scholarly journals 243.Nuclear transport of Gli transcription factors during spermatogenesis

2004 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. 243
Author(s):  
A. Szczepny ◽  
D. A. Jans ◽  
K. L. Loveland ◽  
M. Dias

Development is highly regulated by complex signalling cascades. One such pathway is the Hedgehog (Hh) signalling pathway which plays an essential role in spermatogenesis. The Gli family of zinc finger TFs, consisting of Gli1, Gli2 and Gli3, are mediators of the Hh signalling cascade. Gli1 is an activator of Hh target genes, whereas Gli2 and Gli3 can undergo proteolytic cleavage and function as both activators and repressors. Little is known regarding the nuclear import pathway of these TFs. In this study, the mRNA expression pattern of all Gli family members in the developing mouse testis was compiled by in situ hybridisation and shown to have unique expression patterns. In the adult mouse testis, Gli1 mRNA was detected in spermatogonia through to round spermatids whereas Gli2 was only found in spermatogonia and spermatocytes. Very low levels of Gli3 mRNA were detected in all ages and cell types. Since little is known regarding the import pathway for Gli1, expression vectors containing different fragments of the N-terminus of Gli1 were created and used to perform transfection experiments and generate vectors for bacterial GFP-fusion protein expression. Transfection experiments into African green monkey kidney Cos-7 cells, and the murine spermatogenic cell lines, Gc-1 and Gc-2 using 3 different constructs localised the NLS(s) required to target Gli1 to the nucleus in the zinc finger DNA-binding domain of Gli1. Preliminary results for in vitro binding of bacterially expressed Gli1 indicated no binding by importin β 1 or β3 but a weak interaction with the importin α/β heterodimer. This can be seen as the first step towards defining the nuclear import pathway for Gli1. The mechanisms by which Gli activity is modulated remain unanswered and the regulation of its nuclear entry may be an important means of doing so.

2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 121
Author(s):  
Z. Sahin ◽  
A. Szczepny ◽  
I. Ustunel ◽  
K. Loveland

Hedgehog (Hh) signalling regulates normal development of many tissues and is upregulated in some cancers. Mice which lack the testicular desert hedgehog (Dhh) ligand exhibit disrupted embryonic gonad formation and male infertility in adulthood. However, the roles and sites of Hedgehog (Hh) signalling activity in the developing rat testis are unknown. Transcripts encoding Hh pathway components in embryonic and juvenile rat testes were localised by in situ hybridization with DIG-labelled cRNA probes. On embryonic day (E) 17.5, Sertoli cells contained transcripts encoding Dhh and both gonocytes and Sertoli cells contained the Ptc2 and Smo receptor transcripts. The cytoplasmic regulators (fused [Fu], suppressor of fused [SuFu]) and the three Gli transcriptional mediators were also detected in gonocytes. On E21.5 and postnatal day 4, all transcripts were present in Sertoli cells, but not gonocytes. To test the function of Hh signalling at the onset of rodent spermatogenesis, the newborn (day 1) mouse testis was cultured in hanging drop cultures. Addition of the selective Hh signalling inhibitor, cyclopamine, yielded a significantly lower level of the Hh target, Gli1 mRNA, as measured by real time PCR compared to vehicle controls. This confirms Hh pathway activity and inhibition in this system. Meiotic markers, SYCP3 and Stra8, were consistently upregulated (n = 6) following cyclopamine addition, however the fold-change varied between experiments. Overall, the cellular expression data indicate that Hh signals are active in both embryonic and juvenile rodent testes. The finding that Hh genes analysed in this study are expressed in both Sertoli and germ cells shows that both cell types are potential Hh targets, depending on the developmental stage of testis. The upregulation of candidates for Dhh target genes in the juvenile mouse testis in vitro suggests that Hedgehog signaling downregulates the expression of meiotic genes in gonocytes via paracrine mechanisms.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Junjie Cen ◽  
Yanping Liang ◽  
Yong Huang ◽  
Yihui Pan ◽  
Guannan Shu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background There is increasing evidence that circular RNAs (circRNAs) have significant regulatory roles in cancer development and progression; however, the expression patterns and biological functions of circRNAs in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remain largely elusive. Method Bioinformatics methods were applied to screen for circRNAs differentially expressed in RCC. Analysis of online circRNAs microarray datasets and our own patient cohort indicated that circSDHC (hsa_circ_0015004) had a potential oncogenic role in RCC. Subsequently, circSDHC expression was measured in RCC tissues and cell lines by qPCR assay, and the prognostic value of circSDHC evaluated. Further, a series of functional in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to assess the effects of circSDHC on RCC proliferation and metastasis. RNA pull-down assay, luciferase reporter and fluorescent in situ hybridization assays were used to confirm the interactions between circSDHC, miR-127-3p and its target genes. Results Clinically, high circSDHC expression was correlated with advanced TNM stage and poor survival in patients with RCC. Further, circSDHC promoted tumor cell proliferation and invasion, both in vivo and in vitro. Analysis of the mechanism underlying the effects of circSDHC in RCC demonstrated that it binds competitively to miR-127-3p and prevents its suppression of a downstream gene, CDKN3, and the E2F1 pathway, thereby leading to RCC malignant progression. Furthermore, knockdown of circSDHC caused decreased CDKN3 expression and E2F1 pathway inhibition, which could be rescued by treatment with an miR-127-3p inhibitor. Conclusion Our data indicates, for the first time, an essential role for the circSDHC/miR-127-3p/CDKN3/E2F1 axis in RCC progression. Thus, circSDHC has potential to be a new therapeutic target in patients with RCC.


