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Yu M, Qin K, Fan J, Zhao G, Zhao P, Zeng W, Chen C, Wang A, Wang Y, Zhong J, Zhu Y, Wagstaff W, Haydon RC, Luu HH, Ho S, Lee MJ, Strelzow J, Reid RR, He TC. The evolving roles of Wnt signaling in stem cell proliferation and differentiation, the development of human diseases, and therapeutic opportunities. Genes Dis 2024; 11:101026. [PMID: 38292186 PMCID: PMC10825312 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2023.04.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The evolutionarily conserved Wnt signaling pathway plays a central role in development and adult tissue homeostasis across species. Wnt proteins are secreted, lipid-modified signaling molecules that activate the canonical (β-catenin dependent) and non-canonical (β-catenin independent) Wnt signaling pathways. Cellular behaviors such as proliferation, differentiation, maturation, and proper body-axis specification are carried out by the canonical pathway, which is the best characterized of the known Wnt signaling paths. Wnt signaling has emerged as an important factor in stem cell biology and is known to affect the self-renewal of stem cells in various tissues. This includes but is not limited to embryonic, hematopoietic, mesenchymal, gut, neural, and epidermal stem cells. Wnt signaling has also been implicated in tumor cells that exhibit stem cell-like properties. Wnt signaling is crucial for bone formation and presents a potential target for the development of therapeutics for bone disorders. Not surprisingly, aberrant Wnt signaling is also associated with a wide variety of diseases, including cancer. Mutations of Wnt pathway members in cancer can lead to unchecked cell proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and metastasis. Altogether, advances in the understanding of dysregulated Wnt signaling in disease have paved the way for the development of novel therapeutics that target components of the Wnt pathway. Beginning with a brief overview of the mechanisms of canonical and non-canonical Wnt, this review aims to summarize the current knowledge of Wnt signaling in stem cells, aberrations to the Wnt pathway associated with diseases, and novel therapeutics targeting the Wnt pathway in preclinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Yu
- School of Medicine, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Kevin Qin
- School of Medicine, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Jiaming Fan
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine, and Department of Clinical Biochemistry, The School of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Guozhi Zhao
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Piao Zhao
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Wei Zeng
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Department of Neurology, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong 523475, China
| | - Connie Chen
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Annie Wang
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Yonghui Wang
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200000, China
| | - Jiamin Zhong
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine, and Department of Clinical Biochemistry, The School of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Yi Zhu
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - William Wagstaff
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Rex C. Haydon
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Hue H. Luu
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Sherwin Ho
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Michael J. Lee
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Jason Strelzow
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Russell R. Reid
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Laboratory of Craniofacial Suture Biology and Development, Department of Surgery Section of Plastic Surgery, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Tong-Chuan He
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Laboratory of Craniofacial Suture Biology and Development, Department of Surgery Section of Plastic Surgery, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Wang Z, Hu J, Chen J, Zhang J, Li W, Tian Y, Liu H, Yang X. ICAT promotes colorectal cancer metastasis via binding to JUP and activating the NF-κB signaling pathway. J Clin Lab Anal 2022; 36:e24678. [PMID: 36036768 PMCID: PMC9551128 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.24678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The inhibitor of β‐catenin and T‐cell factor (ICAT) is a direct negative regulator of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway, which is an attractive therapeutic target for colorectal cancer (CRC). Accumulating evidence suggests that ICAT interacts with other proteins to exert additional functions, which are not yet fully elucidated. Methods The overexpression of ICAT of CRC cells was conducted by lentivirus infection and plasmids transfection and verified by quantitative real‐time reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (real‐time RT‐PCR) and Western blotting. The effect of ICAT on the mobility of CRC cells was assessed by wound healing assay and transwell assay in vitro and lung metastasis in vivo. New candidate ICAT‐interacting proteins were explored and verified using the STRING database, silver staining, co‐immunoprecipitation mass spectrometry analysis (Co‐IP/MS), and immunofluorescence (IF) staining analysis. Result Inhibitor of β‐catenin and T‐cell factor overexpression promoted in vitro cell migration and invasion and tumor metastasis in vivo. Co‐IP/MS analysis and STRING database analyses revealed that junction plakoglobin (JUP), a homolog of β‐catenin, was involved in a novel protein interaction with ICAT. Furthermore, JUP downregulation impaired ICAT‐induced migration and invasion of CRC cells. In addition, ICAT overexpression activated the NF‐κB signaling pathway, which led to enhanced CRC cell migration and invasion. Conclusion Inhibitor of β‐catenin and T‐cell factor promoted CRC cell migration and invasion by interacting with JUP and the NF‐κB signaling pathway. Thus, ICAT could be considered a protein diagnostic biomarker for predicting the metastatic ability of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihan Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiancong Hu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Junxiong Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jingdan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Weiqian Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yu Tian
