Glycosaminoglycans can modulate extracellular localization of the wingless protein and promote signal transduction

6-O-endosulfatases in tumor metastasis: heparan sulfate proteoglycans modification and potential therapeutic targets

Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-associated mortality. Although advances in the targeted treatment and immunotherapy have improved the management of some cancers, the prognosis of metastatic cancers remains unsatisfied. Therefore, the specific mechanisms in tumor metastasis need further investigation. 6-O-endosulfatases (SULFs), comprising sulfatase1 (SULF1) and sulfatase 2 (SULF2), play pivotal roles in the post-synthetic modifications of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). Consequently, these extracellular enzymes can regulate a variety of downstream pathways by modulating HSPGs function. During the past decades, researchers have detected the expression of SULF1 and SULF2 in most cancers and revealed their roles in tumor progression and metastasis. Herein we reviewed the metastasis steps which SULFs participated in, elucidated the specific roles and mechanisms of SULFs in metastasis process, and discussed the effects of SULFs in different types of cancers. Moreover, we summarized the role of targeting SULFs in combination therapy to treat metastatic cancers, which provided some novel strategies for cancer therapy.

The co-receptor Tspan12 directly captures Norrin to promote ligand-specific β-catenin signaling

Wnt/β-catenin signaling directs animal development and tissue renewal in a tightly controlled, cell- and tissue-specific manner. In the central nervous system, the atypical ligand Norrin controls angiogenesis and maintenance of the blood-brain barrier and blood-retina barrier through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Like Wnt, Norrin activates signaling by binding and heterodimerizing the receptors Frizzled (Fzd) and Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 or 6 (LRP5/6), leading to membrane recruitment of the intracellular transducer Dishevelled (Dvl); this ultimately results in the stabilization of the transcriptional coactivator β-catenin. Unlike Wnt, the cysteine-knot ligand Norrin only signals through Fzd4 and additionally requires the co-receptor Tspan12; however, the mechanism underlying Tspan12-mediated signal enhancement is unclear. It has been proposed that Tspan12 integrates into the Norrin-Fzd4 complex to enhance Norrin-Fzd4 affinity or otherwise allosterically modulate Fzd4 signaling. Here, we measure direct, high-affinity binding between purified Norrin and Tspan12 in a lipid environment and use AlphaFold models to interrogate this interaction interface. We find that Tspan12 and Fzd4 can simultaneously bind Norrin and that a pre-formed Tspan12/Fzd4 heterodimer, as well as cells co-expressing Tspan12 and Fzd4, more efficiently capture low concentrations of Norrin than Fzd4 alone. We also show that Tspan12 competes with both heparan sulfate proteoglycans and LRP6 for Norrin binding and that Tspan12 does not impact Fzd4-Dvl affinity in the presence or absence of Norrin. Our findings suggest that Tspan12 does not allosterically enhance Fzd4 binding to Norrin or Dvl, but instead functions to directly capture Norrin upstream of signaling.

Soluble vascular endothelial glycocalyx proteoglycans as potential therapeutic targets in inflammatory diseases

Reducing the activity of cytokines and leukocyte extravasation is an emerging therapeutic strategy to limit tissue-damaging inflammatory responses and restore immune homeostasis in inflammatory diseases. Proteoglycans embedded in the vascular endothelial glycocalyx, which regulate the activity of cytokines to restrict the inflammatory response in physiological conditions, are proteolytically cleaved in inflammatory diseases. Here we critically review the potential of proteolytically shed, soluble vascular endothelial glycocalyx proteoglycans to modulate pathological inflammatory responses. Soluble forms of the proteoglycans syndecan-1, syndecan-3 and biglycan exert beneficial anti-inflammatory effects by the removal of chemokines, suppression of proinflammatory cytokine expression and leukocyte migration, and induction of autophagy of proinflammatory M1 macrophages. By contrast, soluble versikine and decorin enhance proinflammatory responses by increasing inflammatory cytokine synthesis and leukocyte migration. Endogenous syndecan-2 and mimecan exert proinflammatory effects, syndecan-4 and perlecan mediate beneficial anti-inflammatory effects and glypican regulates Hh and Wnt signaling pathways involved in systemic inflammatory responses. Taken together, targeting the vascular endothelial glycocalyx-derived, soluble syndecan-1, syndecan-2, syndecan-3, syndecan-4, biglycan, versikine, mimecan, perlecan, glypican and decorin might be a potential therapeutic strategy to suppress overstimulated cytokine and leukocyte responses in inflammatory diseases.

Extracellular carriers control lipid-dependent secretion, delivery, and activity of WNT morphogens

WNT morphogens trigger signaling pathways fundamental for embryogenesis, regeneration, and cancer. WNTs are modified with palmitoleate, which is critical for binding Frizzled (FZD) receptors and activating signaling. However, it is unknown how WNTs are released and spread from cells, given their strong lipid-dependent membrane attachment. We demonstrate that secreted FZD-related proteins and WNT inhibitory factor 1 are WNT carriers, potently releasing lipidated WNTs and forming active soluble complexes. WNT release occurs by direct handoff from the membrane protein WNTLESS to the carriers. In turn, carriers donate WNTs to glypicans and FZDs involved in WNT reception and to the NOTUM hydrolase, which antagonizes WNTs by lipid moiety removal. WNT transfer from carriers to FZDs is greatly facilitated by glypicans that serve as essential co-receptors in Wnt signaling. Thus, an extracellular network of carriers dynamically controls secretion, posttranslational regulation, and delivery of WNT morphogens, with important practical implications for regenerative medicine.

Genome-wide identification and expression profiling of Wnt gene family in Neocaridina denticulata sinensis

Wnt proteins are a class of hydrophobic secreted glycoproteins involved in diverse important biological processes, such as tissue formation and regeneration, embryonic development and innate immunity. The Wnt gene family has an early origin and is present in all deuterostomes. In the process of evolution, the phenomenon of gene expansion, contraction and adaptive evolution occurs in the Wnt gene family. In the current study, eleven Wnt genes (NdWnt1-2, NdWnt4-7, NdWnt9-11, NdWnt16, and NdWntA) belonging to different subfamilies were obtained based on the genomic and transcriptomic data of Neocaridina denticulata sinensis. Then the expression patterns of all NdWnts were analyzed in various tissues, at different developmental stages and under different stresses. The expression profiles of NdWnts at different developmental stages showed that most NdWnt genes were initially expressed at gastrula stage, and the expression of NdWnt5 and NdWnt16 throughout all developmental stages. The spatial expression of NdWnt genes presented tissue specificity. They were mainly expressed in four tissues, namely gill, intestines, ovary and eyestalk. After Vibrio parahemolyticus infection and under copper exposure, the expression levels of five NdWnts (NdWnt1, NdWnt5, NdWnt10, NdWnt16 and NdWntA) were variable. Our findings enrich the research on the Wnt gene family of N. denticulata sinensis and provide valuable insights into relationship between structure and function of Wnt genes in crustaceans.

