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Funa NS, Mjoseng HK, de Lichtenberg KH, Raineri S, Esen D, Egeskov-Madsen ALR, Quaranta R, Jørgensen MC, Hansen MS, van Cuyl Kuylenstierna J, Jensen KB, Miao Y, Garcia KC, Seymour PA, Serup P. TGF-β modulates cell fate in human ES cell-derived foregut endoderm by inhibiting Wnt and BMP signaling. Stem Cell Reports 2024; 19:973-992. [PMID: 38942030 PMCID: PMC11252478 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2024.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Genetic differences between pluripotent stem cell lines cause variable activity of extracellular signaling pathways, limiting reproducibility of directed differentiation protocols. Here we used human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to interrogate how exogenous factors modulate endogenous signaling events during specification of foregut endoderm lineages. We find that transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) activates a putative human OTX2/LHX1 gene regulatory network which promotes anterior fate by antagonizing endogenous Wnt signaling. In contrast to Porcupine inhibition, TGF-β1 effects cannot be reversed by exogenous Wnt ligands, suggesting that induction of SHISA proteins and intracellular accumulation of Fzd receptors render TGF-β1-treated cells refractory to Wnt signaling. Subsequently, TGF-β1-mediated inhibition of BMP and Wnt signaling suppresses liver fate and promotes pancreas fate. Furthermore, combined TGF-β1 treatment and Wnt inhibition during pancreatic specification reproducibly and robustly enhance INSULIN+ cell yield across hESC lines. This modification of widely used differentiation protocols will enhance pancreatic β cell yield for cell-based therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Sofi Funa
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Heidi Katharina Mjoseng
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kristian Honnens de Lichtenberg
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Silvia Raineri
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Deniz Esen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anuska la Rosa Egeskov-Madsen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Roberto Quaranta
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mette Christine Jørgensen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maria Skjøtt Hansen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jonas van Cuyl Kuylenstierna
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kim Bak Jensen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; BRIC - Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Yi Miao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - K Christopher Garcia
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Philip A Seymour
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Palle Serup
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
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2
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Okumura A, Aoshima K, Tanimizu N. Generation of in vivo-like multicellular liver organoids by mimicking developmental processes: A review. Regen Ther 2024; 26:219-234. [PMID: 38903867 PMCID: PMC11186971 DOI: 10.1016/j.reth.2024.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver is involved in metabolic reactions, ammonia detoxification, and immunity. Multicellular liver tissue cultures are more desirable for drug screening, disease modeling, and researching transplantation therapy, than hepatocytes monocultures. Hepatocytes monocultures are not stable for long. Further, hepatocyte-like cells induced from pluripotent stem cells and in vivo hepatocytes are functionally dissimilar. Organoid technology circumvents these issues by generating functional ex vivo liver tissue from intrinsic liver progenitor cells and extrinsic stem cells, including pluripotent stem cells. To function as in vivo liver tissue, the liver organoid cells must be arranged precisely in the 3-dimensional space, closely mimicking in vivo liver tissue. Moreover, for long term functioning, liver organoids must be appropriately vascularized and in contact with neighboring epithelial tissues (e.g., bile canaliculi and intrahepatic bile duct, or intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts). Recent discoveries in liver developmental biology allows one to successfully induce liver component cells and generate organoids. Thus, here, in this review, we summarize the current state of knowledge on liver development with a focus on its application in generating different liver organoids. We also cover the future prospects in creating (functionally and structurally) in vivo-like liver organoids using the current knowledge on liver development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayumu Okumura
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0071, Japan
| | - Kenji Aoshima
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0071, Japan
| | - Naoki Tanimizu
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0071, Japan
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3
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Yang Y, Li S, Luo L. Responses of organ precursors to correct and incorrect inductive signals. Trends Cell Biol 2024; 34:484-495. [PMID: 37739814 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2023.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
During embryonic development, the inductive molecules produced by local origins normally arrive at their target tissues in a nondirectional, diffusion manner. The target organ precursor cells must correctly interpret these inductive signals to ensure proper specification/differentiation, which is dependent on two prerequisites: (i) obtaining cell-intrinsic competence; and (ii) receiving correct inductive signals while resisting incorrect ones. Gain of intrinsic competence could avoid a large number of misinductions because the incompetent cells are nonresponsive to inductive signals. However, in cases of different precursor cells with similar competence and located in close proximity, resistance to incorrect inductive signals is essential for accurate determination of cell fate. Here we outline the mechanisms of how organ precursors respond to correct and incorrect inductive signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Yang
- Institute of Development Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shuang Li
- Institute of Development Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lingfei Luo
- Institute of Development Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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4
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Zhao Z, Cui T, Wei F, Zhou Z, Sun Y, Gao C, Xu X, Zhang H. Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma: pathogenic role and therapeutic target. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1367364. [PMID: 38634048 PMCID: PMC11022604 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1367364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignant liver tumor and one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway is a highly conserved pathway involved in several biological processes, including the improper regulation that leads to the tumorigenesis and progression of cancer. New studies have found that abnormal activation of the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway is a major cause of HCC tumorigenesis, progression, and resistance to therapy. New perspectives and approaches to treating HCC will arise from understanding this pathway. This article offers a thorough analysis of the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway's function and its therapeutic implications in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zekun Zhao
- The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- The Second General Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Tenglu Cui
- The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- The Radiotherapy Department, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Fengxian Wei
- The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- The Second General Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhiming Zhou
- The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- The Second General Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yuan Sun
- The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- The Second General Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chaofeng Gao
- The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- The Second General Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaodong Xu
- The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- The Second General Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Huihan Zhang
- The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- The Second General Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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Lee S, Memon A, Chae SC, Shin D, Choi TY. Epcam regulates intrahepatic bile duct reconstruction in zebrafish, providing a potential model for primary cholangitis model. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 696:149512. [PMID: 38224664 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Epithelial cell adhesion molecules (EpCAMs) have been identified as surface markers of proliferating ductal cells, which are referred to as liver progenitor cells (LPCs), during liver regeneration and correspond to malignancies. These cells can differentiate into hepatocytes and biliary epithelial cells (BECs) in vitro. EpCAM-positive LPCs are involved in liver regeneration following severe liver injury; however, the in vivo function of EpCAMs in the regenerating liver remains unclear. In the present study, we used a zebrafish model of LPC-driven liver regeneration to elucidate the function of EpCAMs in the regenerating liver in vivo. Proliferating ductal cells were observed after severe hepatocyte loss in the zebrafish model. Analyses of the liver size as well as hepatocyte and BEC markers revealed successful conversion of LPCs to hepatocytes and BECs in epcam mutants. Notably, epcam mutants exhibited severe defects in intrahepatic duct maturation and bile acid secretion in regenerating hepatocytes, suggesting that epcam plays a critical role in intrahepatic duct reconstruction during LPC-driven liver regeneration. Our findings provide insights into human diseases involving non-parenchymal cells, such as primary biliary cholangitis, by highlighting the regulatory effect of epcam on intrahepatic duct reconstruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyeo Lee
- Department of Pathology, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, 54538, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School Wonkwang University, Iksan, Jeonbuk, 54538, Republic of Korea
| | - Azra Memon
- Department of Pathology, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, 54538, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo-Cheon Chae
- Department of Pathology, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, 54538, Republic of Korea
| | - Donghun Shin
- Department of Developmental Biology, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
| | - Tae-Young Choi
- Department of Pathology, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, 54538, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School Wonkwang University, Iksan, Jeonbuk, 54538, Republic of Korea.
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6
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Jin Q, Hu Y, Gao Y, Zheng J, Chen J, Gao C, Peng J. Hhex and Prox1a synergistically dictate the hepatoblast to hepatocyte differentiation in zebrafish. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 686:149182. [PMID: 37922575 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.149182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The specification of endoderm cells to prospective hepatoblasts is the starting point for hepatogenesis. However, how a prospective hepatoblast gains the hepatic fate remains elusive. Previous studies have shown that loss-of-function of either hhex or prox1a alone causes a small liver phenotype but without abolishing the hepatocyte differentiation, suggesting that absence of either Hhex or Prox1a alone is not sufficient to block the hepatoblast differentiation. Here, via genetic studies of the zebrafish two single (hhex-/- and prox1a-/-) and one double (hhex-/-prox1a-/-) mutants, we show that simultaneous loss-of-function of the hhex and prox1a two genes does not block the endoderm cells to gain the hepatoblast potency but abolishes the hepatic differentiation from the prospective hepatoblast. Consequently, the hhex-/-prox1a-/- double mutant displays a liverless phenotype that cannot be rescued by the injection of bmp2a mRNA. Taken together, we provide strong evidences showing that Hhex teams with Prox1a to act as a master control of the differentiation of the prospective hepatoblasts towards hepatocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingxia Jin
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310058, China
| | - Yuqing Hu
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310058, China
| | - Yuqi Gao
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310058, China
| | - Jiayi Zheng
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310058, China
| | - Jun Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310058, China
| | - Ce Gao
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310058, China.
| | - Jinrong Peng
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310058, China.
