1
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Dufourcq Sekatcheff E, Godon C, Bailly A, Quevarec L, Camilleri V, Galas S, Frelon S. Two distinct mechanisms lead to either oocyte or spermatocyte decrease in C. elegans after whole developmental exposure to γ-rays. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0294766. [PMID: 38011087 PMCID: PMC10681227 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Wildlife is subject to various sources of pollution, including ionizing radiation. Adverse effects can impact the survival, growth, or reproduction of organisms, later affecting population dynamics. In invertebrates, reproduction, which directly impacts population dynamics, has been found to be the most radiosensitive endpoint. Understanding the underlying molecular pathways inducing this reproduction decrease can help to comprehend species-specific differences in radiosensitivity. From our previous studies, we found that decrease in reproduction is life stage dependent in the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, possibly resulting from an accumulation of damages during germ cell development and gamete differentiation. To go further, we used the same experimental design to assess more precisely the molecular determinants of reproductive toxicity, primarily decreases in gamete number. As before, worms were chronically exposed to 50 mGy·h-1 external gamma ionizing radiation throughout different developmental periods (namely embryogenesis, gametogenesis, and full development). To enable cross species extrapolation, conserved molecular pathways across invertebrates and vertebrates were analysed: apoptosis and MAP kinase Ras/ERK (MPK-1), both involved in reproduction and stress responses. Our results showed that these pathways are life-stage dependent, resulting from an accumulation of damages upon chronic exposure to IR throughout the life development. The Ras/ERK pathway was activated in our conditions in the pachytene region of the gonad where it regulates cell fate including apoptosis, but not in the ovulation zone, where it controls oocyte maturation and ovulation. Additionally, assessment of germ cell proliferation via Ras/ERK pathway showed no effect. Finally, a functional analysis of apoptosis revealed that while the decrease of the ovulation rate is caused by DNA-damaged induced apoptosis, this process does not occur in spermatocytes. Thus, sperm decrease seems to be mediated via another mechanism, probably a decrease in germ cell proliferation speed that needs further investigation to better characterize sex-specific responses to IR exposure. These results are of main importance to describe radio-induced reprotoxic effects and contribute as weight of evidence for the AOP #396 "Deposition of ionizing energy leads to population decline via impaired meiosis".
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Dufourcq Sekatcheff
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, F-13115, Saint Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - Christian Godon
- Institut de Biosciences et Biotechnologies Aix-Marseille, Aix Marseille University, CEA, CNRS, BIAM, CEA Cadarache, 13108, Saint Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - Aymeric Bailly
- CRBM, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, UMR5237, Montpellier, 34090, France
| | - Loïc Quevarec
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, F-13115, Saint Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - Virginie Camilleri
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, F-13115, Saint Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - Simon Galas
- CNRS, ENSCM, IBMM Université de Montpellier, 34093, Montpellier, France
| | - Sandrine Frelon
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, F-13115, Saint Paul-Lez-Durance, France
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2
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Valet M, Narbonne P. Formation of benign tumors by stem cell deregulation. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010434. [PMID: 36301803 PMCID: PMC9612571 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Within living organisms, stem cells respond to various cues, including to niche signals and growth factors. Niche signals originate from the stem cell's microenvironment and promote the undifferentiated state by preventing differentiation, allowing for stem cell self-renewal. On the other hand, growth factors promote stem cell growth and proliferation, while their sources comprise of a systemic input reflecting the animal's nutritional and metabolic status, and a localized, homeostatic feedback signal from the tissue that the stem cells serve. That homeostatic signal prevents unnecessary stem cell proliferation when the corresponding differentiated tissues already have optimal cell contents. Here, we recapitulate progresses made in our understanding of in vivo stem cell regulation, largely using simple models, and draw the conclusion that 2 types of stem cell deregulations can provoke the formation of benign tumors. Namely, constitutive niche signaling promotes the formation of undifferentiated "stem cell" tumors, while defective homeostatic signaling leads to the formation of differentiated tumors. Finally, we provide evidence that these general principles may be conserved in mammals and as such, may underlie benign tumor formation in humans, while benign tumors can evolve into cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Valet
