1
|
Kasiah J, McNeill H. Fat and Dachsous cadherins in mammalian development. Curr Top Dev Biol 2023; 154:223-244. [PMID: 37100519 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2023.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Cell growth and patterning are critical for tissue development. Here we discuss the evolutionarily conserved cadherins, Fat and Dachsous, and the roles they play during mammalian tissue development and disease. In Drosophila, Fat and Dachsous regulate tissue growth via the Hippo pathway and planar cell polarity (PCP). The Drosophila wing has been an ideal tissue to observe how mutations in these cadherins affect tissue development. In mammals, there are multiple Fat and Dachsous cadherins, which are expressed in many tissues, but mutations in these cadherins that affect growth and tissue organization are context dependent. Here we examine how mutations in the Fat and Dachsous mammalian genes affect development in mammals and contribute to human disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennysue Kasiah
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Helen McNeill
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Riascos-Bernal DF, Maira A, Sibinga NES. The Atypical Cadherin FAT1 Limits Mitochondrial Respiration and Proliferation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:905717. [PMID: 35647082 PMCID: PMC9130956 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.905717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Smooth muscle cells contribute to cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. The capacity of these cells to undergo phenotypic switching in mature arteries of the systemic circulation underlies their pathogenic role in atherosclerosis and restenosis, among other vascular diseases. Growth factors and cytokines, extracellular matrix components, regulation of gene expression, neuronal influences, and mechanical forces contribute to smooth muscle cell phenotypic switching. Comparatively little is known about cell metabolism in this process. Studies of cancer and endothelial cell biology have highlighted the importance of cellular metabolic processes for phenotypic transitions that accompany tumor growth and angiogenesis. However, the understanding of cell metabolism during smooth muscle cell phenotypic modulation is incipient. Studies of the atypical cadherin FAT1, which is strongly upregulated in smooth muscle cells in response to arterial injury, suggest that it has important and distinctive functions in this context, mediating control of both smooth muscle cell mitochondrial metabolism and cell proliferation. Here we review the progress made in understanding how FAT1 affects the smooth muscle cell phenotype, highlighting the significance of FAT1 as a processed protein and unexpected regulator of mitochondrial respiration. These mechanisms suggest how a transmembrane protein may relay signals from the extracellular milieu to mitochondria to control metabolic activity during smooth muscle cell phenotypic switching.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dario F Riascos-Bernal
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology) and Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States.,Department of Developmental & Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Alishba Maira
- Department of Developmental & Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Nicholas E S Sibinga
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology) and Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States.,Department of Developmental & Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Helmbacher F. Astrocyte-intrinsic and -extrinsic Fat1 activities regulate astrocyte development and angiogenesis in the retina. Development 2022; 149:274046. [PMID: 35050341 DOI: 10.1242/dev.192047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Angiogenesis is a stepwise process leading to blood vessel formation. In the vertebrate retina, endothelial cells are guided by astrocytes migrating along the inner surface, and the two processes are coupled by a tightly regulated cross-talks between the two cell types. Here, I have investigated how the FAT1 cadherin, a regulator of tissue morphogenesis that governs tissue cross-talk, influences retinal vascular development. Late-onset Fat1 inactivation in the neural lineage in mice, by interfering with astrocyte progenitor migration polarity and maturation, delayed postnatal retinal angiogenesis, leading to persistent vascular abnormalities in adult retinas. Impaired astrocyte migration and polarity were not associated with alterations of retinal ganglion cell axonal trajectories or of the inner limiting membrane. In contrast, inducible Fat1 ablation in postnatal astrocytes was sufficient to alter their migration polarity and proliferation. Altogether, this study uncovers astrocyte-intrinsic and -extrinsic Fat1 activities that influence astrocyte migration polarity, proliferation and maturation, disruption of which impacts retinal vascular development and maintenance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Françoise Helmbacher
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IBDM UMR 7288, Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Case 907, 13288 Marseille, France
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