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7
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Shimizu N, Shiraishi H, Hanada T. Zebrafish as a Useful Model System for Human Liver Disease. Cells 2023; 12:2246. [PMID: 37759472 PMCID: PMC10526867 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver diseases represent a significant global health challenge, thereby necessitating extensive research to understand their intricate complexities and to develop effective treatments. In this context, zebrafish (Danio rerio) have emerged as a valuable model organism for studying various aspects of liver disease. The zebrafish liver has striking similarities to the human liver in terms of structure, function, and regenerative capacity. Researchers have successfully induced liver damage in zebrafish using chemical toxins, genetic manipulation, and other methods, thereby allowing the study of disease mechanisms and the progression of liver disease. Zebrafish embryos or larvae, with their transparency and rapid development, provide a unique opportunity for high-throughput drug screening and the identification of potential therapeutics. This review highlights how research on zebrafish has provided valuable insights into the pathological mechanisms of human liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nobuyuki Shimizu
- Department of Cell Biology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu 879-5593, Oita, Japan;
| | | | - Toshikatsu Hanada
- Department of Cell Biology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu 879-5593, Oita, Japan;
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8
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Zhang Z, Yang C, Wang Z, Guo L, Xu Y, Gao C, Sun Y, Zhang Z, Peng J, Hu M, Jan Lo L, Ma Z, Chen J. Wdr5-mediated H3K4me3 coordinately regulates cell differentiation, proliferation termination, and survival in digestive organogenesis. Cell Death Discov 2023; 9:227. [PMID: 37407577 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01529-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Food digestion requires the cooperation of different digestive organs. The differentiation of digestive organs is crucial for larvae to start feeding. Therefore, during digestive organogenesis, cell identity and the tissue morphogenesis must be tightly coordinated but how this is accomplished is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that WD repeat domain 5 (Wdr5)-mediated H3K4 tri-methylation (H3K4me3) coordinately regulates cell differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis in zebrafish organogenesis of three major digestive organs including intestine, liver, and exocrine pancreas. During zebrafish digestive organogenesis, some of cells in these organ primordia usually undergo differentiation without apoptotic activity and gradually reduce their proliferation capacity. In contrast, cells in the three digestive organs of wdr5-/- mutant embryos retain progenitor-like status with high proliferation rates, and undergo apoptosis. Wdr5 is a core member of COMPASS complex to implement H3K4me3 and its expression is enriched in digestive organs from 2 days post-fertilization (dpf). Further analysis reveals that lack of differentiation gene expression is due to significant decreases of H3K4me3 around the transcriptional start sites of these genes; this histone modification also reduces the proliferation capacity in differentiated cells by increasing the expression of apc to promote the degradation of β-Catenin; in addition, H3K4me3 promotes the expression of anti-apoptotic genes such as xiap-like, which modulates p53 activity to guarantee differentiated cell survival. Thus, our findings have discovered a common molecular mechanism for cell fate determination in different digestive organs during organogenesis, and also provided insights to understand mechanistic basis of human diseases in these digestive organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Chun Yang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Zixu Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Liwei Guo
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yongpan Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Ce Gao
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yonghua Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Zhenhai Zhang
- Center for Precision Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jinrong Peng
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Minjie Hu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Li Jan Lo
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Zhipeng Ma
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Jun Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 3 Qingchun Road East, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
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9
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Ma J, Yang Z, Huang Z, Li L, Huang J, Chen J, Ni R, Luo L, He J. Rngtt governs biliary-derived liver regeneration initiation by transcriptional regulation of mTORC1 and Dnmt1 in zebrafish. Hepatology 2023; 78:167-178. [PMID: 36724876 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
In cases of end-stage liver diseases, the proliferation of existing hepatocytes is compromised, a feature of human chronic liver disease, in which most hepatocytes are dysfunctional. So far, liver transplantation represents the only curative therapeutic solution for advanced liver diseases, and the shortage of donor organs leads to high morbidity and mortality worldwide. The promising treatment is to prompt the biliary epithelial cells (BECs) transdifferentiation. However, the critical factors governing the initiation of BEC-derived liver regeneration are largely unknown. The zebrafish has advantages in large-scale genetic screens to identify the critical factors involved in liver regeneration. Here, we combined N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea screen, positional cloning, transgenic lines, antibody staining, and in situ hybridization methods and identified a liver regeneration defect mutant ( lrd ) using the zebrafish extensive liver injury model. Through positional cloning and genomic sequencing, we mapped the mutation site to rngtt . Loss of rngtt leads to the defects of BEC dedifferentiation, bipotential progenitor cell activation, and cell proliferation in the initiation stage of liver regeneration. The transdifferentiation from BECs to hepatocytes did not occur even at the late stage of liver regeneration. Mechanically, Rngtt transcriptionally regulates the attachment of mRNA cap to mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) components and dnmt1 to maintain the activation of mTORC1 and DNA methylation in BECs after severe liver injury and prompt BEC to hepatocyte conversion. Furthermore, rptor and dnmt1 mutants displayed the same liver regeneration defects as rngtt mutation. In conclusion, our results suggest Rngtt is a new factor that initiates BEC-derived liver regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianlong Ma
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhuolin Yang
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhuofu Huang
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Linke Li
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Jingliang Huang
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Jingying Chen
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chongqing), Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Rui Ni
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Lingfei Luo
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Jianbo He
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
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10
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Kim M, An G, Park J, Song G, Lim W. Bensulide-induced oxidative stress causes developmental defects of cardiovascular system and liver in zebrafish (Danio rerio). JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 455:131577. [PMID: 37156044 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Bensulide is an organophosphate herbicide commonly used in agricultural crops; however, no studies have reported on its toxic effects in the embryonic development of vertebrates, particularly gene expression level and cellular response. Therefore, to identify developmental toxicity, zebrafish eggs 8 h post-fertilization (hpf) were exposed to bensulide concentrations of up to 3 mg/L. The results indicated that exposure to 3 mg/L bensulide inhibited the hatching of all eggs and decreased the size of the body, eyes, and inner ear. There were demonstrated effects observed in the cardiovascular system and liver caused by bensulide in fli1:eGFP and L-fabp:dsRed transgenic zebrafish models, respectively. Following exposure to 3 mg/L bensulide, normal heart development, including cardiac looping, was disrupted and the heart rate of 96 hpf zebrafish larvae decreased to 16.37%. Development of the liver, the main detoxification organ, was also inhibited by bensulide, and after exposure to 3 mg/L bensulide its size reduced to 41.98%. Additionally, exposure to bensulide resulted in inhibition of antioxidant enzyme expression and an increase in ROS levels by up to 238.29%. Collectively, we identified various biological responses associated with the toxicity of bensulide, which led to various organ malformations and cytotoxic effects in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miji Kim
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology and Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Garam An
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology and Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Junho Park
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology and Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Gwonhwa Song
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology and Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
| | - Whasun Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea.
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11
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Zhang M, Liu J, Mao A, Ning G, Cao Y, Zhang W, Wang Q. Tmem88 confines ectodermal Wnt2bb signaling in pharyngeal arch artery progenitors for balancing cell cycle progression and cell fate decision. NATURE CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH 2023; 2:234-250. [PMID: 39195996 DOI: 10.1038/s44161-023-00215-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Pharyngeal arch artery (PAA) progenitors undergo proliferative expansion and angioblast differentiation to build vessels connecting the heart with the dorsal aortae. However, it remains unclear whether and how these two processes are orchestrated. Here we demonstrate that Tmem88 is required to fine-tune PAA progenitor proliferation and differentiation. Loss of zebrafish tmem88a/b leads to an excessive expansion and a failure of differentiation of PAA progenitors. Moreover, tmem88a/b deficiency enhances cyclin D1 expression in PAA progenitors via aberrant Wnt signal activation. Mechanistically, cyclin D1-CDK4/6 promotes progenitor proliferation through accelerating the G1/S transition while suppressing angioblast differentiation by phosphorylating Nkx2.5/Smad3. Ectodermal Wnt2bb signaling is confined by Tmem88 in PAA progenitors to ensure a balance between proliferation and differentiation. Therefore, the proliferation and angioblast differentiation of PAA progenitors manifest an inverse relationship and are delicately regulated by cell cycle machinery downstream of the Tmem88-Wnt pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Aihua Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guozhu Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenqing Zhang
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Hematology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.
- Department of Hematology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.
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12
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Korzh V. Development of the brain ventricular system from a comparative perspective. Clin Anat 2023; 36:320-334. [PMID: 36529666 DOI: 10.1002/ca.23994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The brain ventricular system (BVS) consists of brain ventricles and channels filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Disturbance of CSF flow has been linked to scoliosis and neurodegenerative diseases, including hydrocephalus. This could be due to defects of CSF production by the choroid plexus or impaired CSF movement over the ependyma dependent on motile cilia. Most vertebrates have horizontal body posture. They retain additional evolutionary innovations assisting CSF flow, such as the Reissner fiber. The causes of hydrocephalus have been studied using animal models including rodents (mice, rats, hamsters) and zebrafish. However, the horizontal body posture reduces the effect of gravity on CSF flow, which limits the use of mammalian models for scoliosis. In contrast, fish swim against the current and experience a forward-to-backward mechanical force akin to that caused by gravity in humans. This explains the increased popularity of the zebrafish model for studies of scoliosis. "Slit-ventricle" syndrome is another side of the spectrum of BVS anomalies. It develops because of insufficient inflation of the BVS. Recent advances in zebrafish functional genetics have revealed genes that could regulate the development of the BVS and CSF circulation. This review will describe the BVS of zebrafish, a typical teleost, and vertebrates in general, in comparative perspective. It will illustrate the usefulness of the zebrafish model for developmental studies of the choroid plexus (CP), CSF flow and the BVS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Korzh
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland
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13
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Sun S, Li X, Zhang L, Zhong Z, Chen C, Zuo Y, Chen Y, Hu H, Liu F, Xiong G, Lu H, Chen J, Dai J. Hexafluoropropylene oxide trimer acid (HFPO-TA) disturbs embryonic liver and biliary system development in zebrafish. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160087. [PMID: 36372181 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Hexafluoropropylene oxide trimer acid (HFPO-TA), a novel alternative to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), has emerged as a potential environmental pollutant. Here, to investigate the toxic effects of HFPO-TA on liver and biliary system development, zebrafish embryos were exposed to 0, 50, 100, or 200 mg/L HFPO-TA from 6 to 120 h post-fertilization (hpf). Results showed that the 50 % lethal concentration (LC50) of HFPO-TA was 231 mg/L at 120 hpf, lower than that of PFOA. HFPO-TA exposure decreased embryonic hatching, survival, and body length. Furthermore, HFPO-TA exerted higher toxicity at the specification stage than during the differentiation and maturation stages, leading to small-sized livers in Tg(fabp10a: DsRed) transgenic larvae and histopathological changes. Significant decreases in the mRNA expression of genes related to liver formation were observed. Alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), and direct bilirubin (DBIL) levels were significantly increased. HFPO-TA decreased total cholesterol (TCHO) and triglyceride (TG) activities, disturbed lipid metabolism through the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) pathway, and induced an inflammatory response. Furthermore, HFPO-TA inhibited intrahepatic biliary development in Tg(Tp1:eGFP) transgenic larvae and interfered with transcription of genes associated with biliary duct development. HFPO-TA reduced bile acid synthesis but increased bile acid transport, resulting in disruption of bile acid metabolism. Therefore, HFPO-TA influenced embryonic liver and biliary system morphogenesis, caused liver injury, and may be an unsafe alternative for PFOA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujie Sun
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Xue Li
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Zilin Zhong
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Chao Chen
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Yuhua Zuo
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Hongmei Hu
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Fasheng Liu
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an 343009, Jiangxi, China
| | - Guanghua Xiong
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an 343009, Jiangxi, China
| | - Huiqiang Lu
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an 343009, Jiangxi, China.
| | - Jianjun Chen
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China.
| | - Jiayin Dai
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China.