- Département de biologie médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
| | - Patrick Narbonne
- Département de biologie médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
- * E-mail:
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3
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Kim J, You YJ. Oocyte Quiescence: From Formation to Awakening. Endocrinology 2022; 163:6572508. [PMID: 35452125 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqac049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Decades of work using various model organisms have resulted in an exciting and emerging field of oocyte maturation. High levels of insulin and active mammalian target of rapamycin signals, indicative of a good nutritional environment, and hormones such as gonadotrophin, indicative of the growth of the organism, work together to control oocyte maturation to ensure that reproduction happens at the right timing under the right conditions. In the wild, animals often face serious challenges to maintain oocyte quiescence under long-term unfavorable conditions in the absence of mates or food. Failure to maintain oocyte quiescence will result in activation of oocytes at the wrong time and thus lead to exhaustion of the oocyte pool and sterility of the organism. In this review, we discuss the shared mechanisms in oocyte quiescence and awakening and a conserved role of noradrenergic signals in maintenance of the quiescent oocyte pool under unfavorable conditions in simple model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeongho Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Inha University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Young-Jai You
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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4
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Tolkin T, Hubbard EJA. Germline Stem and Progenitor Cell Aging in C. elegans. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:699671. [PMID: 34307379 PMCID: PMC8297657 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.699671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Like many animals and humans, reproduction in the nematode C. elegans declines with age. This decline is the cumulative result of age-related changes in several steps of germline function, many of which are highly accessible for experimental investigation in this short-lived model organism. Here we review recent work showing that a very early and major contributing step to reproductive decline is the depletion of the germline stem and progenitor cell pool. Since many cellular and molecular aspects of stem cell biology and aging are conserved across animals, understanding mechanisms of age-related decline of germline stem and progenitor cells in C. elegans has broad implications for aging stem cells, germline stem cells, and reproductive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theadora Tolkin
- Department of Cell Biology, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - E Jane Albert Hubbard
- Department of Cell Biology, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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5
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Achache H, Falk R, Lerner N, Beatus T, Tzur YB. Oocyte aging is controlled by mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling. Aging Cell 2021; 20:e13386. [PMID: 34061407 PMCID: PMC8208789 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Oogenesis is one of the first processes to fail during aging. In women, most oocytes cannot successfully complete meiotic divisions already during the fourth decade of life. Studies of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans have uncovered conserved genetic pathways that control lifespan, but our knowledge regarding reproductive aging in worms and humans is limited. Specifically, little is known about germline internal signals that dictate the oogonial biological clock. Here, we report a thorough characterization of the changes in the worm germline during aging. We found that shortly after ovulation halts, germline proliferation declines, while apoptosis continues, leading to a gradual reduction in germ cell numbers. In late aging stages, we observed that meiotic progression is disturbed and crossover designation and DNA double-strand break repair decrease. In addition, we detected a decline in the quality of mature oocytes during aging, as reflected by decreasing size and elongation of interhomolog distance, a phenotype also observed in human oocytes. Many of these altered processes were previously attributed to MAPK signaling variations in young worms. In support of this, we observed changes in activation dynamics of MPK-1 during aging. We therefore tested the hypothesis that MAPK controls oocyte quality in aged worms using both genetic and pharmacological tools. We found that in mutants with high levels of activated MPK-1, oocyte quality deteriorates more rapidly than in wild-type worms, whereas reduction of MPK-1 levels enhances quality. Thus, our data suggest that MAPK signaling controls germline aging and could be used to attenuate the rate of oogenesis quality decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Achache
- Department of GeneticsInstitute of Life SciencesThe Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
