scholarly journals Uncoupling Intraflagellar Transport and Primary Cilia Formation Demonstrates Deep Integration of IFT in Hedgehog Signaling

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thibaut Eguether ◽  
Fabrice P Cordelieres ◽  
Gregory J Pazour

AbstractThe vertebrate hedgehog pathway is organized in primary cilia and hedgehog components relocate into or out of cilia during signaling. Defects in intraflagellar transport (IFT) typically disrupt ciliary assembly and attenuate hedgehog signaling. Determining if IFT drives the movement of hedgehog components is difficult due to the requirement of IFT for building cilia. Unlike most IFT proteins, IFT27 is dispensable for cilia formation but affects hedgehog signaling similar to other IFTs allowing us to examine its role in the dynamics of signaling. Activating signaling at points along the pathway inIft27mutant cells showed that IFT is extensively involved in the pathway. Similar analysis ofBbsmutant cells showed that BBS proteins participate at many levels of signaling but are not needed to concentrate Gli transcription factors at the ciliary tip. Our analysis showed that smoothened delivery to cilia does not require IFT27, but the role of other IFTs is not known. Using a rapamycin-induced dimerization system to stop IFT after ciliary assembly was complete we show that smoothened delivery to cilia is IFT independent.AbbreviationsMEFsmouse embryonic fibroblastsSAGsmoothen agonistIFTintraflagellar transportFKBPFK506 Binding Protein 12FRBFKBP12-rapamycin binding

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (10) ◽  
pp. 1178-1189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thibaut Eguether ◽  
Fabrice P. Cordelieres ◽  
Gregory J. Pazour

The vertebrate hedgehog pathway is organized in primary cilia, and hedgehog components relocate into or out of cilia during signaling. Defects in intraflagellar transport (IFT) typically disrupt ciliary assembly and attenuate hedgehog signaling. Determining whether IFT drives the movement of hedgehog components is difficult due to the requirement of IFT for building cilia. Unlike most IFT proteins, IFT27 is dispensable for cilia formation but affects hedgehog signaling similarly to other IFTs, allowing us to examine its role in the dynamics of signaling. Activating signaling at points along the pathway in Ift27 mutant cells showed that IFT is extensively involved in the pathway. Similar analysis of Bbs mutant cells showed that BBS proteins participate at many levels of signaling but are not needed to concentrate Gli transcription factors at the ciliary tip. Our analysis showed that smoothened delivery to cilia does not require IFT27, but the role of other IFTs is not known. Using a rapamycin-induced dimerization system to sequester IFT-B proteins at the mitochondria in cells with fully formed cilia did not affect the delivery of Smo to cilia, suggesting that this membrane protein may not require IFT-B for delivery.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Yamaguchi ◽  
Megumi Kitami ◽  
Karin H Uchima Koecklin ◽  
Li He ◽  
Jianbo Wang ◽  
...  

Ciliogenic components, such as the family of intraflagellar transport (IFT) proteins, are recognized to play key roles in endochondral ossification, a critical process to form most bones. However, it remains unclear how each IFT protein performs its unique function to regulate endochondral ossification. Here, we show that intraflagellar transport 20 (IFT20) is required for early chondrogenesis. Utilizing three osteo-chondrocyte lineage-specific Cre mice (Prx1-Cre, Col2-Cre and Aggrecan-CreERT2), we deleted Ift20 to examine its function. While chondrocyte-specific Ift20 deletion with Col2-Cre or Aggrecan-CreERT2 drivers did not cause overt skeletal defects, mesoderm-specific Ift20 deletion using Prx1-Cre (Ift20:Prx1-Cre) resulted in shortened limb outgrowth. Although primary cilia were not formed in Ift20:Prx1-Cre mice, ciliary Hedgehog signaling was only moderately affected. Interestingly, loss of Ift20 lead to upregulation of Fgf18 expression resulting in ERK1/2 activation and sustained Sox9 expression, thus preventing endochondral ossification. Inhibition of enhanced phospho-ERK1/2 activation partially rescued defective chondrogenesis in Ift20 mutant cells, supporting an important role for FGF signaling. Our findings demonstrate a novel mechanism of IFT20 in early chondrogenesis during endochondral ossification.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Okitsu ◽  
Mamoru Nagano ◽  
Takahiro Yamagata ◽  
Chizuru Ito ◽  
Kiyotaka Toshimori ◽  
...  

