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Geng S, Paul F, Kowalczyk I, Raimundo S, Sporbert A, Mamo TM, Hammes A. Balancing WNT signalling in early forebrain development: The role of LRP4 as a modulator of LRP6 function. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1173688. [PMID: 37091972 PMCID: PMC10119419 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1173688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The specification of the forebrain relies on the precise regulation of WNT/ß-catenin signalling to support neuronal progenitor cell expansion, patterning, and morphogenesis. Imbalances in WNT signalling activity in the early neuroepithelium lead to congenital disorders, such as neural tube defects (NTDs). LDL receptor-related protein (LRP) family members, including the well-studied receptors LRP5 and LRP6, play critical roles in modulating WNT signalling capacity through tightly regulated interactions with their co-receptor Frizzled, WNT ligands, inhibitors and intracellular WNT pathway components. However, little is known about the function of LRP4 as a potential modulator of WNT signalling in the central nervous system. In this study, we investigated the role of LRP4 in the regulation of WNT signalling during early mouse forebrain development. Our results demonstrate that LRP4 can modulate LRP5- and LRP6-mediated WNT signalling in the developing forebrain prior to the onset of neurogenesis at embryonic stage 9.5 and is therefore essential for accurate neural tube morphogenesis. Specifically, LRP4 functions as a genetic modifier for impaired mitotic activity and forebrain hypoplasia, but not for NTDs in LRP6-deficient mutants. In vivo and in vitro data provide evidence that LRP4 is a key player in fine-tuning WNT signalling capacity and mitotic activity of mouse neuronal progenitors and of human retinal pigment epithelial (hTERT RPE-1) cells. Our data demonstrate the crucial roles of LRP4 and LRP6 in regulating WNT signalling and forebrain development and highlight the need to consider the interaction between different signalling pathways to understand the underlying mechanisms of disease. The findings have significant implications for our mechanistic understanding of how LRPs participate in controlling WNT signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Geng
- Neuroscience, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Biology, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Fabian Paul
- Neuroscience, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Biology, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Izabela Kowalczyk
- Neuroscience, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Biology, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sandra Raimundo
- Advanced Light Microscopy Technology Platform, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Anje Sporbert
- Advanced Light Microscopy Technology Platform, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Tamrat Meshka Mamo
- Neuroscience, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- *Correspondence: Tamrat Meshka Mamo, ; Annette Hammes,
| | - Annette Hammes
- Neuroscience, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- *Correspondence: Tamrat Meshka Mamo, ; Annette Hammes,
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2
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Song H, Zhao XB, Chu QS, Zhang J, Gao L, Liao XH. Expression dynamics of lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1 in terminal Schwann cells, dermal papilla, and interfollicular epidermis. Dev Dyn 2022; 252:527-535. [PMID: 36576725 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.562] [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: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcription factor lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1 (LEF1) is a downstream mediator of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. It is expressed in dermal papilla and surrounding cells in the hair follicle, promoting cell proliferation, and differentiation. RESULTS Here, we report that LEF1 is also expressed all through the hair cycle in the terminal Schwann cells (TSCs), a component of the lanceolate complex located at the isthmus. The timing of LEF1 appearance at the isthmus coincides with that of hair follicle innervation. LEF1 is not found at the isthmus in the aberrant hair follicles in nude mice. Instead, LEF1 in TSCs is found in the de novo hair follicles reconstituted on nude mice by stem cells chamber graft assay. Cutaneous denervation experiment demonstrates that the LEF1 expression in TSCs is independent of nerve endings. At last, LEF1 expression in the interfollicular epidermis during the early stage of skin development is significantly suppressed in transgenic mice with T-cell factor 3 (TCF3) overexpression. CONCLUSION We reveal the expression dynamics of LEF1 in skin during development and hair cycle. LEF1 expression in TSCs indicates that the LEF1/Wnt signal might help to establish a niche at the isthmus region for the lanceolate complex, the bulge stem cells and other neighboring cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongzhi Song
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.,School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.,School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xu-Bo Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing-Song Chu
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory for Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute for Translational Medicine, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Jianyu Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lipeng Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin-Hua Liao
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
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3
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Walentek P. Signaling Control of Mucociliary Epithelia: Stem Cells, Cell Fates, and the Plasticity of Cell Identity in Development and Disease. Cells Tissues Organs 2022; 211:736-753. [PMID: 33902038 PMCID: PMC8546001 DOI: 10.1159/000514579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucociliary epithelia are composed of multiciliated, secretory, and stem cells and line various organs in vertebrates such as the respiratory tract. By means of mucociliary clearance, those epithelia provide a first line of defense against inhaled particles and pathogens. Mucociliary clearance relies on the correct composition of cell types, that is, the proper balance of ciliated and secretory cells. A failure to generate and to maintain correct cell type composition and function results in impaired clearance and high risk to infections, such as in congenital diseases (e.g., ciliopathies) as well as in acquired diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). While it remains incompletely resolved how precisely cell types are specified and maintained in development and disease, many studies have revealed important mechanisms regarding the signaling control in mucociliary cell types in various species. Those studies not only provided insights into the signaling contribution to organ development and regeneration but also highlighted the remarkable plasticity of cell identity encountered in mucociliary maintenance, including frequent trans-differentiation events during homeostasis and specifically in disease. This review will summarize major findings and provide perspectives regarding the future of mucociliary research and the treatment of chronic airway diseases associated with tissue remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Walentek
- Renal Division, Department of Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg University Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany.,CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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4