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14
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Morgan KJ, Doggett K, Geng F, Mieruszynski S, Whitehead L, Smith KA, Hogan BM, Simons C, Baillie GJ, Molania R, Papenfuss AT, Hall TE, Ober EA, Stainier DYR, Gong Z, Heath JK. ahctf1 and kras mutations combine to amplify oncogenic stress and restrict liver overgrowth in a zebrafish model of hepatocellular carcinoma. eLife 2023; 12:73407. [PMID: 36648336 PMCID: PMC9897728 DOI: 10.7554/elife.73407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The nucleoporin (NUP) ELYS, encoded by AHCTF1, is a large multifunctional protein with essential roles in nuclear pore assembly and mitosis. Using both larval and adult zebrafish models of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), in which the expression of an inducible mutant kras transgene (krasG12V) drives hepatocyte-specific hyperplasia and liver enlargement, we show that reducing ahctf1 gene dosage by 50% markedly decreases liver volume, while non-hyperplastic tissues are unaffected. We demonstrate that in the context of cancer, ahctf1 heterozygosity impairs nuclear pore formation, mitotic spindle assembly, and chromosome segregation, leading to DNA damage and activation of a Tp53-dependent transcriptional programme that induces cell death and cell cycle arrest. Heterozygous expression of both ahctf1 and ranbp2 (encoding a second nucleoporin), or treatment of heterozygous ahctf1 larvae with the nucleocytoplasmic transport inhibitor, Selinexor, completely blocks krasG12V-driven hepatocyte hyperplasia. Gene expression analysis of patient samples in the liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) dataset in The Cancer Genome Atlas shows that high expression of one or more of the transcripts encoding the 10 components of the NUP107-160 subcomplex, which includes AHCTF1, is positively correlated with worse overall survival. These results provide a strong and feasible rationale for the development of novel cancer therapeutics that target ELYS function and suggest potential avenues for effective combinatorial treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly J Morgan
- Epigenetics and Development Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchParkvilleAustralia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of MelbourneParkvilleAustralia
| | - Karen Doggett
- Epigenetics and Development Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchParkvilleAustralia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of MelbourneParkvilleAustralia
| | - Fansuo Geng
- Epigenetics and Development Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchParkvilleAustralia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of MelbourneParkvilleAustralia
| | - Stephen Mieruszynski
- Epigenetics and Development Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchParkvilleAustralia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of MelbourneParkvilleAustralia
| | - Lachlan Whitehead
- Department of Medical Biology, University of MelbourneParkvilleAustralia
- Centre for Dynamic Imaging, Advanced Technology and Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchParkvilleAustralia
| | - Kelly A Smith
- Department of Physiology, University of MelbourneParkvilleAustralia
- Institute for Molecular Biosciences, University of QueenslandQueenslandAustralia
| | - Benjamin M Hogan
- Institute for Molecular Biosciences, University of QueenslandQueenslandAustralia
- Peter MacCallum Cancer CentreMelbourneAustralia
| | - Cas Simons
- Institute for Molecular Biosciences, University of QueenslandQueenslandAustralia
- Murdoch Children's Research InstituteParkvilleAustralia
| | - Gregory J Baillie
- Institute for Molecular Biosciences, University of QueenslandQueenslandAustralia
| | - Ramyar Molania
- Department of Medical Biology, University of MelbourneParkvilleAustralia
- Bioinformatics Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchParkvilleAustralia
| | - Anthony T Papenfuss
- Department of Medical Biology, University of MelbourneParkvilleAustralia
- Bioinformatics Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchParkvilleAustralia
| | - Thomas E Hall
- Institute for Molecular Biosciences, University of QueenslandQueenslandAustralia
| | - Elke A Ober
- Danish Stem Cell Center, University of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Didier YR Stainier
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
| | - Zhiyuan Gong
- Department of Biological Science, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Joan K Heath
- Epigenetics and Development Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchParkvilleAustralia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of MelbourneParkvilleAustralia
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15
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Powers RM, Hevner RF, Halpain S. The Neuron Navigators: Structure, function, and evolutionary history. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 15:1099554. [PMID: 36710926 PMCID: PMC9877351 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1099554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuron navigators (Navigators) are cytoskeletal-associated proteins important for neuron migration, neurite growth, and axon guidance, but they also function more widely in other tissues. Recent studies have revealed novel cellular functions of Navigators such as macropinocytosis, and have implicated Navigators in human disorders of axon growth. Navigators are present in most or all bilaterian animals: vertebrates have three Navigators (NAV1-3), Drosophila has one (Sickie), and Caenorhabditis elegans has one (Unc-53). Structurally, Navigators have conserved N- and C-terminal regions each containing specific domains. The N-terminal region contains a calponin homology (CH) domain and one or more SxIP motifs, thought to interact with the actin cytoskeleton and mediate localization to microtubule plus-end binding proteins, respectively. The C-terminal region contains two coiled-coil domains, followed by a AAA+ family nucleoside triphosphatase domain of unknown activity. The Navigators appear to have evolved by fusion of N- and C-terminal region homologs present in simpler organisms. Overall, Navigators participate in the cytoskeletal response to extracellular cues via microtubules and actin filaments, in conjunction with membrane trafficking. We propose that uptake of fluid-phase cues and nutrients and/or downregulation of cell surface receptors could represent general mechanisms that explain Navigator functions. Future studies developing new models, such as conditional knockout mice or human cerebral organoids may reveal new insights into Navigator function. Importantly, further biochemical studies are needed to define the activities of the Navigator AAA+ domain, and to study potential interactions among different Navigators and their binding partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina M. Powers
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States,Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Robert F. Hevner
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States,Department of Pathology, UC San Diego School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Shelley Halpain
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States,Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Shelley Halpain, ✉
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16
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Jin Q, Gao Y, Shuai S, Chen Y, Wang K, Chen J, Peng J, Gao C. Cdx1b protects intestinal cell fate by repressing signaling networks for liver specification. J Genet Genomics 2022; 49:1101-1113. [PMID: 36460297 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2022.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, the expression of the homeobox family member Cdx2/CDX2 is restricted within the intestine. Conditional ablation of the mouse Cdx2 in the endodermal cells causes a homeotic transformation of the intestine towards the esophagus or gastric fate. In this report, we show that null mutants of zebrafish cdx1b, encoding the counterpart of mammalian CDX2, could survive more than 10 days post fertilization, a stage when the zebrafish digestive system has been well developed. Through RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and single-cell sequencing (scRNA-seq) of the dissected intestine from the mutant embryos, we demonstrate that the loss-of-function of the zebrafish cdx1b yields hepatocyte-like intestinal cells, a phenotype never observed in the mouse model. Further RNA-seq data analysis, and genetic double mutants and signaling inhibitor studies reveal that Cdx1b functions to guard the intestinal fate by repressing, directly or indirectly, a range of transcriptional factors and signaling pathways for liver specification. Finally, we demonstrate that heat shock-induced overexpression of cdx1b in a transgenic fish abolishes the liver formation. Therefore, we demonstrate that Cdx1b is a key repressor of hepatic fate during the intestine specification in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingxia Jin
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Yuqi Gao
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Shimin Shuai
- Department of Human Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Yayue Chen
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Kaiyuan Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Jun Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Jinrong Peng
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China.
| | - Ce Gao
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China.
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17
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Gao Y, Jin Q, Gao C, Chen Y, Sun Z, Guo G, Peng J. Unraveling Differential Transcriptomes and Cell Types in Zebrafish Larvae Intestine and Liver. Cells 2022; 11:3290. [PMID: 36291156 PMCID: PMC9600436 DOI: 10.3390/cells11203290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The zebrafish intestine and liver, as in other vertebrates, are derived from the endoderm. Great effort has been devoted to deciphering the molecular mechanisms controlling the specification and development of the zebrafish intestine and liver; however, genome-wide comparison of the transcriptomes between these two organs at the larval stage remains unexplored. There is a lack of extensive identification of feature genes marking specific cell types in the zebrafish intestine and liver at 5 days post-fertilization, when the larval fish starts food intake. In this report, through RNA sequencing and single-cell RNA sequencing of intestines and livers separately dissected from wild-type zebrafish larvae at 5 days post-fertilization, together with the experimental validation of 47 genes through RNA whole-mount in situ hybridization, we identified not only distinctive transcriptomes for the larval intestine and liver, but also a considerable number of feature genes for marking the intestinal bulb, mid-intestine and hindgut, and for marking hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. Meanwhile, we identified 135 intestine- and 97 liver-enriched transcription factor genes in zebrafish larvae at 5 days post-fertilization. Our findings provide rich molecular and cellular resources for studying cell patterning and specification during the early development of the zebrafish intestine and liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi Gao
- MOE Key Laboratory for Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Qingxia Jin
- MOE Key Laboratory for Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ce Gao
- MOE Key Laboratory for Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yayue Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory for Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhaoxiang Sun
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Guoji Guo
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jinrong Peng
- MOE Key Laboratory for Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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18
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Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Provides Novel Molecular Events for the Differentiation and Maturation of Hepatocytes during the Liver Development of Zebrafish. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10092264. [PMID: 36140365 PMCID: PMC9496063 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10092264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The liver plays an essential role in multiple biological functions including metabolism, detoxification, digestion, coagulation, and homeostasis in vertebrates. The specification and differentiation of embryonic hepatoblasts, the proliferation of hepatocytes, and the hepatic tissue architecture are well documented, but molecular events governing the maturation of hepatocytes during liver development remain largely unclear. In this study, we performed a comparative transcriptome analysis of hepatocytes that were sorted by flow cytometry from developing zebrafish embryos at 60, 72, and 96 hpf. We identified 667 up-regulated and 3640 down-regulated genes in hepatocytes between 60 and 72 hpf, 606 up-regulated and 3924 down-regulated genes between 60 and 96 hpf, and 1693 up-regulated genes and 1508 down-regulated genes between 72 and 96 hpf. GO enrichment analysis revealed that key biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions in hepatocytes between 60 to 72 hpf, such as cell cycle, DNA replication, DNA repair, RNA processing, and transcription regulation, are mainly associated with the proliferation of hepatocytes. In addition to biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions for cell proliferation, molecular functions for carbohydrate metabolism were enriched in hepatocytes during 72 to 96 hpf. KEGG enrichment analysis identified key signaling pathways, such as cell cycle, RNA degradation, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, ErbB and Hedgehog signaling, basal transcription factors, Wnt signaling, and glycan degradation, which are closely associated with cell proliferation or carbohydrate metabolism in hepatocytes between 60 to 72 hpf. Newly enriched signaling pathways in hepatocytes during 72 to 96 hpf include metabolisms of pyrimidine, purine, nicotinate and nicotinamide, caffeine, glycine, serine and threonine, ABC transporters, and p53 signaling that function in metabolisms of lipid, protein and energy, cellular secretion, or detoxification, indicating the functional maturation of hepatocytes between 72 to 96 hpf. These findings provide novel clues for further understanding the functional differentiation and maturation of hepatocytes during liver development.