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Huanliang Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiangling Yang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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Söderholm S, Cantù C. The WNT/β‐catenin dependent transcription: A tissue‐specific business. WIREs Mech Dis 2020; 13:e1511. [PMID: 33085215 PMCID: PMC9285942 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
β‐catenin‐mediated Wnt signaling is an ancient cell‐communication pathway in which β‐catenin drives the expression of certain genes as a consequence of the trigger given by extracellular WNT molecules. The events occurring from signal to transcription are evolutionarily conserved, and their final output orchestrates countless processes during embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. Importantly, a dysfunctional Wnt/β‐catenin pathway causes developmental malformations, and its aberrant activation is the root of several types of cancer. A rich literature describes the multitude of nuclear players that cooperate with β‐catenin to generate a transcriptional program. However, a unified theory of how β‐catenin drives target gene expression is still missing. We will discuss two types of β‐catenin interactors: transcription factors that allow β‐catenin to localize at target regions on the DNA, and transcriptional co‐factors that ultimately activate gene expression. In contrast to the presumed universality of β‐catenin's action, the ensemble of available evidence suggests a view in which β‐catenin drives a complex system of responses in different cells and tissues. A malleable armamentarium of players might interact with β‐catenin in order to activate the right “canonical” targets in each tissue, developmental stage, or disease context. Discovering the mechanism by which each tissue‐specific β‐catenin response is executed will be crucial to comprehend how a seemingly universal pathway fosters a wide spectrum of processes during development and homeostasis. Perhaps more importantly, this could ultimately inform us about which are the tumor‐specific components that need to be targeted to dampen the activity of oncogenic β‐catenin. This article is categorized under:Cancer > Molecular and Cellular Physiology Cancer > Genetics/Genomics/Epigenetics Cancer > Stem Cells and Development
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Söderholm
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine Linköping University Linköping Sweden
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology, Faculty of Health Science Linköping University Linköping Sweden
| | - Claudio Cantù
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine Linköping University Linköping Sweden
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology, Faculty of Health Science Linköping University Linköping Sweden
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Zhao X, Su L, He X, Zhao B, Miao J. Long noncoding RNA CA7-4 promotes autophagy and apoptosis via sponging MIR877-3P and MIR5680 in high glucose-induced vascular endothelial cells. Autophagy 2020; 16:70-85. [PMID: 30957640 PMCID: PMC6984615 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2019.1598750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Revised: 03/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Vascular endothelial cells (VECs) that form the inner wall of blood vessels can be injured by high glucose-induced autophagy and apoptosis. Although the role of long noncoding RNA in regulating cell fate has received widespread attention, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that can both regulate autophagy and apoptosis need to be discovered. In this study, we identified that a small chemical molecule, 3-benzyl-5-([2-nitrophenoxy] methyl)-dihydrofuran-2(3H)-one (3BDO), synthesized by us, could inhibit VEC autophagy and apoptosis induced by a high concentration of glucose. To find new lncRNAs that regulate autophagy and apoptosis in VECs, we performed lncRNA microarray analysis. We found and verified an upregulated lncRNA named CA7-4 that was induced by a high concentration of glucose could be downregulated by 3BDO most obviously among all of the detected lncRNAs. Meanwhile, we investigated the mechanism of CA7-4 in regulating VEC autophagy and apoptosis. The results showed that CA7-4 facilitated endothelial autophagy and apoptosis as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by decoying MIR877-3P and MIR5680. Further study elucidated that MIR877-3P could trigger the decrease of CTNNBIP1 (catenin beta interacting protein 1) by combining with its 3' UTR and then upregulating CTNNB1 (catenin beta 1); MIR5680 inhibited the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) by targeting and decreasing DPP4 (dipeptidyl peptidase 4). Therefore, CA7-4, MIR877-3P and MIR5680 represent new signal pathways that regulate VEC autophagy and apoptosis under the high-glucose condition.Abbreviations: 3BDO: 3-benzyl-5-([2-nitrophenoxy] methyl)-dihydrofuran-2(3H)-one; 3' UTR: 3' untranslated region; AGO2: argonaute RISC catalytic component 2; AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase/protein kinase