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Aros CJ, Pantoja CJ, Gomperts BN. Wnt signaling in lung development, regeneration, and disease progression. Commun Biol 2021; 4:601. [PMID: 34017045 PMCID: PMC8138018 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02118-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The respiratory tract is a vital, intricate system for several important biological processes including mucociliary clearance, airway conductance, and gas exchange. The Wnt signaling pathway plays several crucial and indispensable roles across lung biology in multiple contexts. This review highlights the progress made in characterizing the role of Wnt signaling across several disciplines in lung biology, including development, homeostasis, regeneration following injury, in vitro directed differentiation efforts, and disease progression. We further note uncharted directions in the field that may illuminate important biology. The discoveries made collectively advance our understanding of Wnt signaling in lung biology and have the potential to inform therapeutic advancements for lung diseases. Cody Aros, Carla Pantoja, and Brigitte Gomperts review the key role of Wnt signaling in all aspects of lung development, repair, and disease progression. They provide an overview of recent research findings and highlight where research is needed to further elucidate mechanisms of action, with the aim of improving disease treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody J Aros
- UCLA Department of Molecular Biology Interdepartmental Program, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,UCLA Medical Scientist Training Program, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carla J Pantoja
- UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Brigitte N Gomperts
- UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. .,Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care MedicineDavid Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. .,Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. .,Eli and Edythe Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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5
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Haas M, Gómez Vázquez JL, Sun DI, Tran HT, Brislinger M, Tasca A, Shomroni O, Vleminckx K, Walentek P. ΔN-Tp63 Mediates Wnt/β-Catenin-Induced Inhibition of Differentiation in Basal Stem Cells of Mucociliary Epithelia. Cell Rep 2019; 28:3338-3352.e6. [PMID: 31553905 PMCID: PMC6935018 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.08.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Mucociliary epithelia provide a first line of defense against pathogens. Impaired regeneration and remodeling of mucociliary epithelia are associated with dysregulated Wnt/β-catenin signaling in chronic airway diseases, but underlying mechanisms remain elusive, and studies yield seemingly contradicting results. Employing the Xenopus mucociliary epidermis, the mouse airway, and human airway Basal cells, we characterize the evolutionarily conserved roles of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in vertebrates. In multiciliated cells, Wnt is required for cilia formation during differentiation. In Basal cells, Wnt prevents specification of epithelial cell types by activating ΔN-TP63, a master transcription factor, which is necessary and sufficient to mediate the Wnt-induced inhibition of specification and is required to retain Basal cells during development. Chronic Wnt activation leads to remodeling and Basal cell hyperplasia, which are reversible in vivo and in vitro, suggesting Wnt inhibition as a treatment option in chronic lung diseases. Our work provides important insights into mucociliary signaling, development, and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Haas
- Internal Medicine IV, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Center for Systems Biological Analysis, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - José Luis Gómez Vázquez
- Internal Medicine IV, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Center for Systems Biological Analysis, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Dingyuan Iris Sun
- Genetics, Genomics and Development Division, Molecular and Cell Biology Department, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Hong Thi Tran
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Magdalena Brislinger
- Internal Medicine IV, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Center for Systems Biological Analysis, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Alexia Tasca
- Internal Medicine IV, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Center for Systems Biological Analysis, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Orr Shomroni
- Transcriptome and Genome Core Unit, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kris Vleminckx
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Peter Walentek
- Internal Medicine IV, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Center for Systems Biological Analysis, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Genetics, Genomics and Development Division, Molecular and Cell Biology Department, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
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6
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Lynch TJ, Anderson PJ, Rotti PG, Tyler SR, Crooke AK, Choi SH, Montoro DT, Silverman CL, Shahin W, Zhao R, Jensen-Cody CW, Adamcakova-Dodd A, Evans TIA, Xie W, Zhang Y, Mou H, Herring BP, Thorne PS, Rajagopal J, Yeaman C, Parekh KR, Engelhardt JF. Submucosal Gland Myoepithelial Cells Are Reserve Stem Cells That Can Regenerate Mouse Tracheal Epithelium. Cell Stem Cell 2018; 22:653-667.e5. [PMID: 29656941 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2018.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Revised: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The mouse trachea is thought to contain two distinct stem cell compartments that contribute to airway repair-basal cells in the surface airway epithelium (SAE) and an unknown submucosal gland (SMG) cell type. Whether a lineage relationship exists between these two stem cell compartments remains unclear. Using lineage tracing of glandular myoepithelial cells (MECs), we demonstrate that MECs can give rise to seven cell types of the SAE and SMGs following severe airway injury. MECs progressively adopted a basal cell phenotype on the SAE and established lasting progenitors capable of further regeneration following reinjury. MECs activate Wnt-regulated transcription factors (Lef-1/TCF7) following injury and Lef-1 induction in cultured MECs promoted transition to a basal cell phenotype. Surprisingly, dose-dependent MEC conditional activation of Lef-1 in vivo promoted self-limited airway regeneration in the absence of injury. Thus, modulating the Lef-1 transcriptional program in MEC-derived progenitors may have regenerative medicine applications for lung diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Lynch
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Preston J Anderson
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Pavana G Rotti
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Scott R Tyler
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Adrianne K Crooke
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Soon H Choi
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Daniel T Montoro
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Carolyn L Silverman
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Weam Shahin
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Rui Zhao
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | | | - Andrea Adamcakova-Dodd
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - T Idil Apak Evans
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Weiliang Xie
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Yulong Zhang
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Hongmei Mou
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - B Paul Herring
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Peter S Thorne
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Jayaraj Rajagopal
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Charles Yeaman