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19
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Yan L, Gao S, Zhu J, Zhou J. Irf2bp2a regulates liver development via stabilizing P53 protein in zebrafish. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2022; 1866:130186. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2022.130186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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20
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Tel2 regulates redifferentiation of bipotential progenitor cells via Hhex during zebrafish liver regeneration. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110596. [PMID: 35385752 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Upon extensive hepatocyte loss or impaired hepatocyte proliferation, liver regeneration occurs via biliary epithelial cell (BEC) transdifferentiation, which includes dedifferentiation of BECs into bipotential progenitor cells (BP-PCs) and then redifferentiation of BP-PCs to nascent hepatocytes and BECs. This BEC-driven liver regeneration involves reactivation of hepatoblast markers, but the underpinning mechanisms and their effects on liver regeneration remain largely unknown. Using a zebrafish extensive hepatocyte ablation model, we perform an N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) forward genetic screen and identify a liver regeneration mutant, liver logan (lvl), in which the telomere maintenance 2 (tel2) gene is mutated. During liver regeneration, the tel2 mutation specifically inhibits transcriptional activation of a hepatoblast marker, hematopoietically expressed homeobox (hhex), in BEC-derived cells, which blocks BP-PC redifferentiation. Mechanistic studies show that Tel2 associates with the hhex promoter region and promotes hhex transcription. Our results reveal roles of Tel2 in the BP-PC redifferentiation process of liver regeneration by activating hhex.
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21
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Öther-Gee Pohl S, Myant KB. Alternative RNA splicing in tumour heterogeneity, plasticity and therapy. Dis Model Mech 2022; 15:dmm049233. [PMID: 35014671 PMCID: PMC8764416 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing is a process by which a single gene is able to encode multiple different protein isoforms. It is regulated by the inclusion or exclusion of introns and exons that are joined in different patterns prior to protein translation, thus enabling transcriptomic and proteomic diversity. It is now widely accepted that alternative splicing is dysregulated across nearly all cancer types. This widespread dysregulation means that nearly all cellular processes are affected - these include processes synonymous with the hallmarks of cancer - evasion of apoptosis, tissue invasion and metastasis, altered cellular metabolism, genome instability and drug resistance. Emerging evidence indicates that the dysregulation of alternative splicing also promotes a permissive environment for increased tumour heterogeneity and cellular plasticity. These are fundamental regulators of a patient's response to therapy. In this Review, we introduce the mechanisms of alternative splicing and the role of aberrant splicing in cancer, with particular focus on newfound evidence of alternative splicing promoting tumour heterogeneity, cellular plasticity and altered metabolism. We discuss recent in vivo models generated to study alternative splicing and the importance of these for understanding complex tumourigenic processes. Finally, we review the effects of alternative splicing on immune evasion, cell death and genome instability, and how targeting these might enhance therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kevin B. Myant
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics of Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
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22
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Liu Y, Guo J, Zhang J, Deng Y, Xiong G, Fu J, Wei L, Lu H. Chlorogenic acid alleviates thioacetamide-induced toxicity and promotes liver development in zebrafish (Danio rerio) through the Wnt signaling pathway. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2022; 242:106039. [PMID: 34856462 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2021.106039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is a phenylpropanoid compound that is well known to improve the antioxidant capacity and other biological activities. However, the roles of CGA in the liver development of organisms are unclear. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the function of CGA in the hepatic development in thioacetamide (TAA)-induced zebrafish embryos. We found that CGA exerted certain beneficial effects on zebrafish larvae from TAA-exposed zebrafish embryos, such as increasing the liver size, body length, heart rate, acetylcholinesterase activity, and motor ability. In addition, CGA displayed an antioxidant effect on TAA-induced zebrafish embryos by enhancing the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), and decreasing of the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and nitric oxide (NO). The results of western blotting analysis showed that CGA inhibited cell apoptosis by increasing the levels of Bcl2 apoptosis regulator and decreasing the levels of Bcl2 associated X (Bax), apoptosis regulator and tumor protein P53. Moreover, CGA promoted cell proliferation in TAA-induced zebrafish larvae, as detected using proliferating cell nuclear antigen fluorescence immunostaining. In addition, CGA inhibited the expression of Wnt signaling pathway genes Dkk1 (encoding Dickkopf Wnt signaling pathway inhibitors), and promoted the expression of Lef1 (encoding lymphoid enhancer binding factor 1) and Wnt2bb (encoding wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 2Bb). When the Wnt signal inhibitor IWR-1 was added, there was no significant change in liver development in the IWR-1 + TAA group compared with the IWR-1 + TAA + CGA group (p <0.05), which suggested that CGA regulates liver development via Wnt signaling pathway. Overall, our results suggested that CGA might alleviate TAA-induced toxicity in zebrafish and promote liver development through the Wnt signaling pathway, which provides a basis for the therapeutic effect of CGA on liver dysplasia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jing Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - June Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yunyun Deng
- College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Guanghua Xiong
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases; Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs; College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Jian, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jianpin Fu
- College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Lili Wei
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.
| | - Huiqiang Lu
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases; Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs; College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Jian, Jiangxi, China.
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23
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Zhang B, Qin G, Qu L, Zhang Y, Li C, Cang C, Lin Q. Wnt8a is one of the candidate genes that play essential roles in the elongation of the seahorse prehensile tail. MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 3:416-426. [PMID: 37073259 PMCID: PMC10077196 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-021-00099-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Seahorses are a hallmark of specialized morphological features due to their elongated prehensile tail. However, the underlying genomic grounds of seahorse tail development remain elusive. Herein, we evaluated the roles of essential genes from the Wnt gene family for the tail developmental process in the lined seahorse (Hippocampus erectus). Comparative genomic analysis revealed that the Wnt gene family is conserved in seahorses. The expression profiles and in situ hybridization suggested that Wnt5a, Wnt8a, and Wnt11 may participate in seahorse tail development. Like in other teleosts, Wnt5a and Wnt11 were found to regulate the development of the tail axial mesoderm and tail somitic mesoderm, respectively. However, a significantly extended expression period of Wnt8a during seahorse tail development was observed. Signaling pathway analysis further showed that Wnt8a up-regulated the expression of the tail axial mesoderm gene (Shh), while interaction analysis indicated that Wnt8a could promote the expression of Wnt11. In summary, our results indicate that the special extended expression period of Wnt8a might promote caudal tail axis formation, which contributes to the formation of the elongated tail of the seahorse. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-021-00099-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510275 China
- Institution of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510275 China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458 China
| | - Geng Qin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510275 China
- Institution of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510275 China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458 China
| | - Lili Qu
- School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 China
| | - Yanhong Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510275 China
- Institution of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510275 China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458 China
| | - Chunyan Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510275 China
- Institution of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510275 China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458 China
| | - Chunlei Cang
- School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 China
| | - Qiang Lin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510275 China
- Institution of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510275 China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
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24
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Zhang C, Huang R, Ma X, Chen J, Han X, Li L, Luo L, Ruan H, Huang H. The Ribosome Biogenesis Factor Ltv1 Is Essential for Digestive Organ Development and Definitive Hematopoiesis in Zebrafish. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:704730. [PMID: 34692673 PMCID: PMC8528963 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.704730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ribosome biogenesis is a fundamental activity in cells. Ribosomal dysfunction underlies a category of diseases called ribosomopathies in humans. The symptomatic characteristics of ribosomopathies often include abnormalities in craniofacial skeletons, digestive organs, and hematopoiesis. Consistently, disruptions of ribosome biogenesis in animals are deleterious to embryonic development with hypoplasia of digestive organs and/or impaired hematopoiesis. In this study, ltv1, a gene involved in the small ribosomal subunit assembly, was knocked out in zebrafish by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs)/CRISPR associated protein 9 (Cas9) technology. The recessive lethal mutation resulted in disrupted ribosome biogenesis, and ltv1 Δ14/Δ14 embryos displayed hypoplastic craniofacial cartilage, digestive organs, and hematopoiesis. In addition, we showed that the impaired cell proliferation, instead of apoptosis, led to the defects in exocrine pancreas and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) in ltv1 Δ14/Δ14 embryos. It was reported that loss of function of genes associated with ribosome biogenesis often caused phenotypes in a P53-dependent manner. In ltv1 Δ14/Δ14 embryos, both P53 protein level and the expression of p53 target genes, Δ113p53 and p21, were upregulated. However, knockdown of p53 failed to rescue the phenotypes in ltv1 Δ14/Δ14 larvae. Taken together, our data demonstrate that LTV1 ribosome biogenesis factor (Ltv1) plays an essential role in digestive organs and hematopoiesis development in zebrafish in a P53-independent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Eco-Environments and Bio-Resources of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Rui Huang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Eco-Environments and Bio-Resources of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xirui Ma
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Eco-Environments and Bio-Resources of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiehui Chen
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Eco-Environments and Bio-Resources of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xinlu Han
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Eco-Environments and Bio-Resources of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Li Li
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Eco-Environments and Bio-Resources of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lingfei Luo
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Eco-Environments and Bio-Resources of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hua Ruan
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Eco-Environments and Bio-Resources of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Honghui Huang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Eco-Environments and Bio-Resources of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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25
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Wang K, Deng Y, Zhang J, Cheng B, Huang Y, Meng Y, Zhong K, Xiong G, Guo J, Liu Y, Lu H. Toxicity of thioacetamide and protective effects of quercetin in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2021; 36:2062-2072. [PMID: 34227734 DOI: 10.1002/tox.23323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Quercetin is a flavonoid compound with a variety of biological properties that is widely distributed throughout the plant kingdom. Studies have found that quercetin has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and liver-protective effects, while thioacetamide (TAA) can cause inflammation and liver damage in zebrafish larvae. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether quercetin can prevent TAA-induced inflammation and liver damage in zebrafish larvae and to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved. Zebrafish Tg transgenic lines were used as the experimental animals. Behavioral, oxidative stress level, proliferative antigen chromogenic antibody, and western blot analyses were carried out on zebrafish larvae in the control group and groups treated with TAA and 12 μM quercetin. The results indicated that quercetin promoted the development of zebrafish larvae damaged by TAA, exhibited antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and promoted cell proliferation. Quercetin reduced the expression of p53 protein in zebrafish larvae injured by TAA, resulting in decreased levels of Bax and increased levels of Bcl-2. The findings suggested quercetin has antiapoptotic action. Quercetin reduced the expression of DKK1 and DKK2 genes related to the Wnt signaling pathway in zebrafish larvae damaged by TAA and increased the expression of Lef1 and wnt2bb. Quercetin may regulate the development of zebrafish larvae damaged by TAA through the Wnt signaling pathway. This study provides the scientific basis for the development and utilization of quercetin and the development of new related drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexin Wang