γ-secretase promotes Drosophila postsynaptic development through the cleavage of a Wnt receptor

Developing synapses mature through the recruitment of specific proteins that stabilize presynaptic and postsynaptic structure and function. Wnt ligands signaling via Frizzled (Fz) receptors play many crucial roles in neuronal and synaptic development, but whether and how Wnt and Fz influence synaptic maturation is incompletely understood. Here, we show that Fz2 receptor cleavage via the γ-secretase complex is required for postsynaptic development and maturation. In the absence of γ-secretase, Drosophila neuromuscular synapses fail to recruit postsynaptic scaffolding and cytoskeletal proteins, leading to behavioral deficits. Introducing presenilin mutations linked to familial early-onset Alzheimer's disease into flies leads to synaptic maturation phenotypes that are identical to those seen in null alleles. This conserved role for γ-secretase in synaptic maturation and postsynaptic development highlights the importance of Fz2 cleavage and suggests that receptor processing by proteins linked to neurodegeneration may be a shared mechanism with aspects of synaptic development.

Coreceptor Functions of Cell Surface Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans

Receptor-ligand interactions play an important role in many biological processes by triggering specific cellular responses. These interactions are frequently regulated by coreceptors that facilitate, alter, or inhibit signaling. Coreceptors work in parallel with other specific and accessory molecules to coordinate receptor-ligand interactions. Cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) function as unique coreceptors because they can bind to many ligands and receptors through their HS and core protein motifs. Cell surface HSPGs are typically expressed in abundance of the signaling receptors and, thus, are capable of mediating the initial binding of ligands to the cell surface. HSPG coreceptors do not possess kinase domains or intrinsic enzyme activities and, for the most part, binding to cell surface HSPGs does not directly stimulate intracellular signaling. Because of these features, cell surface HSPGs primarily function as coreceptors for many receptor-ligand interactions. Given that cell surface HSPGs are widely conserved, they likely serve fundamental functions to preserve basic physiological processes. Indeed, cell surface HSPGs can support specific cellular interactions with growth factors, morphogens, chemokines, extracellular matrix (ECM) components, and microbial pathogens and their secreted virulence factors. Through these interactions, HSPG coreceptors regulate cell adhesion, proliferation, migration and differentiation, and impact the onset, progression, and outcome of pathophysiological processes, such as development, tissue repair, inflammation, infection, and tumorigenesis. This review seeks to provide an overview of the various mechanisms of how cell surface HSPGs function as coreceptors.

Regulation of Wnt distribution and function by Drosophila glypicans

The extracellular distribution of secreted Wnt proteins is crucial for their ability to induce a response in target cells at short and long ranges to ensure proper development. Wnt proteins are evolutionarily conserved ligands that are lipid-modified, and their hydrophobic nature interferes with their solubility in the hydrophilic extracellular environment. This raises the question of how Wnt proteins spread extracellularly despite their lipid modifications, which are essential for both their secretion and function. Seminal studies on Drosophila Wingless (Wg), a prototypical Wnt, have discovered multiple mechanisms by which Wnt proteins spread. A central theme emerges from these studies: the Wnt lipid moiety is shielded from the aqueous environment, allowing the ligands to spread and remain viable for signaling. Wnt distribution in vivo is primarily facilitated by glypicans, which are cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans, and recent studies have further provided mechanistic insight into how glypicans facilitate Wnt distribution. In this Review, we discuss the many diverse mechanisms of Wnt distribution, with a particular focus on glypican-mediated mechanisms.

Cellular and molecular modulation of rotator cuff muscle pathophysiology

Rotator cuff (RC) tendon tears are common shoulder injuries that result in irreversible and persistent degeneration of the associated muscles, which is characterized by severe inflammation, atrophy, fibrosis, and fatty infiltration. Although RC muscle degeneration strongly dictates the overall clinical outcomes, strategies to stimulate RC muscle regeneration have largely been overlooked to date. In this review, we highlight the current understanding of the cellular processes that coordinate muscle regeneration, and the roles of muscle resident cells, including immune cells, fibroadipogenic progenitors, and muscle satellite cells in the pathophysiologic regulation of RC muscles following injury. This review also provides perspectives for potential therapies to alleviate the hallmarks of RC muscle degeneration to address current limitations in postsurgical recovery.

The Emerging Mechanisms of Wnt Secretion and Signaling in Development

Wnts are highly-conserved lipid-modified secreted proteins that activate multiple signaling pathways. These pathways regulate crucial processes during various stages of development and maintain tissue homeostasis in adults. One of the most fascinating aspects of Wnt protein is that despite being hydrophobic, they are known to travel several cell distances in the extracellular space. Research on Wnts in the past four decades has identified several factors and uncovered mechanisms regulating their expression, secretion, and mode of extracellular travel. More recently, analyses on the importance of Wnt protein gradients in the growth and patterning of developing tissues have recognized the complex interplay of signaling mechanisms that help in maintaining tissue homeostasis. This review aims to present an overview of the evidence for the various modes of Wnt protein secretion and signaling and discuss mechanisms providing precision and robustness to the developing tissues.

Neural Tissue Homeostasis and Repair Is Regulated via CS and DS Proteoglycan Motifs

Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is the most abundant and widely distributed glycosaminoglycan (GAG) in the human body. As a component of proteoglycans (PGs) it has numerous roles in matrix stabilization and cellular regulation. This chapter highlights the roles of CS and CS-PGs in the central and peripheral nervous systems (CNS/PNS). CS has specific cell regulatory roles that control tissue function and homeostasis. The CNS/PNS contains a diverse range of CS-PGs which direct the development of embryonic neural axonal networks, and the responses of neural cell populations in mature tissues to traumatic injury. Following brain trauma and spinal cord injury, a stabilizing CS-PG-rich scar tissue is laid down at the defect site to protect neural tissues, which are amongst the softest tissues of the human body. Unfortunately, the CS concentrated in gliotic scars also inhibits neural outgrowth and functional recovery. CS has well known inhibitory properties over neural behavior, and animal models of CNS/PNS injury have demonstrated that selective degradation of CS using chondroitinase improves neuronal functional recovery. CS-PGs are present diffusely in the CNS but also form denser regions of extracellular matrix termed perineuronal nets which surround neurons. Hyaluronan is immobilized in hyalectan CS-PG aggregates in these perineural structures, which provide neural protection, synapse, and neural plasticity, and have roles in memory and cognitive learning. Despite the generally inhibitory cues delivered by CS-A and CS-C, some CS-PGs containing highly charged CS disaccharides (CS-D, CS-E) or dermatan sulfate (DS) disaccharides that promote neural outgrowth and functional recovery. CS/DS thus has varied cell regulatory properties and structural ECM supportive roles in the CNS/PNS depending on the glycoform present and its location in tissue niches and specific cellular contexts. Studies on the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans have provided insightful information on neural interconnectivity and the role of the ECM and its PGs in neural development and in tissue morphogenesis in a whole organism environment.

An Overview of Potential Therapeutic Agents Targeting WNT/PCP Signaling

Since the discovery of the proto-oncogene Wnt1 (Int1) in 1982, WNT signaling has been identified as one of the most important pathways that regulates a wide range of fundamental developmental and physiological processes in multicellular organisms. The canonical WNT signaling pathway depends on the stabilization and translocation of β-catenin and plays important roles in development and homeostasis. The WNT/planar cell polarity (WNT/PCP) signaling, also known as one of the β-catenin-independent WNT pathways, conveys directional information to coordinate polarized cell behaviors. Similar to WNT/β-catenin signaling, disruption or aberrant activation of WNT/PCP signaling also underlies a variety of developmental defects and cancers. However, the pharmacological targeting of WNT/PCP signaling for therapeutic purposes remains largely unexplored. In this review, we briefly discuss WNT/PCP signaling in development and disease and summarize the known drugs/inhibitors targeting this pathway.

