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Taskiran A, Oktem G, Demir A, Oltulu F, Ozcinar E, Duzagac F, Guven U, Karakoc E, Cakir A, Ayla S, Guven S, Acikgoz E. Embryonic microenvironment suppresses YY1 and YY1-related genes in prostate cancer stem cells. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 260:155467. [PMID: 39047662 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Yin yang 1 (YY1), a transcription factor, plays crucial roles in cell fate specification, differentiation, and pluripotency during embryonic development. It is also involved in tumorigenesis, drug resistance, metastasis, and relapse caused by cancer stem cells (CSCs), particularly in prostate cancer (PCa). Targeting YY1 could potentially eliminate prostate CSCs (PCSCs) and provide novel therapeutic approaches. PCa tissues often exhibit elevated YY1 expression levels, especially in high-grade cases. Notably, high-grade PCa tissues from 58 PCa patients and CD133high/CD44high PCSCs isolated from DU145 PCa cell line by FACS both showed significantly increased YY1 expression as observed through immunofluorescence staining, respectively. To investigate the embryonic microenvironment impact on YY1 expression in CSC populations, firstly PCSCs were microinjected into the inner cell mass of blastocysts and then PCSCs were co-cultured with blastocysts. Next Generation Sequencing was used to analyze alterations in YY1 and related gene expressions. Interestingly, exposure to the embryonic microenvironment significantly reduced the expressions of YY1, YY2, and other relevant genes in PCSCs. These findings emphasize the tumor-suppressing effects of the embryonic environment by downregulating YY1 and YY1-related genes in PCSCs, thus providing promising strategies for PCa therapy. Through elucidating the mechanisms involved in embryonic reprogramming and its effects on YY1 expression, this research offers opportunities for further investigation into focused therapies directed against PCSCs, therefore enhancing the outcomes of PCa therapy. As a result, PCa tumors may benefit from YY1 and associated genes as a novel therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aysegul Taskiran
- Ege University Faculty of Medicine Department of Histology and Embryology, İzmir 35100, Turkey
| | - Gulperi Oktem
- Ege University Faculty of Medicine Department of Histology and Embryology, İzmir 35100, Turkey; Ege University Institute of Health Sciences Department of Stem Cell, İzmir 35100, Turkey
| | - Aleyna Demir
- Ege University Faculty of Medicine Department of Histology and Embryology, İzmir 35100, Turkey
| | - Fatih Oltulu
- Ege University Faculty of Medicine Department of Histology and Embryology, İzmir 35100, Turkey
| | - Emine Ozcinar
- İzmir Tinaztepe University Department of Histology and Embryology, İzmir 35400, Turkey
| | - Fahriye Duzagac
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, Texas, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ummu Guven
- Università degli Studi di Milano Department of Biosciences, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Emre Karakoc
- Wellcome Sanger Institute Translational Cancer Genomics, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Asli Cakir
- Istanbul Medipol University Faculty of Medicine Department of Pathology, İstanbul 34810, Turkey
| | - Sule Ayla
- Istanbul Medeniyet University Faculty of Medicine Department of Histology and Embryology, İstanbul 34700, Turkey
| | - Selcuk Guven
- Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Medical Faculty Department of Urology, Konya 42090, Turkey
| | - Eda Acikgoz
- Van Yuzuncu Yil University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Van 65090, Turkey.
