1
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Robertson FL, O'Duibhir E, Gangoso E, Bressan RB, Bulstrode H, Marqués-Torrejón MÁ, Ferguson KM, Blin C, Grant V, Alfazema N, Morrison GM, Pollard SM. Elevated FOXG1 in glioblastoma stem cells cooperates with Wnt/β-catenin to induce exit from quiescence. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112561. [PMID: 37243590 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) stem cells (GSCs) display phenotypic and molecular features reminiscent of normal neural stem cells and exhibit a spectrum of cell cycle states (dormant, quiescent, proliferative). However, mechanisms controlling the transition from quiescence to proliferation in both neural stem cells (NSCs) and GSCs are poorly understood. Elevated expression of the forebrain transcription factor FOXG1 is often observed in GBMs. Here, using small-molecule modulators and genetic perturbations, we identify a synergistic interaction between FOXG1 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Increased FOXG1 enhances Wnt-driven transcriptional targets, enabling highly efficient cell cycle re-entry from quiescence; however, neither FOXG1 nor Wnt is essential in rapidly proliferating cells. We demonstrate that FOXG1 overexpression supports gliomagenesis in vivo and that additional β-catenin induction drives accelerated tumor growth. These data indicate that elevated FOXG1 cooperates with Wnt signaling to support the transition from quiescence to proliferation in GSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faye L Robertson
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Eoghan O'Duibhir
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Ester Gangoso
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Raul Bardini Bressan
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Harry Bulstrode
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Maria-Ángeles Marqués-Torrejón
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Kirsty M Ferguson
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Carla Blin
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Vivien Grant
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Neza Alfazema
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Gillian M Morrison
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Steven M Pollard
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK.
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2
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Soares MAF, Soares DS, Teixeira V, Heskol A, Bressan RB, Pollard SM, Oliveira RA, Castro DS. Corrigendum: Hierarchical reactivation of transcription during mitosis-to-G1 transition by Brn2 and Ascl1 in neural stem cells. Genes Dev 2023; 37:449. [PMID: 37277169 DOI: 10.1101/gad.350810.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
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3
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Caporale N, Leemans M, Birgersson L, Germain PL, Cheroni C, Borbély G, Engdahl E, Lindh C, Bressan RB, Cavallo F, Chorev NE, D'Agostino GA, Pollard SM, Rigoli MT, Tenderini E, Tobon AL, Trattaro S, Troglio F, Zanella M, Bergman Å, Damdimopoulou P, Jönsson M, Kiess W, Kitraki E, Kiviranta H, Nånberg E, Öberg M, Rantakokko P, Rudén C, Söder O, Bornehag CG, Demeneix B, Fini JB, Gennings C, Rüegg J, Sturve J, Testa G. From cohorts to molecules: Adverse impacts of endocrine disrupting mixtures. Science 2022; 375:eabe8244. [PMID: 35175820 DOI: 10.1126/science.abe8244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Convergent evidence associates exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with major human diseases, even at regulation-compliant concentrations. This might be because humans are exposed to EDC mixtures, whereas chemical regulation is based on a risk assessment of individual compounds. Here, we developed a mixture-centered risk assessment strategy that integrates epidemiological and experimental evidence. We identified that exposure to an EDC mixture in early pregnancy is associated with language delay in offspring. At human-relevant concentrations, this mixture disrupted hormone-regulated and disease-relevant regulatory networks in human brain organoids and in the model organisms Xenopus leavis and Danio rerio, as well as behavioral responses. Reinterrogating epidemiological data, we found that up to 54% of the children had prenatal exposures above experimentally derived levels of concern, reaching, for the upper decile compared with the lowest decile of exposure, a 3.3 times higher risk of language delay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolò Caporale
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy.,Human Technopole, V.le Rita Levi-Montalcini, 1, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Michelle Leemans
- UMR 7221, Phyma, CNRS-Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Lina Birgersson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 41463 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Pierre-Luc Germain
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Cheroni
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy.,Human Technopole, V.le Rita Levi-Montalcini, 1, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Gábor Borbély
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden
| | - Elin Engdahl
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden.,Department of Organismal Biology, Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Christian Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | - Raul Bardini Bressan
- Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Francesca Cavallo
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Nadav Even Chorev
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Alessandro D'Agostino
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Steven M Pollard
- Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Marco Tullio Rigoli
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Erika Tenderini
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Alejandro Lopez Tobon
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Trattaro
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Flavia Troglio
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Zanella
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Åke Bergman
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden.,Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden.,School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-70182 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Pauliina Damdimopoulou
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden.,Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria Jönsson
- Department of Organismal Biology, Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Wieland Kiess
- Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Department of Women and Child Health, University Hospital, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Efthymia Kitraki
- Lab of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 152 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Hannu Kiviranta
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kuopio 70210, Finland
| | - Eewa Nånberg
- School of Health Sciences, Örebro University, SE-70182 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Mattias Öberg
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden.,Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Panu Rantakokko
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kuopio 70210, Finland
| | - Christina Rudén
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Olle Söder
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Division, Karolinska Institutet and University Hospital, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carl-Gustaf Bornehag
- Faculty of Health, Science and Technology, Department of Health Sciences, Karlstad University, SE- 651 88 Karlstad, Sweden.,Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Barbara Demeneix
- UMR 7221, Phyma, CNRS-Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Fini
- UMR 7221, Phyma, CNRS-Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Chris Gennings
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Joëlle Rüegg
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden.,Department of Organismal Biology, Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Joachim Sturve
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 41463 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Giuseppe Testa
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy.,Human Technopole, V.le Rita Levi-Montalcini, 1, 20157 Milan, Italy
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4
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Maimets M, Pedersen MT, Guiu J, Dreier J, Thodberg M, Antoku Y, Schweiger PJ, Rib L, Bressan RB, Miao Y, Garcia KC, Sandelin A, Serup P, Jensen KB. Mesenchymal-epithelial crosstalk shapes intestinal regionalisation via Wnt and Shh signalling. Nat Commun 2022; 13:715. [PMID: 35132078 PMCID: PMC8821716 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28369-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Organs are anatomically compartmentalised to cater for specialised functions. In the small intestine (SI), regionalisation enables sequential processing of food and nutrient absorption. While several studies indicate the critical importance of non-epithelial cells during development and homeostasis, the extent to which these cells contribute to regionalisation during morphogenesis remains unexplored. Here, we identify a mesenchymal-epithelial crosstalk that shapes the developing SI during late morphogenesis. We find that subepithelial mesenchymal cells are characterised by gradients of factors supporting Wnt signalling and stimulate epithelial growth in vitro. Such a gradient impacts epithelial gene expression and regional villus formation along the anterior-posterior axis of the SI. Notably, we further provide evidence that Wnt signalling directly regulates epithelial expression of Sonic Hedgehog (SHH), which, in turn, acts on mesenchymal cells to drive villi formation. Taken together our results uncover a mechanistic link between Wnt and Hedgehog signalling across different cellular compartments that is central for anterior-posterior regionalisation and correct formation of the SI. The small intestine forms via crosstalk between epithelial and mesenchymal cell compartments. Here, the authors show that a gradient of Wnt signalling along the anterior-posterior axis regulates Sonic Hedgehog which is required for correct formation and regionalization of the small intestine.
