1
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Bell I, Khan H, Stutt N, Horn M, Hydzik T, Lum W, Rea V, Clapham E, Hoeg L, Van Raay TJ. Nkd1 functions downstream of Axin2 to attenuate Wnt signaling. Mol Biol Cell 2024; 35:ar93. [PMID: 38656801 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e24-02-0059-t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Wnt signaling is a crucial developmental pathway involved in early development as well as stem-cell maintenance in adults and its misregulation leads to numerous diseases. Thus, understanding the regulation of this pathway becomes vitally important. Axin2 and Nkd1 are widely utilized negative feedback regulators in Wnt signaling where Axin2 functions to destabilize cytoplasmic β-catenin, and Nkd1 functions to inhibit the nuclear localization of β-catenin. Here, we set out to further understand how Axin2 and Nkd1 regulate Wnt signaling by creating axin2gh1/gh1, nkd1gh2/gh2 single mutants and axin2gh1/gh1;nkd1gh2/gh2 double mutant zebrafish using sgRNA/Cas9. All three Wnt regulator mutants were viable and had impaired heart looping, neuromast migration defects, and behavior abnormalities in common, but there were no signs of synergy in the axin2gh1/gh1;nkd1gh2/gh2 double mutants. Further, Wnt target gene expression by qRT-PCR and RNA-seq, and protein expression by mass spectrometry demonstrated that the double axin2gh1/gh1;nkd1gh2/gh2 mutant resembled the nkd1gh2/gh2 phenotype demonstrating that Nkd1 functions downstream of Axin2. In support of this, the data further demonstrates that Axin2 uniquely alters the properties of β-catenin-dependent transcription having novel readouts of Wnt activity compared with nkd1gh2/gh2 or the axin2gh1/gh1;nkd1gh2/gh2 double mutant. We also investigated the sensitivity of the Wnt regulator mutants to exacerbated Wnt signaling, where the single mutants displayed characteristic heightened Wnt sensitivity, resulting in an eyeless phenotype. Surprisingly, this phenotype was rescued in the double mutant, where we speculate that cross-talk between Wnt/β-catenin and Wnt/Planar Cell Polarity pathways could lead to altered Wnt signaling in some scenarios. Collectively, the data emphasizes both the commonality and the complexity in the feedback regulation of Wnt signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Bell
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1 Ontario, Canada
| | - Haider Khan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1 Ontario, Canada
| | - Nathan Stutt
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Matthew Horn
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1 Ontario, Canada
| | - Teesha Hydzik
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1 Ontario, Canada
| | - Whitney Lum
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1 Ontario, Canada
| | - Victoria Rea
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1 Ontario, Canada
| | - Emma Clapham
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1 Ontario, Canada
| | - Lisa Hoeg
- Department of Bioinformatics, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1 Canada
| | - Terence J Van Raay
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1 Ontario, Canada
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2
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Hammond FR, Lewis A, Pollara G, Tomlinson GS, Noursadeghi M, Kiss-Toth E, Elks PM. Tribbles1 is host protective during in vivo mycobacterial infection. eLife 2024; 13:e95980. [PMID: 38896446 DOI: 10.7554/elife.95980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis is a major global health problem and is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide. There is a pressing need for new treatments that circumvent emerging antibiotic resistance. Mycobacterium tuberculosis parasitises macrophages, reprogramming them to establish a niche in which to proliferate, therefore macrophage manipulation is a potential host-directed therapy if druggable molecular targets could be identified. The pseudokinase Tribbles1 (Trib1) regulates multiple innate immune processes and inflammatory profiles making it a potential drug target in infections. Trib1 controls macrophage function, cytokine production, and macrophage polarisation. Despite wide-ranging effects on leukocyte biology, data exploring the roles of Tribbles in infection in vivo are limited. Here, we identify that human Tribbles1 is expressed in monocytes and is upregulated at the transcript level after stimulation with mycobacterial antigen. To investigate the mechanistic roles of Tribbles in the host response to mycobacteria in vivo, we used a zebrafish Mycobacterium marinum (Mm) infection tuberculosis model. Zebrafish Tribbles family members were characterised and shown to have substantial mRNA and protein sequence homology to their human orthologues. trib1 overexpression was host-protective against Mm infection, reducing burden by approximately 50%. Conversely, trib1 knockdown/knockout exhibited increased infection. Mechanistically, trib1 overexpression significantly increased the levels of proinflammatory factors il-1β and nitric oxide. The host-protective effect of trib1 was found to be dependent on the E3 ubiquitin kinase Cop1. These findings highlight the importance of Trib1 and Cop1 as immune regulators during infection in vivo and suggest that enhancing macrophage TRIB1 levels may provide a tractable therapeutic intervention to improve bacterial infection outcomes in tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ffion R Hammond
- The Bateson Centre, School of Medicine and Population Health, Faculty of Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Amy Lewis
- The Bateson Centre, School of Medicine and Population Health, Faculty of Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriele Pollara
- Division of Infection & Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gillian S Tomlinson
- Division of Infection & Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mahdad Noursadeghi
- Division of Infection & Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Endre Kiss-Toth
- The Bateson Centre, School of Medicine and Population Health, Faculty of Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Philip M Elks
- The Bateson Centre, School of Medicine and Population Health, Faculty of Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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Lee KH, Stafford AM, Pacheco-Vergara M, Cichewicz K, Canales CP, Seban N, Corea M, Rahbarian D, Bonekamp KE, Gillie GR, Cruz DP, Gill AM, Hwang HE, Uhl KL, Jager TE, Shinawi M, Li X, Obenaus A, Crandall SR, Jeong J, Nord AS, Kim CH, Vogt D. Complimentary vertebrate Wac models exhibit phenotypes relevant to DeSanto-Shinawi Syndrome. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.26.595966. [PMID: 38826421 PMCID: PMC11142245 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.26.595966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Monogenic syndromes are associated with neurodevelopmental changes that result in cognitive impairments, neurobehavioral phenotypes including autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and seizures. Limited studies and resources are available to make meaningful headway into the underlying molecular mechanisms that result in these symptoms. One such example is DeSanto-Shinawi Syndrome (DESSH), a rare disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the WAC gene. Individuals with DESSH syndrome exhibit a recognizable craniofacial gestalt, developmental delay/intellectual disability, neurobehavioral symptoms that include autism, ADHD, behavioral difficulties and seizures. However, no thorough studies from a vertebrate model exist to understand how these changes occur. To overcome this, we developed both murine and zebrafish Wac/wac deletion mutants and studied whether their phenotypes recapitulate those described in individuals with DESSH syndrome. We show that the two Wac models exhibit craniofacial and behavioral changes, reminiscent of abnormalities found in DESSH syndrome. In addition, each model revealed impacts to GABAergic neurons and further studies showed that the mouse mutants are susceptible to seizures, changes in brain volumes that are different between sexes and relevant behaviors. Finally, we uncovered transcriptional impacts of Wac loss of function that will pave the way for future molecular studies into DESSH. These studies begin to uncover some biological underpinnings of DESSH syndrome and elucidate the biology of Wac, with advantages in each model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang-Han Lee
- Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - April M Stafford
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | - Maria Pacheco-Vergara
- Department of Molecular Pathology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Karol Cichewicz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
| | - Cesar P Canales
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
| | - Nicolas Seban
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
| | - Melissa Corea
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
| | - Darlene Rahbarian
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
| | - Kelly E. Bonekamp
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Grant R. Gillie
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Dariangelly Pacheco Cruz
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Alyssa M Gill
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | - Hye-Eun Hwang
- Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Katie L Uhl
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | | | - Marwan Shinawi
- Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Xiaopeng Li
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | - Andre Obenaus
- Director, Preclinical and Translational Imaging Center, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Shane R Crandall
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Juhee Jeong
- Department of Molecular Pathology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Alex S Nord
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
| | - Cheol-Hee Kim
- Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Daniel Vogt
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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4
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Brix A, Belleri L, Pezzotta A, Pettinato E, Mazzola M, Zoccolillo M, Marozzi A, Monteiro R, Del Bene F, Mortellaro A, Pistocchi A. ADA2 regulates inflammation and hematopoietic stem cell emergence via the A 2bR pathway in zebrafish. Commun Biol 2024; 7:615. [PMID: 38777862 PMCID: PMC11111730 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06286-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Deficiency of adenosine deaminase 2 (DADA2) is an inborn error of immunity caused by loss-of-function mutations in the adenosine deaminase 2 (ADA2) gene. Clinical manifestations of DADA2 include vasculopathy and immuno-hematological abnormalities, culminating in bone marrow failure. A major gap exists in our knowledge of the regulatory functions of ADA2 during inflammation and hematopoiesis, mainly due to the absence of an ADA2 orthologue in rodents. Exploring these mechanisms is essential for understanding disease pathology and developing new treatments. Zebrafish possess two ADA2 orthologues, cecr1a and cecr1b, with the latter showing functional conservation with human ADA2. We establish a cecr1b-loss-of-function zebrafish model that recapitulates the immuno-hematological and vascular manifestations observed in humans. Loss of Cecr1b disrupts hematopoietic stem cell specification, resulting in defective hematopoiesis. This defect is caused by induced inflammation in the vascular endothelium. Blocking inflammation, pharmacological modulation of the A2r pathway, or the administration of the recombinant human ADA2 corrects these defects, providing insights into the mechanistic link between ADA2 deficiency, inflammation and immuno-hematological abnormalities. Our findings open up potential therapeutic avenues for DADA2 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Brix
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, L.I.T.A., via Fratelli Cervi 93, Segrate, 20054, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Belleri
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, L.I.T.A., via Fratelli Cervi 93, Segrate, 20054, Milan, Italy
- Department of Development, Institut de la Vision, 17 Rue Moreau, 75012, Paris, France
| | - Alex Pezzotta
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, L.I.T.A., via Fratelli Cervi 93, Segrate, 20054, Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuela Pettinato
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Mara Mazzola
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, L.I.T.A., via Fratelli Cervi 93, Segrate, 20054, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Zoccolillo
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Marozzi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, L.I.T.A., via Fratelli Cervi 93, Segrate, 20054, Milan, Italy
| | - Rui Monteiro
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TTB, UK
| | - Filippo Del Bene
- Department of Development, Institut de la Vision, 17 Rue Moreau, 75012, Paris, France
| | - Alessandra Mortellaro
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.
| | - Anna Pistocchi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, L.I.T.A., via Fratelli Cervi 93, Segrate, 20054, Milan, Italy.
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5
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Wei M, Yu Q, Li E, Zhao Y, Sun C, Li H, Liu Z, Ji G. Ace Deficiency Induces Intestinal Inflammation in Zebrafish. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5598. [PMID: 38891786 PMCID: PMC11172040 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a nonspecific chronic inflammatory disease resulting from an immune disorder in the intestine that is prone to relapse and incurable. The understanding of the pathogenesis of IBD remains unclear. In this study, we found that ace (angiotensin-converting enzyme), expressed abundantly in the intestine, plays an important role in IBD. The deletion of ace in zebrafish caused intestinal inflammation with increased expression of the inflammatory marker genes interleukin 1 beta (il1b), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (mmp9), myeloid-specific peroxidase (mpx), leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin-2-like (lect2l), and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 8b (cxcl8b). Moreover, the secretion of mucus in the ace-/- mutants was significantly higher than that in the wild-type zebrafish, validating the phenotype of intestinal inflammation. This was further confirmed by the IBD model constructed using dextran sodium sulfate (DSS), in which the mutant zebrafish had a higher susceptibility to enteritis. Our study reveals the role of ace in intestinal homeostasis, providing a new target for potential therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxia Wei
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (M.W.); (Q.Y.)
| | - Qinqing Yu
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (M.W.); (Q.Y.)
| | - Enguang Li
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (M.W.); (Q.Y.)
| | - Yibing Zhao
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (M.W.); (Q.Y.)