Glypicans shield the Wnt lipid moiety to enable signalling at a distance

A relatively small number of proteins have been suggested to act as morphogens-signalling molecules that spread within tissues to organize tissue repair and the specification of cell fate during development. Among them are Wnt proteins, which carry a palmitoleate moiety that is essential for signalling activity1-3. How a hydrophobic lipoprotein can spread in the aqueous extracellular space is unknown. Several mechanisms, such as those involving lipoprotein particles, exosomes or a specific chaperone, have been proposed to overcome this so-called Wnt solubility problem4-6. Here we provide evidence against these models and show that the Wnt lipid is shielded by the core domain of a subclass of glypicans defined by the Dally-like protein (Dlp). Structural analysis shows that, in the presence of palmitoleoylated peptides, these glypicans change conformation to create a hydrophobic space. Thus, glypicans of the Dlp family protect the lipid of Wnt proteins from the aqueous environment and serve as a reservoir from which Wnt proteins can be handed over to signalling receptors.

Aggrecan, the Primary Weight-Bearing Cartilage Proteoglycan, Has Context-Dependent, Cell-Directive Properties in Embryonic Development and Neurogenesis: Aggrecan Glycan Side Chain Modifications Convey Interactive Biodiversity

This review examines aggrecan's roles in developmental embryonic tissues, in tissues undergoing morphogenetic transition and in mature weight-bearing tissues. Aggrecan is a remarkably versatile and capable proteoglycan (PG) with diverse tissue context-dependent functional attributes beyond its established role as a weight-bearing PG. The aggrecan core protein provides a template which can be variably decorated with a number of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) side chains including keratan sulphate (KS), human natural killer trisaccharide (HNK-1) and chondroitin sulphate (CS). These convey unique tissue-specific functional properties in water imbibition, space-filling, matrix stabilisation or embryonic cellular regulation. Aggrecan also interacts with morphogens and growth factors directing tissue morphogenesis, remodelling and metaplasia. HNK-1 aggrecan glycoforms direct neural crest cell migration in embryonic development and is neuroprotective in perineuronal nets in the brain. The ability of the aggrecan core protein to assemble CS and KS chains at high density equips cartilage aggrecan with its well-known water-imbibing and weight-bearing properties. The importance of specific arrangements of GAG chains on aggrecan in all its forms is also a primary morphogenetic functional determinant providing aggrecan with unique tissue context dependent regulatory properties. The versatility displayed by aggrecan in biodiverse contexts is a function of its GAG side chains.

R-spondins engage heparan sulfate proteoglycans to potentiate WNT signaling

R-spondins (RSPOs) amplify WNT signaling during development and regenerative responses. We previously demonstrated that RSPOs 2 and 3 potentiate WNT/β-catenin signaling in cells lacking leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein coupled receptors (LGRs) 4, 5 and 6 (Lebensohn and Rohatgi, 2018). We now show that heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) act as alternative co-receptors for RSPO3 using a combination of ligand mutagenesis and ligand engineering. Mutations in RSPO3 residues predicted to contact HSPGs impair its signaling capacity. Conversely, the HSPG-binding domains of RSPO3 can be entirely replaced with an antibody that recognizes heparan sulfate (HS) chains attached to multiple HSPGs without diminishing WNT-potentiating activity in cultured cells and intestinal organoids. A genome-wide screen for mediators of RSPO3 signaling in cells lacking LGRs 4, 5 and 6 failed to reveal other receptors. We conclude that HSPGs are RSPO co-receptors that potentiate WNT signaling in the presence and absence of LGRs.

BCP crystals promote chondrocyte hypertrophic differentiation in OA cartilage by sequestering Wnt3a

OBJECTIVE

Calcification of cartilage with basic calcium phosphate (BCP) crystals is a common phenomenon during osteoarthritis (OA). It is directly linked to the severity of the disease and known to be associated to hypertrophic differentiation of chondrocytes. One morphogen regulating hypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation is Wnt3a.

METHODS

Calcification and sulfation of extracellular matrix of the cartilage was analysed over a time course from 6 to 22 weeks in mice and different OA grades of human cartilage. Wnt3a and ß-catenin was stained in human and murine cartilage. Expression of sulfation modulating enzymes (HS2St1, HS6St1) was analysed using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR). The influence of BCP crystals on the chondrocyte phenotype was investigated using quantitative RT-PCR for the marker genes Axin2, Sox9, Col2, MMP13, ColX and Aggrecan. Using western blot for β-catenin and pLRP6 we investigated the activation of Wnt signalling. The binding capacity of BCP for Wnt3a was analysed using immunohistochemical staining and western blot.

RESULTS

Here, we report that pericellular matrix sulfation is increased in human and murine OA. Wnt3a co-localised with heparan sulfate proteoglycans in the pericellular matrix of chondrocytes in OA cartilage, in which canonical Wnt signalling was activated. In vitro, BCP crystals physically bound to Wnt3a. Interestingly, BCP crystals were sufficient to induce canonical Wnt signalling as assessed by phosphorylation of LRP6 and stabilisation of β-catenin, and to induce a hypertrophic shift of the chondrocyte phenotype.

CONCLUSION

Consequently, our data identify BCP crystals as a concentrating factor for Wnt3a in the pericellular matrix and an inducer of chondrocyte hypertrophy.

Integral Roles of Specific Proteoglycans in Hair Growth and Hair Loss: Mechanisms behind the Bioactivity of Proteoglycan Replacement Therapy with Nourkrin® with Marilex® in Pattern Hair Loss and Telogen Effluvium

Follicular proteoglycans are key players with structural, functional, and regulatory roles in the growth and cycling behaviour of the hair follicles. The expression pattern of specific proteoglycans is strongly correlated with follicular phase transitions, which further affirms their functional involvement. Research shows that bioactive proteoglycans, e.g., versican and decorin, can actively trigger follicular phase shift by their anagen-inducing, anagen-maintaining, and immunoregulatory properties. This emerging insight has led to the recognition of “dysregulated proteoglycan metabolism” as a plausible causal or mediating pathology in hair growth disorders in both men and women. In support of this, declined expression of proteoglycans has been reported in cases of anagen shortening and follicular miniaturisation. To facilitate scientific communication, we propose designating this pathology “follicular hypoglycania (FHG),” which results from an impaired ability of follicular cells to replenish and maintain a minimum relative concentration of key proteoglycans during anagen. Lasting FHG may advance to structural decay, called proteoglycan follicular atrophy (PFA). This process is suggested to be an integral pathogenetic factor in pattern hair loss (PHL) and telogen effluvium (TE). To address FHG and PFA, a proteoglycan replacement therapy (PRT) program using oral administration of a marine-derived extract (Nourkrin® with Marilex®, produced by Pharma Medico Aps, Aarhus, Denmark) containing specific proteoglycans has been developed. In clinical studies, this treatment significantly reduced hair fall, promoted hair growth, and improved quality of life in patients with male- and female-pattern hair loss. Accordingly, PRT (using Nourkrin® with Marilex®) can be recommended as an add-on treatment or monotherapy in patients with PHL and TE.

