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Gilbert HTJ, Wignall FEJ, Zeef L, Hoyland JA, Richardson SM. Transcriptomic profiling reveals key early response genes during GDF6-mediated differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells to nucleus pulposus cells. JOR Spine 2024; 7:e1315. [PMID: 38249721 PMCID: PMC10797253 DOI: 10.1002/jsp2.1315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Stem cell-based therapies show promise as a means of repairing the degenerate intervertebral disc, with growth factors often used alongside cells to help direct differentiation toward a nucleus pulposus (NP)-like phenotype. We previously demonstrated adipose-derived stem cell (ASC) differentiation with GDF6 as optimal for generating NP-like cells through evaluating end-stage differentiation parameters. Here we conducted a time-resolved transcriptomic characterization of ASCs response to GDF6 stimulation to understand the early drivers of differentiation to NP-like cells. Methods Human ASCs were treated with recombinant human GDF6 for 2, 6, and 12 h. RNA sequencing and detailed bioinformatic analysis were used to assess differential gene expression, gene ontology (GO), and transcription factor involvement during early differentiation. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to validate RNA sequencing findings and inhibitors used to interrogate Smad and Erk signaling pathways, as well as identify primary and secondary response genes. Results The transcriptomic response of ASCs to GDF6 stimulation was time-resolved and highly structured, with "cell differentiation" "developmental processes," and "response to stimulus" identified as key biological process GO terms. The transcription factor ERG1 was identified as a key early response gene. Temporal cluster analysis of differentiation genes identified positive regulation NP cell differentiation, as well as inhibition of osteogenesis and adipogenesis. A role for Smad and Erk signaling in the regulation of GDF6-induced early gene expression response was observed and both primary and secondary response genes were identified. Conclusions This study identifies a multifactorial early gene response that contributes to lineage commitment, with the identification of a number of potentially useful early markers of differentiation of ASCs to NP cells. This detailed insight into the molecular processes in response to GDF6 stimulation of ASCs is important for the development of an efficient and efficacious cell-based therapy for intervertebral disc degeneration-associated back pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamish T. J. Gilbert
- Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and HealthUniversity of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Sciences CentreManchesterUK
| | - Francis E. J. Wignall
- Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and HealthUniversity of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Sciences CentreManchesterUK
| | - Leo Zeef
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & HealthUniversity of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Judith A. Hoyland
- Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and HealthUniversity of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Sciences CentreManchesterUK
| | - Stephen M. Richardson
- Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and HealthUniversity of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Sciences CentreManchesterUK
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Freudenstein D, Lippert M, Popp JS, Aprato J, Wegner M, Sock E, Haase S, Linker RA, González Alvarado MN. Endogenous Sox8 is a critical factor for timely remyelination and oligodendroglial cell repletion in the cuprizone model. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22272. [PMID: 38097655 PMCID: PMC10721603 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49476-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) downstream of the transcription factor Sox8, associated with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). Sox8 is known to influence oligodendrocyte terminal differentiation and is involved in myelin maintenance by mature oligodendrocytes. The possible link of a Sox8 related SNP and MS risk, along with the role of Sox8 in oligodendrocyte physiology prompted us to investigate its relevance during de- and remyelination using the cuprizone model. Sox8-/- mice and wildtype littermates received a cuprizone diet for 5 weeks (wk). Sox8-/- mice showed reduced motor performance and weight compared to wildtype controls. Brains were histologically analysed at the maximum of demyelination (wk 5) and on two time points during remyelination (wk 5.5 and wk 6) for oligodendroglial, astroglial, microglial and myelin markers. We identified reduced proliferation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells at wk 5 as well as reduced numbers of mature oligodendrocytes in Sox8-/- mice at wk 6. Moreover, analysis of myelin markers revealed a delay in remyelination in the Sox8-/- group, demonstrating the potential importance of Sox8 in remyelination processes. Our findings present, for the first time, compelling evidence of a significant role of Sox8 in the context of a disease model.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Freudenstein
