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Leclercq J, Torres-Paz J, Policarpo M, Agnès F, Rétaux S. Evolution of the regulation of developmental gene expression in blind Mexican cavefish. Development 2024; 151:dev202610. [PMID: 39007346 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Developmental evolution and diversification of morphology can arise through changes in the regulation of gene expression or protein-coding sequence. To unravel mechanisms underlying early developmental evolution in cavefish of the species Astyanax mexicanus, we compared transcriptomes of surface-dwelling and blind cave-adapted morphs at the end of gastrulation. Twenty percent of the transcriptome was differentially expressed. Allelic expression ratios in cave X surface hybrids showed that cis-regulatory changes are the quasi-exclusive contributors to inter-morph variations in gene expression. Among a list of 108 genes with change at the cis-regulatory level, we explored the control of expression of rx3, which is a master eye gene. We discovered that cellular rx3 levels are cis-regulated in a cell-autonomous manner, whereas rx3 domain size depends on non-autonomous Wnt and Bmp signalling. These results highlight how uncoupled mechanisms and regulatory modules control developmental gene expression and shape morphological changes. Finally, a transcriptome-wide search for fixed coding mutations and differential exon use suggested that variations in coding sequence have a minor contribution. Thus, during early embryogenesis, changes in gene expression regulation are the main drivers of cavefish developmental evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Leclercq
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS and University Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - Jorge Torres-Paz
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS and University Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - Maxime Policarpo
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS and University Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - François Agnès
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS and University Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - Sylvie Rétaux
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS and University Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
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2
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Yang Y, Li S, Luo L. Responses of organ precursors to correct and incorrect inductive signals. Trends Cell Biol 2024; 34:484-495. [PMID: 37739814 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2023.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
During embryonic development, the inductive molecules produced by local origins normally arrive at their target tissues in a nondirectional, diffusion manner. The target organ precursor cells must correctly interpret these inductive signals to ensure proper specification/differentiation, which is dependent on two prerequisites: (i) obtaining cell-intrinsic competence; and (ii) receiving correct inductive signals while resisting incorrect ones. Gain of intrinsic competence could avoid a large number of misinductions because the incompetent cells are nonresponsive to inductive signals. However, in cases of different precursor cells with similar competence and located in close proximity, resistance to incorrect inductive signals is essential for accurate determination of cell fate. Here we outline the mechanisms of how organ precursors respond to correct and incorrect inductive signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Yang
- Institute of Development Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shuang Li
- Institute of Development Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lingfei Luo
- Institute of Development Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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3
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Powell GT, Faro A, Zhao Y, Stickney H, Novellasdemunt L, Henriques P, Gestri G, White ER, Ren J, Lu W, Young RM, Hawkins TA, Cavodeassi F, Schwarz Q, Dreosti E, Raible DW, Li VSW, Wright GJ, Jones EY, Wilson SW. Cachd1 interacts with Wnt receptors and regulates neuronal asymmetry in the zebrafish brain. Science 2024; 384:573-579. [PMID: 38696577 PMCID: PMC7615972 DOI: 10.1126/science.ade6970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
Neurons on the left and right sides of the nervous system often show asymmetric properties, but how such differences arise is poorly understood. Genetic screening in zebrafish revealed that loss of function of the transmembrane protein Cachd1 resulted in right-sided habenula neurons adopting left-sided identity. Cachd1 is expressed in neuronal progenitors, functions downstream of asymmetric environmental signals, and influences timing of the normally asymmetric patterns of neurogenesis. Biochemical and structural analyses demonstrated that Cachd1 can bind simultaneously to Lrp6 and Frizzled family Wnt co-receptors. Consistent with this, lrp6 mutant zebrafish lose asymmetry in the habenulae, and epistasis experiments support a role for Cachd1 in modulating Wnt pathway activity in the brain. These studies identify Cachd1 as a conserved Wnt receptor-interacting protein that regulates lateralized neuronal identity in the zebrafish brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth T. Powell
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute; Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Ana Faro
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Yuguang Zhao
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford; Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Heather Stickney
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Departments of Otolaryngology-HNS and Biological Structure, University of Washington; Seattle, WA 98195-7420, USA
- Ambry Genetics; Aliso Viejo, CA 92656, USA
| | - Laura Novellasdemunt
- The Francis Crick Institute; London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology; 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pedro Henriques
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Gaia Gestri
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | | | - Jingshan Ren
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford; Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Weixian Lu
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford; Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Rodrigo M. Young
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London; London, EC1V 9EL, UK
- Center for Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor; Camino La Piramide 5750, 8580745, Santiago, Chile
| | - Thomas A. Hawkins
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Florencia Cavodeassi
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- St. George’s, University of London; London, SW17 0RE, UK
| | - Quenten Schwarz
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London; London, EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Elena Dreosti
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - David W. Raible
- Departments of Otolaryngology-HNS and Biological Structure, University of Washington; Seattle, WA 98195-7420, USA
| | | | - Gavin J. Wright
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute; Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
- Department of Biology, Hull York Medical School, York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York; York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - E. Yvonne Jones
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford; Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Stephen W. Wilson
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
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4
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Qiu L, Sun Y, Ning H, Chen G, Zhao W, Gao Y. The scaffold protein AXIN1: gene ontology, signal network, and physiological function. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:77. [PMID: 38291457 PMCID: PMC10826278 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01482-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
AXIN1, has been initially identified as a prominent antagonist within the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway, and subsequently unveiled its integral involvement across a diverse spectrum of signaling cascades. These encompass the WNT/β-catenin, Hippo, TGFβ, AMPK, mTOR, MAPK, and antioxidant signaling pathways. The versatile engagement of AXIN1 underscores its pivotal role in the modulation of developmental biological signaling, maintenance of metabolic homeostasis, and coordination of cellular stress responses. The multifaceted functionalities of AXIN1 render it as a compelling candidate for targeted intervention in the realms of degenerative pathologies, systemic metabolic disorders, cancer therapeutics, and anti-aging strategies. This review provides an intricate exploration of the mechanisms governing mammalian AXIN1 gene expression and protein turnover since its initial discovery, while also elucidating its significance in the regulation of signaling pathways, tissue development, and carcinogenesis. Furthermore, we have introduced the innovative concept of the AXIN1-Associated Phosphokinase Complex (AAPC), where the scaffold protein AXIN1 assumes a pivotal role in orchestrating site-specific phosphorylation modifications through interactions with various phosphokinases and their respective substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Qiu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yixuan Sun
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Haoming Ning
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Guanyu Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Wenshan Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
| | - Yanfeng Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
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5
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Cooper EJ, Scholpp S. Transport and gradient formation of Wnt and Fgf in the early zebrafish gastrula. Curr Top Dev Biol 2023; 157:125-153. [PMID: 38556457 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2023.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Within embryonic development, the occurrence of gastrulation is critical in the formation of multiple germ layers with many differentiative abilities. These cells are instructed through exposure to signalling molecules called morphogens. The secretion of morphogens from a source tissue creates a concentration gradient that allows distinct pattern formation in the receiving tissue. This review focuses on the morphogens Wnt and Fgf in zebrafish development. Wnt has been shown to have critical roles throughout gastrulation, including in anteroposterior patterning and neural posterisation. Fgf is also a vital signal, contributing to involution and mesodermal specification. Both morphogens have also been found to work in finely balanced synergy for processes such as neural induction. Thus, the signalling range of Wnts and Fgfs must be strictly controlled to target the correct target cells. Fgf and Wnts signal to local cells as well as to cells in the distance in a highly regulated way, requiring specific dissemination mechanisms that allow efficient and precise signalling over short and long distances. Multiple transportation mechanisms have been discovered to aid in producing a stable morphogen gradient, including short-range diffusion, filopodia-like extensions called cytonemes and extracellular vesicles, mainly exosomes. These mechanisms are specific to the morphogen that they transport and the intended signalling range. This review article discusses how spreading mechanisms in these two morphogenetic systems differ and the consequences on paracrine signalling, hence tissue patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma J Cooper
- Living Systems Institute, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Steffen Scholpp
- Living Systems Institute, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.
