1
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Kaiser FMP, Gruenbacher S, Oyaga MR, Nio E, Jaritz M, Sun Q, van der Zwaag W, Kreidl E, Zopf LM, Dalm VASH, Pel J, Gaiser C, van der Vliet R, Wahl L, Rietman A, Hill L, Leca I, Driessen G, Laffeber C, Brooks A, Katsikis PD, Lebbink JHG, Tachibana K, van der Burg M, De Zeeuw CI, Badura A, Busslinger M. Biallelic PAX5 mutations cause hypogammaglobulinemia, sensorimotor deficits, and autism spectrum disorder. J Exp Med 2022; 219:213392. [PMID: 35947077 PMCID: PMC9372349 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20220498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The genetic causes of primary antibody deficiencies and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are largely unknown. Here, we report a patient with hypogammaglobulinemia and ASD who carries biallelic mutations in the transcription factor PAX5. A patient-specific Pax5 mutant mouse revealed an early B cell developmental block and impaired immune responses as the cause of hypogammaglobulinemia. Pax5 mutant mice displayed behavioral deficits in all ASD domains. The patient and the mouse model showed aberrant cerebellar foliation and severely impaired sensorimotor learning. PAX5 deficiency also caused profound hypoplasia of the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area due to loss of GABAergic neurons, thus affecting two midbrain hubs, controlling motor function and reward processing, respectively. Heterozygous Pax5 mutant mice exhibited similar anatomic and behavioral abnormalities. Lineage tracing identified Pax5 as a crucial regulator of cerebellar morphogenesis and midbrain GABAergic neurogenesis. These findings reveal new roles of Pax5 in brain development and unravel the underlying mechanism of a novel immunological and neurodevelopmental syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian M P Kaiser
- Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sarah Gruenbacher
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria.,Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Roa Oyaga
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Enzo Nio
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Markus Jaritz
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Qiong Sun
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Emanuel Kreidl
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lydia M Zopf
- Vienna BioCenter Core Facilities, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Virgil A S H Dalm
- Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Johan Pel
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Carolin Gaiser
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Rick van der Vliet
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Neurology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Lucas Wahl
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - André Rietman
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Louisa Hill
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria.,Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ines Leca
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria.,Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gertjan Driessen
- Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Charlie Laffeber
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Oncode Institute, Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Alice Brooks
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Joyce H G Lebbink
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Oncode Institute, Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Kikuë Tachibana
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mirjam van der Burg
- Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Chris I De Zeeuw
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Meinrad Busslinger
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
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2
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Zou F, Li Y, Zhang S, Zhang J. DP1 (Prostaglandin D 2 Receptor 1) Activation Protects Against Vascular Remodeling and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Transition to Myofibroblasts in Angiotensin II-Induced Hypertension in Mice. Hypertension 2022; 79:1203-1215. [PMID: 35354317 DOI: 10.1161/hypertensionaha.121.17584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotype transition plays an essential role in vascular remodeling. PGD2 (Prostaglandin D2) is involved in cardiovascular inflammation. In this study, we aimed to investigates the role of DP1 (PGD2 receptor 1) on VSMC phenotype transition in vascular remodeling after Ang II (angiotensin II) infusion in mice. METHODS VSMC-specific DP1 knockout mice and DP1flox/flox mice were infused with Ang II for 28 days and systolic blood pressure was measured by noninvasive tail-cuff system. The arterial samples were applied to an unbiased proteome analysis. DP1f/f Myh11 (myosin heavy chain 11) CREERT2 R26mTmG/+ mice were generated for VSMC lineage tracing. Multiple genetic and pharmacological approaches were used to investigate DP1-mediated signaling in phenotypic transition of VSMCs in response to Ang II administration. RESULTS DP1 knockout promoted vascular media thickness and increased systolic blood pressure after Ang II infusion by impairing Epac (exchange protein directly activated by cAMP)-1-mediated Rap-1 (Ras-related protein 1) activation. The DP1 agonist facilitated the interaction of myocardin-related transcription factor A and G-actin, which subsequently inhibited the VSMC transition to myofibroblasts through the suppression of RhoA (Ras homolog family member A)/ROCK-1 (Rho associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase 1) activity. Moreover, Epac-1 overexpression by lentivirus blocked the progression of vascular fibrosis in DP1 deficient mice in response to Ang II infusion. CONCLUSIONS Our finding revealed a protective role of DP1 in VSMC switch to myofibroblasts by impairing the phosphorylation of MRTF (myocardin-related transcription factor)-A by ROCK-1 through Epac-1/Rap-1/RhoA pathway and thus inhibited the expression of collagen I, fibronectin, ED-A (extra domain A) fibronectin, and vinculin. Thus, DP1 activation has therapeutic potential for vascular fibrosis in hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangdi Zou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences (F.Z., Y.L., S.Z., J.Z.), Tianjin Medical University, China.,School of Pharmacy (F.Z.), Tianjin Medical University, China
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences (F.Z., Y.L., S.Z., J.Z.), Tianjin Medical University, China
| | - Shijie Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences (F.Z., Y.L., S.Z., J.Z.), Tianjin Medical University, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences (F.Z., Y.L., S.Z., J.Z.), Tianjin Medical University, China.,School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China (J.Z.)
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3
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Liu Y, Jia M, Wu C, Zhang H, Chen C, Ge W, Wan K, Lan Y, Liu S, Li Y, Fang M, He J, Pan HL, Si JQ, Li M. Transcriptomic Profiling in Mice With CB1 receptor Deletion in Primary Sensory Neurons Suggests New Analgesic Targets for Neuropathic Pain. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:781237. [PMID: 35046811 PMCID: PMC8762320 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.781237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Type 1 and type 2 cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2, respectively) mediate cannabinoid-induced analgesia. Loss of endogenous CB1 is associated with hyperalgesia. However, the downstream targets affected by ablation of CB1 in primary sensory neurons remain unknown. In the present study, we hypothesized that conditional knockout of CB1 in primary sensory neurons (CB1cKO) alters downstream gene expression in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and that targeting these pathways alleviates neuropathic pain. We found that CB1cKO in primary sensory neurons induced by tamoxifen in adult Advillin-Cre:CB1-floxed mice showed persistent hyperalgesia. Transcriptome/RNA sequencing analysis of the DRG indicated that differentially expressed genes were enriched in energy regulation and complement and coagulation cascades at the early phase of CB1cKO, whereas pain regulation and nerve conduction pathways were affected at the late phase of CB1cKO. Chronic constriction injury in mice induced neuropathic pain and changed transcriptome expression in the DRG of CB1cKO mice, and differentially expressed genes were mainly associated with inflammatory and immune-related pathways. Nerve injury caused a much larger increase in CB2 expression in the DRG in CB1cKO than in wildtype mice. Interfering with downstream target genes of CB1, such as antagonizing CB2, inhibited activation of astrocytes, reduced neuroinflammation, and alleviated neuropathic pain. Our results demonstrate that CB1 in primary sensory neurons functions as an endogenous analgesic mediator. CB2 expression is regulated by CB1 and may be targeted for the treatment of neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongmin Liu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Min Jia
- Clinical Laboratories, Wuhan First Hospital, Wuhan, China
| | - Caihua Wu
- Department of Acupuncture, Wuhan First Hospital, Wuhan, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chao Chen
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenqiang Ge
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kexing Wan
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuye Lan
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shiya Liu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuanheng Li
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Mengyue Fang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiexi He
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hui-Lin Pan
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jun-Qiang Si
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Man Li
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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4
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Floxed exon (Flexon): A flexibly positioned stop cassette for recombinase-mediated conditional gene expression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2117451119. [PMID: 35027456 PMCID: PMC8784106 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2117451119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Tools that afford spatiotemporal control of gene expression are crucial for studying genes and processes in multicellular organisms. Stop cassettes consist of exogenous sequences that interrupt gene expression and flanking site-specific recombinase sites to allow for tissue-specific excision and restoration of function by expression of the cognate recombinase. We describe a stop cassette called a flexon, composed of an artificial exon flanked by artificial introns that can be flexibly positioned in a gene. We demonstrate its efficacy in Caenorhabditis elegans for lineage-specific control of gene expression and for tissue-specific RNA interference and discuss other potential uses. The Flexon approach should be feasible in any system amenable to site-specific recombination-based methods and applicable to diverse areas including development, neuroscience, and metabolism. Conditional gene expression is a powerful tool for genetic analysis of biological phenomena. In the widely used “lox-stop-lox” approach, insertion of a stop cassette consisting of a series of stop codons and polyadenylation signals flanked by lox sites into the 5′ untranslated region (UTR) of a gene prevents expression until the cassette is excised by tissue-specific expression of Cre recombinase. Although lox-stop-lox and similar approaches using other site-specific recombinases have been successfully used in many experimental systems, this design has certain limitations. Here, we describe the Floxed exon (Flexon) approach, which uses a stop cassette composed of an artificial exon flanked by artificial introns, designed to cause premature termination of translation and nonsense-mediated decay of the mRNA and allowing for flexible placement into a gene. We demonstrate its efficacy in Caenorhabditis elegans by showing that, when promoters that cause weak and/or transient cell-specific expression are used to drive Cre in combination with a gfp(flexon) transgene, strong and sustained expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) is obtained in specific lineages. We also demonstrate its efficacy in an endogenous gene context: we inserted a flexon into the Argonaute gene rde-1 to abrogate RNA interference (RNAi), and restored RNAi tissue specifically by expression of Cre. Finally, we describe several potential additional applications of the Flexon approach, including more precise control of gene expression using intersectional methods, tissue-specific protein degradation, and generation of genetic mosaics. The Flexon approach should be feasible in any system where a site-specific recombination-based method may be applied.
