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Chen P, Long J, Hua T, Zheng Z, Xiao Y, Chen L, Yu K, Wu W, Zhang S. Transcriptome and open chromatin analysis reveals the process of myocardial cell development and key pathogenic target proteins in Long QT syndrome type 7. J Transl Med 2024; 22:307. [PMID: 38528561 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05125-7] [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: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Long QT syndrome type 7 (Andersen-Tawil syndrome, ATS), which is caused by KCNJ2 gene mutation, often leads to ventricular arrhythmia, periodic paralysis and skeletal malformations. The development, differentiation and electrophysiological maturation of cardiomyocytes (CMs) changes promote the pathophysiology of Long QT syndrome type 7(LQT7). We aimed to specifically reproduce the ATS disease phenotype and study the pathogenic mechanism. METHODS AND RESULTS We established a cardiac cell model derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to the phenotypes and electrophysiological function, and the establishment of a human myocardial cell model that specifically reproduces the symptoms of ATS provides a reliable platform for exploring the mechanism of this disease or potential drugs. The spontaneous pulsation rate of myocardial cells in the mutation group was significantly lower than that in the repair CRISPR group, the action potential duration was prolonged, and the Kir2.1 current of the inward rectifier potassium ion channel was decreased, which is consistent with the clinical symptoms of ATS patients. Only ZNF528, a chromatin-accessible TF related to pathogenicity, was continuously regulated beginning from the cardiac mesodermal precursor cell stage (day 4), and continued to be expressed at low levels, which was identified by WGCNA method and verified with ATAC-seq data in the mutation group. Subsequently, it indicated that seven pathways were downregulated (all p < 0.05) by used single sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis to evaluate the overall regulation of potassium-related pathways enriched in the transcriptome and proteome of late mature CMs. Among them, the three pathways (GO: 0008076, GO: 1990573 and GO: 0030007) containing the mutated gene KCNJ2 is involved that are related to the whole process by which a potassium ion enters the cell via the inward rectifier potassium channel to exert its effect were inhibited. The other four pathways are related to regulation of the potassium transmembrane pathway and sodium:potassium exchange ATPase (p < 0.05). ZNF528 small interfering (si)-RNA was applied to hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes for CRISPR group to explore changes in potassium ion currents and growth and development related target protein levels that affect disease phenotype. Three consistently downregulated proteins (KCNJ2, CTTN and ATP1B1) associated with pathogenicity were verificated through correlation and intersection analysis. CONCLUSION This study uncovers TFs and target proteins related to electrophysiology and developmental pathogenicity in ATS myocardial cells, obtaining novel targets for potential therapeutic candidate development that does not rely on gene editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peipei Chen
- Department of Clinical Nutrition & Health Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Junyu Long
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Tianrui Hua
- Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Zhifa Zheng
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Xiao
- Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Lianfeng Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Kang Yu
- Department of Clinical Nutrition & Health Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
| | - Shuyang Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
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Lee C, Xu S, Samad T, Goodyer WR, Raissadati A, Heinrich P, Wu SM. The cardiac conduction system: History, development, and disease. Curr Top Dev Biol 2024; 156:157-200. [PMID: 38556422 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2024.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
The heart is the first organ to form during embryonic development, establishing the circulatory infrastructure necessary to sustain life and enable downstream organogenesis. Critical to the heart's function is its ability to initiate and propagate electrical impulses that allow for the coordinated contraction and relaxation of its chambers, and thus, the movement of blood and nutrients. Several specialized structures within the heart, collectively known as the cardiac conduction system (CCS), are responsible for this phenomenon. In this review, we discuss the discovery and scientific history of the mammalian cardiac conduction system as well as the key genes and transcription factors implicated in the formation of its major structures. We also describe known human diseases related to CCS development and explore existing challenges in the clinical context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carissa Lee
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Sidra Xu
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Tahmina Samad
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States; Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - William R Goodyer
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States; Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Alireza Raissadati
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States; Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Paul Heinrich
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States; Regenerative Medicine in Cardiovascular Diseases, First Department of Medicine, Cardiology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Sean M Wu
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States; Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States.
