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Korthagen NM, Houtman E, Boone I, Coutinho de Almeida R, Sivasubramaniyan K, Mahdad R, Nelissen RGHH, Ramos YFM, Tessari MA, Meulenbelt I. Thyroid hormone induces ossification and terminal maturation in a preserved OA cartilage biomimetic model. Arthritis Res Ther 2024; 26:91. [PMID: 38664820 PMCID: PMC11044551 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-024-03326-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To characterize aspects of triiodothyronine (T3) induced chondrocyte terminal maturation within the molecular osteoarthritis pathophysiology using the previously established T3 human ex vivo osteochondral explant model. DESIGNS RNA-sequencing was performed on explant cartilage obtained from OA patients (n = 8), that was cultured ex vivo with or without T3 (10 ng/ml), and main findings were validated using RT-qPCR in an independent sample set (n = 22). Enrichment analysis was used for functional clustering and comparisons with available OA patient RNA-sequencing and GWAS datasets were used to establish relevance for OA pathophysiology by linking to OA patient genomic profiles. RESULTS Besides the upregulation of known hypertrophic genes EPAS1 and ANKH, T3 treatment resulted in differential expression of 247 genes with main pathways linked to extracellular matrix and ossification. CCDC80, CDON, ANKH and ATOH8 were among the genes found to consistently mark early, ongoing and terminal maturational OA processes in patients. Furthermore, among the 37 OA risk genes that were significantly affected in cartilage by T3 were COL12A1, TNC, SPARC and PAPPA. CONCLUSIONS RNA-sequencing results show that metabolic activation and recuperation of growth plate morphology are induced by T3 in OA chondrocytes, indicating terminal maturation is accelerated. The molecular mechanisms involved in hypertrophy were linked to all stages of OA pathophysiology and will be used to validate disease models for drug testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- N M Korthagen
- Department Biomedical Data Sciences, Section of Molecular Epidemiology, LUMC, Einthovenweg 20, Postzone S05-P, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - E Houtman
- Department Biomedical Data Sciences, Section of Molecular Epidemiology, LUMC, Einthovenweg 20, Postzone S05-P, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - I Boone
- Department Biomedical Data Sciences, Section of Molecular Epidemiology, LUMC, Einthovenweg 20, Postzone S05-P, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - R Coutinho de Almeida
- Department Biomedical Data Sciences, Section of Molecular Epidemiology, LUMC, Einthovenweg 20, Postzone S05-P, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - K Sivasubramaniyan
- Galapagos BV, Willem Einthovenstraat 13, Oegstgeest, 2342 BH, The Netherlands
| | - R Mahdad
- Alrijne hospital, Simon Smitweg 1, Leiderdorp, 2353 GA, The Netherlands
| | - R G H H Nelissen
- Department Biomedical Data Sciences, Section of Molecular Epidemiology, LUMC, Einthovenweg 20, Postzone S05-P, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Y F M Ramos
- Department Biomedical Data Sciences, Section of Molecular Epidemiology, LUMC, Einthovenweg 20, Postzone S05-P, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - M A Tessari
- Galapagos BV, Willem Einthovenstraat 13, Oegstgeest, 2342 BH, The Netherlands
| | - I Meulenbelt
- Department Biomedical Data Sciences, Section of Molecular Epidemiology, LUMC, Einthovenweg 20, Postzone S05-P, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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Thapa R, Druessel L, Ma L, Torry DS, Bany BM. ATOH8 Expression Is Regulated by BMP2 and Plays a Key Role in Human Endometrial Stromal Cell Decidualization. Endocrinology 2023; 165:bqad188. [PMID: 38060684 PMCID: PMC10729865 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqad188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
During the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle, elongated fibroblast-like mesenchymal cells in the uterine endometrium begin to transdifferentiate into polygonal epithelioid-like (decidual) cells. This decidualization process continues more broadly during early pregnancy, and the resulting decidual tissue supports successful embryo implantation and placental development. This study was carried out to determine if atonal basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor 8 (ATOH8) plays a role in human endometrial stromal fibroblast (ESF) decidualization. ATOH8 messenger RNA and protein expression levels significantly increased in human ESF cells undergoing in vitro decidualization, with the protein primarily localized to the nucleus. When ATOH8 