AMP-activated; BAX/BCL2L4: BCL2 associated X, apoptosis regulator; BCL2: BCL2 apoptosis regulator; CASP3: caspase 3; ceRNA: competing endogenous RNA; CTNNB1: catenin beta 1; CTNNBIP1/ICAT: catenin beta interacting protein 1; DPP4: dipeptidyl peptidase 4; FGF2/FGF-2: fibroblast growth factor 2; HG: high concentration glucose (30 mM glucose); lncRNA: long noncoding RNA; MAP1LC3B/LC3B: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta; miRNA: microRNA; MIR4778-3P: microRNA 4778-3p; MIR561-3P: microRNA 561-3p; MIR5680: microRNA 5680; MIR877-3P: microRNA 877-3p; MTOR: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase; Mut: mutant; NC: negative control; NG: normal concentration glucose (5.5 mM glucose); PARP1: poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1; qPCR: quantitative real-time PCR; RNA-FISH: RNA-fluorescence in situ hybridization; ROS: reactive oxygen species; RT-PCR: reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; siRNA: small interfering RNA; SQSTM1: sequestosome 1; TGFB2-OT1: TGFB2 overlapping transcript 1; TUNEL: terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling; VECs: vascular endothelial cells; WT: wild type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Zhao
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan, P. R. China
| | - Le Su
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoying He
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan, P. R. China
| | - Baoxiang Zhao
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, P. R. China
| | - Junying Miao
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan, P. R. China
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Health, Shandong University Qilu Hospital, Jinan, P. R. China
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Doumpas N, Lampart F, Robinson MD, Lentini A, Nestor CE, Cantù C, Basler K. TCF/LEF dependent and independent transcriptional regulation of Wnt/β-catenin target genes. EMBO J 2019; 38:embj.201798873. [PMID: 30425074 PMCID: PMC6331726 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201798873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
During canonical Wnt signalling, the activity of nuclear β-catenin is largely mediated by the TCF/LEF family of transcription factors. To challenge this view, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing approach to generate HEK 293T cell clones lacking all four TCF/LEF genes. By performing unbiased whole transcriptome sequencing analysis, we found that a subset of β-catenin transcriptional targets did not require TCF/LEF factors for their regulation. Consistent with this finding, we observed in a genome-wide analysis that β-catenin occupied specific genomic regions in the absence of TCF/LEF Finally, we revealed the existence of a transcriptional activity of β-catenin that specifically appears when TCF/LEF factors are absent, and refer to this as β-catenin-GHOST response. Collectively, this study uncovers a previously neglected modus operandi of β-catenin that bypasses the TCF/LEF transcription factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Doumpas
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Franziska Lampart
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mark D Robinson
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Antonio Lentini
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Colm E Nestor
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine (IKE), Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Claudio Cantù
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine (IKE), Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine (WCMM), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Konrad Basler
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Pyaram K, Sen JM, Chang CH. Temporal regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling is important for invariant NKT cell development and terminal maturation. Mol Immunol 2017; 85:47-56. [PMID: 28208073 PMCID: PMC5385147 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2017.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 01/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays important roles during various cellular functions including survival and proliferation of immune cells. The critical role of this pathway in conventional T cell development is established but little is known about its contributions to innate T cell development. In this study, we found that β-catenin level, an indication of the strength of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, is regulated during invariant NKT (iNKT) cell development. β-catenin levels were greatly increased during iNKT cell selection from double positive thymocytes to Stage 0 of iNKT cell development and during subsequent development to Stage 1. Thereafter, β-catenin levels decrease from Stage 2, which is essential for the terminal maturation of iNKT cells. Failure to dampen Wnt/β-catenin signaling as in mice expressing a stabilized active form of β-catenin (CATtg) resulted in increased Stage 2 and decreased Stage 3 iNKT cells. Inefficient transition from Stage 2 to 3 in CATtg iNKT cells seems to be contributed by poor expression of IL-15R (CD122) and transcription factor T-bet, both of which are necessary for terminal maturation of iNKT cells in the thymus. Consequently, IFN-γ+ iNKT cells were greatly reduced in CATtg mice. Together, our findings reveal that proper regulation of β-catenin and in turn Wnt signaling plays an important role in the terminal maturation and function of iNKT cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalyani Pyaram
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jyoti Misra Sen
- National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA; Department of Medicine, The John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 217287, USA
