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Zhang W, Jin M, Lu Z, Li T, Wang H, Yuan Z, Wei C. Whole Genome Resequencing Reveals Selection Signals Related to Wool Color in Sheep. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3265. [PMID: 37893989 PMCID: PMC10603731 DOI: 10.3390/ani13203265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Wool color is controlled by a variety of genes. Although the gene regulation of some wool colors has been studied in relative depth, there may still be unknown genetic variants and control genes for some colors or different breeds of wool that need to be identified and recognized by whole genome resequencing. Therefore, we used whole genome resequencing data to compare and analyze sheep populations of different breeds by population differentiation index and nucleotide diversity ratios (Fst and θπ ratio) as well as extended haplotype purity between populations (XP-EHH) to reveal selection signals related to wool coloration in sheep. Screening in the non-white wool color group (G1 vs. G2) yielded 365 candidate genes, among which PDE4B, GMDS, GATA1, RCOR1, MAPK4, SLC36A1, and PPP3CA were associated with the formation of non-white wool; an enrichment analysis of the candidate genes yielded 21 significant GO terms and 49 significant KEGG pathways (p < 0.05), among which 17 GO terms and 21 KEGG pathways were associated with the formation of non-white wool. Screening in the white wool color group (G2 vs. G1) yielded 214 candidate genes, including ABCD4, VSX2, ITCH, NNT, POLA1, IGF1R, HOXA10, and DAO, which were associated with the formation of white wool; an enrichment analysis of the candidate genes revealed 9 significant GO-enriched pathways and 19 significant KEGG pathways (p < 0.05), including 5 GO terms and 12 KEGG pathways associated with the formation of white wool. In addition to furthering our understanding of wool color genetics, this research is important for breeding purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wentao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China; (W.Z.); (M.J.); (T.L.); (H.W.)
| | - Meilin Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China; (W.Z.); (M.J.); (T.L.); (H.W.)
| | - Zengkui Lu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China;
| | - Taotao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China; (W.Z.); (M.J.); (T.L.); (H.W.)
| | - Huihua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China; (W.Z.); (M.J.); (T.L.); (H.W.)
| | - Zehu Yuan
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China;
| | - Caihong Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China; (W.Z.); (M.J.); (T.L.); (H.W.)
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Kakebeen AD, Chitsazan AD, Williams MC, Saunders LM, Wills AE. Chromatin accessibility dynamics and single cell RNA-Seq reveal new regulators of regeneration in neural progenitors. eLife 2020; 9:e52648. [PMID: 32338593 PMCID: PMC7250574 DOI: 10.7554/elife.52648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate appendage regeneration requires precisely coordinated remodeling of the transcriptional landscape to enable the growth and differentiation of new tissue, a process executed over multiple days and across dozens of cell types. The heterogeneity of tissues and temporally-sensitive fate decisions involved has made it difficult to articulate the gene regulatory programs enabling regeneration of individual cell types. To better understand how a regenerative program is fulfilled by neural progenitor cells (NPCs) of the spinal cord, we analyzed pax6-expressing NPCs isolated from regenerating Xenopus tropicalis tails. By intersecting chromatin accessibility data with single-cell transcriptomics, we find that NPCs place an early priority on neuronal differentiation. Late in regeneration, the priority returns to proliferation. Our analyses identify Pbx3 and Meis1 as critical regulators of tail regeneration and axon organization. Overall, we use transcriptional regulatory dynamics to present a new model for cell fate decisions and their regulators in NPCs during regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Lauren M Saunders
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
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3
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Schulte D, Geerts D. MEIS transcription factors in development and disease. Development 2019; 146:146/16/dev174706. [PMID: 31416930 DOI: 10.1242/dev.174706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
MEIS transcription factors are key regulators of embryonic development and cancer. Research on MEIS genes in the embryo and in stem cell systems has revealed novel and surprising mechanisms by which these proteins control gene expression. This Primer summarizes recent findings about MEIS protein activity and regulation in development, and discusses new insights into the role of MEIS genes in disease, focusing on the pathogenesis of solid cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothea Schulte
- Institute of Neurology (Edinger Institute), University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, 60528 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Dirk Geerts
- Department of Medical Biology L2-109, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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4
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Frank D, Sela-Donenfeld D. Hindbrain induction and patterning during early vertebrate development. Cell Mol Life Sci 2019; 76:941-960. [PMID: 30519881 PMCID: PMC11105337 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-018-2974-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The hindbrain is a key relay hub of the central nervous system (CNS), linking the bilaterally symmetric half-sides of lower and upper CNS centers via an extensive network of neural pathways. Dedicated neural assemblies within the hindbrain control many physiological processes, including respiration, blood pressure, motor coordination and different sensations. During early development, the hindbrain forms metameric segmented units known as rhombomeres along the antero-posterior (AP) axis of the nervous system. These compartmentalized units are highly conserved during vertebrate evolution and act as the template for adult brainstem structure and function. TALE and HOX homeodomain family transcription factors play a key role in the initial induction of the hindbrain and its specification into rhombomeric cell fate identities along the AP axis. Signaling pathways, such as canonical-Wnt, FGF and retinoic acid, play multiple roles to initially induce the hindbrain and regulate Hox gene-family expression to control rhombomeric identity. Additional transcription factors including Krox20, Kreisler and others act both upstream and downstream to Hox genes, modulating their expression and protein activity. In this review, we will examine the earliest embryonic signaling pathways that induce the hindbrain and subsequent rhombomeric segmentation via Hox and other gene expression. We will examine how these signaling pathways and transcription factors interact to activate downstream targets that organize the segmented AP pattern of the embryonic vertebrate hindbrain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dale Frank
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, The Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 31096, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Dalit Sela-Donenfeld
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 76100, Rehovot, Israel.
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5
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An Evolutionarily Conserved Mesodermal Enhancer in Vertebrate Zic3. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14954. [PMID: 30297839 PMCID: PMC6175831 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33235-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Zic3 encodes a zinc finger protein essential for the development of meso-ectodermal tissues. In mammals, Zic3 has important roles in the development of neural tube, axial skeletons, left-right body axis, and in maintaining pluripotency of ES cells. Here we characterized cis-regulatory elements required for Zic3 expression. Enhancer activities of human-chicken-conserved noncoding sequences around Zic1 and Zic3 were screened using chick whole-embryo electroporation. We identified enhancers for meso-ectodermal tissues. Among them, a mesodermal enhancer (Zic3-ME) in distant 3' flanking showed robust enhancement of reporter gene expression in the mesodermal tissue of chicken and mouse embryos, and was required for mesodermal Zic3 expression in mice. Zic3-ME minimal core region is included in the DNase hypersensitive region of ES cells, mesoderm, and neural progenitors, and was bound by T (Brachyury), Eomes, Lef1, Nanog, Oct4, and Zic2. Zic3-ME is derived from an ancestral sequence shared with a sequence encoding a mitochondrial enzyme. These results indicate that Zic3-ME is an integrated cis-regulatory element essential for the proper expression of Zic3 in vertebrates, serving as a hub for a gene regulatory network including Zic3.