expression was silenced, the ability of the cells to undergo decidualization was significantly diminished. Overexpression of ATOH8 enhanced the expression of many decidualization markers. Silencing the expression of ATOH8 reduced the expression of FZD4, FOXO1, and several known FOXO1-downstream targets during human ESF cell decidualization. Therefore, ATOH8 may be a major upstream regulator of the WNT/FZD-FOXO1 pathway, previously shown to be critical for human endometrial decidualization. Finally, we explored possible regulators of ATOH8 expression during human ESF decidualization. BMP2 significantly enhanced ATOH8 expression when cells were stimulated to undergo decidualization, while an ALK2/3 inhibitor reduced ATOH8 expression. Finally, although the steroids progesterone plus estradiol did not affect ATOH8 expression, the addition of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) analogue alone represented the major effect of ATOH8 expression when cells were stimulated to undergo decidualization. Our results suggest that ATOH8 plays a crucial role in human ESF decidualization and that BMP2 plus cAMP are major regulators of ATOH8 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupak Thapa
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
| | - Logan Druessel
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
| | - Liang Ma
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63018, USA
| | - Donald S Torry
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL 62702, USA
| | - Brent M Bany
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
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Richard D, Pregizer S, Venkatasubramanian D, Raftery RM, Muthuirulan P, Liu Z, Capellini TD, Craft AM. Lineage-specific differences and regulatory networks governing human chondrocyte development. eLife 2023; 12:e79925. [PMID: 36920035 PMCID: PMC10069868 DOI: 10.7554/elife.79925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
To address large gaps in our understanding of the molecular regulation of articular and growth plate cartilage development in humans, we used our directed differentiation approach to generate these distinct cartilage tissues from human embryonic stem cells. The resulting transcriptomic profiles of hESC-derived articular and growth plate chondrocytes were similar to fetal epiphyseal and growth plate chondrocytes, with respect to genes both known and previously unknown to cartilage biology. With the goal to characterize the regulatory landscapes accompanying these respective transcriptomes, we mapped chromatin accessibility in hESC-derived chondrocyte lineages, and mouse embryonic chondrocytes, using ATAC-sequencing. Integration of the expression dataset with the differentially accessible genomic regions revealed lineage-specific gene regulatory networks. We validated functional interactions of two transcription factors (TFs) (RUNX2 in growth plate chondrocytes and RELA in articular chondrocytes) with their predicted genomic targets. The maps we provide thus represent a framework for probing regulatory interactions governing chondrocyte differentiation. This work constitutes a substantial step towards comprehensive and comparative molecular characterizations of distinct chondrogenic lineages and sheds new light on human cartilage development and biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Richard
- Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Steven Pregizer
- Department of Orthopedic Research, Boston Children’s HospitalBostonUnited States
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Divya Venkatasubramanian
- Department of Orthopedic Research, Boston Children’s HospitalBostonUnited States
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Rosanne M Raftery
- Department of Orthopedic Research, Boston Children’s HospitalBostonUnited States
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | | | - Zun Liu
- Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Terence D Capellini
- Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
- Broad Institute of MIT and HarvardCambridgeUnited States
| | - April M Craft
- Department of Orthopedic Research, Boston Children’s HospitalBostonUnited States
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
- Harvard Stem Cell InstituteCambridgeUnited States