- College of life sciences, Jiangxi Normal university, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yunyun Deng
- College of life sciences, Jiangxi Normal university, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
| | - June Zhang
- College of life sciences, Jiangxi Normal university, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Bo Cheng
- Center for drug screening and research, School of Geography and Environmental Engineering, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yong Huang
- Center for drug screening and research, School of Geography and Environmental Engineering, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yunlong Meng
- Center for drug screening and research, School of Geography and Environmental Engineering, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
| | - Keyuan Zhong
- Center for drug screening and research, School of Geography and Environmental Engineering, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Guanghua Xiong
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jing Guo
- College of life sciences, Jiangxi Normal university, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yi Liu
- College of life sciences, Jiangxi Normal university, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Huiqiang Lu
- Center for drug screening and research, School of Geography and Environmental Engineering, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
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26
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Abou Azar F, Lim GE. Metabolic Contributions of Wnt Signaling: More Than Controlling Flight. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:709823. [PMID: 34568323 PMCID: PMC8458764 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.709823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The canonical Wnt signaling pathway is ubiquitous throughout the body and influences a diverse array of physiological processes. Following the initial discovery of the Wnt signaling pathway during wing development in Drosophila melanogaster, it is now widely appreciated that active Wnt signaling in mammals is necessary for the development and growth of various tissues involved in whole-body metabolism, such as brain, liver, pancreas, muscle, and adipose. Moreover, elegant gain- and loss-of-function studies have dissected the tissue-specific roles of various downstream effector molecules in the regulation of energy homeostasis. This review attempts to highlight and summarize the contributions of the Wnt signaling pathway and its downstream effectors on whole-body metabolism and their influence on the development of metabolic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity. A better understanding of the Wnt signaling pathway in these tissues may aid in guiding the development of future therapeutics to treat metabolic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic Abou Azar
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Cardiometabolic Axis, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Gareth E Lim
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Cardiometabolic Axis, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada
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27
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Li X, Song G, Zhao Y, Ren J, Li Q, Cui Z. Functions of SMC2 in the Development of Zebrafish Liver. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9091240. [PMID: 34572426 PMCID: PMC8465584 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9091240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
SMC2 (structural maintenance of chromosomes 2) is the core subunit of condensins, which play a central role in chromosome organization and segregation. However, the functions of SMC2 in embryonic development remain poorly understood, due to the embryonic lethality of homozygous SMC2−/− mice. Herein, we explored the roles of SMC2 in the liver development of zebrafish. The depletion of SMC2, with the CRISPR/Cas9-dependent gene knockout approach, led to a small liver phenotype. The specification of hepatoblasts was unaffected. Mechanistically, extensive apoptosis occurred in the liver of SMC2 mutants, which was mainly associated with the activation of the p53-dependent apoptotic pathway. Moreover, an aberrant activation of a series of apoptotic pathways in SMC2 mutants was involved in the defective chromosome segregation and subsequent DNA damage. Therefore, our findings demonstrate that SMC2 is necessary for zebrafish liver development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xixi Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China; (X.L.); (J.R.)
| | - Guili Song
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; (G.S.); (Y.Z.); (Q.L.)
| | - Yasong Zhao
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; (G.S.); (Y.Z.); (Q.L.)
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jing Ren
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China; (X.L.); (J.R.)
| | - Qing Li
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; (G.S.); (Y.Z.); (Q.L.)
| | - Zongbin Cui
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China; (X.L.); (J.R.)
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; (G.S.); (Y.Z.); (Q.L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-020-87137656
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28
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Cheng YC, Wu TS, Huang YT, Chang Y, Yang JJ, Yu FY, Liu BH. Aflatoxin B1 interferes with embryonic liver development: Involvement of p53 signaling and apoptosis in zebrafish. Toxicology 2021; 458:152844. [PMID: 34214637 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2021.152844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a naturally occurring mycotoxin, is present in human placenta and cord blood. AFB1 at concentrations found in contaminated food commodities (0.25 and 0.5 μM) did not alter the spontaneous movement, heart rate, hatchability, or morphology of embryonic zebrafish. However, around 86 % of 0.25 μM AFB1-treated embryos had livers of reduced size, and AFB1 disrupted the hepatocyte structures, according to histological analysis. Additionally, AFB1 treatment that begins at any stage before 72 h post-fertilization (hpf) effectively reduced the size of embryonic livers. In hepatic areas, AFB1 suppressed the expression of Hhex and Prox1, which are two critical transcriptional factors for initiating hepatoblast specification. KEGG analysis based on transcriptome profiling indicated that p53 signaling and apoptosis are the only observed pathways in AFB1-treated embryos. AFB1 at 0.5 μM significantly activated the expression of tp53, mdm2, puma, noxa, pidd1, and gadd45aa genes that are related to the p53 pathway and also that of baxa, casp 8 and casp 3a in the apoptotic process. TUNEL staining demonstrated that AFB1 triggered the apoptosis of embryonic hepatocytes in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicate that the deficiency of both hhex and prox1 as well as hepatocyte apoptosis via the p53-Puma/Noxa-Bax axis may contribute to the embryonic liver shrinkage that is caused by AFB1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Chih Cheng
- Graduate Institute of Toxicology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ting-Shuan Wu
- Graduate Institute of Toxicology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ying-Tzu Huang
- Graduate Institute of Toxicology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yung Chang
- Graduate Institute of Toxicology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jiann-Jou Yang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taiwan
| | - Feng-Yih Yu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taiwan; Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
| | - Biing-Hui Liu
- Graduate Institute of Toxicology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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29
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A single-cell-resolution fate map of endoderm reveals demarcation of pancreatic progenitors by cell cycle. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2025793118. [PMID: 34161274 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2025793118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A progenitor cell could generate a certain type or multiple types of descendant cells during embryonic development. To make all the descendant cell types and developmental trajectories of every single progenitor cell clear remains an ultimate goal in developmental biology. Characterizations of descendant cells produced by each uncommitted progenitor for a full germ layer represent a big step toward the goal. Here, we focus on early foregut endoderm, which generates foregut digestive organs, including the pancreas, liver, foregut, and ductal system, through distinct lineages. Using unbiased single-cell labeling techniques, we label every individual zebrafish foregut endodermal progenitor cell out of 216 cells to visibly trace the distribution and number of their descendant cells. Hence, single-cell-resolution fate and proliferation maps of early foregut endoderm are established, in which progenitor regions of each foregut digestive organ are precisely demarcated. The maps indicate that the pancreatic endocrine progenitors are featured by a cell cycle state with a long G1 phase. Manipulating durations of the G1 phase modulates pancreatic progenitor populations. This study illustrates foregut endodermal progenitor cell fate at single-cell resolution, precisely demarcates different progenitor populations, and sheds light on mechanistic insights into pancreatic fate determination.
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30
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Zhang RJ, Yang L, Sun F, Fang Y, Ye XP, Song HD, Dong M. Three-dimensional microscopy and image fusion reconstruction analysis of the thyroid gland during morphogenesis. FEBS Open Bio 2021; 11:1417-1427. [PMID: 33735512 PMCID: PMC8091578 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Thyroid dysgenesis (TD) is a major cause of primary congenital hypothyroidism; however, the molecular mechanism underlying this process is unclear. Current knowledge regarding the morphogenesis of the thyroid gland and vascular anomalies affecting thyroid development is limited. To monitor the early stages of thyroid gland development, we generated double transgenic zebrafish embryos Tg(tg:mCherry/flk1:EGFP). We described the volume of the thyroid from 2 days postfertilization (dpf) to 5 dpf using 3D reconstruction images. We treated zebrafish embryos with the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) inhibitor PD166866 to better understand the impact of vascular defects on thyroid development and the effects of drug administration at specific time periods on different stages of thyroid development. The 3D reconstruction data revealed that the thyroid glands underwent significant transformation at critical time points. PD166866 treatment from 48 to 72 hours postfertilization (hpf) and from 72 to 96 hpf did not cause obvious reductions in thyroid volume but did result in observable abnormalities in thyroid morphology. The treatment also affected thyroid volume from 36 to 48 hpf, thus indicating that there are time-point-specific effects of drug administration during thyroid development. Three-dimensional image reconstruction provides a comprehensive picture of thyroid anatomy and can be used to complement anatomical fluorescence information. The effects of an FGF pathway inhibitor on thyroid development were determined to be time-point-dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui-Jia Zhang
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics & Endocrinology, The Core Laboratory in Medical Center of Clinical Research, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China
| | - Liu Yang
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics & Endocrinology, The Core Laboratory in Medical Center of Clinical Research, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China
| | - Feng Sun
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics & Endocrinology, The Core Laboratory in Medical Center of Clinical Research, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China
| | - Ya Fang
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics & Endocrinology, The Core Laboratory in Medical Center of Clinical Research, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China
| | - Xiao-Ping Ye
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics & Endocrinology, The Core Laboratory in Medical Center of Clinical Research, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China
| | - Huai-Dong Song
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics & Endocrinology, The Core Laboratory in Medical Center of Clinical Research, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China
| | - Mei Dong
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics & Endocrinology, The Core Laboratory in Medical Center of Clinical Research, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China
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31
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Marchione AD, Thompson Z, Kathrein KL. DNA methylation and histone modifications are essential for regulation of stem cell formation and differentiation in zebrafish development. Brief Funct Genomics 2021:elab022. [PMID: 33782688 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elab022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The complex processes necessary for embryogenesis require a gene regulatory network that is complex and systematic. Gene expression regulates development and organogenesis, but this process is altered and fine-tuned by epigenetic regulators that facilitate changes in the chromatin landscape. Epigenetic regulation of embryogenesis adjusts the chromatin structure by modifying both DNA through methylation and nucleosomes through posttranslational modifications of histone tails. The zebrafish is a well-characterized model organism that is a quintessential tool for studying developmental biology. With external fertilization, low cost and high fecundity, the zebrafish are an efficient tool for studying early developmental stages. Genetic manipulation can be performed in vivo resulting in quick identification of gene function. Large-scale genome analyses including RNA sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation and chromatin structure all are feasible in the zebrafish. In this review, we highlight the key events in zebrafish development where epigenetic regulation plays a critical role from the early stem cell stages through differentiation and organogenesis.