Dissecting the Extracellular Complexity of Neuromuscular Junction Organizers

Synapse formation is a very elaborate process dependent upon accurate coordination of pre and post-synaptic specialization, requiring multiple steps and a variety of receptors and signaling molecules. Due to its relative structural simplicity and the ease in manipulation and observation, the neuromuscular synapse or neuromuscular junction (NMJ)-the connection between motor neurons and skeletal muscle-represents the archetype junction system for studying synapse formation and conservation. This junction is essential for survival, as it controls our ability to move and breath. NMJ formation requires coordinated interactions between motor neurons and muscle fibers, which ultimately result in the formation of a highly specialized post-synaptic architecture and a highly differentiated nerve terminal. Furthermore, to ensure a fast and reliable synaptic transmission following neurotransmitter release, ligand-gated channels (acetylcholine receptors, AChRs) are clustered on the post-synaptic muscle cell at high concentrations in sites opposite the presynaptic active zone, supporting a direct role for nerves in the organization of the post-synaptic membrane architecture. This organized clustering process, essential for NMJ formation and for life, relies on key signaling molecules and receptors and is regulated by soluble extracellular molecules localized within the synaptic cleft. Notably, several mutations as well as auto-antibodies against components of these signaling complexes have been related to neuromuscular disorders. The recent years have witnessed strong progress in the understanding of molecular identities, architectures, and functions of NMJ macromolecules. Among these, prominent roles have been proposed for neural variants of the proteoglycan agrin, its receptor at NMJs composed of the lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 (LRP4) and the muscle-specific kinase (MuSK), as well as the regulatory soluble synapse-specific protease Neurotrypsin. In this review we summarize the current state of the art regarding molecular structures and (agrin-dependent) canonical, as well as (agrin-independent) non-canonical, MuSK signaling mechanisms that underscore the formation of neuromuscular junctions, with the aim of providing a broad perspective to further stimulate molecular, cellular and tissue biology investigations on this fundamental intercellular contact.

Involvement of Heparan Sulfate and Heparanase in Neural Development and Pathogenesis of Brain Tumors

Brain tumors are aggressive and devastating diseases. The most common type of brain tumor, glioblastoma (GBM), is incurable and has one of the worst five-year survival rates of all human cancers. GBMs are invasive and infiltrate healthy brain tissue, which is one main reason they remain fatal despite resection, since cells that have already migrated away lead to rapid regrowth of the tumor. Curative therapy for medulloblastoma (MB), the most common pediatric brain tumor, has improved, but the outcome is still poor for many patients, and treatment causes long-term complications. Recent advances in the classification of pediatric brain tumors reveal distinct subgroups, allowing more targeted therapy for the most aggressive forms, and sparing children with less malignant tumors the side-effects of massive treatment. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs), main components of the neurogenic niche, interact specifically with a large number of physiologically important molecules and vital roles for HS biosynthesis and degradation in neural stem cell differentiation have been presented. HSPGs are composed of a core protein with attached highly charged, sulfated disaccharide chains. The major enzyme that degrades HS is heparanase (HPSE), an important regulator of extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling which has been suggested to promote the growth and invasion of other types of tumors. This is of clinical interest because GBM are highly invasive and children with metastatic MB at the time of diagnosis exhibit a worse outcome. Here we review the involvement of HS and HPSE in development of the nervous system and some of its most malignant brain tumors, glioblastoma and medulloblastoma.

WNT Signaling and Bone: Lessons From Skeletal Dysplasias and Disorders

Skeletal dysplasias are a diverse group of heritable diseases affecting bone and cartilage growth. Throughout the years, the molecular defect underlying many of the diseases has been identified. These identifications led to novel insights in the mechanisms regulating bone and cartilage growth and homeostasis. One of the pathways that is clearly important during skeletal development and bone homeostasis is the Wingless and int-1 (WNT) signaling pathway. So far, three different WNT signaling pathways have been described, which are all activated by binding of the WNT ligands to the Frizzled (FZD) receptors. In this review, we discuss the skeletal disorders that are included in the latest nosology of skeletal disorders and that are caused by genetic defects involving the WNT signaling pathway. The number of skeletal disorders caused by defects in WNT signaling genes and the clinical phenotype associated with these disorders illustrate the importance of the WNT signaling pathway during skeletal development as well as later on in life to maintain bone mass. The knowledge gained through the identification of the genes underlying these monogenic conditions is used for the identification of novel therapeutic targets. For example, the genes underlying disorders with altered bone mass are all involved in the canonical WNT signaling pathway. Consequently, targeting this pathway is one of the major strategies to increase bone mass in patients with osteoporosis. In addition to increasing the insights in the pathways regulating skeletal development and bone homeostasis, knowledge of rare skeletal dysplasias can also be used to predict possible adverse effects of these novel drug targets. Therefore, this review gives an overview of the skeletal and extra-skeletal phenotype of the different skeletal disorders linked to the WNT signaling pathway.

Over-expression of Hsp83 in grossly depleted hsrω lncRNA background causes synthetic lethality and l(2)gl phenocopy in Drosophila

We examined interactions between the 83 kDa heat-shock protein (Hsp83) and hsrω long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in hsrω⁶⁶ Hsp90GFP homozygotes, which almost completely lack hsrω lncRNAs but over-express Hsp83. All +/+; hsrω⁶⁶ Hsp90GFP progeny died before the third instar. Rare Sp/CyO; hsrω⁶⁶ Hsp90GFP reached the third instar stage but phenocopied l(2)gl mutants, becoming progressively bulbous and transparent with enlarged brain and died after prolonged larval life. Additionally, ventral ganglia too were elongated. However, hsrω⁶⁶ Hsp90GFP/TM6B heterozygotes, carrying +/+ or Sp/CyO second chromosomes, developed normally. Total RNA sequencing (+/+, +/+; hsrω66/hsrω⁶⁶, Sp/CyO; hsrω⁶⁶/ hsrω⁶⁶, +/+; Hsp90GFP/Hsp90GFP and Sp/CyO; hsrω66 Hsp90GFP/hsrω66 Hsp90GFP late third instar larvae) revealed similar effects on many genes in hsrω66 and Hsp90GFP homozygotes. Besides additive effect on many of them, numerous additional genes were affected in Sp/CyO; hsrω66 Hsp90GFP larvae, with l(2)gl and several genes regulating the central nervous system being highly down-regulated in surviving Sp/CyO; hsrω66 Hsp90GFP larvae, but not in hsrω⁶⁶ or Hsp90GFP single mutants. Hsp83 and several omega speckle-associated hnRNPs were bioinformatically found to potentially bind with these gene promoters and transcripts. Since Hsp83 and hnRNPs are also known to interact, elevated Hsp83 in an altered background of hnRNP distribution and dynamics, due to near absence of hsrω lncRNAs and omega speckles, can severely perturb regulatory circuits with unexpected consequences, including down-regulation of tumoursuppressor genes such as l(2)gl.

