivation followed by Geo-seq revealed that this differentiation program is dependent on the activity of SWI/SNF complexes, shown here to control the expression and activity of RPE transcription factors and, at the same time, inhibit neural progenitor and cell proliferation genes. The findings reveal the roles of the SWI/SNF complexes in controlling the intersection between RPE and neural cell fates and the coupling of cell-cycle exit and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shai Ovadia
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Guizhong Cui
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Department of Basic Research, Guangzhou 510005, China
| | - Ran Elkon
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Mazal Cohen-Gulkar
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Nitay Zuk-Bar
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Tran Tuoc
- Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr University of Bochum, 44791 Bochum, Germany
| | - Naihe Jing
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Department of Basic Research, Guangzhou 510005, China
| | - Ruth Ashery-Padan
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
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7
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Kim JM, Min KW, Kim YJ, Smits R, Basler K, Kim JW. Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway Is Necessary for the Specification but Not the Maintenance of the Mouse Retinal Pigment Epithelium. Mol Cells 2023; 46:441-450. [PMID: 37190767 PMCID: PMC10336276 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2023.0029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
β-Catenin (Ctnnb1) has been shown to play critical roles in the development and maintenance of epithelial cells, including the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Ctnnb1 is not only a component of intercellular junctions in the epithelium, it also functions as a transcriptional regulator in the Wnt signaling pathway. To identify which of its functional modalities is critically involved in mouse RPE development and maintenance, we varied Ctnnb1 gene content and activity in mouse RPE lineage cells and tested their impacts on mouse eye development. We found that a Ctnnb1 double mutant (Ctnnb1dm), which exhibits impaired transcriptional activity, could not replace Ctnnb1 in the RPE, whereas Ctnnb1Y654E, which has reduced affinity for the junctions, could do so. Expression of the constitutively active Ctnnb1∆ex3 mutant also suppressed the development of RPE, instead facilitating a ciliary cell fate. However, the post-mitotic or mature RPE was insensitive to the loss, inactivation, or constitutive activation of Ctnnb1. Collectively, our results suggest that Ctnnb1 should be maintained within an optimal range to specify RPE through transcriptional regulation of Wnt target genes in the optic neuroepithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jong-Myeong Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences and KAIST Stem Cell Center, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Kwang Wook Min
- Department of Biological Sciences and KAIST Stem Cell Center, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - You-Joung Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences and KAIST Stem Cell Center, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Ron Smits
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Konrad Basler
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jin Woo Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences and KAIST Stem Cell Center, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
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8
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Tresenrider A, Sridhar A, Eldred KC, Cuschieri S, Hoffer D, Trapnell C, Reh TA. Single-cell sequencing of individual retinal organoids reveals determinants of cell fate heterogeneity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.31.543087. [PMID: 37398481 PMCID: PMC10312535 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.31.543087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
With a critical need for more complete in vitro models of human development and disease, organoids hold immense potential. Their complex cellular composition makes single-cell sequencing of great utility; however, the limitation of current technologies to a handful of treatment conditions restricts their use in screens or studies of organoid heterogeneity. Here, we apply sci-Plex, a single-cell combinatorial indexing (sci)-based RNA-seq multiplexing method to retinal organoids. We demonstrate that sci-Plex and 10x methods produce highly concordant cell class compositions and then expand sci-Plex to analyze the cell class composition of 410 organoids upon modulation of critical developmental pathways. Leveraging individual organoid data, we develop a method to measure organoid heterogeneity, and we identify that activation of Wnt signaling early in retinal organoid cultures increases retinal cell classes up to six weeks later. Our data show sci-Plex's potential to dramatically scale-up the analysis of treatment conditions on relevant human models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Tresenrider
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | | | - Kiara C. Eldred
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Sophia Cuschieri
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Dawn Hoffer
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Cole Trapnell
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Allen Discovery Center for Cell Lineage Tracing, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Thomas A. Reh
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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9
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Sokolova N, Zilova L, Wittbrodt J. Unravelling the link between embryogenesis and adult stem cell potential in the ciliary marginal zone: A comparative study between mammals and teleost fish. Cells Dev 2023; 174:203848. [PMID: 37172718 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdev.2023.203848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The discovery and study of adult stem cells have revolutionized regenerative medicine by offering new opportunities for treating various medical conditions. Anamniote stem cells, which retain their full proliferative capacity and full differentiation range throughout their lifetime, harbour a greater potential compared to mammalian adult stem cells, which only exhibit limited stem cell potential. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms underlying these differences is of significant interest. In this review, we examine the similarities and differences of adult retinal stem cells in anamniotes and mammals, from their embryonic stages in the optic vesicle to their residence in the postembryonic retinal stem cell niche, the ciliary marginal zone located in the retinal periphery. In anamniotes, developing precursors of retinal stem cells are exposed to various environmental cues during their migration in the complex morphogenetic remodelling of the optic vesicle to the optic cup. In contrast, their mammalian counterparts in the retinal periphery are primarily instructed by neighbouring tissues once they are in place. We explore the distinct modes of optic cup morphogenesis in mammals and teleost fish and highlight molecular mechanisms governing morphogenesis and stem cells instruction. The review concludes with the molecular mechanisms of ciliary marginal zone formation and offers a perspective on the impact of comparative single cell transcriptomic studies to reveal the evolutionary similarities and differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Sokolova
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Biosciences International Graduate School, Germany
| | - Lucie Zilova
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Germany.
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Blomfield AK, Maurya M, Bora K, Pavlovich MC, Yemanyi F, Huang S, Fu Z, O’Connell AE, Chen J. Ectopic Rod Photoreceptor Development in Mice with Genetic Deficiency of WNT2B. Cells 2023; 12:1033. [PMID: 37048106 PMCID: PMC10093714 DOI: 10.3390/cells12071033] [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: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Wnt/β-catenin signaling is essential for embryonic eye development in both the anterior eye and retina. WNT2B, a ligand and activator of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, assists in the development of the lens and peripheral regions of the eye. In humans WNT2B mutations are associated with coloboma and WNT2B may also assist in retinal progenitor cell differentiation in chicken, yet the potential role of WNT2B in retinal neuronal development is understudied. This study explored the effects of WNT2B on retinal neuronal and vascular formation using systemic Wnt2b knockout (KO) mice generated by crossing Wnt2bflox/flox (fl/fl) mice with CMV-cre mice. Wnt2b KO eyes exhibited relatively normal anterior segments and retinal vasculature. Ectopic formation of rod photoreceptor cells in the subretinal space was observed in Wnt2b KO mice as early as one week postnatally and persisted through nine-month-old mice. Other retinal neuronal layers showed normal organization in both thickness and lamination, without detectable signs of retinal thinning. The presence of abnormal photoreceptor genesis was also observed in heterozygous Wnt2b mice, and occasionally in wild type mice with decreased Wnt2b expression levels. Expression of Wnt2b was found to be enriched in the retinal pigment epithelium compared with whole retina. Together these findings suggest that WNT2B is potentially involved in rod photoreceptor genesis during eye development; however, potential influence by a yet unknown genetic factor is also possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra K. Blomfield
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Meenakshi Maurya
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kiran Bora
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Madeline C. Pavlovich
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Felix Yemanyi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Shuo Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Zhongjie Fu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Amy E. O’Connell
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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11
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Guo Y, Wu W, Yang X. Coordinated microRNA/mRNA Expression Profiles Reveal Unique Skin Color Regulatory Mechanisms in Chinese Giant Salamander (Andrias davidianus). Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13071181. [PMID: 37048437 PMCID: PMC10093658 DOI: 10.3390/ani13071181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) has been increasingly popular in the aquaculture market in China in recent years. In the breeding process of Andrias davidianus, we found that some albino individuals were extremely rare and could not be inherited stably, which severely limits their commercialization in the aquaculture market. In this study, we performed transcriptome and small RNA (sRNA) sequencing analyses in the skin samples of wild-type (WT) and albino (AL) Andrias davidianus. In total, among 5517 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 2911 DEGs were down-regulated in AL, including almost all the key genes involved in melanin formation. A total of 25 miRNAs were differentially expressed in AL compared to WT, of which 17 were up-regulated. Through the integrated analysis, no intersection was found between the target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs and the key genes for melanin formation. Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analyses on DEGs showed that these genes involved multiple processes relevant to melanin synthesis and the key signal pathway MAPK. Interestingly, the transcription factors SOX10 and PAX3 and the Wnt signaling pathway that play a key role in other species were not included, while the other two transcription factors in the SOX family, SOX21 and SOX7, were included. After analyzing the key genes for melanin formation, it was interesting to note an alternative splicing form of the MITF in WT and a critical mutation of the SLC24A5 gene in AL, which might be the main reason for the skin color change of Andrias davidianus. The results contributed to understanding the molecular mechanism of skin pigmentation in Andrias davidianus and accelerating the acquisition process of individuals with specific body colors by genetic means.