| | - Chen Sun
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (M.W.); (Q.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity (Ministry of Education), Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Hongyan Li
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (M.W.); (Q.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity (Ministry of Education), Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Zhenhui Liu
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (M.W.); (Q.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity (Ministry of Education), Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Guangdong Ji
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (M.W.); (Q.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity (Ministry of Education), Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
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6
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da Silva AR, Gunawan F, Boezio GLM, Faure E, Théron A, Avierinos JF, Lim S, Jha SG, Ramadass R, Guenther S, Looso M, Zaffran S, Juan T, Stainier DYR. egr3 is a mechanosensitive transcription factor gene required for cardiac valve morphogenesis. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadl0633. [PMID: 38748804 PMCID: PMC11095463 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adl0633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Biomechanical forces, and their molecular transducers, including key mechanosensitive transcription factor genes, such as KLF2, are required for cardiac valve morphogenesis. However, klf2 mutants fail to completely recapitulate the valveless phenotype observed under no-flow conditions. Here, we identify the transcription factor EGR3 as a conserved biomechanical force transducer critical for cardiac valve formation. We first show that egr3 null zebrafish display a complete and highly penetrant loss of valve leaflets, leading to severe blood regurgitation. Using tissue-specific loss- and gain-of-function tools, we find that during cardiac valve formation, Egr3 functions cell-autonomously in endothelial cells, and identify one of its effectors, the nuclear receptor Nr4a2b. We further find that mechanical forces up-regulate egr3/EGR3 expression in the developing zebrafish heart and in porcine valvular endothelial cells, as well as during human aortic valve remodeling. Altogether, these findings reveal that EGR3 is necessary to transduce the biomechanical cues required for zebrafish cardiac valve morphogenesis, and potentially for pathological aortic valve remodeling in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agatha Ribeiro da Silva
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Department of Developmental Genetics, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Felix Gunawan
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Department of Developmental Genetics, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Giulia L. M. Boezio
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Department of Developmental Genetics, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Emilie Faure
- Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, MMG, U1251, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Alexis Théron
- Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, MMG, U1251, 13005 Marseille, France
- Service de Chirurgie Cardiaque, AP-HM, Hôpital de la Timone, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Jean-François Avierinos
- Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, MMG, U1251, 13005 Marseille, France
- Service de Cardiologie, AP-HM, Hôpital de la Timone, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - SoEun Lim
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Department of Developmental Genetics, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Shivam Govind Jha
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Department of Developmental Genetics, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Radhan Ramadass
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Department of Developmental Genetics, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Stefan Guenther
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Bioinformatics and Deep Sequencing Platform, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Mario Looso
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Bioinformatics Core Unit (BCU), Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Stéphane Zaffran
- Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, MMG, U1251, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Thomas Juan
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Department of Developmental Genetics, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Didier Y. R. Stainier
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Department of Developmental Genetics, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Bad Nauheim, Germany
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7
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Peng W, Zhang Y, Song B, Yang P, Liu L. Developmental Delay and Male-Biased Sex Ratio in esr2b Knockout Zebrafish. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:636. [PMID: 38790265 PMCID: PMC11121336 DOI: 10.3390/genes15050636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The estrogen receptor signaling pathway plays an important role in vertebrate embryonic development and sexual differentiation. There are four major estrogen receptors in zebrafish: esr1, esr2a, esr2b and gper. However, the specific role of different estrogen receptors in zebrafish is not clear. To investigate the role of esr2b in zebrafish development and reproduction, this study utilized TALENs technology to generate an esr2b knockout homozygous zebrafish line. The number of eggs laid by esr2b knockout female zebrafish did not differ significantly from that of wild zebrafish. The embryonic development process of wild-type and esr2b knockout zebrafish was observed, revealing a significant developmental delay in the esr2b knockout zebrafish. Additionally, mortality rates were significantly higher in esr2b knockout zebrafish than in their wild-type counterparts at 24 hpf. The reciprocal cross experiment between esr2b knockout zebrafish and wild-type zebrafish revealed that the absence of esr2b resulted in a decline in the quality of zebrafish oocytes, while having no impact on sperm cells. The knockout of esr2b also led to an abnormal sex ratio in the adult zebrafish population, with a female-to-male ratio of approximately 1:7. The quantitative PCR (qPCR) and in situ hybridization results demonstrated a significant downregulation of cyp19ab1b expression in esr2b knockout embryos compared to wild-type embryos throughout development (at 2 dpf, 3 dpf and 4 dpf). Additionally, the estrogen-mediated induction expression of cyp19ab1b was attenuated, while the estradiol-induced upregulated expression of vtg1 was disrupted. These results suggest that esr2b is involved in regulating zebrafish oocyte development and sex differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Peng
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde 415000, China; (Y.Z.); (B.S.); (P.Y.); (L.L.)
- State Key Laboratory of Development Biology of Freshwater Fish Sub-Center for Health Aquaculture, Changde 415000, China
| | - Yunsheng Zhang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde 415000, China; (Y.Z.); (B.S.); (P.Y.); (L.L.)
- State Key Laboratory of Development Biology of Freshwater Fish Sub-Center for Health Aquaculture, Changde 415000, China
| | - Bolan Song
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde 415000, China; (Y.Z.); (B.S.); (P.Y.); (L.L.)
- State Key Laboratory of Development Biology of Freshwater Fish Sub-Center for Health Aquaculture, Changde 415000, China
| | - Pinhong Yang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde 415000, China; (Y.Z.); (B.S.); (P.Y.); (L.L.)
- State Key Laboratory of Development Biology of Freshwater Fish Sub-Center for Health Aquaculture, Changde 415000, China
| | - Liangguo Liu
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde 415000, China; (Y.Z.); (B.S.); (P.Y.); (L.L.)
- State Key Laboratory of Development Biology of Freshwater Fish Sub-Center for Health Aquaculture, Changde 415000, China
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8
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Doostdar P, Hawley J, Chopra K, Marinopoulou E, Lea R, Arashvand K, Biga V, Papalopulu N, Soto X. Cell coupling compensates for changes in single-cell Her6 dynamics and provides phenotypic robustness. Development 2024; 151:dev202640. [PMID: 38682303 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
This paper investigates the effect of altering the protein expression dynamics of the bHLH transcription factor Her6 at the single-cell level in the embryonic zebrafish telencephalon. Using a homozygote endogenous Her6:Venus reporter and 4D single-cell tracking, we show that Her6 oscillates in neural telencephalic progenitors and that the fusion of protein destabilisation (PEST) domain alters its expression dynamics, causing most cells to downregulate Her6 prematurely. However, counterintuitively, oscillatory cells increase, with some expressing Her6 at high levels, resulting in increased heterogeneity of Her6 expression in the population. These tissue-level changes appear to be an emergent property of coupling between single-cells, as revealed by experimentally disrupting Notch signalling and by computationally modelling alterations in Her6 protein stability. Despite the profound differences in the single-cell Her6 dynamics, the size of the telencephalon is only transiently altered and differentiation markers do not exhibit significant differences early on; however, a small increase is observed at later developmental stages. Our study suggests that cell coupling provides a compensation strategy, whereby an almost normal phenotype is maintained even though single-cell gene expression dynamics are abnormal, granting phenotypic robustness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parnian Doostdar
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health,The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Joshua Hawley
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health,The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Kunal Chopra
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health,The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Elli Marinopoulou
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health,The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Robert Lea
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health,The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Kiana Arashvand
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Veronica Biga
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health,The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Nancy Papalopulu
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health,The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Ximena Soto
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
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9
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Abu Obaid A, Ivandic I, Korsching SI. Deciphering the function of the fifth class of Gα proteins: regulation of ionic homeostasis as unifying hypothesis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:213. [PMID: 38727814 PMCID: PMC11087313 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05228-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Trimeric G proteins transduce signals from a superfamily of receptors and each G protein controls a wide range of cellular and systemic functions. Their highly conserved alpha subunits fall in five classes, four of which have been well investigated (Gs, Gi, G12, Gq). In contrast, the function of the fifth class, Gv is completely unknown, despite its broad occurrence and evolutionary ancient origin (older than metazoans). Here we show a dynamic presence of Gv mRNA in several organs during early development of zebrafish, including the hatching gland, the pronephros and several cartilage anlagen, employing in situ hybridisation. Next, we generated a Gv frameshift mutation in zebrafish and observed distinct phenotypes such as reduced oviposition, premature hatching and craniofacial abnormalities in bone and cartilage of larval zebrafish. These phenotypes could suggest a disturbance in ionic homeostasis as a common denominator. Indeed, we find reduced levels of calcium, magnesium and potassium in the larvae and changes in expression levels of the sodium potassium pump atp1a1a.5 and the sodium/calcium exchanger ncx1b in larvae and in the adult kidney, a major osmoregulatory organ. Additionally, expression of sodium chloride cotransporter slc12a3 and the anion exchanger slc26a4 is altered in complementary ways in adult kidney. It appears that Gv may modulate ionic homeostasis in zebrafish during development and in adults. Our results constitute the first insight into the function of the fifth class of G alpha proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asmaa Abu Obaid
- Institute of Genetics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of the University at Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47A, 50674, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Optometry, Faculty of Modern Sciences, The Arab American University, Yousef Asfour Street, Ramallah, Palestine
| | - Ivan Ivandic
- Institute of Genetics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of the University at Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47A, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - Sigrun I Korsching
- Institute of Genetics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of the University at Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47A, 50674, Cologne, Germany.