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32
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Vandernoot I, Haerlingen B, Gillotay P, Trubiroha A, Janssens V, Opitz R, Costagliola S. Enhanced Canonical Wnt Signaling During Early Zebrafish Development Perturbs the Interaction of Cardiac Mesoderm and Pharyngeal Endoderm and Causes Thyroid Specification Defects. Thyroid 2021; 31:420-438. [PMID: 32777984 DOI: 10.1089/thy.2019.0828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Background: Congenital hypothyroidism due to thyroid dysgenesis is a frequent congenital endocrine disorder for which the molecular mechanisms remain unresolved in the majority of cases. This situation reflects, in part, our still limited knowledge about the mechanisms involved in the early steps of thyroid specification from the endoderm, in particular the extrinsic signaling cues that regulate foregut endoderm patterning. In this study, we used small molecules and genetic zebrafish models to characterize the role of various signaling pathways in thyroid specification. Methods: We treated zebrafish embryos during different developmental periods with small-molecule compounds known to manipulate the activity of Wnt signaling pathway and observed effects in thyroid, endoderm, and cardiovascular development using whole-mount in situ hybridization and transgenic fluorescent reporter models. We used the antisense morpholino (MO) technique to create a zebrafish acardiac model. For thyroid rescue experiments, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathway induction in zebrafish embryos was obtained by manipulation of heat-shock inducible transgenic lines. Results: Combined analyses of thyroid and cardiovascular development revealed that overactivation of Wnt signaling during early development leads to impaired thyroid specification concurrent with severe defects in the cardiac specification. When using a model of MO-induced blockage of cardiomyocyte differentiation, a similar correlation was observed, suggesting that defective signaling between cardiac mesoderm and endodermal thyroid precursors contributes to thyroid specification impairment. Rescue experiments through transient overactivation of BMP signaling could partially restore thyroid specification in models with defective cardiac development. Conclusion: Collectively, our results indicate that BMP signaling is critically required for thyroid cell specification and identify cardiac mesoderm as a likely source of BMP signals.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Animals, Genetically Modified
- Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2/genetics
- Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2/metabolism
- Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4/genetics
- Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4/metabolism
- Congenital Hypothyroidism/genetics
- Congenital Hypothyroidism/metabolism
- Congenital Hypothyroidism/pathology
- Cytoskeletal Proteins/genetics
- Cytoskeletal Proteins/metabolism
- Disease Models, Animal
- Embryonic Development
- Endoderm/abnormalities
- Endoderm/metabolism
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
- Heart Defects, Congenital/genetics
- Heart Defects, Congenital/metabolism
- Heart Defects, Congenital/pathology
- Mesoderm/abnormalities
- Mesoderm/metabolism
- Morpholinos/genetics
- Morpholinos/metabolism
- Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism
- Myocytes, Cardiac/pathology
- Oligonucleotides, Antisense/genetics
- Oligonucleotides, Antisense/metabolism
- Thyroid Dysgenesis/genetics
- Thyroid Dysgenesis/metabolism
- Thyroid Dysgenesis/pathology
- Thyroid Gland/abnormalities
- Thyroid Gland/metabolism
- Wnt Proteins/genetics
- Wnt Proteins/metabolism
- Wnt Signaling Pathway
- Zebrafish/embryology
- Zebrafish/genetics
- Zebrafish/metabolism
- Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
- Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Vandernoot
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research in Molecular Human Biology (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Benoît Haerlingen
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research in Molecular Human Biology (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pierre Gillotay
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research in Molecular Human Biology (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Achim Trubiroha
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research in Molecular Human Biology (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Department Chemicals and Product Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Véronique Janssens
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research in Molecular Human Biology (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Robert Opitz
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research in Molecular Human Biology (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Institute of Experimental Pediatric Endocrinology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sabine Costagliola
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research in Molecular Human Biology (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
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33
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Gao C, Peng J. All routes lead to Rome: multifaceted origin of hepatocytes during liver regeneration. CELL REGENERATION 2021; 10:2. [PMID: 33403526 PMCID: PMC7785766 DOI: 10.1186/s13619-020-00063-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Liver is the largest internal organ that serves as the key site for various metabolic activities and maintenance of homeostasis. Liver diseases are great threats to human health. The capability of liver to regain its mass after partial hepatectomy has widely been applied in treating liver diseases either by removing the damaged part of a diseased liver in a patient or transplanting a part of healthy liver into a patient. Vast efforts have been made to study the biology of liver regeneration in different liver-damage models. Regarding the sources of hepatocytes during liver regeneration, convincing evidences have demonstrated that different liver-damage models mobilized different subtype hepatocytes in contributing to liver regeneration. Under extreme hepatocyte ablation, biliary epithelial cells can undergo dedifferentiation to liver progenitor cells (LPCs) and then LPCs differentiate to produce hepatocytes. Here we will focus on summarizing the progresses made in identifying cell types contributing to producing new hepatocytes during liver regeneration in mice and zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ce Gao
- MOE Key Laboratory for Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Jinrong Peng
- MOE Key Laboratory for Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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34
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Dalgin G, Prince VE. Midline morphogenesis of zebrafish foregut endoderm is dependent on Hoxb5b. Dev Biol 2020; 471:1-9. [PMID: 33290819 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
During vertebrate embryonic development complex morphogenetic events drive the formation of internal organs associated with the developing digestive tract. The foregut organs derive from hepatopancreatic precursor cells that originate bilaterally within the endoderm monolayer, and subsequently converge toward the midline where they coalesce to produce the gut tube from which the liver and pancreas form. The progenitor cells of these internal organs are influenced by the lateral plate mesoderm (LPM), which helps direct them towards their specific fates. However, it is not completely understood how the bilateral organ precursors move toward the embryonic midline and ultimately coalesce to form functional organs. Here we demonstrate that the zebrafish homeobox gene hoxb5b regulates morphogenesis of the foregut endoderm at the midline. At early segmentation stages, hoxb5b is expressed in the LPM adjacent to the developing foregut endoderm. By 24 hpf hoxb5b is expressed directly in the endoderm cells of the developing gut tube. When Hoxb5b function is disrupted, either by morpholino knockdown or sgRNA/Cas9 somatic disruption, the process of foregut morphogenesis is disrupted, resulting in a bifurcated foregut. By contrast, knockdown of the paralogous hoxb5a gene does not alter gut morphology. Further analysis has indicated that Hoxb5b knockdown specimens produce endocrine pancreas cell types, but liver cells are absent. Finally, cell transplantation experiments revealed that Hoxb5b function in the endoderm is not needed for proper coalescence of the foregut at the midline. Together, our findings imply that midline morphogenesis of foregut endoderm is guided by a hoxb5b-mediated mechanism that functions extrinsically, likely within the LPM. Loss of hoxb5b function prevents normal coalescence of endoderm cells at the midline and thus disrupts gut morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gökhan Dalgin
- Department of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Victoria E Prince
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
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35
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Aravalli RN. Generating liver using blastocyst complementation: Opportunities and challenges. Xenotransplantation 2020; 28:e12668. [PMID: 33372360 DOI: 10.1111/xen.12668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is the only definitive treatment option for many patients with end-stage liver disease. Current supply of donor livers for OLT is not keeping up with the growing demand. To overcome this problem, a number of experimental strategies have been developed either to provide a bridge to transplant for patients on the waiting list or to bioengineer whole livers for OLT by replenishing them with fresh supplies of hepatic cells. In recent years, blastocyst complementation has emerged as the most promising approach for generating whole organs and, in combination with gene editing technology, it has revolutionized regenerative medicine. This methodology was successful in producing xenogeneic organs in animal hosts. Blastocyst complementation has the potential to produce whole livers in large animals that could be xenotransplanted in humans, thereby reducing the shortage of livers for OLT. However, significant experimental and ethical barriers remain for the production of human livers in domestic animals, such as the pig. This review summarizes the current knowledge and provides future perspectives for liver xenotransplantation in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajagopal N Aravalli
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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36
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Xu X, Zhang M, Xu F, Jiang S. Wnt signaling in breast cancer: biological mechanisms, challenges and opportunities. Mol Cancer 2020; 19:165. [PMID: 33234169 PMCID: PMC7686704 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-020-01276-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 240] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Wnt signaling is a highly conserved signaling pathway that plays a critical role in controlling embryonic and organ development, as well as cancer progression. Genome-wide sequencing and gene expression profile analyses have demonstrated that Wnt signaling is involved mainly in the processes of breast cancer proliferation and metastasis. The most recent studies have indicated that Wnt signaling is also crucial in breast cancer immune microenvironment regulation, stemness maintenance, therapeutic resistance, phenotype shaping, etc. Wnt/β-Catenin, Wnt-planar cell polarity (PCP), and Wnt-Ca2+ signaling are three well-established Wnt signaling pathways that share overlapping components and play different roles in breast cancer progression. In this review, we summarize the main findings concerning the relationship between Wnt signaling and breast cancer and provide an overview of existing mechanisms, challenges, and potential opportunities for advancing the therapy and diagnosis of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiufang Xu
- School of Medical Imaging, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310053 Zhejiang China
| | - Miaofeng Zhang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009 Zhejiang China
| | - Faying Xu
- School of Medical Imaging, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310053 Zhejiang China
| | - Shaojie Jiang
- School of Medical Imaging, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310053 Zhejiang China
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37
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Walesky CM, Kolb KE, Winston CL, Henderson J, Kruft B, Fleming I, Ko S, Monga SP, Mueller F, Apte U, Shalek AK, Goessling W. Functional compensation precedes recovery of tissue mass following acute liver injury. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5785. [PMID: 33214549 PMCID: PMC7677389 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19558-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The liver plays a central role in metabolism, protein synthesis and detoxification. It possesses unique regenerative capacity upon injury. While many factors regulating cellular proliferation during liver repair have been identified, the mechanisms by which the injured liver maintains vital functions prior to tissue recovery are unknown. Here, we identify a new phase of functional compensation following acute liver injury that occurs prior to cellular proliferation. By coupling single-cell RNA-seq with in situ transcriptional analyses in two independent murine liver injury models, we discover adaptive reprogramming to ensure expression of both injury response and core liver function genes dependent on macrophage-derived WNT/β-catenin signaling. Interestingly, transcriptional compensation is most prominent in non-proliferating cells, clearly delineating two temporally distinct phases of liver recovery. Overall, our work describes a mechanism by which the liver maintains essential physiological functions prior to cellular reconstitution and characterizes macrophage-derived WNT signals required for this compensation. The liver possesses the ability to regenerate following sudden injury. Here, the authors use single-cell RNA-sequencing and in situ transcriptional analyses to identify a new phase of liver regeneration in mice aimed at maintaining essential functions throughout the regenerative process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad M Walesky
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Kellie E Kolb
- Institute of Medical Engineering & Science (IMES), Department of Chemistry, and Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.,Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Carolyn L Winston
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jake Henderson
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Benjamin Kruft
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Ira Fleming
- Institute of Medical Engineering & Science (IMES), Department of Chemistry, and Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.,Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Sungjin Ko
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine; and Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Satdarshan P Monga