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Hikspoors JPJM, Kruepunga N, Mommen GMC, Köhler SE, Anderson RH, Lamers WH. Human Cardiac Development. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1441:3-55. [PMID: 38884703 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-44087-8_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Many aspects of heart development are topographically complex and require three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction to understand the pertinent morphology. We have recently completed a comprehensive primer of human cardiac development that is based on firsthand segmentation of structures of interest in histological sections. We visualized the hearts of 12 human embryos between their first appearance at 3.5 weeks and the end of the embryonic period at 8 weeks. The models were presented as calibrated, interactive, 3D portable document format (PDF) files. We used them to describe the appearance and the subsequent remodeling of around 70 different structures incrementally for each of the reconstructed stages. In this chapter, we begin our account by describing the formation of the single heart tube, which occurs at the end of the fourth week subsequent to conception. We describe its looping in the fifth week, the formation of the cardiac compartments in the sixth week, and, finally, the septation of these compartments into the physically separated left- and right-sided circulations in the seventh and eighth weeks. The phases are successive, albeit partially overlapping. Thus, the basic cardiac layout is established between 26 and 32 days after fertilization and is described as Carnegie stages (CSs) 9 through 14, with development in the outlet component trailing that in the inlet parts. Septation at the venous pole is completed at CS17, equivalent to almost 6 weeks of development. During Carnegie stages 17 and 18, in the seventh week, the outflow tract and arterial pole undergo major remodeling, including incorporation of the proximal portion of the outflow tract into the ventricles and transfer of the spiraling course of the subaortic and subpulmonary channels to the intrapericardial arterial trunks. Remodeling of the interventricular foramen, with its eventual closure, is complete at CS20, which occurs at the end of the seventh week. We provide quantitative correlations between the age of human and mouse embryos as well as the Carnegie stages of development. We have also set our descriptions in the context of variations in the timing of developmental features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill P J M Hikspoors
- Department of Anatomy & Embryology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | - Nutmethee Kruepunga
- Department of Anatomy & Embryology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Present address: Department of Anatomy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Greet M C Mommen
- Department of Anatomy & Embryology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - S Eleonore Köhler
- Department of Anatomy & Embryology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Robert H Anderson
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Wouter H Lamers
- Department of Anatomy & Embryology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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4
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van der Maarel LE, Christoffels VM. Development of the Cardiac Conduction System. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1441:185-200. [PMID: 38884712 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-44087-8_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
The electrical impulses that coordinate the sequential, rhythmic contractions of the atria and ventricles are initiated and tightly regulated by the specialized tissues of the cardiac conduction system. In the mature heart, these impulses are generated by the pacemaker cardiomyocytes of the sinoatrial node, propagated through the atria to the atrioventricular node where they are delayed and then rapidly propagated to the atrioventricular bundle, right and left bundle branches, and finally, the peripheral ventricular conduction system. Each of these specialized components arise by complex patterning events during embryonic development. This chapter addresses the origins and transcriptional networks and signaling pathways that drive the development and maintain the function of the cardiac conduction system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lieve E van der Maarel
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent M Christoffels
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Melzer MK, Schirge S, Gout J, Arnold F, Srinivasan D, Burtscher I, Allgöwer C, Mulaw M, Zengerling F, Günes C, Lickert H, Christoffels VM, Liebau S, Wagner M, Seufferlein T, Bolenz C, Moon AM, Perkhofer L, Kleger A. TBX3 is dynamically expressed in pancreatic organogenesis and fine-tunes regeneration. BMC Biol 2023; 21:55. [PMID: 36941669 PMCID: PMC10029195 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01553-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The reactivation of genetic programs from early development is a common mechanism for injury-induced organ regeneration. T-box 3 (TBX3) is a member of the T-box family of transcription factors previously shown to regulate pluripotency and subsequent lineage commitment in a number of tissues, including limb and lung. TBX3 is also involved in lung and heart organogenesis. Here, we provide a comprehensive and thorough characterization of TBX3 and its role during pancreatic organogenesis and regeneration. RESULTS We interrogated the level and cell specificity of TBX3 in the developing and adult pancreas at mRNA and protein levels at multiple developmental stages in mouse and human pancreas. We employed conditional mutagenesis to determine its role in murine pancreatic development and in regeneration after the induction of acute pancreatitis. We found that Tbx3 is dynamically expressed in the pancreatic mesenchyme and epithelium. While Tbx3 is expressed in the developing pancreas, its absence is likely compensated by other factors after ablation from either the mesenchymal or epithelial compartments. In an adult model of acute pancreatitis, we found that a lack of Tbx3 resulted in increased proliferation and fibrosis as well as an enhanced inflammatory gene programs, indicating that Tbx3 has a role in tissue homeostasis and regeneration. CONCLUSIONS TBX3 demonstrates dynamic expression patterns in the pancreas. Although TBX3 is dispensable for proper pancreatic development, its absence leads to altered organ regeneration after induction of acute pancreatitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Karl Melzer
- Clinic of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany
- Clinic of Urology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Stem Cell Biology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany
| | - Silvia Schirge
- Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research, Helmholtz Diabetes Center, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Johann Gout
- Clinic of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Stem Cell Biology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany
| | - Frank Arnold
- Clinic of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Stem Cell Biology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany
| | - Dharini Srinivasan
- Clinic of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Stem Cell Biology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany
| | - Ingo Burtscher
- Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research, Helmholtz Diabetes Center, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Chantal Allgöwer
- Clinic of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Stem Cell Biology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany
| | - Medhanie Mulaw
- Unit for Single-cell Genomics, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Cagatay Günes
- Clinic of Urology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany
| | - Heiko Lickert
- Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research, Helmholtz Diabetes Center, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Chair of b-Cell Biology, Technische Universität München, School of Medicine, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, 81675, München, Germany
| | - Vincent M Christoffels
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 15, 1105AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan Liebau
- Institute of Neuroanatomy & Developmental Biology (INDB), Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Österbergstrasse 3, 72074, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Martin Wagner
- Clinic of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany
| | - Thomas Seufferlein
- Clinic of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany
| | | | - Anne M Moon
- Department of Molecular and Functional Genomics, Weis Center for Research, Geisinger Clinic, Danville, PA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics (adjunct), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- The Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Hess Center for Science and Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lukas Perkhofer
- Clinic of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Stem Cell Biology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany
| | - Alexander Kleger
- Clinic of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany.
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Stem Cell Biology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, 89081, Germany.