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10
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Mori Y, Smith S, Wang J, Munjal A. Versican controlled by Lmx1b regulates hyaluronate density and hydration for semicircular canal morphogenesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.07.592968. [PMID: 38766227 PMCID: PMC11100707 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.07.592968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
During inner ear semicircular canal morphogenesis in zebrafish, patterned canal-genesis zones express genes for extracellular matrix component synthesis. These include hyaluronan and the hyaluronan-binding chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan Versican, which are abundant in the matrices of many developing organs. Charged hyaluronate polymers play a key role in canal morphogenesis through osmotic swelling. However, the developmental factor(s) that control the synthesis of the matrix components and regulation of hyaluronate density and swelling are unknown. Here, we identify the transcription factor, Lmx1b, as a positive transcriptional regulator of hyaluronan, Versican, and chondroitin synthesis genes crucial for canal morphogenesis. We show that Versican regulates hyaluronan density through its protein core, whereas the charged chondroitin side chains contribute to the osmotic swelling of hyaluronate. Versican-tuned properties of hyaluronate matrices may be a broadly used mechanism in morphogenesis with important implications for understanding diseases where these matrices are impaired, and for hydrogel engineering for tissue regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Mori
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham NC 27710
| | - Sierra Smith
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham NC 27710
| | - Jiacheng Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham NC 27710
| | - Akankshi Munjal
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham NC 27710
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11
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Kretov DA, Folkes L, Mora-Martin A, Walawalkar IA, Imrat, Syedah N, Vanuytsel K, Moxon S, Murphy GJ, Cifuentes D. The miR-144/Hmgn2 regulatory axis orchestrates chromatin organization during erythropoiesis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3821. [PMID: 38714702 PMCID: PMC11076586 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47982-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Differentiation of stem and progenitor cells is a highly regulated process that involves the coordinated action of multiple layers of regulation. Here we show how the post-transcriptional regulatory layer instructs the level of chromatin regulation via miR-144 and its targets to orchestrate chromatin condensation during erythropoiesis. The loss of miR-144 leads to impaired chromatin condensation during erythrocyte maturation. Among the several targets of miR-144 that influence chromatin organization, the miR-144-dependent regulation of Hmgn2 is conserved from fish to humans. Our genetic probing of the miR-144/Hmgn2 regulatory axis establish that intact miR-144 target sites in the Hmgn2 3'UTR are necessary for the proper maturation of erythrocytes in both zebrafish and human iPSC-derived erythroid cells while loss of Hmgn2 rescues in part the miR-144 null phenotype. Altogether, our results uncover miR-144 and its target Hmgn2 as the backbone of the genetic regulatory circuit that controls the terminal differentiation of erythrocytes in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry A Kretov
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Leighton Folkes
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Alexandra Mora-Martin
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Isha A Walawalkar
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Imrat
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Noreen Syedah
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kim Vanuytsel
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Amyloidosis Center, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Simon Moxon
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - George J Murphy
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel Cifuentes
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Virology, Immunology and Microbiology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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12
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Powell GT, Faro A, Zhao Y, Stickney H, Novellasdemunt L, Henriques P, Gestri G, White ER, Ren J, Lu W, Young RM, Hawkins TA, Cavodeassi F, Schwarz Q, Dreosti E, Raible DW, Li VSW, Wright GJ, Jones EY, Wilson SW. Cachd1 interacts with Wnt receptors and regulates neuronal asymmetry in the zebrafish brain. Science 2024; 384:573-579. [PMID: 38696577 PMCID: PMC7615972 DOI: 10.1126/science.ade6970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
Neurons on the left and right sides of the nervous system often show asymmetric properties, but how such differences arise is poorly understood. Genetic screening in zebrafish revealed that loss of function of the transmembrane protein Cachd1 resulted in right-sided habenula neurons adopting left-sided identity. Cachd1 is expressed in neuronal progenitors, functions downstream of asymmetric environmental signals, and influences timing of the normally asymmetric patterns of neurogenesis. Biochemical and structural analyses demonstrated that Cachd1 can bind simultaneously to Lrp6 and Frizzled family Wnt co-receptors. Consistent with this, lrp6 mutant zebrafish lose asymmetry in the habenulae, and epistasis experiments support a role for Cachd1 in modulating Wnt pathway activity in the brain. These studies identify Cachd1 as a conserved Wnt receptor-interacting protein that regulates lateralized neuronal identity in the zebrafish brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth T. Powell
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute; Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Ana Faro
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Yuguang Zhao
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford; Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Heather Stickney
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Departments of Otolaryngology-HNS and Biological Structure, University of Washington; Seattle, WA 98195-7420, USA
- Ambry Genetics; Aliso Viejo, CA 92656, USA
| | - Laura Novellasdemunt
- The Francis Crick Institute; London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology; 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pedro Henriques
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Gaia Gestri
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | | | - Jingshan Ren
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford; Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Weixian Lu
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford; Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Rodrigo M. Young
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London; London, EC1V 9EL, UK
- Center for Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor; Camino La Piramide 5750, 8580745, Santiago, Chile
| | - Thomas A. Hawkins
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Florencia Cavodeassi
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- St. George’s, University of London; London, SW17 0RE, UK
| | - Quenten Schwarz
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London; London, EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Elena Dreosti
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - David W. Raible
- Departments of Otolaryngology-HNS and Biological Structure, University of Washington; Seattle, WA 98195-7420, USA
| | | | - Gavin J. Wright
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute; Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
- Department of Biology, Hull York Medical School, York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York; York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - E. Yvonne Jones
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford; Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Stephen W. Wilson
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
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13
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Breuer M, Rummler M, Singh J, Maher S, Zaouter C, Jamadagni P, Pilon N, Willie BM, Patten SA. CHD7 regulates craniofacial cartilage development via controlling HTR2B expression. J Bone Miner Res 2024; 39:498-512. [PMID: 38477756 DOI: 10.1093/jbmr/zjae024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Mutations in the Chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 7 - coding gene (CHD7) cause CHARGE syndrome (CS). Although craniofacial and skeletal abnormalities are major features of CS patients, the role of CHD7 in bone and cartilage development remain largely unexplored. Here, using a zebrafish (Danio rerio) CS model, we show that chd7-/- larvae display abnormal craniofacial cartilage development and spinal deformities. The craniofacial and spine defects are accompanied by a marked reduction of bone mineralization. At the molecular level, we show that these phenotypes are associated with significant reduction in the expression levels of osteoblast differentiation markers. Additionally, we detected a marked depletion of collagen 2α1 in the cartilage of craniofacial regions and vertebrae, along with significantly reduced number of chondrocytes. Chondrogenesis defects are at least in part due to downregulation of htr2b, which we found to be also dysregulated in human cells derived from an individual with CHD7 mutation-positive CS. Overall, this study thus unveils an essential role for CHD7 in cartilage and bone development, with potential clinical relevance for the craniofacial defects associated with CS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Breuer
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS) - Centre Armand Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Maximilian Rummler
- Research Centre, Shriners Hospital for Children-Canada, Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal H4A 0A9, Canada
| | - Jaskaran Singh
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS) - Centre Armand Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Sabrina Maher
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS) - Centre Armand Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada
- Research Centre, Shriners Hospital for Children-Canada, Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal H4A 0A9, Canada
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Charlotte Zaouter
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS) - Centre Armand Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Priyanka Jamadagni
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS) - Centre Armand Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Nicolas Pilon
- Molecular Genetics of Development Laboratory, Départment des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
- Centre d'Excellence en Recherche sur les Maladies Orphelines - Fondation Courtois (CERMO-FC), Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Bettina M Willie
- Research Centre, Shriners Hospital for Children-Canada, Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal H4A 0A9, Canada
| | - Shunmoogum A Patten
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS) - Centre Armand Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
- Centre d'Excellence en Recherche sur les Maladies Orphelines - Fondation Courtois (CERMO-FC), Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
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14
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Xu Y, Guo R, Huang T, Guo C. miRNA-7145-cuedc2 axis controls hematopoiesis through JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:209. [PMID: 38697957 PMCID: PMC11066045 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-01977-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Hematopoiesis ensures tissue oxygenation, and remodeling as well as immune protection in vertebrates. During embryogenesis, hemangioblasts are the source of all blood cells. Gata1a and pu.1 are co-expressed in hemangioblasts before hemangioblasts are differentiated into blood cells. However, the genes that determine the differentiation of hemangioblasts into myeloid or erythroid cell lineages have not been fully uncovered. Here we showed that miRNA-7145, a miRNA with previously unknown function, was enriched in erythrocytes at the definitive wave, but not expressed in myeloid cells. Overexpression and loss-of-function analysis of miRNA-7145 revealed that miRNA-7145 functions as a strong inhibitor for myeloid progenitor cell differentiation while driving erythropoiesis during the primitive wave. Furthermore, we confirmed that cuedc2 is one of miRNA-7145 targeted-genes. Overexpression or knock-down of cuedc2 partially rescues the phenotype caused by miRNA-7145 overexpression or loss-of-function. As well, overexpression and loss-of-function analysis of cuedc2 showed that cuedc2 is required for myelopoiesis at the expense of erythropoiesis. Finally, we found that overexpression of zebrafish cuedc2 in 293 T cell inhibits the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway. Collectively, our results uncover a previously unknown miRNA-7145-cuedc2 axis, which regulate hematopoiesis through inhibiting the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongsheng Xu
- Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China.
| | - Rui Guo
- Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Tao Huang
- Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Chunming Guo
- Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China.
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15
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Carvajal-Agudelo JD, Eaton J, Franz-Odendaal TA. Reduced ossification caused by 3D simulated microgravity exposure is short-term in larval zebrafish. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2024; 41:127-135. [PMID: 38670639 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2024.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Understanding how skeletal tissues respond to microgravity is ever more important with the increased interest in human space travel. Here, we exposed larval Danio rerio at 3.5 dpf to simulated microgravity (SMG) using a 3D mode of rotation in a ground-based experiment and then studied different cellular, molecular, and morphological bone responses both immediately after exposure and one week later. Our results indicate an overall decrease in ossification in several developing skeletal elements immediately after SMG exposure with the exception of the otoliths, however ossification returns to normal levels seven days after exposure. Coincident with the reduction in overall ossification tnfsf11 (RANKL) expression is highly elevated after 24 h of SMG exposure and also returns to normal levels seven days after exposure. We also show that genes associated with osteoblasts are unaffected immediately after SMG exposure. Thus, the observed reduction in ossification is primarily the result of a high level of bone resorption. This study sheds insight into the nuances of how osteoblasts and osteoclasts in the skeleton of a vertebrate organism respond to an external environmental disturbance, in this case simulated microgravity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jordan Eaton
- Department of Biology, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS, B3M 2J6, Canada; Department of Biology, Saint Mary's University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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16
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Hu T, Liu L, Wang H, Yang M, Xu B, Xie H, Lin Z, Jin X, Wang P, Liu Y, Sun H, Liu S. RCAN family member 3 deficiency contributes to noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium. J Genet Genomics 2024; 51:543-553. [PMID: 38181896 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2023.12.010] [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: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium (NVM), the third most diagnosed cardiomyopathy, is characterized by prominent trabeculae and intratrabecular recesses. However, the genetic etiology of 40%-60% of NVM cases remains unknown. Here, we identify two infants with NVM, in a nonconsanguineous family, with a typical clinical presentation of persistent bradycardia since the prenatal period. A homozygous missense variant (R223L) of RCAN family member 3 (RCAN3) is detected in both infants using whole-exome sequencing. In the zebrafish model, marked cardiac dysfunction is detected in rcan3 deficiency (MO-rcan3ATG-injected) and rcan-/- embryos. Developmental dysplasia of both endocardial and myocardial layers is also detected in rcan3-deficient embryos. RCAN3 R223L variant mRNAs can not rescue heart defects caused by rcan3 knockdown or knockout; however, hRCAN3 mRNAs rescue these phenotypes. RNA-seq experiments show that several genes involved in cardiomyopathies are significantly regulated through multiple signaling pathways in the rcan3-knockdown zebrafish model. In human cardiomyocytes, RCAN3 deficiency results in reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis, together with an abnormal mitochondrial ultrastructure. Thus, we suggest that RCAN3 is a susceptibility gene for cardiomyopathies, especially NVM and that the R223L mutation is a potential loss-of-function variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Hu
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Lan Liu
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; Medical College, Tibet University, Lhasa, Tibet 850000, China
| | - He Wang
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Mei Yang
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Bocheng Xu
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Hanbing Xie
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Ziyuan Lin
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; SCU-CUHK Joint Laboratory for Reproductive Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Xiaolei Jin
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Yanyan Liu
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Huaqin Sun
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; SCU-CUHK Joint Laboratory for Reproductive Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
| | - Shanling Liu
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
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17
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Sobah ML, Liongue C, Ward AC. Stat3 Regulates Developmental Hematopoiesis and Impacts Myeloid Cell Function via Canonical and Non-Canonical Modalities. J Innate Immun 2024; 16:262-282. [PMID: 38643762 DOI: 10.1159/000538364] [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: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 is extensively involved in the development, homeostasis, and function of immune cells, with STAT3 disruption associated with human immune-related disorders. The roles ascribed to STAT3 have been assumed to be due to its canonical mode of action as an inducible transcription factor downstream of multiple cytokines, although alternative noncanonical functional modalities have also been identified. The relative involvement of each mode was further explored in relevant zebrafish models. METHODS Genome editing with CRISPR/Cas9 was used to generate mutants of the conserved zebrafish Stat3 protein: a loss of function knockout (KO) mutant and a mutant lacking C-terminal sequences including the transactivation domain (ΔTAD). Lines harboring these mutations were analyzed with respect to blood and immune cell development and function in comparison to wild-type zebrafish. RESULTS The Stat3 KO mutant showed perturbation of hematopoietic lineages throughout primitive and early definitive hematopoiesis. Neutrophil numbers did not increase in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and their migration was significantly diminished, the latter correlating with abrogation of the Cxcl8b/Cxcr2 pathway, with macrophage responses perturbed. Intriguingly, many of these phenotypes were not shared by the Stat3 ΔTAD mutant. Indeed, only neutrophil and macrophage development were disrupted in these mutants with responsiveness to LPS and G-CSF maintained, and neutrophil migration actually increased. CONCLUSION This study has identified roles for zebrafish Stat3 within hematopoietic stem cells impacting multiple lineages throughout primitive and early definitive hematopoiesis, myeloid cell responses to G-CSF and LPS and neutrophil migration. Many of these roles showed conservation, but notably several involved noncanonical modalities, providing additional insights for relevant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Clifford Liongue
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
- Institute of Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT), Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alister C Ward
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
- Institute of Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT), Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
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18
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Li NZ, Wang ZX, Zhang F, Feng CZ, Chen Y, Liu DJ, Chen SB, Jin Y, Zhang YL, Xie YY, Huang QH, Wang L, Li B, Sun XJ. Threonine dehydrogenase regulates neutrophil homeostasis but not H3K4me3 levels in zebrafish. FEBS J 2024. [PMID: 38652546 DOI: 10.1111/febs.17138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
l-threonine dehydrogenase (Tdh) is an enzyme that links threonine metabolism to epigenetic modifications and mitochondria biogenesis. In vitro studies show that it is critical for the regulation of trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3) levels and cell fate determination of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). However, whether Tdh regulates a developmental process in vivo and, if it does, whether it also primarily regulates H3K4me3 levels in this process as it does in mESCs, remains elusive. Here, we revealed that, in zebrafish hematopoiesis, tdh is preferentially expressed in neutrophils. Knockout of tdh causes a decrease in neutrophil number and slightly suppresses their acute injury-induced migration, but, unlike the mESCs, the level of H3K4me3 is not evidently reduced in neutrophils sorted from the kidney marrow of adult tdh-null zebrafish. These phenotypes are dependent on the enzymatic activity of Tdh. Importantly, a soluble supplement of nutrients that are able to fuel the acetyl-CoA pool, such as pyruvate, glucose and branched-chain amino acids, is sufficient to rescue the reduction in neutrophils caused by tdh deletion. In summary, our study presents evidence for the functional requirement of Tdh-mediated threonine metabolism in a developmental process in vivo. It also provides an animal model for investigating the nutritional regulation of myelopoiesis and immune response, as well as a useful tool for high-throughput drug/nutrition screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning-Zhe Li
