A direct requirement for Hedgehog signaling for normal specification of all ventral progenitor domains in the presumptive mammalian spinal cord

The hedgehog signaling pathway organizes the developing ventral neural tube by establishing distinct neural progenitor fates along the dorsoventral axis. Smoothened (Smo) is essential for all Hedgehog (Hh) signaling, and genetic inactivation of Smo cells autonomously blocks the ability of cells to transduce the Hh signal. Using a chimeric approach, we examined the behavior of Smo null mutant neural progenitor cells in the developing vertebrate spinal cord, and we show that direct Hh signaling is essential for the specification of all ventral progenitor populations. Further, Hh signaling extends into the dorsal half of the spinal cord including the intermediate Dbx expression domain. Surprisingly, in the absence of Sonic hedgehog (Shh), we observe the presence of a Smo-dependent Hh signaling activity operating in the ventral half of the spinal cord that most likely reflects Indian hedgehog (Ihh) signaling originating from the underlying gut endoderm. Comparative studies of Shh, Smo, and Gli3 single and compound mutants reveal that Hh signaling acts in part to specify neural cell identity by counteracting the repressive action of Gli3 on p0, p1, p2, and pMN formation. However, whereas these cell identities are restored in Gli3/Smo compound mutants, correct stratification of the rescued ventral cell types is lost. Thus, Hh signaling is essential for organizing ventral cell pattern, possibly through the control of differential cell affinities.     

Sonic hedgehog regulates proliferation of the retinal ciliary marginal zone in posthatch chicks.

The ciliary marginal zone (CMZ) has long been known to be a source of postembryonic neuronal production in the retinas of fish and amphibians, and more recently, birds. However, there is little known about the factors that are required for the maintenance of this neural stem cell zone. The cells of the CMZ respond to mitogens such as endothelial growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-1, and insulin, factors that are also mitogenic for embryonic retinal progenitors, suggesting that the continued expression of embryonic mitogenic factors might be required to maintain the postembryonic proliferative potential of the CMZ. To test this hypothesis, we examined the expression and functional role of a critical embryonic retinal progenitor mitogen, Sonic hedgehog (Shh) in the regulation of proliferation of the cells of the CMZ. We have found that Shh is concentrated at the retinal margin of postembryonic chicks. Moreover, we report that intraocular injection of Shh stimulates proliferation of the CMZ cells, whereas cyclopamine, an inhibitor of the Shh pathway, inhibits CMZ proliferation. We conclude that Shh signaling is an important factor in the maintenance of postembryonic retinal neurogenesis.     

Hedgehog signaling regulates proliferation of prostate cancer cells via stathmin1

Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is an essential pathway in embryonic development of prostate. Hh also plays roles in the proliferation of progenitor cells and cancer cells of adult prostate. However, how Hh signaling contributes to carcinogenesis of prostate is poorly understood. Stathmin1 is a microtubule-regulating protein that plays an important role in the assembly and disassembly of the mitotic spindle. Stathmin1 is expressed in normal developing mouse prostate and in prostate cancer. The expression pattern of stathmin1 is similar to that of Shh in prostate development and cancer, suggesting a connection between these two proteins. In this study, we examined the relationship between stathmin1 and Hh signaling. Here, we show that stathmin1 expression is regulated by Hh signaling in prostate cancer cells. Cyclopamine, a specific inhibitor of Hh signaling, reduced the expression of stathmin1 in prostate cancer cells. However, the Shh peptide induced stathmin1 expression. Overexpression of Gli1 further confirmed the relationship. Co-expression of stathmin1 and Patched 1, a receptor for Hh signaling was observed in prostate cancer tissues. Cyclopamine and stathmin1 siRNA both decreased proliferation of prostate cancer cells but did not produce an additive effect, suggesting a common pathway. These results suggest that Hh signaling regulates proliferation of prostate cancer cells by controlling stathmin1 expression.     

Activation of retinal stem cells in the proliferating marginal region of RCS rats during development of retinitis pigmentosa

Retinal stem cells (RSCs) have been demonstrated at the proliferating marginal regions from the pars plana of ciliary body to the ciliary marginal zone (CMZ) in adult lower vertebrates and mammals. Investigations in the lower vertebrates have provided some evidence that RSCs can proliferate following retinal damage; however, the evidence that this occurs in mammals is not clear. In this study, we explored RSCs proliferation potential of adult mammalian in proliferating marginal regions of Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats, an animal model for retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The proliferation was evaluated using BrdU labeling, and Chx-10 as markers to discern progenitor cell of CMZ in Long-Evan's and RCS rats at different postnatal day (PND) after eye opening. We found that few Chx-10 and BrdU labeled cells in the proliferating marginal regions of Long-Evan's rats, which significantly increased in RCS rats at PND30 and PND60. Consistent with this, Chx-10/Vimentin double staining cells in the center retina of RCS rats increased significantly at PND30 after eye opening. In addition, mRNA expression of Shh, Ptch1 and Smo was up-regulated in RCS rats at PND60 compared to age-matched Long-Evan's rats, which revealed Shh/ptc pathway involving in the activation of RSCs. These results suggest that RSCs in the mammalian retinal proliferating marginal regions has the potential to regenerate following degeneration.     

