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Cheung LYM, Menage L, Rizzoti K, Hamilton G, Dumontet T, Basham K, Daly AZ, Brinkmeier ML, Masser BE, Treier M, Cobb J, Delogu A, Lovell-Badge R, Hammer GD, Camper SA. Novel Candidate Regulators and Developmental Trajectory of Pituitary Thyrotropes. Endocrinology 2023; 164:bqad076. [PMID: 37183548 PMCID: PMC10227867 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqad076] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The pituitary gland regulates growth, metabolism, reproduction, the stress response, uterine contractions, lactation, and water retention. It secretes hormones in response to hypothalamic input, end organ feedback, and diurnal cues. The mechanisms by which pituitary stem cells are recruited to proliferate, maintain quiescence, or differentiate into specific cell types, especially thyrotropes, are not well understood. We used single-cell RNA sequencing in juvenile P7 mouse pituitary cells to identify novel factors in pituitary cell populations, with a focus on thyrotropes and rare subtypes. We first observed cells coexpressing markers of both thyrotropes and gonadotropes, such as Pou1f1 and Nr5a1. This was validated in vivo by both immunohistochemistry and lineage tracing of thyrotropes derived from Nr5a1-Cre; mTmG mice and demonstrates that Nr5a1-progenitors give rise to a proportion of thyrotropes during development. Our data set also identifies novel factors expressed in pars distalis and pars tuberalis thyrotropes, including the Shox2b isoform in all thyrotropes and Sox14 specifically in Pou1f1-negative pars tuberalis thyrotropes. We have therefore used single-cell transcriptomics to determine a novel developmental trajectory for thyrotropes and potential novel regulators of thyrotrope populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonard Y M Cheung
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Lucy Menage
- School of Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Karine Rizzoti
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Greg Hamilton
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Typhanie Dumontet
- Training Program in Organogenesis, Center for Cell Plasticity and Organ Design, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Kaitlin Basham
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Current affiliation: Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Alexandre Z Daly
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Current affiliation is Vanguard, Valley Forge, PA 19482, USA
| | | | - Bailey E Masser
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Mathias Treier
- Max Delbrϋck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), 13092 Berlin, Germany
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - John Cobb
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Alessio Delogu
- School of Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Robin Lovell-Badge
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Gary D Hammer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Endocrine Oncology Program, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Sally A Camper
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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2
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Analysis of ProP1 Gene in a Cohort of Tunisian Patients with Congenital Combined Pituitary Hormone Deficiency. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11247525. [PMID: 36556141 PMCID: PMC9787973 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11247525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Non-syndromic combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD) occurs due to defects in transcription factors that govern early pituitary development and the specification of hormone-producing cells. The most common mutations are in the Prophet of Pit-1 (ProP1) gene. This work aims to (1) report findings of genetic analyses of Tunisian patients with non-syndromic CPHD and (2) describe their phenotype patterns and their evolution through life. Methods: Fifteen patients from twelve unrelated families with variable clinical phenotypes were included after excluding autoimmune and acquired forms of non-syndromic CPHD. Detailed pedigree charts and auxological, hormonal, radiological, and therapeutic details were recorded. Sanger sequencing was performed, and sequences were analyzed with a specific focus on coding and splice site regions of the ProP1 gene. Retained variants were classified using several in silico pathogenicity prediction tools and the VarSome platform. Results: We identified the common p.Arg73Cys mutation in seven patients from four unrelated pedigrees. We found a novel homozygous mutation (c.340C>T) in one sporadic case. This mutation generates a truncated ProP1 protein, predicted to be non-functional, lacking the last 112 codons (p.(Gln114Ter)). We confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) the absence of large exon deletions or insertions in the remaining sporadic patients (7/8). Conclusions: We report two mutations {one newly identified [p.(Gln114Ter)] and one previously reported (p.Arg73Cys)} in five unrelated Tunisian families with non-syndromic CPHD. This work is of clinical importance as it reports the high frequency of the p.Arg73Cys mutation in Tunisian CPHD families. Our study also illuminated the involvement of novel gene(s) in the emergence of non-syndromic CPHD.
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3
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Chen Z, Jia Q, Zhao Z, Zhang Q, Chen Y, Qiao N, Ye Z, Ji C, Zhang Y, He W, Shi C, Cai Y, Yao B, Han R, Wang Y, Shou X, Shen M, Cao X, Zhou X, Cheng H, Zhu J, Hu Y, Zhang Z, Ye H, Li Y, Li S, Wang Y, Ma Z, Ni T, Zhao Y. Transcription Factor ASCL1 Acts as a Novel Potential Therapeutic Target for the Treatment of the Cushing's Disease. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022; 107:2296-2306. [PMID: 35521682 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgac280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pathogenesis of Cushing's disease (CD) is still not adequately understood despite the identification of somatic driver mutations in USP8, BRAF, and USP48. In this multiomics study, we combined RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) with Sanger sequencing to depict transcriptional dysregulation under different gene mutation backgrounds. Furthermore, we evaluated the potential of achaete-scute complex homolog 1 (ASCL1), a pioneer transcription factor, as a novel therapeutic target for treatment of CD and its possible downstream pathway. METHODS RNA-seq was adopted to investigate the gene expression profile of CD, and Sanger sequencing was adopted to detect gene mutations. Bioinformatics analysis was used to depict transcriptional dysregulation under different gene mutation backgrounds. The function of ASCL1 in hormone secretion, cell proliferation, and apoptosis were studied in vitro. The effectiveness of an ASCL1 inhibitor was evaluated in primary CD cells, and the clinical relevance of ASCL1 was examined in 68 patients with CD. RNA-seq in AtT-20 cells on Ascl1 knockdown combined with published chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing data and dual luciferase assays were used to explore downstream pathways. RESULTS ASCL1 was exclusively overexpressed in USP8-mutant and wild-type tumors. Ascl1 promoted adrenocorticotrophin hormone overproduction and tumorigenesis and directly regulated Pomc in AtT-20 cells. An ASCL1 inhibitor presented promising efficacy in both AtT-20 and primary CD cells. ASCL1 overexpression was associated with a larger tumor volume and higher adrenocorticotrophin secretion in patients with CD. CONCLUSION Our findings help to clarify the pathogenesis of CD and suggest that ASCL1 is a potential therapeutic target the treatment of CD. SUMMARY The pathogenesis of Cushing's disease (CD) is still not adequately understood despite the identification of somatic driver mutations in USP8, BRAF, and USP48. Moreover, few effective medical therapies are currently available for the treatment of CD. Here, using a multiomics approach, we first report the aberrant overexpression of the transcription factor gene ASCL1 in USP8-mutant and wild-type tumors of CD. Ascl1 promoted adrenocorticotrophin hormone overproduction and tumorigenesis and directly regulated Pomc in mouse AtT-20 cells. Notably, an ASCL1 inhibitor presented promising efficacy in both AtT-20 and primary CD cells. Importantly, ASCL1 overexpression was associated with a larger tumor volume and higher adrenocorticotrophin secretion in patients with CD. Thus, our findings improve understanding of CD pathogenesis and suggest that ASCL1 is a potential therapeutic target the treatment of CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengyuan Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai,, China
| | - Qi Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Human Phenome Institute, School of Life Sciences and Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Zhaozhao Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Human Phenome Institute, School of Life Sciences and Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Qilin Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai,, China
| | - Yu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Human Phenome Institute, School of Life Sciences and Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Nidan Qiao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai,, China
| | - Zhao Ye
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai,, China
| | - Chenxing Ji
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
| | - Yichao Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai,, China
| | - Wenqiang He
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai,, China
| | - Chengzhang Shi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai,, China
| | - Yixin Cai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
| | - Boyuan Yao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Han
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
| | - Ye Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuefei Shou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai,, China
| | - Ming Shen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai,, China
| | - Xiaoyun Cao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai,, China
| | - Xiang Zhou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai,, China
| | - Haixia Cheng
- Department of Pathology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingjing Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yao Hu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhaoyun Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongying Ye
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiming Li