- Core Facility Organoids, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
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A pictorial account of the human embryonic heart between 3.5 and 8 weeks of development. Commun Biol 2022; 5:226. [PMID: 35277594 PMCID: PMC8917235 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03153-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractHeart development is topographically complex and requires visualization to understand its progression. No comprehensive 3-dimensional primer of human cardiac development is currently available. We prepared detailed reconstructions of 12 hearts between 3.5 and 8 weeks post fertilization, using Amira® 3D-reconstruction and Cinema4D®-remodeling software. The models were visualized as calibrated interactive 3D-PDFs. We describe the developmental appearance and subsequent remodeling of 70 different structures incrementally, using sequential segmental analysis. Pictorial timelines of structures highlight age-dependent events, while graphs visualize growth and spiraling of the wall of the heart tube. The basic cardiac layout is established between 3.5 and 4.5 weeks. Septation at the venous pole is completed at 6 weeks. Between 5.5 and 6.5 weeks, as the outflow tract becomes incorporated in the ventricles, the spiraling course of its subaortic and subpulmonary channels is transferred to the intrapericardial arterial trunks. The remodeling of the interventricular foramen is complete at 7 weeks.
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Minhas R, Loeffler-Wirth H, Siddiqui YH, Obrębski T, Vashisht S, Abu Nahia K, Paterek A, Brzozowska A, Bugajski L, Piwocka K, Korzh V, Binder H, Winata CL. Transcriptome profile of the sinoatrial ring reveals conserved and novel genetic programs of the zebrafish pacemaker. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:715. [PMID: 34600492 PMCID: PMC8487553 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08016-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sinoatrial Node (SAN) is part of the cardiac conduction system, which controls the rhythmic contraction of the vertebrate heart. The SAN consists of a specialized pacemaker cell population that has the potential to generate electrical impulses. Although the SAN pacemaker has been extensively studied in mammalian and teleost models, including the zebrafish, their molecular nature remains inadequately comprehended. RESULTS To characterize the molecular profile of the zebrafish sinoatrial ring (SAR) and elucidate the mechanism of pacemaker function, we utilized the transgenic line sqet33mi59BEt to isolate cells of the SAR of developing zebrafish embryos and profiled their transcriptome. Our analyses identified novel candidate genes and well-known conserved signaling pathways involved in pacemaker development. We show that, compared to the rest of the heart, the zebrafish SAR overexpresses several mammalian SAN pacemaker signature genes, which include hcn4 as well as those encoding calcium- and potassium-gated channels. Moreover, genes encoding components of the BMP and Wnt signaling pathways, as well as members of the Tbx family, which have previously been implicated in pacemaker development, were also overexpressed in the SAR. Among SAR-overexpressed genes, 24 had human homologues implicated in 104 different ClinVar phenotype entries related to various forms of congenital heart diseases, which suggest the relevance of our transcriptomics resource to studying human heart conditions. Finally, functional analyses of three SAR-overexpressed genes, pard6a, prom2, and atp1a1a.2, uncovered their novel role in heart development and physiology. CONCLUSION Our results established conserved aspects between zebrafish and mammalian pacemaker function and revealed novel factors implicated in maintaining cardiac rhythm. The transcriptome data generated in this study represents a unique and valuable resource for the study of pacemaker function and associated heart diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashid Minhas
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- Randall Centre of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Henry Loeffler-Wirth
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Yusra H Siddiqui
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- School of Human Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, University of Derby, Derby, UK
| | - Tomasz Obrębski
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Shikha Vashisht
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karim Abu Nahia
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alexandra Paterek
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Angelika Brzozowska
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Lukasz Bugajski
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Laboratory of Cytometry, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Piwocka
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Laboratory of Cytometry, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Vladimir Korzh
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Hans Binder
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cecilia Lanny Winata
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
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New Insights into the Development and Morphogenesis of the Cardiac Purkinje Fiber Network: Linking Architecture and Function. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2021; 8:jcdd8080095. [PMID: 34436237 PMCID: PMC8397066 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd8080095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid propagation of electrical activity through the ventricular conduction system (VCS) controls spatiotemporal contraction of the ventricles. Cardiac conduction defects or arrhythmias in humans are often associated with mutations in key cardiac transcription factors that have been shown to play important roles in VCS morphogenesis in mice. Understanding of the mechanisms of VCS development is thus crucial to decipher the etiology of conduction disturbances in adults. During embryogenesis, the VCS, consisting of the His bundle, bundle branches, and the distal Purkinje network, originates from two independent progenitor populations in the primary ring and the ventricular trabeculae. Differentiation into fast-conducting cardiomyocytes occurs progressively as ventricles develop to form a unique electrical pathway at late fetal stages. The objectives of this review are to highlight the structure–function relationship between VCS morphogenesis and conduction defects and to discuss recent data on the origin and development of the VCS with a focus on the distal Purkinje fiber network.
