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The term CAKUT has outlived its usefulness: the case for the prosecution. Pediatr Nephrol 2022; 37:2785-2791. [PMID: 35575937 PMCID: PMC9489548 DOI: 10.1007/s00467-022-05576-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
CAKUT stands for Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract, and the acronym first appeared in a review article published in 1998. Since then, CAKUT has become a familiar term encountered in the medical literature, especially in nephrology journals. I reason that the term CAKUT was conceived as not a simple description of various diseases, but more as shorthand for a bold conceptual package that linked the occurrence of diverse types of anatomical malformations with insights from genetic and developmental biology research. Moreover, the angiotensin II receptor type 2 was seen as a paradigmatic molecule in the pathobiology of CAKUT. I contend that the acronym, while appearing as an intellectually good idea at the time it was conceived, has outlived its usefulness. To reach these conclusions, I focus on the complex of research observations that led to the theory behind CAKUT, and then question whether these scientific foundations still stand firm. In addition, it is noted that not all clinicians have adopted the acronym, and I speculate why this is the case. I proceed to demonstrate that there is an incompatibility between the semantic meaning of CAKUT and the diseases for which the term was originally conceived. Instead, I suggest the acronym UTM, standing for Urinary Tract Malformation, is a simpler and less ambiguous one to use. Finally, I contend that the continued use of the acronym is a regressive step for the disciplines of nephrology and urology, taking us back two centuries when all kidney diseases were simply called Bright's disease.
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Rooney KM, Woolf AS, Kimber SJ. Towards Modelling Genetic Kidney Diseases with Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Nephron Clin Pract 2021; 145:285-296. [PMID: 33774632 DOI: 10.1159/000514018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Kidney disease causes major suffering and premature mortality worldwide. With no cure for kidney failure currently available, and with limited options for treatment, there is an urgent need to develop effective pharmaceutical interventions to slow or prevent kidney disease progression. SUMMARY In this review, we consider the feasibility of using human pluripotent stem cell-derived kidney tissues, or organoids, to model genetic kidney disease. Notable successes have been made in modelling genetic tubular diseases (e.g., cystinosis), polycystic kidney disease, and medullary cystic kidney disease. Organoid models have also been used to test novel therapies that ameliorate aberrant cell biology. Some progress has been made in modelling congenital glomerular disease, even though glomeruli within organoids are developmentally immature. Less progress has been made in modelling structural kidney malformations, perhaps because sufficiently mature metanephric mesenchyme-derived nephrons, ureteric bud-derived branching collecting ducts, and a prominent stromal cell population are not generated together within a single protocol. Key Messages: We predict that the field will advance significantly if organoids can be generated with a full complement of cell lineages and with kidney components displaying key physiological functions, such as glomerular filtration. The future economic upscaling of reproducible organoid generation will facilitate more widespread research applications, including the potential therapeutic application of these stem cell-based technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty M Rooney
- Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Adrian S Woolf
- Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Susan J Kimber
- Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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Zeng F, Zhang Y, Han X, Weng J, Gao Y. Liver Buds and Liver Organoids: New Tools for Liver Development, Disease and Medical Application. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2020; 15:774-784. [PMID: 31863336 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-019-09909-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The current understanding and effective treatment of liver disease is far from satisfactory. Liver organoids and liver buds (LBs) transforming cell culture from two dimensions(2D) to three dimensions(3D) has provided infinite possibilities for stem cells to use in clinic. Recent technological advances in the 3D culture have shown the potentiality of liver organoids and LBs as the promising tool to model in vitro liver diseases. The induced LBs and liver organoids provide a platform for cell-based therapy, liver disease models, liver organogenesis and drugs screening. And its genetic heterogeneity supplies a way for the realization of precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanhong Zeng
- Second Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Co-Innovation Center for Organ Failure Research, Southern Medical University, 253 Gongye Street, Haizhu, Guangzhou, 510280, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Second Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Co-Innovation Center for Organ Failure Research, Southern Medical University, 253 Gongye Street, Haizhu, Guangzhou, 510280, China
| | - Xu Han
- Second Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Co-Innovation Center for Organ Failure Research, Southern Medical University, 253 Gongye Street, Haizhu, Guangzhou, 510280, China
| | - Jun Weng
- Second Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Co-Innovation Center for Organ Failure Research, Southern Medical University, 253 Gongye Street, Haizhu, Guangzhou, 510280, China.