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shiqi Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai,, China
| | - Yongfei Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai,, China
| | - Zengyi Ma
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai,, China
| | - Ting Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Human Phenome Institute, School of Life Sciences and Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yao Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai,, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 201100, China
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4
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Vishnopolska SA, Mercogliano MF, Camilletti MA, Mortensen AH, Braslavsky D, Keselman A, Bergadá I, Olivieri F, Miranda L, Marino R, Ramírez P, Pérez Garrido N, Patiño Mejia H, Ciaccio M, Di Palma MI, Belgorosky A, Martí MA, Kitzman JO, Camper SA, Pérez-Millán MI. Comprehensive Identification of Pathogenic Gene Variants in Patients With Neuroendocrine Disorders. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2021; 106:1956-1976. [PMID: 33729509 PMCID: PMC8208670 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgab177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Congenital hypopituitarism (CH) can present in isolation or with other birth defects. Mutations in multiple genes can cause CH, and the use of a genetic screening panel could establish the prevalence of mutations in known and candidate genes for this disorder. It could also increase the proportion of patients that receive a genetic diagnosis. METHODS We conducted target panel genetic screening using single-molecule molecular inversion probes sequencing to assess the frequency of mutations in known hypopituitarism genes and new candidates in Argentina. We captured genomic deoxyribonucleic acid from 170 pediatric patients with CH, either alone or with other abnormalities. We performed promoter activation assays to test the functional effects of patient variants in LHX3 and LHX4. RESULTS We found variants classified as pathogenic, likely pathogenic, or with uncertain significance in 15.3% of cases. These variants were identified in known CH causative genes (LHX3, LHX4, GLI2, OTX2, HESX1), in less frequently reported genes (FOXA2, BMP4, FGFR1, PROKR2, PNPLA6) and in new candidate genes (BMP2, HMGA2, HNF1A, NKX2-1). CONCLUSION In this work, we report the prevalence of mutations in known CH genes in Argentina and provide evidence for new candidate genes. We show that CH is a genetically heterogeneous disease with high phenotypic variation and incomplete penetrance, and our results support the need for further gene discovery for CH. Identifying population-specific pathogenic variants will improve the capacity of genetic data to predict eventual clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Alexis Vishnopolska
- Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (IB3), Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires,Argentina
- Instituto de Química Biología en Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN-CONICET), Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires,Argentina
| | - Maria Florencia Mercogliano
- Instituto de Química Biología en Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN-CONICET), Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires,Argentina
| | - Maria Andrea Camilletti
- Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (IB3), Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires,Argentina
- Instituto de Química Biología en Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN-CONICET), Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires,Argentina
| | - Amanda Helen Mortensen
- Deptartment of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48198-5618, USA
| | - Debora Braslavsky
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá,” (CEDIE), FEI – CONICET – División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1425EFD, Argentina
| | - Ana Keselman
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá,” (CEDIE), FEI – CONICET – División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1425EFD, Argentina
| | - Ignacio Bergadá
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá,” (CEDIE), FEI – CONICET – División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1425EFD, Argentina
| | - Federico Olivieri
- Instituto de Química Biología en Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN-CONICET), Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires,Argentina
| | - Lucas Miranda
- Instituto de Química Biología en Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN-CONICET), Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires,Argentina
| | - Roxana Marino
- Servicio de Endocrinología, Hospital Garrahan, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1245, Argentina
| | - Pablo Ramírez
- Servicio de Endocrinología, Hospital Garrahan, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1245, Argentina
| | - Natalia Pérez Garrido
- Servicio de Endocrinología, Hospital Garrahan, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1245, Argentina
| | - Helen Patiño Mejia
- Servicio de Endocrinología, Hospital Garrahan, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1245, Argentina
| | - Marta Ciaccio
- Servicio de Endocrinología, Hospital Garrahan, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1245, Argentina
| | - Maria Isabel Di Palma
- Servicio de Endocrinología, Hospital Garrahan, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1245, Argentina
| | - Alicia Belgorosky
- Hospital de Pediatría Garrahan-CONICET, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcelo Adrian Martí
- Instituto de Química Biología en Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN-CONICET), Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires,Argentina
| | - Jacob Otto Kitzman
- Deptartment of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48198-5618, USA
| | - Sally Ann Camper
- Deptartment of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48198-5618, USA
- Correspondence: Sally A. Camper, PhD, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48198-5618, United States. E-mail: ; or Maria Ines Perez-Millan, PhD, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, C1428EHA, Argentina. E-mail:
| | - Maria Ines Pérez-Millán
- Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (IB3), Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires,Argentina
- Correspondence: Sally A. Camper, PhD, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48198-5618, United States. E-mail: ; or Maria Ines Perez-Millan, PhD, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, C1428EHA, Argentina. E-mail:
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5
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Zhang S, Cui Y, Ma X, Yong J, Yan L, Yang M, Ren J, Tang F, Wen L, Qiao J. Single-cell transcriptomics identifies divergent developmental lineage trajectories during human pituitary development. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5275. [PMID: 33077725 PMCID: PMC7572359 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19012-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The anterior pituitary gland plays a central role in regulating various physiological processes, including body growth, reproduction, metabolism and stress response. Here, we perform single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) of 4113 individual cells from human fetal pituitaries. We characterize divergent developmental trajectories with distinct transitional intermediate states in five hormone-producing cell lineages. Corticotropes exhibit an early intermediate state prior to full differentiation. Three cell types of the PIT-1 lineage (somatotropes, lactotropes and thyrotropes) segregate from a common progenitor coexpressing lineage-specific transcription factors of different sublineages. Gonadotropes experience two multistep developmental trajectories. Furthermore, we identify a fetal gonadotrope cell subtype expressing the primate-specific hormone chorionic gonadotropin. We also characterize the cellular heterogeneity of pituitary stem cells and identify a hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal state and an early-to-late state transition. Here, our results provide insights into the transcriptional landscape of human pituitary development, defining distinct cell substates and subtypes and illustrating transcription factor dynamics during cell fate commitment. Editor’s summary_NCOMMS-19-41732B The anterior pituitary gland controls body growth and reproduction but how early development is dynamically regulated is unclear. Here, the authors use scRNA-seq of human fetal pituitaries to identify different developmental routes and state transitions of five hormone-producing cell lineages, and a hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal state of pituitary stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.,Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, School of Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yueli Cui
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.,Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, School of Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Xinyi Ma
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.,Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Jun Yong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.,Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100191, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Liying Yan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.,Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Ming Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.,Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100191, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing, 100191, China.,Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jie Ren
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.,Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, School of Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Fuchou Tang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.,Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, School of Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing, 100871, China.,Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Lu Wen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China. .,Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, School of Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Jie Qiao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China. .,Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, School of Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing, 100871, China. .,Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100191, China. .,Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing, 100191, China.
