scholarly journals Crosstalk between TGF-β and WNT signalling pathways during cardiac fibrogenesis

2018 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edyta Działo ◽  
Karolina Tkacz ◽  
Przemysław Błyszczuk

Cardiac fibrosis is referred to as an excessive accumulation of stromal cells and extracellular matrix proteins in the myocardium. Progressive fibrosis causes stiffening of the cardiac tissue and affects conduction of electrical impulses, leading to heart failures in a broad range of cardiac conditions. At the cellular level, activation of the cardiac stromal cells and myofibroblast formation are considered as hallmarks of fibrogenesis. At the molecular level, transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is traditionally considered as a master regulator of the profibrotic processes. More recently, the WNT signalling pathway has also been found to be implicated in the development of myocardial fibrosis. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the involvement of TGF-β and WNT downstream molecular pathways to cardiac fibrogenesis and describe a crosstalk between these two profibrotic pathways. TGF-β and WNT ligands bind to different receptors and trigger various outputs. However, a growing body of evidence points to cross-regulation between these two pathways. It has been recognized that in cardiac pathologies TGF-β activates WNT/β-catenin signalling, which in turn stabilizes the TGF-β/Smad response. Furthermore both, the non-canonical TGF-β and non-canonical WNT signalling pathways, activate the same mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs): the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk), the c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) and p38. The cross-talk between TGF-β and WNT pathways seems to play an essential role in switching on the genetic machinery initiating profibrotic changes in the heart. Better understanding of these mechanisms will open new opportunities for development of targeted therapeutic approaches against cardiac fibrosis in the future.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (19) ◽  
pp. 4430
Author(s):  
Grażyna Sygitowicz ◽  
Agata Maciejak-Jastrzębska ◽  
Dariusz Sitkiewicz

The cellular and molecular mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrosis are highly complex. We have reviewed the literature that covers the effectors, signal transduction and physiopathogenesis concerning extracellular matrix (ECM) dysregulation and atrial fibrosis in atrial fibrillation (AF). At the molecular level: angiotensin II, transforming growth factor-β1, inflammation, and oxidative stress are particularly important for ECM dysregulation and atrial fibrotic remodelling in AF. We conclude that the Ang-II-MAPK and TGF-β1-Smad signalling pathways play a major, central role in regulating atrial fibrotic remodelling in AF. The above signalling pathways induce the expression of genes encoding profibrotic molecules (MMP, CTGF, TGF-β1). An important mechanism is also the generation of reactive oxygen species. This pathway induced by the interaction of Ang II with the AT2R receptor and the activation of NADPH oxidase. Additionally, the interplay between cardiac MMPs and their endogenous tissue inhibitors of MMPs, is thought to be critical in atrial ECM metabolism and fibrosis. We also review recent evidence about the role of changes in the miRNAs expression in AF pathophysiology and their potential as therapeutic targets. Furthermore, keeping the balance between miRNA molecules exerting anti-/profibrotic effects is of key importance for the control of atrial fibrosis in AF.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (12) ◽  
pp. 1873 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Feng Sun ◽  
Xing-Hong Sun ◽  
Shun-Feng Cheng ◽  
Jun-Jie Wang ◽  
Yan-Ni Feng ◽  
...  

The Notch and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signalling pathways play an important role in granulosa cell proliferation. However, the mechanisms underlying the cross-talk between these two signalling pathways are unknown. Herein we demonstrated a functional synergism between Notch and TGF-β signalling in the regulation of preantral granulosa cell (PAGC) proliferation. Activation of TGF-β signalling increased hairy/enhancer-of-split related with YRPW motif 2 gene (Hey2) expression (one of the target genes of the Notch pathway) in PAGCs, and suppression of TGF-β signalling by Smad3 knockdown reduced Hey2 expression. Inhibition of the proliferation of PAGCs by N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-l-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butylester (DAPT), an inhibitor of Notch signalling, was rescued by both the addition of ActA and overexpression of Smad3, indicating an interaction between the TGF-β and Notch signalling pathways. Co-immunoprecipitation (CoIP) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays were performed to identify the point of interaction between the two signalling pathways. CoIP showed direct protein–protein interaction between Smad3 and Notch2 intracellular domain (NICD2), whereas ChIP showed that Smad3 could be recruited to the promoter regions of Notch target genes as a transcription factor. Therefore, the findings of the present study support the idea that nuclear Smad3 protein can integrate with NICD2 to form a complex that acts as a transcription factor to bind specific DNA motifs in Notch target genes, such as Hey1 and Hey2, and thus participates in the transcriptional regulation of Notch target genes, as well as regulation of the proliferation of PAGCs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (13) ◽  
pp. 2091-2102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mo Wang ◽  
Lei Qian ◽  
Jing Li ◽  
Hao Ming ◽  
Li Fang ◽  
...  

Abstract Aims Sustained activation of β-adrenergic signalling induces cardiac fibrosis, which marks progression to heart failure. GHSR (growth hormone secretagogue receptor) is the receptor for ghrelin, which is an orexigenic gastric hormone with newly defined cardiovascular effects. The present study determined the effects of GHSR deficiency in a mouse model of isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac fibrosis and examined the underlying mechanism. Methods and results Histochemical studies showed that GHSR deficiency exacerbated cardiac fibrosis. Quantitative RT–PCR, western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that cardiac fibroblasts isolated from GHSR−/− mice exhibited increased expression of marker genes for myofibroblast trans-differentiation (α-SMA, SM22, and calponin) upon transforming growth factor-β treatment compared to wild-type mice. RNA-sequencing of heart transcriptomes revealed that differentially expressed genes in GHSR−/− hearts were enriched in such biological processes as extracellular matrix organization, inflammatory response, lipid metabolism, cell cycle, migration, and adhesion. Particularly, GHSR deficiency increased Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation in ISO-induced myocardial fibrosis. In addition, loss of GHSR in macrophages instigated inflammasome activation with increased cleavage and release of interleukin-18. Conclusion These results for the first time demonstrated that GHSR deficiency aggravated ISO-induced cardiac fibrosis, suggesting that GHSR was a potential target for the intervention of cardiac fibrosis.


2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 783 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angshumoy Roy ◽  
Martin M. Matzuk

The germline is unique among tissues in being the only lineage that is transmitted through generations. The gonadal somatic cells that interact with male and female germ cells are equally important for their juxtacrine and paracrine signalling pathways that lead to the formation of functionally mature gametes and healthy progeny. The present review summarises exciting new studies that our group and others have achieved at the frontier of male and female germ cell biology and in studying transforming growth factor-β signalling pathways in oocyte–somatic cell interactions and gonadal growth and differentiation. In the process, we have produced over 70 transgenic and knockout models to study reproduction in vivo. These models have helped us identify novel and unexplored areas of germ cell biology and translate this work into the fertility clinic.


2017 ◽  
Vol 292 (12) ◽  
pp. 5124-5124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raghu S. Nagalingam ◽  
Nagalingam R. Sundaresan ◽  
Mariam Noor ◽  
Mahesh P. Gupta ◽  
R. John Solaro ◽  
...  

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