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6
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Terhal P, Venhuizen AJ, Lessel D, Tan WH, Alswaid A, Grün R, Alzaidan HI, von Kroge S, Ragab N, Hempel M, Kubisch C, Novais E, Cristobal A, Tripolszki K, Bauer P, Fischer-Zirnsak B, Nievelstein RAJ, van Dijk A, Nikkels P, Oheim R, Hahn H, Bertoli-Avella A, Maurice MM, Kornak U. AXIN1 bi-allelic variants disrupting the C-terminal DIX domain cause craniometadiaphyseal osteosclerosis with hip dysplasia. Am J Hum Genet 2023; 110:1470-1481. [PMID: 37582359 PMCID: PMC10502735 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2023.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Sclerosing skeletal dysplasias result from an imbalance between bone formation and resorption. We identified three homozygous, C-terminally truncating AXIN1 variants in seven individuals from four families affected by macrocephaly, cranial hyperostosis, and vertebral endplate sclerosis. Other frequent findings included hip dysplasia, heart malformations, variable developmental delay, and hematological anomalies. In line with AXIN1 being a central component of the β-catenin destruction complex, analyses of primary and genome-edited cells harboring the truncating variants revealed enhanced basal canonical Wnt pathway activity. All three AXIN1-truncating variants resulted in reduced protein levels and impaired AXIN1 polymerization mediated by its C-terminal DIX domain but partially retained Wnt-inhibitory function upon overexpression. Addition of a tankyrase inhibitor attenuated Wnt overactivity in the AXIN1-mutant model systems. Our data suggest that AXIN1 coordinates the action of osteoblasts and osteoclasts and that tankyrase inhibitors can attenuate the effects of AXIN1 hypomorphic variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulien Terhal
- Division of Laboratories, Pharmacy and Biomedical Genetics, University Medical Centre Utrecht, 3584EA Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Anton J Venhuizen
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Oncode Institute, University Medical Centre Utrecht, 3584CG Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Davor Lessel
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Wen-Hann Tan
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Abdulrahman Alswaid
- Department of Pediatrics, King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital, Riyadh 14611, Saudi Arabia; King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University For Health Sciences, Riyadh 22490, Saudi Arabia
| | - Regina Grün
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hamad I Alzaidan
- Medical Genetics Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
| | - Simon von Kroge
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 22529 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nada Ragab
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Maja Hempel
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Kubisch
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Eduardo Novais
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alba Cristobal
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Oncode Institute, University Medical Centre Utrecht, 3584CG Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | - Peter Bauer
- Centogene GmbH, 18055 Rostock, Germany; University Hospital Rostock, Internal Medicine, Hemato-oncology, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Björn Fischer-Zirnsak
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Human Genetics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Rutger A J Nievelstein
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Centre Utrecht, 3584CX Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Atty van Dijk
- Expert Center for Skeletal Dysplasia, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584EA Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Peter Nikkels
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, 3584CX Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Ralf Oheim
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 22529 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Heidi Hahn
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Madelon M Maurice
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Oncode Institute, University Medical Centre Utrecht, 3584CG Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Uwe Kornak
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany; Institute of Medical Genetics and Human Genetics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
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7
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Kang J, Gong J, Yang C, Lin X, Yan L, Gong Y, Xu H. Application of Human Stem Cell Derived Retinal Organoids in the Exploration of the Mechanisms of Early Retinal Development. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2023:10.1007/s12015-023-10553-x. [PMID: 37269529 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-023-10553-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The intricate neural circuit of retina extracts salient features of the natural world and forms bioelectric impulse as the origin of vision. The early development of retina is a highly complex and coordinated process in morphogenesis and neurogenesis. Increasing evidence indicates that stem cells derived human retinal organoids (hROs) in vitro faithfully recapitulates the embryonic developmental process of human retina no matter in the transcriptome, cellular biology and histomorphology. The emergence of hROs greatly deepens on the understanding of early development of human retina. Here, we reviewed the events of early retinal development both in animal embryos and hROs studies, which mainly comprises the formation of optic vesicle and optic cup shape, differentiation of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), photoreceptor cells (PRs) and its supportive retinal pigment epithelium cells (RPE). We also discussed the classic and frontier molecular pathways up to date to decipher the underlying mechanisms of early development of human retina and hROs. Finally, we summarized the application prospect, challenges and cutting-edge techniques of hROs for uncovering the principles and mechanisms of retinal development and related developmental disorder. hROs is a priori selection for studying human retinal development and function and may be a fundamental tool for unlocking the unknown insight into retinal development and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Kang
- Southwest Hospital/Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China
- Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Jing Gong
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Cao Yang
- Southwest Hospital/Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China
- Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Xi Lin
- Southwest Hospital/Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China
- Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Lijuan Yan
- Southwest Hospital/Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China
- Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Yu Gong
- Southwest Hospital/Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China.
- Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing, 400038, China.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Sciences Research Center, University-Town Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Haiwei Xu
- Southwest Hospital/Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China.
- Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing, 400038, China.
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8
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Yamamoto T, Kambayashi Y, Tsukano K, Michiue T. Ndst1, a heparan sulfate modification enzyme, regulates neuroectodermal patterning by enhancing Wnt signaling in Xenopus. Dev Growth Differ 2023; 65:153-160. [PMID: 36726238 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Neural tissue is derived from three precursor regions: neural plate, neural crest, and preplacodal ectoderm. These regions are determined by morphogen-mediated signaling. Morphogen distribution is generally regulated by binding to an extracellular matrix component, heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycan. HS is modified by many enzymes, such as N-deacetyl sulfotransferase 1 (Ndst1), which is highly expressed in early development. However, functions of HS modifications in ectodermal patterning are largely unknown. In this study, we analyzed the role of Ndst1 using Xenopus embryos. We found that ndst1 was expressed in anterior neural plate and the trigeminal region at the neurula stage. ndst1 overexpression expanded the neural crest (NC) region, whereas translational inhibition reduced not only the trigeminal region, but also the adjacent NC region, especially the anterior part. At a later stage, ndst1 knocked-down embryos showed defects in cranial ganglion formation. We also found that Ndst1 activates Wnt signaling pathway at the neurula stage. Taken together, our results suggest that N-sulfonated HS accumulates Wnt ligand and activates Wnt signaling in ndst1-expressing cells, but that it inhibits signaling in non-ndst1-expressing cells, leading to proper neuroectodermal patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayoshi Yamamoto
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuta Kambayashi
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kohei Tsukano
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tatsuo Michiue
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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9
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Ziermann JM. Overview of Head Muscles with Special Emphasis on Extraocular Muscle Development. ADVANCES IN ANATOMY, EMBRYOLOGY, AND CELL BIOLOGY 2023; 236:57-80. [PMID: 37955771 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-38215-4_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
The head is often considered the most complex part of the vertebrate body as many different cell types contribute to a huge variation of structures in a very limited space. Most of these cell types also interact with each other to ensure the proper development of skull, brain, muscles, nerves, connective tissue, and blood vessels. While there are general mechanisms that are true for muscle development all over the body, the head and postcranial muscle development differ from each other. In the head, specific gene regulatory networks underlie the differentiation in subgroups, which include extraocular muscles, muscles of mastication, muscles of facial expression, laryngeal and pharyngeal muscles, as well as cranial nerve innervated neck muscles. Here, I provide an overview of the difference between head and trunk muscle development. This is followed by a short excursion to the cardiopharyngeal field which gives rise to heart and head musculature and a summary of pharyngeal arch muscle development, including interactions between neural crest cells, mesodermal cells, and endodermal signals. Lastly, a more detailed description of the eye development, tissue interactions, and involved genes is provided.
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10
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Agnès F, Torres-Paz J, Michel P, Rétaux S. A 3D molecular map of the cavefish neural plate illuminates eye-field organization and its borders in vertebrates. Development 2022; 149:274971. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.199966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The vertebrate retinas originate from a specific anlage in the anterior neural plate called the eye field. Its identity is conferred by a set of ‘eye transcription factors’, whose combinatorial expression has been overlooked. Here, we use the dimorphic teleost Astyanax mexicanus, which develops proper eyes in the wild type and smaller colobomatous eyes in the blind cavefish embryos, to unravel the molecular anatomy of the eye field and its variations within a species. Using a series of markers (rx3, pax6a, cxcr4b, zic1, lhx2, emx3 and nkx2.1a), we draw a comparative 3D expression map at the end of gastrulation/onset of neurulation, which highlights hyper-regionalization of the eye field into sub-territories of distinct sizes, shapes, cell identities and combinatorial gene expression levels along the three body axes. All these features show significant variations in the cavefish natural mutant. We also discover sub-domains within the prospective telencephalon and characterize cell identities at the frontiers of the eye field. We propose putative fates for some of the characterized eye-field subdivisions, and suggest the existence of a trade-off between some subdivisions in the two Astyanax morphs on a micro-evolutionary scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Agnès
- Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR9197, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Jorge Torres-Paz
- Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR9197, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Pauline Michel
- Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR9197, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Sylvie Rétaux
- Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR9197, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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11
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Jones WD, Mullins MC. Cell signaling pathways controlling an axis organizing center in the zebrafish. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 150:149-209. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2022.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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12
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Bou-Rouphael J, Durand BC. T-Cell Factors as Transcriptional Inhibitors: Activities and Regulations in Vertebrate Head Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:784998. [PMID: 34901027 PMCID: PMC8651982 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.784998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Since its first discovery in the late 90s, Wnt canonical signaling has been demonstrated to affect a large variety of neural developmental processes, including, but not limited to, embryonic axis formation, neural proliferation, fate determination, and maintenance of neural stem cells. For decades, studies have focused on the mechanisms controlling the activity of β-catenin, the sole mediator of Wnt transcriptional response. More recently, the spotlight of research is directed towards the last cascade component, the T-cell factor (TCF)/Lymphoid-Enhancer binding Factor (LEF), and more specifically, the TCF/LEF-mediated switch from transcriptional activation to repression, which in both embryonic blastomeres and mouse embryonic stem cells pushes the balance from pluri/multipotency towards differentiation. It has been long known that Groucho/Transducin-Like Enhancer of split (Gro/TLE) is the main co-repressor partner of TCF/LEF. More recently, other TCF/LEF-interacting partners have been identified, including the pro-neural BarH-Like 2 (BARHL2), which belongs to the evolutionary highly conserved family of homeodomain-containing transcription factors. This review describes the activities and regulatory modes of TCF/LEF as transcriptional repressors, with a specific focus on the functions of Barhl2 in vertebrate brain development. Specific attention is given to the transcriptional events leading to formation of the Organizer, as well as the roles and regulations of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in growth of the caudal forebrain. We present TCF/LEF activities in both embryonic and neural stem cells and discuss how alterations of this pathway could lead to tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Béatrice C. Durand
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR7622, IBPS Developmental Biology Laboratory, Campus Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
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13
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Nishiya N, Yonezawa H. Domestication of chemicals attacking metazoan embryogenesis: identification of safe natural products modifying developmental signaling pathways in human. J Antibiot (Tokyo) 2021; 74:651-659. [PMID: 34381189 DOI: 10.1038/s41429-021-00461-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Soil microorganisms are rich sources of bioactive natural products. Interspecies interactions are the cues of their production and refine biological activities. These interactions in natural environments include the interplay between microorganisms and Metazoans (animals), such as nematodes, insects, and ticks. Chemical intercellular communication modulators could exert ideal Metazoan-selective toxicity for defending microorganisms. Developmental signaling pathways, such as the Notch, TGF-beta, and Wnt pathways, are intercellular communication networks that contribute to the reproducible formation of complex higher-order Metazoan body structures. Natural modifiers of the developmental signaling pathway are attractive therapeutic seeds for carcinoma and sarcoma treatment. However, these fundamental signaling pathways also play indispensable physiological roles and their perturbation could lead to toxicity, such as defects in stem cell physiology and tissue regeneration processes. In this review, we introduce a screening system that selects developmental signaling inhibitors with wide therapeutic windows using zebrafish embryonic phenotypes and provide examples of microorganism-derived Wnt pathway inhibitors. Moreover, we discuss safety prospects of the developmental signaling inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoyuki Nishiya
- Division of Integrated Information for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Iwate Medical University School of Pharmacy, Yahaba, Japan.