- Neuroimmunology Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Magdalena Lippert
- Neuroimmunology Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Janina Sophie Popp
- Neuroimmunology Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Jessica Aprato
- Institute of Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Michael Wegner
- Institute of Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Sock
- Institute of Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefanie Haase
- Neuroimmunology Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Ralf A Linker
- Neuroimmunology Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - María Nazareth González Alvarado
- Neuroimmunology Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
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Kravic B, Harbauer AB, Romanello V, Simeone L, Vögtle FN, Kaiser T, Straubinger M, Huraskin D, Böttcher M, Cerqua C, Martin ED, Poveda-Huertes D, Buttgereit A, Rabalski AJ, Heuss D, Rudolf R, Friedrich O, Litchfield D, Marber M, Salviati L, Mougiakakos D, Neuhuber W, Sandri M, Meisinger C, Hashemolhosseini S. In mammalian skeletal muscle, phosphorylation of TOMM22 by protein kinase CSNK2/CK2 controls mitophagy. Autophagy 2018; 14:311-335. [PMID: 29165030 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2017.1403716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In yeast, Tom22, the central component of the TOMM (translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane) receptor complex, is responsible for the recognition and translocation of synthesized mitochondrial precursor proteins, and its protein kinase CK2-dependent phosphorylation is mandatory for TOMM complex biogenesis and proper mitochondrial protein import. In mammals, the biological function of protein kinase CSNK2/CK2 remains vastly elusive and it is unknown whether CSNK2-dependent phosphorylation of TOMM protein subunits has a similar role as that in yeast. To address this issue, we used a skeletal muscle-specific Csnk2b/Ck2β-conditional knockout (cKO) mouse model. Phenotypically, these skeletal muscle Csnk2b cKO mice showed reduced muscle strength and abnormal metabolic activity of mainly oxidative muscle fibers, which point towards mitochondrial dysfunction. Enzymatically, active muscle lysates from skeletal muscle Csnk2b cKO mice phosphorylate murine TOMM22, the mammalian ortholog of yeast Tom22, to a lower extent than lysates prepared from controls. Mechanistically, CSNK2-mediated phosphorylation of TOMM22 changes its binding affinity for mitochondrial precursor proteins. However, in contrast to yeast, mitochondrial protein import seems not to be affected in vitro using mitochondria isolated from muscles of skeletal muscle Csnk2b cKO mice. PINK1, a mitochondrial health sensor that undergoes constitutive import under physiological conditions, accumulates within skeletal muscle Csnk2b cKO fibers and labels abnormal mitochondria for removal by mitophagy as demonstrated by the appearance of mitochondria-containing autophagosomes through electron microscopy. Mitophagy can be normalized by either introduction of a phosphomimetic TOMM22 mutant in cultured myotubes, or by in vivo electroporation of phosphomimetic Tomm22 into muscles of mice. Importantly, transfection of the phosphomimetic Tomm22 mutant in muscle cells with ablated Csnk2b restored their oxygen consumption rate comparable to wild-type levels. In sum, our data show that mammalian CSNK2-dependent phosphorylation of TOMM22 is a critical switch for mitophagy and reveal CSNK2-dependent physiological implications on metabolism, muscle integrity and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bojana Kravic
- a Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty , Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg , Erlangen , Germany
| | - Angelika B Harbauer
- b Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ZBMZ, Faculty of Biology , University of Freiburg , Germany
| | - Vanina Romanello
- c Department of Biomedical Science , University of Padova , Padova , Italy
| | - Luca Simeone
- a Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty , Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg , Erlangen , Germany
| | - F-Nora Vögtle
- l Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ZBMZ, BIOSS (Centre for Biological Signalling Studies), Faculty of Medicine , University of Freiburg , Germany
| | - Tobias Kaiser
- a Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty , Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg , Erlangen , Germany
| | - Marion Straubinger
- a Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty , Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg , Erlangen , Germany
| | - Danyil Huraskin
- a Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty , Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg , Erlangen , Germany
| | - Martin Böttcher
- d Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, Medical Faculty , Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg , Erlangen , Germany
| | - Cristina Cerqua