Abstract Deleted in lung and esophageal cancer 1 (DLEC1) is a tumour suppressor gene that is downregulated in various cancers in humans; however, the physiological and molecular functions of DLEC1 are still unclear. This study investigated the critical role of Dlec1 in spermatogenesis and male fertility in mice. Dlec1 was significantly expressed in testes, with dominant expression in germ cells. We disrupted Dlec1 in mice and analysed its function in spermatogenesis and male fertility. Dlec1 deletion caused male infertility due to impaired spermatogenesis. Spermatogenesis progressed normally to step 8 spermatids in Dlec1−/− mice, but in elongating spermatids, we observed head deformation, a shortened tail, and abnormal manchette organization. These phenotypes were similar to those of various intraflagellar transport (IFT)-associated gene-deficient sperm. In addition, DLEC1 interacted with tailless complex polypeptide 1 ring complex (TRiC) and Bardet–Biedl Syndrome (BBS) protein complex subunits, as well as α- and β-tubulin. DLEC1 expression also enhanced primary cilia formation and cilia length in A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells. These findings suggest that DLEC1 is a possible regulator of IFT and plays an essential role in sperm head and tail formation in mice.


Author(s):  
Yang Yue ◽  
Martin F. Engelke ◽  
T. Lynne Blasius ◽  
Kristen J. Verhey

The kinesin-4 motor KIF7 is a conserved regulator of the Hedgehog signaling pathway. In vertebrates, Hedgehog signaling requires the primary cilium, and KIF7 and Gli transcription factors accumulate at the cilium tip in response to Hedgehog activation. Unlike conventional kinesins, KIF7 is an immotile kinesin and its mechanism of ciliary accumulation is unknown. We generated KIF7 variants with altered microtubule binding or motility. We demonstrate that microtubule binding of KIF7 is not required for the increase in KIF7 or Gli localization at the cilium tip in response to Hedgehog signaling. In addition, we show that the immotile behavior of KIF7 is required to prevent ciliary localization of Gli transcription factors in the absence of Hedgehog signaling. Using an engineered kinesin-2 motor that enables acute inhibition of intraflagellar transport (IFT), we demonstrate that kinesin-2 KIF3A/KIF3B/KAP mediates the translocation of KIF7 to the cilium tip in response to Hedgehog pathway activation. Together, these results suggest that KIF7’s role at the tip of the cilium is unrelated to its ability to bind to microtubules.


eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sun-Hee Hwang ◽  
Bandarigoda N Somatilaka ◽  
Kevin White ◽  
Saikat Mukhopadhyay

The role of compartmentalized signaling in primary cilia during tissue morphogenesis is not well understood. The cilia-localized G-protein-coupled receptor—Gpr161 represses hedgehog pathway via cAMP signaling. We engineered a knock-in at Gpr161 locus in mice to generate a variant (Gpr161mut1), which was ciliary localization defective but cAMP signaling competent. Tissue phenotypes from hedgehog signaling depend on downstream bifunctional Gli transcriptional factors functioning as activators/repressors. Compared to knockout (ko), Gpr161mut1/ko had delayed embryonic lethality, moderately increased hedgehog targets and partially down-regulated Gli3-repressor. Unlike ko, the Gpr161mut1/ko neural tube did not show Gli2-activator-dependent expansion of ventral-most progenitors. Instead, the intermediate neural tube showed progenitor expansion that depends on loss of Gli3-repressor. Increased extraciliary receptor (Gpr161mut1/mut1) prevented ventralization. Morphogenesis in limb buds and midface requires Gli-repressor; these tissues in Gpr161mut1/mut1 manifested hedgehog hyperactivation phenotypes—polydactyly and midfacial widening. Thus, ciliary and extraciliary Gpr161 pools likely establish tissue-specific Gli-repressor thresholds in determining morpho-phenotypic outcomes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 219 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra Pejskova ◽  
Madeline Louise Reilly ◽  
Lucia Bino ◽  
Ondrej Bernatik ◽  
Linda Dolanska ◽  
...  

Primary cilia play critical roles in development and disease. Their assembly and disassembly are tightly coupled to cell cycle progression. Here, we present data identifying KIF14 as a regulator of cilia formation and Hedgehog (HH) signaling. We show that RNAi depletion of KIF14 specifically leads to defects in ciliogenesis and basal body (BB) biogenesis, as its absence hampers the efficiency of primary cilium formation and the dynamics of primary cilium elongation, and disrupts the localization of the distal appendage proteins SCLT1 and FBF1 and components of the IFT-B complex. We identify deregulated Aurora A activity as a mechanism contributing to the primary cilium and BB formation defects seen after KIF14 depletion. In addition, we show that primary cilia in KIF14-depleted cells are defective in response to HH pathway activation, independently of the effects of Aurora A. In sum, our data point to KIF14 as a critical node connecting cell cycle machinery, effective ciliogenesis, and HH signaling.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Martin-Hurtado ◽  
Raquel Martin-Morales ◽  
Natalia Robledinos-Antón ◽  
Ruth Blanco ◽  
Ines Palacios-Blanco ◽  
...  