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Salminen AV, Garrett L, Schormair B, Rozman J, Giesert F, Niedermeier KM, Becker L, Rathkolb B, Rácz I, Klingenspor M, Klopstock T, Wolf E, Zimmer A, Gailus-Durner V, Torres M, Fuchs H, Hrabě de Angelis M, Wurst W, Hölter SM, Winkelmann J. Meis1: effects on motor phenotypes and the sensorimotor system in mice. Dis Model Mech 2017. [PMID: 28645892 PMCID: PMC5560065 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.030080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
MEIS1 encodes a developmental transcription factor and has been linked to restless legs syndrome (RLS) in genome-wide association studies. RLS is a movement disorder leading to severe sleep reduction and has a substantial impact on the quality of life of patients. In genome-wide association studies, MEIS1 has consistently been the gene with the highest effect size and functional studies suggest a disease-relevant downregulation. Therefore, haploinsufficiency of Meis1 could be the system with the most potential for modeling RLS in animals. We used heterozygous Meis1-knockout mice to study the effects of Meis1 haploinsufficiency on mouse behavioral and neurological phenotypes, and to relate the findings to human RLS. We exposed the Meis1-deficient mice to assays of motor, sensorimotor and cognitive ability, and assessed the effect of a dopaminergic receptor 2/3 agonist commonly used in the treatment of RLS. The mutant mice showed a pattern of circadian hyperactivity, which is compatible with human RLS. Moreover, we discovered a replicable prepulse inhibition (PPI) deficit in the Meis1-deficient animals. In addition, these mice were hyposensitive to the PPI-reducing effect of the dopaminergic receptor agonist, highlighting a role of Meis1 in the dopaminergic system. Other reported phenotypes include enhanced social recognition at an older age that was not related to alterations in adult olfactory bulb neurogenesis previously shown to be implicated in this behavior. In conclusion, the Meis1-deficient mice fulfill some of the hallmarks of an RLS animal model, and revealed the role of Meis1 in sensorimotor gating and in the dopaminergic systems modulating it. Summary: Loss of Meis1 results in motor restlessness in mice, a phenotype resembling human restless legs syndrome, as well as altered sensorimotor gating and improved social discrimination memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaro V Salminen
- Institute of Neurogenomics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Lillian Garrett
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.,German Mouse Clinic, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Barbara Schormair
- Institute of Neurogenomics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Jan Rozman
- German Mouse Clinic, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Florian Giesert
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Kristina M Niedermeier
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Lore Becker
- German Mouse Clinic, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Birgit Rathkolb
- German Mouse Clinic, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.,Institute of Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Ildikó Rácz
- German Mouse Clinic, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.,Institute of Molecular Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Martin Klingenspor
- Chair of Molecular Nutritional Medicine, Technical University Munich, EKFZ - Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Nutritional Medicine, Gregor-Mendel-Str. 2, 85350 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
| | - Thomas Klopstock
- Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Ziemssenstr. 1a, 80336 Munich, Germany.,Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen e. V. (DZNE), 81377 Munich, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Adolf-Butenandt-Institut, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Eckhard Wolf
- Institute of Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Andreas Zimmer
- Institute of Molecular Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Valérie Gailus-Durner
- German Mouse Clinic, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Miguel Torres
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Helmut Fuchs
- German Mouse Clinic, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Martin Hrabě de Angelis
- German Mouse Clinic, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.,Chair of Experimental Genetics, School of Life Science Weihenstephan, Technische Universität 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wurst
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.,Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen e. V. (DZNE), 81377 Munich, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Adolf-Butenandt-Institut, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany.,Chair of Developmental Genetics, Faculty of Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Sabine M Hölter
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.,German Mouse Clinic, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Juliane Winkelmann
- Institute of Neurogenomics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany .,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Adolf-Butenandt-Institut, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany.,Institute of Human Genetics, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany.,Neurologic Clinic, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
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7
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Abstract
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a complex disorder that involves sensory and motor systems. The major pathophysiology of RLS is low iron concentration in the substantia nigra containing the cell bodies of dopamine neurons that project to the striatum, an area that is crucial for modulating movement. People who have RLS often present with normal iron values outside the brain; recent studies implicate several genes are involved in the syndrome. Like most complex diseases, animal models usually do not faithfully capture the full phenotypic spectrum of "disease," which is a uniquely human construct. Nonetheless, animal models have proven useful in helping to unravel the complex pathophysiology of diseases such as RLS and suggesting novel treatment paradigms. For example, hypothesis-independent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified several genes as increasing the risk for RLS, including BTBD9. Independently, the murine homolog Btbd9 was identified as a candidate gene for iron regulation in the midbrain in mice. The relevance of the phenotype of another of the GWAS identified genes, MEIS1, has also been explored. The role of Btbd9 in iron regulation and RLS-like behaviors has been further evaluated in mice carrying a null mutation of the gene and in fruit flies when the BTBD9 protein is degraded. The BTBD9 and MEIS1 stories originate from human GWAS research, supported by work in a genetic reference population of mice (forward genetics) and further verified in mice, fish flies, and worms. Finally, the role of genetics is further supported by an inbred mouse strain that displays many of the phenotypic characteristics of RLS. The role of animal models of RLS phenotypes is also extended to include periodic limb movements.
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8
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Wang W, Li Y, Li S, Wu Z, Yuan M, Wang T, Wang S. Pooling-Based Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies Risk Loci in the Pathogenesis of Ovarian Endometrioma in Chinese Han Women. Reprod Sci 2016; 24:400-406. [PMID: 27506219 DOI: 10.1177/1933719116657191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Endometriosis, regarded as a complex disease, is influenced by multiple genetic factors. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWASs) in endometriosis have identified several susceptibility loci in Caucasian and Japanese populations. However, the overlapped susceptible loci were few. This case-control study tried to identify risk loci-related genes for ovarian endometrioma in Chinese Han women from central China using DNA pooling-based GWAS. Genome DNA samples were extracted from 3038 participants in central China. Pooling-based genome-wide scan and individual genotyping were performed using Affymetrix Genome-Wide Human SNP Array 6.0 and IPLEX Gold system, which demonstrated 10 ovarian endometrioma-related novel risk loci. There were 3 of them with P value < 5 × 10-06, separately locating in intron of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor, chromosome 7 open reading frame 50, and Meis homeobox 1. In conclusion, the pooling-based GWAS for ovarian endometrioma identified some novel single-nucleotide polymorphisms in Chinese Han women of central China. Further assessment in other samples will be crucial to confirm the susceptibility of these results and explore the mechanisms of the related genes in the pathogenesis of ovarian endometrioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenwen Wang
- 1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Li
- 1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Sha Li
- 2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhangying Wu
- 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming Yuan
- 1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Tian Wang
- 1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Shixuan Wang
- 1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
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9
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Patel AV, Chaney KE, Choi K, Largaespada DA, Kumar AR, Ratner N. An ShRNA Screen Identifies MEIS1 as a Driver of Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors. EBioMedicine 2016; 9:110-119. [PMID: 27333032 PMCID: PMC4972548 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2016] [Revised: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) are rare soft tissue sarcomas that are a major source of mortality in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) patients. To identify MPNST driver genes, we performed a lentiviral short hairpin (sh) RNA screen, targeting all 130 genes up-regulated in neurofibroma and MPNSTs versus normal human nerve Schwann cells. NF1 mutant cells show activation of RAS/MAPK signaling, so a counter-screen in RAS mutant carcinoma cells was performed to exclude common RAS-pathway driven genes. We identified 7 genes specific for survival of MPSNT cells, including MEIS1. MEIS1 was frequently amplified or hypomethylated in human MPSNTs, correlating with elevated MEIS1 gene expression. In MPNST cells and in a genetically engineered mouse model, MEIS1 expression in developing nerve glial cells was necessary for MPNST growth. Mechanistically, MEIS1 drives MPNST cell growth via the transcription factor ID1, thereby suppressing expression of the cell cycle inhibitor p27Kip and maintaining cell survival. Targeting over-expressed genes facilitates identification of sarcoma driver genes. We identify MEIS1 as a MPNST oncogene. MEIS1 suppresses p27Kip enabling MPNST survival.
We identify MEIS1 as a sarcoma oncogene, and identify an additional 7 genes specific for survival of malignant peripheral nerve sheath cells. MEIS1 was frequently amplified or hypomethylated in human tumors, correlating with elevated MEIS1 gene and protein expression. MEIS1 enables cell cycle progression in these tumor cells through downregulation of expression of a pro-cell death protein p27Kip. Thus, inhibitors targeting cell cycle checkpoints and/or upregulating p27Kip may have therapeutic value for these patients, and perhaps for other tumor types in which MEIS1 is an oncogene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ami V Patel
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45229-0713, United States
| | - Katherine E Chaney
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45229-0713, United States
| | - Kwangmin Choi
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45229-0713, United States
| | - David A Largaespada
- Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
| | - Ashish R Kumar
- Division of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Immune Deficiency, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45229-0713, United States
| | - Nancy Ratner
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45229-0713, United States.