| | - Yi Gao
- Second Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Co-Innovation Center for Organ Failure Research, Southern Medical University, 253 Gongye Street, Haizhu, Guangzhou, 510280, China.
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Huh SH, Ha L, Jang HS. Nephron Progenitor Maintenance Is Controlled through Fibroblast Growth Factors and Sprouty1 Interaction. J Am Soc Nephrol 2020; 31:2559-2572. [PMID: 32753399 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2020040401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nephron progenitor cells (NPCs) give rise to all segments of functional nephrons and are of great interest due to their potential as a source for novel treatment strategies for kidney disease. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling plays pivotal roles in generating and maintaining NPCs during kidney development, but little is known about the molecule(s) regulating FGF signaling during nephron development. Sprouty 1 (SPRY1) is an antagonist of receptor tyrosine kinases. Although SPRY1 antagonizes Ret-GDNF signaling, which modulates renal branching, its role in NPCs is not known. METHODS Spry1, Fgf9, and Fgf20 compound mutant animals were used to evaluate kidney phenotypes in mice to understand whether SPRY1 modulates FGF signaling in NPCs and whether FGF8 functions with FGF9 and FGF20 in maintaining NPCs. RESULTS Loss of one copy of Spry1 counters effects of the loss of Fgf9 and Fgf20, rescuing bilateral renal agenesis premature NPC differentiation, NPC proliferation, and cell death defects. In the absence of SPRY1, FGF9, and FGF20, another FGF ligand, FGF8, promotes nephrogenesis. Deleting both Fgf8 and Fgf20 results in kidney agenesis, defects in NPC proliferation, and cell death. Deleting one copy of Fgf8 reversed the effect of deleting one copy of Spry1, which rescued the renal agenesis due to loss of Fgf9 and Fgf20. CONCLUSIONS SPRY1 expressed in NPCs modulates the activity of FGF signaling and regulates NPC stemness. These findings indicate the importance of the balance between positive and negative signals during NPC maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung-Ho Huh
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska .,Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Ligyeom Ha
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Hee-Seong Jang
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
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Lopes FM, Roberts NA, Zeef LAH, Gardiner NJ, Woolf AS. Overactivity or blockade of transforming growth factor-β each generate a specific ureter malformation. J Pathol 2019; 249:472-484. [PMID: 31400222 PMCID: PMC6900140 DOI: 10.1002/path.5335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) has been reported to be dysregulated in malformed ureters. There exists, however, little information on whether altered TGFβ levels actually perturb ureter development. We therefore hypothesised that TGFβ has functional effects on ureter morphogenesis. Tgfb1, Tgfb2 and Tgfb3 transcripts coding for TGFβ ligands, as well as Tgfbr1 and Tgfbr2 coding for TGFβ receptors, were detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction in embryonic mouse ureters collected over a wide range of stages. As assessed by in situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry, the two receptors were detected in embryonic urothelia. Next, TGFβ1 was added to serum-free cultures of embryonic day 15 mouse ureters. These organs contain immature smooth muscle and urothelial layers and their in vivo potential to grow and acquire peristaltic function can be replicated in serum-free organ culture. Such organs therefore constitute a suitable developmental stage with which to define roles of factors that affect ureter growth and functional differentiation. Exogenous TGFβ1 inhibited growth of the ureter tube and generated cocoon-like dysmorphogenesis. RNA sequencing suggested that altered levels of transcripts encoding certain fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) followed exposure to TGFβ. In serum-free organ culture exogenous FGF10 but not FGF18 abrogated certain dysmorphic effects mediated by exogenous TGFβ1. To assess whether an endogenous TGFβ axis functions in developing ureters, embryonic day 15 explants were exposed to TGFβ receptor chemical blockade; growth of the ureter was enhanced, and aberrant bud-like structures arose from the urothelial tube. The muscle layer was attenuated around these buds, and peristalsis was compromised. To determine whether TGFβ effects were limited to one stage, explants of mouse embryonic day 13 ureters, more primitive organs, were exposed to exogenous TGFβ1, again generating cocoon-like structures, and to TGFβ receptor blockade, again generating ectopic buds. As for the mouse studies, immunostaining of normal embryonic human ureters detected TGFβRI and TGFβRII in urothelia. Collectively, these observations reveal unsuspected regulatory roles for endogenous TGFβ in embryonic ureters, fine-tuning morphogenesis and functional differentiation. Our results also support the hypothesis that the TGFβ up-regulation reported in ureter malformations impacts on pathobiology. Further experiments are needed to unravel the intracellular signalling mechanisms involved in these dysmorphic responses. © 2019 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa M Lopes
- Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and HealthUniversity of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Neil A Roberts
- Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and HealthUniversity of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Leo AH Zeef
- The Bioinformatics Core FacilityUniversity of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Natalie J Gardiner
- Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Gastroenterology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and HealthUniversity of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Adrian S Woolf
- Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and HealthUniversity of ManchesterManchesterUK
- Royal Manchester Children's HospitalManchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science CentreManchesterUK
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Abstract
The ability to explant and then maintain embryonic tissues in organ culture makes it feasible to study the growth and differentiation of whole organs, or parts or combinations of them, in three dimensions. Moreover, the possible effects of biochemical manipulations or mutations can be explored by visualizing a growing organ. The mammalian renal tract comprises the kidney, ureter, and urinary bladder, and the focus of this chapter is organ culture of the embryonic mouse ureter in serum-free defined medium. Over the culture period, rudiments grow in length, smooth muscle differentiates, and the ureters then undergo peristalsis in a proximal to distal direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa M Lopes
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
| | - Adrian S Woolf
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
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Tham MS, Smyth IM. Cellular and molecular determinants of normal and abnormal kidney development. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2018; 8:e338. [DOI: 10.1002/wdev.338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Revised: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ming S. Tham
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Ian M. Smyth
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
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8
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Wu H, Xu Q, Xie J, Ma J, Qiao P, Zhang W, Yu H, Wang W, Qian Y, Zhang Q, Guo Y, Tang Y, Chen XN, Wang Z, Chen N. Identification of 8 Novel Mutations in Nephrogenesis-Related Genes in Chinese Han Patients with Unilateral Renal Agenesis. Am J Nephrol 2017; 46:55-63. [PMID: 28618409 DOI: 10.1159/000477590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few genetic studies have focused on unilateral renal agenesis (URA), which is a disorder with insidious clinical manifestations and a tendency to result in renal failure. We aimed to detect pathogenic mutations in nephrogenesis-related genes, which were identified by a literature review conducted among a large cohort of Chinese Han patients with URA. METHODS Totally, 86 unrelated URA patients were included. All URA patients were diagnosed by employing radiological methods. Patients with a solitary kidney owing to nephrectomy or renal atrophy due to secondary factors were excluded. Nine (10.5%) patients had a family history of abnormal nephrogenesis. Fifteen (17.4%) had other malformations in the urogenital system. All coding exons and adjacent intron regions of 25 genes were analyzed using next-generation sequencing and validated by Sanger sequencing and 100 ethnically matched healthy controls. RESULTS Ten conserved mutations (9 missense mutations and 1 deletion mutation) were identified in SALL1, EYA1, RET, HNF1B, DSTYK, WNT4, and SIX5. All mutations were novel or rare (frequency <0.1%) in the public databases and absent from the 100 healthy controls. Nine patients carried mutations in candidate genes. Most of the patients carried one single heterozygous mutation, except for 2, who respectively carried compound heterozygous mutations and 2 single heterozygous mutations. In addition, 2 patients shared the same mutation in DSTYK. CONCLUSION A total of 10.5% of our URA cases could be explained by mutations in our candidate genes. The mutations in nephrogenesis-related genes in the Chinese Han patients with URA had a decentralized distribution without any hotspot mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hangdi Wu
- Department of Nephrology, Institute of Nephrology, Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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9
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Abstract
Congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are one of the leading congenital defects to be identified on prenatal ultrasound. CAKUT represent a broad spectrum of abnormalities, from transient hydronephrosis to severe bilateral renal agenesis. CAKUT are a major contributor to chronic and end stage kidney disease (CKD/ESKD) in children. Prenatal imaging is useful to identify CAKUT, but will not detect all defects. Both genetic abnormalities and the fetal environment contribute to CAKUT. Monogenic gene mutations identified in human CAKUT have advanced our understanding of molecular mechanisms of renal development. Low nephron number and solitary kidneys are associated with increased risk of adult onset CKD and ESKD. Premature and low birth weight infants represent a high risk population for low nephron number. Additional research is needed to identify biomarkers and appropriate follow-up of premature and low birth weight infants into adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy Rosenblum
- Department of Pediatrics/Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Montefiore/Einstein, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Abhijeet Pal
- Department of Pediatrics/Nephrology, Children's Hospital of Montefiore/Einstein, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Kimberly Reidy
- Department of Pediatrics/Nephrology, Children's Hospital of Montefiore/Einstein, Bronx, NY, USA.
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10
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Abstract
Renal anomalies are common birth defects that may manifest as a wide spectrum of anomalies from hydronephrosis (dilation of the renal pelvis and calyces) to renal aplasia (complete absence of the kidney(s)). Aneuploidies and mosaicisms are the most common syndromes associated with CAKUT. Syndromes with single gene and renal developmental defects are less common but have facilitated insight into the mechanism of renal and other organ development. Analysis of underlying genetic mutations with transgenic and mutant mice has also led to advances in our understanding of mechanisms of renal development.
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11
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Talbot JC, Nichols JT, Yan YL, Leonard IF, BreMiller RA, Amacher SL, Postlethwait JH, Kimmel CB. Pharyngeal morphogenesis requires fras1-itga8-dependent epithelial-mesenchymal interaction. Dev Biol 2016; 416:136-148. [PMID: 27265864 PMCID: PMC4967372 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.05.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Both Fras1 and Itga8 connect mesenchymal cells to epithelia by way of an extracellular 'Fraser protein complex' that functions in signaling and adhesion; these proteins are vital to the development of several vertebrate organs. We previously found that zebrafish fras1 mutants have craniofacial defects, specifically, shortened symplectic cartilages and cartilage fusions that spare joint elements. During a forward mutagenesis screen, we identified a new zebrafish mutation, b1161, that we show here disrupts itga8, as confirmed using CRISPR-generated itga8 alleles. fras1 and itga8 single mutants and double mutants have similar craniofacial phenotypes, a result expected if loss of either gene disrupts function of the Fraser protein complex. Unlike fras1 mutants or other Fraser-related mutants, itga8 mutants do not show blistered tail fins. Thus, the function of the Fraser complex differs in the craniofacial skeleton and the tail fin. Focusing on the face, we find that itga8 mutants consistently show defective outpocketing of a late-forming portion of the first pharyngeal pouch, and variably express skeletal defects, matching previously characterized fras1 mutant phenotypes. In itga8 and fras1 mutants, skeletal severity varies markedly between sides, indicating that both mutants have increased developmental instability. Whereas fras1 is expressed in epithelia, we show that itga8 is expressed complementarily in facial mesenchyme. Paired with the observed phenotypic similarity, this expression indicates that the genes function in epithelial-mesenchymal interactions. Similar interactions between Fras1 and Itga8 have previously been found in mouse kidney, where these genes both regulate Nephronectin (Npnt) protein abundance. We find that zebrafish facial tissues express both npnt and the Fraser gene fibrillin2b (fbn2b), but their transcript levels do not depend on fras1 or itga8 function. Using a revertible fras1 allele, we find that the critical window for fras1 function in the craniofacial skeleton is between 1.5 and 3 days post fertilization, which coincides with the onset of fras1-dependent and itga8-dependent morphogenesis. We propose a model wherein Fras1 and Itga8 interact during late pharyngeal pouch morphogenesis to sculpt pharyngeal arches through epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, thereby stabilizing the developing craniofacial skeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared Coffin Talbot
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA; Departments of Molecular Genetics and Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - James T Nichols
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Yi-Lin Yan
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Isaac F Leonard
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Ruth A BreMiller
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Sharon L Amacher
- Departments of Molecular Genetics and Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | | | - Charles B Kimmel
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA.