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6
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Byun JS, Oh M, Lee S, Gil JE, Mo Y, Ku B, Kim WK, Oh KJ, Lee EW, Bae KH, Lee SC, Han BS. The transcription factor PITX1 drives astrocyte differentiation by regulating the SOX9 gene. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:13677-13690. [PMID: 32759168 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.013352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes perform multiple essential functions in the developing and mature brain, including regulation of synapse formation, control of neurotransmitter release and uptake, and maintenance of extracellular ion balance. As a result, astrocytes have been implicated in the progression of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, and Parkinson's disease. Despite these critical functions, the study of human astrocytes can be difficult because standard differentiation protocols are time-consuming and technically challenging, but a differentiation protocol recently developed in our laboratory enables the efficient derivation of astrocytes from human embryonic stem cells. We used this protocol along with microarrays, luciferase assays, electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and ChIP assays to explore the genes involved in astrocyte differentiation. We demonstrate that paired-like homeodomain transcription factor 1 (PITX1) is critical for astrocyte differentiation. PITX1 overexpression induced early differentiation of astrocytes, and its knockdown blocked astrocyte differentiation. PITX1 overexpression also increased and PITX1 knockdown decreased expression of sex-determining region Y box 9 (SOX9), known initiator of gliogenesis, during early astrocyte differentiation. Moreover, we determined that PITX1 activates the SOX9 promoter through a unique binding motif. Taken together, these findings indicate that PITX1 drives astrocyte differentiation by sustaining activation of the SOX9 promoter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong Su Byun
- Biodefence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Mihee Oh
- Biodefence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seonha Lee
- Biodefence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Department of Functional Genomics, University of Science and Technology of Korea, Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Eun Gil
- Biodefence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeajin Mo
- Disease Target Structure Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Bonsu Ku
- Disease Target Structure Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Kon Kim
- Department of Functional Genomics, University of Science and Technology of Korea, Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Metabolic Regulation Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung-Jin Oh
- Department of Functional Genomics, University of Science and Technology of Korea, Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Metabolic Regulation Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Woo Lee
- Metabolic Regulation Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang-Hee Bae
- Department of Functional Genomics, University of Science and Technology of Korea, Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Metabolic Regulation Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Chul Lee
- Department of Functional Genomics, University of Science and Technology of Korea, Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Metabolic Regulation Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Baek-Soo Han
- Biodefence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Department of Functional Genomics, University of Science and Technology of Korea, Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
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7
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Matsumoto R, Suga H, Aoi T, Bando H, Fukuoka H, Iguchi G, Narumi S, Hasegawa T, Muguruma K, Ogawa W, Takahashi Y. Congenital pituitary hypoplasia model demonstrates hypothalamic OTX2 regulation of pituitary progenitor cells. J Clin Invest 2020; 130:641-654. [PMID: 31845906 DOI: 10.1172/jci127378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pituitary develops from oral ectoderm in contact with adjacent ventral hypothalamus. Impairment in this process results in congenital pituitary hypoplasia (CPH); however, there have been no human disease models for CPH thus far, prohibiting the elucidation of the underlying mechanisms. In this study, we established a disease model of CPH using patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and 3D organoid technique, in which oral ectoderm and hypothalamus develop simultaneously. Interestingly, patient iPSCs with a heterozygous mutation in the orthodenticle homeobox 2 (OTX2) gene showed increased apoptosis in the pituitary progenitor cells, and the differentiation into pituitary hormone-producing cells was severely impaired. As an underlying mechanism, OTX2 in hypothalamus, not in oral ectoderm, was essential for progenitor cell maintenance by regulating LHX3 expression in oral ectoderm via FGF10 expression in the hypothalamus. Convincingly, the phenotype was reversed by the correction of the mutation, and the haploinsufficiency of OTX2 in control iPSCs revealed a similar phenotype, demonstrating that this mutation was responsible. Thus, we established an iPSC-based congenital pituitary disease model, which recapitulated interaction between hypothalamus and oral ectoderm and demonstrated the essential role of hypothalamic OTX2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryusaku Matsumoto
- Division of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, and.,Department of iPS cell Applications, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.,Department of Advanced Medical Science, Kobe University Graduate School of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Hidetaka Suga
- Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Nagoya University Hospital, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Takashi Aoi
- Department of iPS cell Applications, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.,Department of Advanced Medical Science, Kobe University Graduate School of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Hironori Bando
- Division of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, and
| | - Hidenori Fukuoka
- Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Kobe University Hospital, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Genzo Iguchi
- Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Kobe University Hospital, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.,Medical Center for Student Health, Kobe University, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.,Department of Biosignal Pathophysiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Narumi
- Department of Molecular Endocrinology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Pediatrics, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomonobu Hasegawa
- Department of Pediatrics, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keiko Muguruma
- Laboratory for Cell Asymmetry, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.,Department of iPS Cell Applied Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan
| | - Wataru Ogawa
- Division of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, and
| | - Yutaka Takahashi
- Division of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, and
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8
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Abstract
The development of the anterior pituitary gland occurs in distinct sequential developmental steps, leading to the formation of a complex organ containing five different cell types secreting six different hormones. During this process, the temporal and spatial expression of a cascade of signaling molecules and transcription factors plays a crucial role in organ commitment, cell proliferation, patterning, and terminal differentiation. The morphogenesis of the gland and the emergence of distinct cell types from a common primordium are governed by complex regulatory networks involving transcription factors and signaling molecules that may be either intrinsic to the developing pituitary or extrinsic, originating from the ventral diencephalon, the oral ectoderm, and the surrounding mesenchyme. Endocrine cells of the pituitary gland are organized into structural and functional networks that contribute to the coordinated response of endocrine cells to stimuli; these cellular networks are formed during embryonic development and are maintained or may be modified in adulthood, contributing to the plasticity of the gland. Abnormalities in any of the steps of pituitary development may lead to congenital hypopituitarism that includes a spectrum of disorders from isolated to combined hormone deficiencies including syndromic disorders such as septo-optic dysplasia. Over the past decade, the acceleration of next-generation sequencing has allowed for rapid analysis of the patient genome to identify novel mutations and novel candidate genes associated with hypothalmo-pituitary development. Subsequent functional analysis using patient fibroblast cells, and the generation of stem cells derived from patient cells, is fast replacing the need for animal models while providing a more physiologically relevant characterization of novel mutations. Furthermore, CRISPR-Cas9 as the method for gene editing is replacing previous laborious and time-consuming gene editing methods that were commonly used, thus yielding knockout cell lines in a fraction of the time. © 2020 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 10:389-413, 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyriaki S Alatzoglou
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London (UCL), London, UK
| | - Louise C Gregory
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London (UCL), London, UK
| | - Mehul T Dattani
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London (UCL), London, UK
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9
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Mariniello K, Ruiz-Babot G, McGaugh EC, Nicholson JG, Gualtieri A, Gaston-Massuet C, Nostro MC, Guasti L. Stem Cells, Self-Renewal, and Lineage Commitment in the Endocrine System. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2019; 10:772. [PMID: 31781041 PMCID: PMC6856655 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The endocrine system coordinates a wide array of body functions mainly through secretion of hormones and their actions on target tissues. Over the last decades, a collective effort between developmental biologists, geneticists, and stem cell biologists has generated a wealth of knowledge related to the contribution of stem/progenitor cells to both organogenesis and self-renewal of endocrine organs. This review provides an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of the role of tissue stem cells in the development and self-renewal of endocrine organs. Pathways governing crucial steps in both development and stemness maintenance, and that are known to be frequently altered in a wide array of endocrine disorders, including cancer, are also described. Crucially, this plethora of information is being channeled into the development of potential new cell-based treatment modalities for endocrine-related illnesses, some of which have made it through clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katia Mariniello
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Bart's and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gerard Ruiz-Babot
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Emily C. McGaugh
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - James G. Nicholson
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Bart's and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Angelica Gualtieri
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Bart's and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Carles Gaston-Massuet
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Bart's and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Cristina Nostro
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Leonardo Guasti
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Bart's and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
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10
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Ellsworth BS, Stallings CE. Molecular Mechanisms Governing Embryonic Differentiation of Pituitary Somatotropes. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2018; 29:510-523. [PMID: 29759686 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2018.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2018] [Revised: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Pituitary somatotropes secrete growth hormone (GH), which is essential for normal growth and metabolism. Somatotrope defects result in GH deficiency (GHD), leading to short stature in childhood and increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in adulthood. Current hormone replacement therapies fail to recapitulate normal pulsatile GH secretion. Stem cell therapies could overcome this problem but are dependent on a thorough understanding of somatotrope differentiation. Although several transcription factors, signaling pathways, and hormones that regulate this process have been identified, the mechanisms of action are not well understood. The purpose of this review is to highlight the known players in somatotrope differentiation while emphasizing the need to better understand these pathways to serve patients with GHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Buffy S Ellsworth
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901-6523, USA.