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Zhang C, Li Y, Cao J, Yu B, Zhang K, Li K, Xu X, Guo Z, Liang Y, Yang X, Yang Z, Sun Y, Kaartinen V, Ding K, Wang J. Hedgehog signalling controls sinoatrial node development and atrioventricular cushion formation. Open Biol 2021; 11:210020. [PMID: 34062094 PMCID: PMC8169207 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.210020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Smoothened is a key receptor of the hedgehog pathway, but the roles of Smoothened in cardiac development remain incompletely understood. In this study, we found that the conditional knockout of Smoothened from the mesoderm impaired the development of the venous pole of the heart and resulted in hypoplasia of the atrium/inflow tract (IFT) and a low heart rate. The blockage of Smoothened led to reduced expression of genes critical for sinoatrial node (SAN) development in the IFT. In a cardiac cell culture model, we identified a Gli2–Tbx5–Hcn4 pathway that controls SAN development. In the mutant embryos, the endocardial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) in the atrioventricular cushion failed, and Bmp signalling was downregulated. The addition of Bmp2 rescued the EndMT in mutant explant cultures. Furthermore, we analysed Gli2+ scRNAseq and Tbx5−/− RNAseq data and explored the potential genes downstream of hedgehog signalling in posterior second heart field derivatives. In conclusion, our study reveals that Smoothened-mediated hedgehog signalling controls posterior cardiac progenitor commitment, which suggests that the mutation of Smoothened might be involved in the aetiology of congenital heart diseases related to the cardiac conduction system and heart valves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaohui Zhang
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuxin Li
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiaheng Cao
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Beibei Yu
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Kaiyue Zhang
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Ke Li
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinhui Xu
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhikun Guo
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yinming Liang
- Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Molecular Diagnosis and Laboratory Medicine, School of Laboratory Medicine, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhongzhou Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunfu Sun
- Key Laboratory of Arrhythmia, Ministry of Education, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200120, People's Republic of China
| | - Vesa Kaartinen
- Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Keyue Ding
- Medical Genetic Institute of Henan Province, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Provincial People's Hospital of Henan University, Zhengzhou 450003, People's Republic of China
| | - Jikui Wang
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
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10
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Kolesová H, Olejníčková V, Kvasilová A, Gregorovičová M, Sedmera D. Tissue clearing and imaging methods for cardiovascular development. iScience 2021; 24:102387. [PMID: 33981974 PMCID: PMC8086021 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tissue imaging in 3D using visible light is limited and various clearing techniques were developed to increase imaging depth, but none provides universal solution for all tissues at all developmental stages. In this review, we focus on different tissue clearing methods for 3D imaging of heart and vasculature, based on chemical composition (solvent-based, simple immersion, hyperhydration, and hydrogel embedding techniques). We discuss in detail compatibility of various tissue clearing techniques with visualization methods: fluorescence preservation, immunohistochemistry, nuclear staining, and fluorescent dyes vascular perfusion. We also discuss myocardium visualization using autofluorescence, tissue shrinking, and expansion. Then we overview imaging methods used to study cardiovascular system and live imaging. We discuss heart and vessels segmentation methods and image analysis. The review covers the whole process of cardiovascular system 3D imaging, starting from tissue clearing and its compatibility with various visualization methods to the types of imaging methods and resulting image analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana Kolesová
- Institute of Anatomy, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Olejníčková
- Institute of Anatomy, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Alena Kvasilová
- Institute of Anatomy, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Gregorovičová
- Institute of Anatomy, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - David Sedmera
- Institute of Anatomy, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
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11
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Kawashima T, Sato F. First in situ 3D visualization of the human cardiac conduction system and its transformation associated with heart contour and inclination. Sci Rep 2021; 11:8636. [PMID: 33883659 PMCID: PMC8060315 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88109-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Current advanced imaging modalities with applied tracing and processing techniques provide excellent visualization of almost all human internal structures in situ; however, the actual 3D internal arrangement of the human cardiac conduction system (CCS) is still unknown. This study is the first to document the successful 3D visualization of the CCS from the sinus node to the bundle branches within the human body, based on our specialized physical micro-dissection and its CT imaging. The 3D CCS transformation by cardiac inclination changes from the standing to the lying position is also provided. Both actual dissection and its CT image-based simulation identified that when the cardiac inclination changed from standing to lying, the sinus node shifted from the dorso-superior to the right outer position and the atrioventricular conduction axis changed from a vertical to a leftward horizontal position. In situ localization of the human CCS provides accurate anatomical localization with morphometric data, and it indicates the useful correlation between heart inclination and CCS rotation axes for predicting the variable and invisible human CCS in the living body. Advances in future imaging modalities and methodology are essential for further accurate in situ 3D CCS visualization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomokazu Kawashima
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Toho University, 5-21-16 Omori-Nishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo, 143-8540, Japan.
| | - Fumi Sato
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Toho University, 5-21-16 Omori-Nishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo, 143-8540, Japan
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12
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Abstract
Cardiac development is a complex developmental process that is initiated soon after gastrulation, as two sets of precardiac mesodermal precursors are symmetrically located and subsequently fused at the embryonic midline forming the cardiac straight tube. Thereafter, the cardiac straight tube invariably bends to the right, configuring the first sign of morphological left–right asymmetry and soon thereafter the atrial and ventricular chambers are formed, expanded and progressively septated. As a consequence of all these morphogenetic processes, the fetal heart acquired a four-chambered structure having distinct inlet and outlet connections and a specialized conduction system capable of directing the electrical impulse within the fully formed heart. Over the last decades, our understanding of the morphogenetic, cellular, and molecular pathways involved in cardiac development has exponentially grown. Multiples aspects of the initial discoveries during heart formation has served as guiding tools to understand the etiology of cardiac congenital anomalies and adult cardiac pathology, as well as to enlighten novels approaches to heal the damaged heart. In this review we provide an overview of the complex cellular and molecular pathways driving heart morphogenesis and how those discoveries have provided new roads into the genetic, clinical and therapeutic management of the diseased hearts.