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10
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Abstract
Sleep disorders are, in part, attributable to genetic variability across individuals. There has been considerable progress in understanding the role of genes for some sleep disorders, such as the identification of a human leukocyte antigen gene for narcolepsy. For other sleep disorders, such as insomnia, little work has been done. Optimizing phenotyping strategies is critical, as is the case for sleep apnea, for which intermediate traits such as obesity and craniofacial features may prove to be more tractable for genetic studies. Rapid advances in genotyping and statistical genetics are likely to lead to greater discoveries in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip R Gehrman
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street, Suite 670, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Brendan T Keenan
- Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 125 South 31st Street, Suite 2100, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3403, USA
| | - Enda M Byrne
- Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 125 South 31st Street, Suite 2100, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3403, USA; Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Allan I Pack
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 125 South 31st Street, Suite 2100, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3403, USA
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11
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Abstract
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common sensorimotor trait defined by symptoms that interfere with sleep onset and maintenance in a clinically meaningful way. Nonvolitional myoclonus while awake and asleep is a sign of the disorder and an informative endophenotype. The genetic contributions to RLS/periodic leg movements are substantial, are among the most robust defined to date for a common disease, and account for much of the variance in disease expressivity. The disorder is polygenic, as revealed by recent genome-wide association studies. Experimental studies are revealing mechanistic details of how these common variants might influence RLS expressivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- David B Rye
- Program in Sleep, Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, 12 Executive Park Drive Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
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12
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Schulte EC, Winkelmann J. Clinical Phenotype and Genetics of Restless Legs Syndrome. Mov Disord 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-405195-9.00076-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
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13
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Okumura K, Saito M, Isogai E, Aoto Y, Hachiya T, Sakakibara Y, Katsuragi Y, Hirose S, Kominami R, Goitsuka R, Nakamura T, Wakabayashi Y. Meis1 regulates epidermal stem cells and is required for skin tumorigenesis. PLoS One 2014; 9:e102111. [PMID: 25013928 PMCID: PMC4094504 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2014] [Accepted: 06/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that Meis1 plays an important role in blood development and vascular homeostasis, and can induce blood cancers, such as leukemia. However, its role in epithelia remains largely unknown. Here, we uncover two roles for Meis1 in the epidermis: as a critical regulator of epidermal homeostasis in normal tissues and as a proto-oncogenic factor in neoplastic tissues. In normal epidermis, we show that Meis1 is predominantly expressed in the bulge region of the hair follicles where multipotent adult stem cells reside, and that the number of these stem cells is reduced when Meis1 is deleted in the epidermal tissue of mice. Mice with epidermal deletion of Meis1 developed significantly fewer DMBA/TPA-induced benign and malignant tumors compared with wild-type mice, suggesting that Meis1 plays a role in both tumor development and malignant progression. This is consistent with the observation that Meis1 expression increases as tumors progress from benign papillomas to malignant carcinomas. Interestingly, we found that Meis1 localization was altered to neoplasia development. Instead of being localized to the stem cell region, Meis1 is localized to more differentiated cells in tumor tissues. These findings suggest that, during the transformation from normal to neoplastic tissues, a functional switch occurs in Meis1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiro Okumura
- Department of Carcinogenesis Research, Division of Experimental Animal Research, Chiba Cancer Center Research Institute, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
| | - Megumi Saito
- Department of Carcinogenesis Research, Division of Experimental Animal Research, Chiba Cancer Center Research Institute, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
| | - Eriko Isogai
- Department of Carcinogenesis Research, Division of Experimental Animal Research, Chiba Cancer Center Research Institute, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yoshimasa Aoto
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Bioinfomatics Laboratory, Keio University, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Hachiya
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Bioinfomatics Laboratory, Keio University, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yasubumi Sakakibara
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Bioinfomatics Laboratory, Keio University, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Katsuragi
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata, Japan
| | - Satoshi Hirose
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata, Japan
| | - Ryo Kominami
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Niigata, Japan
| | - Ryo Goitsuka
- Division of Development and Aging, Research Institute for Biological Science, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takuro Nakamura
- Division of Carcinogenesis, Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Koto, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuichi Wakabayashi
- Department of Carcinogenesis Research, Division of Experimental Animal Research, Chiba Cancer Center Research Institute, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Hudry B, Thomas-Chollier M, Volovik Y, Duffraisse M, Dard A, Frank D, Technau U, Merabet S. Molecular insights into the origin of the Hox-TALE patterning system. eLife 2014; 3:e01939. [PMID: 24642410 PMCID: PMC3957477 DOI: 10.7554/elife.01939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite tremendous body form diversity in nature, bilaterian animals share common sets of developmental genes that display conserved expression patterns in the embryo. Among them are the Hox genes, which define different identities along the anterior–posterior axis. Hox proteins exert their function by interaction with TALE transcription factors. Hox and TALE members are also present in some but not all non-bilaterian phyla, raising the question of how Hox–TALE interactions evolved to provide positional information. By using proteins from unicellular and multicellular lineages, we showed that these networks emerged from an ancestral generic motif present in Hox and other related protein families. Interestingly, Hox-TALE networks experienced additional and extensive molecular innovations that were likely crucial for differentiating Hox functions along body plans. Together our results highlight how homeobox gene families evolved during eukaryote evolution to eventually constitute a major patterning system in Eumetazoans. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01939.001 Any animal with a body that is symmetric about an imaginary line that runs from its head to its tail is known as a bilaterian. Humans and most animals are bilateral, whereas jellyfish and starfish are not. Bilateral symmetry can take many forms—as demonstrated by the differences between flies, frogs and humans—but all bilaterians express many of the same genes during development. One of these groups of genes is known as the Hox family. The expression of specific Hox genes at specific times instructs cells in the developing embryo to adopt different fates according to their position along the anterior–posterior (head to tail) axis. The patterning function of Hox genes relies on the presence of two additional cofactors that belong to the so-called TALE family. Although both Hox and TALE proteins were present early on during animal evolution, it is unclear how and when the interactions between them first began to generate symmetrical body plans. Now, Hudry et al. have provided insights into the origin of the Hox-TALE network by analysing the expression and molecular properties of Hox and TALE proteins from various multicellular and unicellular organisms. These experiments revealed that Hox and TALE proteins of the sea anemone Nematostella, which belongs to a group of animals called cnidarians that have radial rather than bilateral symmetry, interact with one another in a similar manner to the interactions seen in bilaterians. Hudry et al. then showed that two Nematostella Hox genes were able to substitute for their bilaterian equivalents in fruit flies, and that a Nematostella TALE gene was able to take over neuronal functions of its equivalent in Xenopus frogs. This striking conservation of function between species suggests that Hox and TALE genes were already working together in the common ancestor of all bilaterian and cnidarian animals. By contrast, TALE members from a unicellular amoeba were unable to interact with Hox proteins, suggesting that Hox–TALE interactions first emerged in multicellular animals. In addition to increasing our knowledge of highly conserved Hox signalling, these data provide insight into the molecular mechanisms that gave rise to the symmetrical body plan that has been adopted, and adapted, by the majority of animals since. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01939.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Hudry
- MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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15
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Hirayama T, Asano Y, Iida H, Watanabe T, Nakamura T, Goitsuka R. Meis1 is required for the maintenance of postnatal thymic epithelial cells. PLoS One 2014; 9:e89885. [PMID: 24594519 PMCID: PMC3942356 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2013] [Accepted: 01/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Most epithelial tissues retain stem/progenitor cells to maintain homeostasis of the adult tissues; however, the existence of a thymic epithelial cell (TEC) progenitor capable of maintaining homeostasis of the postnatal thymus remains unclear. Here, we show that a cell population expressing high levels of Meis1, a homeodomain transcription factor, is enriched in TECs with an immature cellular phenotype. These TECs selectively express genes involved in embryonic thymic organogenesis and epithelial stem cell maintenance, and also have the potential to proliferate and differentiate into mature TEC populations. Furthermore, postnatal inactivation of Meis1 in TECs caused disorganization of the thymic architecture, which ultimately leads to premature disappearance of the thymus. There was an age-associated reduction in the proportion of the TEC population expressing high levels of Meis1, which may also be related to thymic involution. These findings indicate that Meis1 is potentially involved in the maintenance of postnatal TECs with progenitor activity that is required for homeostasis of the postnatal thymus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takehiro Hirayama
- Division of Development and Aging, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yusuke Asano
- Division of Development and Aging, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hajime Iida
- Division of Development and Aging, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takeshi Watanabe