| | - Cheong-Hee Chang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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Thymus neuroendocrine tumors with CTNNB1 gene mutations, disarrayed ß-catenin expression, and dual intra-tumor Ki-67 labeling index compartmentalization challenge the concept of secondary high-grade neuroendocrine tumor: a paradigm shift. Virchows Arch 2017; 471:31-47. [PMID: 28451756 DOI: 10.1007/s00428-017-2130-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Revised: 04/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
We herein report an uncommon association of intimately admixed atypical carcinoid (AC) and large cell neuroendocrine (NE) carcinoma (LCNEC) of the thymus, occurring in two 20- and 39-year-old Caucasian males. Both tumors were treated by maximal thymectomy. The younger patient presented with a synchronous lesion and died of disease after 9 months, while the other patient was associated with a recurrent ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone Cushing's syndrome and is alive with disease at the 2-year follow-up. MEN1 syndrome was excluded in either case. Immunohistochemically, disarrayed cytoplasmic and nuclear ß-catenin expression was seen alongside an intra-tumor Ki-67 antigen labeling index (LI) ranging from 2 to 80% in the younger patient's tumor and from 3 to 45% in the other. Both exhibited upregulated cyclin D1 and retinoblastoma, while vimentin was overexpressed in the recurrent LCNEC only. Next-generation sequencing revealed CTNNB1, TP53, and JAK3 mutations in the synchronous tumor and CTNNB1 mutation alone in the metachronous tumor (the latter with the same mutation as the first tumor of 17 years prior). None of the 23 T-NET controls exhibited this hallmarking triple alteration (p = 0.003). These findings suggested that LCNEC components developed from pre-existing CTNNB1-mutated AC upon loss-of-function TP53 and gain-of-function JAK3 mutations in one case and an epithelial-mesenchymal transition upon vimentin overexpression in the other case. Both tumors maintained intact cyclin D1-retinoblastoma machinery. Our report challenges the concept of secondary LCNEC as an entity that develops from pre-existing AC as a result of tumor progression, suggesting a paradigm shift to the current pathogenesis of NET.
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Undi RB, Gutti U, Sahu I, Sarvothaman S, Pasupuleti SR, Kandi R, Gutti RK. Wnt Signaling: Role in Regulation of Haematopoiesis. Indian J Hematol Blood Transfus 2015; 32:123-34. [PMID: 27065573 DOI: 10.1007/s12288-015-0585-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2014] [Accepted: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram Babu Undi
- Stem Cells and Haematological Disorders Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, (PO) Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana 500046 India
| | - Usha Gutti
- Department of Biotechnology, GITAM Institute of Science, GITAM University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh 530 045 India
| | - Itishri Sahu
- Stem Cells and Haematological Disorders Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, (PO) Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana 500046 India
| | - Shilpa Sarvothaman
- Stem Cells and Haematological Disorders Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, (PO) Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana 500046 India
| | - Satya Ratan Pasupuleti
- Stem Cells and Haematological Disorders Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, (PO) Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana 500046 India
| | - Ravinder Kandi
- Stem Cells and Haematological Disorders Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, (PO) Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana 500046 India
| | - Ravi Kumar Gutti
- Stem Cells and Haematological Disorders Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, (PO) Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana 500046 India
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Weiser K, Barton M, Gershoony D, DasGupta R, Cardozo T. HIV's Nef interacts with β-catenin of the Wnt signaling pathway in HEK293 cells. PLoS One 2013; 8:e77865. [PMID: 24130899 PMCID: PMC3795062 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2012] [Accepted: 09/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Wnt signaling pathway is implicated in major physiologic cellular functions, such as proliferation, migration, cell fate specification, maintenance of pluripotency and induction of tumorigenicity. Proliferation and migration are important responses of T-cells, which are major cellular targets of HIV infection. Using an informatics screen, we identified a previously unsuspected interaction between HIV’s Nef protein and β-catenin, a key component of the Wnt pathway. A segment in Nef contains identical amino acids at key positions and structurally mimics the β-catenin binding sites on endogenous β-catenin ligands. The interaction between Nef and β-catenin was confirmed in vitro and in a co-immunoprecipitation from HEK293 cells. Moreover, the introduction of Nef into HEK293 cells specifically inhibited a Wnt pathway reporter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keren Weiser
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Meredith Barton
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Dafna Gershoony
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Ramanuj DasGupta
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Timothy Cardozo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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10
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β-Catenin activation synergizes with Pten loss and Myc overexpression in Notch-independent T-ALL. Blood 2013; 122:694-704. [DOI: 10.1182/blood-2012-12-471904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Key Points
Wnt activation, Pten loss, and Myc translocation synergize to define a novel subset of murine Notch-independent T-ALL.