| | - Honami Yonezawa
- Division of Integrated Information for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Iwate Medical University School of Pharmacy, Yahaba, Japan
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14
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Strain maps characterize the symmetry of convergence and extension patterns during zebrafish gastrulation. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19357. [PMID: 34588480 PMCID: PMC8481280 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98233-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
During gastrulation of the zebrafish embryo, the cap of blastoderm cells organizes into the axial body plan of the embryo with left–right symmetry and head–tail, dorsal–ventral polarities. Our labs have been interested in the mechanics of early development and have investigated whether these large-scale cell movements can be described as tissue-level mechanical strain by a tectonics-based approach. The first step is to image the positions of all nuclei from mid-epiboly to early segmentation by digital sheet light microscopy, organize the surface of the embryo into multi-cell spherical domains, construct velocity fields from the movements of these domains and extract strain rate maps from the change in density of the domains. During gastrulation, tensile/expansive and compressive strains in the axial and equatorial directions are detected as anterior and posterior expansion along the anterior–posterior axis and medial–lateral compression across the dorsal–ventral axis and corresponds to the well characterized morphological movements of convergence and extension. Following gastrulation strain is represented by localized medial expansion at the onset of segmentation and anterior expansion at the onset of neurulation. In addition to linear strain, symmetric patterns of rotation/curl are first detected in the animal hemispheres at mid-epiboly and then the vegetal hemispheres by the end of gastrulation. In embryos treated with C59, a Wnt inhibitor that inhibits head and tail extension, the axial extension and vegetal curl are absent. By analysing the temporal sequence of large-scale movements, deformations across the embryo can be attributed to a combination of epiboly and dorsal convergence-extension.
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15
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Fenlon LR, Suarez R, Lynton Z, Richards LJ. The evolution, formation and connectivity of the anterior commissure. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 118:50-59. [PMID: 33958283 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The anterior commissure is the most ancient of the forebrain interhemispheric connections among all vertebrates. Indeed, it is the predominant pallial commissure in all non-eutherian vertebrates, universally subserving basic functions related to olfaction and survival. A key feature of the anterior commissure is its ability to convey connections from diverse brain areas, such as most of the neocortex in non-eutherian mammals, thereby mediating the bilateral integration of diverse functions. Shared developmental mechanisms between the anterior commissure and more evolutionarily recent commissures, such as the corpus callosum in eutherians, have led to the hypothesis that the former may have been a precursor for additional expansion of commissural circuits. However, differences between the formation of the anterior commissure and other telencephalic commissures suggest that independent developmental mechanisms underlie the emergence of these connections in extant species. Here, we review the developmental mechanisms and connectivity of the anterior commissure across evolutionarily distant species, and highlight its potential functional importance in humans, both in the course of normal neurodevelopment, and as a site of plastic axonal rerouting in the absence or damage of other connections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura R Fenlon
- The University of Queensland, The Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Rodrigo Suarez
- The University of Queensland, The Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Zorana Lynton
- The University of Queensland, The Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Australia; The Faculty of Medicine, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Linda J Richards
- The University of Queensland, The Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Australia; The School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, Australia.
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16
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Sun H, Peng CFJ, Wang L, Feng H, Wikramanayake AH. An early global role for Axin is required for correct patterning of the anterior-posterior axis in the sea urchin embryo. Development 2021; 148:dev.191197. [PMID: 33688076 PMCID: PMC8034878 DOI: 10.1242/dev.191197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Activation of Wnt/β-catenin (cWnt) signaling at the future posterior end of early bilaterian embryos is a highly conserved mechanism for establishing the anterior-posterior (AP) axis. Moreover, inhibition of cWnt at the anterior end is required for development of anterior structures in many deuterostome taxa. This phenomenon, which occurs around the time of gastrulation, has been fairly well characterized, but the significance of intracellular inhibition of cWnt signaling in cleavage-stage deuterostome embryos for normal AP patterning is less well understood. To investigate this process in an invertebrate deuterostome, we defined Axin function in early sea urchin embryos. Axin is ubiquitously expressed at relatively high levels in early embryos and functional analysis revealed that Axin suppresses posterior cell fates in anterior blastomeres by blocking ectopic cWnt activation in these cells. Structure-function analysis of sea urchin Axin demonstrated that only its GSK-3β-binding domain is required for cWnt inhibition. These observations and results in other deuterostomes suggest that Axin plays a crucial conserved role in embryonic AP patterning by preventing cWnt activation in multipotent early blastomeres, thus protecting them from assuming ectopic cell fates. Summary: Axin function is required in the early sea urchin embryo to regulate nuclear β-catenin levels and prevent ectopic cell fates in multipotent early blastomeres, and to ensure correct anterior-posterior axis patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyan Sun
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
| | | | - Lingyu Wang
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
| | - Honglin Feng
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
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17
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Colozza G, Koo BK. Wnt/β-catenin signaling: Structure, assembly and endocytosis of the signalosome. Dev Growth Differ 2021; 63:199-218. [PMID: 33619734 PMCID: PMC8251975 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Wnt/β‐catenin signaling is an ancient pathway that regulates key aspects of embryonic development, cell differentiation, proliferation, and adult stem cell homeostasis. Work from different laboratories has shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the Wnt pathway, including structural details of ligand–receptor interactions. One key aspect that has emerged from multiple studies is that endocytosis of the receptor complex plays a crucial role in fine‐tuning Wnt/β‐catenin signaling. Endocytosis is a key process involved in both activation as well as attenuation of Wnt signaling, but how this is regulated is still poorly understood. Importantly, recent findings show that Wnt also regulates central metabolic pathways such as the acquisition of nutrients through actin‐driven endocytic mechanisms. In this review, we propose that the Wnt pathway displays diverse characteristics that go beyond the regulation of gene expression, through a connection with the endocytic machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Colozza
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Bon-Kyoung Koo
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
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18
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Wnt Signaling Regulates Ipsilateral Pathfinding in the Zebrafish Forebrain through slit3. Neuroscience 2020; 449:9-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.09.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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19
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He M, Zhang R, Jiao S, Zhang F, Ye D, Wang H, Sun Y. Nanog safeguards early embryogenesis against global activation of maternal β-catenin activity by interfering with TCF factors. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000561. [PMID: 32702011 PMCID: PMC7402524 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal β-catenin activity is essential and critical for dorsal induction and its dorsal activation has been thoroughly studied. However, how the maternal β-catenin activity is suppressed in the nondorsal cells remains poorly understood. Nanog is known to play a central role for maintenance of the pluripotency and maternal -zygotic transition (MZT). Here, we reveal a novel role of Nanog as a strong repressor of maternal β-catenin signaling to safeguard the embryo against hyperactivation of maternal β-catenin activity and hyperdorsalization. In zebrafish, knockdown of nanog at different levels led to either posteriorization or dorsalization, mimicking zygotic or maternal activation of Wnt/β-catenin activities, and the maternal zygotic mutant of nanog (MZnanog) showed strong activation of maternal β-catenin activity and hyperdorsalization. Although a constitutive activator-type Nanog (Vp16-Nanog, lacking the N terminal) perfectly rescued the MZT defects of MZnanog, it did not rescue the phenotypes resulting from β-catenin signaling activation. Mechanistically, the N terminal of Nanog directly interacts with T-cell factor (TCF) and interferes with the binding of β-catenin to TCF, thereby attenuating the transcriptional activity of β-catenin. Therefore, our study establishes a novel role for Nanog in repressing maternal β-catenin activity and demonstrates a transcriptional switch between β-catenin/TCF and Nanog/TCF complexes, which safeguards the embryo from global activation of maternal β-catenin activity. Maternal β-catenin activity induces the primary dorsal axis during early development, but how the activity is suppressed in the non-dorsal cells remains poorly understood. This study reveals Nanog as a strong repressor of nuclear β-catenin to safeguard embryogenesis against global activation of maternal β-catenin activity and hyper-dorsalization in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mudan He
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ru Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shengbo Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fenghua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ding Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Houpeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yonghua Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- * E-mail:
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20
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Bayramov AV, Ermakova GV, Zaraisky AG. Genetic Mechanisms of the Early Development of the Telencephalon, a Unique Segment of the Vertebrate Central Nervous System, as Reflecting Its Emergence and Evolution. Russ J Dev Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062360420030054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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21