| | - Caitlin E Stallings
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901-6523, USA
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11
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Abstract
The circumventricular organs (CVOs) are specialised neuroepithelial structures found in the midline of the brain, grouped around the third and fourth ventricles. They mediate the communication between the brain and the periphery by performing sensory and secretory roles, facilitated by increased vascularisation and the absence of a blood-brain barrier. Surprisingly little is known about the origins of the CVOs (both developmental and evolutionary), but their functional and organisational similarities raise the question of the extent of their relationship. Here, I review our current knowledge of the embryonic development of the seven major CVOs (area postrema, median eminence, neurohypophysis, organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis, pineal organ, subcommissural organ, subfornical organ) in embryos of different vertebrate species. Although there are conspicuous similarities between subsets of CVOs, no unifying feature characteristic of their development has been identified. Cross-species comparisons suggest that CVOs also display a high degree of evolutionary flexibility. Thus, the term 'CVO' is merely a functional definition, and features shared by multiple CVOs may be the result of homoplasy rather than ontogenetic or phylogenetic relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clemens Kiecker
- Department of Developmental NeurobiologyKing's College LondonLondonUK
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12
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Sanchez-Arrones L, Sandonís Á, Cardozo MJ, Bovolenta P. Adenohypophysis placodal precursors exhibit distinctive features within the rostral preplacodal ectoderm. Development 2017; 144:3521-3532. [PMID: 28974641 DOI: 10.1242/dev.149724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Placodes are discrete thickenings of the vertebrate cranial ectoderm that generate morpho-functionally distinct structures, such as the adenohypophysis, olfactory epithelium and lens. All placodes arise from a horseshoe-shaped preplacodal ectoderm in which the precursors of individual placodes are intermingled. However, fate-map studies indicated that cells positioned at the preplacodal midline give rise to only the adenohypophyseal placode, suggesting a unique organization of these precursors within the preplacode. To test this possibility, we combined embryological and molecular approaches in chick embryos to show that, at gastrula stage, adenohypophyseal precursors are clustered in the median preplacodal ectoderm, largely segregated from those of the adjacent olfactory placode. Median precursors are elongated, densely packed and, at neurula stage, express a molecular signature that distinguishes them from the remaining preplacodal cells. Olfactory placode precursors and midline neural cells can replace ablated adenohypophyseal precursors up to head-fold stage, although with a more plastic organization. We thus propose that adenohypophyseal placode precursors are unique within the preplacodal ectoderm possibly because they originate the only single placode and the only one with an endocrine character.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Sanchez-Arrones
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM, c/ Nicolás Cabrera 1, Madrid 28049, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), c/ Nicolás Cabrera 1, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - África Sandonís
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM, c/ Nicolás Cabrera 1, Madrid 28049, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), c/ Nicolás Cabrera 1, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Marcos Julián Cardozo
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM, c/ Nicolás Cabrera 1, Madrid 28049, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), c/ Nicolás Cabrera 1, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Paola Bovolenta
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM, c/ Nicolás Cabrera 1, Madrid 28049, Spain .,CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), c/ Nicolás Cabrera 1, Madrid 28049, Spain
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13
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Ramzan K, Bin-Abbas B, Al-Jomaa L, Allam R, Al-Owain M, Imtiaz F. Two novel LHX3 mutations in patients with combined pituitary hormone deficiency including cervical rigidity and sensorineural hearing loss. BMC Endocr Disord 2017; 17:17. [PMID: 28302169 PMCID: PMC5356396 DOI: 10.1186/s12902-017-0164-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Congenital combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD) is a rare heterogeneous group of conditions. CPHD-type 3 (CPHD3; MIM# 221750) is caused by recessive mutations in LHX3, a LIM-homeodomain transcription factor gene. The isoforms of LHX3 are critical for pituitary gland formation and specification of the anterior pituitary hormone-secreting cell types. They also play distinct roles in the development of neuroendocrine and auditory systems. CASE PRESENTATION Here, we summarize the clinical, endocrinological, radiological and molecular features of three patients from two unrelated families. Clinical evaluation revealed severe CPHD coupled with cervical vertebral malformations (rigid neck, scoliosis), mild developmental delay and moderate sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). The patients were diagnosed with CPHD3 based on the array of hormone deficiencies and other associated syndromic symptoms, suggestive of targeted LHX3 gene sequencing. A novel missense mutation c.437G > T (p. Cys146Phe) and a novel nonsense mutation c.466C > T (p. Arg156Ter), both in homozygous forms, were found. The altered Cys146 resides in the LIM2 domain of the encoded protein and is a phylogenetically conserved residue, which mediates LHX3 transcription factor binding with a zinc cation. The p. Arg156Ter is predicted to result in a severely truncated protein, lacking the DNA binding homeodomain. CONCLUSIONS Considering genotype/phenotype correlation, we suggest that the presence of SNHL and limited neck rotation should be considered in the differential diagnosis of CPHD3 to facilitate molecular diagnosis. This report describes the first LHX3 mutations from Saudi patients and highlights the importance of combining molecular diagnosis with the clinical findings. In addition, it also expands the knowledge of LHX3-related CPHD3 phenotype and the allelic spectrum for this gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khushnooda Ramzan
- Department of Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O.Box 3354, Riyadh, 11211 Saudi Arabia
| | - Bassam Bin-Abbas
- Department of Pediatrics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lolwa Al-Jomaa
- Department of Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O.Box 3354, Riyadh, 11211 Saudi Arabia
| | - Rabab Allam
- Department of Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O.Box 3354, Riyadh, 11211 Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Al-Owain
- Department of Medical Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faiqa Imtiaz
- Department of Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O.Box 3354, Riyadh, 11211 Saudi Arabia
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14
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Transcription factor 7-like 1 is involved in hypothalamo-pituitary axis development in mice and humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:E548-57. [PMID: 26764381 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1503346113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant embryonic development of the hypothalamus and/or pituitary gland in humans results in congenital hypopituitarism (CH). Transcription factor 7-like 1 (TCF7L1), an important regulator of the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway, is expressed in the developing forebrain and pituitary gland, but its role during hypothalamo-pituitary (HP) axis formation or involvement in human CH remains elusive. Using a conditional genetic approach in the mouse, we first demonstrate that TCF7L1 is required in the prospective hypothalamus to maintain normal expression of the hypothalamic signals involved in the induction and subsequent expansion of Rathke's pouch progenitors. Next, we reveal that the function of TCF7L1 during HP axis development depends exclusively on the repressing activity of TCF7L1 and does not require its interaction with β-catenin. Finally, we report the identification of two independent missense variants in human TCF7L1, p.R92P and p.R400Q, in a cohort of patients with forebrain and/or pituitary defects. We demonstrate that these variants exhibit reduced repressing activity in vitro and in vivo relative to wild-type TCF7L1. Together, our data provide support for a conserved molecular function of TCF7L1 as a transcriptional repressor during HP axis development in mammals and identify variants in this transcription factor that are likely to contribute to the etiology of CH.