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13
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Bhattacharyya S, Munshi NV. Development of the Cardiac Conduction System. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2020; 12:cshperspect.a037408. [PMID: 31988140 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a037408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The cardiac conduction system initiates and propagates each heartbeat. Specialized conducting cells are a well-conserved phenomenon across vertebrate evolution, although mammalian and avian species harbor specific components unique to organisms with four-chamber hearts. Early histological studies in mammals provided evidence for a dominant pacemaker within the right atrium and clarified the existence of the specialized muscular axis responsible for atrioventricular conduction. Building on these seminal observations, contemporary genetic techniques in a multitude of model organisms has characterized the developmental ontogeny, gene regulatory networks, and functional importance of individual anatomical compartments within the cardiac conduction system. This review describes in detail the transcriptional and regulatory networks that act during cardiac conduction system development and homeostasis with a particular emphasis on networks implicated in human electrical variation by large genome-wide association studies. We conclude with a discussion of the clinical implications of these studies and describe some future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nikhil V Munshi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology.,McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development.,Department of Molecular Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.,Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
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14
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Sayers JR, Riley PR. Heart regeneration: beyond new muscle and vessels. Cardiovasc Res 2020; 117:727-742. [PMID: 33241843 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvaa320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The most striking consequence of a heart attack is the loss of billions of heart muscle cells, alongside damage to the associated vasculature. The lost cardiovascular tissue is replaced by scar formation, which is non-functional and results in pathological remodelling of the heart and ultimately heart failure. It is, therefore, unsurprising that the heart regeneration field has centred efforts to generate new muscle and blood vessels through targeting cardiomyocyte proliferation and angiogenesis following injury. However, combined insights from embryological studies and regenerative models, alongside the adoption of -omics technology, highlight the extensive heterogeneity of cell types within the forming or re-forming heart and the significant crosstalk arising from non-muscle and non-vessel cells. In this review, we focus on the roles of fibroblasts, immune, conduction system, and nervous system cell populations during heart development and we consider the latest evidence supporting a function for these diverse lineages in contributing to regeneration following heart injury. We suggest that the emerging picture of neurologically, immunologically, and electrically coupled cell function calls for a wider-ranging combinatorial approach to heart regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judy R Sayers
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, British Heart Foundation Oxbridge Centre of Regenerative Medicine, University of Oxford, Sherrington Building, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Paul R Riley
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, British Heart Foundation Oxbridge Centre of Regenerative Medicine, University of Oxford, Sherrington Building, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
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15
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Nkx2-5 defines distinct scaffold and recruitment phases during formation of the murine cardiac Purkinje fiber network. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5300. [PMID: 33082351 PMCID: PMC7575572 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19150-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The ventricular conduction system coordinates heartbeats by rapid propagation of electrical activity through the Purkinje fiber (PF) network. PFs share common progenitors with contractile cardiomyocytes, yet the mechanisms of segregation and network morphogenesis are poorly understood. Here, we apply genetic fate mapping and temporal clonal analysis to identify murine cardiomyocytes committed to the PF lineage as early as E7.5. We find that a polyclonal PF network emerges by progressive recruitment of conductive precursors to this scaffold from a pool of bipotent progenitors. At late fetal stages, the segregation of conductive cells increases during a phase of rapid recruitment to build the definitive PF network through a non-cell autonomous mechanism. We also show that PF differentiation is impaired in Nkx2-5 haploinsufficient embryos leading to failure to extend the scaffold. In particular, late fetal recruitment fails, resulting in PF hypoplasia and persistence of bipotent progenitors. Our results identify how transcription factor dosage regulates cell fate divergence during distinct phases of PF network morphogenesis. Here, the authors apply genetic fate mapping and temporal clonal analysis to study progenitor recruitment and network morphogenesis of murine cardiac Purkinje fibers. Additionally, they characterize how transcription factor dosage regulates cell fate divergence during distinct phases of this process.