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Omics and Diseases, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Zi-Xuan Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Omics and Diseases, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Omics and Diseases, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Chang-Zhou Feng
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Omics and Diseases, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yi Chen
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Omics and Diseases, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Dian-Jia Liu
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Omics and Diseases, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Shu-Bei Chen
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Omics and Diseases, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Yi Jin
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Omics and Diseases, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Yuan-Liang Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Omics and Diseases, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Yin-Yin Xie
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Omics and Diseases, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Qiu-Hua Huang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Omics and Diseases, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Lan Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Bing Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China
| | - Xiao-Jian Sun
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Omics and Diseases, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
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19
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Searle PC, Shiozawa DK, Evans RP, Hill JT, Suli A, Stark MR, Belk MC. Heterochronic shift in gene expression leads to ontogenetic morphological divergence between two closely related polyploid species. iScience 2024; 27:109566. [PMID: 38632992 PMCID: PMC11022054 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109566] [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: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Heterochrony-alteration to the rate or timing of development-is an important mechanism of trait differentiation associated with speciation. Heterochrony may explain the morphological divergence between two polyploid species, June sucker (Chasmistes liorus) and Utah sucker (Catostomus ardens). The larvae of both species have terminal mouths; however, as adults, June sucker and Utah sucker develop subterminal and ventral mouths, respectively. We document a difference in the timing of shape development and a corresponding change in the timing of gene expression, suggesting the distinctive mouth morphology in June suckers may result from paedomorphosis. Specifically, adult June suckers exhibit an intermediate mouth morphology between the larval (terminal) and ancestral (ventral) states. Endemic and sympatric Chasmistes/Catostomus pairs in two other lakes also are morphologically divergent, but genetically similar. These species pairs could have resulted from the differential expression of genes and corresponding divergence in trait development. Paedomorphosis may lead to adaptive diversification in Catostomids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter C. Searle
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | | | - R. Paul Evans
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Jonathon T. Hill
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Arminda Suli
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Michael R. Stark
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Mark C. Belk
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
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20
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Bell JM, Biesemeyer C, Turner EM, Vanderbeck MM, McGraw HF. foxg1a is required for hair cell development and regeneration in the zebrafish lateral line. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.12.589268. [PMID: 38659824 PMCID: PMC11042177 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.12.589268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Mechanosensory hair cells located in the inner ear mediate the sensations of hearing and balance. If damaged, mammalian inner ear hair cells are unable to regenerate, resulting in permanent sensory deficits. Aquatic vertebrates like zebrafish (Danio rerio) have a specialized class of mechanosensory hair cells found in the lateral line system, allowing them to sense changes in water current. Unlike mammalian inner ear hair cells, lateral line hair cells can robustly regenerate following damage. In mammalian models, the transcription factor Foxg1 functions to promote normal development of the inner ear. Foxg1a is expressed in lateral line sensory organs in zebrafish larvae, but its function during lateral line development and regeneration has not been investigated. We find that loss of Foxg1a function results in reduced hair cell development and regeneration, as well as decreased cellular proliferation in the lateral line system. These data suggest that Foxg1 may be a valuable target for investigation of clinical hair cell regeneration. Summary statement Our work demonstrates a role for Foxg1a in developing and regenerating new sensory cells through proliferation.
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21
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Healey HM, Penn HB, Small CM, Bassham S, Goyal V, Woods MA, Cresko WA. Single Cell RNA Sequencing Provides Clues for the Developmental Genetic Basis of Syngnathidae's Evolutionary Adaptations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.08.588518. [PMID: 38645265 PMCID: PMC11030337 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.08.588518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Seahorses, pipefishes, and seadragons are fishes from the family Syngnathidae that have evolved extraordinary traits including male pregnancy, elongated snouts, loss of teeth, and dermal bony armor. The developmental genetic and cellular changes that led to the evolution of these traits are largely unknown. Recent syngnathid genomes revealed suggestive gene content differences and provide the opportunity for detailed genetic analyses. We created a single cell RNA sequencing atlas of Gulf pipefish embryos to understand the developmental basis of four traits: derived head shape, toothlessness, dermal armor, and male pregnancy. We completed marker gene analyses, built genetic networks, and examined spatial expression of select genes. We identified osteochondrogenic mesenchymal cells in the elongating face that express regulatory genes bmp4, sfrp1a, and prdm16. We found no evidence for tooth primordia cells, and we observed re-deployment of osteoblast genetic networks in developing dermal armor. Finally, we found that epidermal cells expressed nutrient processing and environmental sensing genes, potentially relevant for the brooding environment. The examined pipefish evolutionary innovations are composed of recognizable cell types, suggesting derived features originate from changes within existing gene networks. Future work addressing syngnathid gene networks across multiple stages and species is essential for understanding how their novelties evolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hope M Healey
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon
| | - Hayden B Penn
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon
| | - Clayton M Small
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon
- School of Computer and Data Science, University of Oregon
| | - Susan Bassham
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon
| | - Vithika Goyal
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon
| | - Micah A Woods
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon
| | - William A Cresko
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon
- Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, University of Oregon
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22
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Kretov DA, Folkes L, Mora-Martin A, Syedah N, Walawalkar IA, Vanyustel K, Moxon S, Murphy GJ, Cifuentes D. The miR-144/Hmgn2 regulatory axis orchestrates chromatin organization during erythropoiesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.07.18.549576. [PMID: 37503141 PMCID: PMC10370056 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.18.549576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Differentiation of stem and progenitor cells is a highly regulated process that involves the coordinated action of multiple layers of regulation. Here we show how the post-transcriptional regulatory layer instructs the level of chromatin regulation via miR-144 and its targets to orchestrate chromatin condensation during erythropoiesis. The loss of miR-144 leads to impaired chromatin condensation during erythrocyte maturation. Among the several targets of miR-144 that influence chromatin organization, the miR-144-dependent regulation of Hmgn2 is conserved from fish to humans. Our genetic probing of the miR-144/Hmgn2 regulatory axis established that intact miR-144 target sites in the Hmgn2 3'UTR are necessary for the proper maturation of erythrocytes in both zebrafish and human iPSC-derived erythroid cells while loss of Hmgn2 rescues in part the miR-144 null phenotype. Altogether, our results uncover miR-144 and its target Hmgn2 as the backbone of the genetic regulatory circuit that controls the terminal differentiation of erythrocytes in vertebrates.
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23
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Chen J, Wang H, Wu S, Zhang A, Qiu Z, Huang P, Qu JY, Xu J. col1a2+ fibroblasts/muscle progenitors finetune xanthophore countershading by differentially expressing csf1a/1b in embryonic zebrafish. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj9637. [PMID: 38578990 PMCID: PMC10997200 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj9637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Animals evolve diverse pigment patterns to adapt to the natural environment. Countershading, characterized by a dark-colored dorsum and a light-colored ventrum, is one of the most prevalent pigment patterns observed in vertebrates. In this study, we reveal a mechanism regulating xanthophore countershading in zebrafish embryos. We found that csf1a and csf1b mutants altered xanthophore countershading differently: csf1a mutants lack ventral xanthophores, while csf1b mutants have reduced dorsal xanthophores. Further study revealed that csf1a is expressed throughout the trunk, whereas csf1b is expressed dorsally. Ectopic expression of csf1a or csf1b in neurons attracted xanthophores into the spinal cord. Blocking csf1 signaling by csf1ra mutants disrupts spinal cord distribution and normal xanthophores countershading. Single-cell RNA sequencing identified two col1a2+ populations: csf1ahighcsf1bhigh muscle progenitors and csf1ahighcsf1blow fibroblast progenitors. Ablation of col1a2+ fibroblast and muscle progenitors abolished xanthophore patterns. Our study suggests that fibroblast and muscle progenitors differentially express csf1a and csf1b to modulate xanthophore patterning, providing insights into the mechanism of countershading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahao Chen
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Honggao Wang
- Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Shuting Wu
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ao Zhang
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, PRC
| | - Zhongkai Qiu
- Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Peng Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Jianan Y Qu
- Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, China
| | - Jin Xu
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
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24
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Sun J, Li M, Sun H, Lin Z, Shi B, Jia Z. Genetic association and functional validation of ZFP36L2 in non-syndromic orofacial cleft subtypes. J Hum Genet 2024; 69:139-144. [PMID: 38321215 DOI: 10.1038/s10038-024-01222-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-syndromic orofacial cleft (NSOC) is one of the most common craniofacial malformations with complex etiology. This study aimed to explore the role of specific SNPs in ZFP36L2 and its functional relevance in zebrafish models. METHODS We analyzed genetic data of the Chinese Han population from two previous GWAS, comprising of 2512 cases and 2255 controls. Based on the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) and minor allele frequency (MAF), SNPs in the ZFP36L2 were selected for association analysis. In addition, zebrafish models were used to clarify the in-situ expression pattern of zfp36l2 and the impact of its Morpholino-induced knockdown. RESULTS Via association analysis, rs7933 in ZFP36L2 was significantly associated with various non-syndromic cleft lip-only subtypes, potentially conferring a protective effect. Zebrafish embryos showed elevated expression of zfp36l2 in the craniofacial region during critical stages of oral cavity formation. Furthermore, Morpholino-induced knockdown of zfp36l2 led to craniofacial abnormalities, including cleft lip, which was partially rescued by the addition of zfp36l2 mRNA. CONCLUSION Our findings highlight the significance of ZFP36L2 in the etiology of NSOC, supported by both human genetic association data and functional studies in zebrafish. These results pave the way for further exploration of targeted interventions for craniofacial malformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialin Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Dept. of cleft lip and palate, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Mujia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Dept. of cleft lip and palate, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
- Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310000, China
| | - Huaqin Sun
- SCU-CUHK Joint Laboratory for Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Ziyuan Lin
- SCU-CUHK Joint Laboratory for Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Bing Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Dept. of cleft lip and palate, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
| | - Zhonglin Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Dept. of cleft lip and palate, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
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25
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Furukawa F, Aoyagi A, Sano K, Sameshima K, Goto M, Tseng YC, Ikeda D, Lin CC, Uchida K, Okumura SI, Yasumoto K, Jimbo M, Hwang PP. Gluconeogenesis in the extraembryonic yolk syncytial layer of the zebrafish embryo. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae125. [PMID: 38585339 PMCID: PMC10997050 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Yolk-consuming (lecithotrophic) embryos of oviparous animals, such as those of fish, need to make do with the maternally derived yolk. However, in many cases, yolk possesses little carbohydrates and sugars, including glucose, the essential monosaccharide. Interestingly, increases in the glucose content were found in embryos of some teleost fishes; however, the origin of this glucose has been unknown. Unveiling new metabolic strategies in fish embryos has a potential for better aquaculture technologies. In the present study, using zebrafish, we assessed how these embryos obtain the glucose. We employed stable isotope (13C)-labeled substrates and injected them to the zebrafish embryos. Our liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based isotope tracking revealed that among all tested substrate, glutamate was most actively metabolized to produce glucose in the zebrafish embryos. Expression analysis for gluconeogenic genes found that many of these were expressed in the yolk syncytial layer (YSL), an extraembryonic tissue found in teleost fishes. Generation 0 (G0) knockout of pck2, a gene encoding the key enzyme for gluconeogenesis from Krebs cycle intermediates, reduced gluconeogenesis from glutamate, suggesting that this gene is responsible for gluconeogenesis from glutamate in the zebrafish embryos. These results showed that teleost YSL undergoes gluconeogenesis, likely contributing to the glucose supplementation to the embryos with limited glucose source. Since many other animal lineages lack YSL, further comparative analysis will be interesting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumiya Furukawa
- School of Marine Biosciences, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitazato, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0373, Japan
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, No. 128, Sec. 2, Nankang, Taipei 11529, Taiwan ROC
| | - Akihiro Aoyagi
- School of Marine Biosciences, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitazato, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0373, Japan
| | - Kaori Sano
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Josai University, 1-1 Keyakidai, Sakado, Saitama 350-0295, Japan
| | - Keita Sameshima
- School of Marine Biosciences, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitazato, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0373, Japan
| | - Miku Goto
- School of Marine Biosciences, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitazato, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0373, Japan
| | - Yung-Che Tseng
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, No. 128, Sec. 2, Nankang, Taipei 11529, Taiwan ROC
| | - Daisuke Ikeda
- School of Marine Biosciences, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitazato, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0373, Japan
| | - Ching-Chun Lin
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, No. 128, Sec. 2, Nankang, Taipei 11529, Taiwan ROC
| | - Katsuhisa Uchida
- Department of Marine Biology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuen Kibanadai-Nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Sei-ichi Okumura
- School of Marine Biosciences, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitazato, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0373, Japan
| | - Ko Yasumoto
- School of Marine Biosciences, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitazato, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0373, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Jimbo
- School of Marine Biosciences, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitazato, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0373, Japan
| | - Pung-Pung Hwang
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, No. 128, Sec. 2, Nankang, Taipei 11529, Taiwan ROC
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26
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Zhou Y, Chen L, Hao S, Cao X, Ni S. Zebrafish ANGPT4, member of fibrinogen-related proteins, is an LTA-, LPS- and PGN-binding protein with a bacteriolytic activity. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2024; 147:109451. [PMID: 38360193 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2024.109451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Fibrinogen-related proteins (FREPs) are a family of glycoproteins that contain a fibrinogen-like (FBG) domain. Many members of FREPs have been shown to play an important role in innate immune response in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Here we reported the immune functional characterization of ANGPT4, member of FREPs, in zebrafish Danio rerio. Quantitative real time PCR showed that the expression of zebrafish ANGPT4 gene is up-regulated by the challenge with lipoteichoic acid (LTA) or lipopolysaccharides (LPS), hinting its involvement in innate immune response. The recombinant ANGPT4 (rANGPT4) could bind to both gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis and the gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Aeromonas hydrophila as well as the pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) on the bacterial surfaces including LTA, LPS and peptidoglycan (PGN), suggesting it capable of identifying pathogens via LTA, LPS and PGN. In addition, rANGPT4 also displayed strong bacteriolytic activities against both gram-positive and -negative bacteria tested via inducing membrane depolarization and intracellular ROS production. Moreover, the bacterial clearance assay in vivo showed that the rANGPT4 could also accelerate the clearance of bacteria in zebrafish embryos/larvae. Finally, we showed that the eukaryotically expressed recombinant ANGPT4 maintained antibacterial activity and binding activity to bacteria and LTA, LPS and PGN. All these suggested that ANGPT4 could not only capable of recognizing pathogens via LTA, LPS and PGN, but also capable of killing the Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, in innate immune response. This work also provides further information to understand the biological roles of FREPs and the innate immunity in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhou
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, 261053, Shandong Province, China
| | - Lu Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, 261053, Shandong Province, China
| | - Songtao Hao
- School of Bioscience and Technology, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, 261053, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xianke Cao
- School of Bioscience and Technology, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, 261053, Shandong Province, China
| | - Shousheng Ni
- School of Bioscience and Technology, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, 261053, Shandong Province, China.