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Kalpaj R Parekh
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - John F Engelhardt
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
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7
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Anderson PJ, Lynch TJ, Engelhardt JF. Multipotent Myoepithelial Progenitor Cells Are Born Early during Airway Submucosal Gland Development. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2017; 56:716-726. [PMID: 28125268 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2016-0304oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Airway submucosal glands (SMGs) are facultative stem cell niches for the surface epithelium, but the phenotype of the SMG-derived progenitor cells remains unclear. In other organs, glandular myoepithelial cells (MECs) have been proposed to be multipotent progenitors for luminal cells. We sought to determine the developmental phase during which mouse tracheal glandular MECs are born and whether these MECs are progenitors for other cell phenotypes during SMG morphogenesis. To approach this question, we localized two MEC protein markers (α-smooth muscle actin [αSMA/ACTA2] and smooth muscle myosin heavy chain 11 [SMMHC/MYH11]) during various stages of SMG development (placode, elongation, branching, and differentiation) and used ACTA2-CreERT2 and MYH11-CreERT2 transgenic mice to fate map MEC-derived lineages during SMG morphogenesis. Both αSMA- and SMMHC-expressing cells emerged early after placode formation and during the elongation phase of SMG development. Lineage tracing in newborn mice demonstrated that lineage-positive MECs are born at the tips of invading tubules during the elongation phase of gland development. Lineage-positive MECs born within the first 7 days after birth gave rise to the largest percentage of multipotent progenitors capable of contributing to myoepithelial, serous, mucous, and ductal cell lineages. Serial tamoxifen-induction of both Cre-driver lines demonstrated that lineage-positive multipotent MECs contribute to ∼ 60% of glandular cells by 21 days after birth. In contrast, lineage-traced MECs did not contribute to cell types in the surface airway epithelium. These findings demonstrate that MECs born early during SMG morphogenesis are multipotent progenitors with the capacity to differentiate into other glandular cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preston J Anderson
- 1 Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.,2 Iowa Biosciences Academy, Iowa City, Iowa; and.,3 Iowa Center for Research by Undergraduates, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Thomas J Lynch
- 1 Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - John F Engelhardt
- 1 Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
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8
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Lynch TJ, Anderson PJ, Xie W, Crooke AK, Liu X, Tyler SR, Luo M, Kusner DM, Zhang Y, Neff T, Burnette DC, Walters KS, Goodheart MJ, Parekh KR, Engelhardt JF. Wnt Signaling Regulates Airway Epithelial Stem Cells in Adult Murine Submucosal Glands. Stem Cells 2016; 34:2758-2771. [PMID: 27341073 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Revised: 05/08/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Wnt signaling is required for lineage commitment of glandular stem cells (SCs) during tracheal submucosal gland (SMG) morphogenesis from the surface airway epithelium (SAE). Whether similar Wnt-dependent processes coordinate SC expansion in adult SMGs following airway injury remains unknown. We found that two Wnt-reporters in mice (BAT-gal and TCF/Lef:H2B-GFP) are coexpressed in actively cycling SCs of primordial glandular placodes and in a small subset of adult SMG progenitor cells that enter the cell cycle 24 hours following airway injury. At homeostasis, these Wnt reporters showed nonoverlapping cellular patterns of expression in the SAE and SMGs. Following tracheal injury, proliferation was accompanied by dynamic changes in Wnt-reporter activity and the analysis of 56 Wnt-related signaling genes revealed unique temporal changes in expression within proximal (gland-containing) and distal (gland-free) portions of the trachea. Wnt stimulation in vivo and in vitro promoted epithelial proliferation in both SMGs and the SAE. Interestingly, slowly cycling nucleotide label-retaining cells (LRCs) of SMGs were spatially positioned near clusters of BAT-gal positive serous tubules. Isolation and culture of tet-inducible H2B-GFP LRCs demonstrated that SMG LRCs were more proliferative than SAE LRCs and culture expanded SMG-derived progenitor cells outcompeted SAE-derived progenitors in regeneration of tracheal xenograft epithelium using a clonal analysis competition assay. SMG-derived progenitors were also multipotent for cell types in the SAE and formed gland-like structures in xenografts. These studies demonstrate the importance of Wnt signals in modulating SC phenotypes within tracheal niches and provide new insight into phenotypic differences of SMG and SAE SCs. Stem Cells 2016;34:2758-2771.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Lynch
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Preston J Anderson
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Weiliang Xie
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.,Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Adrianne K Crooke
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Xiaoming Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.,Center for Gene Therapy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Scott R Tyler
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.,Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Meihui Luo
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - David M Kusner
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Yulong Zhang
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Traci Neff
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Daniel C Burnette
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | | | - Michael J Goodheart
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Kalpaj R Parekh
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - John F Engelhardt
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.,Center for Gene Therapy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
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9
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Understanding multicellular function and disease with human tissue-specific networks. Nat Genet 2015; 47:569-76. [PMID: 25915600 PMCID: PMC4828725 DOI: 10.1038/ng.3259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 557] [Impact Index Per Article: 61.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2014] [Accepted: 03/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Tissue and cell-type identity lie at the core of human physiology and disease. Understanding the genetic underpinnings of complex tissues and individual cell lineages is crucial for developing improved diagnostics and therapeutics. We present genome-wide functional interaction networks for 144 human tissues and cell types developed using a data-driven Bayesian methodology that integrates thousands of diverse experiments spanning tissue and disease states. Tissue-specific networks predict lineage-specific responses to perturbation, reveal genes’ changing functional roles across tissues, and illuminate disease-disease relationships. We introduce NetWAS, which combines genes with nominally significant GWAS p-values and tissue-specific networks to identify disease-gene associations more accurately than GWAS alone. Our webserver, GIANT, provides an interface to human tissue networks through multi-gene queries, network visualization, analysis tools including NetWAS, and downloadable networks. GIANT enables systematic exploration of the landscape of interacting genes that shape specialized cellular functions across more than one hundred human tissues and cell types.
