Localization of Janus Kinase 2 to the Nuclei of Mature Oocytes and Early Cleavage Stage Mouse Embryos

Relationship between Indel Variants within the JAK2 Gene and Growth Traits in Goats

Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) plays a critical role in myoblast proliferation and fat deposition in animals. Our previous RNA-Seq analyses identified a close association between the JAK2 gene and muscle development. To date, research delving into the relationship between the JAK2 gene and growth traits has been sparse. In this study, we sought to investigate the relationship between novel mutations within the JAK2 gene and goat growth traits. Herein, two novel InDel (Insertion/Deletion) polymorphisms within the JAK2 gene were detected in 548 goats, and only two genotypes were designated as ID (Insertion/Deletion) and DD (Deletion/Deletion). The results indicate that the two InDels, the del19008 locus in intron 2 and del72416 InDel in intron 6, showed significant associations with growth traits (p < 0.05). Compared to Nubian and Jianzhou Daer goats, the del72416 locus displayed a more pronounced effect in the Fuqing breed group. In the Nubian breed (NB) group, both InDels showed a marked influence on body height (BH). There were strong linkages observed for these two InDels between the Fuqing (FQ) and Jianzhou (JZ) populations. The DD-ID diplotype was associated with inferior growth traits in chest width (ChW) and cannon circumference (CaC) in the FQ goats compared to the other diplotypes. In the NB population, the DD-DD diplotype exhibited a marked negative impact on BH and HuWI (hucklebone width index), in contrast to the other diplotypes. In summary, our findings suggest that the two InDel polymorphisms within the JAK2 gene could serve as valuable molecular markers for enhancing goat growth traits in breeding programs.

FERM domain-containing proteins are active components of the cell nucleus

The FERM domain is a conserved and widespread protein module that appeared in the common ancestor of amoebae, fungi, and animals, and is therefore now found in a wide variety of species. The primary function of the FERM domain is localizing to the plasma membrane through binding lipids and proteins of the membrane; thus, for a long time, FERM domain-containing proteins (FDCPs) were considered exclusively cytoskeletal. Although their role in the cytoplasm has been extensively studied, the recent discovery of the presence and importance of cytoskeletal proteins in the nucleus suggests that FDCPs might also play an important role in nuclear function. In this review, we collected data on their nuclear localization, transport, and possible functions, which are still scattered throughout the literature, with special regard to the role of the FERM domain in these processes. With this, we would like to draw attention to the exciting, new dimension of the role of FDCPs, their nuclear activity, which could be an interesting novel direction for future research.

Construction of Circular RNA-MicroRNA-Messenger RNA Regulatory Network of Recurrent Implantation Failure to Explore Its Potential Pathogenesis

Background: Many studies on circular RNAs (circRNAs) have recently been published. However, the function of circRNAs in recurrent implantation failure (RIF) is unknown and remains to be explored. This study aims to determine the regulatory mechanisms of circRNAs in RIF.

Methods: Microarray data of RIF circRNA (GSE147442), microRNA (miRNA; GSE71332), and messenger RNA (mRNA; GSE103465) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to identify differentially expressed circRNA, miRNA, and mRNA. The circRNA–miRNA–mRNA network was constructed by Cytoscape 3.8.0 software, then the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by STRING database, and the hub genes were identified by cytoHubba plug-in. The circRNA–miRNA–hub gene regulatory subnetwork was formed to understand the regulatory axis of hub genes in RIF. Finally, the Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis of the hub genes were performed by clusterProfiler package of Rstudio software, and Reactome Functional Interaction (FI) plug-in was used for reactome analysis to comprehensively analyze the mechanism of hub genes in RIF.

Results: A total of eight upregulated differentially expressed circRNAs (DECs), five downregulated DECs, 56 downregulated differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRs), 104 upregulated DEmiRs, 429 upregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and 1,067 downregulated DEGs were identified regarding RIF. The miRNA response elements of 13 DECs were then predicted. Seven overlapping miRNAs were obtained by intersecting the predicted miRNA and DEmiRs. Then, 56 overlapping mRNAs were obtained by intersecting the predicted target mRNAs of seven miRNAs with 1,496 DEGs. The circRNA–miRNA–mRNA network and PPI network were constructed through six circRNAs, seven miRNAs, and 56 mRNAs; and four hub genes (YWHAZ, JAK2, MYH9, and RAP2C) were identified. The circRNA–miRNA–hub gene regulatory subnetwork with nine regulatory axes was formed in RIF. Functional enrichment analysis and reactome analysis showed that these four hub genes were closely related to the biological functions and pathways of RIF.