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Ugolini M, Kerlin MA, Kuznetsova K, Oda H, Kimura H, Vastenhouw NL. Transcription bodies regulate gene expression by sequestering CDK9. Nat Cell Biol 2024; 26:604-612. [PMID: 38589534 PMCID: PMC11021188 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-024-01389-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
The localization of transcriptional activity in specialized transcription bodies is a hallmark of gene expression in eukaryotic cells. It remains unclear, however, if and how transcription bodies affect gene expression. Here we disrupted the formation of two prominent endogenous transcription bodies that mark the onset of zygotic transcription in zebrafish embryos and analysed the effect on gene expression using enriched SLAM-seq and live-cell imaging. We find that the disruption of transcription bodies results in the misregulation of hundreds of genes. Here we focus on genes that are upregulated. These genes have accessible chromatin and are poised to be transcribed in the presence of the two transcription bodies, but they do not go into elongation. Live-cell imaging shows that disruption of the two large transcription bodies enables these poised genes to be transcribed in ectopic transcription bodies, suggesting that the large transcription bodies sequester a pause release factor. Supporting this hypothesis, we find that CDK9-the kinase that releases paused polymerase II-is highly enriched in the two large transcription bodies. Overexpression of CDK9 in wild-type embryos results in the formation of ectopic transcription bodies and thus phenocopies the removal of the two large transcription bodies. Taken together, our results show that transcription bodies regulate transcription by sequestering machinery, thereby preventing genes elsewhere in the nucleus from being transcribed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martino Ugolini
- Center for Integrative Genomics (CIG), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Dresden, Germany
| | - Maciej A Kerlin
- Center for Integrative Genomics (CIG), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ksenia Kuznetsova
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Dresden, Germany
| | - Haruka Oda
- Cell Biology Center, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Hiroshi Kimura
- Cell Biology Center, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Nadine L Vastenhouw
- Center for Integrative Genomics (CIG), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Dresden, Germany.
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28
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Schevenels G, Cabochette P, America M, Vandenborne A, De Grande L, Guenther S, He L, Dieu M, Christou B, Vermeersch M, Germano RFV, Perez-Morga D, Renard P, Martin M, Vanlandewijck M, Betsholtz C, Vanhollebeke B. A brain-specific angiogenic mechanism enabled by tip cell specialization. Nature 2024; 628:863-871. [PMID: 38570687 PMCID: PMC11041701 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07283-6] [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: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Vertebrate organs require locally adapted blood vessels1,2. The gain of such organotypic vessel specializations is often deemed to be molecularly unrelated to the process of organ vascularization. Here, opposing this model, we reveal a molecular mechanism for brain-specific angiogenesis that operates under the control of Wnt7a/b ligands-well-known blood-brain barrier maturation signals3-5. The control mechanism relies on Wnt7a/b-dependent expression of Mmp25, which we find is enriched in brain endothelial cells. CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis in zebrafish reveals that this poorly characterized glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored matrix metalloproteinase is selectively required in endothelial tip cells to enable their initial migration across the pial basement membrane lining the brain surface. Mechanistically, Mmp25 confers brain invasive competence by cleaving meningeal fibroblast-derived collagen IV α5/6 chains within a short non-collagenous region of the central helical part of the heterotrimer. After genetic interference with the pial basement membrane composition, the Wnt-β-catenin-dependent organotypic control of brain angiogenesis is lost, resulting in properly patterned, yet blood-brain-barrier-defective cerebrovasculatures. We reveal an organ-specific angiogenesis mechanism, shed light on tip cell mechanistic angiodiversity and thereby illustrate how organs, by imposing local constraints on angiogenic tip cells, can select vessels matching their distinctive physiological requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giel Schevenels
- Laboratory of Neurovascular Signaling, Department of Molecular Biology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Pauline Cabochette
- Laboratory of Neurovascular Signaling, Department of Molecular Biology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Michelle America
- Laboratory of Neurovascular Signaling, Department of Molecular Biology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Arnaud Vandenborne
- Laboratory of Neurovascular Signaling, Department of Molecular Biology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Line De Grande
- Laboratory of Neurovascular Signaling, Department of Molecular Biology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Stefan Guenther
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, ECCPS Bioinformatics and Deep Sequencing Platform, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Liqun He
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Marc Dieu
- Mass Spectrometry Facility (MaSUN), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Basile Christou
- Laboratory of Neurovascular Signaling, Department of Molecular Biology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Marjorie Vermeersch
- Center for Microscopy and Molecular Imaging (CMMI), Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Raoul F V Germano
- Laboratory of Neurovascular Signaling, Department of Molecular Biology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium
| | - David Perez-Morga
- Laboratory of Neurovascular Signaling, Department of Molecular Biology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium
- Center for Microscopy and Molecular Imaging (CMMI), Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Patricia Renard
- Mass Spectrometry Facility (MaSUN), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Maud Martin
- Laboratory of Neurovascular Signaling, Department of Molecular Biology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Michael Vanlandewijck
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Medicine (Huddinge), Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Christer Betsholtz
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Medicine (Huddinge), Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Benoit Vanhollebeke
- Laboratory of Neurovascular Signaling, Department of Molecular Biology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium.
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29
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Nemoz-Billet L, Balland M, Gilquin L, Gillet B, Stévant I, Guillon E, Hughes S, Carpentier G, Vaganay E, Sohm F, Misiak V, Gonzalez-Melo MJ, Koch M, Ghavi-Helm Y, Bretaud S, Ruggiero F. Dual topologies of myotomal collagen XV and Tenascin C act in concert to guide and shape developing motor axons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2314588121. [PMID: 38502691 PMCID: PMC10990108 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314588121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
During development, motor axons are guided toward muscle target by various extrinsic cues including extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins whose identities and cellular source remain poorly characterized. Here, using single-cell RNAseq of sorted GFP+ cells from smyhc1:gfp-injected zebrafish embryos, we unravel the slow muscle progenitors (SMP) pseudotemporal trajectory at the single-cell level and show that differentiating SMPs are a major source of ECM proteins. The SMP core-matrisome was characterized and computationally predicted to form a basement membrane-like structure tailored for motor axon guidance, including basement membrane-associated ECM proteins, as collagen XV-B, one of the earliest core-matrisome gene transcribed in differentiating SMPs and the glycoprotein Tenascin C. To investigate how contact-mediated guidance cues are organized along the motor path to exert their function in vivo, we used microscopy-based methods to analyze and quantify motor axon navigation in tnc and col15a1b knock-out fish. We show that motor axon shape and growth rely on the timely expression of the attractive cue Collagen XV-B that locally provides axons with a permissive soft microenvironment and separately organizes the repulsive cue Tenascin C into a unique functional dual topology. Importantly, bioprinted micropatterns that mimic this in vivo ECM topology were sufficient to drive directional motor axon growth. Our study offers evidence that not only the composition of ECM cues but their topology critically influences motor axon navigation in vertebrates with potential applications in regenerative medicine for peripheral nerve injury as regenerating nerves follow their original path.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie Nemoz-Billet
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Martial Balland
- LIPphy: Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Physics, Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, GrenobleF-38000, France
| | - Laurent Gilquin
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Benjamin Gillet
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Isabelle Stévant
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Emilie Guillon
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Sandrine Hughes
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Gilles Carpentier
- Gly-CRRET: Glycobiology, Cell Growth and Tissue Repair Research Unit, Laboratoire Gly-CRRET Faculté des Sciences et Technologie, Université Paris Est-Créteil-Val de Marne, Créteil Cedex94010, France
| | - Elisabeth Vaganay
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Frédéric Sohm
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Vladimir Misiak
- LIPphy: Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Physics, Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, GrenobleF-38000, France
| | - Mary-Julieth Gonzalez-Melo
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Manuel Koch
- Institute for Experimental Dental Research and Oral Musculoskeletal Biology, Center for Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne50931, Germany
| | - Yad Ghavi-Helm
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Sandrine Bretaud
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Florence Ruggiero
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
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30
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Chang NC, Wells JN, Wang AY, Schofield P, Huang YC, Truong VH, Simoes-Costa M, Feschotte C. Gag proteins encoded by endogenous retroviruses are required for zebrafish development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.25.586437. [PMID: 38585793 PMCID: PMC10996621 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.25.586437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) make up the bulk of eukaryotic genomes and examples abound of TE-derived sequences repurposed for organismal function. The process by which TEs become coopted remains obscure because most cases involve ancient, transpositionally inactive elements. Reports of active TEs serving beneficial functions are scarce and often contentious due to difficulties in manipulating repetitive sequences. Here we show that recently active TEs in zebrafish encode products critical for embryonic development. Knockdown and rescue experiments demonstrate that the endogenous retrovirus family BHIKHARI-1 (Bik-1) encodes a Gag protein essential for mesoderm development. Mechanistically, Bik-1 Gag associates with the cell membrane and its ectopic expression in chicken embryos alters cell migration. Similarly, depletion of BHIKHARI-2 Gag, a relative of Bik-1, causes defects in neural crest development in zebrafish. We propose an "addiction" model to explain how active TEs can be integrated into conserved developmental processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ni-Chen Chang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Jonathan N Wells
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Andrew Y Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Phillip Schofield
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Yi-Chia Huang
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Vinh H Truong
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Marcos Simoes-Costa
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Cédric Feschotte
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
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31
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Habicher J, Sanvido I, Bühler A, Sartori S, Piccoli G, Carl M. The Risk Genes for Neuropsychiatric Disorders negr1 and opcml Are Expressed throughout Zebrafish Brain Development. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:363. [PMID: 38540422 PMCID: PMC10969947 DOI: 10.3390/genes15030363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The immunoglobulin LAMP/OBCAM/NTM (IgLON) family of cell adhesion molecules comprises five members known for their involvement in establishing neural circuit connectivity, fine-tuning, and maintenance. Mutations in IgLON genes result in alterations in these processes and can lead to neuropsychiatric disorders. The two IgLON family members NEGR1 and OPCML share common links with several of them, such as schizophrenia, autism, and major depressive disorder. However, the onset and the underlying molecular mechanisms have remained largely unresolved, hampering progress in developing therapies. NEGR1 and OPCML are evolutionarily conserved in teleosts like the zebrafish (Danio rerio), which is excellently suited for disease modelling and large-scale screening for disease-ameliorating compounds. To explore the potential applicability of zebrafish for extending our knowledge on NEGR1- and OPCML-linked disorders and to develop new therapeutic strategies, we investigated the spatio-temporal expression of the two genes during early stages of development. negr1 and opcml are expressed maternally and subsequently in partially distinct domains of conserved brain regions. Other areas of expression in zebrafish have not been reported in mammals to date. Our results indicate that NEGR1 and OPCML may play roles in neural circuit development and function at stages earlier than previously anticipated. A detailed functional analysis of the two genes based on our findings could contribute to understanding the mechanistic basis of related psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Habicher
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (J.H.); (I.S.); (A.B.); (S.S.); (G.P.)