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Fuentes R, Tajer B, Kobayashi M, Pelliccia JL, Langdon Y, Abrams EW, Mullins MC. The maternal coordinate system: Molecular-genetics of embryonic axis formation and patterning in the zebrafish. Curr Top Dev Biol 2020; 140:341-389. [PMID: 32591080 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2020.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Axis specification of the zebrafish embryo begins during oogenesis and relies on proper formation of well-defined cytoplasmic domains within the oocyte. Upon fertilization, maternally-regulated cytoplasmic flow and repositioning of dorsal determinants establish the coordinate system that will build the structure and developmental body plan of the embryo. Failure of specific genes that regulate the embryonic coordinate system leads to catastrophic loss of body structures. Here, we review the genetic principles of axis formation and discuss how maternal factors orchestrate axis patterning during zebrafish early embryogenesis. We focus on the molecular identity and functional contribution of genes controlling critical aspects of oogenesis, egg activation, blastula, and gastrula stages. We examine how polarized cytoplasmic domains form in the oocyte, which set off downstream events such as animal-vegetal polarity and germ line development. After gametes interact and form the zygote, cytoplasmic segregation drives the animal-directed reorganization of maternal determinants through calcium- and cell cycle-dependent signals. We also summarize how maternal genes control dorsoventral, anterior-posterior, mesendodermal, and left-right cell fate specification and how signaling pathways pattern these axes and tissues during early development to instruct the three-dimensional body plan. Advances in reverse genetics and phenotyping approaches in the zebrafish model are revealing positional patterning signatures at the single-cell level, thus enhancing our understanding of genotype-phenotype interactions in axis formation. Our emphasis is on the genetic interrogation of novel and specific maternal regulatory mechanisms of axis specification in the zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Fuentes
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Benjamin Tajer
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Manami Kobayashi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Jose L Pelliccia
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Elliott W Abrams
- Department of Biology, Purchase College, State University of New York, Harrison, NY, United States
| | - Mary C Mullins
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
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22
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Guglielmi L, Bühler A, Moro E, Argenton F, Poggi L, Carl M. Temporal control of Wnt signaling is required for habenular neuron diversity and brain asymmetry. Development 2020; 147:147/6/dev182865. [PMID: 32179574 DOI: 10.1242/dev.182865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Precise temporal coordination of signaling processes is pivotal for cellular differentiation during embryonic development. A vast number of secreted molecules are produced and released by cells and tissues, and travel in the extracellular space. Whether they induce a signaling pathway and instruct cell fate, however, depends on a complex network of regulatory mechanisms, which are often not well understood. The conserved bilateral left-right asymmetrically formed habenulae of the zebrafish are an excellent model for investigating how signaling control facilitates the generation of defined neuronal populations. Wnt signaling is required for habenular neuron type specification, asymmetry and axonal connectivity. The temporal regulation of this pathway and the players involved have, however, have remained unclear. We find that tightly regulated temporal restriction of Wnt signaling activity in habenular precursor cells is crucial for the diversity and asymmetry of habenular neuron populations. We suggest a feedback mechanism whereby the tumor suppressor Wnt inhibitory factor Wif1 controls the Wnt dynamics in the environment of habenular precursor cells. This mechanism might be common to other cell types, including tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Guglielmi
- Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, 68167 Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Anja Bühler
- University of Trento, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), 38123 Trento, Italy.
| | - Enrico Moro
- University of Padova, Department of Molecular Medicine, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | | | - Lucia Poggi
- University of Trento, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), 38123 Trento, Italy.
| | - Matthias Carl
- Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, 68167 Mannheim, Germany. ,University of Trento, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), 38123 Trento, Italy.
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23
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Adam AHB, de Haan LHJ, Estruch IM, Hooiveld GJEJ, Louisse J, Rietjens IMCM. Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-mediated coregulator binding and gene expression discriminates the toxic ERα agonist diethylstilbestrol (DES) from the endogenous ERα agonist 17β-estradiol (E2). Cell Biol Toxicol 2020; 36:417-435. [PMID: 32088792 PMCID: PMC7505815 DOI: 10.1007/s10565-020-09516-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is a synthetic estrogen and proven human teratogen and carcinogen reported to act via the estrogen receptor α (ERα). Since the endogenous ERα ligand 17β-estradiol (E2) does not show these adverse effects to a similar extent, we hypothesized that DES' interaction with the ERα differs from that of E2. The current study aimed to investigate possible differences between DES and E2 using in vitro assays that detect ERα-mediated effects, including ERα-mediated reporter gene expression, ERα-mediated breast cancer cell (T47D) proliferation and ERα-coregulator interactions and gene expression in T47D cells. Results obtained indicate that DES and E2 activate ERα-mediated reporter gene transcription and T47D cell proliferation in a similar way. However, significant differences between DES- and E2-induced binding of the ERα to 15 coregulator motifs and in transcriptomic signatures obtained in the T47D cells were observed. It is concluded that differences observed in binding of the ERα with several co-repressor motifs, in downregulation of genes involved in histone deacetylation and DNA methylation and in upregulation of CYP26A1 and CYP26B1 contribute to the differential effects reported for DES and E2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aziza Hussein Bakheit Adam
- Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 8000, 6700 EA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Laura H J de Haan
- Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 8000, 6700 EA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ignacio Miro Estruch
- Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 8000, 6700 EA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Guido J E J Hooiveld
- Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 17, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jochem Louisse
- Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 8000, 6700 EA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ivonne M C M Rietjens
- Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 8000, 6700 EA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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24
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Young RM, Ewan KB, Ferrer VP, Allende ML, Godovac-Zimmermann J, Dale TC, Wilson SW. Developmentally regulated Tcf7l2 splice variants mediate transcriptional repressor functions during eye formation. eLife 2019; 8:e51447. [PMID: 31829936 PMCID: PMC6908431 DOI: 10.7554/elife.51447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Tcf7l2 mediates Wnt/β-Catenin signalling during development and is implicated in cancer and type-2 diabetes. The mechanisms by which Tcf7l2 and Wnt/β-Catenin signalling elicit such a diversity of biological outcomes are poorly understood. Here, we study the function of zebrafish tcf7l2alternative splice variants and show that only variants that include exon five or an analogous human tcf7l2 variant can effectively provide compensatory repressor function to restore eye formation in embryos lacking tcf7l1a/tcf7l1b function. Knockdown of exon five specific tcf7l2 variants in tcf7l1a mutants also compromises eye formation, and these variants can effectively repress Wnt pathway activity in reporter assays using Wnt target gene promoters. We show that the repressive activities of exon5-coded variants are likely explained by their interaction with Tle co-repressors. Furthermore, phosphorylated residues in Tcf7l2 coded exon5 facilitate repressor activity. Our studies suggest that developmentally regulated splicing of tcf7l2 can influence the transcriptional output of the Wnt pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo M Young
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUCLLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Kenneth B Ewan
- School of Bioscience, Cardiff UniversityCardiffUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Miguel L Allende
- FONDAP Center for Genome Regulation, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de ChileSantiagoChile
| | | | - Trevor C Dale
- School of Bioscience, Cardiff UniversityCardiffUnited Kingdom
| | - Stephen W Wilson
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUCLLondonUnited Kingdom
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25
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Johansson M, Giger FA, Fielding T, Houart C. Dkk1 Controls Cell-Cell Interaction through Regulation of Non-nuclear β-Catenin Pools. Dev Cell 2019; 51:775-786.e3. [PMID: 31786070 PMCID: PMC6912161 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Dickkopf-1 (Dkk1) is a secreted Wnt antagonist with a well-established role in head induction during development. Numerous studies have emerged implicating Dkk1 in various malignancies and neurodegenerative diseases through an unknown mechanism. Using zebrafish gastrulation as a model for collective cell migration, we unveil such a mechanism, identifying a role for Dkk1 in control of cell connectivity and polarity in vivo, independent of its known function. We find that Dkk1 localizes to adhesion complexes at the plasma membrane and regions of concentrated actomyosin, suggesting a direct involvement in regulation of local cell adhesion. Our results show that Dkk1 represses cell polarization and integrity of cell-cell adhesion, independently of its impact on β-catenin protein degradation. Concurrently, Dkk1 prevents nuclear localization of β-catenin by restricting its distribution to a discrete submembrane pool. We propose that redistribution of cytosolic β-catenin by Dkk1 concomitantly drives repression of cell adhesion and inhibits β-catenin-dependent transcriptional output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Johansson
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology and MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK.
| | - Florence A Giger
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology and MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Triona Fielding
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology and MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Corinne Houart
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology and MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK.
