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McDonald B, Schmidt MHH. Structure, function, and recombinant production of EGFL7. Biol Chem 2024; 0:hsz-2023-0358. [PMID: 38805373 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2023-0358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
The secreted factor Epidermal growth factor-like protein 7 (EGFL7) is involved in angiogenesis, vasculogenesis, as well as neurogenesis. Importantly, EGFL7 is also implicated in various pathological conditions, including tumor angiogenesis in human cancers. Thus, understanding the mechanisms through which EGFL7 regulates and promotes blood vessel formation is of clear practical importance. One principle means by which EGFL7's function is investigated is via the expression and purification of the recombinant protein. This mini-review describes three methods used to produce recombinant EGFL7 protein. First, a brief overview of EGFL7's genetics, structure, and function is provided. This is followed by an examination of the advantages and disadvantages of three common expression systems used in the production of recombinant EGFL7; (i) Escherichia coli (E. coli), (ii) human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells or other mammalian cells, and (iii) a baculovirus-based Sf9 insect cell expression system. Based on the available evidence, we conclude that the baculovirus-based Sf9 insect cell expression currently has the advantages of producing active recombinant EGFL7 in the native conformation with the presence of acceptable posttranslational modifications, while providing sufficient yield and stability for experimental purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brennan McDonald
- 9169 Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden School of Medicine, Fetscherstr. 74, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Mirko H H Schmidt
- 9169 Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden School of Medicine, Fetscherstr. 74, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
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Barth K, Vasić V, McDonald B, Heinig N, Wagner MC, Schumann U, Röhlecke C, Bicker F, Schumann L, Radyushkin K, Baumgart J, Tenzer S, Zipp F, Meinhardt M, Alitalo K, Tegeder I, Schmidt MHH. EGFL7 loss correlates with increased VEGF-D expression, upregulating hippocampal adult neurogenesis and improving spatial learning and memory. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:54. [PMID: 36715759 PMCID: PMC9886625 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04685-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Neural stem cells reside in the subgranular zone, a specialized neurogenic niche of the hippocampus. Throughout adulthood, these cells give rise to neurons in the dentate gyrus, playing an important role in learning and memory. Given that these core cognitive processes are disrupted in numerous disease states, understanding the underlying mechanisms of neural stem cell proliferation in the subgranular zone is of direct practical interest. Here, we report that mature neurons, neural stem cells and neural precursor cells each secrete the neurovascular protein epidermal growth factor-like protein 7 (EGFL7) to shape this hippocampal niche. We further demonstrate that EGFL7 knock-out in a Nestin-CreERT2-based mouse model produces a pronounced upregulation of neurogenesis within the subgranular zone. RNA sequencing identified that the increased expression of the cytokine VEGF-D correlates significantly with the ablation of EGFL7. We substantiate this finding with intraventricular infusion of VEGF-D upregulating neurogenesis in vivo and further show that VEGF-D knock-out produces a downregulation of neurogenesis. Finally, behavioral studies in EGFL7 knock-out mice demonstrate greater maintenance of spatial memory and improved memory consolidation in the hippocampus by modulation of pattern separation. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that both EGFL7 and VEGF-D affect neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus, with the ablation of EGFL7 upregulating neurogenesis, increasing spatial learning and memory, and correlating with increased VEGF-D expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Barth
- Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden School of Medicine, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Verica Vasić
- Institute of Medical Informatics and Biometry, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden School of Medicine, Dresden, Germany ,Institute of Anatomy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Brennan McDonald
- Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden School of Medicine, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Nora Heinig
- Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden School of Medicine, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Marc-Christoph Wagner
- Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden School of Medicine, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany ,Institute of Medical Informatics and Biometry, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden School of Medicine, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ulrike Schumann
- Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden School of Medicine, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Cora Röhlecke
- Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden School of Medicine, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Frank Bicker
- Institute of Anatomy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany ,Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Lana Schumann
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe-University Hospital Frankfurt Am Main, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Konstantin Radyushkin
- Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany ,Mouse Behavior Outcome Unit, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jan Baumgart
- Translational Animal Research Center (TARC), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Stefan Tenzer
- Institute of Immunology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany ,Focus Program Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Frauke Zipp
- Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany ,Focus Program Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany ,Department of Neurology, Rhine-Main Neuroscience Network (rmn2), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Matthias Meinhardt
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Kari Alitalo
- Translational Cancer Medicine Program and iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Irmgard Tegeder
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe-University Hospital Frankfurt Am Main, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Mirko H. H. Schmidt
- Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden School of Medicine, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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da Costa BHB, Becker AP, Neder L, Gonçalves PG, de Oliveira C, Polverini AD, Clara CA, Teixeira GR, Reis RM, Bidinotto LT. EGFL7 expression profile in IDH-wildtype glioblastomas is associated with poor patient outcome. J Pathol Transl Med 2022; 56:205-211. [PMID: 35698739 PMCID: PMC9288890 DOI: 10.4132/jptm.2022.04.22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite the advances in glioblastoma (GBM) treatment, the average life span of patients is 14 months. Therefore, it is urgent to identity biomarkers of prognosis, treatment response, or development of novel treatment strategies. We previously described the association of high epidermal growth factor-like domain multiple 7 (EGFL7) expression and unfavorable outcome of pilocytic astrocytoma patients. The present study aims to analyze the prognostic potential of EGFL7 in GBM isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-wildtype, using immunohistochemistry and in silico approaches. Materials and Methods Spearman's correlation analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas RNA sequencing data was performed. The genes strongly correlated to EGFL7 expression were submitted to enrichment gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. Additionally, EGFL7 expression was associated with patient overall survival. The expression of EGFL7 was analyzed through immunohistochemistry in 74 GBM IDH-wildtype patients' samples, and was associated with clinicopathological data and overall survival. Results In silico analysis found 78 genes strongly correlated to EGFL7 expression. These genes were enriched in 40 biological processes and eight KEGG pathways, including angiogenesis/vasculogenesis, cell adhesion, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt, Notch, and Rap1 signaling pathways. The immunostaining showed high EGFL7 expression in 39 cases (52.7%). High immunolabelling was significantly associated with low Karnofsky Performance Status and poor overall survival. Cox analysis showed that GBMs IDH-wildtype with high EGFL7 expression presented a higher risk of death compared to low expression (hazard ratio, 1.645; 95% confidence interval, 1.021 to 2.650; p = .041). Conclusion This study gives insights regarding the genes that are correlated with EGFL7, as well as biological processes and signaling pathways, which should be further investigated in order to elucidate their role in glioblastoma biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Henrique Bressan da Costa
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil.,Barretos School of Health Sciences, Dr. Paulo Prata - FACISB, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Aline Paixão Becker
- The Ohio State University, Department of Radiation Oncology, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Luciano Neder
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil.,Department of Pathology, School of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paola Gyuliane Gonçalves
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil.,UNESP - Univ. Estadual Paulista, School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Cristiane de Oliveira
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil.,UNESP - Univ. Estadual Paulista, School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Allan Dias Polverini
- Department of Neurosurgery, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carlos Afonso Clara
- Department of Neurosurgery, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Ramos Teixeira
- Barretos School of Health Sciences, Dr. Paulo Prata - FACISB, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil.,Department of Pathology, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rui Manuel Reis
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil.,Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Lucas Tadeu Bidinotto
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil.,Barretos School of Health Sciences, Dr. Paulo Prata - FACISB, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil.,UNESP - Univ. Estadual Paulista, School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
