Pax-2 is required for mesenchyme-to-epithelium conversion during kidney development

Development ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 119 (3) ◽  
pp. 711-720 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. W. Rothenpieler ◽  
G. R. Dressler

The conversion of mesenchyme to epithelium during the embryonic development of the mammalian kidney requires reciprocal inductive interactions between the ureter and the responding metanephric mesenchyme. The Pax-2 gene is activated in the mesenchyme in response to induction and is subsequently down-regulated in more differentiated cells derived from the mesenchyme. Pax-2 belongs to a family of genes, at least three of which encode morphogenetic regulatory transcription factors. In order to determine the role of Pax-2 during kidney development, we have generated a loss- of-function phenotype using antisense oligonucleotides in mouse kidney organ cultures. These oligonucleotides can specifically inhibit Pax-2 protein accumulation in kidney mesenchyme cells, where the intracellular concentrations are maximal. The kidney organ cultures were stained with uvomurulin and laminin antibodies as markers for epithelium formation. With significantly reduced Pax-2 protein levels, kidney mesenchyme cells fail to aggregate and do not undergo the sequential morphological changes characteristic of epithelial cell formation. The data demonstrate that Pax-2 function is required for the earliest phase of mesenchyme-to-epithelium conversion.

2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 1474-1487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulf Dahl ◽  
Anders Sjödin ◽  
Lionel Larue ◽  
Glenn L. Radice ◽  
Stefan Cajander ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The distinct expression of R-cadherin in the induced aggregating metanephric mesenchyme suggests that it may regulate the mesenchymal-epithelial transition during kidney development. To address whether R-cadherin is required for kidney ontogeny, R-cadherin-deficient mice were generated. These mice appeared to be healthy and were fertile, demonstrating that R-cadherin is not essential for embryogenesis. The only kidney phenotype of adult mutant animals was the appearance of dilated proximal tubules, which was associated with an accumulation of large intracellular vacuoles. Morphological analysis of nephrogenesis in R-cadherin −/− mice in vivo and in vitro revealed defects in the development of both ureteric bud-derived cells and metanephric mesenchyme-derived cells. First, the morphology and organization of the proximal parts of the ureteric bud epithelium were altered. Interestingly, these morphological changes correlated with an increased rate of apoptosis and were further supported by perturbed branching and patterning of the ureteric bud epithelium during in vitro differentiation. Second, during in vitro studies of mesenchymal-epithelial conversion, significantly fewer epithelial structures developed from R-cadherin −/− kidneys than from wild-type kidneys. These data suggest that R-cadherin is functionally involved in the differentiation of both mesenchymal and epithelial components during metanephric kidney development. Finally, to investigate whether the redundant expression of other classic cadherins expressed in the kidney could explain the rather mild kidney defects in R-cadherin-deficient mice, we intercrossed R-cadherin −/− mice with cadherin-6−/− , P-cadherin −/−, and N-cadherin +/− mice. Surprisingly, however, in none of the compound knockout strains was kidney development affected to a greater extent than within the individual cadherin knockout strains.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (11) ◽  
pp. 3021-3036 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hua Yu ◽  
Jun Ding ◽  
Hongwen Zhu ◽  
Yao Jing ◽  
Hu Zhou ◽  
...  

Abstract The lysyl oxidase (LOX) family is closely related to the progression of glioma. To ensure the clinical significance of LOX family in glioma, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was mined and the analysis indicated that higher LOXL1 expression was correlated with more malignant glioma progression. The functions of LOXL1 in promoting glioma cell survival and inhibiting apoptosis were studied by gain- and loss-of-function experiments in cells and animals. LOXL1 was found to exhibit antiapoptotic activity by interacting with multiple antiapoptosis modulators, especially BAG family molecular chaperone regulator 2 (BAG2). LOXL1-D515 interacted with BAG2-K186 through a hydrogen bond, and its lysyl oxidase activity prevented BAG2 degradation by competing with K186 ubiquitylation. Then, we discovered that LOXL1 expression was specifically upregulated through the VEGFR-Src-CEBPA axis. Clinically, the patients with higher LOXL1 levels in their blood had much more abundant BAG2 protein levels in glioma tissues. Conclusively, LOXL1 functions as an important mediator that increases the antiapoptotic capacity of tumor cells, and approaches targeting LOXL1 represent a potential strategy for treating glioma. In addition, blood LOXL1 levels can be used as a biomarker to monitor glioma progression.