| | - Ilaria Sanvido
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (J.H.); (I.S.); (A.B.); (S.S.); (G.P.)
| | - Anja Bühler
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (J.H.); (I.S.); (A.B.); (S.S.); (G.P.)
- Molecular Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Samuele Sartori
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (J.H.); (I.S.); (A.B.); (S.S.); (G.P.)
| | - Giovanni Piccoli
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (J.H.); (I.S.); (A.B.); (S.S.); (G.P.)
| | - Matthias Carl
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (J.H.); (I.S.); (A.B.); (S.S.); (G.P.)
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32
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Zhang R, Ma Z, Wang J, Fan C. HIF signaling overactivation inhibits lateral line neuromast development through Wnt in zebrafish. Gene 2024; 898:148077. [PMID: 38097093 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.148077] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
The lateral line is critical for prey detection, predator avoidance, schooling, and rheotaxis behavior in fish. As similar to hair cells in the mammalian inner ear, the lateral line sensory organ called neuromasts is a popular model for hair cell regeneration. However, the mechanism of lateral line development has not been fully understood. In this study, we showed for the first time that hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) signaling is involved in lateral line development in zebrafish. hif1ab and epas1b were highly expressed in neuromasts during lateral line development. Hypoxia response induced by a prolyl hydroxylase domain-containing proteins (PHD) inhibitor treatment or vhl gene knockout significantly reduced hair cells and support cells in neuromast during lateral line development. In addition, inhibition of Hif-1α or Epas1 could partially rescue hair cells in the larvae with increased HIF activity, respectively. Moreover, the support cell proliferation and the expression of Wnt target genes decreased in vhl mutants which suggests that Wnt signaling mediated the role of HIF signaling in lateral line development. Collectively, our results demonstrate that HIF signaling overactivation inhibits lateral line development in zebrafish and suggest that inhibition of HIF signaling might be a potential therapeutic method for hair cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ziyue Ma
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Chunxin Fan
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Marine Biomedical Science and Technology Innovation Platform of Lingang New Area, Shanghai, China.
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33
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Bustad E, Mudrock E, Nilles EM, Mcquate A, Bergado M, Gu A, Galitan L, Gleason N, Ou HC, Raible DW, Hernandez RE, Ma S. In vivo screening for toxicity-modulating drug interactions identifies antagonism that protects against ototoxicity in zebrafish. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1363545. [PMID: 38515847 PMCID: PMC10955247 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1363545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Ototoxicity is a debilitating side effect of over 150 medications with diverse mechanisms of action, many of which could be taken concurrently to treat multiple conditions. Approaches for preclinical evaluation of drug-drug interactions that might impact ototoxicity would facilitate design of safer multi-drug regimens and mitigate unsafe polypharmacy by flagging combinations that potentially cause adverse interactions for monitoring. They may also identify protective agents that antagonize ototoxic injury. Methods: To address this need, we have developed a novel workflow that we call Parallelized Evaluation of Protection and Injury for Toxicity Assessment (PEPITA), which empowers high-throughput, semi-automated quantification of ototoxicity and otoprotection in zebrafish larvae via microscopy. We used PEPITA and confocal microscopy to characterize in vivo the consequences of drug-drug interactions on ototoxic drug uptake and cellular damage of zebrafish lateral line hair cells. Results and discussion: By applying PEPITA to measure ototoxic drug interaction outcomes, we discovered antagonistic interactions between macrolide and aminoglycoside antibiotics that confer protection against aminoglycoside-induced damage to lateral line hair cells in zebrafish larvae. Co-administration of either azithromycin or erythromycin in zebrafish protected against damage from a broad panel of aminoglycosides, at least in part via inhibiting drug uptake into hair cells via a mechanism independent from hair cell mechanotransduction. Conversely, combining macrolides with aminoglycosides in bacterial inhibition assays does not show antagonism of antimicrobial efficacy. The proof-of-concept otoprotective antagonism suggests that combinatorial interventions can potentially be developed to protect against other forms of toxicity without hindering on-target drug efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan Bustad
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Emma Mudrock
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Elizabeth M. Nilles
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Andrea Mcquate
- Department of Otolaryngology-HNS, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Monica Bergado
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Alden Gu
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Louie Galitan
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Natalie Gleason
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Henry C. Ou
- Department of Otolaryngology-HNS, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - David W. Raible
- Department of Otolaryngology-HNS, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- VM Bloedel Hearing Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Rafael E. Hernandez
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Shuyi Ma
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Pathobiology Graduate Program, Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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34
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Ling Y, Wu J, Liu Y, Meng P, Sun Y, Zhao D, Lin Q. Establishment of a Diamond-Blackfan anemia like model in zebrafish. Dev Dyn 2024. [PMID: 38450920 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anemia is defined as a lack of erythrocytes, low hemoglobin levels, or abnormal erythrocyte morphology. Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) is a rare and severe congenital hypoplastic anemia that occurs due to the dominant inheritance of a ribosomal protein gene mutation. Even rarer is a case described as Diamond-Blackfan anemia like (DBAL), which occurs due to a loss-of-function EPO mutation recessive inheritance. The effective cures for DBAL are bone marrow transfusion and treatment with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs). To effectively manage the condition, construction of DBAL models to identify new medical methods or screen drugs are necessary. RESULTS Here, an epoa-deficient mutant zebrafish called epoaszy8 was generated to model DBAL. The epoa-deficiency in zebrafish caused developmental defects in erythroid cells, leading to severe congenital anemia. Using the DBAL model, we validated a loss-of-function EPO mutation using an in vivo functional analysis and explored the ability of ESAs to alleviate congenital anemia. CONCLUSIONS Together, our study demonstrated that epoa deficiency in zebrafish leads to a phenotype resembling DBAL. The DBAL zebrafish model was found to be beneficial for the in vivo assessment of patient-derived EPO variants with unclear implications and for devising potential therapeutic approaches for DBAL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Ling
- The Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaye Wu
- The Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yushi Liu
- The Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Panpan Meng
- The Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying Sun
- The Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dejian Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qing Lin
- The Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
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Koparir A, Lekszas C, Keseroglu K, Rose T, Rappl L, Rad A, Maroofian R, Narendran N, Hasanzadeh A, Karimiani EG, Boschann F, Kornak U, Klopocki E, Özbudak EM, Vona B, Haaf T, Liedtke D. Zebrafish as a model to investigate a biallelic gain-of-function variant in MSGN1, associated with a novel skeletal dysplasia syndrome. Hum Genomics 2024; 18:23. [PMID: 38448978 PMCID: PMC10916241 DOI: 10.1186/s40246-024-00593-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Rare genetic disorders causing specific congenital developmental abnormalities often manifest in single families. Investigation of disease-causing molecular features are most times lacking, although these investigations may open novel therapeutic options for patients. In this study, we aimed to identify the genetic cause in an Iranian patient with severe skeletal dysplasia and to model its molecular function in zebrafish embryos. RESULTS The proband displays short stature and multiple skeletal abnormalities, including mesomelic dysplasia of the arms with complete humero-radio-ulna synostosis, arched clavicles, pelvic dysplasia, short and thin fibulae, proportionally short vertebrae, hyperlordosis and mild kyphosis. Exome sequencing of the patient revealed a novel homozygous c.374G > T, p.(Arg125Leu) missense variant in MSGN1 (NM_001105569). MSGN1, a basic-Helix-Loop-Helix transcription factor, plays a crucial role in formation of presomitic mesoderm progenitor cells/mesodermal stem cells during early developmental processes in vertebrates. Initial in vitro experiments show protein stability and correct intracellular localization of the novel variant in the nucleus and imply retained transcription factor function. To test the pathogenicity of the detected variant, we overexpressed wild-type and mutant msgn1 mRNA in zebrafish embryos and analyzed tbxta (T/brachyury/ntl). Overexpression of wild-type or mutant msgn1 mRNA significantly reduces tbxta expression in the tailbud compared to control embryos. Mutant msgn1 mRNA injected embryos depict a more severe effect, implying a gain-of-function mechanism. In vivo analysis on embryonic development was performed by clonal msgn1 overexpression in zebrafish embryos further demonstrated altered cell compartments in the presomitic mesoderm, notochord and pectoral fin buds. Detection of ectopic tbx6 and bmp2 expression in these embryos hint to affected downstream signals due to Msgn1 gain-of-function. CONCLUSION In contrast to loss-of-function effects described in animal knockdown models, gain-of-function of MSGN1 explains the only mildly affected axial skeleton of the proband and rather normal vertebrae. In this context we observed notochord bending and potentially disruption of pectoral fin buds/upper extremity after overexpression of msgn1 in zebrafish embryos. The latter might result from Msgn1 function on mesenchymal stem cells or on chondrogenesis in these regions. In addition, we detected ectopic tbx6 and bmp2a expression after gain of Msgn1 function in zebrafish, which are interconnected to short stature, congenital scoliosis, limb shortening and prominent skeletal malformations in patients. Our findings highlight a rare, so far undescribed skeletal dysplasia syndrome associated with a gain-of-function mutation in MSGN1 and hint to its molecular downstream effectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asuman Koparir
- Institute of Human Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Biozentrum, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Caroline Lekszas
- Institute of Human Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Biozentrum, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Kemal Keseroglu
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Thalia Rose
- Institute of Human Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Biozentrum, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lena Rappl
- Institute of Human Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Biozentrum, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Aboulfazl Rad
- Cellular and Molecular Research Centre, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran
| | - Reza Maroofian
- Department of Neuromuscular Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Nakul Narendran
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Atefeh Hasanzadeh
- Cellular and Molecular Research Centre, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, 009851, Iran
| | | | - Felix Boschann
- Institute for Medical Genetics and Human Genetics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Uwe Kornak
- Institute for Medical Genetics and Human Genetics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eva Klopocki
- Institute of Human Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Biozentrum, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ertuğrul M Özbudak
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Barbara Vona
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Haaf
- Institute of Human Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Biozentrum, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Liedtke
- Institute of Human Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Biozentrum, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany.