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Abdullah MN, Hamid SA, Salhimi SM, Jalil NAS, Al-Amin M, Jumali NS. Design and Synthesis of 1-sec/tert-Butyl-2-Chloro/Nitrophenylbenzimidazole Derivatives: Molecular Docking and In Vitro Evaluation against MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 Cell Lines. J Mol Struct 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2022.134828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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13
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Diacou R, Nandigrami P, Fiser A, Liu W, Ashery-Padan R, Cvekl A. Cell fate decisions, transcription factors and signaling during early retinal development. Prog Retin Eye Res 2022; 91:101093. [PMID: 35817658 PMCID: PMC9669153 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2022.101093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The development of the vertebrate eyes is a complex process starting from anterior-posterior and dorso-ventral patterning of the anterior neural tube, resulting in the formation of the eye field. Symmetrical separation of the eye field at the anterior neural plate is followed by two symmetrical evaginations to generate a pair of optic vesicles. Next, reciprocal invagination of the optic vesicles with surface ectoderm-derived lens placodes generates double-layered optic cups. The inner and outer layers of the optic cups develop into the neural retina and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), respectively. In vitro produced retinal tissues, called retinal organoids, are formed from human pluripotent stem cells, mimicking major steps of retinal differentiation in vivo. This review article summarizes recent progress in our understanding of early eye development, focusing on the formation the eye field, optic vesicles, and early optic cups. Recent single-cell transcriptomic studies are integrated with classical in vivo genetic and functional studies to uncover a range of cellular mechanisms underlying early eye development. The functions of signal transduction pathways and lineage-specific DNA-binding transcription factors are dissected to explain cell-specific regulatory mechanisms underlying cell fate determination during early eye development. The functions of homeodomain (HD) transcription factors Otx2, Pax6, Lhx2, Six3 and Six6, which are required for early eye development, are discussed in detail. Comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of early eye development provides insight into the molecular and cellular basis of developmental ocular anomalies, such as optic cup coloboma. Lastly, modeling human development and inherited retinal diseases using stem cell-derived retinal organoids generates opportunities to discover novel therapies for retinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raven Diacou
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Prithviraj Nandigrami
- Department of Systems and Computational Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Andras Fiser
- Department of Systems and Computational Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Ruth Ashery-Padan
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Ales Cvekl
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
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14
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Fuhrmann S, Ramirez S, Mina Abouda M, Campbell CD. Porcn is essential for growth and invagination of the mammalian optic cup. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1016182. [PMID: 36393832 PMCID: PMC9661423 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1016182] [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: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Microphthalmia, anophthalmia, and coloboma (MAC) are congenital ocular malformations causing 25% of childhood blindness. The X-linked disorder Focal Dermal Hypoplasia (FDH) is frequently associated with MAC and results from mutations in Porcn, a membrane bound O-acyl transferase required for palmitoylation of Wnts to activate multiple Wnt-dependent pathways. Wnt/β-catenin signaling is suppressed in the anterior neural plate for initiation of eye formation and is subsequently required during differentiation of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Non-canonical Wnts are critical for early eye formation in frog and zebrafish. However, it is unclear whether this also applies to mammals. We performed ubiquitous conditional inactivation of Porcn in mouse around the eye field stage. In Porcn CKO , optic vesicles (OV) arrest in growth and fail to form an optic cup. Ventral proliferation is significantly decreased in the mutant OV, with a concomitant increase in apoptotic cell death. While pan-ocular transcription factors such as PAX6, SIX3, LHX2, and PAX2 are present, indicative of maintenance of OV identity, regional expression of VSX2, MITF, OTX2, and NR2F2 is downregulated. Failure of RPE differentiation in Porcn CKO is consistent with downregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin effector LEF1, starting around 2.5 days after inactivation. This suggests that Porcn inactivation affects signaling later than a potential requirement for Wnts to promote eye field formation. Altogether, our data shows a novel requirement for Porcn in regulating growth and morphogenesis of the OV, likely by controlling proliferation and survival. In FDH patients with ocular manifestations, growth deficiency during early ocular morphogenesis may be the underlying cause for microphthalmia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Fuhrmann
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical School, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Sara Ramirez
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical School, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Mirna Mina Abouda
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Clorissa D. Campbell
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
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15
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Jiang B, Wang L, Luo M, Fu J, Zhu W, Liu W, Dong Z. Transcriptome analysis of skin color variation during and after overwintering of Malaysian red tilapia. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2022; 48:669-682. [PMID: 35419737 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-022-01073-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The commercial value of red tilapia is hampered by variations in skin color during overwintering. In this study, three types of skin of red tilapia, including the skin remained pink color during and after overwintering (P), the skin changed from pink color to black color during overwintering and remained black color after overwintering (P-B), and the skin changed from pink color to black color during overwintering but recovered to pink color when the temperature rose after overwintering (P-B-P), were used to analyze their molecular mechanisms of color variation. The transcriptome results revealed that the P, P-B, and P-B-P libraries had 43, 42, and 43 million clean reads, respectively. The top 10 abundance mRNAs and specific mRNAs (specificity measure SPM > 0.9) were screened. After comparing intergroup gene expression levels, there were 2528, 1924, and 1939 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between P-B-P and P-B, P-B-P and P, and P-B and P, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses of color-related mRNAs showed that a number of DEGs, including tyrp1, tyr, pmel, mitf, mc1r, asip, tat, hpdb, and foxd3, might play a potential role in pigmentation. Additionally, the co-expression patterns of genes were detected within the pigment-related pathways by the PPI network from P-B vs. P group. Furthermore, DEGs from the apoptosis and autophagy pathways, such as baxα, beclin1, and atg7, might be involved in the fading of red tilapia melanocytes. The findings will aid in understanding the molecular mechanism underlying skin color variation in red tilapia during and after overwintering as well as lay a foundation for future research aimed at improving red tilapia skin color characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingjie Jiang
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lanmei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center of Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, No. 9 Shanshui East Road, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
| | - Mingkun Luo
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center of Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, No. 9 Shanshui East Road, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jianjun Fu
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center of Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, No. 9 Shanshui East Road, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenbin Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center of Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, No. 9 Shanshui East Road, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Liu
- AGCU ScienTech Incorporation, Wuxi, 214174, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zaijie Dong
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center of Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, No. 9 Shanshui East Road, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China.
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16
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Balasubramanian R, Min X, Quinn PMJ, Giudice QL, Tao C, Polanco K, Makrides N, Peregrin J, Bouaziz M, Mao Y, Wang Q, da Costa BL, Buenaventura D, Wang F, Ma L, Tsang SH, Fabre PJ, Zhang X. Phase transition specified by a binary code patterns the vertebrate eye cup. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj9846. [PMID: 34757798 PMCID: PMC8580326 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj9846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The developing vertebrate eye cup is partitioned into the neural retina (NR), the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE), and the ciliary margin (CM). By single-cell analysis, we showed that fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling regulates the CM in its stem cell–like property of self-renewal, differentiation, and survival, which is balanced by an evolutionarily conserved Wnt signaling gradient. FGF promotes Wnt signaling in the CM by stabilizing β-catenin in a GSK3β-independent manner. While Wnt signaling converts the NR to either the CM or the RPE depending on FGF signaling, FGF transforms the RPE to the NR or CM dependent on Wnt activity. The default fate of the eye cup is the NR, but synergistic FGF and Wnt signaling promotes CM formation both in vivo and in human retinal organoid. Our study reveals that the vertebrate eye develops through phase transition determined by a combinatorial code of FGF and Wnt signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xuanyu Min
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Quentin Lo Giudice
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Chenqi Tao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Karina Polanco
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Neoklis Makrides
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - John Peregrin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael Bouaziz
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yingyu Mao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Fen Wang
- Center for Cancer Biology and Nutrition, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Liang Ma
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Stephen H. Tsang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Jonas Children’s Vision Care, and Bernard and Shirley Brown Glaucoma Laboratory, Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Institute of Human Nutrition, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Pierre J. Fabre
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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17
