Mammalian achaete scute homolog 2 is expressed in the adult sciatic nerve and regulates the expression of Krox24, Mob-1, CXCR4, and p57kip2 in Schwann cells

tRNA-derived RNA fragment, tRF-18-8R6546D2, promotes pancreatic adenocarcinoma progression by directly targeting ASCL2

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is a life-threatening cancer. Exploring new diagnosis and treatment targets helps improve its prognosis. tRNA-derived small non-coding RNAs (tsRNAs) are a novel type of gene expression regulators and their dysregulation is closely related to many human cancers. Yet the expression and functions of tsRNAs in PAAD are not well understood. Our study used RNA sequencing to identify tsRNA expression profiles in PAAD cells cultured in no or high glucose media and found tRF-18-8R6546D2 was an uncharacterized tsRNA, which has significantly high expression in PAAD cells and tissues. Clinically, tRF-18-8R6546D2 is linked to poor prognosis in PAAD patients and can be used to distinguish them from healthy populations. Functionally, in vitro and vivo, tRF-18-8R6546D2 over-expression promoted PAAD cell proliferation, migration and invasion, inhibited apoptosis, whereas tRF-18-8R6546D2 knock-down showed opposite effects. Mechanistically, tRF-18-8R6546D2 promoted PAAD malignancy partly by directly silencing ASCL2 and further regulating its downstream genes such as MYC and CASP3. These findings show that tRF-18-8R6546D2 is a novel oncogenic factor and can be a promising diagnostic or prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for PAAD.

ASCL2 is a key regulator of the proliferation-differentiation equilibrium in the esophageal epithelium

The esophagus is protected from the hostile environment by a stratified epithelium, which renews rapidly. Homeostasis of this epithelium is ensured by a rare population of stem cells in the basal layer: Keratin 15+ (Krt15+) cells. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms regulating their distinct features, namely self-renewal, potency and epithelial regeneration. Achaete-scute family BHLH transcription factor 2 (ASCL2) is strongly upregulated in Krt15+ stem cells and is known to contribute to stem cell maintenance in other tissues. Herein, we investigated the role of ASCL2 in maintaining homeostasis under normal and stress conditions in the esophageal epithelium. ASCL2 overexpression severely dysregulated cell differentiation and cell fate. Proliferation was also reduced due potentially to a blockage in the G1 phase of the cell cycle or an induction of quiescence. Mass spectrometry analysis confirmed alterations in several proteins associated with differentiation and the cell cycle. In addition, overexpression of ASCL2 enhanced resistance to radiation and chemotherapeutic drugs. Overall, these results denote the role of ASCL2 as a key regulator of the proliferation-differentiation equilibrium in the esophageal epithelium.

The CXCL12-CXCR4-NLRP3 axis promotes Schwann cell pyroptosis and sciatic nerve demyelination in rats

Studies have shown that the activation of the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is detrimental to the functional recovery of the sciatic nerve, but the regulatory mechanisms of the NLRP3 inflammasome in peripheral nerves are unclear. C-X-C motif chemokine 12 (CXCL12) can bind to C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) and participate in a wide range of nerve inflammation by regulating the NLRP3 inflammasome. Based on these, we explore whether CXCL12-CXCR4 axis regulates the NLRP3 inflammasome in the peripheral nerve. We found that CXCR4/CXCL12, NLRP3 inflammasome-related components, pyroptosis-related proteins and inflammatory factors in the sciatic nerve injured rats were markedly increased compared with the sham-operated group. AMD3100, a CXCR4 antagonist, reverses the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome, Schwann cell pyroptosis and sciatic nerve demyelination. We further treated rat Schwann cells with LPS (lipopolysaccharide) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to mimic the cellular inflammation model of sciatic nerve injury, and the results were consistent with those in vivo. In addition, both in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that AMD3100 treatment reduced the phosphorylation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and the expression of thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP), which contributes to activating NLRP3 inflammasome. Therefore, our findings suggest that, after sciatic nerve injury, CXCL12-CXCR4 axis may promote Schwann cell pyroptosis and sciatic nerve demyelination through activating NLRP3 inflammasome and slow the recovery process of the sciatic nerve.

TNFα-induced Up-regulation of Ascl2 Affects the Differentiation and Proliferation of Neural Stem Cells

The molecular mediators underlying the effects of inflammation on neural stem cells (NSCs) are not fully characterized. In this study, we identified Ascl2 as a downstream basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor in NSCs following exposure to TNFα. Under normal conditions, Ascl2 expression is inhibited at post-transcriptional levels by miR-26a, which targets the 3’ untranslated region (UTR) of Ascl2. Upon exposure to TNFα, miR-26a expression is reduced, which leads to up-regulation of Ascl2. Overexpression of Ascl2 promotes neuronal differentiation, reduces proliferation, and increases the level of cleaved CASPASE 3 in NSCs, as observed in the in vitro and in ovo experiments. Ascl2 may serve in NSCs as a standby factor that readily responds to TNFα, which is often induced in inflammatory situations. In a chronic inflammatory condition with consistent up-regulation of TNFα, overexpression of Ascl2 may inhibit neurogenesis as a net result.

Injury-induced perivascular niche supports alternative differentiation of adult rodent CNS progenitor cells

Following CNS demyelination, oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) are able to differentiate into either remyelinating oligodendrocytes (OLs) or remyelinating Schwann cells (SCs). However, the signals that determine which type of remyelinating cell is generated and the underlying mechanisms involved have not been identified. Here, we show that distinctive microenvironments created in discrete niches within demyelinated white matter determine fate decisions of adult OPCs. By comparative transcriptome profiling we demonstrate that an ectopic, injury-induced perivascular niche is enriched with secreted ligands of the BMP and Wnt signalling pathways, produced by activated OPCs and endothelium, whereas reactive astrocyte within non-vascular area express the dual BMP/Wnt antagonist Sostdc1. The balance of BMP/Wnt signalling network is instructive for OPCs to undertake fate decision shortly after their activation: disruption of the OPCs homeostasis during demyelination results in BMP4 upregulation, which, in the absence of Socstdc1, favours SCs differentiation.