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Divvela SSK, Offei EB, Suerland F, Revuelta García D, Kwiatkowski J, Balakrishnan-Renuka A, Bohne P, Böing M, Morosan-Puopolo G, Mark MD, Brand-Saberi B. Atonal homolog 8/Math6 regulates differentiation and maintenance of skeletal muscle. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:950414. [PMID: 36060799 PMCID: PMC9438786 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.950414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Atonal Homolog 8 (Atoh8) belongs to a large superfamily of transcriptional regulators called basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors. Atoh8 (murine homolog “Math6”) has been shown to be involved in organogenesis during murine embryonic development. We have previously identified the expression of Atoh8 during skeletal myogenesis in chicken where we described its involvement in hypaxial myotome formation suggesting a regulatory role of Atoh8 in skeletal muscle development. Within the current study, we analyzed the effect of the loss of function of Atoh8 in murine primary myoblasts and during differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into myotubes, and the effect of its gain of function in C2C12 cells. Based on the observed results, we conclude that Atoh8 regulates myoblast proliferation via modulating myostatin signaling. Further, our data revealed a reduced muscle mass, strength and fiber size with significant changes to the muscle fiber type suggesting atrophy in skeletal muscle of Atoh8 mutants. We further report that Atoh8 knockout mice suffer from a condition similar to ambient hypoxia which may be the primary cause of the phenotype. Altogether, this study shows the significance of Atoh8 not only in myogenesis but also in the maintenance of skeletal muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric Bekoe Offei
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- University of Ghana, School of Veterinary Medicine, Legon, Ghana
| | - Florian Suerland
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - David Revuelta García
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Julia Kwiatkowski
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Ajeesh Balakrishnan-Renuka
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Pauline Bohne
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Marion Böing
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Gabriela Morosan-Puopolo
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Melanie D. Mark
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Beate Brand-Saberi
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- *Correspondence: Beate Brand-Saberi,
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Agonists of prostaglandin E 2 receptors as potential first in class treatment for nephronophthisis and related ciliopathies. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2115960119. [PMID: 35482924 PMCID: PMC9170064 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2115960119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
SignificanceJuvenile nephronophthisis (NPH) is a renal ciliopathy due to a dysfunction of primary cilia for which no curative treatment is available. This paper describes the identification of agonists of prostaglandin E2 receptors as a potential therapeutic approach for the most common NPHP1-associated ciliopathies. We demonstrated that prostaglandin E1 rescues defective ciliogenesis and ciliary composition in NPHP1 patient urine-derived renal tubular cells and improves ciliary and kidney phenotypes in our NPH zebrafish and Nphp1-/- mouse models. In addition, Taprenepag alleviates the severe retinopathy observed in Nphp1-/- mice. Finally, transcriptomic analyses pointed out several pathways downstream the prostaglandin receptors as cell cycle progression, extracellular matrix, or actin cytoskeleton organization. Altogether, our findings provide an alternative for treatment of NPH.
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Divvela SSK, Saberi D, Brand-Saberi B. Atoh8 in Development and Disease. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11010136. [PMID: 35053134 PMCID: PMC8773363 DOI: 10.3390/biology11010136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Atoh8 belongs to a large superfamily of transcriptional regulators called basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins. bHLH proteins have been identified in a wide range of organisms from yeast to humans. The members of this special group of transcription factors were found to be involved not only in embryonic development but also in disease initiation and its progression. Given their importance in several fundamental processes, the translation, subcellular location and turnover of bHLH proteins is tightly regulated. Alterations in the expression of bHLH proteins have been associated with multiple diseases also in context with Atoh8 which seems to unfold its functions as both transcriptional activator and repressor. Like many other bHLH transcription factors, so far, Atoh8 has also been observed to be involved in both embryonic development and carcinogenesis where it mainly acts as tumor suppressor. This review summarizes our current understanding of Atoh8 structure, function and regulation and its complex and partially controversial involvement in development and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Darius Saberi