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Zilova L, Weinhardt V, Tavhelidse T, Schlagheck C, Thumberger T, Wittbrodt J. Fish primary embryonic pluripotent cells assemble into retinal tissue mirroring in vivo early eye development. eLife 2021; 10:e66998. [PMID: 34252023 PMCID: PMC8275126 DOI: 10.7554/elife.66998] [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: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Organoids derived from pluripotent stem cells promise the solution to current challenges in basic and biomedical research. Mammalian organoids are however limited by long developmental time, variable success, and lack of direct comparison to an in vivo reference. To overcome these limitations and address species-specific cellular organization, we derived organoids from rapidly developing teleosts. We demonstrate how primary embryonic pluripotent cells from medaka and zebrafish efficiently assemble into anterior neural structures, particularly retina. Within 4 days, blastula-stage cell aggregates reproducibly execute key steps of eye development: retinal specification, morphogenesis, and differentiation. The number of aggregated cells and genetic factors crucially impacted upon the concomitant morphological changes that were intriguingly reflecting the in vivo situation. High efficiency and rapid development of fish-derived organoids in combination with advanced genome editing techniques immediately allow addressing aspects of development and disease, and systematic probing of impact of the physical environment on morphogenesis and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Zilova
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Heidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
| | - Venera Weinhardt
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Heidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
| | - Tinatini Tavhelidse
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Heidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
| | - Christina Schlagheck
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Heidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
- Heidelberg International Biosciences Graduate School HBIGS and HeiKa Graduate School on “Functional Materials”HeidelbergGermany
| | - Thomas Thumberger
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Heidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
| | - Joachim Wittbrodt
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Heidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
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18
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Holdhof D, Schoof M, Al-Kershi S, Spohn M, Kresbach C, Göbel C, Hellwig M, Indenbirken D, Moreno N, Kerl K, Schüller U. Brahma-related gene 1 has time-specific roles during brain and eye development. Development 2021; 148:268382. [PMID: 34042968 DOI: 10.1242/dev.196147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
During development, gene expression is tightly controlled to facilitate the generation of the diverse cell types that form the central nervous system. Brahma-related gene 1 (Brg1, also known as Smarca4) is the catalytic subunit of the SWItch/sucrose nonfermentable (SWI/SNF) chromatin remodeling complex that regulates transcription. We investigated the role of Brg1 between embryonic day 6.5 (E6.5) and E14.5 in Sox2-positive neural stem cells (NSCs). Being without major consequences at E6.5 and E14.5, loss of Brg1 between E7.5 and E12.5 resulted in the formation of rosette-like structures in the subventricular zone, as well as morphological alterations and enlargement of neural retina (NR). Additionally, Brg1-deficient cells showed decreased survival in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we uncovered distinct changes in gene expression upon Brg1 loss, pointing towards impaired neuron functions, especially those involving synaptic communication and altered composition of the extracellular matrix. Comparison with mice deficient for integrase interactor 1 (Ini1, also known as Smarcb1) revealed that the enlarged NR was Brg1 specific and was not caused by a general dysfunction of the SWI/SNF complex. These results suggest a crucial role for Brg1 in NSCs during brain and eye development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dörthe Holdhof
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Melanie Schoof
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sina Al-Kershi
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Spohn
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, 20251 Hamburg, Germany.,Bioinformatics Facility, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Catena Kresbach
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Carolin Göbel
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Malte Hellwig
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniela Indenbirken
- Heinrich-Pette-Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Natalia Moreno
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Kornelius Kerl
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schüller
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, 20251 Hamburg, Germany.,Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
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19
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George SM, Lu F, Rao M, Leach LL, Gross JM. The retinal pigment epithelium: Development, injury responses, and regenerative potential in mammalian and non-mammalian systems. Prog Retin Eye Res 2021; 85:100969. [PMID: 33901682 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2021.100969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Diseases that result in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) degeneration, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), are among the leading causes of blindness worldwide. Atrophic (dry) AMD is the most prevalent form of AMD and there are currently no effective therapies to prevent RPE cell death or restore RPE cells lost from AMD. An intriguing approach to treat AMD and other RPE degenerative diseases is to develop therapies focused on stimulating endogenous RPE regeneration. For this to become feasible, a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying RPE development, injury responses and regenerative potential is needed. In mammals, RPE regeneration is extremely limited; small lesions can be repaired by the expansion of adjacent RPE cells, but large lesions cannot be repaired as remaining RPE cells are unable to functionally replace lost RPE tissue. In some injury paradigms, RPE cells proliferate but do not regenerate a morphologically normal monolayer, while in others, proliferation is pathogenic and results in further disruption to the retina. This is in contrast to non-mammalian vertebrates, which possess tremendous RPE regenerative potential. Here, we discuss what is known about RPE formation during development in mammalian and non-mammalian vertebrates, we detail the processes by which RPE cells respond to injury, and we describe examples of RPE-to-retina and RPE-to-RPE regeneration in non-mammalian vertebrates. Finally, we outline barriers to RPE-dependent regeneration in mammals that could potentially be overcome to stimulate a regenerative response from the RPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M George
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Fangfang Lu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Mishal Rao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Lyndsay L Leach
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Gross
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
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20
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Le D, Lim S, Min KW, Park JW, Kim Y, Ha T, Moon KH, Wagner KU, Kim JW. Tsg101 Is Necessary for the Establishment and Maintenance of Mouse Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cell Polarity. Mol Cells 2021; 44:168-178. [PMID: 33795534 PMCID: PMC8019596 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2021.0027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) forms a monolayer sheet separating the retina and choroid in vertebrate eyes. The polarized nature of RPE is maintained by distributing membrane proteins differentially along apico-basal axis. We found the distributions of these proteins differ in embryonic, post-natal, and mature mouse RPE, suggesting developmental regulation of protein trafficking. Thus, we deleted tumor susceptibility gene 101 (Tsg101), a key component of endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT), in embryonic and mature RPE to determine whether ESCRT-mediated endocytic protein trafficking correlated with the establishment and maintenance of RPE polarity. Loss of Tsg101 severely disturbed the polarity of RPE, which forms irregular aggregates exhibiting non-polarized distribution of cell adhesion proteins and activation of epidermal growth factor receptor signaling. These findings suggest that ESCRT-mediated protein trafficking is essential for the development and maintenance of RPE cell polarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dai Le
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Soyeon Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Kwang Wook Min
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Joon Woo Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Youjoung Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Taejeong Ha
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Kyeong Hwan Moon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Kay-Uwe Wagner
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Jin Woo Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
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21
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Marchini M, Hu D, Lo Vercio L, Young NM, Forkert ND, Hallgrímsson B, Marcucio R. Wnt Signaling Drives Correlated Changes in Facial Morphology and Brain Shape. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:644099. [PMID: 33855022 PMCID: PMC8039397 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.644099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Canonical Wnt signaling plays multiple roles critical to normal craniofacial development while its dysregulation is known to be involved in structural birth defects of the face. However, when and how Wnt signaling influences phenotypic variation, including those associated with disease, remains unclear. One potential mechanism is via Wnt signaling’s role in the patterning of an early facial signaling center, the frontonasal ectodermal zone (FEZ), and its subsequent regulation of early facial morphogenesis. For example, Wnt signaling may directly alter the shape and/or magnitude of expression of the sonic hedgehog (SHH) domain in the FEZ. To test this idea, we used a replication-competent avian sarcoma retrovirus (RCAS) encoding Wnt3a to modulate its expression in the facial mesenchyme. We then quantified and compared ontogenetic changes in treated to untreated embryos in the three-dimensional (3D) shape of both the SHH expression domain of the FEZ, and the morphology of the facial primordia and brain using iodine-contrast microcomputed tomography imaging and 3D geometric morphometrics (3DGM). We found that increased Wnt3a expression in early stages of head development produces correlated variation in shape between both structural and signaling levels of analysis. In addition, altered Wnt3a activation disrupted the integration between the forebrain and other neural tube derivatives. These results show that activation of Wnt signaling influences facial shape through its impact on the forebrain and SHH expression in the FEZ, and highlights the close relationship between morphogenesis of the forebrain and midface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Marchini
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Diane Hu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Lucas Lo Vercio
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Nathan M Young
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Nils D Forkert
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Benedikt Hallgrímsson
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Ralph Marcucio
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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22
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Kadkhodaeian HA. Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Signaling Pathways in Transdifferentiation Into Retinal Progenitor Cells. Basic Clin Neurosci 2021; 12:29-42. [PMID: 33995925 PMCID: PMC8114861 DOI: 10.32598/bcn.9.10.510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 08/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Several signaling pathways and transcription factors control the cell fate in its in vitro development and differentiation. The orchestrated use of these factors results in cell specification. In coculture methods, many of these factors secrete from host cells but control the process. Today, transcription factors required for retinal progenitor cells are well known, but the generation of these cells from mesenchymal stem cells is an ideal goal. The purpose of the paper is to review novel methods for retinal progenitor cell production and selecting a set of signaling molecules in the presence of adult retinal pigment epithelium and extraocular mesenchyme acting as inducers of retinal cell differentiation.