| | - Roni Falk
- Department of GeneticsInstitute of Life SciencesThe Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
| | - Noam Lerner
- Department of NeurobiologyThe Institute of Life ScienceThe Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
- The Alexander Grass Center for BioengineeringThe Rachel and Selim Benin School of Computer Science and EngineeringThe Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
| | - Tsevi Beatus
- Department of NeurobiologyThe Institute of Life ScienceThe Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
- The Alexander Grass Center for BioengineeringThe Rachel and Selim Benin School of Computer Science and EngineeringThe Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
| | - Yonatan B. Tzur
- Department of GeneticsInstitute of Life SciencesThe Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
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6
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Robinson-Thiewes S, Dufour B, Martel PO, Lechasseur X, Brou AAD, Roy V, Chen Y, Kimble J, Narbonne P. Non-autonomous regulation of germline stem cell proliferation by somatic MPK-1/MAPK activity in C. elegans. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109162. [PMID: 34038716 PMCID: PMC8182673 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is a major positive regulator of cell proliferation, which is often upregulated in cancer. However, few studies have addressed ERK/MAPK regulation of proliferation within a complete organism. The Caenorhabditis elegans ERK/MAPK ortholog MPK-1 is best known for its control of somatic organogenesis and germline differentiation, but it also stimulates germline stem cell proliferation. Here, we show that the germline-specific MPK-1B isoform promotes germline differentiation but has no apparent role in germline stem cell proliferation. By contrast, the soma-specific MPK-1A isoform promotes germline stem cell proliferation non-autonomously. Indeed, MPK-1A functions in the intestine or somatic gonad to promote germline proliferation independent of its other known roles. We propose that a non-autonomous role of ERK/MAPK in stem cell proliferation may be conserved across species and various tissue types, with major clinical implications for cancer and other diseases. The prevailing paradigm is that ERK/MAPK functions autonomously to promote cell proliferation upon mitogen stimulation. Robinson-Thiewes et al. now demonstrate that C. elegans ERK/MAPK acts within somatic tissues to non-autonomously promote the proliferation of germline stem cells. Germline ERK/MAPK is thus dispensable for germline stem cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Benjamin Dufour
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Pier-Olivier Martel
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Xavier Lechasseur
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Amani Ange Danielle Brou
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Vincent Roy
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada; Département de Biologie Moléculaire, de Biochimie Médicale et de pathologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Yunqing Chen
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Judith Kimble
- Department of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706-1580, USA
| | - Patrick Narbonne
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada; Département de Biologie Moléculaire, de Biochimie Médicale et de pathologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, QC G1R 3S3, Canada.
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7
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BRAF Controls the Effects of Metformin on Neuroblast Cell Divisions in C. elegans. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 22:ijms22010178. [PMID: 33375360 PMCID: PMC7795703 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010178] [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: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Metformin has demonstrated substantial potential for use in cancer treatments. Liver kinase B (LKB)-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and mTOR are reported to be the main targets of metformin in relation to its ability to prevent cancer cell proliferation. However, the role of metformin in the control of neoplastic cancer cell growth is possibly independent of LKB-AMPK and mTOR. Using C. elegans as a model, we found that the neuronal Q-cell divisions in L1-arrested worms were suppressed following metformin treatment in AMPK-deficient mutants, suggesting that the mechanism by which metformin suppresses these cell divisions is independent of AMPK. Our results showed that the mTOR pathway indeed played a role in controlling germ cell proliferation, but it was not involved in the neuronal Q-cell divisions occurring in L1-arrested worms. We found that the neuronal Q-cells divisions were held at G1/S cell stage by metformin in vivo. Additionally, we demonstrated that metformin could reduce the phosphorylation activity of BRAF and block the BRAF-MAPK oncogenesis pathway to regulate neuronal Q-cell divisions during L1 arrest. This work discloses a new mechanism by which metformin treatment acts to promote neuronal cancer prevention, and these results will help promote the study of the anticancer mechanisms underlying metformin treatments.