BMC Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chengwu Xiao ◽  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Meimian Hua ◽  
Huan Chen ◽  
Bin Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The tripartite motif (TRIM) family proteins exhibit oncogenic roles in various cancers. The roles of TRIM27, a member of the TRIM super family, in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remained unexplored. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the clinical impact and roles of TRIM27 in the development of RCC. Methods The mRNA levels of TRIM27 and Kaplan–Meier survival of RCC were analyzed from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to measure the mRNA and protein levels of TRIM27 both in vivo and in vitro. siRNA and TRIM27 were exogenously overexpressed in RCC cell lines to manipulate TRIM27 expression. Results We discovered that TRIM27 was elevated in RCC patients, and the expression of TRIM27 was closely correlated with poor prognosis. The loss of function and gain of function results illustrated that TRIM27 promotes cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis in RCC cell lines. Furthermore, TRIM27 expression was positively associated with NF-κB expression in patients with RCC. Blocking the activity of NF-κB attenuated the TRIM27-mediated enhancement of proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis. TRIM27 directly interacted with Iκbα, an inhibitor of NF-κB, to promote its ubiquitination, and the inhibitory effects of TRIM27 on Iκbα led to NF-κB activation. Conclusions Our results suggest that TRIM27 exhibits an oncogenic role in RCC by regulating NF-κB signaling. TRIM27 serves as a specific prognostic indicator for RCC, and strategies targeting the suppression of TRIM27 function may shed light on future therapeutic approaches.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keita Matsuoka ◽  
Ryosuke Sato ◽  
Yuki Matsukura ◽  
Yoshiki Kawajiri ◽  
Hiromi Iino ◽  
...  

AbstractANAC071 and its homolog ANAC096 are plant-specific transcription factors required for the initiation of cell division during wound healing in incised Arabidopsis flowering stems and Arabidopsis hypocotyl grafts; however, the mechanism remains mostly unknown. In this study, we showed that wound-induced cambium formation involved cell proliferation and the promoter activity of TDR/PXY (cambium-related gene) in the incised stem. Prior to the wound-induced cambium formation, both ANAC071 and ANAC096 were expressed at these sites. anac-multiple mutants significantly decreased wound-induced cambium formation in the incised stems and suppressed the conversion from mesophyll cells to cambial cells in an ectopic vascular cell induction culture system (VISUAL). Our results suggest that ANAC071 and ANAC096 are redundantly involved in the process of “cambialization”, the conversion from differentiated cells to cambial cells, and these cambium-like cells proliferate and provide cells in wound tissue during the tissue-reunion process.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 137
Author(s):  
Christos I. Papagiannopoulos ◽  
Nikoleta F. Theodoroula ◽  
Ioannis S. Vizirianakis

miRNAs constitute a class of non-coding RNA that act as powerful epigenetic regulators in animal and plant cells. In order to identify putative tumor-suppressor miRNAs we profiled the expression of various miRNAs during differentiation of erythroleukemia cells. RNA was purified before and after differentiation induction and subjected to quantitative RT-PCR. The majority of the miRNAs tested were found upregulated in differentiated cells with miR-16-5p showing the most significant increase. Functional studies using gain- and loss-of-function constructs proposed that miR-16-5p has a role in promoting the erythroid differentiation program of murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells. In order to identify the underlying mechanism of action, we utilized bioinformatic in-silico platforms that incorporate predictions for the genes targeted by miR-16-5p. Interestingly, ribosome constituents, as well as ribosome biogenesis factors, were overrepresented among the miR-16-5p predicted gene targets. Accordingly, biochemical experiments showed that, indeed, miR-16-5p could modulate the levels of independent ribosomal proteins, and the overall ribosomal levels in cultured cells. In conclusion, miR-16-5p is identified as a differentiation-promoting agent in erythroleukemia cells, demonstrating antiproliferative activity, likely as a result of its ability to target the ribosomal machinery and restore any imbalanced activity imposed by the malignancy and the blockade of differentiation.