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23
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O'Hara-Wright M, Gonzalez-Cordero A. Retinal organoids: a window into human retinal development. Development 2020; 147:147/24/dev189746. [PMID: 33361444 PMCID: PMC7774906 DOI: 10.1242/dev.189746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Retinal development and maturation are orchestrated by a series of interacting signalling networks that drive the morphogenetic transformation of the anterior developing brain. Studies in model organisms continue to elucidate these complex series of events. However, the human retina shows many differences from that of other organisms and the investigation of human eye development now benefits from stem cell-derived organoids. Retinal differentiation methods have progressed from simple 2D adherent cultures to self-organising micro-physiological systems. As models of development, these have collectively offered new insights into the previously unexplored early development of the human retina and informed our knowledge of the key cell fate decisions that govern the specification of light-sensitive photoreceptors. Although the developmental trajectories of other retinal cell types remain more elusive, the collation of omics datasets, combined with advanced culture methodology, will enable modelling of the intricate process of human retinogenesis and retinal disease in vitro. Summary: Retinal organoid systems derived from human pluripotent stem cells are micro-physiological systems that offer new insights into previously unexplored human retina development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle O'Hara-Wright
- Stem Cell Medicine Group, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, 2145, NSW, Australia.,School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Westmead, 2145, NSW, Australia
| | - Anai Gonzalez-Cordero
- Stem Cell Medicine Group, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, 2145, NSW, Australia .,School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Westmead, 2145, NSW, Australia
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24
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Sun WR, Ramirez S, Spiller KE, Zhao Y, Fuhrmann S. Nf2 fine-tunes proliferation and tissue alignment during closure of the optic fissure in the embryonic mouse eye. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 29:3373-3387. [PMID: 33075808 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Uveal coloboma represents one of the most common congenital ocular malformations accounting for up to 10% of childhood blindness (~1 in 5000 live birth). Coloboma originates from defective fusion of the optic fissure (OF), a transient gap that forms during eye morphogenesis by asymmetric, ventral invagination. Genetic heterogeneity combined with the activity of developmentally regulated genes suggests multiple mechanisms regulating OF closure. The tumor suppressor and FERM domain protein Neurofibromin 2 (NF2) controls diverse processes in cancer, development and regeneration, via Hippo pathway and cytoskeleton regulation. In humans, NF2 mutations can cause ocular abnormalities, including coloboma, however, its actual role in OF closure is unknown. Using conditional inactivation in the embryonic mouse eye, our data indicate that loss of Nf2 function results in a novel underlying cause for coloboma. In particular, mutant eyes show substantially increased retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) proliferation in the fissure region with concomitant acquisition of RPE cell fate. Cells lining the OF margin can maintain RPE fate ectopically and fail to transition from neuroepithelial to cuboidal shape. In the dorsal RPE of the optic cup, Nf2 inactivation leads to a robust increase in cell number, with local disorganization of the cytoskeleton components F-actin and pMLC2. We propose that RPE hyperproliferation is the primary cause for the observed defects causing insufficient alignment of the OF margins in Nf2 mutants and failure to fuse properly, resulting in persistent coloboma. Our findings indicate that limiting proliferation particularly in the RPE layer is a critical mechanism during OF closure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley R Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, VEI, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Sara Ramirez
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, VEI, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37240, USA
| | - Kelly E Spiller
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, VEI, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, VEI, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Sabine Fuhrmann
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, VEI, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37240, USA
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25
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Li C, Chen H, Zhao Y, Chen S, Xiao H. Comparative transcriptomics reveals the molecular genetic basis of pigmentation loss in Sinocyclocheilus cavefishes. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:14256-14271. [PMID: 33391713 PMCID: PMC7771137 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cave-dwelling animals evolve distinct troglomorphic traits, such as loss of eyes, skin pigmentation, and augmentation of senses following long-term adaptation to perpetual darkness. However, the molecular genetic mechanisms underlying these phenotypic variations remain unclear. In this study, we conducted comparative histology and comparative transcriptomics study of the skin of eight Sinocyclocheilus species (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) that included surface- and cave-dwelling species. We analyzed four surface and four cavefish species by using next-generation sequencing, and a total of 802,798,907 clean reads were generated and assembled into 505,495,009 transcripts, which contributed to 1,037,334 unigenes. Bioinformatic comparisons revealed 10,629 and 6,442 significantly differentially expressed unigenes between four different surface-cave fish groups. Further, tens of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) potentially related to skin pigmentation were identified. Most of these DEGs (including GNAQ, PKA, NRAS, and p38) are downregulated in cavefish species. They are involved in key signaling pathways of pigment synthesis, such as the melanogenesis, Wnt, and MAPK pathways. This trend of downregulation was confirmed through qPCR experiments. This study will deepen our understanding of the formation of troglomorphic traits in cavefishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunqing Li
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology and Restoration of Degraded EnvironmentsSchool of Ecology and Environmental SciencesYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Hongyu Chen
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology and Restoration of Degraded EnvironmentsSchool of Ecology and Environmental SciencesYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
- School of Life SciencesYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Yinchen Zhao
- School of Life SciencesYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Shanyuan Chen
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology and Restoration of Degraded EnvironmentsSchool of Ecology and Environmental SciencesYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Heng Xiao
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology and Restoration of Degraded EnvironmentsSchool of Ecology and Environmental SciencesYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
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Rzhanova LA, Kuznetsova AV, Aleksandrova MA. Reprogramming of Differentiated Mammalian and Human Retinal Pigment Epithelium: Current Achievements and Prospects. Russ J Dev Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062360420040062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Impairment of the homeostatic and functional integrity of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is the main cause of some degenerative diseases of the human eye, which are accompanied by loss of eyesight. Despite the significant progress made over the past decades in the development of new methods for treatment for this pathology, there are still several complications when using surgical methods for correction of eyesight and so far insurmountable limitations in the applications of modern approaches, such as gene therapy and genetic engineering. One of the promising approaches to the treatment of degenerative diseases of the retina may be an approach based on the application of regenerative capacities of its endogenous cells with high plasticity, in particular, of RPE cells and Müller glia. Currently, vertebrate RPE cells are of great interest as a source of new photoreceptors and other neurons in the degrading retina in vivo. In this regard, the possibilities of their direct reprogramming by genetic, epigenetic, and chemical methods and their combination are being investigated. This review focuses on research in gene-directed reprogramming of vertebrate RPE cells into retinal neurons, with detailed analysis of the genes used as the main reprogramming factors, comparative analysis, and extrapolation of experimental data from animals to humans. Also, this review covers studies on the application of alternative approaches to gene-directed reprogramming, such as chemical-mediated reprogramming with the use of cocktails of therapeutic low-molecular-weight compounds and microRNAs. In general, the research results indicate the complexity of the process for direct reprogramming of human RPE cells into retinal neurons. However, taking into account the results of direct reprogramming of vertebrate cells and the accessibility of human RPE cells for various vectors that deliver a variety of molecules to cells, such as transcription factors, chimeric endonucleases, recombinant proteins, and low-weight molecular compounds, the most optimal combination of factors for the successful conversion of human RPE cells to retinal neurons can be suggested.
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27
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Carullo G, Federico S, Relitti N, Gemma S, Butini S, Campiani G. Retinitis Pigmentosa and Retinal Degenerations: Deciphering Pathways and Targets for Drug Discovery and Development. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:2173-2191. [PMID: 32589402 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00358] [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] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are a group of retinopathies generally caused by genetic mutations. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) represents one of the most studied IRDs. RP leads to intense vision loss or blindness resulting from the degeneration of photoreceptor cells. To date, RP is mainly treated with palliative supplementation of vitamin A and retinoids, gene therapies, or surgical interventions. Therefore, a pharmacologically based therapy is an urgent need requiring a medicinal chemistry approach, to validate molecular targets able to deal with retinal degeneration. This Review aims at outlining the recent research efforts in identifying new drug targets for RP, especially focusing on the neuroprotective role of the Wnt/β-catenin/GSK3β pathway and apoptosis modulators (in particular PARP-1) but also on growth factors such as VEGF and BDNF. Furthermore, the role of spatiotemporally expressed G protein-coupled receptors (GPR124) in the retina and the emerging function of histone deacetylase inhibitors in promoting retinal neuroprotection will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Carullo
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Department of Excellence 2018−2022, University of Siena, via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Stefano Federico
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Department of Excellence 2018−2022, University of Siena, via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Nicola Relitti
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Department of Excellence 2018−2022, University of Siena, via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Sandra Gemma
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Department of Excellence 2018−2022, University of Siena, via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Stefania Butini
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Department of Excellence 2018−2022, University of Siena, via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Campiani
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Department of Excellence 2018−2022, University of Siena, via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
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28
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Lu Q, Scott PA, Vukmanic EV, Kaplan HJ, Dean DC, Li Q. Yap1 is required for maintenance of adult RPE differentiation. FASEB J 2020; 34:6757-6768. [PMID: 32223016 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201903234r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear YAP1 plays a critical role in regulation of stem cell proliferation, tissue regeneration, and organ size in many types of epithelia. Due to rapid turnover of most epithelial cell types, the cytoplasmic function of YAP1 in epithelial cells has not been well studied. The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a highly polarized epithelial cell type maintained at a senescence state, and offers an ideal cell model to study the active role of YAP1 in maintenance of the adult epithelial phenotype. Here, we show that the cytoplasmic function of YAP1 is essential to maintain adult RPE differentiation. Knockout of Yap1 in the adult mouse RPE caused cell depolarization and tight junction breakdown, and led to inhibition of RPE65 expression, diminishment of RPE pigments, and retraction of microvilli and basal infoldings. These changes in RPE further prompted the loss of adjacent photoreceptor outer segments and photoreceptor death, which eventually led to decline of visual function in older mice between 6 and 12 months of age. Furthermore, nuclear β-catenin and its activity were significantly increased in mutant RPE. These results suggest that YAP1 plays an important role in active inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and is essential for downregulation of β-catenin nuclear activity and prevention of dedifferentiation of adult RPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingxian Lu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Patrick A Scott
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Eric V Vukmanic
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Henry J Kaplan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Douglas C Dean
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Qiutang Li
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
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29
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Craenen K, Verslegers M, Craeghs L, Quintens R, Janssen A, Coolkens A, Baatout S, Moons L, Benotmane MA. Abnormal retinal pigment epithelium melanogenesis as a major determinant for radiation-induced congenital eye defects. Reprod Toxicol 2019; 91:59-73. [PMID: 31705956 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2019.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies highlighted a link between ionizing radiation exposure during neurulation and birth defects such as microphthalmos and anophthalmos. Because the mechanisms underlying these defects remain largely unexplored, we irradiated pregnant C57BL/6J mice (1.0 Gy, X-rays) at embryonic day (E)7.5, followed by histological and gene/protein expression analyses at defined days. Irradiation impaired embryonic development at E9 and we observed a delayed pigmentation of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) at E11. In addition, a reduced RNA expression and protein abundance of critical eye-development genes (e.g. Pax6 and Lhx2) was observed. Furthermore, a decreased expression of Mitf, Tyr and Tyrp1 supported the radiation-induced perturbation in RPE pigmentation. Finally, via immunostainings for proliferation (Ki67) and mitosis (phosphorylated histone 3), a decreased mitotic index was observed in the E18 retina after exposure at E7.5. Overall, we propose a plausible etiological model for radiation-induced eye-size defects, with RPE melanogenesis as a major determining factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Craenen
- Radiobiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN, Boeretang 200, Mol 2400, Belgium; Laboratory of Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology section, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 61 bus 2464, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Mieke Verslegers
- Radiobiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN, Boeretang 200, Mol 2400, Belgium
| | - Livine Craeghs
- Radiobiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN, Boeretang 200, Mol 2400, Belgium; Laboratory of Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology section, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 61 bus 2464, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Roel Quintens
- Radiobiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN, Boeretang 200, Mol 2400, Belgium
| | - Ann Janssen
- Radiobiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN, Boeretang 200, Mol 2400, Belgium
| | - Amelie Coolkens
- Radiobiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN, Boeretang 200, Mol 2400, Belgium
| | - Sarah Baatout
- Radiobiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN, Boeretang 200, Mol 2400, Belgium
| | - Lieve Moons
- Laboratory of Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology section, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 61 bus 2464, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Mohammed Abderrafi Benotmane
- Radiobiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN, Boeretang 200, Mol 2400, Belgium.