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5
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MLL1 is required for maintenance of intestinal stem cells. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009250. [PMID: 34860830 PMCID: PMC8641872 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms are gatekeepers for the gene expression patterns that establish and maintain cellular identity in mammalian development, stem cells and adult homeostasis. Amongst many epigenetic marks, methylation of histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4) is one of the most widely conserved and occupies a central position in gene expression. Mixed lineage leukemia 1 (MLL1/KMT2A) is the founding mammalian H3K4 methyltransferase. It was discovered as the causative mutation in early onset leukemia and subsequently found to be required for the establishment of definitive hematopoiesis and the maintenance of adult hematopoietic stem cells. Despite wide expression, the roles of MLL1 in non-hematopoietic tissues remain largely unexplored. To bypass hematopoietic lethality, we used bone marrow transplantation and conditional mutagenesis to discover that the most overt phenotype in adult Mll1-mutant mice is intestinal failure. MLL1 is expressed in intestinal stem cells (ISCs) and transit amplifying (TA) cells but not in the villus. Loss of MLL1 is accompanied by loss of ISCs and a differentiation bias towards the secretory lineage with increased numbers and enlargement of goblet cells. Expression profiling of sorted ISCs revealed that MLL1 is required to promote expression of several definitive intestinal transcription factors including Pitx1, Pitx2, Foxa1, Gata4, Zfp503 and Onecut2, as well as the H3K27me3 binder, Bahcc1. These results were recapitulated using conditional mutagenesis in intestinal organoids. The stem cell niche in the crypt includes ISCs in close association with Paneth cells. Loss of MLL1 from ISCs promoted transcriptional changes in Paneth cells involving metabolic and stress responses. Here we add ISCs to the MLL1 repertoire and observe that all known functions of MLL1 relate to the properties of somatic stem cells, thereby highlighting the suggestion that MLL1 is a master somatic stem cell regulator.
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6
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Cho K, Ushiki T, Ishiguro H, Tamura S, Araki M, Suwabe T, Katagiri T, Watanabe M, Fujimoto Y, Ohashi R, Ajioka Y, Shimizu I, Okuda S, Masuko M, Nakagawa Y, Hirai H, Alexander WS, Shimano H, Sone H. Altered microbiota by a high-fat diet accelerates lethal myeloid hematopoiesis associated with systemic SOCS3 deficiency. iScience 2021; 24:103117. [PMID: 34611611 PMCID: PMC8476681 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins are negative regulators of cytokine signaling required to prevent excessive cellular responses. In particular, SOCS3 is involved in the regulation of metabolic syndromes, such as obesity and diabetes, by suppressing leptin and insulin signals. SOCS3 also suppresses the inflammatory response associated with metabolic stress, but this specific role remains undefined. Wild-type mice on a high-fat diet (HFD) exhibited only fatty liver, whereas systemic deletion of SOCS3 resulted in excessive myeloid hematopoiesis and hepatic inflammation. In addition, depletion of the gut microbiota resulted in considerable improvement in excess granulopoiesis and splenomegaly, halting the progression of systemic inflammation in SOCS3KO mice on the HFD. This result suggests that intestinal dysbiosis is involved in inflammation associated with SOCS3KO. Although contributing to diet-induced obesity and fatty liver, SOCS3 is nevertheless critical to suppress excess myeloid hematopoiesis and severe systemic inflammation associated with intestinal dysbiosis on HFD. SOCS3 suppresses severe systemic inflammation associated with high-fat diet SOCS3 deficiency on high-fat diet accelerates excess myeloid hematopoiesis SOCS3 controls gut dysbiosis on high-fat diet
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Cho
- Department of Hematology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Takashi Ushiki
- Department of Hematology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata 951-8510, Japan.,Department of Transfusion Medicine, Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, Niigata University Medical and Dental Hospital, 1-754 Asahimachi-dori, Chuo-ku, Niigata, Niigata 951-8520, Japan
| | - Hajime Ishiguro
- Department of Hematology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Suguru Tamura
- Department of Hematology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Masaya Araki
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Suwabe
- Department of Hematology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Takayuki Katagiri
- Department of Hematology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Mari Watanabe
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, Niigata University Medical and Dental Hospital, 1-754 Asahimachi-dori, Chuo-ku, Niigata, Niigata 951-8520, Japan
| | - Yoko Fujimoto
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, Niigata University Medical and Dental Hospital, 1-754 Asahimachi-dori, Chuo-ku, Niigata, Niigata 951-8520, Japan
| | - Riuko Ohashi
- Histopathology Core Facility, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata 951-8510, Japan.,Division of Molecular and Diagnostic Pathology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Yoichi Ajioka
- Histopathology Core Facility, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata 951-8510, Japan.,Division of Molecular and Diagnostic Pathology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Ippei Shimizu
- Department of Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Shujiro Okuda
- Division of Bioinformatics, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Masayoshi Masuko
- Department of Hematology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Yoshimi Nakagawa
- Division of Complex Biosystem Research, Department of Research and Development, Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Hideyo Hirai
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.,Laboratory of Stem Cell Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan
| | - Warren S Alexander
- Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Hitoshi Shimano
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
| | - Hirohito Sone
- Department of Hematology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
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7
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Gurumurthy CB, Saunders TL, Ohtsuka M. Designing and generating a mouse model: frequently asked questions. J Biomed Res 2021; 35:76-90. [PMID: 33797414 PMCID: PMC8038528 DOI: 10.7555/jbr.35.20200197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models are commonly used in biomedical research. Generating GEMs involve complex set of experimental procedures requiring sophisticated equipment and highly skilled technical staff. Because of these reasons, most research institutes set up centralized core facilities where custom GEMs are created for research groups. Researchers, on the other hand, when they begin thinking about generating GEMs for their research, several questions arise in their minds. For example, what type of model(s) would be best useful for my research, how do I design them, what are the latest technologies and tools available for developing my model(s), and finally how to breed GEMs in my research. As there are several considerations and options in mouse designs, and as it is an expensive and time-consuming endeavor, careful planning upfront can ensure the highest chance of success. In this article, we provide brief answers to several frequently asked questions that arise when researchers begin thinking about generating mouse model(s) for their work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Channabasavaiah B Gurumurthy
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68106-5915, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68106-5915, USA
| | - Thomas L Saunders
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Genetic Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.,Transgenic Animal Model Core, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Masato Ohtsuka
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Division of Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa 259-1193, Japan.,The Institute of Medical Sciences, Tokai University, Isehara, Kanagawa 259-1193, Japan
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8
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Brinkmann K, Ng AP, de Graaf CA, Di Rago L, Hyland CD, Morelli E, Rautela J, Huntington ND, Strasser A, Alexander WS, Herold MJ. miR17~92 restrains pro-apoptotic BIM to ensure survival of haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Cell Death Differ 2019; 27:1475-1488. [PMID: 31591473 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-019-0430-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 09/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The miR17~92 cluster plays important roles in haematopoiesis. However, it is not clear at what stage of differentiation and through which targets miR17~92 exerts this function. Therefore, we generated miR17~92fl/fl; RosaCreERT2 mice for inducible deletion of miR17~92 in haematopoietic cells. Bone marrow reconstitution experiments revealed that miR17~92-deleted cells were not capable to contribute to mature haematopoietic lineages, which was due to defects in haematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs). To identify the critical factor targeted by miR17~92 we performed gene expression analysis in HSPCs, demonstrating that mRNA levels of pro-apoptotic Bim inversely correlated with the expression of the miR17~92 cluster. Strikingly, loss of pro-apoptotic BIM completely prevented the loss of HSPCs caused by deletion of miR17~92. The BIM/miR17~92 interaction is conserved in human CD34+ HSPCs, as miR17~92 inhibition or blockade of its binding to the BIM 3'UTR reduced the survival and growth of these cells. Despite the prediction that miR17~92 functions by impacting a plethora of different targets, the absence of BIM alone is sufficient to prevent all defects caused by deletion of miR17~92 in haematopoietic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Brinkmann