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine; and Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Florian Mueller
- Imaging and Modeling Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR 3691CNRS, C3BI USR 3756 IP CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Udayan Apte
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Alex K Shalek
- Institute of Medical Engineering & Science (IMES), Department of Chemistry, and Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA. .,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA. .,Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA. .,Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Wolfram Goessling
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. .,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA. .,Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. .,Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. .,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02134, USA. .,Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
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38
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Freeburg SH, Goessling W. Hepatobiliary Differentiation: Principles from Embryonic Liver Development. Semin Liver Dis 2020; 40:365-372. [PMID: 32526786 DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1709679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocytes and biliary epithelial cells (BECs), the two endodermal cell types of the liver, originate from progenitor cells called hepatoblasts. Based principally on in vitro data, hepatoblasts are thought to be bipotent stem cells with the potential to produce both hepatocytes and BECs. However, robust in vivo evidence for this model has only recently emerged. We examine the molecular mechanisms that stimulate hepatoblast differentiation into hepatocytes or BECs. In the absence of extrinsic cues, the default fate of hepatoblasts is hepatocyte differentiation. Inductive cues from the hepatic portal vein, however, initiate transcription factor expression in hepatoblasts, driving biliary specification. Defining the mechanisms of hepatobiliary differentiation provides important insights into congenital disorders, such as Alagille syndrome, and may help to better characterize the poorly understood hepatic lineage relationships observed during regeneration from liver injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott H Freeburg
- Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Wolfram Goessling
- Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard-MIT Division of Health Science and Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
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39
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Agmatine Attenuates Liver Ischemia Reperfusion Injury by Activating Wnt/β-catenin Signaling in Mice. Transplantation 2020; 104:1906-1916. [PMID: 32032294 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000003161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver ischemia reperfusion injury (LIRI) is a common problem during surgical procedures of the liver. It causes severe inflammatory responses and cell death, eventually leading to serious liver damage. Agmatine (AGM) is an endogenous polyamine with analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects. However, it is still unknown whether AGM can protect the liver from damage caused by LIRI. METHODS For the in vivo experiments, a mouse model of partial warm hepatic ischemia reperfusion was established using C57BL/6J mice and then serum transaminase concentrations were analyzed. Histopathology was used to evaluate the degree of liver injury and quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure the amount of inflammatory cytokines. For the in vitro experiments, a cellular model of cobalt chloride (CoCl2)-induced hypoxia was established using AML12 cells. Flow cytometry was performed to measure the apoptosis levels. Western blotting analysis was conducted to measure the levels of proteins involved in apoptosis and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. We also chose 2 inhibitors of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling to elucidate the relationship between AGM and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling. RESULTS AGM showed protective effects against LIRI-induced liver damage, inflammatory responses, and cell apoptosis along with alleviation of CoCl2-induced hepatocyte injury. AGM activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway during LIRI and CoCl2-induced hepatocyte injury; however, when the Wnt/β-catenin pathway was inhibited, the protective effects of AGM declined. CONCLUSIONS AGM showed protective effects against LIRI by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
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40
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Wild SL, Elghajiji A, Grimaldos Rodriguez C, Weston SD, Burke ZD, Tosh D. The Canonical Wnt Pathway as a Key Regulator in Liver Development, Differentiation and Homeostatic Renewal. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11101163. [PMID: 33008122 PMCID: PMC7599793 DOI: 10.3390/genes11101163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The canonical Wnt (Wnt/β-catenin) signalling pathway is highly conserved and plays a critical role in regulating cellular processes both during development and in adult tissue homeostasis. The Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway is vital for correct body patterning and is involved in fate specification of the gut tube, the primitive precursor of liver. In adults, the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is increasingly recognised as an important regulator of metabolic zonation, homeostatic renewal and regeneration in response to injury throughout the liver. Herein, we review recent developments relating to the key role of the pathway in the patterning and fate specification of the liver, in the directed differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into hepatocytes and in governing proliferation and zonation in the adult liver. We pay particular attention to recent contributions to the controversy surrounding homeostatic renewal and proliferation in response to injury. Furthermore, we discuss how crosstalk between the Wnt/β-catenin and Hedgehog (Hh) and hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) pathways works to maintain liver homeostasis. Advancing our understanding of this pathway will benefit our ability to model disease, screen drugs and generate tissue and organ replacements for regenerative medicine.
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41
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Gao C, Huang W, Gao Y, Lo LJ, Luo L, Huang H, Chen J, Peng J. Zebrafish hhex-null mutant develops an intrahepatic intestinal tube due to de-repression of cdx1b and pdx1. J Mol Cell Biol 2020; 11:448-462. [PMID: 30428031 PMCID: PMC6604603 DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjy068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The hepatopancreatic duct (HPD) system links the liver and pancreas to the intestinal tube and is composed of the extrahepatic biliary duct, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct. Haematopoietically expressed-homeobox (Hhex) protein plays an essential role in the establishment of HPD; however, the molecular mechanism remains elusive. Here, we show that zebrafish hhex-null mutants fail to develop the HPD system characterized by lacking the biliary marker Annexin A4 and the HPD marker sox9b. The hepatobiliary duct part of the mutant HPD system is replaced by an intrahepatic intestinal tube characterized by expressing the intestinal marker fatty acid-binding protein 2a (fabp2a). Cell lineage analysis showed that this intrahepatic intestinal tube is not originated from hepatocytes or cholangiocytes. Further analysis revealed that cdx1b and pdx1 are expressed ectopically in the intrahepatic intestinal tube and knockdown of cdx1b and pdx1 could restore the expression of sox9b in the mutant. Chromatin-immunoprecipitation analysis showed that Hhex binds to the promoters of pdx1 and cdx1b genes to repress their expression. We therefore propose that Hhex, Cdx1b, Pdx1, and Sox9b form a genetic network governing the patterning and morphogenesis of the HPD and digestive tract systems in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ce Gao
- MOE Key Laboratory for Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yu Hang Tang Road, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weidong Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yu Hang Tang Road, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuqi Gao
- MOE Key Laboratory for Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yu Hang Tang Road, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li Jan Lo
- MOE Key Laboratory for Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yu Hang Tang Road, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lingfei Luo
- College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Honghui Huang
- College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jun Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yu Hang Tang Road, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jinrong Peng
- MOE Key Laboratory for Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yu Hang Tang Road, Hangzhou, China
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42
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Hu L, Li H, Chi Z, He J. Loss of the RNA-binding protein Rbm15 disrupts liver maturation in zebrafish. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:11466-11472. [PMID: 32518161 PMCID: PMC7450140 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.014080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver organogenesis begins with hepatic precursors in the foregut endoderm, followed by hepatoblast specification, differentiation, outgrowth, and maturation for the formation of functional hepatocytes. Although several signaling pathways and critical factors that regulate liver specification, differentiation, and proliferation have been identified, little is known about how liver maturation is regulated. Here, we used a screen for mutations affecting liver development in zebrafish and identified a cq96 mutant that exhibits a specific defect in liver maturation. Results from positional cloning revealed that cq96 encodes an RNA-binding protein, Rbm15, which is an evolutionarily conserved Spen family protein and known to play a crucial role in RNA m6A modification, nuclear export, and alternative splicing. However, a function of Rbm15 in embryonic liver development has not been reported. We found that Rbm15 is specifically expressed in the liver after its differentiation. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated loss of rbm15 repressed hepatic maturation, but did not affect hepatoblast specification, differentiation, and hepatocyte proliferation and apoptosis. Additional experiments disclosed that the mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway is highly activated in rbm15-deficient hepatocytes. Moreover, rapamycin treatment partially restored normal hepatic gene expression as well as the nuclear location of the transcription factor Hnf4a. Taken together, these results reveal an unexpected role of Rbm15 in liver maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Hu
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Hongyan Li
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhiping Chi
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Jianbo He
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
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43
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Macchi F, Sadler KC. Unraveling the Epigenetic Basis of Liver Development, Regeneration and Disease. Trends Genet 2020; 36:587-597. [PMID: 32487496 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2020.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
A wealth of studies over several decades has revealed an epigenetic prepattern that determines the competence of cellular differentiation in the developing liver. More recently, studies focused on the impact of epigenetic factors during liver regeneration suggest that an epigenetic code in the quiescent liver may establish its regenerative potential. We review work on the pioneer factors and other chromatin remodelers that impact the gene expression patterns instructing hepatocyte and biliary cell specification and differentiation, along with the requirement of epigenetic regulatory factors for hepatic outgrowth. We then explore recent studies involving the role of epigenetic regulators, Arid1a and Uhrf1, in efficient activation of proregenerative genes during liver regeneration, thus highlighting the epigenetic mechanisms of liver disease and tumor development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Macchi
- Program in Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Kirsten C Sadler
- Program in Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
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44
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Huang Y, Huang CX, Wang WF, Liu H, Wang HL. Zebrafish miR-462-731 is required for digestive organ development. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY D-GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2020; 34:100679. [PMID: 32200130 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2020.100679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs), as important regulators of post-transcriptional gene expression, play important roles in the occurrence and function of organs. In this study, morpholino (MO) knockdown of miR-462/miR-731 was used to investigate the potential mechanisms of the miR-462-731 cluster during zebrafish liver development. The results showed significant reduction of digestive organs, especially liver and exocrine pancreas after the miR-462/miR-731 knockdown, and those phenotypes could be partially rescued by corresponding miRNA duplex. Acinar cells of the exocrine pancreas were also severely affected with pancreatic insufficiency. In particular, knockdown of miR-462 caused pancreas morphogenesis abnormity with specific bilateral exocrine pancreas. Additionally, it was found that miR-731 played a role in liver and exocrine pancreas development by directly targeting dkk3b, instead of the down-regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. These findings contribute significantly to our understanding of molecular mechanisms of miR-462-731 cluster in development of digestive organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Huang
- Key Lab of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Fishery, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Chun-Xiao Huang
- Key Lab of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Fishery, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Wei-Feng Wang
- Key Lab of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Fishery, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Hong Liu
- Key Lab of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Fishery, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Huan-Ling Wang
- Key Lab of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Fishery, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China.