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8
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Mata-Cabana A, Pérez-Nieto C, Olmedo M. Nutritional control of postembryonic development progression and arrest in Caenorhabditis elegans. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2020; 107:33-87. [PMID: 33641748 DOI: 10.1016/bs.adgen.2020.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Developmental programs are under strict genetic control that favors robustness of the process. In order to guarantee the same outcome in different environmental situations, development is modulated by input pathways, which inform about external conditions. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the process of postembryonic development involves a series of stereotypic cell divisions, the progression of which is controlled by the nutritional status of the animal. C. elegans can arrest development at different larval stages, leading to cell arrest of the relevant divisions of the stage. This means that studying the nutritional control of development in C. elegans we can learn about the mechanisms controlling cell division in an in vivo model. In this work, we reviewed the current knowledge about the nutrient sensing pathways that control the progression or arrest of development in response to nutrient availability, with a special focus on the arrest at the L1 stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Mata-Cabana
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Avd. Reina Mercedes, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Carmen Pérez-Nieto
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Avd. Reina Mercedes, Sevilla, Spain
| | - María Olmedo
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Avd. Reina Mercedes, Sevilla, Spain.
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9
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Qu Z, Ji S, Zheng S. Glucose and cholesterol induce abnormal cell divisions via DAF-12 and MPK-1 in C. elegans. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:16255-16269. [PMID: 32857726 PMCID: PMC7485695 DOI: 10.18632/aging.103647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
People exposed to starvation have a high risk of developing cancer later in life, and prior studies have shown these individuals have high insulin and cholesterol levels and are sensitive to glucose. Using C. elegans as a model, we found that glucose and cholesterol can promote survival and cause starved L1 diapause worms to undergo abnormal neuronal cell divisions. Starvation has also been shown to promote long-term survival; however, we found that the functions of glucose and cholesterol in relation to these cell divisions are distinct from their effects on survival. We demonstrate that glucose functions in a DAF-16/FOXO-independent IIS pathway to activate the MAPK ontogenetic signaling to induce neuronal Q-cell divisions, and cholesterol works through DAF-12/steroidogenic pathways to promote these cell divisions. daf-12 and mpk-1/MAPK mutants suppress the function of glucose and cholesterol in these divisions, and a fully functioning dpMPK-1 requires the steroid hormone receptor DAF-12 for these divisions to occur. These afflictions also can be passed on to the immediate progeny. This work indicates a possible link between glucose and cholesterol in starved animals and an increased risk of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Qu
- School of Nursing and Health, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, China.,Medical School, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, China
| | - Shaoping Ji
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, China.,Medical School, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, China
| | - Shanqing Zheng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, China.,Medical School, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, China
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10
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Qu M, Li D, Qiu Y, Wang D. Neuronal ERK MAPK signaling in response to low-dose nanopolystyrene exposure by suppressing insulin peptide expression in Caenorhabditis elegans. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 724:138378. [PMID: 32272418 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The responses of different organs are important for organisms against the toxicity of environmental toxicants. So far, the neuronal response to nanoplastic exposure and the underlying mechanisms are still largely unclear. Due to the sensitivity to environmental exposures, we here employed Caenorhabditis elegans as an animal model to examine the role of ERK MAPK signaling pathway in the neurons to regulate the response to nanopolystyrene (100 nm). Nanopolystyrene exposure in the range of μg/L could significantly increase expressions of genes (lin-45, mek-2, and mpk-1) encoding ERK MAPK signaling pathway. Nanopolystyrene at the predicted environmental concentration of 1 μg/L could only significantly increase the mpk-1 expression. Meanwhile, RNAi knockdown of any of these genes caused a susceptibility to nanopolystyrene toxicity. ERK/MPK-1 acted in the neurons to regulate the response to nanopolystyrene. Moreover, three genes (ins-4, ins-39, and daf-28) encoding insulin peptides were identified as the downstream targeted genes of neuronal mpk-1 in regulating the response to nanopolystyrene. In nanopolystyrene exposed nematodes, neuronal RNAi knockdown of ins-4, ins-39, or daf-28 decreased expression of intestinal daf-2 encoding insulin receptor and increased expression of intestinal daf-16 encoding FOXO transcriptional factor. Therefore, the neuronal ERK MAPK signaling responded to nanopolystyrene by modulating the insulin signaling-mediated communication between neurons and intestine in nematodes. Our findings are helpful for understanding the molecular basis of neuronal response to nanopolystyrene in organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Qu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering in Ministry of Education, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Dan Li