Ascl2 inhibits myogenesis by antagonizing the transcriptional activity of myogenic regulatory factors

Myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs), including Myf5, MyoD (Myod1) and Myog, are muscle-specific transcription factors that orchestrate myogenesis. Although MRFs are essential for myogenic commitment and differentiation, timely repression of their activity is necessary for the self-renewal and maintenance of muscle stem cells (satellite cells). Here, we define Ascl2 as a novel inhibitor of MRFs. During mouse development, Ascl2 is transiently detected in a subpopulation of Pax7⁺ MyoD⁺ progenitors (myoblasts) that become Pax7⁺ MyoD^- satellite cells prior to birth, but is not detectable in postnatal satellite cells. Ascl2 knockout in embryonic myoblasts decreases both the number of Pax7⁺ cells and the proportion of Pax7⁺ MyoD^- cells. Conversely, overexpression of Ascl2 inhibits the proliferation and differentiation of cultured myoblasts and impairs the regeneration of injured muscles. Ascl2 competes with MRFs for binding to E-boxes in the promoters of muscle genes, without activating gene transcription. Ascl2 also forms heterodimers with classical E-proteins to sequester their transcriptional activity on MRF genes. Accordingly, MyoD or Myog expression rescues myogenic differentiation despite Ascl2 overexpression. Ascl2 expression is regulated by Notch signaling, a key governor of satellite cell self-renewal. These data demonstrate that Ascl2 inhibits myogenic differentiation by targeting MRFs and facilitates the generation of postnatal satellite cells.

Loss of Schwann cell plasticity in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP)

Background

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is often associated with chronic disability, which can be accounted to incomplete regeneration of injured axons. We hypothesized that Schwann cell support for regenerating axons may be altered in CIDP, which may account for the poor clinical recovery seen in many patients.

Methods

We exposed human and rodent Schwann cells to sera from CIDP patients and controls. In a model of chronic nerve denervation, we transplanted these conditioned Schwann cells intraneurally and assessed their capacity to support axonal regeneration by electrophysiology and morphometry.

Results

CIDP-conditioned Schwann cells were less growth supportive for regenerating axons as compared to Schwann cells exposed to control sera. The loss of Schwann cell support was associated with lower levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in CIDP sera and correlated with altered expression of c-Jun and p57kip2 in Schwann cells. The inactivation of these regulatory factors resulted in an altered expression of neurotrophins including BDNF, GDNF, and NGF in CIDP-conditioned Schwann cells in vitro.

Conclusions

Our study provides evidence that pro-regenerative functions of Schwann cells are affected in CIDP. It thereby offers a possible explanation for the clinical observation that in many CIDP patients recovery is incomplete despite sufficient immunosuppressive treatment.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12974-016-0711-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A cross-talk between DNA methylation and H3 lysine 9 dimethylation at the KvDMR1 region controls the induction of Cdkn1c in muscle cells

The cdk inhibitor p57^kip2, encoded by the Cdkn1c gene, plays a critical role in mammalian development and in the differentiation of several tissues. Cdkn1c protein levels are carefully regulated via imprinting and other epigenetic mechanisms affecting both the promoter and distant regulatory elements, which restrict its expression to particular developmental phases or specific cell types. Inappropriate activation of these regulatory mechanisms leads to Cdkn1c silencing, causing growth disorders and cancer. We have previously reported that, in skeletal muscle cells, induction of Cdkn1c expression requires the binding of the bHLH myogenic factor MyoD to a long-distance regulatory element within the imprinting control region KvDMR1. Interestingly, MyoD binding to KvDMR1 is prevented in myogenic cell types refractory to the induction of Cdkn1c. In the present work, we took advantage of this model system to investigate the epigenetic determinants of the differential interaction of MyoD with KvDMR1. We show that treatment with the DNA demethylating agent 5-azacytidine restores the binding of MyoD to KvDMR1 in cells unresponsive to Cdkn1c induction. This, in turn, promotes the release of a repressive chromatin loop between KvDMR1 and Cdkn1c promoter and, thus, the upregulation of the gene. Analysis of the chromatin status of Cdkn1c promoter and KvDMR1 in unresponsive compared to responsive cell types showed that their differential responsiveness to the MyoD-dependent induction of the gene does not involve just their methylation status but, rather, the differential H3 lysine 9 dimethylation at KvDMR1. Finally, we report that the same histone modification also marks the KvDMR1 region of human cancer cells in which Cdkn1c is silenced. On the basis of these results, we suggest that the epigenetic status of KvDMR1 represents a critical determinant of the cell type-restricted expression of Cdkn1c and, possibly, of its aberrant silencing in some pathological conditions.

CXCL12/CXCR4 axis: an emerging neuromodulator in pathological pain

The roles of chemokine C-X-C motif ligand 12 (CXCL12) and its receptor chemokine C-X-C motif receptor 4 (CXCR4) reveal this chemokine axis as an emerging neuromodulator in the nervous system. In the peripheral and central nervous systems, both CXCL12 and CXCR4 are expressed in various kinds of nociceptive structures, and CXCL12/CXCR4 axis possesses pronociceptive property. Recent studies have demonstrated its critical roles in the development and maintenance of pathological pain, and both neuronal and glial mechanisms are involved in this CXCL12/CXCR4 axis-mediated pain processing. In this review, we summarize the recent development of the roles and mechanisms of CXCL12/CXCR4 axis in the pathogenesis of chronic pain by sciatic nerve injury, human immunodeficiency virus-associated sensory neuropathy, diabetic neuropathy, spinal cord injury, bone cancer, opioid tolerance, or opioid-induced hyperalgesia. The potential targeting of CXCL12/CXCR4 axis as an effective and broad-spectrum pharmacological approach for chronic pain therapy was also discussed.