The role of Wnt signaling in the healing myocardium: a focus on cell specificity

Various cell types are involved in the healing process after myocardial infarction (MI). Besides cardiac resident cells (such as cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts and endothelial cells) already present at the lesion site, a massive influx of leukocytes (mainly monocytes and neutrophils) is observed within hours after the ischemic event. So far, little is known about modes of interaction of these cells. Wnt signaling is an evolutionary conserved signaling cassette known to play an important role in cell-cell communication. While the overall reactivation of Wnt signaling upon ischemic injury is well described, the precise expression pattern of Wnt proteins, however, is far from understood. We here describe known Wnt components that partake in MI healing and differentiate cell-specific aspects. The secretion of Wnt proteins and their antagonists in the context of cardiac inflammation after MI appear to be tightly regulated in a spatial-temporal manner. Overall, we aim to stress the importance of elucidating not only Wnt component-specific aspects, but also their sometimes contradicting effects in different target cells. A better understanding of Wnt signaling in MI healing may eventually lead to the development of successful therapeutic approaches in an often considered "un-druggable" pathway.

Targeting the Dvl-1/β-arrestin2/JNK3 interaction disrupts Wnt5a-JNK3 signaling and protects hippocampal CA1 neurons during cerebral ischemia reperfusion

It is well known that Wnt5a activation plays a pivotal role in brain injury and β-arrestin2 induces c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK3) activation is involved in neuronal cell death. Nonetheless, the relationship between Wnt5a and JNK3 remains unexplored during cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that Wnt5a-mediated JNK3 activation via the Wnt5a-Dvl-1-β-arrestin2-JNK3 signaling pathway was correlated with I/R brain injury. We found that cerebral I/R could enhance the assembly of the Dvl-1-β-arrestin2-JNK3 signaling module, Dvl-1 phosphorylation and JNK3 activation. Activated JNK3 could phosphorylate the transcription factor c-Jun, prompt caspase-3 activation and ultimately lead to neuronal cell death. To further explore specifically Wnt5a mediated JNK3 pathway activation in neuronal injury, we used Foxy-5 (a peptide that mimics the effects of Wnt5a) and Box5 (a Wnt5a antagonist) both in vitro and in vivo. AS-β-arrestin2 (an antisense oligonucleotide against β-arrestin2) and RRSLHL (a small peptide that competes with β-arrestin2 for binding to JNK3) were applied to confirm the positive signal transduction effect of the Dvl-1-β-arrestin2-JNK3 signaling module during cerebral I/R. Furthermore, Box5 and the RRSLHL peptide were found to play protective roles in neuronal death both in vivo global and focal cerebral I/R rat models and in vitro oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) neural cells. In summary, our results indicate that Wnt5a-mediated JNK3 activation participates in I/R brain injury by targeting the Dvl-1-β-arrestin2/JNK3 interaction. Our results also point to the possibility that disrupting Wnt5a-JNK3 signaling pathway may provide a new approach for stroke therapy.

Syndecan-1 promotes Wnt/β-catenin signaling in multiple myeloma by presenting Wnts and R-spondins

HS chains decorating syndecan-1 promote autocrine and paracrine Wnt signaling in MM. Loss of HS inhibits MM cell growth by attenuating Wnt signaling.

Drosophila VAMP7 regulates Wingless intracellular trafficking

Drosophila Wingless (Wg) is a morphogen that determines cell fate during development. Previous studies have shown that endocytic pathways regulate Wg trafficking and signaling. Here, we showed that loss of vamp7, a gene required for vesicle fusion, dramatically increased Wg levels and decreased Wg signaling. Interestingly, we found that levels of Dally-like (Dlp), a glypican that can interact with Wg to suppress Wg signaling at the dorsoventral boundary of the Drosophila wing, were also increased in vamp7 mutant cells. Moreover, Wg puncta in Rab4-dependent recycling endosomes were Dlp positive. We hypothesize that VAMP7 is required for Wg intracellular trafficking and the accumulation of Wg in Rab4-dependent recycling endosomes might affect Wg signaling.

EXTL3 mutations cause skeletal dysplasia, immune deficiency, and developmental delay

Volpi et al. demonstrate that hypomorphic EXTL3 mutations cause abnormalities of heparan sulfate composition, affect signaling in response to growth factors and cytokines, and perturb thymopoiesis, resulting in a novel genetic disease associating skeletal dysplasia, T cell immunodeficiency, and neurodevelopmental delay.

We studied three patients with severe skeletal dysplasia, T cell immunodeficiency, and developmental delay. Whole-exome sequencing revealed homozygous missense mutations affecting exostosin-like 3 (EXTL3), a glycosyltransferase involved in heparan sulfate (HS) biosynthesis. Patient-derived fibroblasts showed abnormal HS composition and altered fibroblast growth factor 2 signaling, which was rescued by overexpression of wild-type EXTL3 cDNA. Interleukin-2–mediated STAT5 phosphorylation in patients’ lymphocytes was markedly reduced. Interbreeding of the extl3-mutant zebrafish (box) with Tg(rag2:green fluorescent protein) transgenic zebrafish revealed defective thymopoiesis, which was rescued by injection of wild-type human EXTL3 RNA. Targeted differentiation of patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells showed a reduced expansion of lymphohematopoietic progenitor cells and defects of thymic epithelial progenitor cell differentiation. These data identify EXTL3 mutations as a novel cause of severe immune deficiency with skeletal dysplasia and developmental delay and underline a crucial role of HS in thymopoiesis and skeletal and brain development.

Scaling of pattern formations and morphogen gradients

The concentration gradient of morphogens provides positional information for an embryo and plays a pivotal role in pattern formation of tissues during the developmental processes. Morphogen-dependent pattern formations show robustness despite various perturbations. Although tissues usually grow and dynamically change their size during histogenesis, proper patterns are formed without the influence of size variations. Furthermore, even when the blastula embryo of Xenopus laevis is bisected into dorsal and ventral halves, the dorsal half of the embryo leads to proportionally patterned half-sized embryos. This robustness of pattern formation despite size variations is termed as scaling. In this review, I focused on the morphogen-dependent dorsal-ventral axis formation in Xenopus and described how morphogens form a proper gradient shape according to the embryo size.

Heparanase confers a growth advantage to differentiating murine embryonic stem cells, and enhances oligodendrocyte formation

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs), ubiquitous components of mammalian cells, play important roles in development and homeostasis. These molecules are located primarily on the cell surface and in the pericellular matrix, where they interact with a multitude of macromolecules, including many growth factors. Manipulation of the enzymes involved in biosynthesis and modification of HSPG structures alters the properties of stem cells. Here, we focus on the involvement of heparanase (HPSE), the sole endo-glucuronidase capable of cleaving of HS, in differentiation of embryonic stem cells into the cells of the neural lineage. Embryonic stem (ES) cells overexpressing HPSE (Hpse-Tg) proliferated more rapidly than WT ES cells in culture and formed larger teratomas in vivo. In addition, differentiating Hpse-Tg ES cells also had a higher growth rate, and overexpression of HPSE in NSPCs enhanced Erk and Akt phosphorylation. Employing a two-step, monolayer differentiation, we observed an increase in HPSE as wild-type (WT) ES cells differentiated into neural stem and progenitor cells followed by down-regulation of HPSE as these NSPCs differentiated into mature cells of the neural lineage. Furthermore, NSPCs overexpressing HPSE gave rise to more oligodendrocytes than WT cultures, with a concomitant reduction in the number of neurons. Our present findings emphasize the importance of HS, in neural differentiation and suggest that by regulating the availability of growth factors and, or other macromolecules, HPSE promotes differentiation into oligodendrocytes.