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center, 37099 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Beate Brand-Saberi
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany;
- Correspondence:
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Long non-coding RNA CIR inhibits chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells by epigenetically suppressing ATOH8 via methyltransferase EZH2. Mol Med 2021; 27:12. [PMID: 33546582 PMCID: PMC7866678 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-021-00272-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common articular disorder, leading to joint malfunction and disability. Although the incidence of OA is increasing globally, the treatment of OA is very limited. LncRNA CIR has been implicated in OA through unclear mechanisms. Here, we investigated the role of lncRNA CIR in chondrogenic differentiation. Methods Human umbilical-cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) were obtained from human umbilical cords. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the surface markers of hUC-MSCs. Various culture conditions and corresponding staining assays were employed to assess the differentiation abilities of hUC-MSC. qRT-PCR, western blot, and immunostaining were used to measure expression levels of related genes and proteins such as lncRNA CIR, ATOH8, EZH2, and H3K27me3. RNA immunoprecipitation assay, biotin pull-down, and chromatin immunoprecipitaion assay were performed to analyze the interactions of lncRNA CIR, EZH2, H3K27me3 and ATOH8 promoter. Results hUC-MSCs exhibited MSCs features and could differentiate into chondrocytes under specific conditions. LncRNA CIR was downregulated while ATOH8 was upregulated during the chondrogenic differentiation of hUC-MSCs. Knockdown lncRNA CIR or overexpression of ATOH8 promoted chondrogenic differentiation. Further, lncRNA CIR bound to EZH2 and repressed ATOH8 expression via EZH2-mediated H3K27me3, which promotes the methylation of ATOH8. Inhibition of ATOH8 reversed the effects of knockdown lncRNA CIR on chondrogenic differentiation. Conclusion LncRNA CIR suppresses chondrogenic differentiation of hUC-MSCs. Mechanistically, lncRNA CIR could inhibit ATOH8 expression that functions to promote chondrogenic differentiation through EZH2-mediated epigenetic modifications.
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BMP-induced Atoh8 attenuates osteoclastogenesis by suppressing Runx2 transcriptional activity and reducing the Rankl/Opg expression ratio in osteoblasts. Bone Res 2020; 8:32. [PMID: 32923015 PMCID: PMC7463266 DOI: 10.1038/s41413-020-00106-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult bone structural integrity is maintained by remodeling via the coupling of osteoclastic bone resorption and osteoblastic bone formation. Osteocytes or osteoblasts express receptor activator of nuclear factor κ-B ligand (Rankl) or osteoprotegerin (Opg) to promote or inhibit osteoclastogenesis, respectively. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) is a potent bone inducer, but its major role in adult bone is to induce osteocytes to upregulate sclerostin (Sost) and increase the Rankl/Opg expression ratio, resulting in promotion of osteoclastogenesis. However, the precise effect of BMP-target gene(s) in osteoblasts on the Rankl/Opg expression ratio remains unclear. In the present study, we identified atonal homolog 8 (Atoh8), which is directly upregulated by the BMP-Smad1 axis in osteoblasts. In vivo, Atoh8 was detected in osteoblasts but not osteocytes in adult mice. Although global Atoh8-knockout mice showed only a mild phenotype in the neonate skeleton, the bone volume was decreased and osteoclasts were increased in the adult phase. Atoh8-null marrow stroma cells were more potent than wild-type cells in inducing osteoclastogenesis in marrow cells. Atoh8 loss in osteoblasts increased Runx2 expression and the Rankl/Opg expression ratio, while Runx2 knockdown normalized the Rankl/Opg expression ratio. Moreover, Atoh8 formed a protein complex with Runx2 to inhibit Runx2 transcriptional activity and decrease the Rankl/Opg expression ratio. These results suggest that bone remodeling is regulated elaborately by BMP signaling; while BMP primarily promotes bone resorption, it simultaneously induces Atoh8 to inhibit Runx2 and reduce the Rankl/Opg expression ratio in osteoblasts, suppressing osteoclastogenesis and preventing excessive BMP-mediated bone resorption.
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