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5
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Brien GL, Bressan RB, Monger C, Gannon D, Lagan E, Doherty AM, Healy E, Neikes H, Fitzpatrick DJ, Deevy O, Grant V, Marqués-Torrejón MA, Alfazema N, Pollard SM, Bracken AP. Simultaneous disruption of PRC2 and enhancer function underlies histone H3.3-K27M oncogenic activity in human hindbrain neural stem cells. Nat Genet 2021; 53:1221-1232. [PMID: 34294917 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-021-00897-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Driver mutations in genes encoding histone H3 proteins resulting in p.Lys27Met substitutions (H3-K27M) are frequent in pediatric midline brain tumors. However, the precise mechanisms by which H3-K27M causes tumor initiation remain unclear. Here, we use human hindbrain neural stem cells to model the consequences of H3.3-K27M on the epigenomic landscape in a relevant developmental context. Genome-wide mapping of epitope-tagged histone H3.3 revealed that both the wild type and the K27M mutant incorporate abundantly at pre-existing active enhancers and promoters, and to a lesser extent at Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2)-bound regions. At active enhancers, H3.3-K27M leads to focal H3K27ac loss, decreased chromatin accessibility and reduced transcriptional expression of nearby neurodevelopmental genes. In addition, H3.3-K27M deposition at a subset of PRC2 target genes leads to increased PRC2 and PRC1 binding and augmented transcriptional repression that can be partially reversed by PRC2 inhibitors. Our work suggests that, rather than imposing de novo transcriptional circuits, H3.3-K27M drives tumorigenesis by locking initiating cells in their pre-existing, immature epigenomic state, via disruption of PRC2 and enhancer functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard L Brien
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Raul Bardini Bressan
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Craig Monger
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Dáire Gannon
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Eimear Lagan
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Anthony M Doherty
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Evan Healy
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Hannah Neikes
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Orla Deevy
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Vivien Grant
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Maria-Angeles Marqués-Torrejón
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Neza Alfazema
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Steven M Pollard
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Adrian P Bracken
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
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6
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Soares MAF, Soares DS, Teixeira V, Heskol A, Bressan RB, Pollard SM, Oliveira RA, Castro DS. Hierarchical reactivation of transcription during mitosis-to-G1 transition by Brn2 and Ascl1 in neural stem cells. Genes Dev 2021; 35:1020-1034. [PMID: 34168041 PMCID: PMC8247608 DOI: 10.1101/gad.348174.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
During mitosis, chromatin condensation is accompanied by a global arrest of transcription. Recent studies suggest transcriptional reactivation upon mitotic exit occurs in temporally coordinated waves, but the underlying regulatory principles have yet to be elucidated. In particular, the contribution of sequence-specific transcription factors (TFs) remains poorly understood. Here we report that Brn2, an important regulator of neural stem cell identity, associates with condensed chromatin throughout cell division, as assessed by live-cell imaging of proliferating neural stem cells. In contrast, the neuronal fate determinant Ascl1 dissociates from mitotic chromosomes. ChIP-seq analysis reveals that Brn2 mitotic chromosome binding does not result in sequence-specific interactions prior to mitotic exit, relying mostly on electrostatic forces. Nevertheless, surveying active transcription using single-molecule RNA-FISH against immature transcripts reveals differential reactivation kinetics for key targets of Brn2 and Ascl1, with transcription onset detected in early (anaphase) versus late (early G1) phases, respectively. Moreover, by using a mitotic-specific dominant-negative approach, we show that competing with Brn2 binding during mitotic exit reduces the transcription of its target gene Nestin Our study shows an important role for differential binding of TFs to mitotic chromosomes, governed by their electrostatic properties, in defining the temporal order of transcriptional reactivation during mitosis-to-G1 transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mário A F Soares
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
- i3S Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, IBMC Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Diogo S Soares
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
- i3S Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, IBMC Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Vera Teixeira
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Abeer Heskol
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
- i3S Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, IBMC Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Raul Bardini Bressan
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, United Kingdom
| | - Steven M Pollard
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, United Kingdom
| | | | - Diogo S Castro
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
- i3S Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, IBMC Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
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7