Altering the Proteoglycan State of Transforming Growth Factor β Type III Receptor (TβRIII)/Betaglycan Modulates Canonical Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling

Hyperactive Wnt/β-catenin signaling is linked to cancer progression and developmental abnormalities, making identification of mechanisms controlling Wnt/β-catenin signaling vital. Transforming growth factor β type III receptor (TβRIII/betaglycan) is a transmembrane proteoglycan co-receptor that exists with or without heparan and/or chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycan (GAG) modifications in cells and has established roles in development and cancer. Our studies here demonstrate that TβRIII, independent of its TGFβ co-receptor function, regulates canonical Wnt3a signaling by controlling Wnt3a availability through its sulfated GAG chains. Our findings revealed, for the first time, opposing functions for the different GAG modifications on TβRIII suggesting that Wnt interactions with the TβRIII heparan sulfate chains result in inhibition of Wnt signaling, likely via Wnt sequestration, whereas the chondroitin sulfate GAG chains on TβRIII promote Wnt3a signaling. These studies identify a novel, dual role for TβRIII/betaglycan and define a key requirement for the balance between chondroitin sulfate and heparan sulfate chains in dictating ligand responses with implications for both development and cancer.

A functional genomics screen in planarians reveals regulators of whole-brain regeneration

Planarians regenerate all body parts after injury, including the central nervous system (CNS). We capitalized on this distinctive trait and completed a gene expression-guided functional screen to identify factors that regulate diverse aspects of neural regeneration in Schmidtea mediterranea. Our screen revealed molecules that influence neural cell fates, support the formation of a major connective hub, and promote reestablishment of chemosensory behavior. We also identified genes that encode signaling molecules with roles in head regeneration, including some that are produced in a previously uncharacterized parenchymal population of cells. Finally, we explored genes downregulated during planarian regeneration and characterized, for the first time, glial cells in the planarian CNS that respond to injury by repressing several transcripts. Collectively, our studies revealed diverse molecules and cell types that underlie an animal’s ability to regenerate its brain.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.17002.001

Animals differ in the extent to which they can regenerate missing body parts after injury. Humans regenerate poorly after many injuries, especially when the brain becomes damaged after stroke, disease or trauma. On the other hand, planarians – small worms that live in fresh water – regenerate exceptionally well. A whole planarian can regenerate from small pieces of tissue.

The ability of planarians to regenerate their nervous system relies on stem cells called neoblasts, which can migrate through the body and divide to replace lost cells. However, the specific mechanisms responsible for regenerating nervous tissue are largely unknown. Roberts-Galbraith et al. carried out a screen to identify genes that tell planarians whether to regenerate a new brain, what cells to make and how to arrange them.

The study revealed over thirty genes that allow planarians to regenerate their brains after their heads have been amputated. These genes play several different roles in the animal. Some of the genes help neoblasts to make decisions about what kinds of cells they should become. One gene is needed to make an important connection in the planarian brain after injury. Another helps to restore the ability of the planarian to sense its food. The experiments also show that some key genes are switched on in a new cell type that might produce signals to support regeneration.

Lastly, Roberts-Galbraith et al. found that the planarian nervous system contains cells called glia. Previous studies have shown that many of the cells in the human brain are glia and that these cells help nerve cells to survive and work properly. The discovery of glia in planarians means that it will be possible to use these worms to study how glia support brain regeneration and how glia themselves are replaced after injury. In the long term, this work might lead to discoveries that shed light on how tissue regeneration could be improved in humans.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.17002.002

Glypican1/2/4/6 and sulfated glycosaminoglycans regulate the patterning of the primary body axis in the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis

Glypicans are members of the heparan sulfate (HS) subfamily of proteoglycans that can function in cell adhesion, cell crosstalk and as modulators of the major developmental signalling pathways in bilaterians. The evolutionary origin of these multiple functions is not well understood. In this study we investigate the role of glypicans in the embryonic and larval development of the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, a member of the non-bilaterian clade Cnidaria. Nematostella has two glypican (gpc) genes that are expressed in mutually exclusive ectodermal domains, NvGpc1/2/4/6 in a broad aboral domain, and NvGpc3/5 in narrow oral territory. The endosulfatase NvSulf (an extracellular modifier of HS chains) is expressed in a broad oral domain, partially overlapping with both glypicans. Morpholino-mediated knockdown of NvGpc1/2/4/6 leads to an expansion of the expression domains of aboral marker genes and a reduction of oral markers at gastrula stage, strikingly similar to knockdown of the Wnt receptor NvFrizzled5/8. We further show that treatment with sodium chlorate, an inhibitor of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) sulfation, phenocopies knockdown of NvGpc1/2/4/6 at gastrula stage. At planula stage, knockdown of NvGpc1/2/4/6 and sodium chlorate treatment result in alterations in aboral marker gene expression that suggest additional roles in the fine-tuning of patterning within the aboral domain. These results reveal a role for NvGpc1/2/4/6 and sulfated GAGs in the patterning of the primary body axis in Nematostella and suggest an ancient function in regulating Frizzled-mediated Wnt signalling.

Noggin4 is a long-range inhibitor of Wnt8 signalling that regulates head development in Xenopus laevis

Noggin4 is a Noggin family secreted protein whose molecular and physiological functions remain unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that in contrast to other Noggins, Xenopus laevis Noggin4 cannot antagonise BMP signalling; instead, it specifically binds to Wnt8 and inhibits the Wnt/β -catenin pathway. Live imaging demonstrated that Noggin4 diffusivity in embryonic tissues significantly exceeded that of other Noggins. Using the Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP) assay and mathematical modelling, we directly estimated the affinity of Noggin4 for Wnt8 in living embryos and determined that Noggin4 fine-tune the Wnt8 posterior-to-anterior gradient. Our results suggest a role for Noggin4 as a unique, freely diffusing, long-range inhibitor of canonical Wnt signalling, thus explaining its ability to promote head development.

Wnt signaling in the heart fields: Variations on a common theme

Wnt signaling plays an essential role in development and differentiation. Heart development is initiated with the induction of precardiac mesoderm requiring the tightly and spatially controlled regulation of canonical and noncanonical Wnt signaling pathways. The role of Wnt signaling in subsequent development of the heart fields is to a large extent unclear. We will discuss the role of Wnt signaling in the development of the arterial and venous pole of the heart, highlighting the dual roles of Wnt signaling with respect to its time- and dosage-dependent effects and the balance between the canonical and noncanonical signaling. Canonical signaling appears to be involved in retaining the cardiac precursors in a proliferative and precursor state, whereas noncanonical signaling promotes their differentiation. Thereafter, both canonical and noncanonical signaling regulate specific steps in differentiation of the cardiac compartments. Because heart development is a contiguous, rather than a sequential, process, analyses tend only to show a single timeframe of development. The repetitive alternating and reciprocal effect of canonical and noncanonical signaling is lost when studied in homogenates. Without the simultaneous in vivo visualization of the different Wnt signaling pathways, the mechanism of Wnt signaling in heart development remains elusive.