SEMA3F prevents metastasis of colorectal cancer by PI3K-AKT-dependent down-regulation of the ASCL2-CXCR4 axis

Semaphorin-3F (SEMA3F), an axonal repulsant in nerve development, has been shown to inhibit the progression of human colorectal cancer (CRC); however, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. In this study we found a negative correlation between the levels of SEMA3F and CXCR4 in CRC specimens from 85 patients, confirmed by bioinformatics analysis of gene expression in 229 CRC samples from the Cancer Genome Atlas. SEMA3F(high) /CXCR4(low) patients showed the lowest frequency of lymph node and distant metastasis and the longest survival. Mechanistically, SEMA3F inhibited the invasion and metastasis of CRC cells through PI3K-AKT-dependent down-regulation of the ASCL2-CXCR4 axis. Specifically, ASCL2 enhanced the invasion and metastasis of CRC cells in vitro and expression of ASCL2 correlated with distant metastasis, tumour size and poor overall survival in CRC patients. Treatment of CRC cells with the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100 attenuated SEMA3F knockdown-induced invasion and metastasis of CRC cells in vitro and in vivo. Our study thus demonstrates that SEMA3F functions as a suppressor of CRC metastasis via down-regulating the ASCL2-CXCR4 axis.

Gene expression profiling studies in regenerating nerves in a mouse model for CMT1X: uninjured Cx32-knockout peripheral nerves display expression profile of injured wild type nerves

X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT1X) is an inherited peripheral neuropathy caused by mutations in GJB1, the human gene for Connexin32 (Cx32). This present study uses Ilumina Ref8-v2 BeadArray to examine the expression profiles of injured and uninjured sciatic nerves at 5, 7, and 14 days post-crush injury (dpi) from Wild Type (WT) and Cx32-knockout (Cx32KO) mice to identify the genes and signaling pathways that are dysregulated in the absence of Schwann cell Cx32. Given the assumption that loss of Schwann cell Cx32 disrupts the regeneration and maintenance of myelinated nerve leading to a demyelinating neuropathy in CMT1X, we initially hypothesized that nerve crush injury would result in significant increases in differential gene expression in Cx32KO mice relative to WT nerves. However, microarray analysis revealed a striking collapse in the number of differentially expressed genes at 5 and 7 dpi in Cx32KO nerves relative to WT, while uninjured and 14 dpi time points showed large numbers of differentially regulated genes. Further comparisons within each genotype showed limited changes in Cx32KO gene expression following crush injury when compared to uninjured Cx32KO nerves. By contrast, WT nerves exhibited robust changes in gene expression at 5 and 7 dpi with no significant differences in gene expression by 14dpi relative to uninjured WT nerve samples. Taken together, these data suggest that the gene expression profile in uninjured Cx32KO sciatic nerve strongly resembles that of a WT nerve following injury and that loss of Schwann cell Cx32 leads to a basal state of gene expression similar to that of an injured WT nerve. These findings support a role for Cx32 in non-myelinating and regenerating populations of Schwann cells in normal axonal maintenance in re-myelination, and regeneration of peripheral nerve following injury. Disruption of Schwann cell-axonal communication in CMT1X may cause dysregulation of signaling pathways that are essential for the maintenance of intact myelinated peripheral nerves and to establish the necessary conditions for successful regeneration and remyelination following nerve injury.

Molecules involved in the crosstalk between immune- and peripheral nerve Schwann cells

Schwann cells are the myelinating glial cells of the peripheral nervous system and establish myelin sheaths on large caliber axons in order to accelerate their electrical signal propagation. Apart from this well described function, these cells revealed to exhibit a high degree of differentiation plasticity as they were shown to re- and dedifferentiate upon injury and disease as well as to actively participate in regenerative- and inflammatory processes. This review focuses on the crosstalk between glial- and immune cells observed in many peripheral nerve pathologies and summarizes functional evidences of molecules, regulators and factors involved in this process. We summarize data on Schwann cell's role presenting antigens, on interactions with the complement system, on Schwann cell surface molecules/receptors and on secreted factors involved in immune cell interactions or para-/autocrine signaling events, thus strengthening the view for a broader (patho) physiological role of this cell lineage.

DNA methylation alterations in grade II- and anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma

Background

Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) is a rare WHO grade II tumor accounting for less than 1% of all astrocytomas. Malignant transformation into PXA with anaplastic features, is unusual and correlates with poorer outcome of the patients.

Methods

Using a DNA methylation custom array, we have quantified the DNA methylation level on the promoter sequence of 807 cancer-related genes of WHO grade II (n = 11) and III PXA (n = 2) and compared to normal brain tissue (n = 10) and glioblastoma (n = 87) samples. DNA methylation levels were further confirmed on independent samples by pyrosequencing of the promoter sequences.

Results

Increasing DNA promoter hypermethylation events were observed in anaplastic PXA as compared with grade II samples. We further validated differential hypermethylation of CD81, HCK, HOXA5, ASCL2 and TES on anaplastic PXA and grade II tumors. Moreover, these epigenetic alterations overlap those described in glioblastoma patients, suggesting common mechanisms of tumorigenesis.

Conclusions

Even taking into consideration the small size of our patient populations, our data strongly suggest that epigenome-wide profiling of PXA is a valuable tool to identify methylated genes, which may play a role in the malignant progression of PXA. These methylation alterations may provide useful biomarkers for decision-making in those patients with low-grade PXA displaying a high risk of malignant transformation.

The characterisation of Pax3 expressant cells in adult peripheral nerve

Pax3 has numerous integral functions in embryonic tissue morphogenesis and knowledge of its complex function in cells of adult tissue continues to unfold. Across a variety of adult tissue lineages, the role of Pax3 is principally linked to maintenance of the tissue’s resident stem/progenitor cell population. In adult peripheral nerves, Pax3 is reported to be expressed in nonmyelinating Schwann cells, however, little is known about the purpose of this expression. Based on the evidence of the role of Pax3 in other adult tissue stem and progenitor cells, it was hypothesised that the cells in adult peripheral nerve that express Pax3 may be peripheral glioblasts. Here, methods have been developed for identification and visualisation of Pax3 expressant cells in normal 60 day old mouse peripheral nerve that allowed morphological and phenotypic distinctions to be made between Pax3 expressing cells and other nonmyelinating Schwann cells. The distinctions described provide compelling support for a resident glioblast population in adult mouse peripheral nerve.