Development ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 121 (9) ◽  
pp. 2799-2812 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. McCormick ◽  
N. Core ◽  
S. Kerridge ◽  
M.P. Scott

Along the anterior-posterior axis of animal embryos, the choice of cell fates, and the organization of morphogenesis, is regulated by transcription factors encoded by clustered homeotic or ‘Hox’ genes. Hox genes function in both epidermis and internal tissues by regulating the transcription of target genes in a position- and tissue-specific manner. Hox proteins can have distinct targets in different tissues; the mechanisms underlying tissue and homeotic protein specificity are unknown. Light may be shed by studying the organization of target gene enhancers. In flies, one of the target genes is teashirt (tsh), which encodes a zinc finger protein. tsh itself is a homeotic gene that controls trunk versus head development. We identified a tsh gene enhancer that is differentially activated by Hox proteins in epidermis and mesoderm. Sites where Antennapedia (Antp) and Ultrabithorax (Ubx) proteins bind in vitro were mapped within evolutionarily conserved sequences. Although Antp and Ubx bind to identical sites in vitro, Antp activates the tsh enhancer only in epidermis while Ubx activates the tsh enhancer in both epidermis and in somatic mesoderm. We show that the DNA elements driving tissue-specific transcriptional activation by Antp and Ubx are separable. Next to the homeotic protein-binding sites are extensive conserved sequences likely to control tissue activation by different homeodomain proteins. We propose that local interactions between homeotic proteins and other factors effect activation of targets in proper cell types.


2002 ◽  
Vol 30 (2_suppl) ◽  
pp. 111-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Gribaldo