The Balance between Differentiation and Terminal Differentiation Maintains Oral Epithelial Homeostasis. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13205123. [PMID: 34680271 PMCID: PMC8534139 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Oral cancer affecting the oral cavity represents the most common cancer of the head and neck region. Oral cancer develops in a multistep process in which normal cells gradually accumulate genetic and epigenetic modifications to evolve into a malignant disease. Mortality for oral cancer patients is high and morbidity has a significant long-term impact on the health and wellbeing of affected individuals, typically resulting in facial disfigurement and a loss of the ability to speak, chew, taste, and swallow. The limited scope to which current treatments are able to control oral cancer underlines the need for novel therapeutic strategies. This review highlights the molecular differences between oral cell proliferation, differentiation and terminal differentiation, defines terminal differentiation as an important tumour suppressive mechanism and establishes a rationale for clinical investigation of differentiation-paired therapies that may improve outcomes in oral cancer. Abstract The oral epithelium is one of the fastest repairing and continuously renewing tissues. Stem cell activation within the basal layer of the oral epithelium fuels the rapid proliferation of multipotent progenitors. Stem cells first undergo asymmetric cell division that requires tightly controlled and orchestrated differentiation networks to maintain the pool of stem cells while producing progenitors fated for differentiation. Rapidly expanding progenitors subsequently commit to advanced differentiation programs towards terminal differentiation, a process that regulates the structural integrity and homeostasis of the oral epithelium. Therefore, the balance between differentiation and terminal differentiation of stem cells and their progeny ensures progenitors commitment to terminal differentiation and prevents epithelial transformation and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). A recent comprehensive molecular characterization of OSCC revealed that a disruption of terminal differentiation factors is indeed a common OSCC event and is superior to oncogenic activation. Here, we discuss the role of differentiation and terminal differentiation in maintaining oral epithelial homeostasis and define terminal differentiation as a critical tumour suppressive mechanism. We further highlight factors with crucial terminal differentiation functions and detail the underlying consequences of their loss. Switching on terminal differentiation in differentiated progenitors is likely to represent an extremely promising novel avenue that may improve therapeutic interventions against OSCC.
Collapse
|
5
|
Sajdak BS, Postlewaite JT, Eliceiri KW, Rogers JD. Measuring the spatial distribution of multiply scattered light using a de-scanned image sensor for examining retinal structure contrast. OPTICS EXPRESS 2021; 29:552-563. [PMID: 33726288 PMCID: PMC7920524 DOI: 10.1364/oe.408587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
An optical platform is presented for examining intrinsic contrast detection strategies when imaging retinal structure using ex vivo tissue. A custom microscope was developed that scans intact tissue and collects scattered light distribution at every image pixel, allowing digital masks to be applied after image collection. With this novel approach at measuring the spatial distribution of multiply scattered light, known and novel methods of detecting intrinsic cellular contrast can be explored, compared, and optimized for retinal structures of interest.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin S. Sajdak
- McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA
- Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, WI 53715, USA
| | - Jack T. Postlewaite
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Kevin W. Eliceiri
- McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA
- Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, WI 53715, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Jeremy D. Rogers
- McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Haug P, Koller S, Maggi J, Lang E, Feil S, Wlodarczyk A, Bähr L, Steindl K, Rohrbach M, Gerth-Kahlert C, Berger W. Whole Exome Sequencing in Coloboma/Microphthalmia: Identification of Novel and Recurrent Variants in Seven Genes. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:65. [PMID: 33418956 PMCID: PMC7825129 DOI: 10.3390/genes12010065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Coloboma and microphthalmia (C/M) are related congenital eye malformations, which can cause significant visual impairment. Molecular diagnosis is challenging as the genes associated to date with C/M account for only a small percentage of cases. Overall, the genetic cause remains unknown in up to 80% of patients. High throughput DNA sequencing technologies, including whole-exome sequencing (WES), are therefore a useful and efficient tool for genetic screening and identification of new mutations and novel genes in C/M. In this study, we analyzed the DNA of 19 patients with C/M from 15 unrelated families using singleton WES and data analysis for 307 genes of interest. We identified seven novel and one recurrent potentially disease-causing variants in CRIM1, CHD7, FAT1, PTCH1, PUF60, BRPF1, and TGFB2 in 47% of our families, three of which occurred de novo. The detection rate in patients with ocular and extraocular manifestations (67%) was higher than in patients with an isolated ocular phenotype (46%). Our study highlights the significant genetic heterogeneity in C/M cohorts and emphasizes the diagnostic power of WES for the screening of patients and families with C/M.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Haug
- Institute of Medical Molecular Genetics, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; (P.H.); (S.K.); (J.M.); (E.L.); (S.F.); (A.W.); (L.B.)