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2
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Pio-Lopez L, Levin M. Aging as a loss of morphostatic information: A developmental bioelectricity perspective. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 97:102310. [PMID: 38636560 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102310] [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] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Maintaining order at the tissue level is crucial throughout the lifespan, as failure can lead to cancer and an accumulation of molecular and cellular disorders. Perhaps, the most consistent and pervasive result of these failures is aging, which is characterized by the progressive loss of function and decline in the ability to maintain anatomical homeostasis and reproduce. This leads to organ malfunction, diseases, and ultimately death. The traditional understanding of aging is that it is caused by the accumulation of molecular and cellular damage. In this article, we propose a complementary view of aging from the perspective of endogenous bioelectricity which has not yet been integrated into aging research. We propose a view of aging as a morphostasis defect, a loss of biophysical prepattern information, encoding anatomical setpoints used for dynamic tissue and organ homeostasis. We hypothesize that this is specifically driven by abrogation of the endogenous bioelectric signaling that normally harnesses individual cell behaviors toward the creation and upkeep of complex multicellular structures in vivo. Herein, we first describe bioelectricity as the physiological software of life, and then identify and discuss the links between bioelectricity and life extension strategies and age-related diseases. We develop a bridge between aging and regeneration via bioelectric signaling that suggests a research program for healthful longevity via morphoceuticals. Finally, we discuss the broader implications of the homologies between development, aging, cancer and regeneration and how morphoceuticals can be developed for aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léo Pio-Lopez
- Allen Discovery Center, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Michael Levin
- Allen Discovery Center, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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3
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Corradetti B, Dogra P, Pisano S, Wang Z, Ferrari M, Chen SH, Sidman RL, Pasqualini R, Arap W, Cristini V. Amphibian regeneration and mammalian cancer: Similarities and contrasts from an evolutionary biology perspective: Comparing the regenerative potential of mammalian embryos and urodeles to develop effective strategies against human cancer. Bioessays 2021; 43:e2000339. [PMID: 33751590 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202000339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Here we review and discuss the link between regeneration capacity and tumor suppression comparing mammals (embryos versus adults) with highly regenerative vertebrates. Similar to mammal embryo morphogenesis, in amphibians (essentially newts and salamanders) the reparative process relies on a precise molecular and cellular machinery capable of sensing abnormal signals and actively reprograming or eliminating them. As the embryo's evil twin, tumor also retains common functional attributes. The immune system plays a pivotal role in maintaining a physiological balance to provide surveillance against tumor initiation or to support its initiation and progression. We speculate that susceptibility to cancer development in adult mammals may be determined by the loss of an advanced regenerative capability during evolution and believe that gaining mechanistic insights into how regenerative capacity linked to tumor suppression is postnatally lost in mammals might illuminate an as yet unrecognized route to cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna Corradetti
- Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas, USA.,Texas A&M Health Science Center, College of Medicine, 8446 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA.,Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, Wales, UK
| | - Prashant Dogra
- Mathematics in Medicine Program, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Simone Pisano
- Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas, USA.,Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, Wales, UK
| | - Zhihui Wang
- Mathematics in Medicine Program, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas, USA.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mauro Ferrari
- Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Shu-Hsia Chen
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas, USA.,Cancer Center, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Richard L Sidman
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Renata Pasqualini
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, USA.,Division of Cancer Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Wadih Arap
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, USA.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Vittorio Cristini
- Mathematics in Medicine Program, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas, USA.,Department of Imaging Physics, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.,Physiology, Biophysics, and Systems Biology Program, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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4
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Liu J, Huang Z, Yang L, Wang X, Wang S, Li C, Liu Y, Cheng Y, Wang B, Sang X, He X, Wang C, Liu T, Liu C, Jin L, Liu C, Zhang X, Wang L, Wang Z. Embryonic Stem Cells Modulate the Cancer-Permissive Microenvironment of Human Uveal Melanoma. Theranostics 2019; 9:4764-4778. [PMID: 31367256 PMCID: PMC6643444 DOI: 10.7150/thno.33139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The currently used anti-cancer therapies work by killing cancer cells but result in adverse effects and resistance to treatment, which accelerates aging and causes damage to normal somatic cells. On one hand, chicken and zebrafish embryos can reprogram cancer cells towards a non-tumorigenic phenotype; however, they cannot be used in the clinical practice. On the other hand, embryonic stem cells (ESCs) mimic the early embryonic microenvironment and are easily available. We investigated the therapeutic efficacy of the ESC microenvironment (ESCMe) in human uveal melanoma in vitro and in vivo. Methods: Human uveal melanoma C918 cells co-cultured with ESCs were used to measure the levels of mRNA and protein of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. Cell proliferation, invasiveness, and tumorigenicity of C918 cells were also analyzed. To mimic the tumor microenvironment in vivo, we co-cultured C918 cells and normal somatic cells with ESCs in a co-culture system and evaluated the therapeutic potential of ESCMe in both cell types. For an in vivo study, a mouse tumor model was used to test the safety and efficacy of the transplanted ESC. Elimination of the transplanted ESCs in mice was carried out by using the ESC-transfected with a thymidine kinase suicidal gene followed by administration of ganciclovir to prevent the formation of teratomas by ESCs. Results: In vitro studies confirmed that ESCMe inhibits the proliferation, invasiveness, and tumorigenicity of C918 cells, and the PI3K agonist abolished these effects. ESCMe suppressed the various malignant behaviors of uveal melanoma cells but enhanced the proliferation of normal somatic cells both in vitro and in vivo. Further, we demonstrated that ESCMe suppressed the PI3K pathway in tumor cells but activated in somatic cells. Conclusions: The ESCMe can effectively suppress the malignant phenotype of uveal melanoma cells and modulate the tumor-promoting aging environment by preventing the senescence of normal cells through the bidirectional regulation of the PI3K signaling. Our results suggest that ESC transplantation can serve as an effective and safe approach for treating cancer without killing cells.