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering in Ministry of Education, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yuexiu Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering in Ministry of Education, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Dayong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering in Ministry of Education, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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11
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Hubbard EJA, Schedl T. Biology of the Caenorhabditis elegans Germline Stem Cell System. Genetics 2019; 213:1145-1188. [PMID: 31796552 PMCID: PMC6893382 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.300238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cell systems regulate tissue development and maintenance. The germline stem cell system is essential for animal reproduction, controlling both the timing and number of progeny through its influence on gamete production. In this review, we first draw general comparisons to stem cell systems in other organisms, and then present our current understanding of the germline stem cell system in Caenorhabditis elegans In contrast to stereotypic somatic development and cell number stasis of adult somatic cells in C. elegans, the germline stem cell system has a variable division pattern, and the system differs between larval development, early adult peak reproduction and age-related decline. We discuss the cell and developmental biology of the stem cell system and the Notch regulated genetic network that controls the key decision between the stem cell fate and meiotic development, as it occurs under optimal laboratory conditions in adult and larval stages. We then discuss alterations of the stem cell system in response to environmental perturbations and aging. A recurring distinction is between processes that control stem cell fate and those that control cell cycle regulation. C. elegans is a powerful model for understanding germline stem cells and stem cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Jane Albert Hubbard
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Departments of Cell Biology and Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016
| | - Tim Schedl
- and Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
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12
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Kadekar P, Roy R. AMPK regulates germline stem cell quiescence and integrity through an endogenous small RNA pathway. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000309. [PMID: 31166944 PMCID: PMC6576793 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2018] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
During suboptimal growth conditions, Caenorhabditis elegans larvae undergo a global developmental arrest called “dauer.” During this stage, the germline stem cells (GSCs) become quiescent in an AMP-activated Protein Kinase (AMPK)-dependent manner, and in the absence of AMPK, the GSCs overproliferate and lose their reproductive capacity, leading to sterility when mutant animals resume normal growth. These defects correlate with the altered abundance and distribution of a number of chromatin modifications, all of which can be corrected by disabling components of the endogenous small RNA pathway, suggesting that AMPK regulates germ cell integrity by targeting an RNA interference (RNAi)-like pathway during dauer. The expression of AMPK in somatic cells restores all the germline defects, potentially through the transmission of small RNAs. Our findings place AMPK at a pivotal position linking energy stress detected in the soma to a consequent endogenous small RNA–mediated adaptation in germline gene expression, thereby challenging the “permeability" of the Weismann barrier. When energy stress triggers dauer formation in nematodes, the cellular energy sensor AMPK genetically interacts with a small RNA pathway to mediate appropriate chromatin modifications and gene expression to regulate germline stem cell quiescence and integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratik Kadekar
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Richard Roy
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- * E-mail:
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13
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Salaroglio IC, Mungo E, Gazzano E, Kopecka J, Riganti C. ERK is a Pivotal Player of Chemo-Immune-Resistance in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20102505. [PMID: 31117237 PMCID: PMC6566596 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20102505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The extracellular signal-related kinases (ERKs) act as pleiotropic molecules in tumors, where they activate pro-survival pathways leading to cell proliferation and migration, as well as modulate apoptosis, differentiation, and senescence. Given its central role as sensor of extracellular signals, ERK transduction system is widely exploited by cancer cells subjected to environmental stresses, such as chemotherapy and anti-tumor activity of the host immune system. Aggressive tumors have a tremendous ability to adapt and survive in stressing and unfavorable conditions. The simultaneous resistance to chemotherapy and immune system responses is common, and ERK signaling plays a key role in both types of resistance. In this review, we dissect the main ERK-dependent mechanisms and feedback circuitries that simultaneously determine chemoresistance and immune-resistance/immune-escape in cancer cells. We discuss the pros and cons of targeting ERK signaling to induce chemo-immune-sensitization in refractory tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris C Salaroglio
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, via Santena 5/bis, 10126 Torino, Italy.
| | - Eleonora Mungo
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, via Santena 5/bis, 10126 Torino, Italy.
| | - Elena Gazzano
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, via Santena 5/bis, 10126 Torino, Italy.
| | - Joanna Kopecka
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, via Santena 5/bis, 10126 Torino, Italy.
| | - Chiara Riganti
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, via Santena 5/bis, 10126 Torino, Italy.