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26
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Razak S, Bibi N, Dar JA, Afsar T, Almajwal A, Parveen Z, Jahan S. Screening and computational analysis of colorectal associated non-synonymous polymorphism in CTNNB1 gene in Pakistani population. BMC MEDICAL GENETICS 2019; 20:171. [PMID: 31699039 PMCID: PMC6836551 DOI: 10.1186/s12881-019-0911-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is categorized by alteration of vital pathways such as β-catenin (CTNNB1) mutations, WNT signaling activation, tumor protein 53 (TP53) inactivation, BRAF, Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) inactivation, KRAS, dysregulation of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) genes, MYC amplification, etc. In the present study an attempt was made to screen CTNNB1 gene in colorectal cancer samples from Pakistani population and investigated the association of CTNNB1 gene mutations in the development of colorectal cancer. Methods 200 colorectal tumors approximately of male and female patients with sporadic or familial colorectal tumors and normal tissues were included. DNA was extracted and amplified through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subjected to exome sequence analysis. Immunohistochemistry was done to study protein expression. Molecular dynamic (MD) simulations of CTNNB1WT and mutant S33F and T41A were performed to evaluate the stability, folding, conformational changes and dynamic behaviors of CTNNB1 protein. Results Sequence analysis revealed two activating mutations (S33F and T41A) in exon 3 of CTNNB1 gene involving the transition of C.T and A.G at amino acid position 33 and 41 respectively (p.C33T and p.A41G). Immuno-histochemical staining showed the accumulation of β-catenin protein both in cytoplasm as well as in the nuclei of cancer cells when compared with normal tissue. Further molecular modeling, docking and simulation approaches revealed significant conformational changes in the N-terminus region of normal to mutant CTNNB1 gene critical for binding with Glycogen synthase kinase 3-B (GSK3) and transducin containing protein1 (TrCp1). Conclusion Present study on Pakistani population revealed an association of two non-synonymous polymorphisms in the CTNNB1 gene with colorectal cancer. These genetic variants led to the accumulation of the CTNNB1, a hallmark of tumor development. Also, analysis of structure to function alterations in CTNNB1 gene is crucial in understanding downstream biological events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suhail Razak
- Reproductive physiology lab, Department of Animal Sciences Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. .,Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Nousheen Bibi
- Department of Bioinformatics, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Javid Ahmad Dar
- College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tayyaba Afsar
- Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali Almajwal
- Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zahida Parveen
- Faculty of Biological Sciences Quaid-I-Azam University Islamabad and University of Iceland, 101, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Sarwat Jahan
- Reproductive physiology lab, Department of Animal Sciences Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
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Axin Family of Scaffolding Proteins in Development: Lessons from C. elegans. J Dev Biol 2019; 7:jdb7040020. [PMID: 31618970 PMCID: PMC6956378 DOI: 10.3390/jdb7040020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Scaffold proteins serve important roles in cellular signaling by integrating inputs from multiple signaling molecules to regulate downstream effectors that, in turn, carry out specific biological functions. One such protein, Axin, represents a major evolutionarily conserved scaffold protein in metazoans that participates in the WNT pathway and other pathways to regulate diverse cellular processes. This review summarizes the vast amount of literature on the regulation and functions of the Axin family of genes in eukaryotes, with a specific focus on Caenorhabditis elegans development. By combining early studies with recent findings, the review is aimed to serve as an updated reference for the roles of Axin in C. elegans and other model systems.
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Holt RJ, Young RM, Crespo B, Ceroni F, Curry CJ, Bellacchio E, Bax DA, Ciolfi A, Simon M, Fagerberg CR, van Binsbergen E, De Luca A, Memo L, Dobyns WB, Mohammed AA, Clokie SJ, Zazo Seco C, Jiang YH, Sørensen KP, Andersen H, Sullivan J, Powis Z, Chassevent A, Smith-Hicks C, Petrovski S, Antoniadi T, Shashi V, Gelb BD, Wilson SW, Gerrelli D, Tartaglia M, Chassaing N, Calvas P, Ragge NK. De Novo Missense Variants in FBXW11 Cause Diverse Developmental Phenotypes Including Brain, Eye, and Digit Anomalies. Am J Hum Genet 2019; 105:640-657. [PMID: 31402090 PMCID: PMC6731360 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2019.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of genetic variants implicated in human developmental disorders has been revolutionized by second-generation sequencing combined with international pooling of cases. Here, we describe seven individuals who have diverse yet overlapping developmental anomalies, and who all have de novo missense FBXW11 variants identified by whole exome or whole genome sequencing and not reported in the gnomAD database. Their phenotypes include striking neurodevelopmental, digital, jaw, and eye anomalies, and in one individual, features resembling Noonan syndrome, a condition caused by dysregulated RAS signaling. FBXW11 encodes an F-box protein, part of the Skp1-cullin-F-box (SCF) ubiquitin ligase complex, involved in ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation and thus fundamental to many protein regulatory processes. FBXW11 targets include β-catenin and GLI transcription factors, key mediators of Wnt and Hh signaling, respectively, critical to digital, neurological, and eye development. Structural analyses indicate affected residues cluster at the surface of the loops of the substrate-binding domain of FBXW11, and the variants are predicted to destabilize the protein and/or its interactions. In situ hybridization studies on human and zebrafish embryonic tissues demonstrate FBXW11 is expressed in the developing eye, brain, mandibular processes, and limb buds or pectoral fins. Knockdown of the zebrafish FBXW11 orthologs fbxw11a and fbxw11b resulted in embryos with smaller, misshapen, and underdeveloped eyes and abnormal jaw and pectoral fin development. Our findings support the role of FBXW11 in multiple developmental processes, including those involving the brain, eye, digits, and jaw.
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29
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Shin JY, Son J, Kim WS, Gwak J, Ju BG. Jmjd6a regulates GSK3β RNA splicing in Xenopus laevis eye development. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219800. [PMID: 31361752 PMCID: PMC6667200 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been suggested that Jmjd6 plays an important role in gene regulation through its demethylation or hydroxylation activity on histone and transcription factors. In addition, Jmjd6 has been shown to regulate RNA splicing by interaction with splicing factors. In this study, we demonstrated that Jmjd6a is expressed in developing Xenopus laevis eye during optic vesicle formation and retinal layer differentiation stages. Knockdown of Jmjd6a by an antisense morpholino resulted in eye malformation including a deformed retinal layer and no lens formation. We further found down-regulation of gene expression related to eye development such as Rx1, Otx2, and Pax6 in Jmjd6a morpholino injected embryos. Jmjd6 interacts with splicing factor U2AF25 and GSK3β RNA in the anterior region of Xenopus embryos. Knockdown of Jmjd6a led to deletion of GSK3β RNA exon 1 and 2, which resulted in generation of N’-terminal truncated GSK3β protein. This event further caused decreased phosphorylation of β-catenin and subsequently increased β-catenin stability. Therefore, our result may suggest that Jmjd6a plays an important role in Xenopus eye development through regulation of GSK3β RNA splicing and canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jee Yoon Shin
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jeongin Son
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Won Sun Kim
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jungsug Gwak
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Bong-Gun Ju
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea
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A High-Throughput Assay for Congenital and Age-Related Eye Diseases in Zebrafish. Biomedicines 2019; 7:biomedicines7020028. [PMID: 30979021 PMCID: PMC6631034 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines7020028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Debilitating visual impairment caused by cataracts or microphthalmia is estimated to affect roughly 20 million people in the United States alone. According to the National Eye Institute, by 2050 that number is expected to more than double to roughly 50 million. The identification of candidate disease-causing alleles for cataracts and microphthalmia has been accelerated with advanced sequencing technologies creating a need for verification of the pathophysiology of these genes. Zebrafish pose many advantages as a high-throughput model for human eye disease. By 5 days post-fertilization, zebrafish have quantifiable behavioral responses to visual stimuli. Their small size, many progeny, and external fertilization allows for rapid screening for vision defects. We have adapted the OptoMotor Response to assay visual impairment in zebrafish models of cataracts and microphthalmia. This research demonstrates an inexpensive, high-throughput method for analyzing candidate genes involved in visual impairment.
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31
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Pedone E, Marucci L. Role of β-Catenin Activation Levels and Fluctuations in Controlling Cell Fate. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10020176. [PMID: 30823613 PMCID: PMC6410200 DOI: 10.3390/genes10020176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells have developed numerous adaptation mechanisms to external cues by controlling signaling-pathway activity, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is a highly conserved signaling pathway involved in many biological processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, somatic cell reprogramming, development, and cancer. The activity of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and the temporal dynamics of its effector β-catenin are tightly controlled by complex regulations. The latter encompass feedback loops within the pathway (e.g., a negative feedback loop involving Axin2, a β-catenin transcriptional target) and crosstalk interactions with other signaling pathways. Here, we provide a review shedding light on the coupling between Wnt/β-catenin activation levels and fluctuations across processes and cellular systems; in particular, we focus on development, in vitro pluripotency maintenance, and cancer. Possible mechanisms originating Wnt/β-catenin dynamic behaviors and consequently driving different cellular responses are also reviewed, and new avenues for future research are suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Pedone
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1UB, UK.