- Center for Innovation in Immunoregulative Technology and Therapeutics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takuro Nakamura
- Department of Carcinogenesis, The Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryo Goitsuka
- Division of Development and Aging, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba, Japan
- * E-mail:
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16
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The molecular basis of restless legs syndrome. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2013; 23:895-900. [DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2013.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2013] [Revised: 06/29/2013] [Accepted: 07/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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17
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Schulte D, Frank D. TALE transcription factors during early development of the vertebrate brain and eye. Dev Dyn 2013; 243:99-116. [DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2013] [Revised: 07/11/2013] [Accepted: 07/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dorothea Schulte
- Institute of Neurology (Edinger Institute); University Hospital Frankfurt, J.W. Goethe University; Frankfurt Germany
| | - Dale Frank
- Department of Biochemistry; The Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology; Haifa Israel
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18
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Barber BA, Liyanage VRB, Zachariah RM, Olson CO, Bailey MAG, Rastegar M. Dynamic expression of MEIS1 homeoprotein in E14.5 forebrain and differentiated forebrain-derived neural stem cells. Ann Anat 2013; 195:431-40. [PMID: 23756022 DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2013.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2013] [Revised: 04/03/2013] [Accepted: 04/09/2013] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Central nervous system development is controlled by highly conserved homeoprotein transcription factors including HOX and TALE (Three Amino acid Loop Extension). TALE proteins are primarily known as HOX-cofactors and play key roles in cell proliferation, differentiation and organogenesis. MEIS1 is a TALE member with established expression in the developing central nervous system. MEIS1 is essential for embryonic development and Meis1 knockout mice dies at embryonic day (E) 14.5. However, Meis1/MEIS1 expression in the devolving forebrain, at this critical time-point has not been studied. Here, for the first time we characterize the region-specific expression of MEIS1 in E14.5 mouse forebrain, filling the gap of MEIS1 expression profile between E12.5 and E16.5. Previously, we reported MEIS1 transcriptional regulatory role in neuronal differentiation and established forebrain-derived neural stem cells (NSC) for gene therapy application of neuronal genes. Here, we show the dynamic expression of Meis1/MEIS1 during the differentiation of forebrain-derived NSC toward a glial lineage. Our results show that Meis1/MEIS1 expression is induced during NSC differentiation and is expressed in both differentiated neurons and astrocytes. Confirming these results, we detected MEIS1 expression in primary cultures of in vivo differentiated cortical neurons and astrocytes. We further demonstrate Meis1/MEIS1 expression relative to other TALE family members in the forebrain-derived NSC in the absence of Hox genes. Our data provide evidence that forebrain-derived NSC can be used as an accessible in vitro model to study the expression and function of TALE proteins, supporting their potential role in modulating NSC self-renewal and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Barber
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, 745 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
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Irimia M, Maeso I, Burguera D, Hidalgo-Sánchez M, Puelles L, Roy SW, Garcia-Fernàndez J, Ferran JL. Contrasting 5' and 3' evolutionary histories and frequent evolutionary convergence in Meis/hth gene structures. Genome Biol Evol 2011; 3:551-64. [PMID: 21680890 PMCID: PMC3140891 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evr056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Organisms show striking differences in genome structure; however, the functional implications and fundamental forces that govern these differences remain obscure. The intron–exon organization of nuclear genes is involved in a particularly large variety of structures and functional roles. We performed a 22-species study of Meis/hth genes, intron-rich homeodomain-containing transcription factors involved in a wide range of developmental processes. Our study revealed three surprising results that suggest important and very different functions for Meis intron–exon structures. First, we find unexpected conservation across species of intron positions and lengths along most of the Meis locus. This contrasts with the high degree of structural divergence found in genome-wide studies and may attest to conserved regulatory elements residing within these conserved introns. Second, we find very different evolutionary histories for the 5′ and 3′ regions of the gene. The 5′-most 10 exons, which encode the highly conserved Meis domain and homeodomain, show striking conservation. By contrast, the 3′ of the gene, which encodes several domains implicated in transcriptional activation and response to cell signaling, shows a remarkably active evolutionary history, with diverse isoforms and frequent creation and loss of new exons and splice sites. This region-specific diversity suggests evolutionary “tinkering,” with alternative splicing allowing for more subtle regulation of protein function. Third, we find a large number of cases of convergent evolution in the 3′ region, including 1) parallel losses of ancestral coding sequence, 2) parallel gains of external and internal splice sites, and 3) recurrent truncation of C-terminal coding regions. These results attest to the importance of locus-specific splicing functions in differences in structural evolution across genes, as well as to commonalities of forces shaping the evolution of individual genes along different lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Irimia
- Department of Genetics, School of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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20
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Schormair B, Winkelmann J. Genetics of Restless Legs Syndrome: Mendelian, Complex, and Everything in Between. Sleep Med Clin 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2011.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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21
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Sánchez-Guardado LÓ, Irimia M, Sánchez-Arrones L, Burguera D, Rodríguez-Gallardo L, Garcia-Fernández J, Puelles L, Ferran JL, Hidalgo-Sánchez M. Distinct and redundant expression and transcriptional diversity of MEIS gene paralogs during chicken development. Dev Dyn 2011; 240:1475-92. [PMID: 21465619 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.22621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/17/2011] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
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22
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Sánchez-Guardado LÓ, Ferran JL, Rodríguez-Gallardo L, Puelles L, Hidalgo-Sánchez M. Meis gene expression patterns in the developing chicken inner ear. J Comp Neurol 2011; 519:125-47. [PMID: 21120931 DOI: 10.1002/cne.22508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
We are interested in stable gene network activities operating sequentially during inner ear specification. The implementation of this patterning process is a key event in the generation of functional subdivisions of the otic vesicle during early embryonic development. The vertebrate inner ear is a complex sensory structure that is a good model system for characterization of developmental mechanisms controlling patterning and specification. Meis genes, belonging to the TALE family, encode homodomain-containing transcription factors remarkably conserved during evolution, which play a role in normal and neoplastic development. To gain understanding of the possible role of homeobox Meis genes in the developing chick inner ear, we comprehensively analyzed their spatiotemporal expression patterns from early otic specification stages onwards. In the invaginating otic placode, Meis1/2 transcripts were observed in the borders of the otic cup, being absent in the portion of otic epithelium closest to the hindbrain. As development proceeds, Meis1 and Meis2 expressions became restricted to the dorsomedial otic epithelium. Both genes were strongly expressed in the entire presumptive domain of the semicircular canals, and more weakly in all associated cristae. The endolymphatic apparatus was labeled in part by Meis1/2. Meis1 was also expressed in the lateral wall of the growing cochlear duct, while Meis2 expression was detected in a few cells of the developing acoustic-vestibular ganglion. Our results suggest a possible role of Meis assigning regional identity in the morphogenesis, patterning, and specification of the developing inner ear.
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24
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Dynamic regulation of LARG in blastopore closure and archenteron formation during Xenopus laevis gastrulation. Genes Genomics 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s13258-010-0861-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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25
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Schimmelmann BG, Friedel S, Nguyen TT, Sauer S, Ganz Vogel CI, Konrad K, Wilhelm C, Sinzig J, Renner TJ, Romanos M, Palmason H, Dempfle A, Walitza S, Freitag C, Meyer J, Linder M, Schäfer H, Warnke A, Lesch KP, Herpertz-Dahlman B, Hinney A, Hebebrand J. Exploring the genetic link between RLS and ADHD. J Psychiatr Res 2009; 43:941-5. [PMID: 19223043 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2009.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2008] [Revised: 01/13/2009] [Accepted: 01/13/2009] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorder of childhood onset. Clinical and biological evidence points to shared common central nervous system (CNS) pathology of ADHD and restless legs syndrome (RLS). It was hypothesized that variants previously found to be associated with RLS in two large genome-wide association studies (GWA), will also be associated with ADHD. SNPs located in MEIS1 (rs2300478), BTBD9 (rs9296249, rs3923809, rs6923737), and MAP2K5 (rs12593813, rs4489954) as well as three SNPs tagging the identified haplotype in MEIS1 (rs6710341, rs12469063, rs4544423) were genotyped in a well characterized German sample of 224 families comprising one or more affected sibs (386 children) and both parents. We found no evidence for preferential transmission of the hypothesized variants to ADHD. Subsequent analyses elicited nominal significant association with haplotypes consisting of the three SNPs in BTBD9 (chi2 = 14.8, df = 7, nominal p = 0.039). According to exploratory post hoc analyses, the major contribution to this finding came from the A-A-A-haplotype with a haplotype-wise nominal p-value of 0.009. However, this result did not withstand correction for multiple testing. In view of our results, RLS risk alleles may have a lower effect on ADHD than on RLS or may not be involved in ADHD. The negative findings may additionally result from genetic heterogeneity of ADHD, i.e. risk alleles for RLS may only be relevant for certain subtypes of ADHD. Genes relevant to RLS remain interesting candidates for ADHD; particularly BTBD9 needs further study, as it has been related to iron storage, a potential pathophysiological link between RLS and certain subtypes of ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- B G Schimmelmann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Duisburg-Essen, LVR Klinikun Essen, Virchowstr. 174, 45147 Essen, Germany.