Conclusion: The results of this study provide further understanding of the potential pathogenesis from the perspective of circRNA-related competitive endogenous RNA network in RIF.

JAK2 inhibitor CEP-33779 prevents mouse oocyte maturation in vitro

The inhibitor CEP-33779 is a specific selective inhibitor of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2). In most somatic cells, JAK2 plays essential roles in cellular signal transduction and in the regulation of cell cycle. Little is known regarding the effects of JAK2 on mammalian oocyte maturation. In the present study, we investigated the effects of CEP-33779 on mouse oocytes’ meiosis and the possible mechanisms of JAK2 during mouse oocyte maturation. We detected the distribution of JAK2 during the mouse oocyte maturation. The results showed that JAK2 was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm during maturation. We cultured mouse oocytes with CEP-33779, examined the maturation rate, spindle morphology, and organization of microfilaments during the mouse oocyte maturation. While the rate of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) did not differ between the treated and control groups, the rate of oocyte maturation decreased significantly when treated with CEP-33779. The rate of maturation was 21.14% in treated group and was 81.44% in control group. The results show that CEP-33779 inhibits the maturation of mouse oocytes. There was no obvious difference in the meiotic spindle morphology between the treated and control groups. The results show that CEP-33779 treatment did not disrupt the reorganization of microtubules. The microfilament observation shows that the microfilament did not form actin cap and the spindle stayed at the center of the oocyte in the treated group. CEP-33779 treatment inhibited the maturation of mouse oocytes which might be because of the disruption of formation of the actin cap. These results suggest that JAK2 regulated the microfilaments aggregation during the mouse oocyte maturation.

Kinase-independent mechanisms of resistance of leukemia stem cells to tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as imatinib mesylate have changed the clinical course of chronic myeloid leukemia; however, the observation that these inhibitors do not target the leukemia stem cell implies that patients need to maintain lifelong therapy. The mechanism of this phenomenon is unclear: the question of whether tyrosine kinase inhibitors are inactive inside leukemia stem cells or whether leukemia stem cells do not require breakpoint cluster region (Bcr)-Abl signaling is currently under debate. Herein, I propose an alternative model: perhaps the leukemia stem cell requires Bcr-Abl, but is dependent on its kinase-independent functions. Kinases such as epidermal growth factor receptor and Janus kinase 2 possess kinase-independent roles in regulation of gene expression; it is worth investigating whether Bcr-Abl has similar functions. Mechanistically, Bcr-Abl is able to activate the Ras, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt, and/or the Src-kinase Hck/Stat5 pathways in a scaffolding-dependent manner. Whereas the scaffolding activity of Bcr-Abl with Grb2 is dependent on autophosphorylation, kinases such as Hck can use Bcr-Abl as substrate, inducing phosphorylation of Y177 to enable scaffolding ability in the absence of Bcr-Abl catalytic activity. It is worth investigating whether leukemia stem cells exclusively express kinases that are able to use Bcr-Abl as substrate. A kinase-independent role for Bcr-Abl in leukemia stem cells would imply that drugs that target Bcr-Abl's scaffolding ability or its DNA-binding ability should be used in conjunction with current therapeutic regimens to increase their efficacy and eradicate the stem cells of chronic myeloid leukemia.

JAK-STAT in heterochromatin and genome stability

The canonical JAK-STAT signaling pathway transmits signals from the cell membrane to the nucleus, to regulate transcription of particular genes involved in development and many other physiological processes. It has been shown in Drosophila that JAK and STAT also function in a non-canonical mode, to regulate heterochromatin. This review discusses the non-canonical functioning of JAK and STAT, and its effects on biological processes. Decreased levels of activated JAK and increased levels of unphosphorylated STAT generate higher levels of heterochromatin. These higher heterochromatin levels result in suppression of hematopoietic tumor-like masses, increased resistance to DNA damage, and longer lifespan.