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15
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Fritez N, Sobrier ML, Iraqi H, Vié-Luton MP, Netchine I, El Annas A, Pantel J, Collot N, Rose S, Piterboth W, Legendre M, Chraibi A, Amselem S, Kadiri A, Hilal L. Molecular screening of a large cohort of Moroccan patients with congenital hypopituitarism. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2015; 82:876-84. [PMID: 25557026 DOI: 10.1111/cen.12706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2014] [Revised: 10/13/2014] [Accepted: 12/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Congenital hypopituitarism is a rare disease which, for most patients, has no identified molecular cause. We aimed to document the molecular basis of growth retardation in a Moroccan cohort. DESIGN/PATIENTS 80 index cases [54 with isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD), 26 with combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD)] were screened for molecular defects in GH1 (including LCR-GH1), GHRHR, GHSR, GHRH, PROP1, POU1F1, HESX1, LHX3, LHX4 and SOX3. RESULTS Five different deleterious mutations were identified in 14 patients from eight families. In the IGHD group, three genes were found to be involved: GH1, GHRHR and GHSR. In the CPHD group, PROP1 was the only mutated gene. In addition, two heterozygous variations whose deleterious effect remains to be demonstrated were identified (in GH1 and LHX4), and two polymorphisms (missense variations) were detected (in LHX3 and in GHSR). The prevalence of mutations in this Moroccan GHD cohort was 10% (8/80), 11·1% (6/54) in the IGHD group and 7·7% (2/26) in the CPHD group. CONCLUSION This is the first molecular screening of congenital GHD in a Moroccan population and, like other studies, mutations were preferentially identified in familial cases (75%); mutations in genes such as POU1F1, HESX1, SOX3, LHX3 and LHX4 are extremely rare. The p.R73C PROP1 mutation was the most frequent mutation in CPHD; this should be the first one to screen in this population. Our results should contribute to a better diagnosis and management of this heterogeneous disease condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabila Fritez
- Laboratory of Biochemistry-Immunology, Faculty of Science, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Marie-Laure Sobrier
- Inserm UMRS933, Hôpital Trousseau, Paris, France
- UMRS933, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Paris, France
| | - Hinde Iraqi
- Hôpital Ibn Sina, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco
| | | | - Irène Netchine
- Service d'Endocrinologie Pédiatrique, AP-HP, Hôpital Trousseau, Paris, France
| | - Abdessamad El Annas
- Laboratory of Biochemistry-Immunology, Faculty of Science, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
| | | | - Nathalie Collot
- UF de Génétique Moléculaire, AP-HP, Hôpital Trousseau, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Rose
- UF de Génétique Moléculaire, AP-HP, Hôpital Trousseau, Paris, France
| | - William Piterboth
- UF de Génétique Moléculaire, AP-HP, Hôpital Trousseau, Paris, France
| | - Marie Legendre
- Inserm UMRS933, Hôpital Trousseau, Paris, France
- UF de Génétique Moléculaire, AP-HP, Hôpital Trousseau, Paris, France
- UMRS933, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Paris, France
| | - Abdelmjid Chraibi
- Hôpital Ibn Sina, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Serge Amselem
- Inserm UMRS933, Hôpital Trousseau, Paris, France
- UF de Génétique Moléculaire, AP-HP, Hôpital Trousseau, Paris, France
- UMRS933, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Paris, France
| | - Abdelkrim Kadiri
- Hôpital Ibn Sina, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Latifa Hilal
- Laboratory of Biochemistry-Immunology, Faculty of Science, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
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16
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Forlenza GP, Calhoun A, Beckman KB, Halvorsen T, Hamdoun E, Zierhut H, Sarafoglou K, Polgreen LE, Miller BS, Nathan B, Petryk A. Next generation sequencing in endocrine practice. Mol Genet Metab 2015; 115:61-71. [PMID: 25958132 PMCID: PMC4818590 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2015.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 05/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
With the completion of the Human Genome Project and advances in genomic sequencing technologies, the use of clinical molecular diagnostics has grown tremendously over the last decade. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has overcome many of the practical roadblocks that had slowed the adoption of molecular testing for routine clinical diagnosis. In endocrinology, targeted NGS now complements biochemical testing and imaging studies. The goal of this review is to provide clinicians with a guide to the application of NGS to genetic testing for endocrine conditions, by compiling a list of established gene mutations detectable by NGS, and highlighting key phenotypic features of these disorders. As we outline in this review, the clinical utility of NGS-based molecular testing for endocrine disorders is very high. Identifying an exact genetic etiology improves understanding of the disease, provides clear explanation to families about the cause, and guides decisions about screening, prevention and/or treatment. To illustrate this approach, a case of hypophosphatasia with a pathogenic mutation in the ALPL gene detected by NGS is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory P Forlenza
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA
| | - Amy Calhoun
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics and Metabolism, University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA
| | | | - Tanya Halvorsen
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA
| | - Elwaseila Hamdoun
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA
| | - Heather Zierhut
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Kyriakie Sarafoglou
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA
| | - Lynda E Polgreen
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
| | - Bradley S Miller
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA
| | - Brandon Nathan
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA
| | - Anna Petryk
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA.
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17
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Abstract
Significant progress has been made recently in unravelling the embryonic events leading to pituitary morphogenesis, both in vivo and in vitro. This includes dissection of the molecular mechanisms controlling patterning of the ventral diencephalon that regulate formation of the pituitary anlagen or Rathke's pouch. There is also a better characterisation of processes that underlie maintenance of pituitary progenitors, specification of endocrine lineages and the three-dimensional organisation of newly differentiated endocrine cells. Furthermore, a population of adult pituitary stem cells (SCs), originating from embryonic progenitors, have been described and shown to have not only regenerative potential, but also the capacity to induce tumour formation. Finally, the successful recapitulation in vitro of embryonic events leading to generation of endocrine cells from embryonic SCs, and their subsequent transplantation, represents exciting advances towards the use of regenerative medicine to treat endocrine deficits. In this review, an up-to-date description of pituitary morphogenesis will be provided and discussed with particular reference to pituitary SC studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Rizzoti
- Division of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental GeneticsMRC National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK
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18
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Required enhancer-matrin-3 network interactions for a homeodomain transcription program. Nature 2014; 514:257-61. [PMID: 25119036 PMCID: PMC4358797 DOI: 10.1038/nature13573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2013] [Accepted: 06/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Homeodomain proteins, described 30 years ago1,2, exert essential roles in development as regulators of target gene expression3,4, however the molecular mechanism underlying transcriptional activity of homeodomain factors remains poorly understood. Here, investigation of a developmentally-required POU-homeodomain transcription factor, Pit1/Pou1f1, has revealed that, unexpectedly, binding of Pit1-occupied enhancers5 to a nuclear matrin-3-rich network/architecture6,7 is a key event in effective activation of the Pit1-regulated enhancer/coding gene transcriptional program. Pit1 association with Satb18 and β-catenin is required for this tethering event. A naturally-occurring, dominant negative, point mutation in human Pit1 (R271W), causing combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPDH)9, results in loss of Pit1 association with β-catenin and Satb1 and therefore the matrin-3-rich network, blocking Pit1-dependent enhancer/coding target gene activation. This defective activation can be rescued by artificial tethering of the mutant R271W Pit1 protein to the matrin-3 network, bypassing the prerequisite association with β-catenin and Satb1 otherwise required. The matrin-3 network-tethered R271W Pit1 mutant, but not the untethered protein, restores Pit1-dependent activation of the enhancers and recruitment of co-activators, exemplified by p300, causing both eRNA transcription and target gene activation. These studies have thus revealed an unanticipated homeodomain factor/β-catenin/Satb1-dependent localization of target gene regulatory enhancer regions to a subnuclear architectural structure that serves as an underlying mechanism by which an enhancer-bound homeodomain factor effectively activates developmental gene transcriptional programs.