Functionally convergent white adipogenic progenitors of different lineages participate in a diffused system supporting tissue regeneration

Pathologies characterized by lipomatous infiltration of craniofacial structures as well as certain forms of lipodystrophies suggest the existence of a distinct adipogenic program in the cephalic region of mammals. Using lineage tracing, we studied the origin of craniofacial adipocytes that accumulate both in cranial fat depots and during ectopic lipomatous infiltration of craniofacial muscles. We found that unlike their counterparts in limb muscle, a significant percentage of cranial adipocytes is derived from the neural crest (NC). In addition, we identified a population of NC-derived Lin(-)/α7(-)/CD34(+)/Sca-1(+) fibro/adipogenic progenitors (NC-FAPs) that resides exclusively in the mesenchyme of cephalic fat and muscle. Comparative analysis of the adipogenic potential, impact on metabolism, and contribution to the regenerative response of NC-FAPs and mesoderm-derived FAPs (M-FAPs) suggests that these cells are functionally indistinguishable. While both NC- and M-FAPs express mesenchymal markers and promyogenic cytokines upon damage-induced activation, NC-FAPs additionally express components of the NC developmental program. Furthermore, we show that craniofacial FAP composition changes with age, with young mice containing FAPs that are almost exclusively of NC origin, while NC-FAPs are progressively replaced by M-FAPs as mice age. Based on these results, we propose that in the adult, ontogenetically distinct FAPs form a diffused system reminiscent of the endothelium, which can originate from multiple developmental intermediates to seed all anatomical locations.

p57kip2 regulates glial fate decision in adult neural stem cells

Our recent studies revealed p57kip2 as an intrinsic regulator of late gliogenesis and demonstrated that in oligodendroglial precursor cells p57kip2 inhibition leads to accelerated maturation. Adult neural stem cells have been described as a source of glial progenitors; however, the underlying mechanisms of cell fate specification are still poorly understood. Here, we have investigated whether p57kip2 can influence early events of glial determination and differentiation. We found that Sox2/GFAP double-positive cells express p57kip2 in stem cell niches of the adult brain. Short-hairpin RNA-mediated suppression of p57kip2 in cultured adult neural stem cells was found to strongly reduce astroglial characteristics, while oligodendroglial precursor features were increased. Importantly, this anti-astrogenic effect of p57kip2 suppression dominated the bone morphogenetic protein-mediated promotion of astroglial differentiation. Moreover, we observed that in p57kip2 knockdown cells, the BMP antagonist chordin was induced. Finally, when p57kip2-suppressed stem cells were transplanted into the adult spinal cord, fewer GFAP-positive cells were generated and oligodendroglial markers were induced when compared with control cells, demonstrating an effect of in vivo relevance.

MyoD regulates p57kip2 expression by interacting with a distant cis-element and modifying a higher order chromatin structure

The bHLH transcription factor MyoD, the prototypical master regulator of differentiation, directs a complex program of gene expression during skeletal myogenesis. The up-regulation of the cdk inhibitor p57^kip2 plays a critical role in coordinating differentiation and growth arrest during muscle development, as well as in other tissues. p57^kip2 displays a highly specific expression pattern and is subject to a complex epigenetic control driving the imprinting of the paternal allele. However, the regulatory mechanisms governing its expression during development are still poorly understood. We have identified an unexpected mechanism by which MyoD regulates p57^kip2 transcription in differentiating muscle cells. We show that the induction of p57^kip2 requires MyoD binding to a long-distance element located within the imprinting control region KvDMR1 and the consequent release of a chromatin loop involving p57^kip2 promoter. We also show that differentiation-dependent regulation of p57^kip2, while involving a region implicated in the imprinting process, is distinct and hierarchically subordinated to the imprinting control. These findings highlight a novel mechanism, involving the modification of higher order chromatin structures, by which MyoD regulates gene expression. Our results also suggest that chromatin folding mediated by KvDMR1 could account for the highly restricted expression of p57^kip2 during development and, possibly, for its aberrant silencing in some pathologies.

Cellular and subcellular localization of CXCL12 and CXCR4 in rat nociceptive structures: physiological relevance

Initial studies implicated the chemokine CXC motif ligand 12 (CXCL12) and its cognate CXC motif receptor 4 (CXCR4) in pain modulation. However, there has been no description of the distribution, transport and axonal sorting of CXCL12 and CXCR4 in rat nociceptive structures, and their direct participation in nociception modulation has not been demonstrated. Here, we report that acute intrathecal administration of CXCL12 induced mechanical hypersensitivity in naive rats. This effect was prevented by a CXCR4-neutralizing antibody. To determine the morphological basis of this behavioural response, we used light and electron microscopic immunohistochemistry to map CXCL12- and CXCR4-immunoreactive elements in dorsal root ganglia, lumbar spinal cord, sciatic nerve and skin. Light microscopy analysis revealed CXCL12 and CXCR4 immunoreactivity in calcitonin gene related peptide-containing peptidergic primary sensory neurons, which were both conveyed to central and peripheral sensory nerve terminals. Electron microscopy clearly demonstrated CXCL12 and CXCR4 immunoreactivity in primary sensory nerve terminals in the dorsal horn; both were sorted into small clear vesicles and large dense-core vesicles. This suggests that CXCL12 and CXCR4 are trafficked from nerve cell bodies to the dorsal horn. Double immunogold labelling for CXCL12 and calcitonin gene related peptide revealed partial vesicular colocalization in axonal terminals. We report, for the first time, that CXCR4 receptors are mainly located on the neuronal plasma membrane, where they are present at pre-synaptic and post-synaptic sites of central terminals. Receptor inactivation experiments, behavioural studies and morphological analyses provide strong evidence that the CXCL12/CXCR4 system is involved in modulation of nociceptive signalling.

The complex world of oligodendroglial differentiation inhibitors

Myelination is a central nervous system (CNS) process wherein oligodendrocyte-axon interactions lead to the establishment of myelin sheaths that stabilize, protect, and electrically insulate axons. In inflammatory demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), the degeneration and eventual loss of functional myelin sheaths slows and blocks saltatory conduction in axons, which results in clinical impairment. However, remyelination can occur, and lesions can be partially repaired, resulting in clinical remission. The recruitment and activation of resident oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) play a critical role in the repair process because these cells have the capacity to differentiate into functional myelinating cells. Mature oligodendrocytes, however, are thought to have lost the capacity to develop new myelin sheaths and frequently undergo programmed cell death in MS. The endogenous capacity to generate new oligodendrocytes in MS is limited, and this is predominantly due to the presence of inhibitory components that block OPC differentiation and maturation. Here, we present an overview of recently identified negative regulators of oligodendroglial differentiation and their potential relevance for CNS repair in MS. Because currently available immunomodulatory drugs for MS mainly target inflammatory cascades outside the brain and fail to repair existing lesions, achieving more efficient lesion repair constitutes an important goal for future MS therapies.