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Li L, Zhao Y, Hu Y, Wang X, Jin Q, Zhao Y. Recombinant EGFL7 Mitigated Pressure Overload-Induced Cardiac Remodeling by Blocking PI3Kγ/AKT/NFκB Signaling in Macrophages. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:858118. [PMID: 35721105 PMCID: PMC9200063 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.858118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation and endothelial dysfunction play an essential role in heart failure (HF). Epidermal growth factor-like protein 7 (EGFL7) is upregulated during pathological hypoxia and exerts a protective role. However, it is unclear whether there is a link between abnormal EGFL7 expression and inflammation in overload stress-induced heart failure. Our results showed that EGFL7 transiently increased during the early 4 weeks of TAC and in hypertensive patients without heart failure. However, it decreased to the basal line in the heart tissue 8 weeks post-transverse aortic constriction (TAC) or hypertensive patients with heart failure. Knockdown of EGFL7 with siRNA in vivo accelerated cardiac dysfunction, fibrosis, and macrophage infiltration 4 weeks after TAC. Deletion of macrophages in siRNA-EGFL7-TAC mice rescued that pathological phenotype. In vitro research revealed the mechanism. PI3Kγ/AKT/NFκB signaling in macrophages was activated by the supernatant from endothelial cells stimulated by siRNA-EGFL7+phenylephrine. More macrophages adhered to endothelial cells, but pretreatment of macrophages with PI3Kγ inhibitors decreased the adhesion of macrophages to endothelial cells. Ultimately, treatment with recombinant rmEGFL7 rescued cardiac dysfunction and macrophage infiltration in siRNA-EGFL7-TAC mice. In conclusion, EGFL7 is a potential inhibitor of macrophage adhesion to mouse aortic endothelial cells. The downregulation of EGFL7 combined with increased macrophage infiltration further promoted cardiac dysfunction under pressure overload stress. Mechanistically, EGFL7 reduced endothelial cell adhesion molecule expression and inhibited the PI3Kγ/AKT/NFκB signaling pathway in macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Li
- Department of Cardiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, The State and Shandong Province Joint Key Laboratory of Translational Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Ying Zhao
- Department of Geriatrics, 960 Hospital of PLA(The General Hospital of Jinan Command), Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Ying Zhao, ; Qun Jin,
| | - Ying Hu
- Department of Cardiology, Liao Cheng People’s Hospital, Liao Cheng, China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Department of Medical Records, Heze Municipal Hospital, Heze, China
| | - Qun Jin
- Department of Geriatrics, 960 Hospital of PLA(The General Hospital of Jinan Command), Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Ying Zhao, ; Qun Jin,
| | - Ying Zhao
- Department of Geriatrics, 960 Hospital of PLA(The General Hospital of Jinan Command), Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Ying Zhao, ; Qun Jin,
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Pawolski V, Schmidt MHH. Neuron-Glia Interaction in the Developing and Adult Enteric Nervous System. Cells 2020; 10:E47. [PMID: 33396231 PMCID: PMC7823798 DOI: 10.3390/cells10010047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The enteric nervous system (ENS) constitutes the largest part of the peripheral nervous system. In recent years, ENS development and its neurogenetic capacity in homeostasis and allostasishave gained increasing attention. Developmentally, the neural precursors of the ENS are mainly derived from vagal and sacral neural crest cell portions. Furthermore, Schwann cell precursors, as well as endodermal pancreatic progenitors, participate in ENS formation. Neural precursorsenherite three subpopulations: a bipotent neuron-glia, a neuronal-fated and a glial-fated subpopulation. Typically, enteric neural precursors migrate along the entire bowel to the anal end, chemoattracted by glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and endothelin 3 (EDN3) molecules. During migration, a fraction undergoes differentiation into neurons and glial cells. Differentiation is regulated by bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP), Hedgehog and Notch signalling. The fully formed adult ENS may react to injury and damage with neurogenesis and gliogenesis. Nevertheless, the origin of differentiating cells is currently under debate. Putative candidates are an embryonic-like enteric neural progenitor population, Schwann cell precursors and transdifferentiating glial cells. These cells can be isolated and propagated in culture as adult ENS progenitors and may be used for cell transplantation therapies for treating enteric aganglionosis in Chagas and Hirschsprung's diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mirko H. H. Schmidt
- Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden School of Medicine, 01307 Dresden, Germany;
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Abstract
Extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins secreted by blood-brain barrier (BBB) endothelial cells (ECs) are implicated in cell trafficking. We discovered that the expression of ECM epidermal growth factor-like protein 7 (EGFL7) is increased in the CNS vasculature of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Perivascular CD4 T lymphocytes colocalize with ECM-bound EGFL7 in MS lesions. Human and mouse activated T cells upregulate EGFL7 ligand αvβ3 integrin and can adhere to EGFL7 through integrin αvβ3. EGFL7-knockout (KO) mice show earlier onset of EAE and increased brain and spinal cord parenchymal infiltration of T lymphocytes. Importantly, EC-restricted EGFL7-KO is associated with a similar EAE worsening. Finally, treatment with recombinant EGFL7 improves EAE, reduces MCAM expression, and tightens the BBB in mouse. Our data demonstrate that EGFL7 can limit CNS immune infiltration and may represent a novel therapeutic avenue in MS. Endothelial cells release extracellular matrix components that regulate inflammation. Here the authors demonstrate that the extracellular matrix component epidermal growth factor-like protein 7 regulates inflammation in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in the mouse.