Abstract The transcription factor NRF2 is a master regulator of cellular antioxidant and detoxification responses, but it also regulates other processes such as autophagy and pluripotency. In human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), NRF2 antagonizes neuroectoderm differentiation, which only occurs after NRF2 is repressed via a Primary Cilia-Autophagy-NRF2 (PAN) axis. However, the functional connections between NRF2 and primary cilia, microtubule-based plasma membrane protrusions that function as cellular antennae, remain poorly understood. For instance, nothing is known about whether NRF2 affects cilia, or whether cilia regulation of NRF2 extends beyond hESCs. Here, we show that NRF2 and primary cilia reciprocally regulate each other. First, we demonstrate that fibroblasts lacking primary cilia have higher NRF2 activity, which is rescued by autophagy-activating mTOR inhibitors, indicating that the PAN axis also operates in differentiated cells. Furthermore, NRF2 controls cilia formation and function. NRF2-null cells grow fewer and shorter cilia and display impaired Hedgehog signaling, a cilia-dependent pathway. These defects are not due to increased oxidative stress or ciliophagy, but rather to NRF2 promoting expression of multiple ciliogenic and Hedgehog pathway genes. Among these, we focused on GLI2 and GLI3, the transcription factors controlling Hh pathway output. Both their mRNA and protein levels are reduced in NRF2-null cells, consistent with their gene promoters containing consensus ARE sequences predicted to bind NRF2. Moreover, GLI2 and GLI3 fail to accumulate at the ciliary tip of NRF2-null cells upon Hh pathway activation. Given the importance of NRF2 and ciliary signaling in human disease, our data may have important biomedical implications.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Wang ◽  
Bailey A. Allard ◽  
Tana S. Pottorf ◽  
Jay L. Vivian ◽  
Pamela V. Tran

AbstractPrimary cilia are sensory organelles that are essential for eukaryotic development and health. These antenna-like structures are synthesized by intraflagellar transport protein complexes, IFT-B and IFT-A, which mediate bi-directional protein trafficking along the ciliary axoneme. Here using mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF), we investigate the ciliary roles of two mammalian orthologues of Chlamydomonas IFT-A gene, IFT139, namely Thm1 (also known as Ttc21b) and Thm2 (Ttc21a). Thm1 loss causes perinatal lethality, and Thm2 loss allows survival into adulthood. At E14.5, the number of Thm1;Thm2 double mutant embryos is lower than that for a Mendelian ratio, indicating deletion of Thm1 and Thm2 causes mid-gestational lethality. We examined the ciliary phenotypes of mutant MEF. Thm1-mutant MEF show decreased cilia assembly, shortened primary cilia, a retrograde IFT defect for IFT and BBS proteins, and reduced ciliary entry of membrane-associated proteins. Thm1-mutant cilia also show a retrograde transport defect for the Hedgehog transducer, Smoothened, and an impaired response to Smoothened agonist, SAG. Thm2-null MEF show normal ciliary dynamics and Hedgehog signaling, but additional loss of a Thm1 allele impairs response to SAG. Further, Thm1;Thm2 double mutant MEF show enhanced cilia disassembly, and relative to Thm1-null MEF, increased impairment of IFT81 retrograde transport and of INPP5E ciliary import. Thus, Thm1 and Thm2 have unique and redundant roles in MEF. Thm1 regulates cilia assembly, and together with Thm2, cilia disassembly. Moreover, Thm1 alone and together with Thm2, regulates ciliary protein trafficking, Hedgehog signaling, and embryogenesis. These findings shed light on mechanisms underlying Thm1-, Thm2- or IFT-A-mediated ciliopathies.


Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 1188
Author(s):  
Jian Yi Chai ◽  
Vaisnevee Sugumar ◽  
Mohammed Abdullah Alshawsh ◽  
Won Fen Wong ◽  
Aditya Arya ◽  
...  

The Hedgehog (Hh)-glioma-associated oncogene homolog (GLI) signaling pathway is highly conserved among mammals, with crucial roles in regulating embryonic development as well as in cancer initiation and progression. The GLI transcription factors (GLI1, GLI2, and GLI3) are effectors of the Hh pathway and are regulated via Smoothened (SMO)-dependent and SMO-independent mechanisms. The SMO-dependent route involves the common Hh-PTCH-SMO axis, and mutations or transcriptional and epigenetic dysregulation at these levels lead to the constitutive activation of GLI transcription factors. Conversely, the SMO-independent route involves the SMO bypass regulation of GLI transcription factors by external signaling pathways and their interacting proteins or by epigenetic and transcriptional regulation of GLI transcription factors expression. Both routes of GLI activation, when dysregulated, have been heavily implicated in tumorigenesis of many known cancers, making them important targets for cancer treatment. Hence, this review describes the various SMO-dependent and SMO-independent routes of GLI regulation in the tumorigenesis of multiple cancers in order to provide a holistic view of the paradigms of hedgehog signaling networks involving GLI regulation. An in-depth understanding of the complex interplay between GLI and various signaling elements could help inspire new therapeutic breakthroughs for the treatment of Hh-GLI-dependent cancers in the future. Lastly, we have presented an up-to-date summary of the latest findings concerning the use of Hh inhibitors in clinical developmental studies and discussed the challenges, perspectives, and possible directions regarding the use of SMO/GLI inhibitors in clinical settings.


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