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Fibroblast growth factor receptor signaling in kidney and lower urinary tract development. Pediatr Nephrol 2016; 31:885-95. [PMID: 26293980 PMCID: PMC4761523 DOI: 10.1007/s00467-015-3151-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Revised: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) and FGF ligands are highly expressed in the developing kidney and lower urinary tract. Several classic studies showed many effects of exogenous FGF ligands on embryonic renal tissues in vitro and in vivo. Another older landmark publication showed that mice with a dominant negative Fgfr fragment had severe renal dysplasia. Together, these studies revealed the importance of FGFR signaling in kidney and lower urinary tract development. With the advent of modern gene targeting techniques, including conditional knockout approaches, several publications have revealed critical roles for FGFR signaling in many lineages of the kidney and lower urinary tract at different stages of development. FGFR signaling has been shown to be critical for early metanephric mesenchymal patterning, Wolffian duct patterning including induction of the ureteric bud, ureteric bud branching morphogenesis, nephron progenitor survival and nephrogenesis, and bladder mesenchyme patterning. FGFRs pattern these tissues by interacting with many other growth factor signaling pathways. Moreover, the many genetic Fgfr and Fgf animal models have structural defects mimicking numerous congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract seen in humans. Finally, many studies have shown how FGFR signaling is critical for kidney and lower urinary tract patterning in humans.
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13
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Hines EA, Verheyden JM, Lashua AJ, Larson SC, Branchfield K, Domyan ET, Gao J, Harvey JF, Herriges JC, Hu L, Mcculley DJ, Throckmorton K, Yokoyama S, Ikeda A, Xu G, Sun X. Syndactyly in a novel Fras1(rdf) mutant results from interruption of signals for interdigital apoptosis. Dev Dyn 2016; 245:497-507. [PMID: 26813283 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fras1 encodes an extracellular matrix protein that is critical for the establishment of the epidermal basement membrane during gestation. In humans, mutations in FRAS1 cause Fraser Syndrome (FS), a pleiotropic condition with many clinical presentations such as limb, eye, kidney, and craniofacial deformations. Many of these defects are mimicked by loss of Fras1 in mice, and are preceded by the formation of epidermal blisters in utero. RESULTS In this study, we identified a novel ENU-derived rounded foot (rdf) mouse mutant with highly penetrant hindlimb soft-tissue syndactyly, among other structural defects. Mapping and sequencing revealed that rdf is a novel loss-of-function nonsense allele of Fras1 (Fras1(rdf)). Focusing on the limb, we found that the Fras1(rdf) syndactyly phenotype originates from loss of interdigital cell death (ICD). Despite normal expression of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) ligands and their receptors, the BMP downstream target gene Msx2, which is also necessary and sufficient to promote ICD, was down-regulated in the interdigital regions of Fras1(rdf) hindlimb buds. CONCLUSIONS The close correlation between limb bud epidermal blistering, decreased Msx2 expression, and reduced ICD in the Fras1(rdf) hindlimb buds suggests that epithelium detachment from the mesenchyme may create a physical gap that interrupts the transmission of BMP, among other signals, resulting in soft tissue syndactyly.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Amber J Lashua
- Laboratory of Genetics University of Wisconsin Madison, WI, 53706
| | - Sarah C Larson
- Laboratory of Genetics University of Wisconsin Madison, WI, 53706
| | | | - Eric T Domyan
- Laboratory of Genetics University of Wisconsin Madison, WI, 53706
| | - Juan Gao
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai, China, 200031
| | - Julie F Harvey
- Laboratory of Genetics University of Wisconsin Madison, WI, 53706
| | - John C Herriges
- Laboratory of Genetics University of Wisconsin Madison, WI, 53706
| | - Linghan Hu
- Zhiyuan College Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai, China, 200240
| | - David J Mcculley
- Laboratory of Genetics University of Wisconsin Madison, WI, 53706
| | | | | | - Akihiro Ikeda
- Laboratory of Genetics University of Wisconsin Madison, WI, 53706
| | - Guoliang Xu
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai, China, 200031
| | - Xin Sun
- Laboratory of Genetics University of Wisconsin Madison, WI, 53706