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10
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May A, Tucker A. Understanding the development of the respiratory glands. Dev Dyn 2015; 244:525-39. [PMID: 25648514 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Revised: 12/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The submucosal glands (SMGs) of the respiratory system are specialized structures essential for maintaining airway homeostasis. The significance of SMGs is highlighted by their involvement in respiratory diseases such as cystic fibrosis, asthma and chronic bronchitis, where their phenotype and function are severely altered. Uncovering the normal development of the airway SMGs is essential to elucidate their role in these disorders, however, very little is known about the cellular mechanisms and intracellular signals involved in their morphogenesis. RESULTS This review describes in detail the embryonic developmental journey of the nasal SMGs and the postnatal development of the tracheal SMGs in the mouse. Current knowledge of the genes and signalling molecules involved in SMG organogenesis is also explored. CONCLUSION Here we review the temporal localisation and development of the murine respiratory glands in the hope of stimulating further research into the mechanisms required for successful SMG patterning and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison May
- Department of Craniofacial Development and Stem Cell Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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11
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Xie W, Lynch TJ, Liu X, Tyler SR, Yu S, Zhou X, Luo M, Kusner DM, Sun X, Yi Y, Zhang Y, Goodheart MJ, Parekh KR, Wells JM, Xue HH, Pevny LH, Engelhardt JF. Sox2 modulates Lef-1 expression during airway submucosal gland development. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2014; 306:L645-60. [PMID: 24487391 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00157.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Tracheobronchial submucosal glands (SMGs) are derived from one or more multipotent glandular stem cells that coalesce to form a placode in surface airway epithelium (SAE). Wnt/β-catenin-dependent induction of lymphoid enhancer factor (Lef-1) gene expression during placode formation is an early event required for SMG morphogenesis. We discovered that Sox2 expression is repressed as Lef-1 is induced within airway SMG placodes. Deletion of Lef-1 did not activate Sox2 expression in SMG placodes, demonstrating that Lef-1 activation does not directly inhibit Sox2 expression. Repression of Sox2 protein in SMG placodes occurred posttranscriptionally, since the activity of its endogenous promoter remained unchanged in SMG placodes. Thus we hypothesized that Sox2 transcriptionally represses Lef-1 expression in the SAE and that suppression of Sox2 in SMG placodes activates Wnt/β-catenin-dependent induction of Lef-1 during SMG morphogenesis. Consistent with this hypothesis, transcriptional reporter assays, ChIP analyses, and DNA-protein binding studies revealed a functional Sox2 DNA binding site in the Lef-1 promoter that is required for suppressing β-catenin-dependent transcription. In polarized primary airway epithelium, Wnt induction enhanced Lef-1 expression while also inhibiting Sox2 expression. Conditional deletion of Sox2 also enhanced Lef-1 expression in polarized primary airway epithelium, but this induction was significantly augmented by Wnt stimulation. Our findings provide the first evidence that Sox2 acts as a repressor to directly modulate Wnt-responsive transcription of the Lef-1 gene promoter. These studies support a model whereby Wnt signals and Sox2 dynamically regulate the expression of Lef-1 in airway epithelia and potentially also during SMG development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiliang Xie
- Rm. 1-111 BSB, Dept. of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Univ. of Iowa, 51 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA 52242.
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12
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De Langhe SP, Reynolds SD. Wnt signaling in lung organogenesis. Organogenesis 2012; 4:100-8. [PMID: 19279721 DOI: 10.4161/org.4.2.5856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2008] [Accepted: 03/06/2008] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Reporter transgene, knockout, and misexpression studies support the notion that Wnt/beta-catenin signaling regulates aspects of branching morphogenesis, regional specialization of the epithelium and mesenchyme, and establishment of progenitor cell pools. As demonstrated for other foregut endoderm-derived organs, beta-catenin and the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway contribute to control of cellular proliferation, differentiation and migration. However, the contribution of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling to these processes is shaped by other signals impinging on target tissues. In this review, we will concentrate on roles for Wnt/beta-catenin in respiratory system development, including segregation of the conducting airway and alveolar compartments, specialization of the mesenchyme, and establishment of tracheal asymmetries and tracheal glands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stijn P De Langhe
- Department of Pediatrics; National Jewish Medical Research Center; Denver, Colorado USA
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13
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Mehta V, Abler LL, Keil KP, Schmitz CT, Joshi PS, Vezina CM. Atlas of Wnt and R-spondin gene expression in the developing male mouse lower urogenital tract. Dev Dyn 2011; 240:2548-60. [PMID: 21936019 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.22741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/29/2011] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate development is influenced by β-catenin signaling, but it is unclear which β-catenin activators are involved, where they are synthesized, and whether their mRNA abundance is influenced by androgens. We identified WNT/β-catenin-responsive β-galactosidase activity in the lower urogenital tract (LUT) of transgenic reporter mice, but β-galactosidase activity differed among the four mouse strains we examined. We used in situ hybridization to compare patterns of Wnts, r-spondins (Rspos, co-activators of β-catenin signaling), β-catenin-responsive mRNAs, and an androgen receptor-responsive mRNA in wild type fetal male, fetal female, and neonatal male LUT. Most Wnt and Rspo mRNAs were present in LUT during prostate development. Sexually dimorphic expression patterns were observed for WNT/β-catenin-responsive genes, and for Wnt2b, Wnt4, Wnt7a, Wnt9b, Wnt10b, Wnt11, Wnt16, and Rspo3 mRNAs. These results reveal sexual differences in WNT/β-catenin signaling in fetal LUT, supporting the idea that this pathway may be directly or indirectly responsive to androgens during prostate ductal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vatsal Mehta
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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14