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26
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Recent advances in the diagnosis, genetics and treatment of restless legs syndrome. J Neurol 2009; 256:539-53. [DOI: 10.1007/s00415-009-0134-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2008] [Accepted: 10/27/2008] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Abstract
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a highly familial trait with heritability estimates of about 50%. It is a polygenetic disorder in which a number of variants contribute to the phenotype. Linkage studies in families with RLS revealed several loci but have not yet led to the identification of disease-causing sequence variants. Phenocopies, nonpenetrance, and possible intrafamilial heterogeneity make it difficult to define the exact candidate region. Genome-wide association studies identified variants within intronic or intergenic regions of MEIS1, BTBD9, and MAP2K5/LBOXCOR1. Carriers of one risk allele had a 50% increased risk of developing RLS. MEIS1 and LBXCOR1 are developmental factors and raise new pathophysiologic questions for RLS. These variants have weak and moderate effects and increase the risk of developing RLS. It is still possible that strong effects explain the occurrence of RLS in families. Therefore, linkage and association studies should be used congruently to dissect the complete genetic architecture of RLS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Winkelmann
- Helmholz Center Munich, National Research Center for Environment and Health, Munich Institute of Human Genetics, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, D-85764 Munich-Neuherberg, Germany.
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28
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Schlosser G. Do vertebrate neural crest and cranial placodes have a common evolutionary origin? Bioessays 2008; 30:659-72. [PMID: 18536035 DOI: 10.1002/bies.20775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Two embryonic tissues-the neural crest and the cranial placodes-give rise to most evolutionary novelties of the vertebrate head. These two tissues develop similarly in several respects: they originate from ectoderm at the neural plate border, give rise to migratory cells and develop into multiple cell fates including sensory neurons. These similarities, and the joint appearance of both tissues in the vertebrate lineage, may point to a common evolutionary origin of neural crest and placodes from a specialized population of neural plate border cells. However, a review of the developmental mechanisms underlying the induction, specification, migration and cytodifferentiation of neural crest and placodes reveals fundamental differences between the tissues. Taken together with insights from recent studies in tunicates and amphioxus, this suggests that neural crest and placodes have an independent evolutionary origin and that they evolved from the neural and non-neural side of the neural plate border, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard Schlosser
- Brain Research Institute, University of Bremen, FB 2, PO Box 33 04 40, 28334 Bremen, Germany.
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Abstract
Members of the Zic family of zinc finger transcription factors play critical roles in a variety of developmental processes. They are involved in development of neural tissues and the neural crest, in left-right axis patterning, in somite development, and in formation of the cerebellum. In addition to their roles in cell-fate specification, zic genes also promote cell proliferation. Further, they are expressed in postmitotic cells of the cerebellum and in retinal ganglion cells. Efforts to determine the role of individual zic genes within an array of developmental and cellular processes are complicated by overlapping patterns of zic gene expression and strong sequence conservation within this gene family. Nevertheless, substantial progress has been made. This review summarizes our knowledge of the molecular events that govern the activities of zic family members, including emerging relationships between upstream signaling pathways and zic genes. In addition, advancements in our understanding of the molecular events downstream of Zic transcription factors are reviewed. Despite significant progress, however, much remains to be learned regarding the mechanisms through which zic genes exert their function in a variety of different contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christa S Merzdorf
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana.
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30
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Winkelmann J, Schormair B, Lichtner P, Ripke S, Xiong L, Jalilzadeh S, Fulda S, Pütz B, Eckstein G, Hauk S, Trenkwalder C, Zimprich A, Stiasny-Kolster K, Oertel W, Bachmann CG, Paulus W, Peglau I, Eisensehr I, Montplaisir J, Turecki G, Rouleau G, Gieger C, Illig T, Wichmann HE, Holsboer F, Müller-Myhsok B, Meitinger T. Genome-wide association study of restless legs syndrome identifies common variants in three genomic regions. Nat Genet 2007; 39:1000-6. [PMID: 17637780 DOI: 10.1038/ng2099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 422] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2007] [Accepted: 06/12/2007] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a frequent neurological disorder characterized by an imperative urge to move the legs during night, unpleasant sensation in the lower limbs, disturbed sleep and increased cardiovascular morbidity. In a genome-wide association study we found highly significant associations between RLS and intronic variants in the homeobox gene MEIS1, the BTBD9 gene encoding a BTB(POZ) domain as well as variants in a third locus containing the genes encoding mitogen-activated protein kinase MAP2K5 and the transcription factor LBXCOR1 on chromosomes 2p, 6p and 15q, respectively. Two independent replications confirmed these association signals. Each genetic variant was associated with a more than 50% increase in risk for RLS, with the combined allelic variants conferring more than half of the risk. MEIS1 has been implicated in limb development, raising the possibility that RLS has components of a developmental disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Winkelmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, GSF National Research Center of Environment and Health, D-85764 Neuherberg, Munich, Germany.
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31
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Park EC, Hayata T, Cho KWY, Han JK. Xenopus cDNA microarray identification of genes with endodermal organ expression. Dev Dyn 2007; 236:1633-49. [PMID: 17474120 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.21167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The endoderm is classically defined as the innermost layer of three Metazoan germ layers. During organogenesis, the endoderm gives rise to the digestive and respiratory tracts as well as associated organs such as the liver, pancreas, and lung. At present, however, how the endoderm forms the variety of cell types of digestive and respiratory tracts as well as the budding organs is not well understood. In order to investigate the molecular basis and mechanism of organogenesis and to identify the endodermal organ-related marker genes, we carried out microarray analysis using Xenopus cDNA chips. To achieve this goal, we isolated the Xenopus gut endoderm from three different stages of Xenopus organogenesis, and separated each stage of gut endoderm into anterior and posterior regions. Competitive hybridization of cDNA between the anterior and posterior endoderm regions, to screen genes that specifically expressed in the major organs, revealed 915 candidates. We then selected 104 clones for in situ hybridization analysis. Here, we report the identification and expression patterns of the 104 Xenopus endodermal genes, which would serve as useful markers for studying endodermal organ development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edmond Changkyun Park
- Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Kyungbuk, Republic of Korea
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Fischer M, Oberthuer A, Brors B, Kahlert Y, Skowron M, Voth H, Warnat P, Ernestus K, Hero B, Berthold F. Differential Expression of Neuronal Genes Defines Subtypes of Disseminated Neuroblastoma with Favorable and Unfavorable Outcome. Clin Cancer Res 2006; 12:5118-28. [PMID: 16951229 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-06-0985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Identification of molecular characteristics of spontaneously regressing stage IVS and progressing stage IV neuroblastoma to improve discrimination of patients with metastatic disease following favorable and unfavorable clinical courses. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Serial analysis of gene expression profiles were generated from five stage IVS and three stage IV neuroblastoma. Differential expression of candidate genes was evaluated by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR in 76 pretreatment tumor samples (stage IVS n=27 and stage IV n=49). Gene expression-based outcome prediction was determined by Prediction Analysis for Microarrays using 38 tumors as a training set and 38 tumors as a test set. RESULTS Comparison of serial analysis of gene expression profiles from stage IV and IVS neuroblastoma revealed approximately 500 differentially expressed transcripts. Genes related to neuronal differentiation were observed more frequently in stage IVS tumors as determined by associating transcripts to Gene Ontology annotations. Forty-one candidate genes were evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR and 18 were confirmed to be differentially expressed (P<or=0.001). Classification of patients according to expression patterns of these 18 genes using Prediction Analysis for Microarrays discriminated two subgroups with significantly differing event-free survival (96+/-6% versus 40+/-8% at 3 years; P<0.0001) and overall survival (100% versus 72+/-7% at 3 years; P=0.0003). This classifier was the only independent covariate marker in a multivariate analysis considering the variables stage, age, MYCN amplification, and gene signature. CONCLUSIONS Spontaneously regressing and progressing metastatic neuroblastoma differ by specific gene expression patterns, indicating distinct levels of neuronal differentiation and allowing for an improved risk estimation of children with disseminated disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Fischer
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology and Center of Molecular Medicine Cologne, University Children's Hospital, Germany.