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5
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Proietti S, Cucina A, Pensotti A, Biava PM, Minini M, Monti N, Catizone A, Ricci G, Leonetti E, Harrath AH, Alwasel SH, Bizzarri M. Active Fraction from Embryo Fish Extracts Induces Reversion of the Malignant Invasive Phenotype in Breast Cancer through Down-regulation of TCTP and Modulation of E-cadherin/β-catenin Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E2151. [PMID: 31052313 PMCID: PMC6539734 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20092151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Some yet unidentified factors released by both oocyte and embryonic microenvironments demonstrated to be non-permissive for tumor development and display the remarkable ability to foster cell/tissue reprogramming, thus ultimately reversing the malignant phenotype. In the present study we observed how molecular factors extracted from Zebrafish embryos during specific developmental phases (20 somites) significantly antagonize proliferation of breast cancer cells, while reversing a number of prominent aspects of malignancy. Embryo extracts reduce cell proliferation, enhance apoptosis, and dramatically inhibit both invasiveness and migrating capabilities of cancer cells. Counteracting the invasive phenotype is a relevant issue in controlling tumor spreading and metastasis. Moreover, such effect is not limited to cancerous cells as embryo extracts were also effective in inhibiting migration and invasiveness displayed by normal breast cells undergoing epithelial-mesenchymal transition upon TGF-β1 stimulation. The reversion program involves the modulation of E-cadherin/β-catenin pathway, cytoskeleton remodeling with dramatic reduction in vinculin, as well as downregulation of TCTP and the concomitant increase in p53 levels. Our findings highlight that-contrary to the prevailing current "dogma", which posits that neoplastic cells are irreversibly "committed"-the malignant phenotype can ultimately be "reversed", at least partially, in response to environmental morphogenetic influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Proietti
- Department of Surgery "Pietro Valdoni", Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Cucina
- Department of Surgery "Pietro Valdoni", Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
- Azienda Policlinico Umberto I, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | | | - Pier Mario Biava
- Scientific Institute of Research and Health Care (IRCCS) Multimedica, 20099 Milano, Italy.
| | - Mirko Minini
- Department of Surgery "Pietro Valdoni", Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Systems Biology Group Lab, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Noemi Monti
- Department of Surgery "Pietro Valdoni", Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Angela Catizone
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic-Medicine and Orthopedics, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Giulia Ricci
- Department. of Experimental Medicine, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy.
| | - Erica Leonetti
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic-Medicine and Orthopedics, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Abdel Halim Harrath
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 2455, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Saleh H Alwasel
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 2455, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Mariano Bizzarri
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic-Medicine and Orthopedics, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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6
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Motofei IG. Biology of Cancer; From Cellular Cancerogenesis to Supracellular Evolution of Malignant Phenotype. Cancer Invest 2018; 36:309-317. [DOI: 10.1080/07357907.2018.1477955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ion G. Motofei
- Department of Surgery/Oncology, Carol Davila University, St. Pantelimon Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
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7
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Moore D, Walker SI, Levin M. Cancer as a disorder of patterning information: computational and biophysical perspectives on the cancer problem. CONVERGENT SCIENCE PHYSICAL ONCOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1088/2057-1739/aa8548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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8
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Shirzad H, Esmaeili F, Bakhshalizadeh S, Ebrahimie M, Ebrahimie E. Production of stable GFP-expressing neural cells from P19 embryonal carcinoma stem cells. Mol Cell Probes 2016; 32:46-54. [PMID: 28013042 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2016.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Revised: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Murine P19 embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells are convenient to differentiate into all germ layer derivatives. One of the advantages of P19 cells is that the exogenous DNA can be easily inserted into them. Here, at the first part of this study, we generated stable GFP-expressing P19 cells (P19-GFP+). FACS and western-blot analysis confirmed stable expression of GFP in the cells. We previously demonstrated the efficient induction of neuronal differentiation from mouse ES and EC cells by application of a neuroprotective drug, selegiline In the second part of this study selegiline was used to induce differentiation of P19-GFP+ into stable GFP-expressing neuron-like cells. Cresyl violet staining confirmed neuronal morphology of the differentiated cells. Furthermore, real-time PCR and immunoflourescence approved the expression of neuron specific markers. P19-GFP+ cells were able to survive, migrate and integrated into host tissues when transplanted to developing chick embryo CNS. The obtained live GFP-expressing cells can be used as an abundant source of developmentally pluripotent material for transplantation studies, investigating the cellular and molecular aspects of early differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hedayatollah Shirzad
- Cellular & Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, PO Box 8815713471, Shahrekord, Iran.