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16
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Christoffels V, Jensen B. Cardiac Morphogenesis: Specification of the Four-Chambered Heart. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2020; 12:cshperspect.a037143. [PMID: 31932321 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a037143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Early heart morphogenesis involves a process in which embryonic precursor cells are instructed to form a cyclic contracting muscle tube connected to blood vessels, pumping fluid. Subsequently, the heart becomes structurally complex and its size increases several orders of magnitude to functionally keep up with the demands of the growing organism. Programmed transcriptional regulatory networks control the early steps of cardiac development. However, already during the early stages of its assembly, the heart tube starts to produce electrochemical potentials, contractions, and flow, which are transduced into signals that feed back into the process of morphogenesis itself. Heart morphogenesis, thus, involves the interplay between progressively changing genetic networks, function, and shape. Morphogenesis is evolutionarily conserved, but species-specific differences occur and in mouse, for instance, distinct phases of development become overlapping and compounded in an extremely fast gestation. Here, we review the early morphogenesis of the chambered heart that maintains a circulation supporting development of an organism rapidly growing in size and requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Christoffels
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1105AZ, The Netherlands
| | - Bjarke Jensen
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1105AZ, The Netherlands
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17
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Marchal GA, Verkerk AO, Mohan RA, Wolswinkel R, Boukens BJD, Remme CA. The sodium channel Na V 1.5 impacts on early murine embryonic cardiac development, structure and function in a non-electrogenic manner. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2020; 230:e13493. [PMID: 32386467 PMCID: PMC7539970 DOI: 10.1111/apha.13493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
AIM The voltage-gated sodium channel NaV 1.5, encoded by SCN5A, is essential for cardiac excitability and ensures proper electrical conduction. Early embryonic death has been observed in several murine models carrying homozygous Scn5amutations. We investigated when sodium current (INa ) becomes functionally relevant in the murine embryonic heart and how Scn5a/NaV 1.5 dysfunction impacts on cardiac development. METHODS Involvement of NaV 1.5-generated INa in murine cardiac electrical function was assessed by optical mapping in wild type (WT) embryos (embryonic day (E)9.5 and E10.5) in the absence and presence of the sodium channel blocker tetrodotoxin (30 µmol/L). INa was assessed by patch-clamp analysis in cardiomyocytes isolated from WT embryos (E9.5-17.5). In addition, cardiac morphology and electrical function was assessed in Scn5a-1798insD-/- embryos (E9.5-10.5) and their WT littermates. RESULTS In WT embryos, tetrodotoxin did not affect cardiac activation at E9.5, but slowed activation at E10.5. Accordingly, patch-clamp measurements revealed that INa was virtually absent at E9.5 but robustly present at E10.5. Scn5a-1798insD-/- embryos died in utero around E10.5, displaying severely affected cardiac activation and morphology. Strikingly, altered ventricular activation was observed in Scn5a-1798insD-/- E9.5 embryos before the onset of INa , in addition to reduced cardiac tissue volume compared to WT littermates. CONCLUSION We here demonstrate that NaV 1.5 is involved in cardiac electrical function from E10.5 onwards. Scn5a-1798insD-/- embryos displayed cardiac structural abnormalities at E9.5, indicating that NaV 1.5 dysfunction impacts on embryonic cardiac development in a non-electrogenic manner. These findings are potentially relevant for understanding structural defects observed in relation to NaV 1.5 dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard A. Marchal
- Department of Experimental Cardiology Amsterdam UMC (location Academic Medical Center) Amsterdam the Netherlands
| | - Arie O. Verkerk
- Department of Experimental Cardiology Amsterdam UMC (location Academic Medical Center) Amsterdam the Netherlands
- Department of Medical Biology Amsterdam UMC (location Academic Medical Center) Amsterdam the Netherlands
| | - Rajiv A. Mohan
- Department of Experimental Cardiology Amsterdam UMC (location Academic Medical Center) Amsterdam the Netherlands
- Department of Medical Biology Amsterdam UMC (location Academic Medical Center) Amsterdam the Netherlands
| | - Rianne Wolswinkel
- Department of Experimental Cardiology Amsterdam UMC (location Academic Medical Center) Amsterdam the Netherlands
| | - Bastiaan J. D. Boukens
- Department of Medical Biology Amsterdam UMC (location Academic Medical Center) Amsterdam the Netherlands
| | - Carol Ann Remme
- Department of Experimental Cardiology Amsterdam UMC (location Academic Medical Center) Amsterdam the Netherlands
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18
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Mohan RA, Bosada FM, van Weerd JH, van Duijvenboden K, Wang J, Mommersteeg MTM, Hooijkaas IB, Wakker V, de Gier-de Vries C, Coronel R, Boink GJJ, Bakkers J, Barnett P, Boukens BJ, Christoffels VM. T-box transcription factor 3 governs a transcriptional program for the function of the mouse atrioventricular conduction system. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:18617-18626. [PMID: 32675240 PMCID: PMC7414162 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1919379117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies have identified noncoding variants near TBX3 that are associated with PR interval and QRS duration, suggesting that subtle changes in TBX3 expression affect atrioventricular conduction system function. To explore whether and to what extent the atrioventricular conduction system is affected by Tbx3 dose reduction, we first characterized electrophysiological properties and morphology of heterozygous Tbx3 mutant (Tbx3+/-) mouse hearts. We found PR interval shortening and prolonged QRS duration, as well as atrioventricular bundle hypoplasia after birth in heterozygous mice. The atrioventricular node size was unaffected. Transcriptomic analysis of atrioventricular nodes isolated by laser capture microdissection revealed hundreds of deregulated genes in Tbx3+/- mutants. Notably, Tbx3+/- atrioventricular nodes showed increased expression of working myocardial gene programs (mitochondrial and metabolic processes, muscle contractility) and reduced expression of pacemaker gene programs (neuronal, Wnt signaling, calcium/ion channel activity). By integrating chromatin accessibility profiles (ATAC sequencing) of atrioventricular tissue and other epigenetic data, we identified Tbx3-dependent atrioventricular regulatory DNA elements (REs) on a genome-wide scale. We used transgenic reporter assays to determine the functionality of candidate REs near Ryr2, an up-regulated chamber-enriched gene, and in Cacna1g, a down-regulated conduction system-specific gene. Using genome editing to delete candidate REs, we showed that a strong intronic bipartite RE selectively governs Cacna1g expression in the conduction system in vivo. Our data provide insights into the multifactorial Tbx3-dependent transcriptional network that regulates the structure and function of the cardiac conduction system, which may underlie the differences in PR duration and QRS interval between individuals carrying variants in the TBX3 locus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajiv A Mohan