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30
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Ma X, Li H, Chen Y, Yang J, Chen H, Arnheiter H, Hou L. The transcription factor MITF in RPE function and dysfunction. Prog Retin Eye Res 2019; 73:100766. [DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2019.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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31
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Gamm DM, Clark E, Capowski EE, Singh R. The Role of FGF9 in the Production of Neural Retina and RPE in a Pluripotent Stem Cell Model of Early Human Retinal Development. Am J Ophthalmol 2019; 206:113-131. [PMID: 31078532 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2019.04.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate the role of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) in the production of neural retina (NR) and retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) in a human pluripotent stem cell model of early retinal development. METHODS Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) lines from an individual with microphthalmia caused by a functional null mutation (R200Q) in visual system homeobox 2 (VSX2), a transcription factor involved in early NR progenitor cell (NRPC) production, and a normal sibling were differentiated along the retinal and forebrain lineages using an established protocol. Quantitative and global gene expression analyses (microarray and RNAseq) were used to investigate endogenous FGF expression profiles in these cultures over time. Based on these results, mutant and control hiPSC cultures were treated exogenously with selected FGFs and subjected to gene and protein expression analyses to determine their effects on RPE and NR production. RESULTS We found that FGF9 and FGF19 were selectively increased in early hiPSC-derived optic vesicles (OVs) when compared to isogenic cultures of hiPSC-derived forebrain neurospheres. Furthermore, these same FGFs were downregulated over time in (R200Q)VSX2 hiPSC-OVs relative to sibling control hiPSC-OVs. Interestingly, long-term supplementation with FGF9, but not FGF19, partially rescued the mutant retinal phenotype of the (R200Q)VSX2 hiPSC-OV model. However, antagonizing FGF9 in wild-type control hiPSCs did not alter OV development. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that FGF9 acts in concert with VSX2 to promote NR differentiation in hiPSC-OVs and has potential to be used to manipulate early retinogenesis and mitigate ocular defects caused by functional loss of VSX2 activity. NOTE: Publication of this article is sponsored by the American Ophthalmological Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Gamm
- McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
| | - Eric Clark
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Ruchira Singh
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rochester Medical Center, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
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32
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Bian F, Yang X, Ou Z, Luo J, Tan B, Yuan M, Chen T, Yang R. Morphological Characteristics and Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Three Different Phenotypes of Pristella maxillaris. Front Genet 2019; 10:698. [PMID: 31428133 PMCID: PMC6687772 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Pristella maxillaris is known as the X-ray fish based on its translucent body. However, the morphological characteristics and the molecular regulatory mechanisms of these translucent bodies are still unknown. In this study, the following three phenotypes, a black-and-gray body color or wild-type (WT), a silvery-white body color defined as mutant I (MU1), and a fully transparent body with a visible visceral mass named as mutant II (MU2), were investigated to analyze their chromatophores and molecular mechanisms. The variety and distribution of pigment cells in the three phenotypes of P. maxillaris significantly differed by histological assessment. Three types of chromatophores (melanophores, iridophores, and xanthophores) were observed in the WT, whereas MU1 fish were deficient in melanophores, and MU2 fish lacked melanophores and iridophores. Transcriptome sequencing of the skin and peritoneal tissues of P. maxillaris identified a total of 166,089 unigenes. After comparing intergroup gene expression levels, more than 3,000 unigenes with significantly differential expression levels were identified among three strains. Functional annotation and Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified a number of candidates melanophores and iridophores genes that influence body color. Some DEGs that were identified using transcriptome analysis were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR. This study serves as a global survey of the morphological characteristics and molecular mechanism of different body colors observed in P. maxillaris and thus provides a valuable theoretical foundation for the molecular regulation of the transparent phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Bian
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xuefen Yang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhijie Ou
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Department of Fisheries, Guangdong Maoming Agriculture & Forestry Technical College, Maoming, China
| | - Junzhi Luo
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Bozhen Tan
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mingrui Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Tiansheng Chen
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient and Health Production of Fisheries in Hunan Province, Changde, China
| | - Ruibin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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Shin JY, Son J, Kim WS, Gwak J, Ju BG. Jmjd6a regulates GSK3β RNA splicing in Xenopus laevis eye development. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219800. [PMID: 31361752 PMCID: PMC6667200 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been suggested that Jmjd6 plays an important role in gene regulation through its demethylation or hydroxylation activity on histone and transcription factors. In addition, Jmjd6 has been shown to regulate RNA splicing by interaction with splicing factors. In this study, we demonstrated that Jmjd6a is expressed in developing Xenopus laevis eye during optic vesicle formation and retinal layer differentiation stages. Knockdown of Jmjd6a by an antisense morpholino resulted in eye malformation including a deformed retinal layer and no lens formation. We further found down-regulation of gene expression related to eye development such as Rx1, Otx2, and Pax6 in Jmjd6a morpholino injected embryos. Jmjd6 interacts with splicing factor U2AF25 and GSK3β RNA in the anterior region of Xenopus embryos. Knockdown of Jmjd6a led to deletion of GSK3β RNA exon 1 and 2, which resulted in generation of N’-terminal truncated GSK3β protein. This event further caused decreased phosphorylation of β-catenin and subsequently increased β-catenin stability. Therefore, our result may suggest that Jmjd6a plays an important role in Xenopus eye development through regulation of GSK3β RNA splicing and canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jee Yoon Shin
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jeongin Son
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Won Sun Kim
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jungsug Gwak
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Bong-Gun Ju
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea
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Mason C, Guillery R. Conversations with Ray Guillery on albinism: linking Siamese cat visual pathway connectivity to mouse retinal development. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 49:913-927. [PMID: 30801828 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Revised: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In albinism of all species, perturbed melanin biosynthesis in the eye leads to foveal hypoplasia, retinal ganglion cell misrouting, and, consequently, altered binocular vision. Here, written before he died, Ray Guillery chronicles his discovery of the aberrant circuitry from eye to brain in the Siamese cat. Ray's characterization of visual pathway anomalies in this temperature sensitive mutation of tyrosinase and thus melanin synthesis in domestic cats opened the exploration of albinism and simultaneously, a genetic approach to the organization of neural circuitry. I follow this account with a remembrance of Ray's influence on my work. Beginning with my postdoc research with Ray on the cat visual pathway, through my own work on the mechanisms of retinal axon guidance in the developing mouse, Ray and I had a continuous and rich dialogue about the albino visual pathway. I will present the questions Ray posed and clues we have to date on the still-elusive link between eye pigment and the proper balance of ipsilateral and contralateral retinal ganglion cell projections to the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol Mason
- Departments of Pathology and Cell Biology, Neuroscience, and Ophthalmology, Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, Jerome L. Greene Science Center, 3227 Broadway, Room L3-043, Quad 3C, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Ray Guillery
- Departments of Pathology and Cell Biology, Neuroscience, and Ophthalmology, Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, Jerome L. Greene Science Center, 3227 Broadway, Room L3-043, Quad 3C, New York, NY, 10027, USA
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35
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Wiegering A, Petzsch P, Köhrer K, Rüther U, Gerhardt C. GLI3 repressor but not GLI3 activator is essential for mouse eye patterning and morphogenesis. Dev Biol 2019; 450:141-154. [PMID: 30953627 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2019.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Since 1967, it is known that the loss of GLI3 causes very severe defects in murine eye development. GLI3 is able to act as a transcriptional activator (GLI3-A) or as a transcriptional repressor (GLI3-R). Soon after the discovery of these GLI3 isoforms, the question arose which of the different isoforms is involved in eye formation - GLI3-A, GLI3-R or even both. For several years, this question remained elusive. By analysing the eye morphogenesis of Gli3XtJ/XtJ mouse embryos that lack GLI3-A and GLI3-R and of Gli3Δ699/Δ699 mouse embryos in which only GLI3-A is missing, we revealed that GLI3-A is dispensable in vertebrate eye formation. Remarkably, our study shows that GLI3-R is sufficient for the creation of morphologically normal eyes although the molecular setup deviates substantially from normality. In depth-investigations elucidated that GLI3-R controls numerous key players in eye development and governs lens and retina development at least partially via regulating WNT/β-CATENIN signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Wiegering
- Institute for Animal Developmental and Molecular Biology, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Patrick Petzsch
- Biological and Medical Research Center (BMFZ), Genomics and Transcriptomics Laboratory (GTL), Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Karl Köhrer
- Biological and Medical Research Center (BMFZ), Genomics and Transcriptomics Laboratory (GTL), Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Ulrich Rüther
- Institute for Animal Developmental and Molecular Biology, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Christoph Gerhardt
- Institute for Animal Developmental and Molecular Biology, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
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Primary Cilium-Mediated Retinal Pigment Epithelium Maturation Is Disrupted in Ciliopathy Patient Cells. Cell Rep 2019; 22:189-205. [PMID: 29298421 PMCID: PMC6166245 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.12.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Revised: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary cilia are sensory organelles that protrude from the cell membrane. Defects in the primary cilium cause ciliopathy disorders, with retinal degeneration as a prominent phenotype. Here, we demonstrate that the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), essential for photoreceptor development and function, requires a functional primary cilium for complete maturation and that RPE maturation defects in ciliopathies precede photoreceptor degeneration. Pharmacologically enhanced ciliogenesis in wild-type induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)-RPE leads to fully mature and functional cells. In contrast, ciliopathy patient-derived iPSC-RPE and iPSC-RPE with a knockdown of ciliary-trafficking protein remain immature, with defective apical processes, reduced functionality, and reduced adult-specific gene expression. Proteins of the primary cilium regulate RPE maturation by simultaneously suppressing canonical WNT and activating PKCδ pathways. A similar cilium-dependent maturation pathway exists in lung epithelium. Our results provide insights into ciliopathy-induced retinal degeneration, demonstrate a developmental role for primary cilia in epithelial maturation, and provide a method to mature iPSC epithelial cells for clinical applications. May-Simera et al. show that primary cilia regulate the maturation and polarization of human iPSC-RPE, mouse RPE, and human iPSC-lung epithelium through canonical WNT suppression and PKCδ activation. RPE cells derived from ciliopathy patients exhibit defective structure and function. These results provide insights into ciliopathy-induced retinal degeneration.