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK.
| | - Lucia Marucci
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1UB, UK.
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK.
- BrisSynBio, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK.
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32
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Young RM, Hawkins TA, Cavodeassi F, Stickney HL, Schwarz Q, Lawrence LM, Wierzbicki C, Cheng BYL, Luo J, Ambrosio EM, Klosner A, Sealy IM, Rowell J, Trivedi CA, Bianco IH, Allende ML, Busch-Nentwich EM, Gestri G, Wilson SW. Compensatory growth renders Tcf7l1a dispensable for eye formation despite its requirement in eye field specification. eLife 2019; 8:e40093. [PMID: 30777146 PMCID: PMC6380838 DOI: 10.7554/elife.40093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The vertebrate eye originates from the eye field, a domain of cells specified by a small number of transcription factors. In this study, we show that Tcf7l1a is one such transcription factor that acts cell-autonomously to specify the eye field in zebrafish. Despite the much-reduced eye field in tcf7l1a mutants, these fish develop normal eyes revealing a striking ability of the eye to recover from a severe early phenotype. This robustness is not mediated through genetic compensation at neural plate stage; instead, the smaller optic vesicle of tcf7l1a mutants shows delayed neurogenesis and continues to grow until it achieves approximately normal size. Although the developing eye is robust to the lack of Tcf7l1a function, it is sensitised to the effects of additional mutations. In support of this, a forward genetic screen identified mutations in hesx1, cct5 and gdf6a, which give synthetically enhanced eye specification or growth phenotypes when in combination with the tcf7l1a mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo M Young
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Thomas A Hawkins
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Florencia Cavodeassi
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Heather L Stickney
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Quenten Schwarz
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Lisa M Lawrence
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Claudia Wierzbicki
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Bowie YL Cheng
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Jingyuan Luo
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Allison Klosner
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Ian M Sealy
- Wellcome Sanger InstituteWellcome Genome CampusHinxtonUnited Kingdom
- Department of MedicineUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Jasmine Rowell
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Chintan A Trivedi
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Isaac H Bianco
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Miguel L Allende
- Center for Genome RegulationFacultad de Ciencias, Universidad de ChileSantiagoChile
| | - Elisabeth M Busch-Nentwich
- Wellcome Sanger InstituteWellcome Genome CampusHinxtonUnited Kingdom
- Department of MedicineUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Gaia Gestri
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Stephen W Wilson
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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Fuentes R, Letelier J, Tajer B, Valdivia LE, Mullins MC. Fishing forward and reverse: Advances in zebrafish phenomics. Mech Dev 2018; 154:296-308. [PMID: 30130581 PMCID: PMC6289646 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2018.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how the genome instructs the phenotypic characteristics of an organism is one of the major scientific endeavors of our time. Advances in genetics have progressively deciphered the inheritance, identity and biological relevance of genetically encoded information, contributing to the rise of several, complementary omic disciplines. One of them is phenomics, an emergent area of biology dedicated to the systematic multi-scale analysis of phenotypic traits. This discipline provides valuable gene function information to the rapidly evolving field of genetics. Current molecular tools enable genome-wide analyses that link gene sequence to function in multi-cellular organisms, illuminating the genome-phenome relationship. Among vertebrates, zebrafish has emerged as an outstanding model organism for high-throughput phenotyping and modeling of human disorders. Advances in both systematic mutagenesis and phenotypic analyses of embryonic and post-embryonic stages in zebrafish have revealed the function of a valuable collection of genes and the general structure of several complex traits. In this review, we summarize multiple large-scale genetic efforts addressing parental, embryonic, and adult phenotyping in the zebrafish. The genetic and quantitative tools available in the zebrafish model, coupled with the broad spectrum of phenotypes that can be assayed, make it a powerful model for phenomics, well suited for the dissection of genotype-phenotype associations in development, physiology, health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Fuentes
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joaquín Letelier
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CSIC/UPO/JA), Seville, Spain; Center for Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
| | - Benjamin Tajer
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Leonardo E Valdivia
- Center for Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Mary C Mullins
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Schneider JA, Craven TW, Kasper AC, Yun C, Haugbro M, Briggs EM, Svetlov V, Nudler E, Knaut H, Bonneau R, Garabedian MJ, Kirshenbaum K, Logan SK. Design of Peptoid-peptide Macrocycles to Inhibit the β-catenin TCF Interaction in Prostate Cancer. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4396. [PMID: 30352998 PMCID: PMC6199279 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06845-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
New chemical inhibitors of protein-protein interactions are needed to propel advances in molecular pharmacology. Peptoids are peptidomimetic oligomers with the capability to inhibit protein-protein interactions by mimicking protein secondary structure motifs. Here we report the in silico design of a macrocycle primarily composed of peptoid subunits that targets the β-catenin:TCF interaction. The β-catenin:TCF interaction plays a critical role in the Wnt signaling pathway which is over-activated in multiple cancers, including prostate cancer. Using the Rosetta suite of protein design algorithms, we evaluate how different macrocycle structures can bind a pocket on β-catenin that associates with TCF. The in silico designed macrocycles are screened in vitro using luciferase reporters to identify promising compounds. The most active macrocycle inhibits both Wnt and AR-signaling in prostate cancer cell lines, and markedly diminishes their proliferation. In vivo potential is demonstrated through a zebrafish model, in which Wnt signaling is potently inhibited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A Schneider
- Departments of Urology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Timothy W Craven
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - Amanda C Kasper
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - Chi Yun
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Michael Haugbro
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - Erica M Briggs
- Departments of Urology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Vladimir Svetlov
- Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Evgeny Nudler
- Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Holger Knaut
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Richard Bonneau
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - Michael J Garabedian
- Departments of Urology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Kent Kirshenbaum
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA.
| | - Susan K Logan
- Departments of Urology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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Abstract
The circumventricular organs (CVOs) are specialised neuroepithelial structures found in the midline of the brain, grouped around the third and fourth ventricles. They mediate the communication between the brain and the periphery by performing sensory and secretory roles, facilitated by increased vascularisation and the absence of a blood-brain barrier. Surprisingly little is known about the origins of the CVOs (both developmental and evolutionary), but their functional and organisational similarities raise the question of the extent of their relationship. Here, I review our current knowledge of the embryonic development of the seven major CVOs (area postrema, median eminence, neurohypophysis, organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis, pineal organ, subcommissural organ, subfornical organ) in embryos of different vertebrate species. Although there are conspicuous similarities between subsets of CVOs, no unifying feature characteristic of their development has been identified. Cross-species comparisons suggest that CVOs also display a high degree of evolutionary flexibility. Thus, the term 'CVO' is merely a functional definition, and features shared by multiple CVOs may be the result of homoplasy rather than ontogenetic or phylogenetic relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clemens Kiecker
- Department of Developmental NeurobiologyKing's College LondonLondonUK
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36
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Abstract
Transcriptional control of oxytocinergic cell development influences social, sexual, and appetite related behaviors and is implicated in disorders such as autism and Prader-Willi syndrome. Mediator 12 (Med12) is a transcriptional coactivator required for multiple facets of brain development including subsets of serotonergic and dopaminergic neurons. We surveyed hormone gene expression within the hypothalamo-pituitary axis of med12 mutant zebrafish embryos with a focus on oxytocin (oxt) expression. Some transcripts, such as oxt, vasopressin (avp) and corticotrophin releasing hormone (crh) are undetectable in the med12 mutant, while others are upregulated or downregulated to varying degrees. In med12 mutants, the expression patterns of upstream transcriptional regulators of oxytocinergic cell development remain largely intact in the pre-optic area, suggesting a more direct influence of Med12 on oxt expression. We show that Med12 is required for Wnt signaling in zebrafish. However, oxt expression is unaffected in Wnt-inhibited embryos indicating independence of Wnt signaling. In fact, overactive Wnt signaling inhibits oxt expression, and we identify a Wnt-sensitive period starting at 24 h post fertilization (hpf). Thus, Med12 and repression of Wnt signaling display critical but unrelated roles in regulating oxt expression. Summary: Mediator 12, a transcriptional coactivator, greatly enhances Wnt signaling in the developing embryo. Separate from its role in Wnt signaling, Mediator 12 is required for oxytocin expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma D Spikol
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, 4000 Reservoir Rd., Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Eric Glasgow
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, 4000 Reservoir Rd., Washington, DC 20057, USA
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37
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Allocation of distinct organ fates from a precursor field requires a shift in expression and function of gene regulatory networks. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007185. [PMID: 29351292 PMCID: PMC5792024 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Revised: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
A common occurrence in metazoan development is the rise of multiple tissues/organs from a single uniform precursor field. One example is the anterior forebrain of vertebrates, which produces the eyes, hypothalamus, diencephalon, and telencephalon. Another instance is the Drosophila wing disc, which generates the adult wing blade, the hinge, and the thorax. Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that are comprised of signaling pathways and batteries of transcription factors parcel the undifferentiated field into discrete territories. This simple model is challenged by two observations. First, many GRN members that are thought to control the fate of one organ are actually expressed throughout the entire precursor field at earlier points in development. Second, each GRN can simultaneously promote one of the possible fates choices while repressing the other alternatives. It is therefore unclear how GRNs function to allocate tissue fates if their members are uniformly expressed and competing with each other within the same populations of cells. We address this paradigm by studying fate specification in the Drosophila eye-antennal disc. The disc, which begins its development as a homogeneous precursor field, produces a number of adult structures including the compound eyes, the ocelli, the antennae, the maxillary palps, and the surrounding head epidermis. Several selector genes that control the fates of the eye and antenna, respectively, are first expressed throughout the entire eye-antennal disc. We show that during early stages, these genes are tasked with promoting the growth of the entire field. Upon segregation to distinct territories within the disc, each GRN continues to promote growth while taking on the additional roles of promoting distinct primary fates and repressing alternate fates. The timing of both expression pattern restriction and expansion of functional duties is an elemental requirement for allocating fates within a single field. A battery of transcription factors collectively called the retinal determination (RD) network controls the earliest steps in the specification of the fruit fly compound eye. Loss-of-function mutations lead to the loss of the compound eyes while over-expression of RD network members in non-retinal tissues induces the formation of ectopic eyes. These observations suggest that the network governs the growth, specification, and patterning of the eye field. Recent studies have also shown that the RD network represses the fates of the non-ocular tissues that are also derived from the disc such as the antenna, maxillary palp, and head epidermis. One inconsistency in the model for how this network controls eye specification is that many of its members are expressed throughout the entire eye-antennal disc. In this study, we show that early in development, the RD network is expressed throughout and promotes the growth of the entire eye-antennal disc. After the initial growth phase, the expression of these genes is restricted to just the eye field. This temporal and spatial limiting of the RD network to the developing eye is essential so that its role can expand to include promoting eye specification and repressing non-ocular fates.