| | - Samuel Koller
- Institute of Medical Molecular Genetics, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; (P.H.); (S.K.); (J.M.); (E.L.); (S.F.); (A.W.); (L.B.)
| | - Jordi Maggi
- Institute of Medical Molecular Genetics, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; (P.H.); (S.K.); (J.M.); (E.L.); (S.F.); (A.W.); (L.B.)
| | - Elena Lang
- Institute of Medical Molecular Genetics, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; (P.H.); (S.K.); (J.M.); (E.L.); (S.F.); (A.W.); (L.B.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Silke Feil
- Institute of Medical Molecular Genetics, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; (P.H.); (S.K.); (J.M.); (E.L.); (S.F.); (A.W.); (L.B.)
| | - Agnès Wlodarczyk
- Institute of Medical Molecular Genetics, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; (P.H.); (S.K.); (J.M.); (E.L.); (S.F.); (A.W.); (L.B.)
| | - Luzy Bähr
- Institute of Medical Molecular Genetics, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; (P.H.); (S.K.); (J.M.); (E.L.); (S.F.); (A.W.); (L.B.)
| | - Katharina Steindl
- Institute of Medical Genetics, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland;
| | - Marianne Rohrbach
- Division of Metabolism and Children’s Research Centre, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Christina Gerth-Kahlert
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Wolfgang Berger
- Institute of Medical Molecular Genetics, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; (P.H.); (S.K.); (J.M.); (E.L.); (S.F.); (A.W.); (L.B.)
- Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), University and ETH Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
- Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology (ZIHP), University of Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Homozygous frameshift mutations in FAT1 cause a syndrome characterized by colobomatous-microphthalmia, ptosis, nephropathy and syndactyly. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1180. [PMID: 30862798 PMCID: PMC6414540 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08547-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A failure in optic fissure fusion during development can lead to blinding malformations of the eye. Here, we report a syndrome characterized by facial dysmorphism, colobomatous microphthalmia, ptosis and syndactyly with or without nephropathy, associated with homozygous frameshift mutations in FAT1. We show that Fat1 knockout mice and zebrafish embryos homozygous for truncating fat1a mutations exhibit completely penetrant coloboma, recapitulating the most consistent developmental defect observed in affected individuals. In human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, the primary site for the fusion of optic fissure margins, FAT1 is localized at earliest cell-cell junctions, consistent with a role in facilitating optic fissure fusion during vertebrate eye development. Our findings establish FAT1 as a gene with pleiotropic effects in human, in that frameshift mutations cause a severe multi-system disorder whereas recessive missense mutations had been previously associated with isolated glomerulotubular nephropathy. Loss of the cadherin FAT1 has been associated with nephropathy and epithelial cell adhesion defects. Here, the authors report five families with a syndromic form of coloboma associated with homozygous frameshift variants in FAT1 and recapitulate the phenotype in mutant mice and zebrafish.
Collapse
|
8
|
Liem M, Ang CS, Mathivanan S. Insulin Mediated Activation of PI3K/Akt Signalling Pathway Modifies the Proteomic Cargo of Extracellular Vesicles. Proteomics 2017; 17. [PMID: 28842968 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201600371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies suggest that diabetes and obesity increases the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) and lowers the patient survival rate. An important attribute in diabetes and obesity is the presence of high levels of growth factors including insulin in blood which can activate the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway. Dysregulation of PI3K/Akt signalling pathway leads to sustained proliferative signals thereby allowing the cells susceptible to cancer. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), secreted nanovesicles of endocytic origin, are implicated in mediating the transfer of oncogenic cargo in the tumour microenvironment. In this study, CRC cells were treated with insulin to activate PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Insulin treatment significantly increased the number of EVs secreted by CRC cells. Furthermore, pAkt was exclusively packaged in EVs secreted by PI3K/Akt activated cells. Quantitative proteomics analysis confirmed that the protein cargo of EVs are modified upon activation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Bioinformatics analysis highlighted the enrichment of proteins implicated in cell proliferation in EVs secreted by PI3K/Akt activated cells. Furthermore, incubation of EVs secreted by PI3K/Akt activated cells induced proliferation in recipient CRC cells. These findings suggest that EVs can amplify the signal provided by the growth factors in the tumor microenvironment and hence aid in cancer progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Liem