Autocrine induction of invasive and metastatic phenotypes by the MIF-CXCR4 axis in drug-resistant human colon cancer cells

Metastasis and drug resistance are major problems in cancer chemotherapy. The purpose of this work was to analyze the molecular mechanisms underlying the invasive potential of drug-resistant colon carcinoma cells. Cellular models included the parental HT-29 cell line and its drug-resistant derivatives selected after chronic treatment with either 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, doxorubicin, or oxaliplatin. Drug-resistant invasive cells were compared with noninvasive cells using cDNA microarray, quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, flow cytometry, immunoblots, and ELISA. Functional and cellular signaling analyses were undertaken using pharmacologic inhibitors, function-blocking antibodies, and silencing by retrovirus-mediated RNA interference. 5-Fluorouracil- and methotrexate-resistant HT-29 cells expressing an invasive phenotype in collagen type I and a metastatic behavior in immunodeficient mice exhibited high expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4. Macrophage migration-inhibitory factor (MIF) was identified as the critical autocrine CXCR4 ligand promoting invasion in drug-resistant colon carcinoma HT-29 cells. Silencing of CXCR4 and impairing the MIF-CXCR4 signaling pathways by ISO-1, pAb FL-115, AMD-3100, monoclonal antibody 12G5, and BIM-46187 abolished this aggressive phenotype. Induction of CXCR4 was associated with the upregulation of two genes encoding transcription factors previously shown to control CXCR4 expression (HIF-2alpha and ASCL2) and maintenance of intestinal stem cells (ASCL2). Enhanced CXCR4 expression was detected in liver metastases resected from patients with colon cancer treated by the standard FOLFOX regimen. Combination therapies targeting the CXCR4-MIF axis could potentially counteract the emergence of the invasive metastatic behavior in clonal derivatives of drug-resistant colon cancer cells.

CXCR7 is an active component of SDF-1 signalling in astrocytes and Schwann cells

The alternative SDF-1 (stromal cell derived factor-1) receptor, CXCR7, has been suggested to act as either a scavenger of extracellular SDF-1 or a modulator of the primary SDF-1 receptor, CXCR4. CXCR7, however, also directly affects the function of various tumor-cell types. Here, we demonstrate that CXCR7 is an active component of SDF-1 signalling in astrocytes and Schwann cells. Cultured cortical astrocytes and peripheral nerve Schwann cells exhibit comparable total and cell-surface levels of expression of both SDF-1 receptors. Stimulation of astrocytes with SDF-1 resulted in the temporary activation of Erk1/2, Akt and PKCzeta/lambda, but not p38 and PKCalpha/beta. Schwann cells showed SDF-1-induced activation of Erk1/2, Akt and p38, but not PKCalpha/beta and PKCzeta/lambda. The respective signalling pattern remained fully inducible in astrocytes from CXCR4-deficient mice, but was abrogated following depletion of astrocytic CXCR7 by RNAi. In Schwann cells, RNAi-mediated depletion of either CXCR4 or CXCR7 silenced SDF-1 signalling. The findings of the astrocytic receptor-depletion experiments were reproduced by CXCR7 antagonist CCX754, but not by CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100, both of which abolished astrocytic SDF-1 signalling. Further underlining the functional importance of CXCR7 signalling in glial cells, we show that the mitogenic effects of SDF-1 on both glial cell types are impaired upon depleting CXCR7.

Increased chemokine signaling in a model of HIV1-associated peripheral neuropathy

Painful distal sensory polyneuropathy (DSP) is the most common neurological complication of HIV1 infection. Although infection with the virus itself is associated with an incidence of DSP, patients are more likely to become symptomatic following initiation of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) treatment. The chemokines monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP1/CCL2) and stromal derived factor-1 (SDF1/CXCL12) and their respective receptors, CCR2 and CXCR4, have been implicated in HIV1 related neuropathic pain mechanisms including NRTI treatment in rodents. Utilizing a rodent model that incorporates the viral coat protein, gp120, and the NRTI, 2'3'-dideoxycytidine (ddC), we examined the degree to which chemokine receptor signaling via CCR2 and CXCR4 potentially influences the resultant chronic hypernociceptive behavior. We observed that following unilateral gp120 sciatic nerve administration, rats developed profound tactile hypernociception in the hindpaw ipsilateral to gp120 treatment. Behavioral changes were also present in the hindpaw contralateral to the injury, albeit delayed and less robust. Using immunohistochemical studies, we demonstrated that MCP1 and CCR2 were upregulated by primary sensory neurons in lumbar ganglia by post-operative day (POD) 14. The functional nature of these observations was confirmed using calcium imaging in acutely dissociated lumbar dorsal root ganglion (DRG) derived from gp120 injured rats at POD 14. Tactile hypernociception in gp120 treated animals was reversed following treatment with a CCR2 receptor antagonist at POD 14. Some groups of animals were subjected to gp120 sciatic nerve injury in combination with an injection of ddC at POD 14. This injury paradigm produced pronounced bilateral tactile hypernociception from POD 14–48. More importantly, functional MCP1/CCR2 and SDF1/CXCR4 signaling was present in sensory neurons. In contrast to gp120 treatment alone, the hypernociceptive behavior associated with the injury plus drug combination was only effectively reversed using the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100. These studies indicate that the functional upregulation of CCR2 and CXCR4 signaling systems following a combination of gp120 and an NRTI are likely to be of central importance to associated DSP and may serve as potential therapeutic targets for treatment of this syndrome.

