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Liu T, Li T, Ke S. Role of the CASZ1 transcription factor in tissue development and disease. Eur J Med Res 2023; 28:562. [PMID: 38053207 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-023-01548-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The zinc finger transcription factor gene, CASZ1/Castor (Castor zinc finger 1), initially identified in Drosophila, plays a critical role in neural, cardiac, and cardiovascular development, exerting a complex, multifaceted influence on cell fate and tissue morphogenesis. During neurogenesis, CASZ1 exhibits dynamic expression from early embryonic development to the perinatal period, constituting a key regulator in this process. Additionally, CASZ1 controls the transition between neurogenesis and gliomagenesis. During human cardiovascular system development, CASZ1 is essential for cardiomyocyte differentiation, cardiac morphogenesis, and vascular morphology homeostasis and formation. The deletion or inactivation of CASZ1 mutations can lead to human developmental diseases or tumors, including congenital heart disease, cardiovascular disease, and neuroblastoma. CASZ1 can be used as a biomarker for disease prevention and diagnosis as well as a prognostic indicator for cancer. This review explores the unique functions of CASZ1 in tissue morphogenesis and associated diseases, offering new insights for elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying diseases and identifying potential therapeutic targets for disease prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Liu
- Henan Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine for Respiratory Disease, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, 156 Jinshui East Road, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China.
- Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China.
| | - Tao Li
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Shaorui Ke
- Henan Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine for Respiratory Disease, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, 156 Jinshui East Road, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China
- Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China
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The Prognostic Significance of Protein Expression of CASZ1 in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma. DISEASE MARKERS 2019; 2019:1342161. [PMID: 31481981 PMCID: PMC6701416 DOI: 10.1155/2019/1342161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Backgrounds Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common histologic subtype of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and shows a relatively poor prognosis among RCCs. Castor zinc finger 1 (CASZ1) is a transcription factor, prominently known for its tumor suppression role in neuroblastoma and other cancers. However, there has been no research about the prognostic significance of CASZ1 in ccRCC. In this study, we investigated CASZ1 expression in ccRCC and analyzed its prognostic implications. Methods A total of 896 ccRCC patients, who underwent surgical resection from 1995 to 2008, were included. We prepared tissue microarray blocks, evaluated CASZ1 nuclear expression by immunohistochemistry, and classified the cases into low or high expression categories. Results A low expression of CASZ1 was observed in 320 cases (35.7%) and was significantly associated with large tumor size, high World Health Organization/International Society of Urological Pathology (WHO/ISUP) grade, and high T category and M category. In survival analysis, a low expression of CASZ1 was significantly correlated with unfavorable progression-free survival (PFS) (p < 0.001), overall survival (OS) (p < 0.001), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) (p < 0.001) and was an independent prognostic factor for PFS and CSS in multivariate analysis adjusted for tumor size, WHO/ISUP grade, T category, N category, and M category. Conclusions Our study is the first to show the prognostic significance of CASZ1 expression in ccRCC. Our results revealed that low expression of CASZ1 is associated with poor prognosis and may serve as a new prognostic indicator.
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Hong G, Kuek V, Shi J, Zhou L, Han X, He W, Tickner J, Qiu H, Wei Q, Xu J. EGFL7: Master regulator of cancer pathogenesis, angiogenesis and an emerging mediator of bone homeostasis. J Cell Physiol 2018; 233:8526-8537. [PMID: 29923200 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.26792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Guoju Hong
- National Key Discipline and Orthopedic Laboratory Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine Guangzhou Guangdong China
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia Perth WA Australia
| | - Vincent Kuek
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia Perth WA Australia
| | - Jiaxi Shi
- First Clinical College Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine Guangzhou Guangdong China
| | - Lin Zhou
- Department of Rheumatology The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou Guangdong China
| | - Xiaorui Han
- Department of Radiography Guangzhou First People's Hospital The Second Affiliated Hospital of South China University of Technology Guangzhou Guangdong China
| | - Wei He
- National Key Discipline and Orthopedic Laboratory Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine Guangzhou Guangdong China
- Orthopedic Department The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine Guangzhou Guangdong China
| | - Jennifer Tickner
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia Perth WA Australia
| | - Heng Qiu
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia Perth WA Australia
| | - Qiushi Wei
- National Key Discipline and Orthopedic Laboratory Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine Guangzhou Guangdong China
- Orthopedic Department The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine Guangzhou Guangdong China
| | - Jiake Xu
- National Key Discipline and Orthopedic Laboratory Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine Guangzhou Guangdong China