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Ishimura A, Lee HS, Bong YS, Saucier C, Mood K, Park EK, Daar IO. Oncogenic Met receptor induces ectopic structures in Xenopus embryos. Oncogene 2006; 25:4286-99. [PMID: 16518409 DOI: 10.1038/sj.onc.1209463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
When aberrantly expressed or activated, the Met receptor tyrosine kinase is involved in tumor invasiveness and metastasis. In this study, we have used the Xenopus embryonic system to define the role of various Met proximal-binding partners and downstream signaling pathways in regulating an induced morphogenetic event. We show that expression of an oncogenic derivative of the Met receptor (Tpr-Met) induces ectopic morphogenetic structures during Xenopus embryogenesis. Using variant forms of Tpr-Met that are engineered to recruit a specific signaling molecule of choice, we demonstrate that the sole recruitment of either the Grb2 or the Shc adaptor protein is sufficient to induce ectopic structures and anterior reduction, while the recruitment of PI-3Kinase (PI-3K) is necessary but not sufficient for this effect. In contrast, the recruitment of PLCgamma can initiate the induction, but fails to maintain or elongate supernumerary structures. Finally, evidence indicates that the Ras/Raf/MAPK pathway is necessary, but not sufficient to induce these structures. This study also emphasizes the importance of examining signaling molecules in the regulatory context that is provided by receptor/effector interactions when assessing a role in cell growth and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ishimura
- Laboratory of Protein Dynamics & Signaling, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, MD 21702, USA
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Geerts D, Revet I, Jorritsma G, Schilderink N, Versteeg R. MEIS homeobox genes in neuroblastoma. Cancer Lett 2005; 228:43-50. [PMID: 15919149 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2005.01.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2004] [Accepted: 01/12/2005] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The common pediatric tumor neuroblastoma originates from primitive neural crest-derived precursor cells of the peripheral nervous system. Neuroblastoma especially affects very young children, and can already be present at birth. Its early onset and cellular origin predict the involvement of developmental control genes in neuroblastoma etiology. These genes are indispensable for the tight regulation of normal embryonic development but as a consequence cause cancer and congenital diseases upon mutation or aberrant expression. To date however, the connotation of these genes in neuroblastoma pathogenesis is scant. This review recapitulates data on the MEIS homeobox control genes in cancer and focuses on neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Geerts
- Department of Human Genetics M1-131, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Dirscherl SS, Henry JJ, Krebs JE. Neural and eye-specific defects associated with loss of the imitation switch (ISWI) chromatin remodeler in Xenopus laevis. Mech Dev 2005; 122:1157-70. [PMID: 16169710 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2005.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2004] [Revised: 08/05/2005] [Accepted: 08/05/2005] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Imitation Switch (ISWI) is a member of the SWI2/SNF2 superfamily of ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers, which regulate transcription and maintain chromatin structure by mobilizing nucleosomes using the energy of ATP. Four distinct ISWI complexes have been identified in Xenopus oocytes. The developmental role of Xenopus ISWI, however, has not previously been investigated in vivo. Here we report the tissue specificity, developmental expression, and requirement of ISWI for development of Xenopus embryos. Whole mount in situ hybridization shows ISWI localized in the lateral sides of the neural plate, brain, eye, and in later stages, the spinal cord. Injection of antisense ISWI RNA, morpholino oligonucleotides or dominant-negative ISWI mutant mRNA into fertilized eggs inhibits gastrulation and neural fold closure. Genes involved in neural patterning and development, such as BMP4 and Sonic hedgehog (Shh), are misregulated in the absence of functional ISWI, and ISWI binds to the BMP4 gene in vivo. Developmental and transcriptional defects caused by dominant-negative ISWI are rescued by co-injection of wild-type ISWI mRNA. Inhibition of ISWI function results in aberrant eye development and the formation of cataracts. These data suggest a critical role for ISWI chromatin remodeling complexes in neural development, including eye differentiation, in the Xenopus laevis embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara S Dirscherl
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage Alaska 99508, USA
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36
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Abstract
The neural crest is a multipotent cell population that arise at the border of the neural plate and non-neural ectoderm. Studies conducted in a number of model organisms including chickens, frogs, zebrafish and mice have been instrumental in elucidating this molecular mechanisms underlying neural crest formation. Signaling molecules of the Wnt, BMP, and FGF families and their downstream effectors have been shown to mediate neural crest induction. Transcription factors including members of the Snail and SoxE gene families as well as FoxD3, c-Myc and others have been implicated in specification of the neural crest. These studies represent an important step in understanding the regulatory interactions involved in generating this complex and interesting cell type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meyer Barembaum
- Division of Biology 139-74, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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Glazov EA, Pheasant M, McGraw EA, Bejerano G, Mattick JS. Ultraconserved elements in insect genomes: a highly conserved intronic sequence implicated in the control of homothorax mRNA splicing. Genome Res 2005; 15:800-8. [PMID: 15899965 PMCID: PMC1142470 DOI: 10.1101/gr.3545105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2004] [Accepted: 03/29/2005] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Recently, we identified a large number of ultraconserved (uc) sequences in noncoding regions of human, mouse, and rat genomes that appear to be essential for vertebrate and amniote ontogeny. Here, we used similar methods to identify ultraconserved genomic regions between the insect species Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila pseudoobscura, as well as the more distantly related Anopheles gambiae. As with vertebrates, ultraconserved sequences in insects appear to occur primarily in intergenic and intronic sequences, and at intron-exon junctions. The sequences are significantly associated with genes encoding developmental regulators and transcription factors, but are less frequent and are smaller in size than in vertebrates. The longest identical, nongapped orthologous match between the three genomes was found within the homothorax (hth) gene. This sequence spans an internal exon-intron junction, with the majority located within the intron, and is predicted to form a highly stable stem-loop RNA structure. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis of different hth splice isoforms and Northern blotting showed that the conserved element is associated with a high incidence of intron retention in hth pre-mRNA, suggesting that the conserved intronic element is critically important in the post-transcriptional regulation of hth expression in Diptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeny A Glazov
- ARC Special Research Centre for Functional and Applied Genomics, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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38
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Moret F, Christiaen L, Deyts C, Blin M, Vernier P, Joly JS. Regulatory gene expressions in the ascidian ventral sensory vesicle: evolutionary relationships with the vertebrate hypothalamus. Dev Biol 2005; 277:567-79. [PMID: 15617694 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2004.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2004] [Revised: 10/13/2004] [Accepted: 11/03/2004] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In extant chordates, the overall patterning along the anteroposterior and dorsoventral axes of the neural tube is remarkably conserved. It has thus been proposed that four domains corresponding to the vertebrate presumptive forebrain, midbrain-hindbrain transition, hindbrain, and spinal cord were already present in the common chordate ancestor. To obtain insights on the evolution of the patterning of the anterior neural tube, we performed a study aimed at characterizing the expression of regulatory genes in the sensory vesicle of Ciona intestinalis, the anteriormost part of the central nervous system (CNS) related to the vertebrate forebrain, at tailbud stages. Selected genes encoded primarily for homologues of transcription factors involved in vertebrate forebrain patterning. Seven of these genes were expressed in the ventral sensory vesicle. A prominent feature of these ascidian genes is their restricted and complementary domains of expression at tailbud stages. These patterning markers thus refine the map of the developing sensory vesicle. Furthermore, they allow us to propose that a large part of the ventral and lateral sensory vesicle consists in a patterning domain corresponding to the vertebrate presumptive hypothalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Moret
- Development, Evolution and Plasticity of the Nervous System, Institut de Neurobiologie Alfred Fessard, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UPR2197, 1 ave de la terrasse, F-91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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39
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Huang H, Rastegar M, Bodner C, Goh SL, Rambaldi I, Featherstone M. MEIS C Termini Harbor Transcriptional Activation Domains That Respond to Cell Signaling. J Biol Chem 2005; 280:10119-27. [PMID: 15654074 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m413963200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