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Bressan RB, Southgate B, Ferguson KM, Blin C, Grant V, Alfazema N, Wills JC, Marques-Torrejon MA, Morrison GM, Ashmore J, Robertson F, Williams CAC, Bradley L, von Kriegsheim A, Anderson RA, Tomlinson SR, Pollard SM. Regional identity of human neural stem cells determines oncogenic responses to histone H3.3 mutants. Cell Stem Cell 2021; 28:877-893.e9. [PMID: 33631116 PMCID: PMC8110245 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2021.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Point mutations within the histone H3.3 are frequent in aggressive childhood brain tumors known as pediatric high-grade gliomas (pHGGs). Intriguingly, distinct mutations arise in discrete anatomical regions: H3.3-G34R within the forebrain and H3.3-K27M preferentially within the hindbrain. The reasons for this contrasting etiology are unknown. By engineering human fetal neural stem cell cultures from distinct brain regions, we demonstrate here that cell-intrinsic regional identity provides differential responsiveness to each mutant that mirrors the origins of pHGGs. Focusing on H3.3-G34R, we find that the oncohistone supports proliferation of forebrain cells while inducing a cytostatic response in the hindbrain. Mechanistically, H3.3-G34R does not impose widespread transcriptional or epigenetic changes but instead impairs recruitment of ZMYND11, a transcriptional repressor of highly expressed genes. We therefore propose that H3.3-G34R promotes tumorigenesis by focally stabilizing the expression of key progenitor genes, thereby locking initiating forebrain cells into their pre-existing immature state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raul Bardini Bressan
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK; Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
| | - Benjamin Southgate
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK; Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Kirsty M Ferguson
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK; Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Carla Blin
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Vivien Grant
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Neza Alfazema
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK; Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Jimi C Wills
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Maria Angeles Marques-Torrejon
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Gillian M Morrison
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK; Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XR, UK
| | - James Ashmore
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Faye Robertson
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK; Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Charles A C Williams
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK; Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Leanne Bradley
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK; Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Alex von Kriegsheim
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Richard A Anderson
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Simon R Tomlinson
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK; Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Steven M Pollard
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK; Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XR, UK.
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8
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Bressan RB, Pollard SM. Genome Editing in Human Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells. Results Probl Cell Differ 2019; 66:163-182. [PMID: 30209659 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-93485-3_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2024]
Abstract
Experimental tools for precise manipulation of mammalian genomes enable reverse genetic approaches to explore biology and disease. Powerful genome editing technologies built upon designer nucleases, such as CRISPR/Cas9, have recently emerged. Parallel progress has been made in methodologies for the expansion and differentiation of human pluripotent and tissue stem cells. Together these innovations provide a remarkable new toolbox for human cellular genetics and are opening up vast opportunities for discoveries and applications across the breadth of life sciences research. In this chapter, we review the emergence of genome editing technologies and how these are being deployed in studies of human neurobiology, neurological disease, and neuro-oncology. We focus our discussion on CRISPR/Cas9 and its application in studies of human neural stem and progenitor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raul Bardini Bressan
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Steven M Pollard
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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9
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Dewari PS, Southgate B, Mccarten K, Monogarov G, O'Duibhir E, Quinn N, Tyrer A, Leitner MC, Plumb C, Kalantzaki M, Blin C, Finch R, Bressan RB, Morrison G, Jacobi AM, Behlke MA, von Kriegsheim A, Tomlinson S, Krijgsveld J, Pollard SM. An efficient and scalable pipeline for epitope tagging in mammalian stem cells using Cas9 ribonucleoprotein. eLife 2018; 7:e35069. [PMID: 29638216 PMCID: PMC5947990 DOI: 10.7554/elife.35069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9 can be used for precise genetic knock-in of epitope tags into endogenous genes, simplifying experimental analysis of protein function. However, Cas9-assisted epitope tagging in primary mammalian cell cultures is often inefficient and reliant on plasmid-based selection strategies. Here, we demonstrate improved knock-in efficiencies of diverse tags (V5, 3XFLAG, Myc, HA) using co-delivery of Cas9 protein pre-complexed with two-part synthetic modified RNAs (annealed crRNA:tracrRNA) and single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotide (ssODN) repair templates. Knock-in efficiencies of ~5-30%, were achieved without selection in embryonic stem (ES) cells, neural stem (NS) cells, and brain-tumor-derived stem cells. Biallelic-tagged clonal lines were readily derived and used to define Olig2 chromatin-bound interacting partners. Using our novel web-based design tool, we established a 96-well format pipeline that enabled V5-tagging of 60 different transcription factors. This efficient, selection-free and scalable epitope tagging pipeline enables systematic surveys of protein expression levels, subcellular localization, and interactors across diverse mammalian stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooran Singh Dewari