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia Perth WA Australia
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Shadrina A, Tsepilov Y, Smetanina M, Voronina E, Seliverstov E, Ilyukhin E, Kirienko A, Zolotukhin I, Filipenko M. Polymorphisms of genes involved in inflammation and blood vessel development influence the risk of varicose veins. Clin Genet 2018; 94:191-199. [PMID: 29660117 DOI: 10.1111/cge.13362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Heredity plays an important role in the etiology of varicose veins (VVs). However, the genetic basis underlying this condition remains poorly understood. Our aim was to replicate top association signals from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) for VVs of lower extremities using 2 independent datasets-our sample of ethnic Russian individuals (709 cases and 278 controls) and a large cohort of British residents from UK Biobank (10 861 cases and 397 594 controls). Associations of polymorphisms rs11121615, rs6712038, rs507666, rs966562, rs7111987, rs6062618, and rs6905288 were validated in the UK Biobank individuals at a Bonferroni-corrected significance level. In Russian cohort, only rs11121615 reached a nominal significance level of P < .05. Results of original GWAS and replication studies were combined by a meta-analysis, and polymorphisms listed above as well as rs111434909 and rs4463578 passed a genome-wide significant threshold. Notably, the majority of these polymorphisms were located within or near genes involved in vascular development and remodeling, and regulation of inflammatory response. Our results confirm the role of these polymorphisms in genetic susceptibility to VVs and indicate the revealed genomic regions as good candidates for further fine-mapping studies and functional analysis. Moreover, our findings implicate inflammation and abnormal vascular architecture in VVs pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Shadrina
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Theoretical and Applied Functional Genomics Laboratory, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Y Tsepilov
- Laboratory of Recombination and Segregation Analysis, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Theoretical and Applied Functional Genomics Laboratory, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - M Smetanina
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Department of Fundamental Medicine, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - E Voronina
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Department of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - E Seliverstov
- Department of Faculty Surgery, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - E Ilyukhin
- Private Surgery Center "Medalp", Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - A Kirienko
- Department of Faculty Surgery, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - I Zolotukhin
- Department of Faculty Surgery, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - M Filipenko
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Department of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, Moscow, Russia
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Kennedy L, Kaltenbrun E, Greco TM, Temple B, Herring LE, Cristea IM, Conlon FL. Formation of a TBX20-CASZ1 protein complex is protective against dilated cardiomyopathy and critical for cardiac homeostasis. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1007011. [PMID: 28945738 PMCID: PMC5629033 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Revised: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
By the age of 40, one in five adults without symptoms of cardiovascular disease are at risk for developing congestive heart failure. Within this population, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) remains one of the leading causes of disease and death, with nearly half of cases genetically determined. Though genetic and high throughput sequencing-based approaches have identified sporadic and inherited mutations in a multitude of genes implicated in cardiomyopathy, how combinations of asymptomatic mutations lead to cardiac failure remains a mystery. Since a number of studies have implicated mutations of the transcription factor TBX20 in congenital heart diseases, we investigated the underlying mechanisms, using an unbiased systems-based screen to identify novel, cardiac-specific binding partners. We demonstrated that TBX20 physically and genetically interacts with the essential transcription factor CASZ1. This interaction is required for survival, as mice heterozygous for both Tbx20 and Casz1 die post-natally as a result of DCM. A Tbx20 mutation associated with human familial DCM sterically interferes with the TBX20-CASZ1 interaction and provides a physical basis for how this human mutation disrupts normal cardiac function. Finally, we employed quantitative proteomic analyses to define the molecular pathways mis-regulated upon disruption of this novel complex. Collectively, our proteomic, biochemical, genetic, and structural studies suggest that the physical interaction between TBX20 and CASZ1 is required for cardiac homeostasis, and further, that reduction or loss of this critical interaction leads to DCM. This work provides strong evidence that DCM can be inherited through a digenic mechanism. A molecular understanding of cardiomyocyte development is an essential goal for improving clinical approaches to CHD. While TBX20 is an essential transcription factor for heart development and its disease relevance is well established, many fundamental questions remain about the mechanism of TBX20 function. Principle among these is how TBX20 mutations associated with adult dilated cardiomyopathy circumvent (DCM) the essential embryonic requirement for TBX20 in heart development. Here we report using an integrated approach that TBX20 complexes with the cardiac transcription factor CASZ1 in vivo. We confirmed TBX20 and CASZ1 interact biochemically and genetically, and show mice heterozygous for both Tbx20 and Casz1 die, beginning at 4 to 8 weeks post birth, exhibiting hallmarks of DCM. Interestingly, the human mutant TBX20F256I bypasses the early essential requirement for TBX20 but leads to DCM. We report here that TBX20F256I disrupts the TBX20-CASZ1 interaction, ascribing clinical relevance to this protein complex. Further, by using quantitative proteomics we have identified the molecular pathways altered in TBX20-CASZ1-mediated DCM. Together, these results identify a novel interaction between TBX20 and CASZ1 that is essential for maintaining cardiac homeostasis and imply that DCM can be inherited through a digenic mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie Kennedy