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11
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Ma D, Wei Y, Liu F. Regulatory mechanisms of thymus and T cell development. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2013; 39:91-102. [PMID: 22227346 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2011.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2011] [Revised: 12/22/2011] [Accepted: 12/22/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The thymus is a central hematopoietic organ which produces mature T lymphocytes with diverse antigen specificity. During development, the thymus primordium is derived from the third pharyngeal endodermal pouch, and then differentiates into cortical and medullary thymic epithelial cells (TECs). TECs represent the primary functional cell type that forms the unique thymic epithelial microenvironment which is essential for intrathymic T-cell development, including positive selection, negative selection and emigration out of the thymus. Our understanding of thymopoiesis has been greatly advanced by using several important animal models. This review will describe progress on the molecular mechanisms involved in thymus and T cell development with particular focus on the signaling and transcription factors involved in this process in mouse and zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongyuan Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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12
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Chromatin organizer SATB1 is an important determinant of T-cell differentiation. Immunol Cell Biol 2012; 90:852-9. [PMID: 22710879 DOI: 10.1038/icb.2012.28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
T-cell development and differentiation is coordinated by a multitude of signaling molecules and transcription factors that impart distinct functional properties to progenitors. In this review, we focus on the role of the T lineage-enriched chromatin organizer and regulator SATB1 in T-cell differentiation. SATB1 mediates Wnt signaling by recruiting β-catenin to its genomic targets and coordinates T helper type 2 (T(H)2) differentiation by positively regulating GATA-3. In contrast, maintenance of regulatory T cell (Treg) functions are dependent on inhibition of SATB1-mediated modulation of global chromatin organization. We discuss how regulation of the activity of SATB1 has a critical role in driving these two important differentiation pathways in T cells.
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13
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β-catenin/TCF-1 pathway in T cell development and differentiation. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2012; 7:750-62. [PMID: 22535304 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-012-9367-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2011] [Accepted: 04/03/2012] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
T cells must undergo two critical differentiation processes before they become competent effectors that can mediate actual immune responses. Progenitor T cells undergo defined stages of differentiation in the thymus, which include positive and negative selection, to generate a repertoire of T cells that will respond to foreign but not self antigens. When these immunocompetent T cells first migrate out of thymus into peripheral lymphoid tissues, they are naïve and are unable to mediate immune responses. However, upon antigen encounter, peripheral CD4+ naïve T cells undergo another differentiation process to become armed effector T cells including Th1, Th2, Th17 or regulatory T cells, all of which are capable of regulating immune responses. A canonical Wnt/β-catenin/T cell factor (TCF) pathway has been shown to regulate T cell differentiation in both the thymus and in peripheral lymphoid tissues. Dysfunction of this pathway at any stage of T cell differentiation could lead to severe autoimmunity including experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis or immune deficiency. Understanding the role played by β-catenin/TCF-1 in T cell differentiation will facilitate our understanding of the mechanisms that regulate T cell function and assist in identifying novel therapy targets for treating both autoimmune and immune diseases. Therefore, in this review, we will focus on the function of β-catenin/TCF-1 pathway in the regulation of thymic and peripheral T cell differentiation processes.
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14
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Thompson PK, Zúñiga-Pflücker JC. On becoming a T cell, a convergence of factors kick it up a Notch along the way. Semin Immunol 2011; 23:350-9. [PMID: 21981947 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2011.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2010] [Accepted: 08/19/2011] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The thymus is seeded by bone marrow-derived progenitors, which undergo a series of differentiation and proliferation events in order to generate functional T lymphocytes. The Notch signaling pathway, together with multiple transcription factors, act in concert to commit progenitors to a T-lineage fate, extinguishing non-T cell potential, inducing thymocyte differentiation and supporting proliferation and survival along the way to becoming a mature T cell. This review focuses on recent evidence regarding the complex interplay between the Notch pathway and other key transcription factors at specific lineage-decision points during the program of T cell development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrycja K Thompson
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario M4N 3M5, Canada
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15