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Pujari A, Agarwal D, Chawla R, Todi V, Kumar A. Congenital simple hamartoma of the retinal pigment epithelium: What is the probable cause? Med Hypotheses 2019; 123:79-80. [PMID: 30696599 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2018.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2018] [Revised: 10/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Congenital simple hamartoma of the retinal pigment epithelium is localized to the retinal tissue only with variable amount of surface extension. With consistent morphological and OCT features of the lesion around fovea, it appears that some of the embryologically undifferentiated ectopic progenitor cells destined for RPE within the retinal tissue may not undergo any further differentiation due to lack of necessary homeostatic factors leading to only hyperplasia and accumulation of the cells within the retina leading to simple hamartoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amar Pujari
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Room No 212, Second Floor, RPC-1, New Delhi 110029, India.
| | - Divya Agarwal
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Room No 212, Second Floor, RPC-1, New Delhi 110029, India
| | - Rohan Chawla
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Room No 212, Second Floor, RPC-1, New Delhi 110029, India
| | - Vishnu Todi
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Room No 212, Second Floor, RPC-1, New Delhi 110029, India
| | - Atul Kumar
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Room No 212, Second Floor, RPC-1, New Delhi 110029, India
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38
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Hanovice NJ, Leach LL, Slater K, Gabriel AE, Romanovicz D, Shao E, Collery R, Burton EA, Lathrop KL, Link BA, Gross JM. Regeneration of the zebrafish retinal pigment epithelium after widespread genetic ablation. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1007939. [PMID: 30695061 PMCID: PMC6368336 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a specialized monolayer of pigmented cells within the eye that is critical for maintaining visual system function. Diseases affecting the RPE have dire consequences for vision, and the most prevalent of these is atrophic (dry) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is thought to result from RPE dysfunction and degeneration. An intriguing possibility for treating RPE degenerative diseases like atrophic AMD is the stimulation of endogenous RPE regeneration; however, very little is known about the mechanisms driving successful RPE regeneration in vivo. Here, we developed a zebrafish transgenic model (rpe65a:nfsB-eGFP) that enabled ablation of large swathes of mature RPE. RPE ablation resulted in rapid RPE degeneration, as well as degeneration of Bruch’s membrane and underlying photoreceptors. Using this model, we demonstrate for the first time that zebrafish are capable of regenerating a functional RPE monolayer after RPE ablation. Regenerated RPE cells first appear at the periphery of the RPE, and regeneration proceeds in a peripheral-to-central fashion. RPE ablation elicits a robust proliferative response in the remaining RPE. Subsequently, proliferative cells move into the injury site and differentiate into RPE. BrdU incorporation assays demonstrate that the regenerated RPE is likely derived from remaining peripheral RPE cells. Pharmacological disruption using IWR-1, a Wnt signaling antagonist, significantly reduces cell proliferation in the RPE and impairs overall RPE recovery. These data demonstrate that the zebrafish RPE possesses a robust capacity for regeneration and highlight a potential mechanism through which endogenous RPE regenerate in vivo. Diseases resulting in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) degeneration are among the leading causes of blindness worldwide, and no therapy exists that can replace RPE or restore lost vision. One intriguing possibility is the development of therapies focused on stimulating endogenous RPE regeneration. For this to be possible, we must first gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying RPE regeneration. Here, we develop a transgenic zebrafish system through which we ablate large swathes of mature RPE and demonstrate that zebrafish regenerate RPE after widespread injury. Injury-adjacent RPE proliferate and regenerate RPE, suggesting that they are the source of regenerated tissue. Finally, we demonstrate that Wnt signaling may be involved in RPE regeneration. These findings establish a versatile in vivo model through which the molecular and cellular underpinnings of RPE regeneration can be further characterized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J. Hanovice
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Lyndsay L. Leach
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Kayleigh Slater
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Ana E. Gabriel
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Dwight Romanovicz
- Center for Biomedical Research Support, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Enhua Shao
- Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Tsinghua University Medical School, Beijing, China
| | - Ross Collery
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Edward A. Burton
- Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Pittsburgh VA Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Kira L. Lathrop
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Brian A. Link
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey M. Gross
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
This chapter provides an overview of the early developmental origins of six ocular tissues: the cornea, lens, ciliary body, iris, neural retina, and retina pigment epithelium. Many of these tissue types are concurrently specified and undergo a complex set of morphogenetic movements that facilitate their structural interconnection. Within the context of vertebrate eye organogenesis, we also discuss the genetic hierarchies of transcription factors and signaling pathways that regulate growth, patterning, cell type specification and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel B Miesfeld
- Department of Cell Biology & Human Anatomy, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Nadean L Brown
- Department of Cell Biology & Human Anatomy, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, United States.
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40
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Dupont G, Yilmaz E, Loukas M, Macchi V, De Caro R, Tubbs RS. Human embryonic stem cells: Distinct molecular personalities and applications in regenerative medicine. Clin Anat 2018; 32:354-360. [PMID: 30521112 PMCID: PMC6850663 DOI: 10.1002/ca.23318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The field of stem cell biology is exciting because it provides researchers and clinicians with seemingly unlimited applications for treating many human diseases. Stem cells are a renewable source of pluripotent cells that can differentiate into nearly all human cell types. In this article we focus particularly on human embryonic stem (hES) cells, derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst and cultured for expansion while remaining undifferentiated, to explore their unique molecular personalities and clinical applications. The aim of this literature review is to reflect the interest in hES cells and to provide a resource for researchers and clinicians interested in the molecular characteristics of such cells. Clin. Anat. 32:354–360, 2019. © 2018 The Authors. Clinical Anatomy published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Clinical Anatomists.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emre Yilmaz
- Seattle Science Foundation, Seattle, Washington
| | - Marios Loukas
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George's University, Grenada, West Indies
| | - Veronica Macchi
- Department of Neuroscience, Anatomy Institute, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Raffaele De Caro
- Department of Neuroscience, Anatomy Institute, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - R Shane Tubbs
- Seattle Science Foundation, Seattle, Washington.,Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George's University, Grenada, West Indies
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Iwai-Takekoshi L, Balasubramanian R, Sitko A, Khan R, Weinreb S, Robinson K, Mason C. Activation of Wnt signaling reduces ipsilaterally projecting retinal ganglion cells in pigmented retina. Development 2018; 145:dev.163212. [PMID: 30254141 DOI: 10.1242/dev.163212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In mammalian albinism, disrupted melanogenesis in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is associated with fewer retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) projecting ipsilaterally to the brain, resulting in numerous abnormalities in the retina and visual pathway, especially binocular vision. To further understand the molecular link between disrupted RPE and a reduced ipsilateral RGC projection in albinism, we compared gene expression in the embryonic albino and pigmented mouse RPE. We found that the Wnt pathway, which directs peripheral retinal differentiation and, generally, cell proliferation, is dysregulated in the albino RPE. Wnt2b expression is expanded in the albino RPE compared with the pigmented RPE, and the expanded region adjoins the site of ipsilateral RGC neurogenesis and settling. Pharmacological activation of Wnt signaling in pigmented mice by lithium (Li+) treatment in vivo reduces the number of Zic2-positive RGCs, which are normally fated to project ipsilaterally, to numbers observed in the albino retina. These results implicate Wnt signaling from the RPE to neural retina as a potential factor in the regulation of ipsilateral RGC production, and thus the albino phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Iwai-Takekoshi
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Revathi Balasubramanian
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Austen Sitko
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Rehnuma Khan
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Samuel Weinreb
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Kiera Robinson
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Carol Mason
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10027, USA .,Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10027, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.,Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
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42
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The peripheral eye: A neurogenic area with potential to treat retinal pathologies? Prog Retin Eye Res 2018; 68:110-123. [PMID: 30201383 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2018.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 09/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Numerous degenerative diseases affecting visual function, including glaucoma and retinitis pigmentosa, are produced by the loss of different types of retinal cells. Cell replacement therapy has emerged as a promising strategy for treating these and other retinal diseases. The retinal margin or ciliary body (CB) of mammals has been proposed as a potential source of cells to be used in degenerative conditions affecting the retina because it has been reported it might hold neurogenic potential beyond embryonic development. However, many aspects of the origin and biology of the CB are unknown and more recent experiments have challenged the capacity of CB cells to generate different types of retinal neurons. Here we review the most recent findings about the development of the marginal zone of the retina in different vertebrates and some of the mechanisms underlying the proliferative and neurogenic capacity of this fascinating region of the vertebrates eye. In addition, we performed experiments to isolate CB cells from the mouse retina, generated neurospheres and observed that they can be expanded with a proliferative ratio similar to neural stem cells. When induced to differentiate, cells derived from the CB neurospheres start to express early neural markers but, unlike embryonic stem cells, they are not able to fully differentiate in vitro or generate retinal organoids. Together with previous reports on the neurogenic capacity of CB cells, also reviewed here, our results contribute to the current knowledge about the potentiality of this peripheral region of the eye as a therapeutic source of functional retinal neurons in degenerative diseases.