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- Integrative Program for Biological & Genome Sciences, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- Department of Genetics, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Erin Kaltenbrun
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- Integrative Program for Biological & Genome Sciences, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- Department of Genetics, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Todd M. Greco
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States of America
| | - Brenda Temple
- R.L. Juliano Structural Bioinformatics Core, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Laura E. Herring
- UNC Proteomics Core Facility, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Ileana M. Cristea
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States of America
| | - Frank L. Conlon
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- Integrative Program for Biological & Genome Sciences, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- Department of Genetics, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- Department of Biology, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Dorr KM, Amin NM, Kuchenbrod LM, Labiner H, Charpentier MS, Pevny LH, Wessels A, Conlon FL. Casz1 is required for cardiomyocyte G1-to-S phase progression during mammalian cardiac development. Development 2015; 142:2037-47. [PMID: 25953344 DOI: 10.1242/dev.119107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Organ growth occurs through the integration of external growth signals during the G1 phase of the cell cycle to initiate DNA replication. Although numerous growth factor signals have been shown to be required for the proliferation of cardiomyocytes, genetic studies have only identified a very limited number of transcription factors that act to regulate the entry of cardiomyocytes into S phase. Here, we report that the cardiac para-zinc-finger protein CASZ1 is expressed in murine cardiomyocytes. Genetic fate mapping with an inducible Casz1 allele demonstrates that CASZ1-expressing cells give rise to cardiomyocytes in the first and second heart fields. We show through the generation of a cardiac conditional null mutation that Casz1 is essential for the proliferation of cardiomyocytes in both heart fields and that loss of Casz1 leads to a decrease in cardiomyocyte cell number. We further report that the loss of Casz1 leads to a prolonged or arrested S phase, a decrease in DNA synthesis, an increase in phospho-RB and a concomitant decrease in the cardiac mitotic index. Taken together, these studies establish a role for CASZ1 in mammalian cardiomyocyte cell cycle progression in both the first and second heart fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerry M Dorr
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Genetics, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Nirav M Amin
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Genetics, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Lauren M Kuchenbrod
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Genetics, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Hanna Labiner
- Department of Biology, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Marta S Charpentier
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Genetics, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Larysa H Pevny
- Department of Genetics, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Neuroscience Center, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Andy Wessels
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Frank L Conlon
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Genetics, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Biology, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
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7
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Sojka S, Amin NM, Gibbs D, Christine KS, Charpentier MS, Conlon FL. Congenital heart disease protein 5 associates with CASZ1 to maintain myocardial tissue integrity. Development 2014; 141:3040-9. [PMID: 24993940 DOI: 10.1242/dev.106518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The identification and characterization of the cellular and molecular pathways involved in the differentiation and morphogenesis of specific cell types of the developing heart are crucial to understanding the process of cardiac development and the pathology associated with human congenital heart disease. Here, we show that the cardiac transcription factor CASTOR (CASZ1) directly interacts with congenital heart disease 5 protein (CHD5), which is also known as tryptophan-rich basic protein (WRB), a gene located on chromosome 21 in the proposed region responsible for congenital heart disease in individuals with Down's syndrome. We demonstrate that loss of CHD5 in Xenopus leads to compromised myocardial integrity, improper deposition of basement membrane, and a resultant failure of hearts to undergo cell movements associated with cardiac formation. We further report that CHD5 is essential for CASZ1 function and that the CHD5-CASZ1 interaction is necessary for cardiac morphogenesis. Collectively, these results establish a role for CHD5 and CASZ1 in the early stages of vertebrate cardiac development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Sojka
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Biology, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Nirav M Amin
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Genetics, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Devin Gibbs
- Department of Biology, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Kathleen S Christine