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Hu T, Gimferrer I, Alberola-Ila J. Control of early stages in invariant natural killer T-cell development. Immunology 2011; 134:1-7. [PMID: 21718314 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2567.2011.03463.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer T (NKT) cells develop in the thymus from the same precursors as conventional CD4(+) and CD8(+) αβ T cells, CD4(+) CD8(+) double-positive cells. In contrast to conventional αβT cells, which are selected by MHC-peptide complexes presented by thymic epithelial cells, invariant NKT cells are selected by lipid antigens presented by the non-polymorphic, MHC I-like molecule CD1d, present on the surface of other double-positive thymocytes, and require additional signals from the signalling lymphocytic-activation molecule (SLAM) family of receptors. In this review, we provide a discussion of recent findings that have modified our understanding of the NKT cell developmental programme, with an emphasis on events that affect the early stages of this process. This includes factors that control double-positive thymocyte lifespan, and therefore the ability to generate the canonical Vα rearrangements that characterize this lineage, as well as the signal transduction pathways engaged downstream of the T-cell receptor and SLAM molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taishan Hu
- Immunobiology and Cancer Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
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16
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Payne CM, Crowley-Skillicorn C, Bernstein C, Holubec H, Bernstein H. Molecular and cellular pathways associated with chromosome 1p deletions during colon carcinogenesis. Clin Exp Gastroenterol 2011; 4:75-119. [PMID: 21753893 PMCID: PMC3132853 DOI: 10.2147/ceg.s17114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2011] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromosomal instability is a major pathway of sporadic colon carcinogenesis. Chromosome arm 1p appears to be one of the "hot spots" in the non-neoplastic mucosa that, when deleted, is associated with the initiation of carcinogenesis. Chromosome arm 1p contains genes associated with DNA repair, spindle checkpoint function, apoptosis, multiple microRNAs, the Wnt signaling pathway, tumor suppression, antioxidant activities, and defense against environmental toxins. Loss of 1p is dangerous since it would likely contribute to genomic instability leading to tumorigenesis. The 1p deletion-associated colon carcinogenesis pathways are reviewed at the molecular and cellular levels. Sporadic colon cancer is strongly linked to a high-fat/low-vegetable/low-micronutrient, Western-style diet. We also consider how selected dietary-related compounds (eg, excess hydrophobic bile acids, and low levels of folic acid, niacin, plant-derived antioxidants, and other modulatory compounds) might affect processes leading to chromosomal deletions, and to the molecular and cellular pathways specifically altered by chromosome 1p loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire M Payne
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Arizona Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - Carol Bernstein
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Arizona Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Hana Holubec
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Arizona Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Harris Bernstein
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Arizona Tucson, AZ, USA
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17
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Yu Q, Sharma A, Ghosh A, Sen JM. T cell factor-1 negatively regulates expression of IL-17 family of cytokines and protects mice from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2011; 186:3946-52. [PMID: 21339363 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1003497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Activated CD4 T cells are associated with protective immunity and autoimmunity. The manner in which the inflammatory potential of T cells and resultant autoimmunity is restrained is poorly understood. In this article, we demonstrate that T cell factor-1 (TCF1) negatively regulates the expression of IL-17 and related cytokines in activated CD4 T cells. We show that TCF1 does not affect cytokine signals and expression of transcription factors that have been shown to regulate Th17 differentiation. Instead, TCF1 regulates IL-17 expression, in part, by binding to the regulatory regions of the Il17 gene. Moreover, TCF1-deficient Th17 CD4 T cells express higher levels of IL-7Rα, which potentially promotes their survival and expansion in vivo. Accordingly, TCF1-deficient mice are hyperresponsive to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Thus, TCF1, a constitutively expressed T cell-specific transcription factor, is a critical negative regulator of the inflammatory potential of TCR-activated T cells and autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Yu
- Lymphocyte Development Unit, Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
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18
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Abstract
T cell factor-1 (TCF1) critically regulates T cell development. However, signals that control TCF1 function in developing and mature T cells remain unknown. TCF1 along with beta-catenin activates gene transcription and in cooperation with Groucho family of proteins mediates gene repression. It has been established that the beta-catenin-dependent gene expression is often downstream of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. We have genetically manipulated the beta-catenin gene and generated mutant mice that have shown an essential role for beta-catenin and TCF1 during pre-T cell receptor (TCR) and TCR-dependent stages of T cell development. We have also demonstrated a function for TCF1 and beta-catenin downstream of TCR signaling in the differentiation of mature CD4 T cells into T helper lineages.