| | - Fariba Esmaeili
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Isfahan, PO Box 8174673441, Isfahan, Iran.
| | - Shabnam Bakhshalizadeh
- Department of Anatomy, Tehran University of Medical Science, PO Box 1417653955, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Marzieh Ebrahimie
- Cellular & Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, PO Box 8815713471, Shahrekord, Iran.
| | - Esmaeil Ebrahimie
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, SA, Australia; School of Information Technology and Mathematical Sciences, Division of Information Technology, Engineering and the Environment, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia; Institute of Biotechnology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran; School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia; School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
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9
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Krinner S, Heitzer A, Asbach B, Wagner R. Interplay of Promoter Usage and Intragenic CpG Content: Impact on GFP Reporter Gene Expression. Hum Gene Ther 2015; 26:826-40. [PMID: 26414116 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2015.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Successful therapeutic protein production in vitro and in vivo requires efficient and long-term transgene expression supported by optimized vector and transgene cis-regulatory sequence elements. This study provides a comparative analysis of CpG-rich, highly expressed, versus CpG-depleted, poorly expressed green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter transgenes, transcribed by various promoters in two different cell systems. Long-term GFP expression from a defined locus in stable Chinese hamster ovary cells was clearly influenced by the combination of transgene CpG content and promoter usage, as shown by differential silencing effects on selection pressure removal among the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter and elongation factor (EF)-1α promoter. Whereas a high intragenic CpG content promoted local DNA methylation, CpG depletion rather accelerated transgene loss and increased the local chromatin density. On lentiviral transfer of various expression modules into epigenetically sensitive P19 embryonic pluripotent carcinoma cells, CMV promoter usage led to rapid gene silencing irrespective of the intragenic CpG content. In contrast, EF-1α promoter-controlled constructs showed delayed silencing activity and high-level transgene expression, in particular when the CpG-rich GFP reporter was used. Notably, GFP silencing in P19 cells could be prevented completely by the bidirectional, dual divergently transcribed A2UCOE (ubiquitously acting chromatin-opening element derived from the human HNRPA2B1-CBX3 locus) promoter. Because the level of GFP expression by the A2UCOE promoter was entirely unaffected by the intragenic CpG level, we suggest that A2UCOE can overcome chromatin compaction resulting from intragenic CpG depletion due to its ascribed chromatin-opening abilities. Our analyses provide insights into the interplay of the intragenic CpG content with promoter sequences and regulatory sequence elements, thus contributing toward the design of therapeutic transgene expression cassettes for future gene therapy applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Krinner
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Molecular Microbiology and Gene Therapy Unit, University of Regensburg , Regensburg, Germany
| | - Asli Heitzer
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Molecular Microbiology and Gene Therapy Unit, University of Regensburg , Regensburg, Germany
| | - Benedikt Asbach
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Molecular Microbiology and Gene Therapy Unit, University of Regensburg , Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Wagner
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Molecular Microbiology and Gene Therapy Unit, University of Regensburg , Regensburg, Germany
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10
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Chernet BT, Levin M. Transmembrane voltage potential of somatic cells controls oncogene-mediated tumorigenesis at long-range. Oncotarget 2015; 5:3287-306. [PMID: 24830454 PMCID: PMC4102810 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.1935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The microenvironment is increasingly recognized as a crucial aspect of cancer. In contrast and complement to the field's focus on biochemical factors and extracellular matrix, we characterize a novel aspect of host:tumor interaction - endogenous bioelectric signals among non-excitable somatic cells. Extending prior work focused on the bioelectric state of cancer cells themselves, we show for the first time that the resting potentials of distant cells are critical for oncogene-dependent tumorigenesis. In the Xenopus laevis tadpole model, we used human oncogenes such as mutant KRAS to drive formation of tumor-like structures that exhibited overproliferation, increased nuclear size, hypoxia, acidity, and leukocyte attraction. Remarkably, misexpression of hyperpolarizing ion channels at distant sites within the tadpole significantly reduced the incidence of these tumors. The suppression of tumorigenesis could also be achieved by hyperpolarization using native CLIC1 chloride channels, suggesting a treatment modality not requiring gene therapy. Using a dominant negative approach, we implicate HDAC1 as the mechanism by which resting potential changes affect downstream cell behaviors. Based on published data on the voltage-mediated changes of butyrate flux through the SLC5A8 transporter, we present a model linking resting potentials of host cells to the ability of oncogenes to initiate tumorigenesis. Antibiotic data suggest that the relevant butyrate is generated by a native bacterial species, identifying a novel link between the microbiome and cancer that is mediated by alterations in bioelectric signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brook T Chernet
- Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology and Department of Biology Tufts University 200 Boston Avenue,Suite 4600 Medford, MA 02155 U.S.A
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11
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Tang YB, Sun F, Teng L, Li WB, An SM, Zhang C, Yang XJ, Lv HY, Ding XP, Zhu L, Chen HZ. Simultaneous determination of the repertoire of classical neurotransmitters released from embryonal carcinoma stem cells using online microdialysis coupled with hydrophilic interaction chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Anal Chim Acta 2014; 849:70-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2014.08.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Accepted: 08/31/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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12
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Mansouri A, Esmaeili F, Nejatpour A, Houshmand F, Shabani L, Ebrahimie E. Differentiation of P19 embryonal carcinoma stem cells into insulin-producing cells promoted by pancreas-conditioned medium. J Tissue Eng Regen Med 2014; 10:600-12. [DOI: 10.1002/term.1927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2013] [Revised: 04/25/2014] [Accepted: 05/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Akram Mansouri
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences; Shahrekord University; Iran
| | - Fariba Esmaeili
- Research Institute of Biotechnology; Shahrekord University; Iran
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences; University of Isfahan; Iran
| | | | - Fariba Houshmand
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences; Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences; Iran
| | - Leila Shabani
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences; Shahrekord University; Iran
- Research Institute of Biotechnology; Shahrekord University; Iran
| | - Esmaeil Ebrahimie
- Institute of Biotechnology; Shiraz University; Shiraz Iran
- School of Molecular and Biomedical Science; The University of Adelaide; Adelaide Australia
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13
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Tyler SEB. The Work Surfaces of Morphogenesis: The Role of the Morphogenetic Field. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s13752-014-0177-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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14
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Lobo D, Solano M, Bubenik GA, Levin M. A linear-encoding model explains the variability of the target morphology in regeneration. J R Soc Interface 2014; 11:20130918. [PMID: 24402915 PMCID: PMC3899861 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2013.0918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2013] [Accepted: 12/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A fundamental assumption of today's molecular genetics paradigm is that complex morphology emerges from the combined activity of low-level processes involving proteins and nucleic acids. An inherent characteristic of such nonlinear encodings is the difficulty of creating the genetic and epigenetic information that will produce a given self-assembling complex morphology. This 'inverse problem' is vital not only for understanding the evolution, development and regeneration of bodyplans, but also for synthetic biology efforts that seek to engineer biological shapes. Importantly, the regenerative mechanisms in deer antlers, planarian worms and fiddler crabs can solve an inverse problem: their target morphology can be altered specifically and stably by injuries in particular locations. Here, we discuss the class of models that use pre-specified morphological goal states and propose the existence of a linear encoding of the target morphology, making the inverse problem easy for these organisms to solve. Indeed, many model organisms such as Drosophila, hydra and Xenopus also develop according to nonlinear encodings producing linear encodings of their final morphologies. We propose the development of testable models of regeneration regulation that combine emergence with a top-down specification of shape by linear encodings of target morphology, driving transformative applications in biomedicine and synthetic bioengineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Lobo
- Department of Biology, Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, Tufts University, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Mauricio Solano
- Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, 200 Westboro Road, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA
| | - George A. Bubenik
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Michael Levin
- Department of Biology, Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, Tufts University, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155, USA
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15