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Roberts NA, Hilton EN, Woolf AS. From gene discovery to new biological mechanisms: heparanases and congenital urinary bladder disease. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2015; 31:534-40. [PMID: 26315301 PMCID: PMC4805131 DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfv309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2015] [Accepted: 07/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a scientific investigation into the pathogenesis of a urinary bladder disease. The disease in question is called urofacial syndrome (UFS), a congenital condition inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. UFS features incomplete urinary bladder emptying and vesicoureteric reflux, with a high risk of recurrent urosepsis and end-stage renal disease. The story starts from a human genomic perspective, then proceeds through experiments that seek to determine the roles of the implicated molecules in embryonic frogs and newborn mice. A future aim would be to use such biological knowledge to intelligently choose novel therapies for UFS. We focus on heparanase proteins and the peripheral nervous system, molecules and tissues that appear to be key players in the pathogenesis of UFS and therefore must also be critical for functional differentiation of healthy bladders. These considerations allow the envisioning of novel biological treatments, although the potential difficulties of targeting the developing bladder in vivo should not be underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil A Roberts
- Institute of Human Development, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester, UK
| | - Emma N Hilton
- Institute of Human Development, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester, UK
| | - Adrian S Woolf
- Institute of Human Development, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester, UK
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15
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Kohl S, Hwang DY, Dworschak GC, Hilger AC, Saisawat P, Vivante A, Stajic N, Bogdanovic R, Reutter HM, Kehinde EO, Tasic V, Hildebrandt F. Mild recessive mutations in six Fraser syndrome-related genes cause isolated congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract. J Am Soc Nephrol 2014; 25:1917-22. [PMID: 24700879 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2013101103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) account for approximately 40% of children with ESRD in the United States. Hitherto, mutations in 23 genes have been described as causing autosomal dominant isolated CAKUT in humans. However, >90% of cases of isolated CAKUT still remain without a molecular diagnosis. Here, we hypothesized that genes mutated in recessive mouse models with the specific CAKUT phenotype of unilateral renal agenesis may also be mutated in humans with isolated CAKUT. We applied next-generation sequencing technology for targeted exon sequencing of 12 recessive murine candidate genes in 574 individuals with isolated CAKUT from 590 families. In 15 of 590 families, we identified recessive mutations in the genes FRAS1, FREM2, GRIP1, FREM1, ITGA8, and GREM1, all of which function in the interaction of the ureteric bud and the metanephric mesenchyme. We show that isolated CAKUT may be caused partially by mutations in recessive genes. Our results also indicate that biallelic missense mutations in the Fraser/MOTA/BNAR spectrum genes cause isolated CAKUT, whereas truncating mutations are found in the multiorgan form of Fraser syndrome. The newly identified recessive biallelic mutations in these six genes represent the molecular cause of isolated CAKUT in 2.5% of the 590 affected families in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Kohl
- Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Daw-Yang Hwang
- Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Gabriel C Dworschak
- Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Institute of Human Genetics, and
| | - Alina C Hilger
- Institute of Human Genetics, and Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Pawaree Saisawat
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Asaf Vivante
- Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Natasa Stajic
- Medical Faculty, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Institute of Mother and Child Healthcare of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Radovan Bogdanovic
- Medical Faculty, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Institute of Mother and Child Healthcare of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Heiko M Reutter
- Institute of Human Genetics, and Department of Neonatology, Children's Hospital, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Velibor Tasic
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, University Children's Hospital, Skopje, Macedonia; and
| | - Friedhelm Hildebrandt
- Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland
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16