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Achache H, Laurent L, Hecker-Mimoun Y, Ishtayeh H, Rappaport Y, Kroizer E, Colaiácovo MP, Tzur YB. Progression of Meiosis Is Coordinated by the Level and Location of MAPK Activation Via OGR-2 in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2019; 212:213-229. [PMID: 30867196 PMCID: PMC6499523 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
During meiosis, a series of evolutionarily conserved events allow for reductional chromosome division, which is required for sexual reproduction. Although individual meiotic processes have been extensively studied, we currently know far less about how meiosis is regulated and coordinated. In the Caenorhabditis elegans gonad, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling drives oogenesis while undergoing spatial activation and deactivation waves. However, it is currently unclear how MAPK activation is governed and how it facilitates the progression of oogenesis. Here, we show that the oocyte and germline-related 2 (ogr-2) gene affects proper progression of oogenesis. Complete deletion of ogr-2 results in delayed meiotic entry and late spatial onset of double-strand break repair. Elevated levels of apoptosis are observed in this mutant, independent of the meiotic canonical checkpoints; however, they are dependent on the MAPK terminal member MPK-1/ERK. MPK-1 activation is elevated in diplotene in ogr-2 mutants and its aberrant spatial activation correlates with stages where meiotic progression defects are evident. Deletion of ogr-2 significantly reduces the expression of lip-1, a phosphatase reported to repress MPK-1, which is consistent with OGR-2 localization at chromatin in germ cells. We suggest that OGR-2 modulates the expression of lip-1 to promote the timely progression of meiosis through MPK-1 spatial deactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Achache
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University, Givat-Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Lévana Laurent
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University, Givat-Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Yaël Hecker-Mimoun
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University, Givat-Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Hasan Ishtayeh
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University, Givat-Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Yisrael Rappaport
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University, Givat-Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Eitan Kroizer
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University, Givat-Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | | | - Yonatan B Tzur
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University, Givat-Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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Zheng S, Qu Z, Zanetti M, Lam B, Chin-Sang I. C. elegans PTEN and AMPK block neuroblast divisions by inhibiting a BMP-insulin-PP2A-MAPK pathway. Development 2018; 145:145/23/dev166876. [PMID: 30487179 DOI: 10.1242/dev.166876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans that hatch in the absence of food stop their postembryonic development in a process called L1 arrest. Intriguingly, we find that the postembryonic Q neuroblasts divide and migrate during L1 arrest in mutants that have lost the energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) or the insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS) negative regulator DAF-18/PTEN. We report that DBL-1/BMP works upstream of IIS to promote agonistic insulin-like peptides during L1 arrest. However, the abnormal Q cell divisions that occur during L1 arrest use a novel branch of the IIS pathway that is independent of the terminal transcription factor DAF-16/FOXO. Using genetic epistasis and drug interactions we show that AMPK functions downstream of, or in parallel with DAF-18/PTEN and IIS to inhibit PP2A function. Further, we show that PP2A regulates the abnormal Q cell divisions by activating the MPK-1/ERK signaling pathway via LIN-45/RAF, independently of LET-60/RAS. PP2A acts as a tumor suppressor in many oncogenic signaling cascades. Our work demonstrates a new role for PP2A that is needed to induce neuroblast divisions during starvation and is regulated by both insulin and AMPK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanqing Zheng
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada K7L 3N6
| | - Zhi Qu
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada K7L 3N6
| | - Michael Zanetti
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada K7L 3N6
| | - Brandon Lam
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada K7L 3N6
| | - Ian Chin-Sang
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada K7L 3N6
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16
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Roy V, Gagné O, Hamiche K, Labbé JC, Narbonne P. Expression pattern of endogenous PAR-4A & C after CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2018; 2018:10.17912/micropub.biology.000075. [PMID: 32550374 PMCID: PMC7255809 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Roy
- Département de Biologie Moléculaire, de Biochimie Médicale et de Pathologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Olivier Gagné
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Canada
| | - Karim Hamiche