Two classes of matrix metalloproteinases reciprocally regulate synaptogenesis

Synaptogenesis requires orchestrated intercellular communication between synaptic partners, with trans-synaptic signals necessarily traversing the extracellular synaptomatrix separating presynaptic and postsynaptic cells. Extracellular matrix metalloproteinases (Mmps) regulated by secreted tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (Timps), cleave secreted and membrane-associated targets to sculpt the extracellular environment and modulate intercellular signaling. Here, we test the roles of Mmp at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) model synapse in the reductionist Drosophila system, which contains just two Mmps (secreted Mmp1 and GPI-anchored Mmp2) and one secreted Timp. We found that all three matrix metalloproteome components co-dependently localize in the synaptomatrix and show that both Mmp1 and Mmp2 independently restrict synapse morphogenesis and functional differentiation. Surprisingly, either dual knockdown or simultaneous inhibition of the two Mmp classes together restores normal synapse development, identifying a reciprocal suppression mechanism. The two Mmp classes co-regulate a Wnt trans-synaptic signaling pathway modulating structural and functional synaptogenesis, including the GPI-anchored heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) Wnt co-receptor Dally-like protein (Dlp), cognate receptor Frizzled-2 (Frz2) and Wingless (Wg) ligand. Loss of either Mmp1 or Mmp2 reciprocally misregulates Dlp at the synapse, with normal signaling restored by co-removal of both Mmp classes. Correcting Wnt co-receptor Dlp levels in both Mmp mutants prevents structural and functional synaptogenic defects. Taken together, these results identify an Mmp mechanism that fine-tunes HSPG co-receptor function to modulate Wnt signaling to coordinate synapse structural and functional development.

Wnt Signaling: Role in Regulation of Haematopoiesis

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are a unique population of bone marrow cells which are responsible for the generation of various blood cell lineages. One of the significant characteristics of these HSCs is to self-renew, while producing differentiating cells for normal hematopoiesis. Deregulation of self-renewal and differentiation leads to the hematological malignancies. Several pathways are known to be involved in the maintenance of HSC fate among which Wnt signaling is a crucial pathway which controls development and cell fate determination. Wnt signaling also plays a major role in differentiation, self-renewal and maintenance of HSCs. Wnt ligands activate three major pathways including planar cell polarity, Wnt/β-catenin and Wnt/Ca(2+). It has been shown that Wnt/β-catenin or canonical pathway regulates cell proliferation, survival and differentiation in HSCs, deregulation of this pathway leads to hematological malignancies. Wnt non-canonical pathway regulates calcium signaling and planar cell polarity. In this review, we discuss various signaling pathways induced by Wnt ligands and their potential role in hematopoiesis.

Structure and functional properties of Norrin mimic Wnt for signalling with Frizzled4, Lrp5/6, and proteoglycan

Wnt signalling regulates multiple processes including angiogenesis, inflammation, and tumorigenesis. Norrin (Norrie Disease Protein) is a cystine-knot like growth factor. Although unrelated to Wnt, Norrin activates the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Signal complex formation involves Frizzled4 (Fz4), low-density lipoprotein receptor related protein 5/6 (Lrp5/6), Tetraspanin-12 and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Here, we report crystallographic and small-angle X-ray scattering analyses of Norrin in complex with Fz4 cysteine-rich domain (Fz4CRD), of this complex bound with GAG analogues, and of unliganded Norrin and Fz4CRD. Our structural, biophysical and cellular data, map Fz4 and putative Lrp5/6 binding sites to distinct patches on Norrin, and reveal a GAG binding site spanning Norrin and Fz4CRD. These results explain numerous disease-associated mutations. Comparison with the Xenopus Wnt8-mouse Fz8CRD complex reveals Norrin mimics Wnt for Frizzled recognition. The production and characterization of wild-type and mutant Norrins reported here open new avenues for the development of therapeutics to combat abnormal Norrin/Wnt signalling.

Wnt Signaling Cascades and the Roles of Syndecan Proteoglycans

Wnt signaling comprises a group of pathways emanating from the extracellular environment through cell-surface receptors into the intracellular milieu. Wnt signaling cascades can be divided into two main branches, the canonical/β-catenin pathway and the non-canonical pathways containing the Wnt/planar cell polarity and Wnt/calcium signaling. Syndecans are type I transmembrane proteoglycans with a long evolutionary history, being expressed in all Bilateria and in almost all cell types. Both Wnt pathways have been extensively studied over the past 30 years and shown to have roles during development and in a multitude of diseases. Although the first evidence for interactions between syndecans and Wnts dates back to 1997, the number of studies connecting these pathways is low, and many open questions remained unanswered. In this review, syndecan's involvement in Wnt signaling pathways as well as some of the pathologies resulting from dysregulation of the components of these pathways are summarized.

Notum deacylates Wnt proteins to suppress signalling activity

Signalling by Wnt proteins is finely balanced to ensure normal development and tissue homeostasis while avoiding diseases such as cancer. This is achieved in part by Notum, a highly conserved secreted feedback antagonist. Notum has been thought to act as a phospholipase, shedding glypicans and associated Wnt proteins from the cell surface. However, this view fails to explain specificity, as glypicans bind many extracellular ligands. Here we provide genetic evidence in Drosophila that Notum requires glypicans to suppress Wnt signalling, but does not cleave their glycophosphatidylinositol anchor. Structural analyses reveal glycosaminoglycan binding sites on Notum, which probably help Notum to co-localize with Wnt proteins. They also identify, at the active site of human and Drosophila Notum, a large hydrophobic pocket that accommodates palmitoleate. Kinetic and mass spectrometric analyses of human proteins show that Notum is a carboxylesterase that removes an essential palmitoleate moiety from Wnt proteins and thus constitutes the first known extracellular protein deacylase.

Regulation of chondroitin-4-sulfotransferase (CHST11) expression by opposing effects of arylsulfatase B on BMP4 and Wnt9A

In this report, the gene regulatory mechanism by which decline in arylsulfatase B (ARSB; N-acetylgalactosamine-4-sulfatase) reduces CHST11 (chondroitin-4-sulfotransferase; C4ST) mRNA expression in human colonic epithelial cells and in colonic epithelium of ARSB-deficient mice is presented. ARSB controls the degradation of chondroitin 4-sulfate (C4S) by removing the 4-sulfate group at the non-reducing end of the C4S chain, but has not previously been shown to affect C4S biosynthesis. The decline in CHST11 expression following ARSB reduction is attributable to effects of ARSB on bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)4, since BMP4 expression and secretion declined when ARSB was silenced. Inhibition of BMP4 by neutralizing antibody also reduced CHST11 expression. When C4S was more sulfated due to decline in ARSB, more BMP4 was sequestered by C4S in the cell membrane, and CHST11 expression declined. Exogenous recombinant BMP4, acting through a phospho-Smad3 binding site in the CHST11 promoter, increased the mRNA expression of CHST11. In contrast to the decline in BMP4 that followed decline in ARSB, Wnt9A mRNA expression was previously shown to increase when ARSB was silenced and C4S was more highly sulfated. Galectin-3 bound less to the more highly sulfated C4S, leading to increased nuclear translocation and enhanced galectin-3 interaction with Sp1 in the Wnt9A promoter. Silencing Wnt9A increased the expression of CHST11 in the colonic epithelial cells, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay demonstrated enhancing effects of Wnt9A siRNA and exogenous BMP4 on the CHST11 promoter through the pSmad3 binding site. These findings suggest that cellular processes mediated by differential effects of Wnt9A and BMP4 can result from opposing effects on CHST11 expression.