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ashley P Ng
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Carolyn A de Graaf
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ladina Di Rago
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Craig D Hyland
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Eugenio Morelli
- Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Centre, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jai Rautela
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Nicholas D Huntington
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Andreas Strasser
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Warren S Alexander
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Marco J Herold
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. .,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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9
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Li X, Clappier C, Kleiter I, Heuchel R. Tamoxifen affects chronic pancreatitis-related fibrogenesis in an experimental mouse model: an effect beyond Cre recombination. FEBS Open Bio 2019; 9:1756-1768. [PMID: 31380604 PMCID: PMC6768287 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.12714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Tamoxifen is very successfully used for the induction of CreERT‐mediated genomic recombination in conditional mouse models. Recent studies, however, indicated that tamoxifen might also affect the fibrotic response in several disease models following administration, both in vitro and in vivo. In order to investigate a possible effect of tamoxifen on pancreatic fibrogenesis and to evaluate an optimal treatment scheme in an experimental pancreatitis mouse model, we administered tamoxifen by oral gavage to both male and female C57BL/6J mice and then waited for different periods of time before inducing chronic pancreatitis by cerulein. We observed a sex‐specific and time‐dependent effect of tamoxifen on the fibrotic response as measured by collagen deposition and the number of myofibroblasts and macrophages. The findings of in vitro studies, in which cerulein was administrated with or without 4‐hydroxytamoxifen to stimulate primary murine female and male pancreatic stellate cells, supported our in vivo observations. Real‐time PCR also indicated that this effect may be related to differences in ERα expression between female and male stellate cells. Our data demonstrate that tamoxifen administration has unignorable side effects, which affect the experimental outcome in a cerulein‐based model of chronic pancreatitis in mice. We suggest a 2‐week waiting period before cerulein administration to reduce side effects to a minimum for the described fibrosis model in female mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Li
- Pancreas Cancer Research (PaCaRes) Lab, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christian Clappier
- Pancreas Cancer Research (PaCaRes) Lab, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ingo Kleiter
- Department of Neurology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany
| | - Rainer Heuchel
- Pancreas Cancer Research (PaCaRes) Lab, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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10
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Bern MD, Parikh BA, Yang L, Beckman DL, Poursine-Laurent J, Yokoyama WM. Inducible down-regulation of MHC class I results in natural killer cell tolerance. J Exp Med 2018; 216:99-116. [PMID: 30559128 PMCID: PMC6314522 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20181076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 10/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that are thought to kill cells that down-regulate MHC class I (MHC-I) through "missing-self" recognition. NK cells from B2m-/- mice that lack surface MHC-I, however, are not autoreactive as predicted by the missing-self hypothesis. As a result, it is unclear if MHC-I down-regulation in vivo induces NK cell reactivity or tolerance to missing-self. Here, we generated a floxed B2m mouse to acutely down-regulate MHC-I in vivo in a host that normally expresses MHC-I. Global down-regulation of MHC-I induced NK cell hyporesponsiveness and tolerance to missing-self without overt missing-self reactivity. In contrast, down-regulation of MHC-I on a small fraction of hematopoietic cells triggered missing-self reactivity. Surprisingly, down-regulation of MHC-I only on CD4+ T cells predominately induced tolerance to missing-self without resetting NK cell responsiveness. In this setting, inflammation triggered substantial missing-self reactivity. These results show that MHC-I down-regulation can induce either NK cell tolerance or killing in vivo and that inflammation promotes missing-self reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Bern
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Bijal A Parikh
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Liping Yang
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Diana L Beckman
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Jennifer Poursine-Laurent
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Wayne M Yokoyama
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
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11
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A single reporter mouse line for Vika, Flp, Dre, and Cre-recombination. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14453. [PMID: 30262904 PMCID: PMC6160450 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32802-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Site-specific recombinases (SSR) are utilized as important genome engineering tools to precisely modify the genome of mice and other model organisms. Reporter mice that mark cells that at any given time had expressed the enzyme are frequently used for lineage tracing and to characterize newly generated mice expressing a recombinase from a chosen promoter. With increasing sophistication of genome alteration strategies, the demand for novel SSR systems that efficiently and specifically recombine their targets is rising and several SSR-systems are now used in combination to address complex biological questions in vivo. Generation of reporter mice for each one of these recombinases is cumbersome and increases the number of mouse lines that need to be maintained in animal facilities. Here we present a multi-reporter mouse line for loci-of-recombination (X) (MuX) that streamlines the characterization of mice expressing prominent recombinases. MuX mice constitutively express nuclear green fluorescent protein after recombination by either Cre, Flp, Dre or Vika recombinase, rationalizing the number of animal lines that need to be maintained. We also pioneer the use of the Vika/vox system in mice, illustrating its high efficacy and specificity, thereby facilitating future designs of sophisticated recombinase-based in vivo genome engineering strategies.
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12
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Schmidt K, Zhang Q, Tasdogan A, Petzold A, Dahl A, Arneth BM, Slany R, Fehling HJ, Kranz A, Stewart AF, Anastassiadis K. The H3K4 methyltransferase Setd1b is essential for hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell homeostasis in mice. eLife 2018; 7:27157. [PMID: 29916805 PMCID: PMC6025962 DOI: 10.7554/elife.27157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cells require MLL1, which is one of six Set1/Trithorax-type histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methyltransferases in mammals and clinically the most important leukemia gene. Here, we add to emerging evidence that all six H3K4 methyltransferases play essential roles in the hematopoietic system by showing that conditional mutagenesis of Setd1b in adult mice provoked aberrant homeostasis of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Using both ubiquitous and hematopoietic-specific deletion strategies, the loss of Setd1b resulted in peripheral thrombo- and lymphocytopenia, multilineage dysplasia, myeloid-biased extramedullary hematopoiesis in the spleen, and lethality. By transplantation experiments and expression profiling, we determined that Setd1b is autonomously required in the hematopoietic lineages where it regulates key lineage specification components, including Cebpa, Gata1, and Klf1. Altogether, these data imply that the Set1/Trithorax-type epigenetic machinery sustains different aspects of hematopoiesis and constitutes a second framework additional to the transcription factor hierarchy of hematopoietic homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Schmidt
- Stem Cell Engineering, Biotechnology Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Qinyu Zhang
- Genomics, Biotechnology Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Alpaslan Tasdogan
- Institute of Immunology, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Andreas Petzold
- Deep Sequencing Group, DFG - Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Andreas Dahl
- Deep Sequencing Group, DFG - Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Borros M Arneth
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, Hospital of the Universities Giessen and Marburg, Giessen, Germany
| | - Robert Slany
- Department of Genetics, Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Andrea Kranz
- Genomics, Biotechnology Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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13
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SETD1A protects HSCs from activation-induced functional decline in vivo. Blood 2018; 131:1311-1324. [DOI: 10.1182/blood-2017-09-806844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Key Points
SETD1A regulates DNA damage signaling and repair in HSCs and hematopoietic precursors in the absence of reactive oxygen species accumulation. SETD1A is important for the survival of mice after inflammation-induced HSC activation in situ.