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36
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Dennhag N, Kahsay A, Nissen I, Nord H, Chermenina M, Liu J, Arner A, Liu JX, Backman LJ, Remeseiro S, von Hofsten J, Pedrosa Domellöf F. fhl2b mediates extraocular muscle protection in zebrafish models of muscular dystrophies and its ectopic expression ameliorates affected body muscles. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1950. [PMID: 38431640 PMCID: PMC10908798 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46187-x] [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: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
In muscular dystrophies, muscle fibers loose integrity and die, causing significant suffering and premature death. Strikingly, the extraocular muscles (EOMs) are spared, functioning well despite the disease progression. Although EOMs have been shown to differ from body musculature, the mechanisms underlying this inherent resistance to muscle dystrophies remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate important differences in gene expression as a response to muscle dystrophies between the EOMs and trunk muscles in zebrafish via transcriptomic profiling. We show that the LIM-protein Fhl2 is increased in response to the knockout of desmin, plectin and obscurin, cytoskeletal proteins whose knockout causes different muscle dystrophies, and contributes to disease protection of the EOMs. Moreover, we show that ectopic expression of fhl2b can partially rescue the muscle phenotype in the zebrafish Duchenne muscular dystrophy model sapje, significantly improving their survival. Therefore, Fhl2 is a protective agent and a candidate target gene for therapy of muscular dystrophies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Dennhag
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Ophthalmology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Abraha Kahsay
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Ophthalmology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Itzel Nissen
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology; Section of Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine (WCMM), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Hanna Nord
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Maria Chermenina
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Ophthalmology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jiao Liu
- Div. Thoracic Surgery, Dept. Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
| | - Anders Arner
- Div. Thoracic Surgery, Dept. Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jing-Xia Liu
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ludvig J Backman
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Silvia Remeseiro
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology; Section of Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine (WCMM), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jonas von Hofsten
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Fatima Pedrosa Domellöf
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Ophthalmology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
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Wang J, Meng X, Chen X, Xiao J, Yu X, Wu L, Li Z, Chen K, Zhang X, Xiong B, Feng J. Cinchophen induces RPA1 related DNA damage and apoptosis to impair ENS development of zebrafish. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 272:116032. [PMID: 38306819 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have become contaminants widely distributed in the environment due to improper disposal and discharge. Previous study has found several components might involve in impairing enteric nervous system (ENS) development of zebrafish, including NSAIDs cinchophen. Deficient ENS development in fetal could lead to Hirschsprung disease (HSCR), a congenital neurocristopathy characterized by absence of enteric neurons in hindgut. However, the intrinsic mechanism of neurotoxicity of cinchophen is unclear. We confirmed that cinchophen could impair ENS development of zebrafish and transcriptome sequencing revealed that disfunction of Replication protein A1 (RPA1), which is involved in DNA replication and repairment, might be relevant to the neurotoxicity effects induced by cinchophen. Based on previous data of single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of zebrafish gut cells, we observed that rpa1 mainly expressed in proliferating, differentiating ENS cells and neural crest progenitors. Interestingly, cinchophen induced apoptosis and impaired proliferation. Furthermore, cinchophen caused DNA damage and abnormal activation of ataxia telangiectasia mutated/ Rad3 related (ATM/ATR) and checkpoint kinase 2 (CHK2). Finally, molecular docking indicated cinchophen could bind and antagonize RPA1 more effectively. Our study might provide a better understanding and draw more attention to the role of environmental factors in the pathogenesis of HSCR. And the mechanism of cinchophen neurotoxicity would give theoretical guidance for clinical pharmacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xinyao Meng
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xuyong Chen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Jun Xiao
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xiaosi Yu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Luyao Wu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Zejian Li
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Ke Chen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Pingshan District Maternal & Child Healthcare Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Bo Xiong
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
| | - Jiexiong Feng
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
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38
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Jia Y, Jiang Q, Sun S. Embryonic expression patterns of TBL1 family in zebrafish. Gene Expr Patterns 2024; 51:119355. [PMID: 38272246 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2024.119355] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Except the addition of TBL1Y in human, transducing beta like 1 (TBL1) family mainly consists of two members TBL1X and TBL1XR1, taking part in multiple intracellular signaling pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin and NF-κB in cancer progression. However, the gene expression patterns of this family during embryonic development remain largely unknown. Here we took advantage of zebrafish model to characterize the spatial and temporal expression patterns of TBL1 family genes including tbl1x, tbl1xr1a and tbl1xr1b. The in situ hybridization studies of gene expression showed robust expressions of tbl1x and tbl1xr1b as maternal transcripts except tbl1xr1a. As the embryo develops, zygotic expressions of all TBL1 family members occur and have a redundant and broad pattern including in brain, neural retina, pharyngeal arches, otic vesicles, and pectoral fins. Ubiquitous expression of all family members were ranked from the strongest to the weakest: tbl1xr1a, tbl1x, and tbl1xr1b. In addition, one tbl1xr1a transcript tbl1xr1a202 showed unique and rich expression in the developing heart and lateral line neuromasts. Overall, all members of zebrafish TBL1 family shared numerous similarities and exhibited certain distinctions in the expression patterns, indicating that they might have redundant and exclusive functions to be further explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanqi Jia
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai, 201102, PR China
| | - Qiu Jiang
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, PR China.
| | - Shuna Sun
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai, 201102, PR China.
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39
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Kim JW, Fedorov EA, Zon LI. G-CSF-induced hematopoietic stem cell mobilization from the embryonic hematopoietic niche does not require neutrophils and macrophages. Exp Hematol 2024; 131:104147. [PMID: 38160994 PMCID: PMC10939783 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2023.104147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation requires the collection of hematopoietic cells from patients or stem cell donors. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is widely used in the clinic to mobilize hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) from the adult bone marrow niche into circulation, allowing a collection of HSPCs from the blood. The mechanism by which G-CSF acts to mobilize HSPCs is unclear, with some studies showing a direct stimulation of stem cells and others suggesting that myeloid cells are required. In this study, we developed a heat-inducible G-CSF transgenic zebrafish line to study HSPC mobilization in vivo. Live imaging of HSPCs after G-CSF induction revealed an increase in circulating HSPCs, demonstrating a successful HSPC mobilization. These mobilized HSPCs went on to prematurely colonize the kidney marrow, the adult zebrafish hematopoietic niche. We eliminated neutrophils or macrophages using a nitroreductase-based cell ablation system and found that G-CSF still mobilizes HSPCs from the niche. Our findings indicate that neutrophils and macrophages are not required for G-CSF-induced HSPC mobilization from the embryonic hematopoietic niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Wook Kim
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Evan A Fedorov
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Leonard I Zon
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
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40
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Lv Y, Li J, Yu S, Zhang Y, Hu H, Sun K, Jia D, Han Y, Tu J, Huang Y, Liu X, Zhang X, Gao P, Chen X, Shaw Williams MT, Tang Z, Shu X, Liu M, Ren X. The splicing factor Prpf31 is required for hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell expansion during zebrafish embryogenesis. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105772. [PMID: 38382674 PMCID: PMC10959673 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105772] [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: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Pre-mRNA splicing is a precise regulated process and is crucial for system development and homeostasis maintenance. Mutations in spliceosomal components have been found in various hematopoietic malignancies (HMs) and have been considered as oncogenic derivers of HMs. However, the role of spliceosomal components in normal and malignant hematopoiesis remains largely unknown. Pre-mRNA processing factor 31 (PRPF31) is a constitutive spliceosomal component, which mutations are associated with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. PRPF31 was found to be mutated in several HMs, but the function of PRPF31 in normal hematopoiesis has not been explored. In our previous study, we generated a prpf31 knockout (KO) zebrafish line and reported that Prpf31 regulates the survival and differentiation of retinal progenitor cells by modulating the alternative splicing of genes involved in mitosis and DNA repair. In this study, by using the prpf31 KO zebrafish line, we discovered that prpf31 KO zebrafish exhibited severe defects in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) expansion and its sequentially differentiated lineages. Immunofluorescence results showed that Prpf31-deficient HSPCs underwent malformed mitosis and M phase arrest during HSPC expansion. Transcriptome analysis and experimental validations revealed that Prpf31 deficiency extensively perturbed the alternative splicing of mitosis-related genes. Collectively, our findings elucidate a previously undescribed role for Prpf31 in HSPC expansion, through regulating the alternative splicing of mitosis-related genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuexia Lv
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Department of Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jingzhen Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Research Center for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Brain Disease Bioinformation, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Shanshan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yangjun Zhang
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hualei Hu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kui Sun
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Danna Jia
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yunqiao Han
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiayi Tu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuwen Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiliang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xianghan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Pan Gao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Mark Thomas Shaw Williams
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Zhaohui Tang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xinhua Shu
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Mugen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Xiang Ren
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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41
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Uchida Y, Tsutsumi M, Ichii S, Irie N, Furusawa C. Deciphering the origin of developmental stability: The role of intracellular expression variability in evolutionary conservation. Evol Dev 2024; 26:e12473. [PMID: 38414112 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Progress in evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) has deepened our understanding of how intrinsic properties of embryogenesis, along with natural selection and population genetics, shape phenotypic diversity. A focal point of recent empirical and theoretical research is the idea that highly developmentally stable phenotypes are more conserved in evolution. Previously, we demonstrated that in Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes), embryonic stages and genes with high stability, estimated through whole-embryo RNA-seq, are highly conserved in subsequent generations. However, the precise origin of the stability of gene expression levels evaluated at the whole-embryo level remained unclear. Such stability could be attributed to two distinct sources: stable intracellular expression levels or spatially stable expression patterns. Here we demonstrate that stability observed in whole-embryo RNA-seq can be attributed to stability at the cellular level (low variability in gene expression at the cellular levels). We quantified the intercellular variations in expression levels and spatial gene expression patterns for seven key genes involved in patterning dorsoventral and rostrocaudal regions during early development in medaka. We evaluated intracellular variability by counting transcripts and found its significant correlation with variation observed in whole-embryo RNA-seq data. Conversely, variation in spatial gene expression patterns, assessed through intraindividual left-right asymmetry, showed no correlation. Given the previously reported correlation between stability and conservation of expression levels throughout embryogenesis, our findings suggest a potential general trend: the stability or instability of developmental systems-and the consequent evolutionary diversity-may be primarily anchored in intrinsic fundamental elements such as the variability of intracellular states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yui Uchida
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masato Tsutsumi
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Ichii
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoki Irie
- Research Center for Integrative Evolutionary Science, SOKENDAI, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Chikara Furusawa
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Universal Biology Institute, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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42
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Ligunas GD, Paniagua G, LaBelle J, Ramos-Martinez A, Shen K, Gerlt EH, Aguilar K, Nguyen A, Materna SC, Woo S. Tissue-specific and endogenous protein labeling with split fluorescent proteins. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.28.581822. [PMID: 38464062 PMCID: PMC10925240 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.28.581822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
The ability to label proteins by fusion with genetically encoded fluorescent proteins is a powerful tool for understanding dynamic biological processes. However, current approaches for expressing fluorescent protein fusions possess drawbacks, especially at the whole organism level. Expression by transgenesis risks potential overexpression artifacts while fluorescent protein insertion at endogenous loci is technically difficult and, more importantly, does not allow for tissue-specific study of broadly expressed proteins. To overcome these limitations, we have adopted the split fluorescent protein system mNeonGreen2 1-10/11 (split-mNG2) to achieve tissue-specific and endogenous protein labeling in zebrafish. In our approach, mNG2 1-10 is expressed under a tissue-specific promoter using standard transgenesis while mNG2 11 is inserted into protein-coding genes of interest using CRISPR/Cas-directed gene editing. Each mNG2 fragment on its own is not fluorescent, but when co-expressed the fragments self-assemble into a fluorescent complex. Here, we report successful use of split-mNG2 to achieve differential labeling of the cytoskeleton genes tubb4b and krt8 in various tissues. We also demonstrate that by anchoring the mNG2 1-10 component to specific cellular compartments, the split-mNG2 system can be used to manipulate protein function. Our approach should be broadly useful for a wide range of applications.