- Edinburgh Cancer Research United Kingdom CentreUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Benjamin Southgate
- Edinburgh Cancer Research United Kingdom CentreUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Katrina Mccarten
- Edinburgh Cancer Research United Kingdom CentreUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - German Monogarov
- German Cancer Research CenterUniversity of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Eoghan O'Duibhir
- Edinburgh Cancer Research United Kingdom CentreUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Niall Quinn
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Edinburgh Cancer Research United Kingdom CentreUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Ashley Tyrer
- Edinburgh Cancer Research United Kingdom CentreUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Marie-Christin Leitner
- Edinburgh Cancer Research United Kingdom CentreUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Colin Plumb
- Edinburgh Cancer Research United Kingdom CentreUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Maria Kalantzaki
- Edinburgh Cancer Research United Kingdom CentreUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Carla Blin
- Edinburgh Cancer Research United Kingdom CentreUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Rebecca Finch
- Edinburgh Cancer Research United Kingdom CentreUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Raul Bardini Bressan
- Edinburgh Cancer Research United Kingdom CentreUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Gillian Morrison
- Edinburgh Cancer Research United Kingdom CentreUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Mark A Behlke
- Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc.CoralvilleUnited States
| | - Alex von Kriegsheim
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Edinburgh Cancer Research United Kingdom CentreUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Simon Tomlinson
- Edinburgh Cancer Research United Kingdom CentreUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Jeroen Krijgsveld
- German Cancer Research CenterUniversity of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Steven M Pollard
- Edinburgh Cancer Research United Kingdom CentreUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
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10
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Bulstrode H, Johnstone E, Marques-Torrejon MA, Ferguson KM, Bressan RB, Blin C, Grant V, Gogolok S, Gangoso E, Gagrica S, Ender C, Fotaki V, Sproul D, Bertone P, Pollard SM. Elevated FOXG1 and SOX2 in glioblastoma enforces neural stem cell identity through transcriptional control of cell cycle and epigenetic regulators. Genes Dev 2017; 31:757-773. [PMID: 28465359 PMCID: PMC5435889 DOI: 10.1101/gad.293027.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor driven by cells with hallmarks of neural stem (NS) cells. GBM stem cells frequently express high levels of the transcription factors FOXG1 and SOX2. Here we show that increased expression of these factors restricts astrocyte differentiation and can trigger dedifferentiation to a proliferative NS cell state. Transcriptional targets include cell cycle and epigenetic regulators (e.g., Foxo3, Plk1, Mycn, Dnmt1, Dnmt3b, and Tet3). Foxo3 is a critical repressed downstream effector that is controlled via a conserved FOXG1/SOX2-bound cis-regulatory element. Foxo3 loss, combined with exposure to the DNA methylation inhibitor 5-azacytidine, enforces astrocyte dedifferentiation. DNA methylation profiling in differentiating astrocytes identifies changes at multiple polycomb targets, including the promoter of Foxo3 In patient-derived GBM stem cells, CRISPR/Cas9 deletion of FOXG1 does not impact proliferation in vitro; however, upon transplantation in vivo, FOXG1-null cells display increased astrocyte differentiation and up-regulate FOXO3. In contrast, SOX2 ablation attenuates proliferation, and mutant cells cannot be expanded in vitro. Thus, FOXG1 and SOX2 operate in complementary but distinct roles to fuel unconstrained self-renewal in GBM stem cells via transcriptional control of core cell cycle and epigenetic regulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Bulstrode
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Regenerative Medicine
- Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Cancer Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, United Kingdom
| | - Ewan Johnstone
- Wellcome Trust-MRC Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QR, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Angeles Marques-Torrejon
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Regenerative Medicine
- Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Cancer Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, United Kingdom
| | - Kirsty M Ferguson
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Regenerative Medicine
- Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Cancer Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, United Kingdom
| | - Raul Bardini Bressan
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Regenerative Medicine
- Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Cancer Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, United Kingdom
| | - Carla Blin