Negative regulation of myelination: relevance for development, injury, and demyelinating disease

Dedifferentiation of myelinating Schwann cells is a key feature of nerve injury and demyelinating neuropathies. We review recent evidence that this dedifferentiation depends on activation of specific intracellular signaling molecules that drive the dedifferentiation program. In particular, we discuss the idea that Schwann cells contain negative transcriptional regulators of myelination that functionally complement positive regulators such as Krox-20, and that myelination is therefore determined by a balance between two opposing transcriptional programs. Negative transcriptional regulators should be expressed prior to myelination, downregulated as myelination starts but reactivated as Schwann cells dedifferentiate following injury. The clearest evidence for a factor that works in this way relates to c-Jun, while other factors may include Notch, Sox-2, Pax-3, Id2, Krox-24, and Egr-3. The role of cell-cell signals such as neuregulin-1 and cytoplasmic signaling pathways such as the extracellular-related kinase (ERK)1/2 pathway in promoting dedifferentiation of myelinating cells is also discussed. We also review evidence that neurotrophin 3 (NT3), purinergic signaling, and nitric oxide synthase are involved in suppressing myelination. The realization that myelination is subject to negative as well as positive controls contributes significantly to the understanding of Schwann cell plasticity. Negative regulators are likely to have a major role during injury, because they promote the transformation of damaged nerves to an environment that fosters neuronal survival and axonal regrowth. In neuropathies, however, activation of these pathways is likely to be harmful because they may be key contributors to demyelination, a situation which would open new routes for clinical intervention.

The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p57kip2 is a negative regulator of Schwann cell differentiation and in vitro myelination

The p57kip2 gene encodes a member of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor family, proteins known to block G(1)/S transition during the mammalian cell cycle. We observed that expression of p57kip2 in Schwann cells of the developing and injured adult peripheral nervous system is dynamically regulated. Using gene knockdown by means of vector-based RNA interference in cultured primary Schwann cells we found that reduced levels of p57kip2 lead to cell cycle exit, actin filament stabilization, altered cell morphology and growth, and down-regulation of promyelinating markers as well as induction of myelin genes and proteins. In addition, we could demonstrate that in vitro myelination is enhanced by p57kip2-suppressed Schwann cells. Using microarray technology we found that these cellular reactions are specific to lowered p57kip2 expression levels and detected a shift of the transcriptional expression program toward the pattern known from Schwann cells in developing peripheral nerves. Because in the absence of axons primary Schwann cells normally do not display differentiation-associated reactions, we conclude that we have identified a mechanism and an important intrinsic negative regulator of myelinating glia differentiation.

Ascl3 expression marks a progenitor population of both acinar and ductal cells in mouse salivary glands

Ascl3, also know as Sgn1, is a member of the mammalian achaete scute (Mash) gene family of transcription factors, which have been implicated in cell fate specification and differentiation. In the mouse salivary gland, expression of Ascl3 is restricted to a subset of duct cells. Salivary gland function depends on the secretory acinar cells, which are responsible for saliva formation, and duct cells, which modify the saliva and conduct it to the oral cavity. The salivary gland ducts are also the putative site of progenitor cells in the adult gland. Using a Cre recombinase-mediated reporter system, we followed the fate of Ascl3-expressing cells after the introduction of an EGFP-Cre expression cassette into the Ascl3 locus by homologous recombination. Lineage tracing shows that these cells are progenitors of both acinar and ductal cell types in all three major salivary glands. In the differentiated progeny, expression of Ascl3 is down-regulated. These data directly demonstrate a progenitor-progeny relationship between duct cells and the acinar cell compartment, and identify a population of multipotent progenitor cells, marked by expression of Ascl3, which is capable of generating both gland cell types. We conclude that Ascl3-expressing cells contribute to the maintenance of the adult salivary glands.

Delayed functional expression of neuronal chemokine receptors following focal nerve demyelination in the rat: a mechanism for the development of chronic sensitization of peripheral nociceptors

BACKGROUND

Animal and clinical studies have revealed that focal peripheral nerve axon demyelination is accompanied by nociceptive pain behavior. C-C and C-X-C chemokines and their receptors have been strongly implicated in demyelinating polyneuropathies and persistent pain syndromes. Herein, we studied the degree to which chronic nociceptive pain behavior is correlated with the neuronal expression of chemokines and their receptors following unilateral lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC)-induced focal demyelination of the sciatic nerve in rats.

RESULTS

Focal nerve demyelination increased behavioral reflex responsiveness to mechanical stimuli between postoperative day (POD) 3 and POD28 in both the hindpaw ipsilateral and contralateral to the nerve injury. This behavior was accompanied by a bilateral increase in the numbers of primary sensory neurons expressing the chemokine receptors CCR2, CCR5, and CXCR4 by POD14, with no change in the pattern of CXCR3 expression. Significant increases in the numbers of neurons expressing the chemokines monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1/CCL2), Regulated on Activation, Normal T Expressed and Secreted (RANTES/CCL5) and interferon gamma-inducing protein-10 (IP-10/CXCL10) were also evident following nerve injury, although neuronal expression pattern of stromal cell derived factor-1alpha (SDF1/CXCL12) did not change. Functional studies demonstrated that acutely dissociated sensory neurons derived from LPC-injured animals responded with increased [Ca2+]i following exposure to MCP-1, IP-10, SDF1 and RANTES on POD 14 and 28, but these responses were largely absent by POD35. On days 14 and 28, rats received either saline or a CCR2 receptor antagonist isomer (CCR2 RA-[R]) or its inactive enantiomer (CCR2 RA-[S]) by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection. CCR2 RA-[R] treatment of nerve-injured rats produced stereospecific bilateral reversal of tactile hyperalgesia.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that the presence of chemokine signaling by both injured and adjacent, uninjured sensory neurons is correlated with the maintenance phase of a persistent pain state, suggesting that chemokine receptor antagonists may be an important therapeutic intervention for chronic pain.