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14
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Yang CY, Jeon HH, Alshabab A, Lee YJ, Chung CH, Graves DT. RANKL deletion in periodontal ligament and bone lining cells blocks orthodontic tooth movement. Int J Oral Sci 2018; 10:3. [PMID: 29483595 PMCID: PMC5944595 DOI: 10.1038/s41368-017-0004-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Revised: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The bone remodeling process in response to orthodontic forces requires the activity of osteoclasts to allow teeth to move in the direction of the force applied. Receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) is essential for this process although its cellular source in response to orthodontic forces has not been determined. Orthodontic tooth movement is considered to be an aseptic inflammatory process that is stimulated by leukocytes including T and B lymphocytes which are presumed to stimulate bone resorption. We determined whether periodontal ligament and bone lining cells were an essential source of RANKL by tamoxifen induced deletion of RANKL in which Cre recombinase was driven by a 3.2 kb reporter element of the Col1α1 gene in experimental mice (Col1α1.CreERTM+.RANKLf/f) and compared results with littermate controls (Col1α1.CreERTM-.RANKLf/f). By examination of Col1α1.CreERTM+.ROSA26 reporter mice we showed tissue specificity of tamoxifen induced Cre recombinase predominantly in the periodontal ligament and bone lining cells. Surprisingly we found that most of the orthodontic tooth movement and formation of osteoclasts was blocked in the experimental mice, which also had a reduced periodontal ligament space. Thus, we demonstrate for the first time that RANKL produced by periodontal ligament and bone lining cells provide the major driving force for tooth movement and osteoclastogenesis in response to orthodontic forces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Ying Yang
- Department of Orthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Periodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hyeran Helen Jeon
- Department of Orthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Periodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ahmed Alshabab
- Department of Periodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yu Jin Lee
- Department of Periodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Chun-Hsi Chung
- Department of Orthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Dana T Graves
- Department of Periodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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15
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Cheng ZF, Cartwright CA. Rack1 maintains intestinal homeostasis by protecting the integrity of the epithelial barrier. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2018; 314:G263-G274. [PMID: 29025732 PMCID: PMC5866421 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00241.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Revised: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Previously, we generated mouse models of Rack1 deficiency to identify key functions for Rack1 in regulating growth of intestinal epithelia: suppressing crypt cell proliferation and regeneration, promoting differentiation and apoptosis, and repressing development of neoplasia. However, other than low body weight, we did not detect an overt phenotype in mice constitutively deleted of Rack1 in intestinal epithelia ( vil-Cre: Rack1fl/fl mice), presumably because Rack1 was deleted in <10% of the total surface area of the epithelia. To assess the effect of Rack1 loss throughout the entire intestinal epithelia, we generated another mouse model of Rack1 deficiency, vil-Cre-ERT2: Rack1fl/fl. Within 5-10 days of the initial tamoxifen treatment, the mice lost over 20% of their body weight, developed severe diarrhea that for some was bloody, became critically ill, and died, if not euthanized. Necropsies revealed mildly distended, fluid-, gas-, and sometimes blood-filled loops of small and large bowel, inguinal lymphadenopathy, and thrombocytosis. Rack1 was deleted in nearly 100% of the epithelia in both the small intestine and colon when assessed by immunofluorescent or immunoblot analyses. Rack1 expression in other tissues and organs was not different than in control mice, indicating tissue specificity of the recombination. Histopathology revealed a patchy, erosive, hemorrhagic, inflammatory enterocolitis with denuded, sloughed off surface epithelium, and crypt hyperplasia. These results suggest a protective function for Rack1 in maintaining the integrity of intestinal epithelia and for survival. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our findings reveal a novel function for Rack1 in maintaining intestinal homeostasis by protecting the epithelial barrier. Rack1 loss results in a patchy, erosive, hemorrhagic, inflammatory enterocolitis, which resembles that of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) in humans. Understanding mechanisms that protect barrier function in normal intestine and how loss of that protection contributes to the pathogenesis of IBD could lead to improved therapies for these and other erosive diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuan-Fen Cheng
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University , Stanford, California
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16
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Cheng ZF, Pai RK, Cartwright CA. Rack1 function in intestinal epithelia: regulating crypt cell proliferation and regeneration and promoting differentiation and apoptosis. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2018; 314:G1-G13. [PMID: 28935684 PMCID: PMC5866376 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00240.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Revised: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Previously, we showed that receptor for activated C kinase 1 (Rack1) regulates growth of colon cells in vitro, partly by suppressing Src kinase activity at key cell cycle checkpoints, in apoptotic and cell survival pathways and at cell-cell adhesions. Here, we generated mouse models of Rack1 deficiency to assess Rack1's function in intestinal epithelia in vivo. Intestinal Rack1 deficiency resulted in proliferation of crypt cells, diminished differentiation of crypt cells into enterocyte, goblet, and enteroendocrine cell lineages, and expansion of Paneth cell populations. Following radiation injury, the morphology of Rack1-deleted small bowel was strikingly abnormal with development of large polypoid structures that contained many partly formed villi, numerous back-to-back elongated and regenerating crypts, and high-grade dysplasia in surface epithelia. These abnormalities were not observed in Rack1-expressing areas of intestine or in control mice. Following irradiation, apoptosis of enterocytes was strikingly reduced in Rack1-deleted epithelia. These novel findings reveal key functions for Rack1 in regulating growth of intestinal epithelia: suppressing crypt cell proliferation and regeneration, promoting differentiation and apoptosis, and repressing development of neoplasia. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our findings reveal novel functions for receptor for activated C kinase 1 (Rack1) in regulating growth of intestinal epithelia: suppressing crypt cell proliferation and regeneration, promoting differentiation and apoptosis, and repressing development of neoplasia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuan-Fen Cheng
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University , Stanford, California
| | - Reetesh K Pai
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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17
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Muñoz-Jiménez C, Ayuso C, Dobrzynska A, Torres-Mendéz A, Ruiz PDLC, Askjaer P. An Efficient FLP-Based Toolkit for Spatiotemporal Control of Gene Expression in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2017; 206:1763-1778. [PMID: 28646043 PMCID: PMC5560786 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.117.201012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Site-specific recombinases are potent tools to regulate gene expression. In particular, the Cre (cyclization recombination) and FLP (flipase) enzymes are widely used to either activate or inactivate genes in a precise spatiotemporal manner. Both recombinases work efficiently in the popular model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, but their use in this nematode is still only sporadic. To increase the utility of the FLP system in C. elegans, we have generated a series of single-copy transgenic strains that stably express an optimized version of FLP in specific tissues or by heat induction. We show that recombination efficiencies reach 100% in several cell types, such as muscles, intestine, and serotonin-producing neurons. Moreover, we demonstrate that most promoters drive recombination exclusively in the expected tissues. As examples of the potentials of the FLP lines, we describe novel tools for induced cell ablation by expression of the PEEL-1 toxin and a versatile FLP-out cassette for generation of GFP-tagged conditional knockout alleles. Together with other recombinase-based reagents created by the C. elegans community, this toolkit increases the possibilities for detailed analyses of specific biological processes at developmental stages inside intact animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia Muñoz-Jiménez
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology (CABD), CSIC/JA/Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Cristina Ayuso
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology (CABD), CSIC/JA/Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Agnieszka Dobrzynska
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology (CABD), CSIC/JA/Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Antonio Torres-Mendéz
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology (CABD), CSIC/JA/Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Patricia de la Cruz Ruiz
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology (CABD), CSIC/JA/Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Peter Askjaer
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology (CABD), CSIC/JA/Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Seville, Spain
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18
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Eppig JT. Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI) Resource: Genetic, Genomic, and Biological Knowledgebase for the Laboratory Mouse. ILAR J 2017; 58:17-41. [PMID: 28838066 PMCID: PMC5886341 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilx013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI) Resource supports basic, translational, and computational research by providing high-quality, integrated data on the genetics, genomics, and biology of the laboratory mouse. MGI serves a strategic role for the scientific community in facilitating biomedical, experimental, and computational studies investigating the genetics and processes of diseases and enabling the development and testing of new disease models and therapeutic interventions. This review describes the nexus of the body of growing genetic and biological data and the advances in computer technology in the late 1980s, including the World Wide Web, that together launched the beginnings of MGI. MGI develops and maintains a gold-standard resource that reflects the current state of knowledge, provides semantic and contextual data integration that fosters hypothesis testing, continually develops new and improved tools for searching and analysis, and partners with the scientific community to assure research data needs are met. Here we describe one slice of MGI relating to the development of community-wide large-scale mutagenesis and phenotyping projects and introduce ways to access and use these MGI data. References and links to additional MGI aspects are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janan T. Eppig
- Janan T. Eppig, PhD, is Professor Emeritus at The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine
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19
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Rapid Inflammation in Mice Lacking Both SOCS1 and SOCS3 in Hematopoietic Cells. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0162111. [PMID: 27583437 PMCID: PMC5008821 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 08/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The Suppressors of Cytokine Signalling (SOCS) proteins are negative regulators of cytokine signalling required to prevent excess cellular responses. SOCS1 and SOCS3 are essential to prevent inflammatory disease, SOCS1 by attenuating responses to IFNγ and gamma-common (γc) cytokines, and SOCS3 via regulation of G-CSF and IL-6 signalling. SOCS1 and SOCS3 show significant sequence homology and are the only SOCS proteins to possess a KIR domain. The possibility of overlapping or redundant functions was investigated in inflammatory disease via generation of mice lacking both SOCS1 and SOCS3 in hematopoietic cells. Loss of SOCS3 significantly accelerated the pathology and inflammatory disease characteristic of SOCS1 deficiency. We propose a model in which SOCS1 and SOCS3 operate independently to control specific cytokine responses and together modulate the proliferation and activation of lymphoid and myeloid cells to prevent rapid inflammatory disease.
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20
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Abstract
Notch controls skeletogenesis, but its role in the remodeling of adult bone remains conflicting. In mature mice, the skeleton can become osteopenic or osteosclerotic depending on the time point at which Notch is activated or inactivated. Using adult EGFP reporter mice, we find that Notch expression is localized to osteocytes embedded within bone matrix. Conditional activation of Notch signaling in osteocytes triggers profound bone formation, mainly due to increased mineralization, which rescues both age-associated and ovariectomy-induced bone loss and promotes bone healing following osteotomy. In parallel, mice rendered haploinsufficient in γ-secretase presenilin-1 (Psen1), which inhibits downstream Notch activation, display almost-absent terminal osteoblast differentiation. Consistent with this finding, pharmacologic or genetic disruption of Notch or its ligand Jagged1 inhibits mineralization. We suggest that stimulation of Notch signaling in osteocytes initiates a profound, therapeutically relevant, anabolic response.