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A morphogenetic EphB/EphrinB code controls hepatopancreatic duct formation. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5220. [PMID: 31745086 PMCID: PMC6864101 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13149-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The hepatopancreatic ductal (HPD) system connects the intrahepatic and intrapancreatic ducts to the intestine and ensures the afferent transport of the bile and pancreatic enzymes. Yet the molecular and cellular mechanisms controlling their differentiation and morphogenesis into a functional ductal system are poorly understood. Here, we characterize HPD system morphogenesis by high-resolution microscopy in zebrafish. The HPD system differentiates from a rod of unpolarized cells into mature ducts by de novo lumen formation in a dynamic multi-step process. The remodeling step from multiple nascent lumina into a single lumen requires active cell intercalation and myosin contractility. We identify key functions for EphB/EphrinB signaling in this dynamic remodeling step. Two EphrinB ligands, EphrinB1 and EphrinB2a, and two EphB receptors, EphB3b and EphB4a, control HPD morphogenesis by remodeling individual ductal compartments, and thereby coordinate the morphogenesis of this multi-compartment ductal system.
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Haerlingen B, Opitz R, Vandernoot I, Trubiroha A, Gillotay P, Giusti N, Costagliola S. Small-Molecule Screening in Zebrafish Embryos Identifies Signaling Pathways Regulating Early Thyroid Development. Thyroid 2019; 29:1683-1703. [PMID: 31507237 DOI: 10.1089/thy.2019.0122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background: Defects in embryonic development of the thyroid gland are a major cause for congenital hypothyroidism in human newborns, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still poorly understood. Organ development relies on a tightly regulated interplay between extrinsic signaling cues and cell intrinsic factors. At present, however, there is limited knowledge about the specific extrinsic signaling cues that regulate foregut endoderm patterning, thyroid cell specification, and subsequent morphogenetic processes in thyroid development. Methods: To begin to address this problem in a systematic way, we used zebrafish embryos to perform a series of in vivo phenotype-driven chemical genetic screens to identify signaling cues regulating early thyroid development. For this purpose, we treated zebrafish embryos during different developmental periods with a panel of small-molecule compounds known to manipulate the activity of major signaling pathways and scored phenotypic deviations in thyroid, endoderm, and cardiovascular development using whole-mount in situ hybridization and transgenic fluorescent reporter models. Results: Systematic assessment of drugged embryos recovered a range of thyroid phenotypes including expansion, reduction or lack of the early thyroid anlage, defective thyroid budding, as well as hypoplastic, enlarged, or overtly disorganized presentation of the thyroid primordium after budding. Our pharmacological screening identified bone morphogenetic protein and fibroblast growth factor signaling as key factors for thyroid specification and early thyroid organogenesis, highlighted the importance of low Wnt activities during early development for thyroid specification, and implicated drug-induced cardiac and vascular anomalies as likely indirect mechanisms causing various forms of thyroid dysgenesis. Conclusions: By integrating the outcome of our screening efforts with previously available information from other model organisms including Xenopus, chicken, and mouse, we conclude that signaling cues regulating thyroid development appear broadly conserved across vertebrates. We therefore expect that observations made in zebrafish can inform mammalian models of thyroid organogenesis to further our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of congenital thyroid diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoit Haerlingen
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research in Molecular Human Biology (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Robert Opitz
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research in Molecular Human Biology (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Institute of Experimental Pediatric Endocrinology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Isabelle Vandernoot
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research in Molecular Human Biology (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Achim Trubiroha
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research in Molecular Human Biology (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pierre Gillotay
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research in Molecular Human Biology (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nicoletta Giusti
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research in Molecular Human Biology (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sabine Costagliola
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research in Molecular Human Biology (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
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Ng NHJ, Jasmen JB, Lim CS, Lau HH, Krishnan VG, Kadiwala J, Kulkarni RN, Ræder H, Vallier L, Hoon S, Teo AKK. HNF4A Haploinsufficiency in MODY1 Abrogates Liver and Pancreas Differentiation from Patient-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. iScience 2019; 16:192-205. [PMID: 31195238 PMCID: PMC6562146 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2019.05.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Maturity-onset diabetes of the young 1 (MODY1) is a monogenic diabetes condition caused by heterozygous HNF4A mutations. We investigate how HNF4A haploinsufficiency from a MODY1/HNF4A mutation influences the development of foregut-derived liver and pancreatic cells through differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells from a MODY1 family down the foregut lineage. In MODY1-derived hepatopancreatic progenitors, which expressed reduced HNF4A levels and mislocalized HNF4A, foregut genes were downregulated, whereas hindgut-specifying HOX genes were upregulated. MODY1-derived hepatocyte-like cells were found to exhibit altered morphology. Hepatic and β cell gene signatures were also perturbed in MODY1-derived hepatocyte-like and β-like cells, respectively. As mutant HNF4A (p.Ile271fs) did not undergo complete nonsense-mediated decay or exert dominant negativity, HNF4A-mediated loss of function is likely due to impaired transcriptional activation of target genes. Our results suggest that in MODY1, liver and pancreas development is perturbed early on, contributing to altered hepatic proteins and β cell defects in patients. HNF4A is downregulated and predominantly mislocalized in the cytoplasm in MODY1 Foregut markers, pancreatic and hepatic genes, were downregulated in MODY1-HPPs A reciprocal upregulation of hindgut HOX genes was observed in MODY1-HPPs Mutant HNF4A resulted in loss of transcriptional activation of target genes
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Hui Jin Ng
- Stem Cells and Diabetes Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore 138673, Singapore
| | - Joanita Binte Jasmen
- Stem Cells and Diabetes Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore 138673, Singapore
| | - Chang Siang Lim
- Stem Cells and Diabetes Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore 138673, Singapore
| | - Hwee Hui Lau
- Stem Cells and Diabetes Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore 138673, Singapore; School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | | | - Juned Kadiwala
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Anne McLaren Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - Rohit N Kulkarni
- Section of Islet Cell and Regenerative Biology, Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Helge Ræder
- Department of Pediatrics, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway; KG Jebsen Center for Diabetes Research, Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
| | - Ludovic Vallier
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Anne McLaren Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK; Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Shawn Hoon
- Molecular Engineering Lab, A*STAR, Singapore 138673, Singapore
| | - Adrian Kee Keong Teo
- Stem Cells and Diabetes Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore 138673, Singapore; School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore; Department of Biochemistry and Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117596, Singapore.
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Li L, Ning G, Yang S, Yan Y, Cao Y, Wang Q. BMP signaling is required for nkx2.3-positive pharyngeal pouch progenitor specification in zebrafish. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1007996. [PMID: 30763319 PMCID: PMC6392332 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pharyngeal pouches, a series of outpocketings that bud from the foregut endoderm, are essential to the formation of craniofacial skeleton as well as several important structures like parathyroid and thymus. However, whether pharyngeal pouch progenitors exist in the developing gut tube remains unknown. Here, taking advantage of cell lineage tracing and transgenic ablation technologies, we identified a population of nkx2.3+ pouch progenitors in zebrafish embryos and demonstrated an essential requirement of ectodermal BMP2b for their specification. At early somite stages, nkx2.3+ cells located at lateral region of pharyngeal endoderm give rise to the pouch epithelium except a subpopulation expressing pdgfαa rather than nkx2.3. A small-scale screen of chemical inhibitors reveals that BMP signaling is necessary to specify these progenitors. Loss-of-function analyses show that BMP2b, expressed in the pharyngeal ectoderm, actives Smad effectors in endodermal cells to induce nkx2.3+ progenitors. Collectively, our study provides in vivo evidence for the existence of pouch progenitors and highlights the importance of BMP2b signaling in progenitor specification. Pharyngeal pouches are essential to the formation of craniofacial skeleton as well as several important structures like parathyroid and thymus, but whether their progenitors exist in the developing gut tube remains unknown. Our study provide in vivo evidence that, in the early somite stages, nkx2.3+ cells are present in the lateral pharyngeal endoderm and give rise to the pouch epithelium. We further reveal that ectodermal BMP2b is essential for the activation of Smad effectors in endodermal cells, thereby facilitating pouch progenitor specification. Collectively, our discoveries shed new light on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of pharyngeal pouch development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linwei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guozhu Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shuyan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yifang Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
The canonical Wnt-β-catenin pathway is a complex, evolutionarily conserved signalling mechanism that regulates fundamental physiological and pathological processes. Wnt-β-catenin signalling tightly controls embryogenesis, including hepatobiliary development, maturation and zonation. In the mature healthy liver, the Wnt-β-catenin pathway is mostly inactive but can become re-activated during cell renewal and/or regenerative processes, as well as in certain pathological conditions, diseases, pre-malignant conditions and cancer. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), the two most prevalent primary liver tumours in adults, Wnt-β-catenin signalling is frequently hyperactivated and promotes tumour growth and dissemination. A substantial proportion of liver tumours (mainly HCC and, to a lesser extent, CCA) have mutations in genes encoding key components of the Wnt-β-catenin signalling pathway. Likewise, hepatoblastoma, the most common paediatric liver cancer, is characterized by Wnt-β-catenin activation, mostly as a result of β-catenin mutations. In this Review, we discuss the most relevant molecular mechanisms of action and regulation of Wnt-β-catenin signalling in liver development and pathophysiology. Moreover, we highlight important preclinical and clinical studies and future directions in basic and clinical research.
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Pancreas organogenesis: The interplay between surrounding microenvironment(s) and epithelium-intrinsic factors. Curr Top Dev Biol 2019; 132:221-256. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2018.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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