Development ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 121 (1) ◽  
pp. 225-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Begemann ◽  
A.M. Michon ◽  
L. vd Voorn ◽  
R. Wepf ◽  
M. Mlodzik

The Drosophila seven-up (svp) gene specifies outer photoreceptor cell fate in eye development and encodes an orphan nuclear receptor with two isoforms. Transient expression under the sevenless enhancer of either svp isoform leads to a dosage-dependent transformation of cone cells into R7 photoreceptors, and at a lower frequency, R7 cells into outer photoreceptors. To investigate the cellular pathways involved, we have taken advantage of the dosage sensitivity and screened for genes that modify this svp-induced phenotype. We show that an active Ras pathway is essential for the function of both Svp isoforms. Loss-of-function mutations in components of the Ras signal transduction cascade act as dominant suppressors of the cone cell transformation, whilst loss-of-function mutations in negative regulators of Ras-activity act as dominant enhancers. Furthermore, Svp-mediated transformation of cone cells to outer photoreceptors, reminiscent of its wild-type function in specifying R3/4 and R1/6 identity, requires an activated Ras pathway in the same cells, or alternatively dramatic increase in ectopic Svp protein levels. Our results indicate that svp is only fully functional in conjunction with activated Ras. Since we find that mutations in the Egf-receptor are also among the strongest suppressors of svp-mediated cone cell transformation, we propose that the Ras activity in cone cells is due to low level Egfr signaling. Several models that could account for the observed svp regulation by the Ras pathway are discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marit Westerterp ◽  
Panagiotis Fotakis ◽  
Mireille Ouimet ◽  
Andrea E Bochem ◽  
Hanrui Zhang ◽  
...  

Plasma high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) has several anti-atherogenic properties, including its key role in functioning as acceptor for ATP-binding cassette A1 and G1 (ABCA1 and ABCG1) mediated cholesterol efflux. We have shown previously that macrophage Abca1/g1 deficiency accelerates atherosclerosis, by enhancing foam cell formation and inflammatory cytokine expression in atherosclerotic plaques. Macrophage cholesterol accumulation activates the inflammasome, leading to caspase-1 cleavage, required for IL-1β and IL-18 secretion. Several studies have suggested that inflammasome activation accelerates atherogenesis. We hypothesized that macrophage Abca1/g1 deficiency activates the inflammasome. In Ldlr -/- mice fed a Western type diet (WTD), macrophage Abca1/g1 deficiency increased IL-1β and IL-18 plasma levels (2-fold; P <0.001), and induced caspase-1 cleavage. Deficiency of the inflammasome components Nlrp3 or caspase-1 in macrophage Abca1/g1 knockouts reversed the increase in plasma IL-18 levels ( P <0.001), indicating these changes were inflammasome dependent. We found that macrophage Abca1/g1 deficiency induced caspase-1 cleavage in splenic CD115 + monocytes and CD11b + macrophages. While mitochondrial ROS production or lysosomal function were not affected, macrophage Abca1/g1 deficiency led to an increased splenic population of monocytes (2.5-fold; P <0.01). Monocytes secrete ATP, and as a result, ATP secretion from total splenic cells was increased (2.5-fold; P <0.01), likely contributing to inflammasome activation. Caspase-1 deficiency decreased atherosclerosis in macrophage Abca1/g1 deficient Ldlr -/- mice fed WTD for 8 weeks (225822 vs 138606 μm 2 ; P <0.05). Of therapeutic interest, one injection of reconstituted HDL (100 mg/kg) in macrophage Abca1/g1 knockouts decreased plasma IL-18 levels ( P <0.05). Tangier disease patients, with a homozygous loss-of-function for ABCA1, showed increased IL-1β and IL-18 plasma levels (3-fold; P <0.001), suggesting that cholesterol efflux pathways also suppress inflammasome activation in humans. These findings suggest that macrophage cholesterol efflux pathways suppress inflammasome activation, possibly contributing to the anti-atherogenic effects of HDL treatment.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Encarnación Medina-Carmona ◽  
Rogelio J. Palomino-Morales ◽  
Julian E. Fuchs ◽  
Esperanza Padín-Gonzalez ◽  
Noel Mesa-Torres ◽  
...  