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19
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Abstract
Wnt ligands are lipid-modified secreted glycoproteins that regulate embryonic development, cell fate specification, and the homeostasis of self-renewing adult tissues. In addition to its well-established role in thymocyte development, recent studies have indicated that Wnt/β-catenin signaling is critical for the differentiation, polarization, and survival of mature T lymphocytes. Here, we describe our current understanding of Wnt signaling in the biology of post-thymic T cells, and discuss how harnessing the Wnt/β-catenin pathway might improve the efficacy of vaccines, T-cell-based therapies, and allogeneic stem cell transplantation for the treatment of patients with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Gattinoni
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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20
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Zhang H, Zhang H, Zhang Y, Ng SS, Ren F, Wang Y, Duan Y, Chen L, Zhai Y, Guo Q, Chang Z. Dishevelled-DEP domain interacting protein (DDIP) inhibits Wnt signaling by promoting TCF4 degradation and disrupting the TCF4/beta-catenin complex. Cell Signal 2010; 22:1753-60. [PMID: 20603214 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2010.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2010] [Revised: 06/29/2010] [Accepted: 06/29/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The TCF4/beta-catenin complex, the executor of canonical Wnt/beta-catenin signaling, is regulated by a variety of factors. Among these, Dishevelled (Dvl) is a critical regulator that releases beta-catenin from degradation and stabilizes TCF4/beta-catenin complex. Here, we report that DDIP (Dishevelled-DEP domain Interacting Protein, also named as Spats1, spermatogenesis associated, serine-rich 1), a novel protein that interacts with Dvl, regulates Wnt signaling. We provide evidence that DDIP suppresses Lef-1 luciferase reporter activity stimulated by Wnt1, Dvl2 or beta-catenin, interacts with the TCF4/beta-catenin complex, and disrupts the interaction of TCF4 and beta-catenin by promoting TCF4 degradation through the proteasome pathway. Our results indicate that DDIP is a negative regulator of the canonical Wnt signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiwei Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
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21
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Schenkel JM, Zloza A, Li W, Narasipura SD, Al-Harthi L. Beta-catenin signaling mediates CD4 expression on mature CD8+ T cells. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2010; 185:2013-9. [PMID: 20631314 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0902572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Upon activation, a subset of mature human CD8(+) T cells re-expresses CD4 dimly. This CD4(dim)CD8(bright) T cell population is genuine and enriched in antiviral CD8(+) T cell responses. The signaling pathway that leads to CD4 re-expression on mature CD8(+) T cells is not clear. Given that Wnt/beta-catenin signaling plays a critical role in the transition of CD4(-)CD8(-) to CD4(+)CD8(+) thymocytes, we determined whether beta-catenin mediates CD4 expression on mature CD8(+) T cells. We demonstrate that active beta-catenin expression is 20-fold higher on CD4(dim)CD8(bright) than CD4(-)CD8(+) T cells. Activation of beta-catenin signaling, through LiCl or transfection with a constitutively active construct of beta-catenin, induced CD4 on CD8(+) T cells by approximately 10-fold. Conversely, inhibition of beta-catenin signaling through transfection with a dominant-negative construct for T cell factor-4, a downstream effector of beta-catenin signaling, diminished CD4 expression on CD8(+) T cells by 50% in response to T cell activation. Beta-catenin-mediated induction of CD4 on CD8(+) T cells is transcriptionally regulated, as it induced CD4 mRNA, and T cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor sites were identified within the human CD4 promoter. Further, beta-catenin expression induced the antiapoptotic factor BcL-xL, suggesting that beta-catenin may mediate protection against activation-induced cell death. Collectively, these data demonstrate that beta-catenin is critical in inducing CD4 expression on mature CD8(+) T cells, suggesting that it is a common pathway for CD4 upregulation among thymocytes and mature CD8(+) T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M Schenkel
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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22
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Hu T, Simmons A, Yuan J, Bender TP, Alberola-Ila J. The transcription factor c-Myb primes CD4+CD8+ immature thymocytes for selection into the iNKT lineage. Nat Immunol 2010; 11:435-41. [PMID: 20383148 PMCID: PMC2857587 DOI: 10.1038/ni.1865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2010] [Accepted: 03/09/2010] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Type I invariant NKT cells (iNKT cells) are a subset of alphabeta T cells characterized by the expression of an invariant alpha-chain variable region 14-alpha-chain joining region 18 (V(alpha)14J(alpha)18) T cell antigen receptor (TCR) alpha-chain. The iNKT cells derive from CD4(+)CD8(+) double-positive (DP) thymocytes, and their generation requires a long half-life of DP thymocytes to allow V(alpha)14-J(alpha)18 rearrangements, expression of glycolipid-loaded CD1d on DP thymocytes, and signaling through the signaling-activation molecule SLAM-adaptor SAP pathway. Here we show that the transcription factor c-Myb has a central role in priming DP thymocytes to enter the iNKT lineage by simultaneously regulating CD1d expression, the half-life of DP cells and expression of SLAMF1, SLAMF6 and SAP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taishan Hu
- Immunobiology and Cancer Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
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23