MEIS proteins form heteromeric DNA-binding complexes with PBX monomers and PBX.HOX heterodimers. We have shown previously that transcriptional activation by PBX.HOX is augmented by either protein kinase A (PKA) or the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA). To examine the contribution of MEIS proteins to this response, we used the chromatin immunoprecipitation assay to show that MEIS1 in addition to PBX1, HOXA1, and HOXB1 was recruited to a known PBX.HOX target, the Hoxb1 autoregulatory element following Hoxb1 transcriptional activation in P19 cells. Subsequent to TSA treatment, MEIS1 recruitment lagged behind that of HOX and PBX partners. MEIS1A also enhanced the transcriptional activation of a reporter construct bearing the Hoxb1 autoregulatory element after treatment with TSA. The MEIS1 homeodomain and protein-protein interaction with PBX contributed to this activity. We further mapped TSA-responsive and CREB-binding protein-dependent PKA-responsive transactivation domains to the MEIS1A and MEIS1B C termini. Fine mutation of the 56-residue MEIS1A C terminus revealed four discrete regions required for transcriptional activation function. All of the mutations impairing the response to TSA likewise reduced activation by PKA, implying a common mechanistic basis. C-terminal deletion of MEIS1 impaired transactivation without disrupting DNA binding or complex formation with HOX and PBX. Despite sequence similarity to MEIS and a shared ability to form heteromeric complexes with PBX and HOX partners, the PREP1 C terminus does not respond to TSA or PKA. Thus, MEIS C termini possess transcriptional regulatory domains that respond to cell signaling and confer functional differences between MEIS and PREP proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Huang
- McGill Cancer Centre, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler, Montréal, Québec H3G 1Y6, Canada
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40
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Huang X, Saint-Jeannet JP. Induction of the neural crest and the opportunities of life on the edge. Dev Biol 2004; 275:1-11. [PMID: 15464568 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2004.07.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2004] [Revised: 07/21/2004] [Accepted: 07/23/2004] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The neural crest is a multipotent population of migratory cells unique to the vertebrate embryo. Neural crest arises at the lateral edge of the neural plate and migrates throughout the embryo to give rise to a wide variety of cell types including peripheral and enteric neurons and glia, craniofacial cartilage and bone, smooth muscle, and pigment cells. Here we review recent studies that have addressed the role of several signaling pathways in the induction of the neural crest. Work in the mouse, chick, Xenopus, and zebrafish have shown that a complex network of genes is activated at the neural plate border in response to neural crest-inducing signals. We also summarize some of these findings and discuss how the differential activation of these genes may contribute to the establishment of neural crest diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Huang
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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41
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Lee YH, Aoki Y, Hong CS, Saint-Germain N, Credidio C, Saint-Jeannet JP. Early requirement of the transcriptional activator Sox9 for neural crest specification in Xenopus. Dev Biol 2004; 275:93-103. [PMID: 15464575 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2004.07.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2003] [Revised: 07/13/2004] [Accepted: 07/27/2004] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The neural crest is a multipotent population of cells that arises at the neural plate border in the vertebrate embryo. We have previously shown that a member of the Sox family of transcription factors, Sox9, is a regulator of neural crest formation in Xenopus, as Sox9-depleted embryos failed to form neural crest progenitors. Here, we describe experiments that further investigate Sox9 function during neural crest development. Induction of neural crest progenitors in Xenopus is regulated by Wnt signaling. We show that this process is largely dependent on Sox9 function as Wnt-mediated neural crest induction is inhibited in the context of Sox9-depleted embryos. Moreover, we demonstrate that Sox9 functions as a transcriptional activator during neural crest formation. Expression of a construct in which Sox9 DNA-binding domain (HMG box) is fused to the repressor domain of Drosophila engrailed blocked neural crest formation, thereby mimicking the phenotype of Sox9-depleted embryos. Finally, using a hormone-inducible inhibitory mutant of Sox9, lacking the transactivation domain, we show that Sox9 function is required for neural crest specification but not for its subsequent migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young-Hoon Lee
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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42
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Aruga J. The role of Zic genes in neural development. Mol Cell Neurosci 2004; 26:205-21. [PMID: 15207846 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2004.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 203] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2003] [Revised: 12/27/2003] [Accepted: 01/08/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The Zic family of zinc-finger proteins plays a crucial role in neural development. Zic genes are vertebrate homologs of odd-paired, the Drosophila pair-rule gene. Their gene products have zinc-finger domains similar to those of Gli proteins, which act as transcriptional regulators in hedgehog signaling. Recent studies of human, mouse, frog, fish and ascidian Zic homologs have provided evidence that Zic genes are involved in a variety of developmental processes, including neurogenesis, myogenesis, skeletal patterning, and left-right axis establishment. Zic genes appear to have multiple roles in neural development. They control the initial phase during which ectoderm differentiates into neuroectoderm, and they may act as bridges between secreted neural tissue induction signals and the basic-helix-loop-helix class of neurogenesis-inducing transcriptional regulatory factors. Studies of loss-of-function mutations with differing Zic gene subtypes show that the Zic family of genes controls the process of neurulation. Mutations result in neural tube defects, which are seen at different rostrocaudal levels depending on which Zic gene subtype has been affected. Development of holoprosencephaly, forebrain anomalies, and cerebellar dysgenesis indicate that region-specific morphogenesis of the CNS is also controlled by Zic genes. The underlying molecular actions of Zic gene products, which allow them to control development, remain a mystery. Recent molecular characterization has shown that Zic proteins are able to bind Gli-binding DNA sequences in a sequence-specific manner, but with lower affinity than Gli proteins. Zic proteins also can activate transcription from several promoters. Furthermore, Zic and Gli proteins interact physically via their zinc-finger domains, raising the possibility that Zic proteins can act as transcriptional cofactors and modulate the hedgehog-signaling pathway. Clarification of the specific cooperating factors is therefore required in each case. Other evidence also suggests that Zic proteins can inhibit neuronal differentiation by activating Notch signals. This association might be is a clue toward understanding of the multifunctional property of Zic proteins because Notch signaling also is implicated in the control of several developmental processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Aruga
- Laboratory for Comparative Neurogenesis, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
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Park EK, Warner N, Bong YS, Stapleton D, Maeda R, Pawson T, Daar IO. Ectopic EphA4 receptor induces posterior protrusions via FGF signaling in Xenopus embryos. Mol Biol Cell 2004; 15:1647-55. [PMID: 14742708 PMCID: PMC379263 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e03-09-0674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The Eph family of receptor tyrosine kinases regulates numerous biological processes. To examine the biochemical and developmental contributions of specific structural motifs within Eph receptors, wild-type or mutant forms of the EphA4 receptor were ectopically expressed in developing Xenopus embryos. Wild-type EphA4 and a mutant lacking both the SAM domain and PDZ binding motif were constitutively tyrosine phosphorylated in vivo and catalytically active in vitro. EphA4 induced loss of cell adhesion, ventro-lateral protrusions, and severely expanded posterior structures in Xenopus embryos. Moreover, mutation of a conserved SAM domain tyrosine to phenylalanine (Y928F) enhanced the ability of EphA4 to induce these phenotypes, suggesting that the SAM domain may negatively regulate some aspects of EphA4 activity in Xenopus. Analysis of double mutants revealed that the Y928F EphA4 phenotypes were dependent on kinase activity; juxtamembrane sites of tyrosine phosphorylation and SH2 domain-binding were required for cell dissociation, but not for posterior protrusions. The induction of protrusions and expansion of posterior structures is similar to phenotypic effects observed in Xenopus embryos expressing activated FGFR1. Furthermore, the budding ectopic protrusions induced by EphA4 express FGF-8, FGFR1, and FGFR4a. In addition, antisense morpholino oligonucleotide-mediated loss of FGF-8 expression in vivo substantially reduced the phenotypic effects in EphA4Y928F expressing embryos, suggesting a connection between Eph and FGF signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eui Kyun Park
- Regulation of Cell Growth Laboratory, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, Maryland 21702, USA
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44
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Aamar E, Frank D. XenopusMeis3 protein forms a hindbrain-inducing center by activating FGF/MAP kinase and PCP pathways. Development 2004; 131:153-63. [PMID: 14660437 DOI: 10.1242/dev.00905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Knockdown studies in Xenopus demonstrated that the XMeis3gene is required for proper hindbrain formation. An explant assay was developed to distinguish between autonomous and inductive activities of XMeis3 protein. Animal cap explants caudalized by XMeis3 were recombined with explants neuralized by the BMP dominant-negative receptor protein. XMeis3-expressing cells induced convergent extension cell elongations in juxtaposed neuralized explants. Elongated explants expressed hindbrain and primary neuron markers, and anterior neural marker expression was extinguished. Cell elongation was dependent on FGF/MAP-kinase and Wnt-PCP activities. XMeis3 activates FGF/MAP-kinase signaling, which then modulates the PCP pathway. In this manner, XMeis3 protein establishes a hindbrain-inducing center that determines anteroposterior patterning in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil Aamar
- Department of Biochemistry, The Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 31096, Israel
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45
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Gammill LS, Bronner-Fraser M. Neural crest specification: migrating into genomics. Nat Rev Neurosci 2003; 4:795-805. [PMID: 14523379 DOI: 10.1038/nrn1219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura S Gammill
- Division of Biology 139-74, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.