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43
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Wang Y, Mahesh P, Wang Y, Novo SG, Shihan MH, Hayward-Piatkovskyi B, Duncan MK. Spatiotemporal dynamics of canonical Wnt signaling during embryonic eye development and posterior capsular opacification (PCO). Exp Eye Res 2018; 175:148-158. [PMID: 29932883 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2018.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The appropriate spatial and temporal regulation of canonical Wnt signaling is vital for eye development. However, the literature often conflicts on the distribution of canonical Wnt signaling in the eye. Here, using a sensitive mouse transgenic reporter line, we report a detailed re-evaluation of the spatiotemporal dynamics of canonical Wnt signaling in the developing eye. Canonical Wnt activity was dynamic in the optic vesicle and later in the retina, while it was absent from the ectodermal precursors of the lens and corneal epithelium. However, later in corneal development, canonical Wnt reporter activity was detected in corneal stroma and endothelium precursors as they form from the neural crest, although this was lost around birth. Interestingly, while no canonical Wnt signaling was detected in the corneal limbus or basal cells at any developmental stage, it was robust in adult corneal wing and squamous epithelial cells. While canonical Wnt reporter activity was also absent from the postnatal lens, upon lens injury intended to model cataract surgery, it upregulated within 12 h in remnant lens epithelial cells, and co-localized with alpha smooth muscle actin in fibrotic lens epithelial cells from 48 h post-surgery onward. This pattern correlated with downregulation of the inhibitor of canonical Wnt signaling, Dkk3. These data demonstrate that canonical Wnt signaling is dynamic within the developing eye and upregulates in lens epithelial cells in response to lens injury. As canonical Wnt signaling can collaborate with TGFβ to drive fibrosis in other systems, these data offer the first evidence in a lens-injury model that canonical Wnt may synergize with TGFβ signaling to drive fibrotic posterior capsular opacification (PCO).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States
| | - Priyha Mahesh
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States
| | - Samuel G Novo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States
| | - Mahbubul H Shihan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States
| | | | - Melinda K Duncan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States.
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44
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Moon KH, Kim JW. Hippo Signaling Circuit and Divergent Tissue Growth in Mammalian Eye. Mol Cells 2018; 41:257-263. [PMID: 29665674 PMCID: PMC5935098 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2018.0091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate organ development is accompanied by demarcation of tissue compartments, which grow coordinately with their neighbors. Hence, perturbing the coordinative growth of neighboring tissue compartments frequently results in organ malformation. The growth of tissue compartments is regulated by multiple intercellular and intracellular signaling pathways, including the Hippo signaling pathway that limits the growth of various organs. In the optic neuroepithelial continuum, which is partitioned into the retina, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and ciliary margin (CM) during eye development, the Hippo signaling activity operates differentially, as it does in many tissues. In this review, we summarize recent studies that have explored the relationship between the Hippo signaling pathway and growth of optic neuroepithelial compartments. We will focus particularly on the roles of a tumor suppressor, neurofibromin 2 (NF2), whose expression is not only dependent on compartment-specific transcription factors, but is also subject to regulation by a Hippo-Yap feedback signaling circuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyeong Hwan Moon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141,
Korea
| | - Jin Woo Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141,
Korea
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45
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Borday C, Parain K, Thi Tran H, Vleminckx K, Perron M, Monsoro-Burq AH. An atlas of Wnt activity during embryogenesis in Xenopus tropicalis. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0193606. [PMID: 29672592 PMCID: PMC5908154 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt proteins form a family of highly conserved secreted molecules that are critical mediators of cell-cell signaling during embryogenesis. Partial data on Wnt activity in different tissues and at different stages have been reported in frog embryos. Our objective here is to provide a coherent and detailed description of Wnt activity throughout embryo development. Using a transgenic Xenopus tropicalis line carrying a Wnt-responsive reporter sequence, we depict the spatial and temporal dynamics of canonical Wnt activity during embryogenesis. We provide a comprehensive series of in situ hybridization in whole-mount embryos and in cross-sections, from gastrula to tadpole stages, with special focus on neural tube, retina and neural crest cell development. This collection of patterns will thus constitute a valuable resource for developmental biologists to picture the dynamics of Wnt activity during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Borday
- CNRS UMR 3347, INSERM U1021, Univ. Paris Sud, Université Paris Saclay, Centre Universitaire, Orsay, France
- Institut Curie Research Division, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 3347, INSERM U1021, Orsay, France
| | - Karine Parain
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS, Univ Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
| | - Hong Thi Tran
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kris Vleminckx
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Muriel Perron
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS, Univ Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
- * E-mail: (MP); (AHMB)
| | - Anne H. Monsoro-Burq
- CNRS UMR 3347, INSERM U1021, Univ. Paris Sud, Université Paris Saclay, Centre Universitaire, Orsay, France
- Institut Curie Research Division, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 3347, INSERM U1021, Orsay, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
- * E-mail: (MP); (AHMB)
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46
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Moon KH, Kim HT, Lee D, Rao MB, Levine EM, Lim DS, Kim JW. Differential Expression of NF2 in Neuroepithelial Compartments Is Necessary for Mammalian Eye Development. Dev Cell 2017; 44:13-28.e3. [PMID: 29249622 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2017.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Revised: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The optic neuroepithelial continuum of vertebrate eye develops into three differentially growing compartments: the retina, the ciliary margin (CM), and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Neurofibromin 2 (Nf2) is strongly expressed in slowly expanding RPE and CM compartments, and the loss of mouse Nf2 causes hyperplasia in these compartments, replicating the ocular abnormalities seen in human NF2 patients. The hyperplastic ocular phenotypes were largely suppressed by heterozygous deletion of Yap and Taz, key targets of the Nf2-Hippo signaling pathway. We also found that, in addition to feedback transcriptional regulation of Nf2 by Yap/Taz in the CM, activation of Nf2 expression by Mitf in the RPE and suppression by Sox2 in retinal progenitor cells are necessary for the differential growth of the corresponding cell populations. Together, our findings reveal that Nf2 is a key player that orchestrates the differential growth of optic neuroepithelial compartments during vertebrate eye development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyeong Hwan Moon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Hyoung-Tai Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Dahye Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Mahesh B Rao
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Edward M Levine
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Dae-Sik Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Jin Woo Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, South Korea.
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47
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Fujimura N, Kuzelova A, Ebert A, Strnad H, Lachova J, Machon O, Busslinger M, Kozmik Z. Polycomb repression complex 2 is required for the maintenance of retinal progenitor cells and balanced retinal differentiation. Dev Biol 2017; 433:47-60. [PMID: 29137925 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Revised: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Polycomb repressive complexes maintain transcriptional repression of genes encoding crucial developmental regulators through chromatin modification. Here we investigated the role of Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) in retinal development by inactivating its key components Eed and Ezh2. Conditional deletion of Ezh2 resulted in a partial loss of PRC2 function and accelerated differentiation of Müller glial cells. In contrast, inactivation of Eed led to the ablation of PRC2 function at early postnatal stage. Cell proliferation was reduced and retinal progenitor cells were significantly decreased in this mutant, which subsequently caused depletion of Müller glia, bipolar, and rod photoreceptor cells, primarily generated from postnatal retinal progenitor cells. Interestingly, the proportion of amacrine cells was dramatically increased at postnatal stages in the Eed-deficient retina. In accordance, multiple transcription factors controlling amacrine cell differentiation were upregulated. Furthermore, ChIP-seq analysis showed that these deregulated genes contained bivalent chromatin (H3K27me3+ H3K4me3+). Our results suggest that PRC2 is required for proliferation in order to maintain the retinal progenitor cells at postnatal stages and for retinal differentiation by controlling amacrine cell generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoko Fujimura
- Laboratory of Eye Biology, Division BIOCEV, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prumyslova 595, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Andrea Kuzelova
- Laboratory of Eye Biology, Division BIOCEV, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prumyslova 595, Vestec, Czech Republic; Laboratory of Transcriptional Regulation, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Anja Ebert
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Hynek Strnad
- Laboratory of Genomics and Bioinformatics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Jitka Lachova
- Laboratory of Eye Biology, Division BIOCEV, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prumyslova 595, Vestec, Czech Republic; Laboratory of Transcriptional Regulation, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Machon
- Laboratory of Transcriptional Regulation, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Meinrad Busslinger
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Zbynek Kozmik
- Laboratory of Eye Biology, Division BIOCEV, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prumyslova 595, Vestec, Czech Republic; Laboratory of Transcriptional Regulation, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, Prague 4, Czech Republic.