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21
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Ichise H, Hori A, Shiozawa S, Kondo S, Kanegae Y, Saito I, Ichise T, Yoshida N. Establishment of a tamoxifen-inducible Cre-driver mouse strain for widespread and temporal genetic modification in adult mice. Exp Anim 2016; 65:231-44. [PMID: 26923756 PMCID: PMC4976237 DOI: 10.1538/expanim.15-0126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Temporal genetic modification of mice using the ligand-inducible Cre/loxP system is an
important technique that allows the bypass of embryonic lethal phenotypes and access to
adult phenotypes. In this study, we generated a tamoxifen-inducible Cre-driver mouse
strain for the purpose of widespread and temporal Cre recombination. The new line, named
CM32, expresses the GFPneo-fusion gene in a wide variety of tissues before FLP
recombination and tamoxifen-inducible Cre after FLP recombination. Using FLP-recombined
CM32 mice (CM32Δ mice) and Cre reporter mouse lines, we evaluated the efficiency of Cre
recombination with and without tamoxifen administration to adult mice, and found
tamoxifen-dependent induction of Cre recombination in a variety of adult tissues. In
addition, we demonstrated that conditional activation of an oncogene could be achieved in
adults using CM32Δ mice. CM32Δ;T26 mice, which harbored a Cre recombination-driven, SV40
large T antigen-expressing transgene, were viable and fertile. No overt phenotype was
found in the mice up to 3 months after birth. Although they displayed pineoblastomas
(pinealoblastomas) and/or thymic enlargement due to background Cre recombination by 6
months after birth, they developed epidermal hyperplasia when administered tamoxifen.
Collectively, our results suggest that the CM32Δ transgenic mouse line can be applied to
the assessment of adult phenotypes in mice with loxP-flanked transgenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirotake Ichise
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
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22
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Wong FK, Fei JF, Mora-Bermúdez F, Taverna E, Haffner C, Fu J, Anastassiadis K, Stewart AF, Huttner WB. Sustained Pax6 Expression Generates Primate-like Basal Radial Glia in Developing Mouse Neocortex. PLoS Biol 2015; 13:e1002217. [PMID: 26252244 PMCID: PMC4529158 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Accepted: 06/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolutionary expansion of the neocortex in mammals has been linked to enlargement of the subventricular zone (SVZ) and increased proliferative capacity of basal progenitors (BPs), notably basal radial glia (bRG). The transcription factor Pax6 is known to be highly expressed in primate, but not mouse, BPs. Here, we demonstrate that sustaining Pax6 expression selectively in BP-genic apical radial glia (aRG) and their BP progeny of embryonic mouse neocortex suffices to induce primate-like progenitor behaviour. Specifically, we conditionally expressed Pax6 by in utero electroporation using a novel, Tis21–CreERT2 mouse line. This expression altered aRG cleavage plane orientation to promote bRG generation, increased cell-cycle re-entry of BPs, and ultimately increased upper-layer neuron production. Upper-layer neuron production was also increased in double-transgenic mouse embryos with sustained Pax6 expression in the neurogenic lineage. Strikingly, increased BPs existed not only in the SVZ but also in the intermediate zone of the neocortex of these double-transgenic mouse embryos. In mutant mouse embryos lacking functional Pax6, the proportion of bRG among BPs was reduced. Our data identify specific Pax6 effects in BPs and imply that sustaining this Pax6 function in BPs could be a key aspect of SVZ enlargement and, consequently, the evolutionary expansion of the neocortex. "Humanizing" the expression of the transcription factor Pax6 in cortical progenitors in the developing mouse brain is sufficient to endow these progenitors with a primate-like proliferative capacity. During development, neural progenitors generate all cells that make up the mammalian brain. Differences in brain size among the various mammalian species are attributed to differences in the abundance and proliferative capacity of a specific class of neural progenitors called basal progenitors. Among these, a specific progenitor type called basal radial glia is thought to have played an important role during evolution in the expansion of the neocortex, the part of the brain associated with higher cognitive functions like conscious thought and language. In the neocortex, the expression of the transcription factor Pax6 in basal progenitors is low in rodents, but high in primates, including humans. In this study, we aimed to mimic the elevated expression pattern of Pax6 seen in humans in basal progenitors of the embryonic mouse neocortex. To this end, we generated a novel, transgenic mouse line that allows sustained expression of the Pax6 gene in basal progenitors. This elevated expression resulted in an increase in the generation of basal radial glia, in the proliferative capacity of basal progenitors, and, ultimately, in the number of neurons produced. Our findings demonstrate that altering the expression of a single transcription factor from a mouse to a human-like pattern suffices to induce a primate-like proliferative behaviour in neural progenitors, which is thought to underlie the evolutionary expansion of the neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fong Kuan Wong
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ji-Feng Fei
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Elena Taverna
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christiane Haffner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jun Fu
- Biotechnology Center of the Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - A. Francis Stewart
- Biotechnology Center of the Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Wieland B. Huttner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Polycomb repressive complex 2 component Suz12 is required for hematopoietic stem cell function and lymphopoiesis. Blood 2015; 126:167-75. [PMID: 26036803 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2014-12-615898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2014] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is a chromatin modifier that regulates stem cells in embryonic and adult tissues. Loss-of-function studies of PRC2 components have been complicated by early embryonic dependence on PRC2 activity and the partial functional redundancy of enhancer of zeste homolog 1 (Ezh1) and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (Ezh2), which encode the enzymatic component of PRC2. Here, we investigated the role of PRC2 in hematopoiesis by conditional deletion of suppressor of zeste 12 protein homolog (Suz12), a core component of PRC2. Complete loss of Suz12 resulted in failure of hematopoiesis, both in the embryo and the adult, with a loss of maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). In contrast, partial loss of PRC2 enhanced HSC self-renewal. Although Suz12 was required for lymphoid development, deletion in individual blood cell lineages revealed that it was dispensable for the development of granulocytic, monocytic, and megakaryocytic cells. Collectively, these data reveal the multifaceted role of PRC2 in hematopoiesis, with divergent dose-dependent effects in HSC and distinct roles in maturing blood cells. Because PRC2 is a potential target for cancer therapy, the significant consequences of modest changes in PRC2 activity, as well as the cell and developmental stage-specific effects, will need to be carefully considered in any therapeutic context.