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Teodorczyk M, Schmidt MHH. Notching on Cancer's Door: Notch Signaling in Brain Tumors. Front Oncol 2015; 4:341. [PMID: 25601901 PMCID: PMC4283135 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2014.00341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2014] [Accepted: 11/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Notch receptors play an essential role in the regulation of central cellular processes during embryonic and postnatal development. The mammalian genome encodes for four Notch paralogs (Notch 1–4), which are activated by three Delta-like (Dll1/3/4) and two Serrate-like (Jagged1/2) ligands. Further, non-canonical Notch ligands such as epidermal growth factor like protein 7 (EGFL7) have been identified and serve mostly as antagonists of Notch signaling. The Notch pathway prevents neuronal differentiation in the central nervous system by driving neural stem cell maintenance and commitment of neural progenitor cells into the glial lineage. Notch is therefore often implicated in the development of brain tumors, as tumor cells share various characteristics with neural stem and progenitor cells. Notch receptors are overexpressed in gliomas and their oncogenicity has been confirmed by gain- and loss-of-function studies in vitro and in vivo. To this end, special attention is paid to the impact of Notch signaling on stem-like brain tumor-propagating cells as these cells contribute to growth, survival, invasion, and recurrence of brain tumors. Based on the outcome of ongoing studies in vivo, Notch-directed therapies such as γ-secretase inhibitors and blocking antibodies have entered and completed various clinical trials. This review summarizes the current knowledge on Notch signaling in brain tumor formation and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Teodorczyk
- Molecular Signal Transduction Laboratories, Institute for Microscopic Anatomy and Neurobiology, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN), Rhine Main Neuroscience Network (rmn2), Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz School of Medicine , Mainz , Germany
| | - Mirko H H Schmidt
- Molecular Signal Transduction Laboratories, Institute for Microscopic Anatomy and Neurobiology, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN), Rhine Main Neuroscience Network (rmn2), Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz School of Medicine , Mainz , Germany
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Sonntag KC, Woo TUW, Krichevsky AM. Converging miRNA functions in diverse brain disorders: a case for miR-124 and miR-126. Exp Neurol 2012; 235:427-35. [PMID: 22178324 PMCID: PMC3335933 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2011.11.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2011] [Revised: 10/27/2011] [Accepted: 11/27/2011] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
A growing body of information on the biology of miRNAs has revealed new insight into their roles in normal homeostasis and pathology of disease. miRNAs control all steps of the cellular expression machinery acting through a "single miRNA/multiple targets" or "multiple miRNAs/single target" mechanism. They have profound impact on the regulation of signaling pathways, which govern common and specific functions across different cellular phenotypes. There is increasing evidence that various diseases share similar disturbances in gene expression networks. Since miRNAs have both common and varying effects in different cellular contexts, they might also influence overlapping signaling pathways in different organs and disease entities. Here, we review this concept for two miRNAs highly abundant in the brain, miR-124 and miR-126, and their potential role in diseases of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai C. Sonntag
- Department of Psychiatry, Mailman Research Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478
| | - Tsung-Ung W. Woo
- Department of Psychiatry, Mailman Research Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478
- Laboratory of Cellular Neuropathology, Mailman Research Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478
| | - Anna M. Krichevsky
- Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
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Schejter ED, Baylies MK. Born to run: creating the muscle fiber. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2011; 22:566-74. [PMID: 20817426 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2010.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2010] [Revised: 08/03/2010] [Accepted: 08/06/2010] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
From the muscles that control the blink of your eye to those that allow you to walk, the basic architecture of muscle is the same: muscles consist of bundles of the unit muscle cell, the muscle fiber. The unique morphology of the individual muscle fiber is dictated by the functional demands necessary to generate and withstand the forces of contraction, which in turn leads to movement. Contractile muscle fibers are elongated, syncytial cells, which interact with both the nervous and skeletal systems to govern body motion. In this review, we focus on three key cell-cell and cell-matrix contact processes, that are necessary to create this exquisitely specialized cell: cell fusion, cell elongation, and establishment of a myotendinous junction. We address these processes by highlighting recent findings from the Drosophila model system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eyal D Schejter
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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Nikolic I, Plate KH, Schmidt MHH. EGFL7 meets miRNA-126: an angiogenesis alliance. JOURNAL OF ANGIOGENESIS RESEARCH 2010; 2:9. [PMID: 20529320 PMCID: PMC2901201 DOI: 10.1186/2040-2384-2-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2010] [Accepted: 06/08/2010] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Blood vessels form de novo through the tightly regulated programs of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. Both processes are distinct but one of the steps they share is the formation of a central lumen, when groups of cells organized as vascular cords undergo complex changes to achieve a tube-like morphology. Recently, a protein termed epidermal growth factor-like domain 7 (EGFL7) was described as a novel endothelial cell-derived factor involved in the regulation of the spatial arrangement of cells during vascular tube assembly. With its impact on tubulogenesis and vessel shape EGFL7 joined the large family of molecules governing blood vessel formation. Only recently, the molecular mechanisms underlying EGFL7's effects have been started to be elucidated and shaping of the extracellular matrix (ECM) as well as Notch signaling might very well play a role in mediating its biological effects. Further, findings in knock-out animal models suggest miR-126, a miRNA located within the egfl7 gene, has a major role in vessel development by promoting VEGF signaling, angiogenesis and vascular integrity. This review summarizes our current knowledge on EGFL7 and miR-126 and we will discuss the implications of both bioactive molecules for the formation of blood vessels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iva Nikolic
- Institute of Neurology (Edinger Institute), Johann Wolfgang Goethe University School of Medicine, Heinrich-Hoffmann-Str, 7, Frankfurt am Main, D-60528, Germany.
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