Haematopoietic tissues are the targets of numerous xenobiotics. The purpose of in vitro haematotoxicology is the prediction of adverse haematological effects from toxicants on human haematopoietic targets under controlled experimental conditions in the laboratory. Building on its foundations in experimental haematology and the wealth of haematotoxicological data found in experimental oncology, this field of alternatives toxicology has developed rapidly during the past decade. Preclinical and clinical drug development for anti-cancer drugs differs from that for other pharmaceuticals, because of the life-threatening nature of the disease. Treatment with anti-cancer drugs at clinically efficacious doses usually induces serious side-effects. The design of preclinical toxicology studies for anti-cancer drugs is intended to identify a safe clinical starting dose, characterise toxicities that could be encountered in human clinical trials, and determine whether these toxicities are reversible, manageable, and predictable. Although the myeloid colony-forming unit (CFU-GM) progenitor is most frequently evaluated, other defined progenitors and stem cells, as well as cell types found in the bone-marrow stroma, can now be evaluated in vitro. Genetic damage to haematopoietic cells can occur in the absence of any overt haematological signs. The development of tissue-specific screening systems that are able to give information about the toxic effects of chemicals, drugs and environmental hazards on target genes is needed, in order to make preliminary decisions or to set priorities for selection among large groups of chemicals and possible drugs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (10) ◽  
pp. 3455
Author(s):  
Hyuna Sim ◽  
Joo-Eun Lee ◽  
Hee Min Yoo ◽  
Sunwha Cho ◽  
Hana Lee ◽  
...  

The diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is initiated after the occurrence of motor symptoms, such as resting tremors, rigidity, and bradykinesia. According to previous reports, non-motor symptoms, notably gastrointestinal dysfunction, could potentially be early biomarkers in PD patients as such symptoms occur earlier than motor symptoms. However, connecting PD to the intestine is methodologically challenging. Thus, we generated in vitro human intestinal organoids from PD patients and ex vivo mouse small intestinal organoids from aged transgenic mice. Both intestinal organoids (IOs) contained the human LRRK2 G2019S mutation, which is the most frequent genetic cause of familial and sporadic PD. By conducting comprehensive genomic comparisons with these two types of IOs, we determined that a particular gene, namely, Iroquois homeobox protein 2 (IRX2), showed PD-related expression patterns not only in human pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived neuroectodermal spheres but also in human PSC-derived neuronal cells containing dopaminergic neurons. We expected that our approach of using various cell types presented a novel technical method for studying the effects of multi-organs in PD pathophysiology as well as for the development of diagnostic markers for PD.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (23) ◽  
pp. 9052
Author(s):  
Indrek Teino ◽  
Antti Matvere ◽  
Martin Pook ◽  
Inge Varik ◽  
Laura Pajusaar ◽  
...  

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor, which mediates the effects of a variety of environmental stimuli in multiple tissues. Recent advances in AHR biology have underlined its importance in cells with high developmental potency, including pluripotent stem cells. Nonetheless, there is little data on AHR expression and its role during the initial stages of stem cell differentiation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the temporal pattern of AHR expression during directed differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) into neural progenitor, early mesoderm and definitive endoderm cells. Additionally, we investigated the effect of the AHR agonist 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on the gene expression profile in hESCs and differentiated cells by RNA-seq, accompanied by identification of AHR binding sites by ChIP-seq and epigenetic landscape analysis by ATAC-seq. We showed that AHR is differentially regulated in distinct lineages. We provided evidence that TCDD alters gene expression patterns in hESCs and during early differentiation. Additionally, we identified novel potential AHR target genes, which expand our understanding on the role of this protein in different cell types.


2009 ◽  
Vol 88 (6) ◽  
pp. 563-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Shigeishi ◽  
S. Yamaguchi ◽  
K. Mizuta ◽  
K. Nakakuki ◽  
S. Fujimoto ◽  
...  

Human osseous dysplasia (OD) is a benign fibro-osseous neoplasm of periodontal ligament origin in which normal bone is replaced with fibrous connective tissue containing abnormal bone or cementum. However, cellular differentiation and proliferation in OD have not been fully elucidated. In vitro culture systems have distinct advantages for analytical studies. Therefore, we established immortalized cell lines (OD-1) from OD lesions of the jaw from an individual with gnathodiaphyseal dysplasia (GDD). We hypothesized that OD-1 had a characteristic growth mechanism different from that of mineralized-associated cells such as osteoblasts. To clarify the difference of gene expression patterns between OD-1 and osteoblasts, we compared the profiles of genes expressed in the 2 cell types by microarray analysis. We identified amphiregulin to be highly expressed in OD-1 compared with osteoblasts and gingival fibroblasts. OD-1 showed proliferative activities regulated in an autocrine manner by amphiregulin, and amphiregulin may play a significant role in the proliferation of OD.