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Tai G, Ranjzad P, Marriage F, Rehman S, Denley H, Dixon J, Mitchell K, Day PJR, Woolf AS. Cytokeratin 15 marks basal epithelia in developing ureters and is upregulated in a subset of urothelial cell carcinomas. PLoS One 2013; 8:e81167. [PMID: 24260555 PMCID: PMC3832456 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2013] [Accepted: 10/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian ureter contains a water-tight epithelium surrounded by smooth muscle. Key molecules have been defined which regulate ureteric bud initiation and drive the differentiation of ureteric mesenchyme into peristaltic smooth muscle. Less is known about mechanisms underlying the developmental patterning of the multilayered epithelium characterising the mature ureter. In skin, which also contains a multilayered epithelium, cytokeratin 15 (CK15), an acidic intermediate filament protein, marks cells whose progeny contribute to epidermal regeneration following wounding. Moreover, CK15+ precursor cells in skin can give rise to basal cell carcinomas. In the current study, using transcriptome microarrays of embryonic wild type mouse ureters, Krt15, coding for CK15, was detected. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses confirmed the initial finding and demonstrated that Krt15 levels increased during the fetal period when the ureteric epithelium becomes multilayered. CK15 protein was undetectable in the ureteric bud, the rudiment from which the ureter grows. Nevertheless, later in fetal development, CK15 was immunodetected in a subset of basal urothelial cells in the ureteric stalk. Superficial epithelial cells, including those positive for the differentiation marker uroplakin III, were CK15-. Transformation-related protein 63 (P63) has been implicated in epithelial differentiation in murine fetal urinary bladders. In wild type fetal ureters, CK15+ cells were positive for P63, and p63 homozygous null mutant ureters lacked CK15+ cells. In these mutant ureters, sections of the urothelium were monolayered versus the uniform multilayering found in wild type littermates. Human urothelial cell carcinomas account for considerable morbidity and mortality. CK15 was upregulated in a subset of invasive ureteric and urinary bladder cancers. Thus, in ureter development, the absence of CK15 is associated with a structurally simplified urothelium whereas, postnatally, increased CK15 levels feature in malignant urothelial overgrowth. CK15 may be a novel marker for urinary tract epithelial precursor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangping Tai
- Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom ; Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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17
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Tee JB, Choi Y, Dnyanmote A, Decambre M, Ito C, Bush KT, Nigam SK. GDNF-independent ureteric budding: role of PI3K-independent activation of AKT and FOSB/JUN/AP-1 signaling. Biol Open 2013; 2:952-9. [PMID: 24143282 PMCID: PMC3773342 DOI: 10.1242/bio.20135595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2013] [Accepted: 06/20/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
A significant fraction of mice deficient in either glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) or its co-receptors (Gfrα1, Ret), undergoes ureteric bud (UB) outgrowth leading to the formation of a rudimentary kidney. Previous studies using the isolated Wolffian duct (WD) culture indicate that activation of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor signaling, together with suppression of BMP/Activin signaling, is critical for GDNF-independent WD budding (Maeshima et al., 2007). By expression analysis of embryonic kidney from Ret((-/-)) mice, we found the upregulation of several FGFs, including FGF7. To examine the intracellular pathways, we then analyzed GDNF-dependent and GDNF-independent budding in the isolated WD culture. In both conditions, Akt activation was found to be important; however, whereas this occurred through PI3-kinase in GDNF-dependent budding, in the case of GDNF-independent budding, Akt activation was apparently via a PI3-kinase independent mechanism. Jnk signaling and the AP-1 transcription factor complex were also implicated in GDNF-independent budding. FosB, a binding partner of c-Jun in the formation of AP-1, was the most highly upregulated gene in the ret knockout kidney (in which budding had still occurred), and we found that its siRNA-mediated knockdown in isolated WDs also blocked GDNF-independent budding. Taken together with the finding that inhibition of Jnk signaling does not block Akt activation/phosphorylation in GDNF-independent budding, the data support necessary roles for both FosB/Jun/AP-1 signaling and PI3-kinase-independent activation of Akt in GDNF-independent budding. A model is proposed for signaling events that involve Akt and JNK working to regulate GDNF-independent WD budding.