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Regenerative Medicine
- Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Cancer Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, United Kingdom
| | - Vivien Grant
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Regenerative Medicine
- Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Cancer Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, United Kingdom
| | - Sabine Gogolok
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Regenerative Medicine
- Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Cancer Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, United Kingdom
| | - Ester Gangoso
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Regenerative Medicine
- Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Cancer Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, United Kingdom
| | - Sladjana Gagrica
- Department of Cancer Biology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Christine Ender
- Department of Cancer Biology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Vassiliki Fotaki
- Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - Duncan Sproul
- MRC Human Genetics Unit
- Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Bertone
- Wellcome Trust-MRC Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QR, United Kingdom
| | - Steven M Pollard
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Regenerative Medicine
- Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Cancer Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, United Kingdom
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11
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Bressan RB, Dewari PS, Kalantzaki M, Gangoso E, Matjusaitis M, Garcia-Diaz C, Blin C, Grant V, Bulstrode H, Gogolok S, Skarnes WC, Pollard SM. Efficient CRISPR/Cas9-assisted gene targeting enables rapid and precise genetic manipulation of mammalian neural stem cells. Development 2017; 144:635-648. [PMID: 28096221 PMCID: PMC5312033 DOI: 10.1242/dev.140855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian neural stem cell (NSC) lines provide a tractable model for discovery across stem cell and developmental biology, regenerative medicine and neuroscience. They can be derived from foetal or adult germinal tissues and continuously propagated in vitro as adherent monolayers. NSCs are clonally expandable, genetically stable, and easily transfectable - experimental attributes compatible with targeted genetic manipulations. However, gene targeting, which is crucial for functional studies of embryonic stem cells, has not been exploited to date in NSC lines. Here, we deploy CRISPR/Cas9 technology to demonstrate a variety of sophisticated genetic modifications via gene targeting in both mouse and human NSC lines, including: (1) efficient targeted transgene insertion at safe harbour loci (Rosa26 and AAVS1); (2) biallelic knockout of neurodevelopmental transcription factor genes; (3) simple knock-in of epitope tags and fluorescent reporters (e.g. Sox2-V5 and Sox2-mCherry); and (4) engineering of glioma mutations (TP53 deletion; H3F3A point mutations). These resources and optimised methods enable facile and scalable genome editing in mammalian NSCs, providing significant new opportunities for functional genetic analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pooran Singh Dewari
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Maria Kalantzaki
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ester Gangoso
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Mantas Matjusaitis
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Claudia Garcia-Diaz
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Carla Blin
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Vivien Grant
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Harry Bulstrode
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Sabine Gogolok
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - William C Skarnes
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Steven M Pollard
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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12
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Melo FR, Bressan RB, Costa-Silva B, Trentin AG. Effects of Folic Acid and Homocysteine on the Morphogenesis of Mouse Cephalic Neural Crest Cells In Vitro. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2016; 37:371-376. [PMID: 27236697 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-016-0383-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Folate deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia have long been associated with developmental anomalies, particularly neural tube defects and neurocristopathies-a group of diverse disorders that result from defective growth, differentiation, and migration of neural crest (NC) cells. However, the exact mechanisms by which homocysteine (Hcys) and/or folate deficiencies disrupt NC development are still poorly understood in mammals. In this work, we employed a well-defined culture system to investigate the effects of Hcys and folic acid (FA) supplementation on the morphogenetic processes of murine NC cells in vitro. We demonstrated that Hcys increases outgrowth and proliferation of cephalic NC cells and impairs their differentiation into smooth muscle cells. In addition, we showed that FA alone does not directly affect the developmental dynamics of the cephalic NC cells but is able to prevent the Hcys-induced effects. Our results, therefore, suggest that elevated Hcys levels per se cause dysmorphogenesis of the cephalic NC and might contribute to neurocristopathies in mammalian embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Rosene Melo
- Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil
| | | | - Bruno Costa-Silva
- Department of Pediatrics, Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Andrea Gonçalves Trentin
- Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil.