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Wu X, Peters-Hall JR, Ghimbovschi S, Mimms R, Rose MC, Peña MT. Glandular gene expression of sinus mucosa in chronic rhinosinusitis with and without cystic fibrosis. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2010; 45:525-33. [PMID: 21177983 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2010-0133oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Secretory cells in submucosal glands (SMGs) secrete antibacterial proteins and mucin glycoproteins into the apical lumen of the respiratory tract, and these are critical for innate immune mucosal integrity. Glandular hyperplasia is manifested in diseases with obstructive respiratory pathologies associated with mucous hypersecretion, and is predominant in the sinus mucosa of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), cystic fibrosis (CF), and clinical symptoms of CRS. To gain insights into the molecular basis of SMG hyperplasia in CRS, gene expression microarray analyses were performed to identify the differences in global and specific gene expression in the sinus mucosa of control, CRS, and CRS/CF patients. A marked up-regulation of 11 glandular-associated genes in CRS and CRS/CF sinus mucosa was evident. The RNA and protein expressions of the four most highly up-regulated genes (DSG3, KRT14, PTHLH, and OTX2) were evaluated. An increased expression of DSG3, KRT14, and PTHLH was demonstrated at the mRNA and protein levels in both CRS and CRS/CF sinus mucosa, whereas the increased expression of OTX2 was evident only for CRS/CF sinus mucosa, implicating OTX2 as a CF-specific gene. Immunofluorescence analysis localized DSG3, PTHLH, and OTX2 to serous cells, and KRT14 to myoepithelial cells, in SMGs. Because glandular hyperplasia is a central histologic feature of CRS, the identification of overexpressed glandular genes in the sinus mucosa lays the groundwork for future studies of glandular hyperplasia, and may ultimately lead to the development of novel treatments for mucous hypersecretion in patients with CRS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofang Wu
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010, USA
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15
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Rallis C, Pinchin SM, Ish-Horowicz D. Cell-autonomous integrin control of Wnt and Notch signalling during somitogenesis. Development 2010; 137:3591-601. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.050070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Integrins act at signalling crossroads, and their interactions with other signal transduction pathways are key to the regulation of normal and pathological cell cytoarchitecture and behaviour. Here, we describe a signalling cascade that acts during the formation of the defining segmental features of the vertebrate body – the somites – in which β1-integrin activity regulates epithelialisation by controlling downstream Wnt and Notch activity crucial for somite border formation. Using in vivo transcriptional inhibition in the developing chick embryo, we show that β1-integrin in the anterior presomitic mesoderm activates canonical Wnt signalling in a cell-autonomous, `outside-inside' manner. Signalling is mediated by integrin-linked kinase (ILK), leading to modulation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) phosphorylation, and activates Notch signalling in the anterior presomitic mesoderm. The two signalling pathways then cooperate to promote somite formation via cMESO1/Mesp2. Our results show that β1-integrin can regulate cell shape and tissue morphogenesis indirectly, by regulation of downstream signalling cascades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charalampos Rallis
- Developmental Genetics Laboratory, London Research Institute, Cancer Research UK, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 4LY, UK
| | - Sheena M. Pinchin
- Developmental Genetics Laboratory, London Research Institute, Cancer Research UK, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 4LY, UK
| | - David Ish-Horowicz
- Developmental Genetics Laboratory, London Research Institute, Cancer Research UK, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 4LY, UK
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16
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Liu X, Luo M, Xie W, Wells JM, Goodheart MJ, Engelhardt JF. Sox17 modulates Wnt3A/beta-catenin-mediated transcriptional activation of the Lef-1 promoter. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2010; 299:L694-710. [PMID: 20802155 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00140.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt/β-catenin-dependent activation of lymphoid enhancer factor 1 (Lef-1) plays an important role in numerous developmental processes. In this context, transcription of the Lef-1 gene is increased by Wnt-mediated TCF4/β-catenin activation on the Lef-1 promoter through mechanisms that remain poorly defined. In mouse airway submucosal gland progenitor cells, Wnt3A transiently induces Lef-1 gene expression, and this process is required for epithelial cell proliferation and glandular morphogenesis. In the present study, we sought to identify additional candidate transcriptional regulators of the Lef-1 gene during glandular morphogenesis. To this end, we found that Sox17 expression is dramatically downregulated in early glandular progenitor cells that induce Lef-1 expression. Wnt stimulation of undifferentiated primary airway epithelial cells induced similar changes in Sox17 and Lef-1 expression. Reporter assays revealed that ectopic expression of Sox17 suppresses Wnt3A/β-catenin activation of the Lef-1 promoter in cell lines. EMSA and ChIP analyses defined several Sox17- and TCF4-binding sites that collaborate in transcriptional control of the Lef-1 promoter. More specifically, Sox17 bound to four sites in the Lef-1 promoter, either directly or indirectly through TCF complexes. The DNA- or β-catenin-binding domains of Sox17 controlled context-specific binding of Sox17/TCF complexes on the Lef-1 promoter. Combinatorial site-directed mutagenesis of Sox17- or TCF-binding sites in the Lef-1 promoter demonstrated that these sites control Wnt/β-catenin-mediated induction and/or repression. These findings demonstrate for the first time that Sox17 can directly regulate Wnt/β-catenin-dependent transcription of the Lef-1 promoter and reveal new context-dependent binding sites in the Lef-1 promoter that facilitate protein-protein interactions between Sox17 and TCF4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoming Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52240, USA
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17
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Mugford JW, Yu J, Kobayashi A, McMahon AP. High-resolution gene expression analysis of the developing mouse kidney defines novel cellular compartments within the nephron progenitor population. Dev Biol 2009; 333:312-23. [PMID: 19591821 PMCID: PMC2748313 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2009.06.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2009] [Revised: 06/23/2009] [Accepted: 06/29/2009] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The functional unit of the kidney is the nephron. During its organogenesis, the mammalian metanephric kidney generates thousands of nephrons over a protracted period of fetal life. All nephrons are derived from a population of self-renewing multi-potent progenitor cells, termed the cap mesenchyme. However, our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying nephron development is at an early stage. In order to identify factors involved in nephrogenesis, we performed a high-resolution, spatial profiling of a number of transcriptional regulators expressed within the cap mesenchyme and early developing nephron. Our results demonstrate novel, stereotypic, spatially defined cellular sub-domains within the cap mesenchyme, which may, in part, reflect induction of nephron precursors. These results suggest a hitherto unappreciated complexity of cell states that accompany the assembly of the metanephric kidney, likely reflecting diverse regulatory actions such as the maintenance and induction of nephron progenitors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Akio Kobayashi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Andrew P. McMahon