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38
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García-Lecea M, Gasanov E, Jedrychowska J, Kondrychyn I, Teh C, You MS, Korzh V. Development of Circumventricular Organs in the Mirror of Zebrafish Enhancer-Trap Transgenics. Front Neuroanat 2017; 11:114. [PMID: 29375325 PMCID: PMC5770639 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2017.00114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The circumventricular organs (CVOs) are small structures lining the cavities of brain ventricular system. They are associated with the semitransparent regions of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Hence it is thought that CVOs mediate biochemical signaling and cell exchange between the brain and systemic blood. Their classification is still controversial and development not fully understood largely due to an absence of tissue-specific molecular markers. In a search for molecular determinants of CVOs we studied the green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression pattern in several zebrafish enhancer trap transgenics including Gateways (ET33-E20) that has been instrumental in defining the development of choroid plexus. In Gateways the GFP is expressed in regions of the developing brain outside the choroid plexus, which remain to be characterized. The neuroanatomical and histological analysis suggested that some previously unassigned domains of GFP expression may correspond to at least six other CVOs–the organum vasculosum laminae terminalis (OVLT), subfornical organ (SFO), paraventricular organ (PVO), pineal (epiphysis), area postrema (AP) and median eminence (ME). Two other CVOs, parapineal and subcommissural organ (SCO) were detected in other enhancer-trap transgenics. Hence enhancer-trap transgenic lines could be instrumental for developmental studies of CVOs in zebrafish and understanding of the molecular mechanism of disease such a hydrocephalus in human. Their future analysis may shed light on general and specific molecular mechanisms that regulate development of CVOs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta García-Lecea
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Evgeny Gasanov
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Justyna Jedrychowska
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.,Postgraduate School of Molecular Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Igor Kondrychyn
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore.,RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe, Japan
| | - Cathleen Teh
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - May-Su You
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore.,National Health Research Institutes (NHRI), Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Vladimir Korzh
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore.,International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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39
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Roberson S, Halpern ME. Development and connectivity of the habenular nuclei. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017; 78:107-115. [PMID: 29107475 PMCID: PMC5920772 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence has reinforced that the habenular region of the vertebrate dorsal forebrain is an essential integrating center, and a region strongly implicated in neurological disorders and addiction. Despite the important and diverse neuromodulatory roles the habenular nuclei play, their development has been understudied. The emphasis of this review is on the dorsal habenular nuclei of zebrafish, homologous to the medial nuclei of mammals, as recent work has revealed new information about the signaling pathways that regulate their formation. Additionally, the zebrafish dorsal habenulae have become a valuable model for probing how left-right differences are established in a vertebrate brain. Sonic hedgehog, fibroblast growth factors and Wingless-INT proteins are all involved in the generation of progenitor cells and ultimately, along with Notch signaling, influence habenular neurogenesis and left-right asymmetry. Intriguingly, a genetic network has emerged that leads to the differentiation of dorsal habenular neurons and, through localized chemokine signaling, directs the posterior outgrowth of their newly emerging axons towards their postsynaptic target, the midbrain interpeduncular nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Roberson
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Department of Embryology, 3520 San Martin Drive Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Marnie E Halpern
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Department of Embryology, 3520 San Martin Drive Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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40
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Kumar JP. The fly eye: Through the looking glass. Dev Dyn 2017; 247:111-123. [PMID: 28856763 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Revised: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The developing eye-antennal disc of Drosophila melanogaster has been studied for more than a century, and it has been used as a model system to study diverse processes, such as tissue specification, organ growth, programmed cell death, compartment boundaries, pattern formation, cell fate specification, and planar cell polarity. The findings that have come out of these studies have informed our understanding of basic developmental processes as well as human disease. For example, the isolation of a white-eyed fly ultimately led to a greater appreciation of the role that sex chromosomes play in development, sex determination, and sex linked genetic disorders. Similarly, the discovery of the Sevenless receptor tyrosine kinase pathway not only revealed how the fate of the R7 photoreceptor is selected but it also helped our understanding of how disruptions in similar biochemical pathways result in tumorigenesis and cancer onset. In this article, I will discuss some underappreciated areas of fly eye development that are fertile for investigation and are ripe for producing exciting new breakthroughs. The topics covered here include organ shape, growth control, inductive signaling, and right-left symmetry. Developmental Dynamics 247:111-123, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin P Kumar
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
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41
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McCord M, Mukouyama YS, Gilbert MR, Jackson S. Targeting WNT Signaling for Multifaceted Glioblastoma Therapy. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:318. [PMID: 29081735 PMCID: PMC5645527 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The WNT signaling pathway has been of great interest to developmental biologists for decades and has more recently become a central topic for study in cancer biology. It is vital for cell growth and regulation of embryogenesis in many organ systems, particularly the CNS and its associated vasculature. We summarize the role of WNT in CNS development and describe how WNT signaling makes key contributions to malignant glioma stemness, invasiveness, therapeutic resistance, and angiogenesis. The role of WNT in these mechanisms, along with creation and maintainance of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), points to the potential of WNT as a multi-faceted target in malignant glioma therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew McCord
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Yoh-Suke Mukouyama
- Laboratory of Stem Cell and Neuro-Vascular Biology, Genetic and Developmental Biology Center, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Mark R Gilbert
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Sadhana Jackson
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
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42
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Brafman D, Willert K. Wnt/β-catenin signaling during early vertebrate neural development. Dev Neurobiol 2017; 77:1239-1259. [PMID: 28799266 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2017] [Revised: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The vertebrate central nervous system (CNS) is comprised of vast number of distinct cell types arranged in a highly organized manner. This high degree of complexity is achieved by cellular communication, including direct cell-cell contact, cell-matrix interactions, and cell-growth factor signaling. Among the several developmental signals controlling the development of the CNS, Wnt proteins have emerged as particularly critical and, hence, have captivated the attention of many researchers. With Wnts' evolutionarily conserved function as primordial symmetry breaking signals, these proteins and their downstream effects are responsible for simultaneously establishing cellular diversity and tissue organization. With their expansive repertoire of secreted agonists and antagonists, cell surface receptors, signaling cascades and downstream biological effects, Wnts are ideally suited to control the complex processes underlying vertebrate neural development. In this review, we will describe the mechanisms by which Wnts exert their potent effects on cells and tissues and highlight the many roles of Wnt signaling during neural development, starting from the initial induction of the neural plate, the subsequent patterning along the embryonic axes, to the intricately organized structure of the CNS. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 77: 1239-1259, 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Brafman
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, 85287
| | - Karl Willert
- Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0695
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43
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Alldredge A, Fuhrmann S. Loss of Axin2 Causes Ocular Defects During Mouse Eye Development. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2017; 57:5253-5262. [PMID: 27701636 PMCID: PMC5054732 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.15-18599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The scaffold protein Axin2 is an antagonist and universal target of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Disruption of Axin2 may lead to developmental eye defects; however, this has not been examined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of Axin2 during ocular and extraocular development in mouse. Methods Animals heterozygous and homozygous for a Axin2lacZ knock-in allele were analyzed at different developmental stages for reporter expression, morphology as well as for the presence of ocular and extraocular markers using histologic and immunohistochemical techniques. Results During early eye development, the Axin2lacZ reporter was expressed in the periocular mesenchyme, RPE, and optic stalk. In the developing retina, Axin2lacZ reporter expression was initiated in ganglion cells at late embryonic stages and robustly expressed in subpopulations of amacrine and horizontal cells postnatally. Activation of the Axin2lacZ reporter overlapped with labeling of POU4F1, PAX6, and Calbindin. Germline deletion of Axin2 led to variable ocular phenotypes ranging from normal to severely defective eyes exhibiting microphthalmia, coloboma, lens defects, and expanded ciliary margin. These defects were correlated with abnormal tissue patterning in individual affected tissues, such as the optic fissure margins in the ventral optic cup and in the expanded ciliary margin. Conclusions Our results reveal a critical role for Axin2 during ocular development, likely by restricting the activity of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Alldredge
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States
| | - Sabine Fuhrmann
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States
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Lateral thinking - Interocular symmetry and asymmetry in neurovascular patterning, in health and disease. Prog Retin Eye Res 2017; 59:131-157. [PMID: 28457789 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2017.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Revised: 03/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
No biological system or structure is likely to be perfectly symmetrical, or have identical right and left forms. This review explores the evidence for eye and visual pathway asymmetry, in health and in disease, and attempts to provide guidance for those studying the structure and function of the visual system, where recognition of symmetry or asymmetry may be essential. The principal question with regards to asymmetry is not 'are the eyes the same?', for some degree of asymmetry is pervasive, but 'when are they importantly different?'. Knowing if right and left eyes are 'importantly different' could have significant consequences for deciding whether right or left eyes are included in an analysis or for examining the association between a phenotype and ocular parameter. The presence of significant asymmetry would also have important implications for the design of normative databases of retinal and optic nerve metrics. In this review, we highlight not only the universal presence of asymmetry, but provide evidence that some elements of the visual system are inherently more asymmetric than others, pointing to the need for improved normative data to explain sources of asymmetry and their impact on determining associations with genetic, environmental or health-related factors and ultimately in clinical practice.