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Fernanda M Bosada
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan H van Weerd
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Karel van Duijvenboden
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jianan Wang
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mathilda T M Mommersteeg
- Burdon Sanderson Cardiac Science Centre, Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom
| | - Ingeborg B Hooijkaas
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent Wakker
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Corrie de Gier-de Vries
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ruben Coronel
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gerard J J Boink
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Bakkers
- Hubrecht Institute and University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CT Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Phil Barnett
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bas J Boukens
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent M Christoffels
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
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19
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Gradual differentiation and confinement of the cardiac conduction system as indicated by marker gene expression. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2020; 1867:118509. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2019.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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20
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Khan SF, Damerell V, Omar R, Du Toit M, Khan M, Maranyane HM, Mlaza M, Bleloch J, Bellis C, Sahm BDB, Peres J, ArulJothi KN, Prince S. The roles and regulation of TBX3 in development and disease. Gene 2020; 726:144223. [PMID: 31669645 PMCID: PMC7108957 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2019.144223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
TBX3, a member of the ancient and evolutionary conserved T-box transcription factor family, is a critical developmental regulator of several structures including the heart, mammary glands, limbs and lungs. Indeed, mutations in the human TBX3 lead to ulnar mammary syndrome which is characterized by several clinical malformations including hypoplasia of the mammary and apocrine glands, defects of the upper limb, areola, dental structures, heart and genitalia. In contrast, TBX3 has no known function in adult tissues but is frequently overexpressed in a wide range of epithelial and mesenchymal derived cancers. This overexpression greatly impacts several hallmarks of cancer including bypass of senescence, apoptosis and anoikis, promotion of proliferation, tumour formation, angiogenesis, invasion and metastatic capabilities as well as cancer stem cell expansion. The debilitating consequences of having too little or too much TBX3 suggest that its expression levels need to be tightly regulated. While we have a reasonable understanding of the mutations that result in low levels of functional TBX3 during development, very little is known about the factors responsible for the overexpression of TBX3 in cancer. Furthermore, given the plethora of oncogenic processes that TBX3 impacts, it must be regulating several target genes but to date only a few have been identified and characterised. Interestingly, while there is compelling evidence to support oncogenic roles for TBX3, a few studies have indicated that it may also have tumour suppressor functions in certain contexts. Together, the diverse functional elasticity of TBX3 in development and cancer is thought to involve, in part, the protein partners that it interacts with and this area of research has recently received some attention. This review provides an insight into the significance of TBX3 in development and cancer and identifies research gaps that need to be explored to shed more light on this transcription factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saif F Khan
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Victoria Damerell
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Rehana Omar
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Michelle Du Toit
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mohsin Khan
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Hapiloe Mabaruti Maranyane
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mihlali Mlaza
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jenna Bleloch
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Claire Bellis
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Bianca D B Sahm
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 11030-400, Brazil
| | - Jade Peres
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - K N ArulJothi
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sharon Prince
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa.
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21
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Learn from Your Elders: Developmental Biology Lessons to Guide Maturation of Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes. Pediatr Cardiol 2019; 40:1367-1387. [PMID: 31388700 PMCID: PMC6786957 DOI: 10.1007/s00246-019-02165-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) offer a multifaceted platform to study cardiac developmental biology, understand disease mechanisms, and develop novel therapies. Remarkable progress over the last two decades has led to methods to obtain highly pure hPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) with reasonable ease and scalability. Nevertheless, a major bottleneck for the translational application of hPSC-CMs is their immature phenotype, resembling that of early fetal cardiomyocytes. Overall, bona fide maturation of hPSC-CMs represents one of the most significant goals facing the field today. Developmental biology studies have been pivotal in understanding the mechanisms to differentiate hPSC-CMs. Similarly, evaluation of developmental cues such as electrical and mechanical activities or neurohormonal and metabolic stimulations revealed the importance of these pathways in cardiomyocyte physiological maturation. Those signals cooperate and dictate the size and the performance of the developing heart. Likewise, this orchestra of stimuli is important in promoting hPSC-CM maturation, as demonstrated by current in vitro maturation approaches. Different shades of adult-like phenotype are achieved by prolonging the time in culture, electromechanical stimulation, patterned substrates, microRNA manipulation, neurohormonal or metabolic stimulation, and generation of human-engineered heart tissue (hEHT). However, mirroring this extremely dynamic environment is challenging, and reproducibility and scalability of these approaches represent the major obstacles for an efficient production of mature hPSC-CMs. For this reason, understanding the pattern behind the mechanisms elicited during the late gestational and early postnatal stages not only will provide new insights into postnatal development but also potentially offer new scalable and efficient approaches to mature hPSC-CMs.