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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18
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The glandular stem/progenitor cell niche in airway development and repair. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2008; 5:682-8. [PMID: 18684717 DOI: 10.1513/pats.200801-003aw] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Airway submucosal glands (SMGs) are major secretory structures that lie beneath the epithelium of the cartilaginous airway. These glands are believed to play important roles in normal lung function and airway innate immunity by secreting antibacterial factors, mucus, and fluid into the airway lumen. Recent studies have suggested that SMGs may additionally serve as a protective niche for adult epithelial stem/progenitor cells of the proximal airways. As in the case of other adult stem cell niches, SMGs are believed to provide the localized environmental signals required to both maintain and mobilize stem/progenitor cells, in the setting of normal cellular turnover or injury. Aberrant proliferation and differentiation of glandular stem/progenitor cells may be associated with several hypersecretory lung diseases, including chronic bronchitis, asthma, and cystic fibrosis. To better understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate the specification and proliferation of glandular stem/progenitor cells in lung diseases associated with SMG hypertrophy and hyperplasia, researchers have begun to search for the molecular signals and cell types responsible for establishing the glandular stem/progenitor cell niche, and to dissect how these determinants of the niche change in the setting of proximal airway injury and repair. Such studies have revealed certain similarities between stem/progenitor cell niches of the distal conducting airways and the SMGs of the proximal airways.
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19
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De Langhe SP, Carraro G, Tefft D, Li C, Xu X, Chai Y, Minoo P, Hajihosseini MK, Drouin J, Kaartinen V, Bellusci S. Formation and differentiation of multiple mesenchymal lineages during lung development is regulated by beta-catenin signaling. PLoS One 2008; 3:e1516. [PMID: 18231602 PMCID: PMC2211394 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0001516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2007] [Accepted: 12/27/2007] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The role of ß-catenin signaling in mesodermal lineage formation and differentiation has been elusive. Methodology To define the role of ß-catenin signaling in these processes, we used a Dermo1(Twist2)Cre/+ line to target a floxed β-catenin allele, throughout the embryonic mesenchyme. Strikingly, the Dermo1Cre/+; β-cateninf/− conditional Knock Out embryos largely phenocopy Pitx1−/−/Pitx2−/− double knockout embryos, suggesting that ß-catenin signaling in the mesenchyme depends mostly on the PITX family of transcription factors. We have dissected this relationship further in the developing lungs and find that mesenchymal deletion of β-catenin differentially affects two major mesenchymal lineages. The amplification but not differentiation of Fgf10-expressing parabronchial smooth muscle progenitor cells is drastically reduced. In the angioblast-endothelial lineage, however, only differentiation into mature endothelial cells is impaired. Conclusion Taken together these findings reveal a hierarchy of gene activity involving ß-catenin and PITX, as important regulators of mesenchymal cell proliferation and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stijn P. De Langhe
- Developmental Biology Program, Department of Surgery, Saban Research Institute of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Gianni Carraro
- Developmental Biology Program, Department of Surgery, Saban Research Institute of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Denise Tefft
- Developmental Biology Program, Department of Surgery, Saban Research Institute of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Changgong Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Women's and Children's Hospital, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Xin Xu
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Yang Chai
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Parviz Minoo
- Department of Pediatrics, Women's and Children's Hospital, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Mohammad K. Hajihosseini
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia (UEA), Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom
| | - Jacques Drouin
- Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Vesa Kaartinen
- Developmental Biology Program, Department of Surgery, Saban Research Institute of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Savério Bellusci
- Developmental Biology Program, Department of Surgery, Saban Research Institute of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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20
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Amen M, Liu X, Vadlamudi U, Elizondo G, Diamond E, Engelhardt JF, Amendt BA. PITX2 and beta-catenin interactions regulate Lef-1 isoform expression. Mol Cell Biol 2007; 27:7560-73. [PMID: 17785445 PMCID: PMC2169058 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00315-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2007] [Revised: 05/09/2007] [Accepted: 08/20/2007] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Lef-1 and PITX2 function in the Wnt signaling pathway by recruiting and interacting with beta-catenin to activate target genes. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays identified the Lef-1 promoter as a PITX2 downstream target. Transgenic mice expressing LacZ driven by the 2.5-kb LEF-1 promoter demonstrated expression in the tooth epithelium correlated with endogenous Lef-1 FL epithelial expression. PITX2 isoforms regulate the LEF-1 promoter, and beta-catenin synergistically enhanced activation of the LEF-1 promoter in combination with PITX2 and Lef-1 isoforms. PITX2 enhances endogenous expression of the full-length beta-catenin-dependent Lef-1 isoform (Lef-1 FL) while decreasing expression of the N-terminally truncated beta-catenin-independent isoform. Our research revealed a novel interaction between PITX2, Lef-1, and beta-catenin in which the Lef-1 beta-catenin binding domain is dispensable for its interaction with PITX2. PITX2 interacts with two sites within the Lef-1 protein. Furthermore, beta-catenin interacts with the PITX2 homeodomain and Lef-1 interacts with the PITX2 C-terminal tail. Lef-1 and beta-catenin interact simultaneously and independently with PITX2 through two different sites to regulate PITX2 transcriptional activity. These data support a role for PITX2 in cell proliferation, migration, and cell division through differential Lef-1 isoform expression and interactions with Lef-1 and beta-catenin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Amen
- Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, 2121 W. Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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21
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Kuure S, Popsueva A, Jakobson M, Sainio K, Sariola H. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 inactivation and stabilization of beta-catenin induce nephron differentiation in isolated mouse and rat kidney mesenchymes. J Am Soc Nephrol 2007; 18:1130-9. [PMID: 17329570 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2006111206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt proteins are required for induction of nephrons in mouse metanephric kidneys, but the downstream pathways that mediate tubule induction and epithelial differentiation have remained obscure. The intracellular mechanisms by which Wnt signaling mediates nephron induction in embryonic kidney mesenchymes were studied. First is shown that transient exposure of isolated kidney mesenchymes to structurally different glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) inhibitors lithium or 6-bromoindirubin-3'-oxime results in abundant epithelial differentiation and full segregation of nephrons. Shown further by mice with genetically disrupted ureteric bud or Wolffian duct development is that this nephrogenic competence arises independent of the influence of Wolffian duct-derived epithelia. Analysis of the intracellular signaling cascades downstream of GSK3 inhibition revealed stabilization of beta-catenin and upregulation of Lef1 and Tcf1, both events that are associated with the active canonical Wnt signaling. Last, genetic evidence that metanephric mesenchyme-specific stabilization of beta-catenin is sufficient to induce nephron differentiation in isolated kidney mesenchymes, similar to that induced by GSK3 inhibitors, is provided. These data show that activation of canonical Wnt pathway is sufficient to induce nephrogenesis and suggest that this pathway mediates the nephron induction in murine kidney mesenchymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satu Kuure
- Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, PO Box 63, Haartmaninkatu 8, University of Helsinki, FIN-00014, Finland
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22
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Driskell RR, Goodheart M, Neff T, Liu X, Luo M, Moothart C, Sigmund CD, Hosokawa R, Chai Y, Engelhardt JF. Wnt3a regulates Lef-1 expression during airway submucosal gland morphogenesis. Dev Biol 2007; 305:90-102. [PMID: 17335794 PMCID: PMC1892170 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2007.01.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2006] [Revised: 01/08/2007] [Accepted: 01/31/2007] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Regulation of the lymphoid enhancer factor 1 (Lef-1) transcription factor is important for the inductive formation of many epithelial-derived appendages including airway submucosal glands (SMGs). Although Wnts have been linked to developmental processes involving transcriptional activation of the Lef-1 protein, there is little in vivo information directly linking Wnts with the transcriptional regulation of the Lef-1 promoter. In the present study, we hypothesized that Wnt3a directly regulates Lef-1 gene expression required for SMG morphogenesis in mice. In support of this hypothesis, TOPGAL reporter mice demonstrated activation of beta-catenin/Tcf complexes during early phases of SMG development and immunolocalization studies confirmed abundant expression of Tcf4, but not Tcf1 or Tcf3, at this stage. ChIP analysis in primary airway epithelial cells revealed that Tcf4 associates with a known Wnt Responsive Region in the Lef-1 promoter and transfection of Cos-1 cells with dominant active beta-catenin and Tcf4 synergistically activated the Lef-1 promoter. Using Wnt3a deficient and Lef-1 promoter-GFP reporter mice, we also demonstrate that Wnt3a induces Lef-1 gene expression in newly forming SMG buds of mice and is required for the maintenance of gland bud growth. These findings provide the first in vivo evidence that Wnt3a can transcriptionally regulate the Lef-1 gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan R. Driskell
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa College of Medicine
| | | | - Traci Neff
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Xiaoming Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa College of Medicine
| | - Meihui Luo
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa College of Medicine
| | - Chris Moothart
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa College of Medicine
| | - Curt D. Sigmund
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa College of Medicine
- Center for Gene Therapy of Cystic Fibrosis and Other Genetic Diseases, University of Iowa College of Medicine
| | - Ryoichi Hosokawa
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California
| | - Yang Chai
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California
| | - John F. Engelhardt
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa College of Medicine
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa College of Medicine
- Center for Gene Therapy of Cystic Fibrosis and Other Genetic Diseases, University of Iowa College of Medicine
- *Send correspondence to: John F. Engelhardt, PhD, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Room 1-111 BSB, 51 Newton Road, Iowa City, Iowa, 52242-1109, Tel: 319-335-7753, Fax: 319-335-7198,
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23
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Li TWH, Ting JHT, Yokoyama NN, Bernstein A, van de Wetering M, Waterman ML. Wnt activation and alternative promoter repression of LEF1 in colon cancer. Mol Cell Biol 2006; 26:5284-99. [PMID: 16809766 PMCID: PMC1592719 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00105-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative promoters within the LEF1 locus produce polypeptides of opposing biological activities. Promoter 1 produces full-length LEF-1 protein, which recruits beta-catenin to Wnt target genes. Promoter 2 produces a truncated form that cannot interact with beta-catenin and instead suppresses Wnt regulation of target genes. Here we show that promoter 1 is aberrantly activated in colon cancers because it is a direct target of the Wnt pathway. T-cell factor (TCF)-beta-catenin complexes bind to Wnt response elements in exon 1 and dynamically regulate chromatin acetylation and promoter 1 activity. Promoter 2 is delimited to the intron 2/exon 3 boundary and, like promoter 1, is also directly regulated by TCF-beta-catenin complexes. Promoter 2 is nevertheless silent in colon cancer because an upstream repressor selectively targets the basal promoter leading to destabilized TCF-beta-catenin binding. We conclude that the biological outcome of aberrant LEF1 activation in colon cancer is directed by differential promoter activation and repression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony W-H Li
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Rm. B240, Medical Sciences I, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4025, USA.