A truncated Wnt7a retains full biological activity in skeletal muscle

Wnt signaling has essential roles during embryonic development and tissue homoeostasis. Wnt proteins are post-translationally modified and the attachment of a palmitate moiety at two conserved residues is believed to be a prerequisite for the secretion and function of Wnt proteins. Here we demonstrate that a mammalian Wnt protein can be fully functional without palmitoylation. We generate a truncated Wnt7a variant, consisting of the C-terminal 137 amino acids lacking the conserved palmitoylation sites and show that it retains full biological activity in skeletal muscle. This includes binding to and signaling through its receptor Fzd7 to stimulate symmetric expansion of satellite stem cells by activating the planar-cell polarity pathway and inducing myofibre hypertrophy by signaling through the AKT/mTOR pathway. Furthermore, this truncated Wnt7a shows enhanced secretion and dispersion compared with the full-length protein. Together, these findings open important new avenues for the development of Wnt7a as a treatment for muscle-wasting diseases and have broad implications for the therapeutic use of Wnts as biologics.

Wnt7a regulates various aspects of skeletal muscle function. Here, the authors show that a truncated Wnt7a protein lacking the palmitoylation domain retains its biological activity in skeletal muscle, suggesting that simplified Wnt7a proteins may be viable as Wnt-based therapeutics.

Pax8 modulates the expression of Wnt4 that is necessary for the maintenance of the epithelial phenotype of thyroid cells

Background

The transcription factor Pax8 is expressed during thyroid development and is involved in the morphogenesis of the thyroid gland and maintenance of the differentiated phenotype. In particular, Pax8 has been shown to regulate genes that are considered markers of thyroid differentiation. Recently, the analysis of the gene expression profile of FRTL-5 differentiated thyroid cells after the silencing of Pax8 identified Wnt4 as a novel target. Like the other members of the Wnt family, Wnt4 has been implicated in several developmental processes including regulation of cell fate and patterning during embryogenesis. To date, the only evidence on Wnt4 in thyroid concerns its down-regulation necessary for the progression of thyroid epithelial tumors.

Results

Here we demonstrate that Pax8 is involved in the transcriptional modulation of Wnt4 gene expression directly binding to its 5’-flanking region, and that Wnt4 expression in FRTL-5 cells is TSH-dependent. Interestingly, we also show that in thyroid cells a reduced expression of Wnt4 correlates with the alteration of the epithelial phenotype and that the overexpression of Wnt4 in thyroid cancer cells is able to inhibit cellular migration.

Conclusions

We have identified and characterized a functional Pax8 binding site in the 5’-flanking region of the Wnt4 gene and we show that Pax8 modulates the expression of Wnt4 in thyroid cells. Taken together, our results suggest that in thyroid cells Wnt4 expression correlates with the integrity of the epithelial phenotype and is reduced when this integrity is perturbed. In the end, we would like to suggest that the overexpression of Wnt4 in thyroid cancer cells is able to revert the mesenchymal phenotype.

Wnt signaling underlies evolution and development of the butterfly wing pattern symmetry systems

Most butterfly wing patterns are proposed to be derived from a set of conserved pattern elements known as symmetry systems. Symmetry systems are so-named because they are often associated with parallel color stripes mirrored around linear organizing centers that run between the anterior and posterior wing margins. Even though the symmetry systems are the most prominent and diverse wing pattern elements, their study has been confounded by a lack of knowledge regarding the molecular basis of their development, as well as the difficulty of drawing pattern homologies across species with highly derived wing patterns. Here we present the first molecular characterization of symmetry system development by showing that WntA expression is consistently associated with the major basal, discal, central, and external symmetry system patterns of nymphalid butterflies. Pharmacological manipulations of signaling gradients using heparin and dextran sulfate showed that pattern organizing centers correspond precisely with WntA, wingless, Wnt6, and Wnt10 expression patterns, thus suggesting a role for Wnt signaling in color pattern induction. Importantly, this model is supported by recent genetic and population genomic work identifying WntA as the causative locus underlying wing pattern variation within several butterfly species. By comparing the expression of WntA between nymphalid butterflies representing a range of prototypical symmetry systems, slightly deviated symmetry systems, and highly derived wing patterns, we were able to infer symmetry system homologies in several challenging cases. Our work illustrates how highly divergent morphologies can be derived from modifications to a common ground plan across both micro- and macro-evolutionary time scales.

Deciphering the mechanism behind Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) induced biphasic signal-response profiles

BACKGROUND

The Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) pathway is driving various aspects of cellular responses in both normal and malignant cells. One interesting characteristic of this pathway is the biphasic nature of the cellular response to some FGF ligands like FGF2. Specifically, it has been shown that phenotypic behaviors controlled by FGF signaling, like migration and growth, reach maximal levels in response to intermediate concentrations, while high levels of FGF2 elicit weak responses. The mechanisms leading to the observed biphasic response remains unexplained.

RESULTS

A combination of experiments and computational modeling was used to understand the mechanism behind the observed biphasic signaling responses. FGF signaling involves a tertiary surface interaction that we captured with a computational model based on Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs). It accounts for FGF2 binding to FGF receptors (FGFRs) and heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans (HSGAGs), followed by receptor-phosphorylation, activation of the FRS2 adapter protein and the Ras-Raf signaling cascade. Quantitative protein assays were used to measure the dynamics of phosphorylated ERK (pERK) in response to a wide range of FGF2 ligand concentrations on a fine-grained time scale for the squamous cell lung cancer cell line H1703. We developed a novel approach combining Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and feature-based constraints in the objective function to calibrate the computational model to the experimental data. The model is validated using a series of extracellular and intracellular perturbation experiments. We demonstrate that in silico model predictions are in accordance with the observed in vitro results.

CONCLUSIONS

Using a combined approach of computational modeling and experiments we found that competition between binding of the ligand FGF2 to HSGAG and FGF receptor leads to the biphasic response. At low to intermediate concentrations of FGF2 there are sufficient free FGF receptors available for the FGF2-HSGAG complex to enable the formation of the trimeric signaling unit. At high ligand concentrations the ligand binding sites of the receptor become saturated and the trimeric signaling unit cannot be formed. This insight into the pathway is an important consideration for the pharmacological inhibition of this pathway.

A novel bidirectional positive-feedback loop between Wnt-β-catenin and EGFR-ERK plays a role in context-specific modulation of epithelial tissue regeneration

By operating as both a subunit of the cadherin complex and a key component of Wnt signalling, β-catenin acts as the lynchpin between cell–cell contact and transcriptional regulation of proliferation, coordinating epithelial tissue homeostasis and regeneration. The integration of multiple growth-regulatory inputs with β-catenin signalling has been observed in cancer-derived cells, yet the existence of pathway crosstalk in normal cells is unknown. Using a highly regenerative normal human epithelial culture system that displays contact inhibition, we demonstrate that the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK)-driven MAPK and Wnt–β-catenin signalling axes form a bidirectional positive-feedback loop to drive cellular proliferation. We show that β-catenin both drives and is regulated by proliferative signalling cues, and its downregulation coincides with the switch from proliferation to contact-inhibited quiescence. We reveal a novel contextual interrelationship whereby positive and negative feedback between three major signalling pathways – EGFR–ERK, PI3K–AKT and Wnt–β-catenin – enable autocrine-regulated tissue homeostasis as an emergent property of physical interactions between cells. Our work has direct implications for normal epithelial tissue homeostasis and provides insight as to how dysregulation of these pathways could drive excessive and sustained cellular growth in disease.