- e Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Woman and Child Health , University of Padova, IRP Città della Speranza , Padova , Italy
| | - Eva Denise Martin
- f King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, The Rayne Institute , St Thomas' Hospital , London , United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Poveda-Huertes
- b Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ZBMZ, Faculty of Biology , University of Freiburg , Germany
| | - Andreas Buttgereit
- g Institute of Medical Biotechnology , Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg , Erlangen , Germany
| | | | - Dieter Heuss
- i Department of Neurology , University Hospital of Erlangen, Medical Faculty, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg , Erlangen , Germany
| | - Rüdiger Rudolf
- j University of Applied Sciences Mannheim , Mannheim , Germany
| | - Oliver Friedrich
- g Institute of Medical Biotechnology , Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg , Erlangen , Germany
| | | | - Michael Marber
- f King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, The Rayne Institute , St Thomas' Hospital , London , United Kingdom
| | - Leonardo Salviati
- e Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Woman and Child Health , University of Padova, IRP Città della Speranza , Padova , Italy
| | - Dimitrios Mougiakakos
- d Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, Medical Faculty , Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg , Erlangen , Germany
| | - Winfried Neuhuber
- k Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty , Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg , Erlangen , Germany
| | - Marco Sandri
- c Department of Biomedical Science , University of Padova , Padova , Italy
| | - Chris Meisinger
- l Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ZBMZ, BIOSS (Centre for Biological Signalling Studies), Faculty of Medicine , University of Freiburg , Germany
| | - Said Hashemolhosseini
- a Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty , Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg , Erlangen , Germany
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Cheung LYM, Okano H, Camper SA. Sox21 deletion in mice causes postnatal growth deficiency without physiological disruption of hypothalamic-pituitary endocrine axes. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2017; 439:213-223. [PMID: 27616671 PMCID: PMC5123967 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2016.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Revised: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary axes are the coordinating centers for multiple endocrine gland functions and physiological processes. Defects in the hypothalamus or pituitary gland can cause reduced growth and severe short stature, affecting approximately 1 in 4000 children, and a large percentage of cases of pituitary hormone deficiencies do not have an identified genetic cause. SOX21 is a protein that regulates hair, neural, and trophoblast stem cell differentiation. Mice lacking Sox21 have reduced growth, but the etiology of this growth defect has not been described. We studied the expression of Sox21 in hypothalamic-pituitary development and examined multiple endocrine axes in these mice. We find no evidence of reduced intrauterine growth, food intake, or physical activity, but there is evidence for increased energy expenditure in mutants. In addition, despite changes in pituitary hormone expression, hypothalamic-pituitary axes appear to be functional. Therefore, SOX21 variants may be a cause of non-endocrine short stature in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonard Y M Cheung
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Sally A Camper
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Nakka P, Raphael BJ, Ramachandran S. Gene and Network Analysis of Common Variants Reveals Novel Associations in Multiple Complex Diseases. Genetics 2016; 204:783-798. [PMID: 27489002 PMCID: PMC5068862 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.116.188391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 07/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association (GWA) studies typically lack power to detect genotypes significantly associated with complex diseases, where different causal mutations of small effect may be present across cases. A common, tractable approach for identifying genomic elements associated with complex traits is to evaluate combinations of variants in known pathways or gene sets with shared biological function. Such gene-set analyses require the computation of gene-level P-values or gene scores; these gene scores are also useful when generating hypotheses for experimental validation. However, commonly used methods for generating GWA gene scores are computationally inefficient, biased by gene length, imprecise, or have low true positive rate (TPR) at low false positive rates (FPR), leading to erroneous hypotheses for functional validation. Here we introduce a new method, PEGASUS, for analytically calculating gene scores. PEGASUS produces gene scores with as much as 10 orders of magnitude higher numerical precision than competing methods. In simulation, PEGASUS outperforms existing methods, achieving up to 30% higher TPR when the FPR is fixed at 1%. We use gene scores from PEGASUS as input to HotNet2 to identify networks of interacting genes associated with multiple complex diseases and traits; this is the first application of HotNet2 to common variation. In ulcerative colitis and waist-hip ratio, we discover networks that include genes previously associated with these phenotypes, as well as novel candidate genes. In contrast, existing methods fail to identify these networks. We also identify networks for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, in which GWA studies have yet to identify any significant SNPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Nakka