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Voronova A, Coyne E, Al Madhoun A, Fair JV, Bosiljcic N, St-Louis C, Li G, Thurig S, Wallace VA, Wiper-Bergeron N, Skerjanc IS. Hedgehog signaling regulates MyoD expression and activity. J Biol Chem 2012; 288:4389-404. [PMID: 23266826 PMCID: PMC3567689 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.400184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The inhibition of MyoD expression is important for obtaining muscle progenitors that can replenish the satellite cell niche during muscle repair. Progenitors could be derived from either embryonic stem cells or satellite cells. Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is important for MyoD expression during embryogenesis and adult muscle regeneration. To date, the mechanistic understanding of MyoD regulation by Hh signaling is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the Hh effector, Gli2, regulates MyoD expression and associates with MyoD gene elements. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments in pluripotent P19 cells show that Gli2 activity is sufficient and required for efficient MyoD expression during skeletal myogenesis. Inhibition of Hh signaling reduces MyoD expression during satellite cell activation in vitro. In addition to regulating MyoD expression, Hh signaling regulates MyoD transcriptional activity, and MyoD activates Hh signaling in myogenic conversion assays. Finally, Gli2, MyoD, and MEF2C form a protein complex, which enhances MyoD activity on skeletal muscle-related promoters. We therefore link Hh signaling to the function and expression of MyoD protein during myogenesis in stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastassia Voronova
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Dasman Diabetes Institute, Dasman 15462, Kuwait
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16
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Lin Y, Yang Y, Li W, Chen Q, Li J, Pan X, Zhou L, Liu C, Chen C, He J, Cao H, Yao H, Zheng L, Xu X, Xia Z, Ren J, Xiao L, Li L, Shen B, Zhou H, Wang YJ. Reciprocal regulation of Akt and Oct4 promotes the self-renewal and survival of embryonal carcinoma cells. Mol Cell 2012; 48:627-40. [PMID: 23041284 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2012.08.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2012] [Revised: 07/05/2012] [Accepted: 08/20/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Signaling via the Akt serine/threonine protein kinase plays critical roles in the self-renewal of embryonic stem cells and their malignant counterpart, embryonal carcinoma cells (ECCs). Here we show that in ECCs, Akt phosphorylated the master pluripotency factor Oct4 at threonine 235, and that the levels of phosphorylated Oct4 in ECCs correlated with resistance to apoptosis and tumorigenic potential. Phosphorylation of Oct4 increased its stability and facilitated its nuclear localization and its interaction with Sox2, which promoted the transcription of the core stemness genes POU5F1 and NANOG. Furthermore, in ECCs, unphosphorylated Oct4 bound to the AKT1 promoter and repressed its transcription. Phosphorylation of Oct4 by Akt resulted in dissociation of Oct4 from the AKT1 promoter, which activated AKT1 transcription and promoted cell survival. Therefore, a site-specific, posttranslational modification of the Oct4 protein orchestrates the regulation of its stability, subcellular localization, and transcriptional activities, which collectively promotes the survival and tumorigenicity of ECCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanji Lin
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 79 QingChun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, China
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17
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Levin M. Morphogenetic fields in embryogenesis, regeneration, and cancer: non-local control of complex patterning. Biosystems 2012; 109:243-61. [PMID: 22542702 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2012.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2012] [Revised: 04/12/2012] [Accepted: 04/12/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Establishment of shape during embryonic development, and the maintenance of shape against injury or tumorigenesis, requires constant coordination of cell behaviors toward the patterning needs of the host organism. Molecular cell biology and genetics have made great strides in understanding the mechanisms that regulate cell function. However, generalized rational control of shape is still largely beyond our current capabilities. Significant instructive signals function at long range to provide positional information and other cues to regulate organism-wide systems properties like anatomical polarity and size control. Is complex morphogenesis best understood as the emergent property of local cell interactions, or as the outcome of a computational process that is guided by a physically encoded map or template of the final goal state? Here I review recent data and molecular mechanisms relevant to morphogenetic fields: large-scale systems of physical properties that have been proposed to store patterning information during embryogenesis, regenerative repair, and cancer suppression that ultimately controls anatomy. Placing special emphasis on the role of endogenous bioelectric signals as an important component of the morphogenetic field, I speculate on novel approaches for the computational modeling and control of these fields with applications to synthetic biology, regenerative medicine, and evolutionary developmental biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Levin
- Department of Biology, and Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, Tufts University, 200 Boston Ave., Medford, MA 02155, USA.