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Prendiville TW, Guo H, Lin Z, Zhou P, Stevens SM, He A, VanDusen N, Chen J, Zhong L, Wang DZ, Gao G, Pu WT. Novel Roles of GATA4/6 in the Postnatal Heart Identified through Temporally Controlled, Cardiomyocyte-Specific Gene Inactivation by Adeno-Associated Virus Delivery of Cre Recombinase. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0128105. [PMID: 26023924 PMCID: PMC4449121 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2015] [Accepted: 04/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
GATA4 and GATA6 are central cardiac transcriptional regulators. The postnatal, stage-specific function of the cardiac transcription factors GATA4 and GATA6 have not been evaluated. In part, this is because current Cre-loxP approaches to cardiac gene inactivation require time consuming and costly breeding of Cre-expressing and “floxed” mouse lines, often with limited control of the extent or timing of gene inactivation. We investigated the stage-specific functions of GATA4 and GATA6 in the postnatal heart by using adeno-associated virus serotype 9 to control the timing and extent of gene inactivation by Cre. Systemic delivery of recombinant, adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9) expressing Cre from the cardiac specific Tnnt2 promoter was well tolerated and selectively and efficiently recombined floxed target genes in cardiomyocytes. AAV9:Tnnt2-Cre efficiently inactivated Gata4 and Gata6. Neonatal Gata4/6 inactivation caused severe, rapidly lethal systolic heart failure. In contrast, Gata4/6 inactivation in adult heart caused only mild systolic dysfunction but severe diastolic dysfunction. Reducing the dose of AAV9:Tnnt2-Cre generated mosaics in which scattered cardiomyocytes lacked Gata4/6. This mosaic knockout revealed that Gata4/6 are required cell autonomously for physiological cardiomyocyte growth. Our results define novel roles of GATA4 and GATA6 in the neonatal and adult heart. Furthermore, our data demonstrate that evaluation of gene function hinges on controlling the timing and extent of gene inactivation. AAV9:Tnnt2-Cre is a powerful tool for controlling these parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terence W. Prendiville
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Haidong Guo
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiqiang Lin
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Pingzhu Zhou
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sean M. Stevens
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Aibin He
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Nathan VanDusen
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jinghai Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Li Zhong
- Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Da-Zhi Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, 1350 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Guangping Gao
- Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - William T. Pu
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Richier B, Salecker I. Versatile genetic paintbrushes: Brainbow technologies. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2015; 4:161-80. [PMID: 25491327 PMCID: PMC4384809 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Accepted: 10/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Advances in labeling technologies are instrumental to study the developmental mechanisms that control organ formation and function at the cellular level. Until recently, genetic tools relied on the expression of single markers to visualize individual cells or lineages in developing and adult animals. Exploiting the expanding color palette of fluorescent proteins and the power of site-specific recombinases in rearranging DNA fragments, the development of Brainbow strategies in mice made it possible to stochastically label many cells in different colors within the same sample. Over the past years, these pioneering approaches have been adapted for other experimental model organisms, including Drosophila melanogaster, zebrafish, and chicken. Balancing the distinct requirements of single cell and clonal analyses, adjustments were made that both enhance and expand the functionality of these tools. Multicolor cell labeling techniques have been successfully applied in studies analyzing the cellular components of neural circuits and other tissues, and the compositions and interactions of lineages. While being continuously refined, Brainbow technologies have thus found a firm place in the genetic toolboxes of developmental and neurobiologists. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. CONFLICT OF INTEREST The authors have declared no conflicts of interest for this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Richier
- MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Division of Molecular NeurobiologyLondon, UK
| | - Iris Salecker
- MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Division of Molecular NeurobiologyLondon, UK
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26
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New Transgenic Technologies. Mov Disord 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-405195-9.00003-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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MCL-1 but not BCL-XL is critical for the development and sustained expansion of thymic lymphoma in p53-deficient mice. Blood 2014; 124:3939-46. [PMID: 25368374 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2014-09-601567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Apoptosis plays a role in normal lymphopoiesis and lymphoid malignancies. Pro-survival MCL-1 is essential for survival of T-cell progenitors, BCL-XL for immature thymocytes, and BCL-2 for mature T cells. Conversely, little is known about the regulators that are required for the survival of T-cell lymphomas. We used constitutive and conditionally gene-targeted mice to investigate which pro-survival BCL-2 family member is required for the sustained survival of thymic lymphomas initiated by loss of p53. Constitutive loss of a single Mcl-1 allele delayed tumor onset. In contrast, lymphomas emerging in p53(-/-) mice in which Mcl-1 could be conditionally deleted had been selected for retention of MCL-1 expression. In contrast, complete loss of BCL-XL had no impact on lymphoma development in p53(-/-) mice. These results demonstrate that thymic lymphomas elicited by loss of p53 must arise from cancer-initiating cells that require MCL-1 for their survival. Acute deletion of both Mcl-1 alleles abrogated the expansion of p53(-/-) lymphomas in mice, whereas inducible loss of BCL-XL had little impact. This reveals that MCL-1 is essential for the sustained survival of these malignant cells and suggests that targeting MCL-1 may be an attractive strategy for the treatment of T-cell lymphoma.
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Herold MJ, Stuchbery R, Mérino D, Willson T, Strasser A, Hildeman D, Bouillet P. Impact of conditional deletion of the pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family member BIM in mice. Cell Death Dis 2014; 5:e1446. [PMID: 25299771 PMCID: PMC4237241 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2014.409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2014] [Revised: 08/21/2014] [Accepted: 08/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The pro-apoptotic BH3-only BCL-2 family member BIM is a critical determinant of hematopoietic cell development and homeostasis. It has been argued that the striking hematopoietic abnormalities of BIM-deficient mice (accumulation of lymphocytes and granulocytes) may be the result of the loss of the protein throughout the whole animal rather than a consequence intrinsic to the loss of BIM in hematopoietic cells. To address this issue and allow the deletion of BIM in specific cell types in future studies, we have developed a mouse strain with a conditional Bim allele as well as a new Cre transgenic strain, Vav-CreER, in which the tamoxifen-inducible CreER recombinase (fusion protein) is predominantly expressed in the hematopoietic system. We show that acute loss of BIM in the adult mouse rapidly results in the hematopoietic phenotypes previously observed in mice lacking BIM in all tissues. This includes changes in thymocyte subpopulations, increased white blood cell counts and resistance of lymphocytes to BIM-dependent apoptotic stimuli, such as cytokine deprivation. We have validated this novel conditional Bim knockout mouse model using established and newly developed CreER strains (Rosa26-CreER and Vav-CreER) and will make these exciting new tools for studies on cell death and cancer available.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Herold
- 1] Molecular Genetics of Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia [2] Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - R Stuchbery
- 1] Molecular Genetics of Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia [2] Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - D Mérino
- 1] Molecular Genetics of Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia [2] Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - T Willson
- 1] Molecular Genetics of Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia [2] Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - A Strasser
- 1] Molecular Genetics of Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia [2] Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - D Hildeman
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - P Bouillet
- 1] Molecular Genetics of Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia [2] Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Parra S, Huang X, Charbeneau RA, Wade SM, Kaur K, Rorabaugh BR, Neubig RR. Conditional disruption of interactions between Gαi2 and regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins protects the heart from ischemic injury. BMC Pharmacol Toxicol 2014; 15:29. [PMID: 24899231 PMCID: PMC4059092 DOI: 10.1186/2050-6511-15-29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2014] [Accepted: 05/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins suppress G protein coupled receptor signaling by catalyzing the hydrolysis of Gα-bound guanine nucleotide triphosphate. Transgenic mice in which RGS-mediated regulation of Gαi2 is lost (RGS insensitive Gαi2G184S) exhibit beneficial (protection against ischemic injury) and detrimental (enhanced fibrosis) cardiac phenotypes. This mouse model has revealed the physiological significance of RGS/Gαi2 interactions. Previous studies of the Gαi2G184S mutation used mice that express this mutant protein throughout their lives. Thus, it is unclear whether these phenotypes result from chronic or acute Gαi2G184S expression. We addressed this issue by developing mice that conditionally express Gαi2G184S. METHODS Mice that conditionally express RGS insensitive Gαi2G184S were generated using a floxed minigene strategy. Conditional expression of Gαi2G184S was characterized by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and by enhancement of agonist-induced inhibition of cAMP production in isolated cardiac fibroblasts. The impact of conditional RGS insensitive Gαi2G184S expression on ischemic injury was assessed by measuring contractile recovery and infarct sizes in isolated hearts subjected to 30 min ischemia and 2 hours reperfusion. RESULTS We demonstrate tamoxifen-dependent expression of Gαi2G184S, enhanced inhibition of cAMP production, and cardioprotection from ischemic injury in hearts conditionally expressing Gαi2G184S. Thus the cardioprotective phenotype previously reported in mice expressing Gαi2G184S does not require embryonic or chronic Gαi2G184S expression. Rather, cardioprotection occurs following acute (days rather than months) expression of Gαi2G184S. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that RGS proteins might provide new therapeutic targets to protect the heart from ischemic injury. We anticipate that this model will be valuable for understanding the time course (chronic versus acute) and mechanisms of other phenotypic changes that occur following disruption of interactions between Gαi2 and RGS proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Boyd R Rorabaugh
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Ohio Northern University College of Pharmacy, Ada, OH 45810, USA.