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912 Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912
| | - Benjamin J Raphael
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912 Department of Computer Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912
| | - Sohini Ramachandran
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912 Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912
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Levitsky LL. Nutrition and growth - a multitude of manifestations and room for further investigation. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes 2016; 23:48-50. [PMID: 26702850 DOI: 10.1097/med.0000000000000223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Luther J, Driessler F, Megges M, Hess A, Herbort B, Mandic V, Zaiss MM, Reichardt A, Zech C, Tuckermann JP, Calkhoven CF, Wagner EF, Schett G, David JP. Elevated Fra-1 expression causes severe lipodystrophy. J Cell Sci 2011; 124:1465-76. [PMID: 21486951 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.079855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A shift from osteoblastogenesis to adipogenesis is one of the underlying mechanisms of decreased bone mass and increased fat during aging. We now uncover a new role for the transcription factor Fra-1 in suppressing adipogenesis. Indeed, Fra1 (Fosl1) transgenic (Fra1tg) mice, which developed progressive osteosclerosis as a result of accelerated osteoblast differentiation, also developed a severe general lipodystrophy. The residual fat of these mice appeared immature and expressed lower levels of adipogenic markers, including the fatty acid transporter Cd36 and the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein Cebpa. Consequently accumulation of triglycerides and free fatty acids were detected in the serum of fasting Fra1tg mice. Fra-1 acts cell autonomously because the adipogenic differentiation of Fra1 transgenic primary osteoblasts was drastically reduced, and overexpression of Fra-1 in an adipogenic cell line blocked their differentiation into adipocytes. Strikingly, Cebpa was downregulated in the Fra-1-overexpressing cells and Fra-1 could bind to the Cebpa promoter and directly suppress its activity. Thus, our data add to the known common systemic control of fat and bone mass, a new cell-autonomous level of control of cell fate decision by which the osteogenic transcription factor Fra-1 opposes adipocyte differentiation by inhibiting C/EBPα.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Luther
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, D91054 Erlangen, Germany
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Reginensi A, Clarkson M, Neirijnck Y, Lu B, Ohyama T, Groves AK, Sock E, Wegner M, Costantini F, Chaboissier MC, Schedl A. SOX9 controls epithelial branching by activating RET effector genes during kidney development. Hum Mol Genet 2011; 20:1143-53. [PMID: 21212101 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddq558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract are some of the most common defects detected in the unborn child. Kidney growth is controlled by the GDNF/RET signalling pathway, but the molecular events required for the activation of RET downstream targets are still poorly understood. Here we show that SOX9, a gene involved in campomelic dysplasia (CD) in humans, together with its close homologue SOX8, plays an essential role in RET signalling. Expression of SOX9 can be found from the earliest stages of renal development within the ureteric tip, the ureter mesenchyme and in a segment-specific manner during nephrogenesis. Using a tissue-specific knockout approach, we show that, in the ureteric tip, SOX8 and SOX9 are required for ureter branching, and double-knockout mutants exhibit severe kidney defects ranging from hypoplastic kidneys to renal agenesis. Further genetic analysis shows that SOX8/9 are required downstream of GDNF signalling for the activation of RET effector genes such as Sprouty1 and Etv5. At later stages of development, SOX9 is required to maintain ureteric tip identity and SOX9 ablation induces ectopic nephron formation. Taken together, our study shows that SOX9 acts at multiple steps during kidney organogenesis and identifies SOX8 and SOX9 as key factors within the RET signalling pathway. Our results also explain the aetiology of kidney hypoplasia found in a proportion of CD patients.
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