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18
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Voronova A, Al Madhoun A, Fischer A, Shelton M, Karamboulas C, Skerjanc IS. Gli2 and MEF2C activate each other's expression and function synergistically during cardiomyogenesis in vitro. Nucleic Acids Res 2011; 40:3329-47. [PMID: 22199256 PMCID: PMC3333882 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkr1232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcription factors Gli2 (glioma-associated factor 2), which is a transactivator of Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) signalling, and myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) play important roles in the development of embryonic heart muscle and enhance cardiomyogenesis in stem cells. Although the physiological importance of Shh signalling and MEF2 factors in heart development is well known, the mechanistic understanding of their roles is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that Gli2 and MEF2C activated each other's expression while enhancing cardiomyogenesis in differentiating P19 EC cells. Furthermore, dominant-negative mutant proteins of either Gli2 or MEF2C repressed each other's expression, while impairing cardiomyogenesis in P19 EC cells. In addition, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) revealed association of Gli2 to the Mef2c gene, and of MEF2C to the Gli2 gene in differentiating P19 cells. Finally, co-immunoprecipitation studies showed that Gli2 and MEF2C proteins formed a complex, capable of synergizing on cardiomyogenesis-related promoters containing both Gli- and MEF2-binding elements. We propose a model whereby Gli2 and MEF2C bind each other's regulatory elements, activate each other's expression and form a protein complex that synergistically activates transcription, enhancing cardiac muscle development. This model links Shh signalling to MEF2C function during cardiomyogenesis and offers mechanistic insight into their in vivo functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastassia Voronova
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
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19
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Bakhshalizadeh S, Esmaeili F, Houshmand F, Shirzad H, Saedi M. Effects of selegiline, a monoamine oxidase B inhibitor, on differentiation of P19 embryonal carcinoma stem cells, into neuron-like cells. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim 2011; 47:550-7. [PMID: 21858609 DOI: 10.1007/s11626-011-9442-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2011] [Accepted: 07/10/2011] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Selegiline, the irreversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B), is currently used to treat Parkinson's disease. However, the mechanism of action of selegiline is complex and cannot be explained solely by its MAO-B inhibitory action. It stimulates gene expression, as well as expression of a number of mRNAs or proteins in nerve and glial cells. Direct neuroprotective and anti-apoptotic actions of selegiline have previously been observed in vitro. Previous studies showed that selegiline can induce neuronal phenotype in cultured bone marrow stem cells and embryonic stem cells. Embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells are developmentally pluripotene cells which can be differentiated into all cell types under the appropriate conditions. The present study was carried out to examine the effects of selegiline on undifferentiated P19 EC cells. The results showed that selegiline treatment had a dramatic effect on neuronal morphology. It induced the differentiation of EC cells into neuron-like cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The peak response was in a dose of selegiline significantly lower than required for MAO-B inhibition. The differentiated cells were immunoreactive for neuron-specific proteins, synaptophysin, and β-III tubulin. Stem cell therapy has been considered as an ideal option for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Generation of neurons from stem cells could serve as a source for potential cell therapy. This study suggests the potential use of combined selegiline and stem cell therapy to improve deficits in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shabnam Bakhshalizadeh
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahrekord University, P.O. Box 115, Shahrekord, Iran
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20
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Troeger C, Perahud I, Moser S, Holzgreve W. Transplacental traffic after in utero mesenchymal stem cell transplantation. Stem Cells Dev 2011; 19:1385-92. [PMID: 20131967 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2009.0434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Transplacental traffic of fetal progenitor and differentiated cells is a well-known phenomenon in pregnancies. We hypothesize that intrauterine stem cell transplantation leads to microchimerism in the dams and that this is gestational age-dependent. EGFP+ fetal liver-derived mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) (10(5) per fetus) were injected intraperitoneally into congeneic and allogeneic recipient fetuses at E12 versus E13.5 of murine pregnancy (56 dams). Engraftment in maternal organs was evaluated using TaqMan quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fluorescence microscopy during pregnancy (1, 3, and 7 days after in utero transplantation [IUT]) and after delivery (1 and 4 weeks after delivery). One day after IUT donor cells were mainly found in the placenta (E12: 9/10 dams vs. E13.5: 4/8 dams) and laparotomy site (E12: 5/10 dams vs. E13.5: 4/8 dams). Three days after IUT these probabilities decreased significantly in the placenta to 3/8 and 1/3, respectively, whereas it was increased within the surgical wound to 8/8 and 2/4. One week after IUT donor cells could be detected in other single maternal organs, such as bone marrow or spleen. The surgical wound was chimeric in all dams. One week after delivery the surgical wound was still a major site of engraftment in both groups. E12 IUT resulted in detectable donor cell microchimerism in the maternal bone marrow (3/4), liver (2/4), lungs (1/4), spleen (1/4), and thymus (1/4), whereas engraftment probabilities were lower following E13.5 IUT (BM: 1/4, liver: 2/4, lungs: 1/4, spleen: 1/4, thymus: 0/4). At 4 weeks after delivery persistent microchimerism was found only after E12 IUT in various maternal organs (BM: 1/4, spleen: 1/4, lungs: 1/4) and within newly created surgical wounds (3/4), but completely not in the E13.5 group. Allogeneic IUT did also not result in any detectable long-term fetal microchimerism. An earlier IUT might lead to a higher transplacental traffic of donor MSC and persistent microchimerism within maternal tissues. Even 4 weeks after delivery, these cells are present in surgical wounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Troeger
- Laboratory for Prenatal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.