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Sajgo S, Ghinia MG, Shi M, Liu P, Dong L, Parmhans N, Popescu O, Badea TC. Dre - Cre sequential recombination provides new tools for retinal ganglion cell labeling and manipulation in mice. PLoS One 2014; 9:e91435. [PMID: 24608965 PMCID: PMC3946778 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0091435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2013] [Accepted: 02/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic targeting methods have greatly advanced our understanding of many of the 20 Retinal Ganglion Cell (RGC) types conveying visual information from the eyes to the brain. However, the complexity and partial overlap of gene expression patterns in RGCs call for genetic intersectional or sparse labeling strategies. Loci carrying the Cre recombinase in conjunction with conditional knock-out, reporter or other genetic tools can be used for targeted cell type ablation and functional manipulation of specific cell populations. The three members of the Pou4f family of transcription factors, Brn3a, Brn3b and Brn3c, expressed early during RGC development and in combinatorial pattern amongst RGC types are excellent candidates for such gene manipulations. METHODS AND FINDINGS We generated conditional Cre knock-in alleles at the Brn3a and Brn3b loci, Brn3a(CKOCre) and Brn3b(CKOCre). When crossed to mice expressing the Dre recombinase, the endogenous Brn3 gene expressed by Brn3a(CKOCre) or Brn3b(CKOCre) is removed and replaced with a Cre recombinase, generating Brn3a(Cre) and Brn3b(Cre) knock-in alleles. Surprisingly both Brn3a(Cre) and Brn3b(Cre) knock-in alleles induce early ubiquitous recombination, consistent with germline expression. However in later stages of development, their expression is limited to the expected endogenous pattern of the Brn3a and Brn3b genes. We use the Brn3a(Cre) and Brn3b(Cre) alleles to target a Cre dependent Adeno Associated Virus (AAV) reporter to RGCs and demonstrate its use in morphological characterization, early postnatal gene delivery and tracing the expression of Brn3 genes in RGCs. CONCLUSIONS Dre recombinase effectively recombines the Brn3a(CKOCre) and Brn3b(CKOCre) alleles containing its roxP target sites. Sequential Dre to Cre recombination reveals Brn3a and Brn3b expression in early mouse development. The generated Brn3a(Cre) and Brn3b(Cre) alleles are useful tools that can target exogenously delivered Cre dependent reagents to RGCs in early postnatal development, opening up a large range of potential applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szilard Sajgo
- National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- Biology Department, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj, Romania
| | - Miruna Georgiana Ghinia
- National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- Biology Department, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj, Romania
| | - Melody Shi
- National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Pinghu Liu
- National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Lijin Dong
- National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Nadia Parmhans
- National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Octavian Popescu
- Biology Department, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj, Romania
- Institute of Biology, Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
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Koole W, Tijsterman M. Mosaic analysis and tumor induction in zebrafish by microsatellite instability-mediated stochastic gene expression. Dis Model Mech 2014; 7:929-36. [PMID: 24487406 PMCID: PMC4073281 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.014365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosaic analysis, in which two or more populations of cells with differing genotypes are studied in a single animal, is a powerful approach to study developmental mechanisms and gene function in vivo. Over recent years, several genetic methods have been developed to achieve mosaicism in zebrafish, but despite their advances, limitations remain and different approaches and further refinements are warranted. Here, we describe an alternative approach for creating somatic mosaicism in zebrafish that relies on the instability of microsatellite sequences during replication. We placed the coding sequences of various marker proteins downstream of a microsatellite and out-of-frame; in vivo frameshifting into the proper reading frame results in expression of the protein in random individual cells that are surrounded by wild-type cells. We optimized this approach for the binary Gal4-UAS expression system by generating a driver line and effector lines that stochastically express Gal4-VP16 or UAS:H2A-EGFP and self-maintaining UAS:H2A-EGFP-Kaloop, respectively. To demonstrate the utility of this system, we stochastically expressed a constitutively active form of the human oncogene H-RAS and show the occurrence of hyperpigmentation and sporadic tumors within 5 days. Our data demonstrate that inducing somatic mosaicism through microsatellite instability can be a valuable approach for mosaic analysis and tumor induction in Danio rerio.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wouter Koole
- Department of Toxicogenetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel Tijsterman
- Department of Toxicogenetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC, The Netherlands.
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Kelly GL, Grabow S, Glaser SP, Fitzsimmons L, Aubrey BJ, Okamoto T, Valente LJ, Robati M, Tai L, Fairlie WD, Lee EF, Lindstrom MS, Wiman KG, Huang DC, Bouillet P, Rowe M, Rickinson AB, Herold MJ, Strasser A. Targeting of MCL-1 kills MYC-driven mouse and human lymphomas even when they bear mutations in p53. Genes Dev 2014; 28:58-70. [PMID: 24395247 PMCID: PMC3894413 DOI: 10.1101/gad.232009.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2013] [Accepted: 11/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The transcriptional regulator c-MYC is abnormally overexpressed in many human cancers. Evasion from apoptosis is critical for cancer development, particularly c-MYC-driven cancers. We explored which anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family member (expressed under endogenous regulation) is essential to sustain c-MYC-driven lymphoma growth to reveal which should be targeted for cancer therapy. Remarkably, inducible Cre-mediated deletion of even a single Mcl-1 allele substantially impaired the growth of c-MYC-driven mouse lymphomas. Mutations in p53 could diminish but not obviate the dependency of c-MYC-driven mouse lymphomas on MCL-1. Importantly, targeting of MCL-1 killed c-MYC-driven human Burkitt lymphoma cells, even those bearing mutations in p53. Given that loss of one allele of Mcl-1 is well tolerated in healthy tissues, our results suggest that therapeutic targeting of MCL-1 would be an attractive therapeutic strategy for MYC-driven cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma L. Kelly
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham College of Medical and Dental Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3050 Australia
| | - Stephanie Grabow
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3050 Australia
| | - Stefan P. Glaser
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3050 Australia
| | - Leah Fitzsimmons
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham College of Medical and Dental Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Brandon J. Aubrey
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3050 Australia
| | - Toru Okamoto
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3050 Australia
| | - Liz J. Valente
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3050 Australia
| | - Mikara Robati
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Lin Tai
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - W. Douglas Fairlie
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3050 Australia
| | - Erinna F. Lee
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3050 Australia
| | - Mikael S. Lindstrom
- Department of Oncology–Pathology, Karolinska Institute, Cancer Center Karolinska (CCK), SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Klas G. Wiman
- Department of Oncology–Pathology, Karolinska Institute, Cancer Center Karolinska (CCK), SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - David C.S. Huang
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3050 Australia
| | - Philippe Bouillet
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3050 Australia
| | - Martin Rowe
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham College of Medical and Dental Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Alan B. Rickinson
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham College of Medical and Dental Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Marco J. Herold
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3050 Australia
| | - Andreas Strasser
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3050 Australia
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Chen-Tsai RY, Jiang R, Zhuang L, Wu J, Li L, Wu J. Genome editing and animal models. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s11434-013-0032-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Lexow J, Poggioli T, Sarathchandra P, Santini MP, Rosenthal N. Cardiac fibrosis in mice expressing an inducible myocardial-specific Cre driver. Dis Model Mech 2013; 6:1470-6. [PMID: 23929940 PMCID: PMC3820269 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.010470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Tamoxifen-inducible Cre-mediated manipulation of animal genomes has achieved wide acceptance over the last decade, with numerous important studies heavily relying on this technique. Recently, a number of groups have reported transient complications of using this protocol in the heart. In the present study we observed a previously unreported focal fibrosis and depressed left-ventricular function in tamoxifen-treated αMHC-MerCreMer-positive animals in a Tβ4shRNAflox × αMHC-MerCreMer cross at 6-7 weeks following standard tamoxifen treatment, regardless of the presence of the floxed transgene. The phenotype was reproduced by treating mice from the original αMHC-MerCreMer strain with tamoxifen. In the acute phase after tamoxifen treatment, cell infiltration into the myocardium was accompanied by increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, IFNγ, Ccl2) and markers of hypertrophy (ANF, BNP, Col3a1). These observations highlight the requirement for including tamoxifen-treated MerCreMer littermate controls to avert misinterpretation of conditional mutant phenotypes. A survey of the field as well as the protocols presented here suggests that controlling the parameters of tamoxifen delivery is important in avoiding the chronic MerCreMer-mediated cardiac phenotype reported here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Lexow
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Heart Science Centre and Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
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Ichise T, Yoshida N, Ichise H. FGF2-induced Ras/Erk MAPK signalling maintains lymphatic endothelial cell identity by up-regulating endothelial cell-specific gene expression and suppressing TGFβ signalling via Smad2. J Cell Sci 2013; 127:845-57. [DOI: 10.1242/jcs.137836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The lymphatic endothelial cell (LEC) fate decision program during development has been revealed. However, the mechanism underlying the maintenance of differentiated LEC identity remains largely unknown. Here, we show that fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) plays a fundamental role in maintaining a differentiated LEC trait. In addition to demonstrating the appearance of alpha-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) expressing LECs in mouse lymphedematous skin in vivo, we found that mouse-immortalized LECs lose their characteristics and undergo endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) when cultured in FGF2-depleted medium. FGF2 depletion acted synergistically with transforming growth factor (TGF) β to induce EndMT. We also found that H-Ras-overexpressing LECs were resistant to EndMT. Ras activation not only upregulated FGF2-induced Erk MAPK activation, but also suppressed TGFβ-induced activation of Smad2 by modulating Smad2 phosphorylation via Erk MAPKs. These results suggest that FGF2 may regulate LEC-specific gene expression and suppress TGFβ signalling in LECs via Smad2 in a Ras/Erk MAP kinase-dependent manner. Taken together, our findings provide a new insight into the FGF2/Ras/Erk MAPK-dependent mechanism that maintains and modulates the LEC trait.