JAKs go nuclear: emerging role of nuclear JAK1 and JAK2 in gene expression and cell growth

The four Janus kinases (JAKs) comprise a family of intracellular, nonreceptor tyrosine kinases that first gained attention as signaling mediators of the type I and type II cytokine receptors. Subsequently, the JAKs were found to be involved in signaling downstream of the insulin receptor, a number of receptor tyrosine kinases, and certain G-protein coupled receptors. Although a number of cytoplasmic targets for the JAKs have been identified, their predominant action was found to be the phosphorylation and activation of the signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) factors. Through the STATs, the JAKs activate gene expression linked to cellular stress, proliferation, and differentiation. The JAKs are especially important in hematopoiesis, inflammation, and immunity, and aberrant JAK activity has been implicated in a number of disorders including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, polycythemia vera, and myeloproliferative diseases. Although once thought to reside strictly in the cytoplasm, recent evidence shows that JAK1 and JAK2 are present in the nucleus of certain cells often under conditions associated with high rates of cell growth. Nuclear JAKs have now been shown to affect gene expression by activating other transcription factors besides the STATs and exerting epigenetic actions, for example, by phosphorylating histone H3. The latter action derepresses global gene expression and has been implicated in leukemogenesis. Nuclear JAKs may have a role as well in stem cell biology. Here we describe recent developments in understanding the noncanonical nuclear actions of JAK1 and JAK2.

Nuclear JAK2: form and function in cancer

The conventional view of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase which transmits information to the nucleus via the signal transducer and activator of transcriptions (STATs) without leaving the cytoplasm. However, accumulating data suggest that JAK2 may signal by exporting from cytoplasm to nucleus, where it guides the transcriptional machinery independent of STATs protein. Recent studies demonstrated that JAK2 is a crucial component of signaling pathways operating in the nucleus. Especially the latest landmark discovery confirmed that JAK2 goes into the nucleus and directly interacts with nucleoproteins, such as histone H3 at tyrosine 41 (H3Y41), nuclear factor 1-C2 (NF1-C2) and SWI/SNF-related helicases/ATPases (RUSH)-1α, indicating that JAK2 has a fresh nuclear function. Nuclear JAK2 is linked to a variety of cellular functions, such as cell cycle progression, apoptosis and genetic instability. The balance between these functions is an essential factor in determining whether a cell remains benign or becomes malignant. The aim of this review is intended to summarize the state of our knowledge on nuclear localization of JAK2 and nuclear JAK2 pathways, and to highlight the emerging roles for nuclear JAK2 in carcinogenesis.

Proteomic analysis of parthenogenetic and in vitro fertilized porcine embryos

Proteomic data from embryos are essential for the completion of whole proteome catalog due to embryo-specific expression of certain proteins. In this study, using reverse phase LC-MS/MS combined with 1-D SDS-PAGE, we identified 1625 mammalian and 735 Sus scrofa proteins from porcine zygotes that included both cytosolic and membranous proteins. We also found that the global protein profiles of parthenogenetically activated (PA) and in vitro fertilized (IVF) zygotes were similar but differences in expression of individual proteins were also evident. These differences were not due to culture conditions, polyspermy or non-activation of oocytes, as the same culture method was used in both groups, the frequency of polyspermy was 24.3+/-3.0% and the rates of oocyte activation did not differ (p>0.05) between PA and IVF embryos. Consistent with proteomic data, fluorescent Hoechst 33 342 staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay also revealed that PA embryos were of poor quality as they contained less cells per blastocyst and were more predisposed to apoptosis (p<0.05), although their in vitro development rates were similar. To our knowledge, this is the first report on global peptide sequencing and quantification of protein in PA and IVF embryos by LC-MS/MS that may be useful as a reference map for future studies.

Zygotically activated genes are suppressed in mouse nuclear transferred embryos

Mammalian oocytes have the ability to confer totipotency to terminally differentiated somatic cell nuclei. Viable cloned animals have been produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer (NT) into oocytes in many mammalian species including mouse. However, the success rates of the production were quite low in all species. Many studies have measured differences in gene expression between NT and fertilized embryos in relatively advanced stages of development such as pre- and post-natal stages or the blastocyst stage. In the present study, we compared gene expression patterns using differential display RT-PCR (DDRT-PCR) between the NT and IVF embryos at the 2-cell stage to detect some abnormalities affecting later development of NT embryos. Aberrant gene expression was detected in NT embryos compared with IVF embryos, and MuERV-L and Dnaja2 genes were down-regulated and Inpp5b and Chst12 genes were up-regulated in the NT embryos. Further analysis showed that the expression of zygotically activated genes such as Interferon-gamma, Dub-1, Spz1, DD2106 (unknown gene), and DD2111 (unknown gene) were suppressed in NT embryos, suggesting that the cellular process involved in the nuclear reprogramming of somatic nucleus is not appropriately regulated.