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21
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Lee M, Vasioukhin V. Cell polarity and cancer--cell and tissue polarity as a non-canonical tumor suppressor. J Cell Sci 2008; 121:1141-50. [PMID: 18388309 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.016634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 207] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Correct establishment and maintenance of cell polarity is required for the development and homeostasis of all metazoans. Cell-polarity mechanisms are responsible not only for the diversification of cell shapes but also for regulation of the asymmetric cell divisions of stem cells that are crucial for their correct self-renewal and differentiation. Disruption of cell polarity is a hallmark of cancer. Furthermore, recent evidence indicates that loss of cell polarity is intimately involved in cancer: several crucial cell-polarity proteins are known proto-oncogenes or tumor suppressors, basic mechanisms of cell polarity are often targeted by oncogenic signaling pathways, and deregulation of asymmetric cell divisions of stem or progenitor cells may be responsible for abnormal self-renewal and differentiation of cancer stem cells. Data from in vivo and three-dimensional (3D) cell-culture models demonstrate that tissue organization attenuates the phenotypic outcome of oncogenic signaling. We suggest that polarized 3D tissue organization uses cell-cell and cell-substratum adhesion structures to reinforce and maintain the cell polarity of pre-cancerous cells. In this model, polarized 3D tissue organization functions as a non-canonical tumor suppressor that prevents the manifestation of neoplastic features in mutant cells and, ultimately, suppresses tumor development and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minhui Lee
- Division of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N., C3-168, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
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22
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Schwob AE, Nguyen LJ, Meiri KF. Immortalization of neural precursors when telomerase is overexpressed in embryonal carcinomas and stem cells. Mol Biol Cell 2008; 19:1548-60. [PMID: 18256293 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e06-11-1013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The DNA repair enzyme telomerase maintains chromosome stability by ensuring that telomeres regenerate each time the cell divides, protecting chromosome ends. During onset of neuroectodermal differentiation in P19 embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells three independent techniques (Southern blotting, Q-FISH, and Q-PCR) revealed a catastrophic reduction in telomere length in nestin-expressing neuronal precursors even though telomerase activity remained high. Overexpressing telomerase protein (mTERT) prevented telomere collapse and the neuroepithelial precursors produced continued to divide, but deaggregated and died. Addition of FGF-2 prevented deaggregation, protected the precursors from the apoptotic event that normally accompanies onset of terminal neuronal differentiation, allowed them to evade senescence, and enabled completion of morphological differentiation. Similarly, primary embryonic stem (ES) cells overexpressing mTERT also initiated neuroectodermal differentiation efficiently, acquiring markers of neuronal precursors and mature neurons. ES precursors are normally cultured with FGF-2, and overexpression of mTERT alone was sufficient to allow them to evade senescence. However, when FGF-2 was removed in order for differentiation to be completed most neural precursors underwent apoptosis indicating that in ES cells mTERT is not sufficient allow terminal differentiation of ES neural precursors in vitro. The results demonstrate that telomerase can potentiate the transition between pluripotent stem cell and committed neuron in both EC and ES cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anneke E Schwob
- Department of Anatomy and Cellular Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston MA 02111, USA
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