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Karimova M, Abi-Ghanem J, Berger N, Surendranath V, Pisabarro MT, Buchholz F. Vika/vox, a novel efficient and specific Cre/loxP-like site-specific recombination system. Nucleic Acids Res 2012; 41:e37. [PMID: 23143104 PMCID: PMC3553980 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gks1037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted genome engineering has become an important research area for diverse disciplines, with site-specific recombinases (SSRs) being among the most popular genome engineering tools. Their ability to trigger excision, integration, inversion and translocation has made SSRs an invaluable tool to manipulate DNA in vitro and in vivo. However, sophisticated strategies that combine different SSR systems are ever increasing. Hence, the demand for additional precise and efficient recombinases is dictated by the increasing complexity of the genetic studies. Here, we describe a novel site-specific recombination system designated Vika/vox. Vika originates from a degenerate bacteriophage of Vibrio coralliilyticus and shares low sequence similarity to other tyrosine recombinases, but functionally carries out a similar type of reaction. We demonstrate that Vika is highly specific in catalyzing vox recombination without recombining target sites from other SSR systems. We also compare the recombination activity of Vika/vox with other SSR systems, providing a guideline for deciding on the most suitable enzyme for a particular application and demonstrate that Vika expression does not cause cytotoxicity in mammalian cells. Our results show that Vika/vox is a novel powerful and safe instrument in the 'genetic toolbox' that can be used alone or in combination with other SSRs in heterologous hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madina Karimova
- Medical Systems Biology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, University of Technology, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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Tamoxifen-Induced Cre-loxP Recombination Is Prolonged in Pancreatic Islets of Adult Mice. PLoS One 2012; 7:e33529. [PMID: 22470452 PMCID: PMC3314663 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2011] [Accepted: 02/13/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tamoxifen (Tm)-inducible Cre recombinases are widely used to perform gene inactivation and lineage tracing studies in mice. Although the efficiency of inducible Cre-loxP recombination can be easily evaluated with reporter strains, the precise length of time that Tm induces nuclear translocation of CreERTm and subsequent recombination of a target allele is not well defined, and difficult to assess. To better understand the timeline of Tm activity in vivo, we developed a bioassay in which pancreatic islets with a Tm-inducible reporter (from Pdx1PB-CreERTm;R26RlacZ mice) were transplanted beneath the renal capsule of adult mice previously treated with three doses of 1 mg Tm, 8 mg Tm, or corn oil vehicle. Surprisingly, recombination in islet grafts, as assessed by expression of the β-galactosidase (β-gal) reporter, was observed days or weeks after Tm treatment, in a dose-dependent manner. Substantial recombination occurred in islet grafts long after administration of 3×8 mg Tm: in grafts transplanted 48 hours after the last Tm injection, 77.9±0.4% of β-cells were β-gal+; in β-cells placed after 1 week, 46.2±5.0% were β-gal+; after 2 weeks, 26.3±7.0% were β-gal+; and after 4 weeks, 1.9±0.9% were β-gal+. Islet grafts from mice given 3×1 mg Tm showed lower, but notable, recombination 48 hours (4.9±1.7%) and 1 week (4.5±1.9%) after Tm administration. These results show that Tm doses commonly used to induce Cre-loxP recombination may continue to label significant numbers of cells for weeks after Tm treatment, possibly confounding the interpretation of time-sensitive studies using Tm-dependent models. Therefore, investigators developing experimental approaches using Tm-inducible systems should consider both maximal recombination efficiency and the length of time that Tm-induced Cre-loxP recombination occurs.
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Birling MC, Dierich A, Jacquot S, Hérault Y, Pavlovic G. Highly-efficient, fluorescent, locus directed cre and FlpO deleter mice on a pure C57BL/6N genetic background. Genesis 2012; 50:482-9. [PMID: 22121025 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.20826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2011] [Revised: 11/10/2011] [Accepted: 11/13/2011] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
To facilitate the use of the new mutant resource developed in the mouse, we have generated Cre and FlpO deleter mice on a pure inbred C57BL/6N background. The new transgenic constructs were designed to drive either the Cre or FlpO recombinase, fused to a specific fluorescent marker, respectively the eGFP or the eYFP, and were inserted by homologous recombination in the neutral Rosa26 locus. They allow a rapid, cost-effective, and efficient identification of the carrier individuals through the coexpression of the fluorescent marker. The recombination efficiency of the two deleter lines, Gt(ROSA)26S or < tm1(ACTB-cre,-EGFP)Ics> and Gt(ROSA) 26S or < tm2(CAG-flpo, EYFP)Ics>, was carefully evaluated using five loxP-flanked or four FRT-flanked alleles located at different positions in the mouse genome. For each tested locus, we observed a 100% excision rate. The transgenic mice are easily distinguishable from wild type animals by their bright fluorescence that remains easily detectable until 10 days after birth. In the adult, fluorescence can still be detected in the unpigmented paws. Furthermore, they both display accumulation of the specific recombinase during oogenesis. These fluorescent 'Cre- and Flp- deleter' transgenic lines are valuable tools for the scientific community by their high and stable recombination efficiency, the simplicity of genotype identification and the maintenance of a pure genetic background when used to remove specific selection cassette or to induce complete loss-of-function allele.
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Glaser SP, Lee EF, Trounson E, Bouillet P, Wei A, Fairlie WD, Izon DJ, Zuber J, Rappaport AR, Herold MJ, Alexander WS, Lowe SW, Robb L, Strasser A. Anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 is essential for the development and sustained growth of acute myeloid leukemia. Genes Dev 2012; 26:120-5. [PMID: 22279045 DOI: 10.1101/gad.182980.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 330] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) frequently relapses after initial treatment. Drug resistance in AML has been attributed to high levels of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members Bcl-x(L) and Mcl-1. Here we report that removal of Mcl-1, but not loss or pharmacological blockade of Bcl-x(L), Bcl-2, or Bcl-w, caused the death of transformed AML and could cure disease in AML-afflicted mice. Enforced expression of selective inhibitors of prosurvival Bcl-2 family members revealed that Mcl-1 is critical for survival of human AML cells. Thus, targeting of Mcl-1 or regulators of its expression may be a useful strategy for the treatment of AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan P Glaser
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
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Abstract
The neural crest cell (NCC) lineage is often referred to as the fourth germ layer in embryos, as its wide range of migration and early colonization of multiple tissues and organ systems throughout the developing body is astounding. Many human birth defects are thought to have their origins within the NCC lineage. Exciting recent conditional mouse targeting and transgenic combinatorial suppression approaches have revealed that the Tgf-b superfamily is a key signaling pathway within the cardiac and cranial NCC subpopulations. Given the complexity of Tgf-b superfamily signaling and that multiple ligand and receptor combinations have already been shown to be expressed within the NCC subpopulations, and the difficulty in transgenically targeting entire signaling cascades, we review several up-to-date transgenic approaches that are revealing unexpected consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon J Conway
- HB Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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High throughput gene trapping and postinsertional modifications of gene trap alleles. Methods 2011; 53:347-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2010.12.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2010] [Revised: 12/27/2010] [Accepted: 12/31/2010] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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von Melchner H, Stewart AF. Methods for extracting function from mammalian genomes. Methods 2011; 53:329-30. [PMID: 21392581 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2011.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/01/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Harald von Melchner
- Department for Molecular Hematology, University of Frankfurt Medical School, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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Smedley D, Salimova E, Rosenthal N. Cre recombinase resources for conditional mouse mutagenesis. Methods 2010; 53:411-6. [PMID: 21195764 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2010.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2010] [Accepted: 12/17/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Large scale international activities for systematic conditional mouse mutagenesis, exploiting advances in the sophisticated manipulation of the mouse genome, has established the mouse as the premier organism for developing models of human disease and drug action. Conditional mutagenesis is critical for the elucidation of the gene functions that exert pleiotropic effects in a variety of cell types and tissues throughout the life of the animal. The majority of new mouse mutants are therefore designed as conditional, activated only in a specific tissue (spatial control) and/or life stage (temporal control) through biogenic Cre/loxP technologies. The full power of conditional mutant mice can therefore only be exploited with the availability of well characterized mouse lines expressing Cre-recombinase in tissue, organ and cell type-specific patterns, to allow the creation of somatic mutations in defined genes. This chapter provides an update on the current state of Cre driver mouse lines worldwide, and reviews the available public databases and portals that capture critical details of Cre driver lines such as the efficiency of recombination, cell tissue specificity, or genetic background effects. The continuously changing landscape of these mouse resources reflects the rapid progression of research and development in conditional and inducible mouse mutagenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damian Smedley
- European Bioinformatics Institute, Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SA, UK
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The power of reversibility regulating gene activities via tetracycline-controlled transcription. Methods Enzymol 2010; 477:429-53. [PMID: 20699154 DOI: 10.1016/s0076-6879(10)77022-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Tetracycline-controlled transcriptional activation systems are widely used to control gene expression in transgenic animals in a truly conditional manner. By this we refer to the capability of these expression systems to control gene activities not only in a tissue specific and temporal defined but also reversible manner. This versatility has made the Tet regulatory systems to a preeminent tool in reverse mouse genetics. The development of the technology in the past 15 years will be reviewed and guidelines will be given for its implementation in creating transgenic rodents. Finally, we highlight some recent exciting applications of the Tet technology as well as its foreseeable combination with other emerging technologies in mouse transgenesis.
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