CXCR4 chemokine receptor signaling mediates pain hypersensitivity in association with antiretroviral toxic neuropathy

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) are known to produce painful neuropathies and to enhance states of pain hypersensitivity produced by HIV-1 infection. It has also been observed that in some neuropathic pain models, chemokines and their receptors are upregulated, perhaps contributing to the pain state. In order to understand if chemokines are involved in NRTI-mediated sensory neuropathies, we treated rats with the anti-retroviral drug, 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (ddC), which is known to produce an extended period of hyperalgesia and allodynia. Using in situ hybridization, we observed that under normal conditions, CXCR4 chemokine receptors were widely expressed by satellite glia in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and Schwann cells in the sciatic nerve. A limited number of DRG neurons also expressed CXCR4 receptors. The chemokine SDF-1/CXCL12 was similarly expressed in glial cells in the DRG and peripheral nerve. Following a single administration of ddC, expression levels of CXCR4 mRNA in glia and neurons and SDF-1 mRNA in glia increased considerably. The functional nature of increased CXCR4 mRNA expression was confirmed by measuring SDF-1 induced [Ca2+]i increases in acutely isolated DRG neurons and glia. In contrast, the expression of the chemokine receptors CCR2 and CCR5 did not change following ddC treatment. Pain hypersensitivity produced by ddC could be inhibited by treatment with the CXCR4 antagonist, AMD3100. Hence, we postulate that NRTIs produce pain hypersensitivity through the upregulation of CXCR4 signaling in the DRG. Increased numbers of CXCR4 receptors would also explain the synergism observed between NRTI treatment and the proalgesic effects of HIV-1 infection.

The chemokine Sdf-1 and its receptor Cxcr4 are required for formation of muscle in zebrafish

BACKGROUND

During development cell migration takes place prior to differentiation of many cell types. The chemokine receptor Cxcr4 and its ligand Sdf1 are implicated in migration of several cell lineages, including appendicular muscles.

RESULTS

We dissected the role of sdf1-cxcr4 during skeletal myogenesis. We demonstrated that the receptor cxcr4a is expressed in the medial-anterior part of somites, suggesting that chemokine signaling plays a role in this region of the somite. Previous reports emphasized co-operation of Sdf1a and Cxcr4b. We found that during early myogenesis Sdf1a co-operates with the second Cxcr4 of zebrafish - Cxcr4a resulting in the commitment of myoblast to form fast muscle. Disrupting this chemokine signal caused a reduction in myoD and myf5 expression and fast fiber formation. In addition, we showed that a dimerization partner of MyoD and Myf5, E12, positively regulates transcription of cxcr4a and sdf1a in contrast to that of Sonic hedgehog, which inhibited these genes through induction of expression of id2.

CONCLUSION

We revealed a regulatory feedback mechanism between cxcr4a-sdf1a and genes encoding myogenic regulatory factors, which is involved in differentiation of fast myofibers. This demonstrated a role of chemokine signaling during development of skeletal muscles.

Improved embryonic stem cell technologies

Murine embryonic stem (ES) cells have become an indispensable tool for investigating genetic function both in vitro and, importantly, in vivo. Recent advances, including tetraploid aggregation, new site-specific recombinases and RNAi, have enabled more sophisticated manipulation of the ES cell genome. For instance, it is now possible to control gene expression in both a temporally and spatially restricted manner. Such new technologies are answering complex questions surrounding the function and interaction of an increasing number of genes. This chapter will review both the history and recent technological progress that has been made in mouse ES cell derivation, genetic manipulation and the generation of ES cell-derived chimaeric animals.

Gene expression profiling reveals that peripheral nerve regeneration is a consequence of both novel injury-dependent and reactivated developmental processes

One of the most striking features of the injured mature peripheral nervous system is the ability to regenerate. The lesioned peripheral nervous system displays stereotypic histopathological reactions indicating the activation of a co-ordinated lesion-induced gene expression programme. Previous research has already identified molecular components of this axonal switch from a mature transmitting to a regenerative growth mode. The observed alterations in gene expression within the lesioned distal nerve stump were largely attributed to recapitulated developmental processes. However, to our knowledge, this hypothesis has not been proven systematically. Most of the stereotypic molecular and cellular reactions during nerve development and repair can be assigned to specific time windows. Consequently, we have compared gene expression profiles of both paradigms at six different time-points each by means of cDNA array hybridization. Our data identified injury-specific molecular reactions and revealed to what extent developmental mechanisms are reactivated in response to nerve lesion. Ninety-one genes (47% of the regeneration-associated genes) were found to be significantly regulated in both paradigms, suggesting that regeneration only partially recapitulates development and that approximately half of the regulated genes are part of a regeneration-dependent programme. Interestingly, mainly genes encoding signal transducers or factors involved in processes such as cell death, immune response, transport and transcriptional regulation showed injury-specific gene expression.

Chemokines: integrators of pain and inflammation

Chronic (neuropathic) pain is one of the most widespread and intractable of human complaints, as well as being one of the most difficult syndromes to treat successfully with drugs or surgery. The development of new therapeutic approaches to the treatment of painful neuropathies requires a better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the development of these chronic pain syndromes. It is clear that inflammatory responses often accompany the development of neuropathic pain, and here we discuss the idea that chemokines might be key to integrating the development of pain and inflammation and could furnish new leads in the search for effective analgesic agents for the treatment of painful neuropathies.

A screen for downstream effectors of Neurogenin2 in the embryonic neocortex

Neurogenin (Ngn) 1 and Ngn2 encode basic-helix-loop-helix transcription factors expressed in the developing neocortex. Like other proneural genes, Ngns participate in the specification of neural fates and neuronal identities, but downstream effectors remain poorly defined. We set out to identify Ngn2 effectors in the cortex using a subtractive hybridization screen and identified several regionally expressed genes that were misregulated in Ngn2 and Ngn1;Ngn2 mutants. Included were genes down-regulated in germinal zone progenitors (e.g., Nlgn1, Unc5H4, and Dcc) and in postmitotic neurons in the cortical plate (e.g., Bhlhb5 and NFIB) and subplate (e.g., Mef2c, srGAP3, and protocadherin 9). Further analysis revealed that Ngn2 mutant subplate neurons were misspecified and that thalamocortical afferents (TCAs) that normally target this layer instead inappropriately projected towards the germinal zone. Strikingly, EphA5 and Sema3c, which encode repulsive guidance cues, were down-regulated in the Ngn2 and Ngn1;Ngn2 mutant germinal zones, providing a possible molecular basis for axonal targeting defects. Thus, we identified several new components of the differentiation cascade(s) activated downstream of Ngn1 and Ngn2 and provided novel insights into a new developmental process controlled by these proneural genes. Further analysis of the genes isolated in our screen should provide a fertile basis for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying corticogenesis.