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ching-Seng Ang
- Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Suresh Mathivanan
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Abstract
Eph-ephrin bidirectional signaling is essential for eye lens transparency in humans and mice. Our previous studies in mouse lenses demonstrate that ephrin-A5 is mainly expressed in the anterior epithelium, where it is required for maintaining the anterior epithelial monolayer. In contrast, EphA2 is localized in equatorial epithelial and fiber cells where it is essential for equatorial epithelial and fiber cell organization and hexagonal cell shape. Immunostaining of lens epithelial and fiber cells reveals that EphA2 and ephrin-A5 are also co-expressed in anterior fiber cell tips, equatorial epithelial cells and newly formed lens fibers, although they are not precisely colocalized. Due to this complex expression pattern and the promiscuous interactions between Eph receptors and ephrin ligands, as well as their complex bidirectional signaling pathways, cataracts in ephrin-A5(-/-) or EphA2(-/-) lenses may arise from loss of function or abnormal signaling mechanisms. To test whether abnormal signaling mechanisms may play a role in cataractogenesis in ephrin-A5(-/-) or EphA2(-/-) lenses, we generated EphA2 and ephrin-A5 double knockout (DKO) mice. We compared the phenotypes of EphA2(-/-) and ephrin-A5(-/-) lenses to that of DKO lenses. DKO lenses displayed an additive lens phenotype that was not significantly different from the two single KO lens phenotypes. Similar to ephrin-A5(-/-) lenses, DKO lenses had abnormal anterior epithelial cells leading to a large mass of epithelial cells that invade into the underlying fiber cell layer, directly resulting in anterior cataracts in ephrin-A5(-/-) and DKO lenses. Yet, similar to EphA2(-/-) lenses, DKO lenses also had abnormal packing of equatorial epithelial cells with disorganized meridional rows, lack of a lens fulcrum and disrupted fiber cells. The DKO lens phenotype rules out abnormal signaling by EphA2 in ephrin-A5(-/-) lenses or by ephrin-A5 in EphA2(-/-) lenses as possible cataract mechanisms. Thus, these results indicate that EphA2 and ephrin-A5 do not form a lens receptor-ligand pair, and that EphA2 and ephrin-A5 have other binding partners in the lens to help align differentiating equatorial epithelial cells or maintain the anterior epithelium, respectively.
Collapse
|
10
|
Braun GS, Kuszka A, Dau C, Kriz W, Moeller MJ. Interaction of atypical cadherin Fat1 with SoHo adaptor proteins CAP/ponsin and ArgBP2. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2016; 472:88-94. [PMID: 26903299 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.02.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian Fat1 is a giant atypical cadherin/tumor suppressor involved in the regulation of cellular orientation, migration, and growth. Fat1 is implicated in the development of the brain, eye, and kidney. Altered expression or mutations of FAT1 are also associated with cancer and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). Yet, the mechanistic functions of this pathway remain incompletely understood. Here, we report the identification of Sorbin-homology (SoHo) proteins as novel interaction partners of Fat1 by virtue of a yeast-two-hybrid screen. SoHo proteins play diverse roles as adaptor proteins in cell signaling, cell adhesion and sarcomere architecture, including altered expression in cancer and FSHD. Specifically, we found SoHo proteins CAP/ponsin-1 and -2 (Sorbs1) and ArgBP2 (Sorbs2) to interact with the cytoplasmic domain of Fat1. We mapped the interaction to a prolin-rich classic type II PXXP motif within Fat1 and to the three Src-homology (SH3) domains within SoHo proteins using mutant expression in yeast, pulldown assays, and cell culture. Functionally, endogenous ponsin-2 expression of NRK-52E cells at cellular leading edges was lost upon knockdown of Fat1. In summary, our data point to an interaction of Fat1 with SoHo proteins that is able to recruit SoHo proteins to sites of Fat1 expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gerald S Braun
- Division of Nephrology and Immunology, RWTH Aachen University, Germany.
| | | | - Cécile Dau
- Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Spital mit Gottfried von Preyer'schem Kinderspital, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wilhelm Kriz
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, Medical Faculty Mannheim of the University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marcus J Moeller
- Division of Nephrology and Immunology, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| |
Collapse
|