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19
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Alatzoglou KS, Webb EA, Le Tissier P, Dattani MT. Isolated growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in childhood and adolescence: recent advances. Endocr Rev 2014; 35:376-432. [PMID: 24450934 DOI: 10.1210/er.2013-1067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The diagnosis of GH deficiency (GHD) in childhood is a multistep process involving clinical history, examination with detailed auxology, biochemical testing, and pituitary imaging, with an increasing contribution from genetics in patients with congenital GHD. Our increasing understanding of the factors involved in the development of somatotropes and the dynamic function of the somatotrope network may explain, at least in part, the development and progression of childhood GHD in different age groups. With respect to the genetic etiology of isolated GHD (IGHD), mutations in known genes such as those encoding GH (GH1), GHRH receptor (GHRHR), or transcription factors involved in pituitary development, are identified in a relatively small percentage of patients suggesting the involvement of other, yet unidentified, factors. Genome-wide association studies point toward an increasing number of genes involved in the control of growth, but their role in the etiology of IGHD remains unknown. Despite the many years of research in the area of GHD, there are still controversies on the etiology, diagnosis, and management of IGHD in children. Recent data suggest that childhood IGHD may have a wider impact on the health and neurodevelopment of children, but it is yet unknown to what extent treatment with recombinant human GH can reverse this effect. Finally, the safety of recombinant human GH is currently the subject of much debate and research, and it is clear that long-term controlled studies are needed to clarify the consequences of childhood IGHD and the long-term safety of its treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyriaki S Alatzoglou
- Developmental Endocrinology Research Group (K.S.A., E.A.W., M.T.D.), Clinical and Molecular Genetics Unit, and Birth Defects Research Centre (P.L.T.), UCL Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, United Kingdom; and Faculty of Life Sciences (P.L.T.), University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom
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20
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Nantie LB, Himes AD, Getz DR, Raetzman LT. Notch signaling in postnatal pituitary expansion: proliferation, progenitors, and cell specification. Mol Endocrinol 2014; 28:731-44. [PMID: 24673559 DOI: 10.1210/me.2013-1425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in PROP1 account for up to half of the cases of combined pituitary hormone deficiency that result from known causes. Despite this, few signaling molecules and pathways that influence PROP1 expression have been identified. Notch signaling has been linked to Prop1 expression, but the developmental periods during which Notch signaling influences Prop1 and overall pituitary development remain unclear. To test the requirement for Notch signaling in establishing the normal pituitary hormone milieu, we generated mice with early embryonic conditional loss of Notch2 (conditional knockout) and examined the consequences of chemical Notch inhibition during early postnatal pituitary maturation. We show that loss of Notch2 has little influence on early embryonic pituitary proliferation but is crucial for postnatal progenitor maintenance and proliferation. In addition, we show that Notch signaling is necessary embryonically and postnatally for Prop1 expression and robust Pit1 lineage hormone cell expansion, as well as repression of the corticotrope lineage. Taken together, our studies identify temporal and cell type-specific roles for Notch signaling and highlight the importance of this pathway throughout pituitary development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah B Nantie
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology (L.B.N., A.D.H., D.R.G., L.T.R.) and Neuroscience Program (L.T.R.), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
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21
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Shan L, Wu Q, Li Y, Shang H, Guo K, Wu J, Wei H, Zhao J, Yu J, Li MH. Transcriptome profiling identifies differentially expressed genes in postnatal developing pituitary gland of miniature pig. DNA Res 2013; 21:207-16. [PMID: 24282060 PMCID: PMC3989491 DOI: 10.1093/dnares/dst051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, Tibetan pig and Bama pig are popularly used as animal models for medical researches. However, little genomic information is available for the two breeds, particularly regarding gene expression pattern at the whole-transcriptome level. In this study, we characterized the pituitary transcriptome profile along their postnatal developmental stages within and between the two breeds in order to illustrate the differential dynamics and functions of differentially expressed genes. We obtained a total of ∼300 million 80-bp paired-end reads, detected 15 715 previously annotated genes. Most of the genes (90.33%) were shared between the two breeds with the main functions in metabolic process. Four hormone genes (GH, PRL, LHB, and FSHB) were detected in all samples with extremely high levels of expression. Functional differences between the three developmental stages (infancy, puberty and adulthood) in each breed were dominantly presented by the gene expressions at the first stage. That is, Bama pig was over-represented in the genes involved in the cellular process, while Tibetan pig was over-represented in the genes represented by the reproductive process. The identified SNPs indicated that the divergence between the miniature pig breeds and the large pig (Duroc) were greater than that between the two miniature pig breeds. This study substantially expands our knowledge concerning the genes transcribed in the pig pituitary gland and provides an overview of pituitary transcriptome dynamics throughout the period of postnatal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Shan
- 1Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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22
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Malik RE, Rhodes SJ. The role of DNA methylation in regulation of the murine Lhx3 gene. Gene 2013; 534:272-81. [PMID: 24183897 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.10.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2013] [Revised: 10/09/2013] [Accepted: 10/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
LHX3 is a LIM-homeodomain transcription factor with critical roles in pituitary and nervous system development. Mutations in the LHX3 gene are associated with pediatric diseases featuring severe hormone deficiencies, hearing loss, developmental delay, and other symptoms. The mechanisms that govern LHX3/Lhx3 transcription are poorly understood. In this study, we examined the role of DNA methylation in the expression status of the mouse Lhx3 gene. Pituitary cells that do not normally express Lhx3 (Pit-1/0 cells) were treated with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, a demethylating reagent. This treatment leads to activation of Lhx3 gene expression suggesting that methylation contributes to Lhx3 regulation. Treatment of Pit-1/0 pituitary cells with a combination of a demethylating reagent and a histone deacetylase inhibitor led to rapid activation of Lhx3 expression, suggesting possible crosstalk between DNA methylation and histone modification processes. To assess DNA methylation levels, treated and untreated Pit-1/0 genomic DNAs were subjected to bisulfite conversion and sequencing. Treated Pit-1/0 cells had decreased methylation at specific sites in the Lhx3 locus compared to untreated cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated interactions between the MeCp2 methyl binding protein and Lhx3 promoter regions in the Pit-1/0 cell line. Overall, this study demonstrates that DNA methylation patterns of the Lhx3 gene are associated with its expression status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raleigh E Malik
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Simon J Rhodes
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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23
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Park S, Mullen RD, Rhodes SJ. Cell-specific actions of a human LHX3 gene enhancer during pituitary and spinal cord development. Mol Endocrinol 2013; 27:2013-27. [PMID: 24100213 DOI: 10.1210/me.2013-1161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The LIM class of homeodomain protein 3 (LHX3) transcription factor is essential for pituitary gland and nervous system development in mammals. In humans, mutations in the LHX3 gene underlie complex pediatric syndromes featuring deficits in anterior pituitary hormones and defects in the nervous system. The mechanisms that control temporal and spatial expression of the LHX3 gene are poorly understood. The proximal promoters of the human LHX3 gene are insufficient to guide expression in vivo and downstream elements including a conserved enhancer region appear to play a role in tissue-specific expression in the pituitary and nervous system. Here we characterized the activity of this downstream enhancer region in regulating gene expression at the cellular level during development. Human LHX3 enhancer-driven Cre reporter transgenic mice were generated to facilitate studies of enhancer actions. The downstream LHX3 enhancer primarily guides gene transcription in α-glycoprotein subunit -expressing cells secreting the TSHβ, LHβ, or FSHβ hormones and expressing the GATA2 and steroidogenic factor 1 transcription factors. In the developing nervous system, the enhancer serves as a targeting module active in V2a interneurons. These results demonstrate that the downstream LHX3 enhancer is important in specific endocrine and neural cell types but also indicate that additional regulatory elements are likely involved in LHX3 gene expression. Furthermore, these studies revealed significant gonadotrope cell heterogeneity during pituitary development, providing insights into the cellular physiology of this key reproductive regulatory cell. The human LHX3 enhancer-driven Cre reporter transgenic mice also provide a valuable tool for further developmental studies of cell determination and differentiation in the pituitary and nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soyoung Park
- PhD, Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, LD222, 402 North Blackford Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5120.