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Borok Z, Li C, Liebler J, Aghamohammadi N, Londhe VA, Minoo P. Developmental pathways and specification of intrapulmonary stem cells. Pediatr Res 2006; 59:84R-93R. [PMID: 16549554 DOI: 10.1203/01.pdr.0000203563.37626.77] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Tissues have the capacity to maintain a homeostatic balance between wear-and-tear and regeneration. Repair of non-lethal injury also activates cell proliferation to repopulate the injured sites with appropriate cell types and to restore function. Although controversial, the source of the material appears to be at least partly from pools of unique, multipotent stem cells that reside in specialized locations referred to as "niches." Molecular interactions between the niche and the intracellular factors within stem cells are crucial in maintaining stem cell functions, particularly the balance between self-renewal and differentiation. Many of the mediators of the stem cell-niche interactions are similar or identical to those that control developmental pathways during organogenesis. In this review, we present a systematic discussion and evaluation of the relevant literature with a focused emphasis on three primary signaling pathways, WNT, SHH and BMP with potentially overlapping roles during both development and stem cell maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zea Borok
- Department of Medicine, Will Rogers Institute Pulmonary Research Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 90033, USA
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25
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Steel MD, Puddicombe SM, Hamilton LM, Powell RM, Holloway JW, Holgate ST, Davies DE, Collins JE. β-Catenin/T-cell factor-mediated transcription is modulated by cell density in human bronchial epithelial cells. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2005; 37:1281-95. [PMID: 15778091 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2004.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2004] [Revised: 12/07/2004] [Accepted: 12/23/2004] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The embryonic Wnt/beta-catenin ('canonical') pathway has been implicated in epithelial regeneration. To investigate the role of Wnt signal transduction in the airways, we characterised the expression of key pathway components in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC) and studied the influence of cell density on pathway activity, using sub-confluent cells in log-phase growth as a simple model of repairing epithelium. Primary HBEC and H292 bronchial epithelial cells were found to express TCF-4, TCF-3 and isoforms of LEF-1, transcription factors that are regulated by Wnt signalling. The cells also had the potential to respond to Wnt signalling through expression of several members of the Frizzled receptor family, including FZD-5 and -6. In confluent H292 cells, 20 mM lithium and 25% v/v Wnt-3a conditioned medium induced 4.5-fold (p = 0.008) and 1.4-fold (p = 0.006) increases in TOPflash activity, respectively. Under conditions of reduced cell density, TOPflash activity increased 1.8-fold (p = 0.002) in association with increased nuclear localisation of hypophosphorylated (active) beta-catenin and increased cell proliferation. This up-regulation in reporter activity occurred independently of EGF receptor activation and could not be recapitulated by use of low-calcium medium to disrupt cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion, but was associated with changes in FZD-6 expression. We conclude that reactivation of this embryonic pathway may play an important role in bronchial epithelial regeneration, and that modulation of Fzd-6 receptors may regulate Wnt signalling at confluence. Recognising that many chronic inflammatory disorders of the airways involve epithelial damage and repair, altered Wnt signalling might contribute to disease pathogenesis or progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark D Steel
- The Brooke Laboratories, School of Medicine, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
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26
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Abstract
Submucosal glands in the lung play important roles in several hypersecretory lung disease processes, including chronic bronchitis, asthma, and cystic fibrosis. In this context, submucosal glands undergo abnormal growth and differentiation through processes that are poorly understood. To better understand the pathophysiological mechanisms that lead to submucosal gland hypertrophy and hyperplasia in the adult human lung, efforts have been made to dissect the molecular signals and cell types responsible for normal submucosal gland development in the airway. Such studies have revealed a close relationship between progenitor?stem cell phenotypes in the surface airway epithelia and submucosal glands, and thus it has been suggested that submucosal glands serve as a protective niche for surface airway epithelial stem cells. Furthermore, the pluripotent progenitor cells that exist in the surface airway epithelium, which have the capacity to differentiate into ciliated, secretory, intermediate, and basal cells, also have a developmental capacity for submucosal glands. This putative adult stem cell compartment of the airway epithelium has been the focus of research attempting to identify molecular markers for signaling pathways that control stem cell phenotypes and their capacity for proliferation and differentiation following airway injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoming Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
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27
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Rawlins EL, Hogan BLM. Intercellular growth factor signaling and the development of mouse tracheal submucosal glands. Dev Dyn 2005; 233:1378-85. [PMID: 15973734 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.20461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
To provide a genetic framework for investigating changes in airway submucosal gland function in human respiratory disease, we have investigated their counterparts in normal and mutant mice. We describe their morphogenesis in relation to the expression of genes encoding conserved intercellular signaling pathways. Submucosal glands are severely reduced in number and size in mice heterozygous for Fgf10. Glands are completely absent in mice lacking Ectodysplasin (Eda) and Edaradd (Eda receptor adaptor protein), members of the tumor necrosis (TNF) superfamily of signaling factors. Furthermore, components of the Eda and closely related pathways are transcribed throughout the respiratory system in the adult mouse. Finally, the temporal and spatial pattern of Bmp4 expression suggests that it may control submucosal gland development and homeostasis. Taken together, our observations have important implications for the better understanding of the submucosal gland remodeling that occurs in human respiratory disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L Rawlins
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
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