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46
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Geerts D, Schilderink N, Jorritsma G, Versteeg R. The role of the MEIS homeobox genes in neuroblastoma. Cancer Lett 2003; 197:87-92. [PMID: 12880965 DOI: 10.1016/s0304-3835(03)00087-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
We recently found amplification of the TALE homeobox gene MEIS1 in the IMR32 neuroblastoma cell line. We now demonstrate high-level expression of the MEIS1 and MEIS2 genes, as well as efficient expression of most other TALE family member genes in a panel of neuroblastoma cell lines. Stable transfection of MEIS1-expressing cell lines with cDNA encoding a naturally occurring dominant-negative splice variant of MEIS1 (MEIS1E) yielded clones with impaired cell proliferation, gain of differentiated phenotype, and increased contact inhibition and cell death. This indicated a relevance of MEIS expression for neuroblastoma cell growth and proliferation. We therefore determined the gene expression profiles of several MEIS1E transfectants using serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE). A large number of genes showed differential expression as a result of MEIS1E expression. These include genes involved in developmental signalling pathways, chromatin binding, cell cycle control, proliferation, and apoptosis. The results presented provide important clues for the oncogenic function of MEIS1 in neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Geerts
- Department of Human Genetics M1-159, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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47
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Aybar MJ, Nieto MA, Mayor R. Snail precedes slug in the genetic cascade required for the specification and migration of the Xenopus neural crest. Development 2003; 130:483-94. [PMID: 12490555 DOI: 10.1242/dev.00238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The complex sequence of inductive events responsible for the generation of the neural crest at the border between the neural plate and the epidermis, triggers a genetic cascade involving several families of transcription factors. Two members of the Snail family, Snail and Slug, have both been implicated in this cascade. In chick and Xenopus, loss- and gain-of-function experiments have provided evidence that Slug plays a key role in neural crest development. However, in contrast to the chick, Snail rather than Slug is expressed in the premigratory neural crest in the mouse and, in Xenopus, Snail precedes Slug expression in this population. Thus, in order to study the function of Snail in neural crest development in Xenopus, we have carried out conditional gain- and loss-of-function experiments using different Snail constructs fused to a glucocorticoid receptor element. We show that Snail is able to induce the expression of Slug and all other neural crest markers tested (Zic5, FoxD3, Twist and Ets1) at the time of specification. This activation is observed in whole embryos and in animal caps, in the absence of neural plate and mesodermal markers. We show that Snail is required for neural crest specification and migration and that it works as a transcriptional repressor. These functions have been previously attributed to SLUG: However, Slug alone is unable to induce other neural crest markers in animal cap assays, and we show that Snail and Slug can be functionally equivalent when tested in overexpression studies. This suggests that, in Xenopus embryos, at least some of the functions previously attributed to Slug can be carried out by SNAIL: This is additionally supported by rescue experiments in embryos injected with dominant-negative constructs that indicate that Snail lies upstream of Slug in the genetic cascade leading to neural crest formation and that it plays a key role in crest development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel J Aybar
- Millennium Nucleus in Developmental Biology, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile
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48
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Aybar MJ, Mayor R. Early induction of neural crest cells: lessons learned from frog, fish and chick. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2002; 12:452-8. [PMID: 12100892 DOI: 10.1016/s0959-437x(02)00325-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The identification of genes in Xenopus, chick and zebrafish expressed early in prospective neural crest (NC) cells has challenged the previous view that the NC is induced during the closure of the neural tube. We compare here the early inductive molecular mechanisms in different organisms and, despite observed differences, propose a general common model for NC induction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel J Aybar
- Millennium Nucleus in Developmental Biology, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile.
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49
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Abstract
In the embryo, the neural crest is an important population of cells that gives rise to diverse derivatives, including the peripheral nervous system and the craniofacial skeleton. Evolutionarily, the neural crest is of interest as an important innovation in vertebrates. Experimentally, it represents an excellent system for studying fundamental developmental processes, such as tissue induction. Classical embryologists have identified interactions between tissues that lead to neural crest formation. More recently, geneticists and molecular biologists have identified the genes that are involved in these interactions; this recent work has revealed that induction of the neural crest is a complex multistep process that involves many genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne K Knecht
- Division of Biology 139-74, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
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50
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Park EK, Warner N, Mood K, Pawson T, Daar IO. Low-molecular-weight protein tyrosine phosphatase is a positive component of the fibroblast growth factor receptor signaling pathway. Mol Cell Biol 2002; 22:3404-14. [PMID: 11971972 PMCID: PMC133800 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.22.10.3404-3414.2002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Low-molecular-weight protein tyrosine phosphatase (LMW-PTP) has been implicated in the regulation of cell growth and actin rearrangement mediated by several receptor tyrosine kinases, including platelet-derived growth factor and epidermal growth factor. Here we identify the Xenopus laevis homolog of LMW-PTP1 (XLPTP1) as an additional positive regulator in the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling pathway during Xenopus development. XLPTP1 has an expression pattern that displays substantial overlap with FGF receptor 1 (FGFR1) during Xenopus development. Using morpholino antisense technology, we show that inhibition of endogenous XLPTP1 expression dramatically restricts anterior and posterior structure development and inhibits mesoderm formation. In ectodermal explants, loss of XLPTP1 expression dramatically blocks the induction of the early mesoderm gene, Xbrachyury (Xbra), by FGF and partially blocks Xbra induction by Activin. Moreover, FGF-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase is also inhibited by XLPTP1 morpholino antisense oligonucleotides; however, introduction of RNA encoding XLPTP1 is able to rescue morphological and biochemical effects of antisense inhibition. Inhibition of FGF-induced MAP kinase activity due to loss of XLPTP1 is also rescued by an active Ras, implying that XLPTP1 may act upstream of or parallel to Ras. Finally, XLPTP1 physically associates only with an activated FGFR1, and this interaction requires the presence of SNT1/FRS-2 (FGFR substrate 2). Although LMW-PTP1 has been shown to participate in other receptor systems, the data presented here also reveal XLPTP1 as a new and important component of the FGF signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eui Kyun Park
- Regulation of Cell Growth Laboratory, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland 21702, USA
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