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24
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Iwama S, Welt CK, Romero CJ, Radovick S, Caturegli P. Isolated prolactin deficiency associated with serum autoantibodies against prolactin-secreting cells. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2013; 98:3920-5. [PMID: 23940128 PMCID: PMC3790613 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2013-2411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Isolated prolactin (PRL) deficiency is a rare entity of unknown etiology manifesting as failure of puerperal lactogenesis. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to determine the cause of isolated PRL deficiency in an affected woman. DESIGN AND SETTING We examined genetic and autoimmune causes of isolated PRL deficiency at academic medical centers. PATIENT The patient was a 39-year-old woman with puerperal alactogenesis after two deliveries and undetectable PRL. The other pituitary axes, serum calcium levels, and cranial magnetic resonance imaging were normal. INTERVENTION Recombinant human PRL (r-hPRL) was administered to the patient. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES We measured the sequencing of candidate genes and immunofluorescence analysis of autoantibodies directed against pituitary endocrine cells. RESULTS There were no rare sequence variants in the genes encoding for PRL, putative PRL-releasing peptide, putative PRL-releasing peptide receptor, or in other genes important for lactotroph lineage development (POU1F1, PROP1, LHX3, LHX4, HESX1, OTX2, and LSD1). The patient serum, on the contrary, contained autoantibodies that specifically recognized a subset of PRL-secreting cells but not PRL itself or any other pituitary cells or hormones. The mother was able to lactate fully after 17 days of treatment with r-hPRL 60 μg/kg every 12 hours, but alactogenesis resumed after treatment was completed. CONCLUSIONS These studies report a new autoimmune etiology for women with isolated PRL deficiency and puerperal alactogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shintaro Iwama
- MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Pathology, Ross 656, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21205.
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25
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Hunter CS, Malik RE, Witzmann FA, Rhodes SJ. LHX3 interacts with inhibitor of histone acetyltransferase complex subunits LANP and TAF-1β to modulate pituitary gene regulation. PLoS One 2013; 8:e68898. [PMID: 23861948 PMCID: PMC3701669 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2013] [Accepted: 06/07/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
LIM-homeodomain 3 (LHX3) is a transcription factor required for mammalian pituitary gland and nervous system development. Human patients and animal models with LHX3 gene mutations present with severe pediatric syndromes that feature hormone deficiencies and symptoms associated with nervous system dysfunction. The carboxyl terminus of the LHX3 protein is required for pituitary gene regulation, but the mechanism by which this domain operates is unknown. In order to better understand LHX3-dependent pituitary hormone gene transcription, we used biochemical and mass spectrometry approaches to identify and characterize proteins that interact with the LHX3 carboxyl terminus. This approach identified the LANP/pp32 and TAF-1β/SET proteins, which are components of the inhibitor of histone acetyltransferase (INHAT) multi-subunit complex that serves as a multifunctional repressor to inhibit histone acetylation and modulate chromatin structure. The protein domains of LANP and TAF-1β that interact with LHX3 were mapped using biochemical techniques. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated that LANP and TAF-1β are associated with LHX3 target genes in pituitary cells, and experimental alterations of LANP and TAF-1β levels affected LHX3-mediated pituitary gene regulation. Together, these data suggest that transcriptional regulation of pituitary genes by LHX3 involves regulated interactions with the INHAT complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad S. Hunter
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Raleigh E. Malik
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Frank A. Witzmann
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Simon J. Rhodes
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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26
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Tajima T, Ishizu K, Nakamura A. Molecular and Clinical Findings in Patients with LHX4 and OTX2 Mutations. Clin Pediatr Endocrinol 2013; 22:15-23. [PMID: 23990694 DOI: 10.1292/cpe.22.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2012] [Accepted: 12/28/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The pituitary gland produces hormones that play important roles in both the development and homeostasis of the body. Ontogeny of the anterior and posterior pituitary is orchestrated by inputs from neighboring tissues, cellular signaling molecules and transcription factors. Disruption of expression or function of these factors has been implicated in the etiology of combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD). These include the transcription factors HESX1, PROP1, POU1F1, LHX3, LHX4, OTX2, SOX2, SOX3 and GLI2. This review focuses on summarizing most recent mutations in LHX4 and OTX2 responsible for pituitary hormone deficiency. In both genetic defects of LHX4 and OTX2, there is high variability in clinical manifestations even in the same family. In addition, there is no clear phenotype-genotype correlation. These findings indicate that the other genetic and/or environmental factors influence the phenotype. In addition, the variability might reflect a plasticity during pituitary development and maintenance. Over the past two decades, a genetic basis for pituitary hormone deficiency and the mechanism of pituitary development have been clarified. It should be kept in mind that this review is not comprehensive, and defects of other transcriptional factors have been described in patients with CPHD. Furthermore, the causes in many patients with CPHD have not yet been determined. Therefore, continuing efforts for the clarification of the etiology are necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshihiro Tajima
- Department of Pediatrics, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan
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27
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Abstract
The pituitary gland produces hormones that play
important roles in both the development and homeostasis of the body. Ontogeny of the
anterior and posterior pituitary is orchestrated by inputs from neighboring tissues,
cellular signaling molecules and transcription factors. Disruption of expression or
function of these factors has been implicated in the etiology of combined pituitary
hormone deficiency (CPHD). These include the transcription factors HESX1, PROP1, POU1F1,
LHX3, LHX4, OTX2, SOX2, SOX3 and GLI2. This review focuses on summarizing most recent
mutations in LHX4 and OTX2 responsible for pituitary
hormone deficiency. In both genetic defects of LHX4 and
OTX2, there is high variability in clinical manifestations even in the
same family. In addition, there is no clear phenotype-genotype correlation. These findings
indicate that the other genetic and/or environmental factors influence the phenotype. In
addition, the variability might reflect a plasticity during pituitary development and
maintenance. Over the past two decades, a genetic basis for pituitary hormone deficiency
and the mechanism of pituitary development have been clarified. It should be kept in mind
that this review is not comprehensive, and defects of other transcriptional factors have
been described in patients with CPHD. Furthermore, the causes in many patients with CPHD
have not yet been determined. Therefore, continuing efforts for the clarification of the
etiology are necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshihiro Tajima
- Department of Pediatrics, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan
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28
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Abstract