Kinase activity and subcellular distribution of a chimeric green fluorescent protein-tagged Janus kinase 2

Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) is an essential intracellular signal transducer for numerous cytokines and hormones. To examine how JAK2 structural modifications can affect cellular physiology, we created expression vectors for chimeric proteins containing an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) fused to rat JAK2 (EGFP/rJAK2), and a kinase-inactive variant, EGFP/rJAK2(K882E). The properties of EGFP/rJAK2 were examined following transient transfection of COS-7 cells. EGFP/rJAK2 was expressed throughout the cell, and was found in subcellular membrane, cytosolic and nuclear fractions. Interestingly, EGFP/rJAK2 phosphorylated other proteins in situ without additional cytokine stimulation. Furthermore, despite a much higher level of tyrosine phosphorylation arising from in situ autophosphorylation, the in vitro radiolabelling autokinase activity of EGFP/rJAK2 was significantly less than that of the endogenous JAK2. These results reveal a technical limitation of the application of the "conventional" in vitro radiolabelling autokinase assay to hyperphosphorylated forms of the enzyme and illustrate the potential weaknesses in individual assays commonly used to determine JAK2's enzymatic activity and subcellular distribution. We also suggest that the EGFP/rJAK2 model can be very useful in studying JAK2-related cancers, because its ubiquitous distribution and abnormal constitutive hyperphosphorylation may distinguish it from the cytokine-regulated, membrane-proximal form of JAK2 associated with normal physiology.

Involvement of the STAT5 signaling pathway in the regulation of mouse preimplantation development

The signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) is an essential factor in the signal transduction pathways for a number of cytokines that regulate the growth and differentiation of mammalian cells. In this study, we investigated the STAT5 signaling pathway in mouse embryos, to elucidate the mechanism of cytokine signal transduction that regulates preimplantation development. The results of the RT-PCR analysis showed that both STAT5A and B were expressed throughout preimplantation development. Immunocytochemistry revealed that the STAT5A/B proteins were located in the nucleus from the early 1-cell stage to the blastocyst stage. STAT5 activation appeared to be regulated by Janus kinases (JAKs) and SRC family kinases (SFKs), since inhibitors of these kinases inhibited the localization of STAT5 proteins to the nucleus. The JAK inhibitor Ag490 reduced both the developmental rate of the embryos and the expression levels of the downstream genes of the JAK-STAT5 signaling pathway. These findings suggest that STAT5 proteins function in preimplantation development by mediating the signals from cytokines.

Gene expression in the preimplantation embryo: in-vitro developmental changes

The regulation of early embryo development and the mechanism of implantation remains poorly understood, due to the large number of genes and the complexity of the systems involved. The effect of in-vitro culture on embryos also remains unclear, which raises concerns about the safety of assisted reproductive technology. Changes in the expression of several individual genes in cultured embryos have been reported previously, but a large-scale comparison has not yet been performed to investigate the effects of in-vitro culture systems on embryo development. This study investigated established gene expression profiles of more that 20,000 genes from in-vitro cultured mouse embryos at eight different stages (oocytes, zygote, 2-, 4-, 8-cell embryo, compacting embryo, morula and blastocyst) using microarray technology, and compared these profiles with in-vivo embryos. In most stages of development there was little significant difference in overall expression patterns between in-vitro and in-vivo embryos. In addition, the expression patterns of developmentally important genes from several different categories, such as apoptosis, glycolysis, adhesion and methylation, were examined and compared between in-vitro and in-vivo embryos. Among the genes examined, DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) shows a significantly higher (P < 0.05) expression level in cultured embryos. Cadherin-11 also demonstrates a slightly different pattern, although the difference is not statistically significant. All the other genes have remarkably similar expression patterns between in-vitro and in-vivo embryos throughout preimplantation stages.