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Kovalovsky D, Yu Y, Dose M, Emmanouilidou A, Konstantinou T, Germar K, Aghajani K, Guo Z, Mandal M, Gounari F. Beta-catenin/Tcf determines the outcome of thymic selection in response to alphabetaTCR signaling. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2009; 183:3873-84. [PMID: 19717519 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0901369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Thymic maturation of T cells depends on the intracellular interpretation of alphabetaTCR signals by processes that are poorly understood. In this study, we report that beta-catenin/Tcf signaling was activated in double-positive thymocytes in response to alphabetaTCR engagement and impacted thymocyte selection. TCR engagement combined with activation of beta-catenin signaled thymocyte deletion, whereas Tcf-1 deficiency rescued from negative selection. Survival/apoptotis mediators including Bim, Bcl-2, and Bcl-x(L) were alternatively influenced by stabilization of beta-catenin or ablation of Tcf-1, and Bim-mediated beta-catenin induced thymocyte deletion. TCR activation in double-positive cells with stabilized beta-catenin triggered signaling associated with negative selection, including sustained overactivation of Lat and Jnk and a transient activation of Erk. These observations are consistent with beta-catenin/Tcf signaling acting as a switch that determines the outcome of thymic selection downstream the alphabetaTCR cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damian Kovalovsky
- Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts New England Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA
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24
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T cell factor 1 initiates the T helper type 2 fate by inducing the transcription factor GATA-3 and repressing interferon-gamma. Nat Immunol 2009; 10:992-9. [PMID: 19648923 DOI: 10.1038/ni.1762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2009] [Accepted: 06/01/2009] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The differentiation of activated CD4(+) T cells into the T helper type 1 (T(H)1) or T(H)2 fate is regulated by cytokines and the transcription factors T-bet and GATA-3. Whereas interleukin 12 (IL-12) produced by antigen-presenting cells initiates the T(H)1 fate, signals that initiate the T(H)2 fate are not completely characterized. Here we show that early GATA-3 expression, required for T(H)2 differentiation, was induced by T cell factor 1 (TCF-1) and its cofactor beta-catenin, mainly from the proximal Gata3 promoter upstream of exon 1b. This activity was induced after T cell antigen receptor (TCR) stimulation and was independent of IL-4 receptor signaling through the transcription factor STAT6. Furthermore, TCF-1 blocked T(H)1 fate by negatively regulating interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) expression independently of beta-catenin. Thus, TCF-1 initiates T(H)2 differentiation of activated CD4(+) T cells by promoting GATA-3 expression and suppressing IFN-gamma expression.
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25
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Xu M, Sharma A, Hossain MZ, Wiest DL, Sen JM. Sustained expression of pre-TCR induced beta-catenin in post-beta-selection thymocytes blocks T cell development. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2009; 182:759-65. [PMID: 19124718 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.182.2.759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Pre-TCR and IL-7R signals regulate beta-selection of thymocytes and then must be down-regulated for further development. However, the molecular events that control down-regulation remain unknown. We and others have previously shown that beta-catenin in cooperation with TCF regulates beta-selection. In this paper, we demonstrate that beta-catenin expression is stringently regulated by intrathymic signals, it is expressed at the highest levels in the pre-TCR signaled thymocytes, and is down-regulated in post-beta-selection thymocytes. Pre-TCR-induced beta-catenin regulates initial stages of pre-TCR signaling including expression of early growth response (Egr) genes but must be down-regulated to express RORgammat, which is essential for maturation to the CD4+CD8+ double positive (DP) stage. Sustained expression of beta-catenin results in the generation of IL-7R-, Egr-, and TGFbeta-expressing pre-DP thymocytes that are blocked in development. These data are consistent with a model in which post-beta-selection, pre-TCR-induced beta-catenin expression must return to background levels for efficient transition to the DP stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai Xu
- Lymphocyte Development Unit, Laboratory of Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
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26
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Staal FJT, Sen JM. The canonical Wnt signaling pathway plays an important role in lymphopoiesis and hematopoiesis. Eur J Immunol 2008; 38:1788-94. [PMID: 18581335 DOI: 10.1002/eji.200738118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The evolutionarily conserved canonical Wnt-beta-catenin-T cell factor (TCF)/lymphocyte enhancer binding factor (LEF) signaling pathway regulates key checkpoints in the development of various tissues. Therefore, it is not surprising that a large body of gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies implicate Wnt-beta-catenin signaling in lymphopoiesis and hematopoiesis. In contrast, recent papers have reported that Mx-Cre-mediated conditional deletion of beta-catenin and/or its homolog gamma-catenin (plakoglobin) did not impair hematopoiesis or lymphopoiesis. However, these studies also report that TCF reporter activity remains active in beta-catenin- and gamma-catenin-deficient hematopoietic stem cells and all cells derived from these precursors, indicating that the canonical Wnt signaling pathway was not abrogated. Therefore, these studies in fact show that the canonical Wnt signaling pathway is important in hematopoiesis and lymphopoiesis, even though the molecular basis for the induction of the reporter activity is currently unknown. In this perspective, we provide a broad background to the field with a discussion of the available data and create a framework within which the available and future studies may be evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank J T Staal
- Department of Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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