Height is a classic polygenic quantitative trait with a high level of heritability. As it is a simple and stable parameter to measure, height is a model for both common, complex disorders and monogenic, Mendelian disease. In this Review, we examine height from the perspective of monogenic and complex genetics and discuss the lessons learned so far. We explore several examples of rare sequence variants with large effects on height and compare these variants to the common variants identified in genome-wide association studies that have small effects on height. We discuss how copy number changes or genetic interactions might contribute to the unidentified aspects of the heritability of height. We also ask whether information derived from genome-wide association studies on specific loci in the vicinity of genes can be used for further research in clinical paediatric endocrinology. Furthermore, we address key challenges that remain for gene discovery and for the transition of moving from genomic localization to mechanistic insights, with an emphasis on using next-generation sequencing to identify causative variants of people at the extremes of height distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Durand
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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29
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Prince KL, Colvin SC, Park S, Lai X, Witzmann FA, Rhodes SJ. Developmental analysis and influence of genetic background on the Lhx3 W227ter mouse model of combined pituitary hormone deficiency disease. Endocrinology 2013; 154:738-48. [PMID: 23288907 PMCID: PMC3548188 DOI: 10.1210/en.2012-1790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD) diseases result in severe outcomes for patients including short stature, developmental delays, and reproductive deficiencies. Little is known about their etiology, especially the developmental profiles and the influences of genetic background on disease progression. Animal models for CPHD provide valuable tools to investigate disease mechanisms and inform diagnostic and treatment protocols. Here we examined hormone production during pituitary development and the influence of genetic background on phenotypic severity in the Lhx3(W227ter/W227ter) mouse model. Lhx3(W227ter/W227ter) embryos have deficiencies of ACTH, α-glycoprotein subunit, GH, PRL, TSHβ, and LHβ during prenatal development. Furthermore, mutant mice have significant reduction in the critical pituitary transcriptional activator-1 (PIT1). Through breeding, the Lhx3(W227ter/W227ter) genotype was placed onto the 129/Sv and C57BL/6 backgrounds. Intriguingly, the genetic background significantly affected viability: whereas Lhx3(W227ter/W227ter) animals were found in the expected frequencies in C57BL/6, homozygous animals were not viable in the 129/Sv genetic environment. The hormone marker and PIT1 reductions observed in Lhx3(W227ter/W227ter) mice on a mixed background were also seen in the separate strains but in some cases were more severe in 129/Sv. To further characterize the molecular changes in diseased mice, we conducted a quantitative proteomic analysis of pituitary proteins. This showed significantly lower levels of PRL, pro-opiomelanocortin (ACTH), and α-glycoprotein subunit proteins in Lhx3(W227ter/W227ter) mice. Together, these data show that hormone deficiency disease is apparent in early prenatal stages in this CPHD model system. Furthermore, as is noted in human disease, genetic background significantly impacts the phenotypic outcome of these monogenic endocrine diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly L Prince
- Departments of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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30
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Jayakody SA, Andoniadou CL, Gaston-Massuet C, Signore M, Cariboni A, Bouloux PM, Le Tissier P, Pevny LH, Dattani MT, Martinez-Barbera JP. SOX2 regulates the hypothalamic-pituitary axis at multiple levels. J Clin Invest 2012; 122:3635-46. [PMID: 22945632 DOI: 10.1172/jci64311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2012] [Accepted: 07/17/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex-determining region Y (SRY) box 2 (SOX2) haploinsufficiency causes a form of hypopituitarism in humans that is characterized by gonadotrophin deficiency known as hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. Here, we conditionally deleted Sox2 in mice to investigate the pathogenesis of hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. First, we found that absence of SOX2 in the developing Rathke pouch of conditional embryos led to severe anterior lobe hypoplasia with drastically reduced expression of the pituitary-specific transcription factor POU class 1 homeobox 1 (POU1F1) as well as severe disruption of somatotroph and thyrotroph differentiation. In contrast, corticotrophs, rostral-tip POU1F1-independent thyrotrophs, and, interestingly, lactotrophs and gonadotrophs were less affected. Second, we identified a requirement for SOX2 in normal proliferation of periluminal progenitors; in its absence, insufficient precursors were available to produce all cell lineages of the anterior pituitary. Differentiated cells derived from precursors exiting cell cycle at early stages, including corticotrophs, rostral-tip thyrotrophs, and gonadotrophs, were generated, while hormone-producing cells originating from late-born precursors, such as somatotrophs and POU1F1-dependent thyrotrophs, were severely reduced. Finally, we found that 2 previously characterized patients with SOX2 haploinsufficiency and associated hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism had a measurable response to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation, suggesting that it is not the absence of gonadotroph differentiation, but rather the deficient hypothalamic stimulation of gonadotrophs, that underlies typical hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujatha A Jayakody
- Neural Development Unit, Institute of Child Health, and Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Bechtold-Dalla Pozza S, Hiedl S, Roeb J, Lohse P, Malik RE, Park S, Durán-Prado M, Rhodes SJ. A recessive mutation resulting in a disabling amino acid substitution (T194R) in the LHX3 homeodomain causes combined pituitary hormone deficiency. Horm Res Paediatr 2012; 77:41-51. [PMID: 22286346 PMCID: PMC3355643 DOI: 10.1159/000335929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2011] [Accepted: 12/06/2011] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Recessive mutations in the LHX3 homeodomain transcription factor gene are associated with developmental disorders affecting the pituitary and nervous system. We describe pediatric patients with combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD) who harbor a novel mutation in LHX3. METHODS Two female siblings from related parents were examined. Both patients had neonatal complications. The index patient had CPHD featuring deficiencies of GH, LH, FSH, PRL, and TSH, with later onset of ACTH deficiency. She also had a hypoplastic anterior pituitary, respiratory distress, hearing impairment, and limited neck rotation. The LHX3 gene was sequenced and the biochemical properties of the predicted altered proteins were characterized. RESULTS A novel homozygous mutation predicted to change amino acid 194 from threonine to arginine (T194R) was detected in both patients. This amino acid is conserved in the DNA-binding homeodomain. Computer modeling predicted that the T194R change would alter the homeodomain structure. The T194R protein did not bind tested LHX3 DNA recognition sites and did not activate the α-glycoprotein and PRL target genes. CONCLUSION The T194R mutation affects a critical residue in the LHX3 protein. This study extends our understanding of the phenotypic features, molecular mechanism, and developmental course associated with mutations in the LHX3 gene.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefan Hiedl
- Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Julia Roeb
- Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Peter Lohse
- Clinical Chemistry-Grosshadern, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Raleigh E. Malik
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Ind., USA
| | - Soyoung Park
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Ind., USA
| | - Mario Durán-Prado
- Medical Sciences, University of Castilla la Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Simon J. Rhodes
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Ind., USA,Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Ind., USA,Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Ind., USA,*Simon J. Rhodes, PhD, Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Medical Science Room 362A, 635 N. Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5120 (USA), Tel. +1 317 278 1797, E-Mail
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