- Département de Pathologie et Biologie Cellulaire, Institut de Recherche en Immunologie et en Cancérologie (IRIC), Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Jean-Claude Labbé
- Département de Pathologie et Biologie Cellulaire, Institut de Recherche en Immunologie et en Cancérologie (IRIC), Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Patrick Narbonne
- Département de Biologie Moléculaire, de Biochimie Médicale et de Pathologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.,
Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Canada.,
Correspondence to: Patrick Narbonne ()
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Abstract
During development, stem cells generate all of the differentiated cells that populate our
tissues and organs. Stem cells are also responsible for tissue turnover and repair in
adults, and as such, they hold tremendous promise for regenerative therapy. Aging,
however, impairs the function of stem cells and is thus a significant roadblock to using
stem cells for therapy. Paradoxically, the patients who would benefit the most from
regenerative therapies are usually advanced in age. The use of stem cells from young
donors or the rejuvenation of aged patient-derived stem cells may represent part of a
solution. Nonetheless, the transplantation success of young or rejuvenated stem cells in
aged patients is still problematic, since stem cell function is greatly influenced by
extrinsic factors that become unsupportive with age. This article briefly reviews how
aging impairs stem cell function, and how this has an impact on the use of stem cells for
therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Narbonne
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada.,Département de Biologie Moléculaire, Biochimie Médicale et Pathologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Canada
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18
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Li L, Song Y, Liu Q, Liu X, Wang R, Kang C, Zhang Q. Low expression of PTEN is essential for maintenance of a malignant state in human gastric adenocarcinoma via upregulation of p‑AURKA mediated by activation of AURKA. Int J Mol Med 2018; 41:3629-3641. [PMID: 29512701 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2018.3544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastric adenocarcinoma remains a life‑threatening disease, emphasizing the importance of gaining an improved understanding of signaling pathways involved in this disease, which can lead to the development of novel therapeutic methods targeting common molecular pathways shared across different types of gastric adenocarcinoma. The present study revealed phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) and aurora kinase A (AURKA) gene alterations, which were involved in changes in the phenotypes of gastric cancer cells, including increased proliferation by cell counting kit‑8 assay and invasion capacity by Transwell invasion assay, and predicted survival rates by KM Plotter database in gastric cancer. The present study investigated the association between PTEN and AURKA. Western blotting revealed that phosphorylated (p)-AURKA correlated with two target genes, PTEN and AURKA. The downregulation of PTEN by small interfering (si)RNA not only increased the expression of AURKA at the mRNA and protein levels by western blotting and by reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR, but also increased the expression of p‑AURKA by western blotting and immunofluorescence analysis. In addition, western blotting and reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR revealed that the downregulation of AURKA affected the expression level of PTEN. Furthermore, PTEN suppressed the malignant phenotypic changes of gastric adenocarcinoma cells by regulating the expression of AURKA inhibited by p‑AURKA, suggesting that p‑AURKA may be the key mediator of the PTEN‑associated activation of AURKA and may be key in maintaining the PTEN‑induced malignant state of gastric adenocarcinoma cells. This hypothesis was confirmed by western blotting, and changes were observed in the protein expression of p‑AURKA and AURKA under conditions in which cells were treated with either MLN8237 or si‑PTEN transfection only, or with si‑PTEN transfection and MLN8237. Knockdown of the expression of PTEN altered the expression of p‑AKT, p‑glycogen synthase kinase 3β and β‑catenin, which are genes that have been reported to be involved in the development of gastric adenocarcinoma. The present study confirmed that p‑AURKA is important in the development of gastric adenocarcinoma and revealed a novel functional link between PTEN, AURKA and p‑AURKA activation. The results also suggest a novel drug design strategy in targeting PTEN and AURKA for more specific gastric cancer cell death that spares normal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liwei Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P.R. China
| | - Yue Song
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P.R. China
| | - Qing Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P.R. China
| | - Xi Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tianjin Nankai Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P.R. China
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P.R. China
| | - Chunsheng Kang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P.R. China
| | - Qingyu Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P.R. China
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