Identification and Characterization of ZFP-57, a Novel Zinc Finger Transcription Factor in the Mammalian Peripheral Nervous System

To isolate new zinc finger genes expressed at early stages of peripheral nerve development, we have used PCR to amplify conserved zinc finger sequences. RNA from rat embryonic day 12 and 13 sciatic nerves, a stage when nerves contain Schwann cell precursors, was used to identify several genes not previously described in Schwann cells. One of them, zinc finger protein (ZFP)-57, proved to be the homologue of a mouse gene found in F9 teratocarcinoma cells. Its mRNA expression profile within embryonic and adult normal and transected peripheral nerves, and its distribution in the rest of the nervous system is described. High levels of expression are seen in embryonic nerves and spinal cord. These drop rapidly during the first few weeks after birth, a pattern mirrored in other parts of the nervous system. ZFP-57 localizes to the nucleus of Schwann and other cells. The sequence contains an N-terminal Krüppel-associated box (KRAB) domain and ZFP-57 constructs containing green fluorescent protein reveal that the protein colocalizes with heterochromatin protein 1alpha to centromeric heterochromatin in a characteristic speckled pattern in NIH3T3 cells. The KRAB domain is required for this localization, because constructs lacking it target the protein to the nucleus but not to the centromeric heterochromatin. When fused to a heterologous DNA binding domain, the KRAB domain of ZFP-57 represses transcription, and full-length ZFP-57 represses Schwann cell transcription from myelin basic protein and P(0) promoters in co-transfection assays. Zfp-57 mRNA is up-regulated in Schwann cells in response to leukemia inhibitory factor and fibroblast growth factor 2.

Transcriptional response to circumscribed cortical brain ischemia: spatiotemporal patterns in ischemic vs. remote non-ischemic cortex

Focal brain infarcts are surrounded by extended perilesional zones that comprise the partially ischemic penumbra but also completely non-ischemic cortex of the remote ipsilateral hemisphere. To delineate the impact of lesion-associated vs. remote processes on transcriptional programming after focal ischemia, we used cDNA array analysis, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry in the photothrombosis model of circumscribed cortical ischemia in rats. At an early stage of 4 h after ischemia, gene induction occurred to a similar extent in the ischemic infarct and remote non-ischemic cortex of the ipsilateral hemisphere. Among the genes induced in non-ischemic cortex we found the NGF-inducible genes PC3, VGF and Arc, the transcriptional regulators I kappa B-alpha and Stat3, and the beta-chemokine MIP-1 alpha (CCL3). At 3 days, the spatial pattern of gene expression had changed dramatically with brain fatty acid-binding protein as the only gene significantly induced in non-ischemic ipsilateral cortex. In contrast, numerous genes were exclusively regulated at the lesion site, comprising genes involved in cell cycle regulation, proteolysis, apoptosis, lipid homeostasis and anti-inflammatory counter-regulation. Cortical spreading depression was identified as the main mechanism underlying gene induction in remote non-ischemic cortex. Our data demonstrate a dynamic spatiotemporal pattern of gene induction, which may contribute to delayed progression of damage or, alternatively, mediate neuroprotection, tissue remodeling and functional compensation.

Cyclic AMP and tumor necrosis factor-alpha regulate CXCR4 gene expression in Schwann cells

Rat peripheral nerve Schwann cells have been shown to express the alpha-chemokine receptor CXCR4 as well as the corresponding ligand stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1). We have investigated gene regulatory mechanisms acting on the expression of CXCR4 in cultured rat Schwann cells and found that receptor expression at transcript- and protein levels is directly dependent on intracellular cyclic AMP. Such increased levels of CXCR4 expression were found to be efficiently reversed by the action of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha). We also provide evidence that the POU box transcription factor Oct-6/SCIP is involved in the control of CXCR4 transcription. Finally, we could demonstrate that CXCR4 activation by SDF-1alpha increases the number of dying Schwann cells, indicating that this receptor/ligand interaction is modulating cell survival. Our data, therefore, suggest that in the Schwann cell lineage signal transduction cascades controlled by the activation of TNF- and CXCR4 receptors are functionally coupled.

Gene expression profiling reveals multiple novel intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with axonal regeneration failure

In contrast to the regeneration-competent peripheral nervous system (PNS), lesions of nerve tracts within the central nervous system (CNS) lead to chronically impaired neuronal connections. We have analysed changes in gene expression patterns occurring as a consequence of postcommissural fornix transection at a time when spontaneous axonal growth has ceased at the lesion site. This was done in order to describe both extrinsic and intrinsic determinants of regeneration failure. Using a genomic approach we have identified a number of so far undetected factors such as bamacan and semaphorin 6B, which relate to chronic axonal growth arrest and therefore are promising candidates for lesion-induced axonal growth inhibitors. In addition, we observed that within the subiculum, where the fornix axons originate, neuronal Oct-6 was induced and NG2 was down-regulated, indicating that axotomized neurons as well as glial cells react at the level of gene expression to remote axotomy.

The cellular Pax–Hox–Helix connection

Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors are important regulators of lineage determination during embryogenesis. Initial experiments in Drosophila showed that early neural selection and specification are dependent on atonal (ato) and members of the achaete-scute complex (as-c). In mammals, transcription factors homologous to as-c and ato are causally involved during development of organs throughout the body. Development of subsets of lineages in intestine, stomach, pancreas, lung, thyroid and placenta have been shown to be regulated by members of the as-c and ato families. These functional studies show that an individual bHLH transcription factor can regulate multiple developmental processes throughout the mammalian body, which implicates that extant as-c and ato transcription factors play a distinct function dependent on their cellular context. Based on the synergistic activation of the insulin, POMC and Pax4 promotors by bHLH and homeobox (Hox) protein complexes, we hypothesize that the underlying cellular function-modulating factors include members of the Hox and paired box (Pax) multigene families. These examples indicate that unique combinations of bHLH and Hox proteins, mediated by protein-protein interactions, might be responsible for activating cell-specific sets of target genes.