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Biology, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Marta S Charpentier
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Genetics, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Frank L Conlon
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Biology, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Genetics, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
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Kobayashi H, Higashiura Y, Koike N, Akasaka J, Uekuri C, Iwai K, Niiro E, Morioka S, Yamada Y. Genes Downregulated in Endometriosis Are Located Near the Known Imprinting Genes. Reprod Sci 2014; 21:966-972. [PMID: 24615936 DOI: 10.1177/1933719114526473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
There is now accumulating evidence that endometriosis is a disease associated with an epigenetic disorder. Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic phenomenon known to regulate DNA methylation of either maternal or paternal alleles. We hypothesize that hypermethylated endometriosis-associated genes may be enriched at imprinted gene loci. We sought to determine whether downregulated genes associated with endometriosis susceptibility are associated with chromosomal location of the known paternally and maternally expressed imprinting genes. Gene information has been gathered from National Center for Biotechnology Information database geneimprint.com. Several researchers have identified specific loci with strong DNA methylation in eutopic endometrium and ectopic lesion with endometriosis. Of the 29 hypermethylated genes in endometriosis, 19 genes were located near 45 known imprinted foci. There may be an association of the genomic location between genes specifically downregulated in endometriosis and epigenetically imprinted genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Kobayashi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan
| | - Yumi Higashiura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan
| | - Natsuki Koike
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan
| | - Juria Akasaka
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan
| | - Chiharu Uekuri
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan
| | - Kana Iwai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan
| | - Emiko Niiro
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan
| | - Sachiko Morioka
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan
| | - Yuki Yamada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan
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Charpentier MS, Conlon FL. Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying blood vessel lumen formation. Bioessays 2013; 36:251-9. [PMID: 24323945 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201300133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The establishment of a functional vascular system requires multiple complex steps throughout embryogenesis, from endothelial cell (EC) specification to vascular patterning into venous and arterial hierarchies. Following the initial assembly of ECs into a network of cord-like structures, vascular expansion and remodeling occur rapidly through morphogenetic events including vessel sprouting, fusion, and pruning. In addition, vascular morphogenesis encompasses the process of lumen formation, critical for the transformation of cords into perfusable vascular tubes. Studies in mouse, zebrafish, frog, and human endothelial cells have begun to outline the cellular and molecular requirements underlying lumen formation. Although the lumen can be generated through diverse mechanisms, the coordinated participation of multiple conserved molecules including transcription factors, small GTPases, and adhesion and polarity proteins remains a fundamental principle, leading us closer to a more thorough understanding of this complex event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta S Charpentier
- McAllister Heart Institute, Departments of Biology and Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Charpentier MS, Taylor JM, Conlon FL. The CASZ1/Egfl7 transcriptional pathway is required for RhoA expression in vascular endothelial cells. Small GTPases 2013; 4:231-5. [PMID: 24150064 DOI: 10.4161/sgtp.26849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate development depends on the formation of a closed circulatory loop consisting of intricate networks of veins, arteries, and lymphatic vessels. The coordinated participation of multiple molecules including growth factors, transcription factors, extracellular matrix proteins, and regulators of signaling such as small GTPases is essential for eliciting the desired cellular behaviors associated with vascular assembly and morphogenesis. We have recently demonstrated that a novel transcriptional pathway involving activation of the Epidermal Growth Factor-like Domain 7 (Egfl7) gene by the transcription factor CASTOR (CASZ1) is required for blood vessel assembly and lumen morphogenesis. Furthermore, this transcriptional network promotes RhoA expression and subsequent GTPase activity linking transcriptional regulation of endothelial gene expression to direct physiological outputs associated with Rho GTPase signaling, i.e., cell adhesion and cytoskeletal dynamics. Here we will discuss our studies with respect to our current understanding of the mechanisms underlying regulation of RhoA transcription, protein synthesis, and activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta S Charpentier
- McAllister Heart Institute; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill, NC USA; Department of Genetics; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill, NC USA
| | - Joan M Taylor
- McAllister Heart Institute; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill, NC USA; Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill, NC USA
| | - Frank L Conlon
- McAllister Heart Institute; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill, NC USA; Department of Biology; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill, NC USA; Department of Genetics; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill, NC USA
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