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43
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Bai J, Wei X. Identification of teleost tnnc1a enhancers for specific pan-cardiac transcription. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.26.582099. [PMID: 38464177 PMCID: PMC10925198 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.26.582099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Troponin C regulates muscle contraction by forming the troponin complex with troponin I and troponin T. Different muscle types express different troponin C genes. The mechanisms of such differential transcription are not fully understood. The Zebrafish tnnc1a gene is restrictively expressed in cardiac muscles. We here identify the enhancers and promoters of the zebrafish and medaka tnnc1a genes, including intronic enhancers in zebrafish and medaka and an upstream enhancer in the medaka. The intronic and upstream enhancers are likely functionally redundant. The GFP transgenic reporter driven by these enhancers is expressed more strongly in the ventricle than in the atrium, recapitulating the expression pattern of the endogenous zebrafish tnnc1a gene. Our study identifies a new set of enhancers for cardiac-specific transgenic expression in zebrafish. These enhancers can serve as tools for future identification of transcription factor networks that drive cardiac-specific gene transcription.
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Abrar M, Ali S, Hussain I, Khatoon H, Batool F, Ghazanfar S, Corcoran D, Kawakami Y, Abbasi AA. Cis-regulatory control of mammalian Trps1 gene expression. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2024. [PMID: 38369890 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
TRPS1 serves as the causative gene for tricho-rhino phalangeal syndrome, known for its craniofacial and skeletal abnormalities. The Trps1 gene encodes a protein that represses Wnt signaling through strong interactions with Wnt signaling inhibitors. The identification of genomic cis-acting regulatory sequences governing Trps1 expression is crucial for understanding its role in embryogenesis. Nevertheless, to date, no investigations have been conducted concerning these aspects of Trps1. To identify deeply conserved noncoding elements (CNEs) within the Trps1 locus, we employed a comparative genomics approach, utilizing slowly evolving fish such as coelacanth and spotted gar. These analyses resulted in the identification of eight CNEs in the intronic region of the Trps1 gene. Functional characterization of these CNEs in zebrafish revealed their regulatory potential in various tissues, including pectoral fins, heart, and pharyngeal arches. RNA in-situ hybridization experiments revealed concordance between the reporter expression pattern induced by the identified set of CNEs and the spatial expression pattern of the trps1 gene in zebrafish. Comparative in vivo data from zebrafish and mice for CNE7/hs919 revealed conserved functions of these enhancers. Each of these eight CNEs was further investigated in cell line-based reporter assays, revealing their repressive potential. Taken together, in vivo and in vitro assays suggest a context-dependent dual functionality for the identified set of Trps1-associated CNE enhancers. This functionally characterized set of CNE-enhancers will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the developmental roles of Trps1 and can aid in the identification of noncoding DNA variants associated with human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Abrar
- National Center for Bioinformatics, Program of Comparative and Evolutionary Genomics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Shahid Ali
- National Center for Bioinformatics, Program of Comparative and Evolutionary Genomics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Irfan Hussain
- National Center for Bioinformatics, Program of Comparative and Evolutionary Genomics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
- Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells Research, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Hizran Khatoon
- National Center for Bioinformatics, Program of Comparative and Evolutionary Genomics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Fatima Batool
- National Center for Bioinformatics, Program of Comparative and Evolutionary Genomics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Shakira Ghazanfar
- National Institute for Genomics Advanced Biotechnology, National Agriculture Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Dylan Corcoran
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Yasuhiko Kawakami
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Amir Ali Abbasi
- National Center for Bioinformatics, Program of Comparative and Evolutionary Genomics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
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Özcan GG, Lim S, Canning T, Tirathdas L, Donnelly J, Kundu T, Rihel J. Genetic and chemical disruption of amyloid precursor protein processing impairs zebrafish sleep maintenance. iScience 2024; 27:108870. [PMID: 38318375 PMCID: PMC10839650 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.108870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a brain-rich, single pass transmembrane protein that is proteolytically processed into multiple products, including amyloid-beta (Aβ), a major driver of Alzheimer disease (AD). Although both overexpression of APP and exogenously delivered Aβ lead to changes in sleep, whether APP processing plays an endogenous role in regulating sleep is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that APP processing into Aβ40 and Aβ42 is conserved in zebrafish and then describe sleep/wake phenotypes in loss-of-function appa and appb mutants. Larvae with mutations in appa had reduced waking activity, whereas larvae that lacked appb had shortened sleep bout durations at night. Treatment with the γ-secretase inhibitor DAPT also shortened night sleep bouts, whereas the BACE-1 inhibitor lanabecestat lengthened sleep bouts. Intraventricular injection of P3 also shortened night sleep bouts, suggesting that the proper balance of Appb proteolytic processing is required for normal sleep maintenance in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Güliz Gürel Özcan
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sumi Lim
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Thomas Canning
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Lavitasha Tirathdas
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Joshua Donnelly
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tanushree Kundu
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jason Rihel
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
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Iyer H, Talbot WS. The Cl- transporter ClC-7 is essential for phagocytic clearance by microglia. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs261616. [PMID: 38294065 PMCID: PMC10911276 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Microglia, professional phagocytic cells of the brain, rely upon the appropriate activation of lysosomes to execute their immune and clearance functions. Lysosomal activity is, in turn, modulated by a complex network of over 200 membrane and accessory proteins that relay extracellular cues to these key degradation centers. The ClC-7 chloride (Cl-)-proton (H+) antiporter (also known as CLCN7) is localized to the endolysosomal compartments and mutations in CLCN7 lead to osteopetrosis and neurodegeneration. Although the functions of ClC-7 have been extensively investigated in osteoclasts and neurons, its role in microglia in vivo remains largely unexamined. Here, we show that microglia and embryonic macrophages in zebrafish clcn7 mutants cannot effectively process extracellular debris in the form of apoptotic cells and β-amyloid. Despite these functional defects, microglia develop normally in clcn7 mutants and display normal expression of endosomal and lysosomal markers. We also find that mutants for ostm1, which encodes the β-subunit of ClC-7, have a phenotype that is strikingly similar to that of clcn7 mutants. Together, our observations uncover a previously unappreciated role of ClC-7 in microglia and contribute to the understanding of the neurodegenerative phenotypes that accompany mutations in this channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harini Iyer
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - William S. Talbot
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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Schulte SJ, Fornace ME, Hall JK, Shin GJ, Pierce NA. HCR spectral imaging: 10-plex, quantitative, high-resolution RNA and protein imaging in highly autofluorescent samples. Development 2024; 151:dev202307. [PMID: 38415752 PMCID: PMC10941662 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Signal amplification based on the mechanism of hybridization chain reaction (HCR) provides a unified framework for multiplex, quantitative, high-resolution imaging of RNA and protein targets in highly autofluorescent samples. With conventional bandpass imaging, multiplexing is typically limited to four or five targets owing to the difficulty in separating signals generated by fluorophores with overlapping spectra. Spectral imaging has offered the conceptual promise of higher levels of multiplexing, but it has been challenging to realize this potential in highly autofluorescent samples, including whole-mount vertebrate embryos. Here, we demonstrate robust HCR spectral imaging with linear unmixing, enabling simultaneous imaging of ten RNA and/or protein targets in whole-mount zebrafish embryos and mouse brain sections. Further, we demonstrate that the amplified and unmixed signal in each of the ten channels is quantitative, enabling accurate and precise relative quantitation of RNA and/or protein targets with subcellular resolution, and RNA absolute quantitation with single-molecule resolution, in the anatomical context of highly autofluorescent samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J. Schulte
- Division of Biology & Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Mark E. Fornace
- Division of Biology & Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - John K. Hall
- Division of Biology & Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Grace J. Shin
- Division of Biology & Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Niles A. Pierce
- Division of Biology & Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
- Division of Engineering & Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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Schauer A, Pranjic-Ferscha K, Hauschild R, Heisenberg CP. Robust axis elongation by Nodal-dependent restriction of BMP signaling. Development 2024; 151:dev202316. [PMID: 38372390 PMCID: PMC10911127 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Embryogenesis results from the coordinated activities of different signaling pathways controlling cell fate specification and morphogenesis. In vertebrate gastrulation, both Nodal and BMP signaling play key roles in germ layer specification and morphogenesis, yet their interplay to coordinate embryo patterning with morphogenesis is still insufficiently understood. Here, we took a reductionist approach using zebrafish embryonic explants to study the coordination of Nodal and BMP signaling for embryo patterning and morphogenesis. We show that Nodal signaling triggers explant elongation by inducing mesendodermal progenitors but also suppressing BMP signaling activity at the site of mesendoderm induction. Consistent with this, ectopic BMP signaling in the mesendoderm blocks cell alignment and oriented mesendoderm intercalations, key processes during explant elongation. Translating these ex vivo observations to the intact embryo showed that, similar to explants, Nodal signaling suppresses the effect of BMP signaling on cell intercalations in the dorsal domain, thus allowing robust embryonic axis elongation. These findings suggest a dual function of Nodal signaling in embryonic axis elongation by both inducing mesendoderm and suppressing BMP effects in the dorsal portion of the mesendoderm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Schauer
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
| | | | - Robert Hauschild
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
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Emig AA, Hansen M, Grimm S, Coarfa C, Lord ND, Williams MK. Temporal dynamics of BMP/Nodal ratio drive tissue-specific gastrulation morphogenesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.06.579243. [PMID: 38370754 PMCID: PMC10871350 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.06.579243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Anteroposterior (AP) elongation of the vertebrate body plan is driven by convergence and extension (C&E) gastrulation movements in both the mesoderm and neuroectoderm, but how or whether molecular regulation of C&E differs between tissues remains an open question. Using a zebrafish explant model of AP axis extension, we show that C&E of the neuroectoderm and mesoderm can be uncoupled ex vivo, and that morphogenesis of individual tissues results from distinct morphogen signaling dynamics. Using precise temporal manipulation of BMP and Nodal signaling, we identify a critical developmental window during which high or low BMP/Nodal ratios induce neuroectoderm- or mesoderm-driven C&E, respectively. Increased BMP activity similarly enhances C&E specifically in the ectoderm of intact zebrafish gastrulae, highlighting the in vivo relevance of our findings. Together, these results demonstrate that temporal dynamics of BMP and Nodal morphogen signaling activate distinct morphogenetic programs governing C&E gastrulation movements within individual tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa A Emig
- Center for Precision Environmental Health and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Megan Hansen
- Center for Precision Environmental Health and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Sandra Grimm
- Center for Precision Environmental Health and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Cristian Coarfa
- Center for Precision Environmental Health and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Nathan D Lord
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Margot Kossmann Williams
- Center for Precision Environmental Health and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Previous address: Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
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50
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Kahsay A, Dennhag N, Liu JX, Nord H, Rönnbäck H, Thorell AE, von Hofsten J, Pedrosa Domellöf F. Obscurin Maintains Myofiber Identity in Extraocular Muscles. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2024; 65:19. [PMID: 38334702 PMCID: PMC10860686 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.65.2.19] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose The cytoskeleton of the extraocular muscles (EOMs) is significantly different from that of other muscles. We aimed to investigate the role of obscurin, a fundamental cytoskeletal protein, in the EOMs. Methods The distribution of obscurin in human and zebrafish EOMs was compared using immunohistochemistry. The two obscurin genes in zebrafish, obscna and obscnb, were knocked out using CRISPR/Cas9, and the EOMs were investigated using immunohistochemistry, qPCR, and in situ hybridization. The optokinetic reflex (OKR) in five-day-old larvae and adult obscna-/-;obscnb-/- and sibling control zebrafish was analyzed. Swimming distance was recorded at the same age. Results The obscurin distribution pattern was similar in human and zebrafish EOMs. The proportion of slow and fast myofibers was reduced in obscna-/-;obscnb-/- zebrafish EOMs but not in trunk muscle, whereas the number of myofibers containing cardiac myosin myh7 was significantly increased in EOMs of obscurin double mutants. Loss of obscurin resulted in less OKRs in zebrafish larvae but not in adult zebrafish. Conclusions Obscurin expression is conserved in normal human and zebrafish EOMs. Loss of obscurin induces a myofiber type shift in the EOMs, with upregulation of cardiac myosin heavy chain, myh7, showing an adaptation strategy in EOMs. Our model will facilitate further studies in conditions related to obscurin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraha Kahsay
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology (IMB), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Ophthalmology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Nils Dennhag
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology (IMB), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Ophthalmology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jing-Xia Liu
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology (IMB), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Hanna Nord
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology (IMB), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Hugo Rönnbäck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Ophthalmology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Jonas von Hofsten
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology (IMB), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Fatima Pedrosa Domellöf
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology (IMB), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Ophthalmology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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