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22
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van Eif VWW, Stefanovic S, van Duijvenboden K, Bakker M, Wakker V, de Gier-de Vries C, Zaffran S, Verkerk AO, Boukens BJ, Christoffels VM. Transcriptome analysis of mouse and human sinoatrial node cells reveals a conserved genetic program. Development 2019; 146:dev.173161. [PMID: 30936179 DOI: 10.1242/dev.173161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The rate of contraction of the heart relies on proper development and function of the sinoatrial node, which consists of a small heterogeneous cell population, including Tbx3+ pacemaker cells. Here, we have isolated and characterized the Tbx3+ cells from Tbx3 +/Venus knock-in mice. We studied electrophysiological parameters during development and found that Venus-labeled cells are genuine Tbx3+ pacemaker cells. We analyzed the transcriptomes of late fetal FACS-purified Tbx3+ sinoatrial nodal cells and Nppb-Katushka+ atrial and ventricular chamber cardiomyocytes, and identified a sinoatrial node-enriched gene program, including key nodal transcription factors, BMP signaling and Smoc2, the disruption of which in mice did not affect heart rhythm. We also obtained the transcriptomes of the sinoatrial node region, including pacemaker and other cell types, and right atrium of human fetuses, and found a gene program including TBX3, SHOX2, ISL1 and HOX family members, and BMP and NOTCH signaling components conserved between human and mouse. We conclude that a conserved gene program characterizes the sinoatrial node region and that the Tbx3 +/Venus allele provides a reliable tool for visualizing the sinoatrial node, and studying its development and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent W W van Eif
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, The Netherlands
| | - Sonia Stefanovic
- Aix-Marseille University - INSERM U1251, Marseille Medical Genetics, Marseille 13005, France
| | - Karel van Duijvenboden
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn Bakker
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent Wakker
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, The Netherlands
| | - Corrie de Gier-de Vries
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, The Netherlands
| | - Stéphane Zaffran
- Aix-Marseille University - INSERM U1251, Marseille Medical Genetics, Marseille 13005, France
| | - Arie O Verkerk
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, The Netherlands
| | - Bas J Boukens
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent M Christoffels
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, The Netherlands
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23
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Bhattacharyya S, Duan J, Wang L, Li B, Bhakta M, Fernandez-Perez A, Hon GC, Munshi NV. Using Gjd3-CreEGFP mice to examine atrioventricular node morphology and composition. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2106. [PMID: 30765799 PMCID: PMC6375990 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-38683-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The atrioventricular node (AVN) coordinates the timing of atrial and ventricular contraction to optimize cardiac performance. To study this critical function using mouse genetics, however, new reagents are needed that allow AVN-specific manipulation. Here we describe a novel Gjd3-CreEGFP mouse line that successfully recombines floxed alleles within the AVN beginning at E12.5. These mice have been engineered to express CreEGFP under the control of endogenous Gjd3 regulatory elements without perturbing native protein expression. Detailed histological analysis of Gjd3-CreEGFP mice reveals specific labeling of AVN cardiomyocytes and a subset of cardiac endothelial cells. Importantly, we show that Gjd3-CreEGFP mice have preserved cardiac mechanical and electrical function. In one application of our newly described mouse line, we provide a three-dimensional (3D) view of the AVN using tissue clearing combined with confocal microscopy. With this 3D model as a reference, we identify specific AVN sub-structures based on marker staining characteristics. In addition, we use our Gjd3-CreEGFP mice to guide microdissection of the AVN and construction of a single-cell atlas. Thus, our results establish a new transgenic tool for AVN-specific recombination, provide an updated model of AVN morphology, and describe a roadmap for exploring AVN cellular heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samadrita Bhattacharyya
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Jialei Duan
- Laboratory of Regulatory Genomics, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, Division of Basic Reproductive Biology Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Lin Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Boxun Li
- Laboratory of Regulatory Genomics, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, Division of Basic Reproductive Biology Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Minoti Bhakta
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Antonio Fernandez-Perez
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Gary C Hon
- Laboratory of Regulatory Genomics, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, Division of Basic Reproductive Biology Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.,Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Nikhil V Munshi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA. .,Department of Molecular Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA. .,McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA. .,Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
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Anderson RH, Mori S, Spicer DE, Sanchez-Quintana D, Jensen B. The Anatomy, Development, and Evolution of the Atrioventricular Conduction Axis. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2018; 5:jcdd5030044. [PMID: 30135383 PMCID: PMC6162790 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd5030044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2018] [Revised: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
It is now well over 100 years since Sunao Tawara clarified the location of the axis of the specialised myocardium responsible for producing coordinated ventricular activation. Prior to that stellar publication, controversies had raged as to how many bundles crossed the place of the atrioventricular insulation as found in mammalian hearts, as well as the very existence of the bundle initially described by Wilhelm His Junior. It is, perhaps surprising that controversies continue, despite the multiple investigations that have taken place since the publication of Tawara’s monograph. For example, we are still unsure as to the precise substrates for the so-called slow and fast pathways into the atrioventricular node. Much has been done, nonetheless, to characterise the molecular make-up of the specialised pathways, and to clarify their mechanisms of development. Of this work itself, a significant part has emanated from the laboratory coordinated for a quarter of a century by Antoon FM Moorman. In this review, which joins the others in recognising the value of his contributions and collaborations, we review our current understanding of the anatomy, development, and evolution of the atrioventricular conduction axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert H Anderson
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4EP, UK.
| | - Shumpei Mori
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0017, Hyogo, Japan.
| | - Diane E Spicer
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
| | - Damian Sanchez-Quintana
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain.
| | - Bjarke Jensen
- University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Meibergdreef 15, 1105AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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