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45
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Liu H, Liu Q, Zhou X, Huang Y, Zhang Z. Genome Editing of Wnt-1, a Gene Associated with Segmentation, via CRISPR/Cas9 in the Pine Caterpillar Moth, Dendrolimus punctatus. Front Physiol 2017; 7:666. [PMID: 28111552 PMCID: PMC5216022 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2016.00666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The pine caterpillar moth, Dendrolimus punctatus, is a devastating forest pest. Genetic manipulation of this insect pest is limited due to the lack of genomic and functional genomic toolsets. Recently, CRISPR/Cas9 technology has been demonstrated to be a promising approach to modify the genome. To investigate gene functions during the embryogenesis, we introduced CRISPR/Cas9 system in D. punctatus to precisely and effectively manipulate gene expressions inmutant embryos. Compared to controls, knocking out of DpWnt-1, a gene well known for its role in the early body planning, led to high embryonic mortality. Among these mutants, 32.9% of the embryos and larvae showed an abnormal development. DpWnt-1 mutants predominantly exhibited abnormal posterior segments. In addition, multiple phenotypes were observed, including the loss of limbs and the head deformation, suggesting that DpWnt-1 signaling pathway is necessary for anterior segmentation and appendage development. Overall, our results demonstrate that CRISPR/Cas9 system is feasible and efficient in inducing mutations at a specific locus in D. punctatus. This study not only lays the foundation for characterizing gene functions in a non-model species, but also facilitates the future development of pest control alternatives for a major defoliator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huihui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Forest Protection, Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, State Forestry Administration Beijing, China
| | - Qun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai, China
| | - Xuguo Zhou
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Yongping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Protection, Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, State Forestry Administration Beijing, China
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46
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Houston DW. Vertebrate Axial Patterning: From Egg to Asymmetry. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2017; 953:209-306. [PMID: 27975274 PMCID: PMC6550305 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-46095-6_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of the bilateral embryonic body axis from a symmetrical egg has been a long-standing question in developmental biology. Historical and modern experiments point to an initial symmetry-breaking event leading to localized Wnt and Nodal growth factor signaling and subsequent induction and formation of a self-regulating dorsal "organizer." This organizer forms at the site of notochord cell internalization and expresses primarily Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) growth factor antagonists that establish a spatiotemporal gradient of BMP signaling across the embryo, directing initial cell differentiation and morphogenesis. Although the basics of this model have been known for some time, many of the molecular and cellular details have only recently been elucidated and the extent that these events remain conserved throughout vertebrate evolution remains unclear. This chapter summarizes historical perspectives as well as recent molecular and genetic advances regarding: (1) the mechanisms that regulate symmetry-breaking in the vertebrate egg and early embryo, (2) the pathways that are activated by these events, in particular the Wnt pathway, and the role of these pathways in the formation and function of the organizer, and (3) how these pathways also mediate anteroposterior patterning and axial morphogenesis. Emphasis is placed on comparative aspects of the egg-to-embryo transition across vertebrates and their evolution. The future prospects for work regarding self-organization and gene regulatory networks in the context of early axis formation are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas W Houston
- Department of Biology, The University of Iowa, 257 BB, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
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Eckei G, Böing M, Brand-Saberi B, Morosan-Puopolo G. Expression Pattern of Axin2 During Chicken Development. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0163610. [PMID: 27680024 PMCID: PMC5040342 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Canonical Wnt-signalling is well understood and has been extensively described in many developmental processes. The regulation of this signalling pathway is of outstanding relevance for proper development of the vertebrate and invertebrate embryo. Axin2 provides a negative-feedback-loop in the canonical Wnt-pathway, being a target gene and a negative regulator. Here we provide a detailed analysis of the expression pattern in the development of the chicken embryo. By performing in-situ hybridization on chicken embryos from stage HH 04+ to HH 32 we detected a temporally and spatially restricted dynamic expression of Axin2. In particular, data about the expression of Axin2 mRNA in early embryogenesis, somites, neural tube, limbs, kidney and eyes was obtained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gesa Eckei
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Marion Böing
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Beate Brand-Saberi
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Gabriela Morosan-Puopolo
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Triptonide Effectively Inhibits Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling via C-terminal Transactivation Domain of β-catenin. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32779. [PMID: 27596363 PMCID: PMC5011721 DOI: 10.1038/srep32779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Abnormal activation of canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling is implicated in many diseases including cancer. As a result, therapeutic agents that disrupt this signaling pathway have been highly sought after. Triptonide is a key bioactive small molecule identified in a traditional Chinese medicine named Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F., and it has a broad spectrum of biological functions. Here we show that triptonide can effectively inhibit canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling by targeting the downstream C-terminal transcription domain of β-catenin or a nuclear component associated with β-catenin. In addition, triptonide treatment robustly rescued the zebrafish “eyeless” phenotype induced by GSK-3β antagonist 6-bromoindirubin-30-oxime (BIO) for Wnt signaling activation during embryonic gastrulation. Finally, triptonide effectively induced apoptosis of Wnt-dependent cancer cells, supporting the therapeutic potential of triptonide.
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Zhang P, Bai Y, Lu L, Li Y, Duan C. An oxygen-insensitive Hif-3α isoform inhibits Wnt signaling by destabilizing the nuclear β-catenin complex. eLife 2016; 5. [PMID: 26765566 PMCID: PMC4769163 DOI: 10.7554/elife.08996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), while best known for their roles in the hypoxic response, have oxygen-independent roles in early development with poorly defined mechanisms. Here, we report a novel Hif-3α variant, Hif-3α2, in zebrafish. Hif-3α2 lacks the bHLH, PAS, PAC, and ODD domains, and is expressed in embryonic and adult tissues independently of oxygen availability. Hif-3α2 is a nuclear protein with significant hypoxia response element (HRE)-dependent transcriptional activity. Hif-3α2 overexpression not only decreases embryonic growth and developmental timing but also causes left-right asymmetry defects. Genetic deletion of Hif-3α2 by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing increases, while Hif-3α2 overexpression decreases, Wnt/β-catenin signaling. This action is independent of its HRE-dependent transcriptional activity. Mechanistically, Hif-3α2 binds to β-catenin and destabilizes the nuclear β-catenin complex. This mechanism is distinct from GSK3β-mediated β-catenin degradation and is conserved in humans. These findings provide new insights into the oxygen-independent actions of HIFs and uncover a novel mechanism regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhang
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Yan Bai
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Ling Lu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Ministry of Education and School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Yun Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Ministry of Education and School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Cunming Duan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
Wnt signaling regulates a broad variety of processes during embryonic development and disease. A hallmark of the Wnt signaling pathway is the formation of concentration gradients by Wnt proteins across responsive tissues, which determines cell fate in invertebrates and vertebrates. To fulfill its paracrine function, trafficking of the Wnt morphogen from an origin cell to a recipient cell must be tightly regulated. A variety of models have been proposed to explain the extracellular transport of these lipid-modified signaling proteins in the aqueous extracellular space; however, there is still considerable debate with regard to which mechanisms allow the precise distribution of ligand in order to generate a morphogenetic gradient within growing tissue. Recent evidence suggests that Wnt proteins are distributed along signaling filopodia during vertebrate and invertebrate embryogenesis. Cytoneme-mediated transport has profound impact on our understanding of how Wnt signaling propagates through tissues and allows the formation of a precise ligand distribution in the recipient tissue during embryonic growth. In this Commentary, we review extracellular trafficking mechanisms for Wnt proteins and discuss the growing evidence of cytoneme-based Wnt distribution in development and stem cell biology. We will also discuss their implication for Wnt signaling in the formation of the Wnt morphogenetic gradient during tissue patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliana Stanganello
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG), Karlsruhe 76021, Germany
| | - Steffen Scholpp
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG), Karlsruhe 76021, Germany
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