2004 ◽  
Vol 287 (2) ◽  
pp. C484-C493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minenori Ishido ◽  
Katsuya Kami ◽  
Mitsuhiko Masuhara

MyoD, a myogenic regulatory factor, is rapidly expressed in adult skeletal muscles in response to denervation. However, the function(s) of MyoD expressed in denervated muscle has not been adequately elucidated. In vitro, it directly transactivates cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 (p21) and retinoblastoma protein (Rb), a downstream target of p21. These factors then act to regulate cell cycle withdrawal and antiapoptotic cell death. Using immunohistochemical approaches, we characterized cell types expressing MyoD, p21, and Rb and the relationship among these factors in the myonucleus of denervated muscles. In addition, we quantitatively examined the time course changes and expression patterns among distinct myofiber types of MyoD, p21, and Rb during denervation. Denervation induced MyoD expression in myonuclei and satellite cell nuclei, whereas p21 and Rb were found only in myonuclei. Furthermore, coexpression of MyoD, p21, and Rb was induced in the myonucleus, and quantitative analysis of these factors determined that there was no difference among the three myofiber types. These observations suggest that MyoD may function in myonuclei in response to denervation to protect against denervation-induced apoptosis via perhaps the activation of p21 and Rb, and function of MyoD expressed in satellite cell nuclei may be negatively regulated. The present study provides a molecular basis to further understand the function of MyoD expressed in the myonuclei and satellite cell nuclei of denervated skeletal muscle.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Tae-Jun Kwon ◽  
Kohta Mohri ◽  
Satoshi Takizawa ◽  
Takahiro Arakawa ◽  
Maiko Takahashi ◽  
...  

AbstractAntibody-drug conjugates offers many advantages as a drug delivery platform that allows for highly specific targeting of cell types and genes. Ideally, testing the efficacy of these systems requires two cell types to be different only in the gene targeted by the drug, with the rest of the cellular machinery unchanged, in order to minimize other potential differences from obscuring the effects of the drug. In this study, we created multiple variants of U87MG cells with targeted mutation in the TP53 gene using the CRISPR-Cas9 system, and determined that their major transcriptional differences stem from the loss of p53 function. Using the transcriptome data, we predicted which mutant clones would have less divergent phenotypes from the wild type and thereby serve as the best candidates to be used as drug delivery testing platforms. Further in vitro and in vivo assays of cell morphology, proliferation rate and target antigen-mediated uptake supported our predictions. Based on the combined analysis results, we successfully selected the best qualifying mutant clone. This study serves as proof-of-principle of the approach and paves the way for extending to additional cell types and target genes.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Aharon Hait ◽  
Ran Elkon ◽  
Ron Shamir

AbstractSpatiotemporal gene expression patterns are governed to a large extent by enhancer elements, typically located distally from their target genes. Identification of enhancer-promoter (EP) links that are specific and functional in individual cell types is a key challenge in understanding gene regulation. We introduce CT-FOCS, a new statistical inference method that utilizes multiple replicates per cell type to infer cell type-specific EP links. Computationally predicted EP links are usually benchmarked against experimentally determined chromatin interactions measured by ChIA-PET and promoter-capture HiC techniques. We expand this validation scheme by using also loops that overlap in their anchor sites. In analyzing 1,366 samples from ENCODE, Roadmap epigenomics and FANTOM5, CT-FOCS inferred highly cell type-specific EP links more accurately than state-of-the-art methods. We illustrate how our inferred EP links drive cell type-specific gene expression and regulation.


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