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13
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Bressan RB, Melo FR, Almeida PA, Bittencourt DA, Visoni S, Jeremias TS, Costa AP, Leal RB, Trentin AG. EGF-FGF2 stimulates the proliferation and improves the neuronal commitment of mouse epidermal neural crest stem cells (EPI-NCSCs). Exp Cell Res 2014; 327:37-47. [PMID: 24907656 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2014.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2013] [Revised: 05/04/2014] [Accepted: 05/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Epidermal neural crest stem cells (EPI-NCSCs), which reside in the bulge of hair follicles, are attractive candidates for several applications in cell therapy, drug screening and tissue engineering. As suggested remnants of the embryonic neural crest (NC) in an adult location, EPI-NCSCs are able to generate a wide variety of cell types and are readily accessible by a minimally invasive procedure. Since the combination of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and fibroblast growth factor type 2 (FGF2) is mitogenic and promotes the neuronal commitment of various stem cell populations, we examined its effects in the proliferation and neuronal potential of mouse EPI-NCSCs. By using a recognized culture protocol of bulge whiskers follicles, we were able to isolate a population of EPI-NCSCs, characterized by the migratory potential, cell morphology and expression of phenotypic markers of NC cells. EPI-NCSCs expressed neuronal, glial and smooth muscle markers and exhibited the NC-like fibroblastic morphology. The treatment with the combination EGF and FGF2, however, increased their proliferation rate and promoted the acquisition of a neuronal-like morphology accompanied by reorganization of neural cytoskeletal proteins βIII-tubulin and nestin, as well as upregulation of the pan neuronal marker βIII-tubulin and down regulation of the undifferentiated NC, glial and smooth muscle cell markers. Moreover, the treatment enhanced the response of EPI-NCSCs to neurogenic stimulation, as evidenced by induction of GAP43, and increased expression of Mash-1 in neuron-like cell, both neuronal-specific proteins. Together, the results suggest that the combination of EGF-FGF2 stimulates the proliferation and improves the neuronal potential of EPI-NCSCs similarly to embryonic NC cells, ES cells and neural progenitor/stem cells of the central nervous system and highlights the advantage of using EGF-FGF2 in neuronal differentiation protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raul Bardini Bressan
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Embriologia e Genética, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário - Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis SC, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Rosene Melo
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Embriologia e Genética, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário - Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis SC, Brazil
| | - Patricia Alves Almeida
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Embriologia e Genética, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário - Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis SC, Brazil
| | - Denise Avani Bittencourt
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Embriologia e Genética, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário - Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis SC, Brazil
| | - Silvia Visoni
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Embriologia e Genética, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário - Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis SC, Brazil
| | - Talita Silva Jeremias
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Embriologia e Genética, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário - Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis SC, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Costa
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário - Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis SC, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Bainy Leal
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário - Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis SC, Brazil
| | - Andrea Gonçalves Trentin
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Embriologia e Genética, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário - Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis SC, Brazil.
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