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48
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Cardano M, Diaferia GR, Conti L, Baronchelli S, Sessa A, Broccoli V, Barbieri A, De Blasio P, Biunno I. mSEL-1L deficiency affects vasculogenesis and neural stem cell lineage commitment. J Cell Physiol 2017; 233:3152-3163. [PMID: 28816361 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.26153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
mSEL-1L is a highly conserved ER-resident type I protein, involved in the degradation of misfolded peptides through the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), a pathway known to control the plasticity of the vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) phenotype and survival. In this article, we demonstrate that mSEL-1L deficiency interferes with the murine embryonic vascular network, showing particular irregularities in the intracranic and intersomitic neurovascular units and in the cerebral capillary microcirculation. During murine embryogenesis, mSEL-1L is expressed in cerebral areas known to harbor progenitor neural cells, while in the adult brain the protein is specifically restricted to the stem cell niches, co-localizing with Sox2 and Nestin. Null mice are characterized by important defects in the development of telenchephalic regions, revealing conspicuous aberration in neural stem cell lineage commitment. Moreover, mSEL-1L depletion in vitro and in vivo appears to affect the harmonic differentiation of the NSCs, by negatively influencing the corticogenesis processes. Overall, the data presented suggests that the drastic phenotypic characteristics exhibited in mSEL-1L null mice can, in part, be explained by the negative influence it plays on Notch1 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luciano Conti
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, Centre for Integrative Biology-CIBIO, Università degli Studi di Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Simona Baronchelli
- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research (IRGB) of the National Research Council, Milano, Italy
| | - Alessandro Sessa
- Stem Cell and Neurogenesis Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Vania Broccoli
- Stem Cell and Neurogenesis Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,CNR Institute of Neuroscience, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Barbieri
- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research (IRGB) of the National Research Council, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Ida Biunno
- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research (IRGB) of the National Research Council, Milano, Italy.,IRCCS Multimedica, Milano, Italy
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49
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Grajales-Esquivel E, Luz-Madrigal A, Bierly J, Haynes T, Reis ES, Han Z, Gutierrez C, McKinney Z, Tzekou A, Lambris JD, Tsonis PA, Del Rio-Tsonis K. Complement component C3aR constitutes a novel regulator for chick eye morphogenesis. Dev Biol 2017; 428:88-100. [PMID: 28576690 PMCID: PMC5726978 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2015] [Revised: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Complement components have been implicated in a wide variety of functions including neurogenesis, proliferation, cell migration, differentiation, cancer, and more recently early development and regeneration. Following our initial observations indicating that C3a/C3aR signaling induces chick retina regeneration, we analyzed its role in chick eye morphogenesis. During eye development, the optic vesicle (OV) invaginates to generate a bilayer optic cup (OC) that gives rise to the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) and neural retina. We show by immunofluorescence staining that C3 and the receptor for C3a (the cleaved and active form of C3), C3aR, are present in chick embryos during eye morphogenesis in the OV and OC. Interestingly, C3aR is mainly localized in the nuclear compartment at the OC stage. Loss of function studies at the OV stage using morpholinos or a blocking antibody targeting the C3aR (anti-C3aR Ab), causes eye defects such as microphthalmia and defects in the ventral portion of the eye that result in coloboma. Such defects were not observed when C3aR was disrupted at the OC stage. Histological analysis demonstrated that microphthalmic eyes were unable to generate a normal optic stalk or a closed OC. The dorsal/ventral patterning defects were accompanied by an expansion of the ventral markers Pax2, cVax and retinoic acid synthesizing enzyme raldh-3 (aldh1a3) domains, an absence of the dorsal expression of Tbx5 and raldh-1 (aldh1a1) and a re-specification of the ventral RPE to neuroepithelium. In addition, the eyes showed overall decreased expression of Gli1 and a change in distribution of nuclear β-catenin, suggesting that Shh and Wnt pathways have been affected. Finally, we observed prominent cell death along with a decrease in proliferating cells, indicating that both processes contribute to the microphthalmic phenotype. Together our results show that C3aR is necessary for the proper morphogenesis of the OC. This is the first report implicating C3aR in eye development, revealing an unsuspected hitherto regulator for proper chick eye morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Grajales-Esquivel
- Department of Biology, Miami University and Center for Visual Sciences at Miami University (CVSMU), Oxford, OH 45056, USA.
| | - Agustin Luz-Madrigal
- Department of Biology, Miami University and Center for Visual Sciences at Miami University (CVSMU), Oxford, OH 45056, USA; Department of Biology, University of Dayton and Center for Tissue Regeneration and Engineering at the University of Dayton (TREND), Dayton, OH 45469, USA.
| | - Jeffrey Bierly
- Department of Biology, Miami University and Center for Visual Sciences at Miami University (CVSMU), Oxford, OH 45056, USA.
| | - Tracy Haynes
- Department of Biology, Miami University and Center for Visual Sciences at Miami University (CVSMU), Oxford, OH 45056, USA.
| | - Edimara S Reis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Zeyu Han
- Department of Biology, Miami University and Center for Visual Sciences at Miami University (CVSMU), Oxford, OH 45056, USA.
| | - Christian Gutierrez
- Department of Biology, Miami University and Center for Visual Sciences at Miami University (CVSMU), Oxford, OH 45056, USA.
| | - Zachary McKinney
- Department of Biology, Miami University and Center for Visual Sciences at Miami University (CVSMU), Oxford, OH 45056, USA.
| | - Apostolia Tzekou
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - John D Lambris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Panagiotis A Tsonis
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton and Center for Tissue Regeneration and Engineering at the University of Dayton (TREND), Dayton, OH 45469, USA.
| | - Katia Del Rio-Tsonis
- Department of Biology, Miami University and Center for Visual Sciences at Miami University (CVSMU), Oxford, OH 45056, USA.
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50
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Steinfeld J, Steinfeld I, Bausch A, Coronato N, Hampel ML, Depner H, Layer PG, Vogel-Höpker A. BMP-induced reprogramming of the neural retina into retinal pigment epithelium requires Wnt signalling. Biol Open 2017; 6:979-992. [PMID: 28546339 PMCID: PMC5550904 DOI: 10.1242/bio.018739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In vertebrates, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptors of the neural retina (NR) comprise a functional unit required for vision. During vertebrate eye development, a conversion of the RPE into NR can be induced by growth factors in vivo at optic cup stages, but the reverse process, the conversion of NR tissue into RPE, has not been reported. Here, we show that bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signalling can reprogram the NR into RPE at optic cup stages in chick. Shortly after BMP application, expression of Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (Mitf) is induced in the NR and selective cell death on the basal side of the NR induces an RPE-like morphology. The newly induced RPE differentiates and expresses Melanosomalmatrix protein 115 (Mmp115) and RPE65. BMP-induced Wnt2b expression is observed in regions of the NR that become pigmented. Loss of function studies show that conversion of the NR into RPE requires both BMP and Wnt signalling. Simultaneous to the appearance of ectopic RPE tissue, BMP application reprogrammed the proximal RPE into multi-layered retinal tissue. The newly induced NR expresses visual segment homeobox-containing gene (Vsx2), and the ganglion and photoreceptor cell markers Brn3α and Visinin are detected. Our results show that high BMP concentrations are required to induce the conversion of NR into RPE, while low BMP concentrations can still induce transdifferentiation of the RPE into NR. This knowledge may contribute to the development of efficient standardized protocols for RPE and NR generation for cell replacement therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Steinfeld
- Fachbereich Biologie, Abteilung Stammzell- und Entwicklungsbiologie, Schnittspahnstraße 13, Darmstadt 64287, Germany
| | - Ichie Steinfeld
- Fachbereich Biologie, Abteilung Stammzell- und Entwicklungsbiologie, Schnittspahnstraße 13, Darmstadt 64287, Germany
| | - Alexander Bausch
- Fachbereich Biologie, Abteilung Stammzell- und Entwicklungsbiologie, Schnittspahnstraße 13, Darmstadt 64287, Germany
| | - Nicola Coronato
- Fachbereich Biologie, Abteilung Stammzell- und Entwicklungsbiologie, Schnittspahnstraße 13, Darmstadt 64287, Germany
| | - Meggi-Lee Hampel
- Fachbereich Biologie, Abteilung Stammzell- und Entwicklungsbiologie, Schnittspahnstraße 13, Darmstadt 64287, Germany
| | - Heike Depner
- Fachbereich Biologie, Abteilung Stammzell- und Entwicklungsbiologie, Schnittspahnstraße 13, Darmstadt 64287, Germany
| | - Paul G Layer
- Fachbereich Biologie, Abteilung Stammzell- und Entwicklungsbiologie, Schnittspahnstraße 13, Darmstadt 64287, Germany
| | - Astrid Vogel-Höpker
- Fachbereich Biologie, Abteilung Stammzell- und Entwicklungsbiologie, Schnittspahnstraße 13, Darmstadt 64287, Germany
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