Abstract Protein dynamics is essential to understand protein function and stability, even though is rarely investigated as the origin of loss-of-function due to genetic variations. Here, we use biochemical, biophysical, cell and computational biology tools to study two loss-of-function and cancer-associated polymorphisms (p.R139W and p.P187S) in human NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), a FAD-dependent enzyme which activates cancer pro-drugs and stabilizes several oncosuppressors. We show that p.P187S strongly destabilizes the NQO1 dimer in vitro and increases the flexibility of the C-terminal domain, while a combination of FAD and the inhibitor dicoumarol overcome these alterations. Additionally, changes in global stability due to polymorphisms and ligand binding are linked to the dynamics of the dimer interface, whereas the low activity and affinity for FAD in p.P187S is caused by increased fluctuations at the FAD binding site. Importantly, NQO1 steady-state protein levels in cell cultures correlate primarily with the dynamics of the C-terminal domain, supporting a directional preference in NQO1 proteasomal degradation and the use of ligands binding to this domain to stabilize p.P187S in vivo. In conclusion, protein dynamics are fundamental to understanding loss-of-function in p.P187S and to develop new pharmacological therapies to rescue this function.


Some of the principles by which different cell types first arise at the beginning of animal development are illustrated by muscle cell formation in Amphibia. If the nucleus of a differentiated muscle cell is transplanted to an enucleated egg, some of the resulting embryos develop into tadpoles with a wide range of normally differentiated cells. These experiments show that genes undergo major changes in activity as a response to components of egg cytoplasm. Two fundamental mechanisms account for the regional activation of genes in early embryos. One involves the effect of localized ‘determinants’ in egg cytoplasm, and the other concerns cell interactions or embryonic induction. Both these mechanisms seem to be responsible for muscle cell formation in amphibian development. The old problem of embryonic induction has recently become accessible to analysis at the molecular level, especially in the case of the mesoderm or muscle-forming induction. This has been greatly facilitated by using a sensitive and quantitative assay to detect the first transcripts of muscle genes a few hours after the start of induction. The role of early events and of interactions among like cells during response to induction is discussed. In analysing specific gene activation following induction, DNA injection into fertilized eggs has shown that a very small part of the cardiac actin gene promoter is sufficient to enable it to respond to induction. Although the experimental work summarized here has been done on amphibian embryos, which are more suitable than other embryos for embryological manipulation, the conclusions reached are believed to be generally applicable to the development of other organisms.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronica Moncho-Amor ◽  
Probir Chakravarty ◽  
Christophe Galichet ◽  
Ander Matheu ◽  
Robin Lovell-Badge ◽  
...  

AbstractLoss of P27 predominantly results in development of murine pituitary intermediate lobe (IL) tumours. We previously showed that the pleiotropic protein P27 can drive repression of the transcription factor Sox2. This interaction plays an important role during development of p27-/- IL tumours because loss of one copy of Sox2 diminishes tumorigenesis. Here, we have explored the cellular origin and mechanisms underlying melanotroph tumorigenesis in p27-/- IL. We show that IL hyperplasia is associated with reduced cellular differentiation, while levels of SOX2 increase in both stem cells (SC) and melanotrophs. Using loss-of-function and lineage tracing approaches, we demonstrate that SOX2 is required cell-autonomously in p27-/- melanotrophs and SCs for tumorigenesis. This is supported by studies deleting the Sox2 regulatory region 2 (Srr2), which is the target of P27 repressive action. Single cell transcriptomic analysis reveals that activation of a SOX2-dependent MAPK pathway in SCs is important for p27-/- tumorigenesis. Our data highlight different roles of SOX2 following loss of p27, according to the cellular context. Furthermore, we uncover a tumor-promoting function for SCs, which is SOX2-dependant. In conclusion, our results imply that targeting SCs, in addition to tumour cells themselves, may represent an efficient anti-tumoral strategy in certain contexts.


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