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Affiliation(s)
- James B Tee
- Department of Medicine, University of California , San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0693 , USA ; Present address: Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary and Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, AB T3B 6A8, Canada
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18
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Beck TF, Shchelochkov OA, Yu Z, Kim BJ, Hernández-García A, Zaveri HP, Bishop C, Overbeek PA, Stockton DW, Justice MJ, Scott DA. Novel frem1-related mouse phenotypes and evidence of genetic interactions with gata4 and slit3. PLoS One 2013; 8:e58830. [PMID: 23536828 PMCID: PMC3594180 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2012] [Accepted: 02/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The FRAS1-related extracellular matrix 1 (FREM1) gene encodes an extracellular matrix protein that plays a critical role in the development of multiple organ systems. In humans, recessive mutations in FREM1 cause eye defects, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, renal anomalies and anorectal malformations including anteriorly placed anus. A similar constellation of findings-microphthalmia, cryptophthalmos, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, renal agenesis and rectal prolapse-have been described in FREM1-deficient mice. In this paper, we identify a homozygous Frem1 missense mutation (c.1687A>T, p.Ile563Phe) in an N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU)-derived mouse strain, crf11, with microphthalmia, cryptophthalmos, renal agenesis and rectal prolapse. This mutation affects a highly conserved residue in FREM1's third CSPG domain. The p.Ile563Phe change is predicted to be deleterious and to cause decreased FREM1 protein stability. The crf11 allele also fails to complement the previously described eyes2 allele of Frem1 (p.Lys826*) providing further evidence that the crf11 phenotype is due to changes affecting Frem1 function. We then use mice bearing the crf11 and eyes2 alleles to identify lung lobulation defects and decreased anogenital distance in males as novel phenotypes associated with FREM1 deficiency in mice. Due to phenotypic overlaps between FREM1-deficient mice and mice that are deficient for the retinoic acid-responsive transcription factor GATA4 and the extracellular matrix protein SLIT3, we also perform experiments to look for in vivo genetic interactions between the genes that encode these proteins. These experiments reveal that Frem1 interacts genetically with Gata4 in the development of lung lobulation defects and with Slit3 in the development of renal agenesis. These results demonstrate that FREM1-deficient mice faithfully recapitulate many of the phenotypes seen in individuals with FREM1 deficiency and that variations in GATA4 and SLIT3 expression modulate some FREM1-related phenotypes in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler F. Beck
- Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Oleg A. Shchelochkov
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Zhiyin Yu
- Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Bum Jun Kim
- Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Andrés Hernández-García
- Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Hitisha P. Zaveri
- Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Colin Bishop
- The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Winston Salem, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Paul A. Overbeek
- Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Molecular and Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - David W. Stockton
- Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Monica J. Justice
- Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Daryl A. Scott
- Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
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