Hedgehog signaling is involved in differentiation of normal colonic tissue rather than in tumor proliferation

The Hedgehog (Hh) pathway is a main regulation cascade in embryonic differentiation. It is also present in adult tissues and unusual expression has been associated with formation of benign and malignant lesions. We examined the presence of the Hedgehog pathway in normal and pathological human colon tissue. Components investigated include Sonic (Shh), Indian (Ihh), and Desert Hedgehog (Dhh), Gli1, Gli2, Gli3, and Patched (Ptch). Pathological tissue samples comprised 23 benign and 20 malignant lesions of human colon. The influence of the Hedgehog pathway on differentiation and proliferation has been investigated by analyzing the effect of the pathway inhibitor Cyclopamine on human colon cancer cell lines HT29 and CaCo2. In normal colon, we detected expression of Shh and Dhh within the lining epithelium and Patched, Gli1, and Gli2 along the whole crypts. Within all benign lesions, positive staining of Shh, Dhh, Gli1, Gli2, and Ptch was detected. Expression of Shh and Dhh was restricted to single cell aggregates. Malignant lesions also displayed focal staining pattern for Shh and Dhh but to a much lesser extent. We conclude that Hedgehog signaling is involved rather in constant differentiation and renewing of the colonic lining epithelium than in cancer formation, growth, or proliferation.     

Meckel's cartilage differentiation is dependent on hedgehog signaling

The hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway has been shown to be essential for craniofacial development. Although mandibular arch derivatives are largely absent in Shh null mice, little is known about the role of Hh signaling during Meckel's cartilage development per se. Mandible development is dependent on the morphogenesis of Meckel's cartilage, which then serves as a template for subsequent skeletal differentiation. In this study, we examine the biological function of Hh signaling during Meckel's cartilage development in vivo and in vitro. E13.5 Shh null mice present a small mesenchymal condensation in the region of a presumptive Meckel's cartilage in the hypoplastic mandibular arch. By E15.5, the Shh mutant exhibits a mere remnant of the mandibular arch, without evidence of Meckel's cartilage differentiation. Further, wild-type embryonic (E11 or E12) mandibular explants cultured for up to 5 days in the presence of cyclopamine, a steroidal alkaloid that specifically disrupts the Hh signaling pathway, exhibit a stage-dependent inhibition of Meckel's cartilage chondroblast differentiation to mature chondrocytes. This phenotype can be rescued by exogenous FGF8, a downstream effector of Hh signaling. Taken together, our results indicate that the Hh signaling pathway is critical to Meckel's cartilage ontogenesis and the rate of chondrogenesis, but not to initial primordium formation. The reliance on Hh signaling is stage dependent.     

Dynamic Regulation of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor α Expression in Alveolar Fibroblasts during Realveolarization

Although the importance of platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR)-α signaling during normal alveogenesis is known, it is unclear whether this signaling pathway can regulate realveolarization in the adult lung. During alveolar development, PDGFR-α-expressing cells induce α smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and differentiate to interstitial myofibroblasts. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling regulates myofibroblast differentiation during alveolarization, whereas peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ activation antagonizes myofibroblast differentiation in lung fibrosis. Using left lung pneumonectomy, the roles of FGF and PPAR-γ signaling in differentiation of myofibroblasts from PDGFR-α-positive precursors during compensatory lung growth were assessed. FGF receptor (FGFR) signaling was inhibited by conditionally activating a soluble dominant-negative FGFR2 transgene. PPAR-γ signaling was activated by administration of rosiglitazone. Changes in α-SMA and PDGFR-α protein expression were assessed in PDGFR-α-green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter mice using immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and real-time PCR. Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry demonstrated that the cell ratio and expression levels of PDGFR-α-GFP changed dynamically during alveolar regeneration and that α-SMA expression was induced in a subset of PDGFR-α-GFP cells. Expression of a dominant-negative FGFR2 and administration of rosiglitazone inhibited induction of α-SMA in PDGFR-α-positive fibroblasts and formation of new septae. Changes in gene expression of epithelial and mesenchymal signaling molecules were assessed after left lobe pneumonectomy, and results demonstrated that inhibition of FGFR2 signaling and increase in PPAR-γ signaling altered the expression of Shh, FGF, Wnt, and Bmp4, genes that are also important for epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk during early lung development. Our data demonstrate for the first time that a comparable epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk regulates fibroblast phenotypes during alveolar septation.     

Differential response of Shh expression between chick forelimb and hindlimb buds by FGF-4.

The interactions of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) play important roles in vertebrate limb pattern formation. In the posterior region of the chick limb bud, Shh and FGF-4 each maintain expression in a positive feedback loop. In the anterior region, Shh can also induce Fgf-4 expression in the anterior apical ectodermal ridge. However, the possibility of Shh induction by FGF protein is unclear. Because many experiments to analyze gene expression have been carried out by using the forelimb bud of the chick embryo, we investigated gene expression of the cells in the anterior region of the chick hindlimb bud after FGF-4 application and compared the results with those for the forelimb bud. When an FGF-4-containing bead was implanted into the anterior region of a stage 20 hindlimb bud, ectopic expression of Shh was induced in the mesenchyme beneath the anterior end of the apical ectodermal ridge at 36 hr after implantation. Subsequent to Shh activation, Hoxd13 was also observed in the anterior-distal region of the limb bud. Furthermore, FGF-4 implantation to the hindlimb bud caused additional digit formation accompanying respecification of positional value in the anterior tissue. Ectopic Shh was induced in cells located distal to the FGF-4 bead, and the cells of the flank region did not contribute to ectopic Shh induction. On the other hand, no ectopic Shh and Hoxd13 expression was detected by grafting an FGF-4 bead into the forelimb bud. Although FGF-4 implantation to the forelimb bud occasionally induced extra digit 2 formation, no embryos had an extra digit 3 or digit 4, and many specimens exhibited normal skeletal pattern. These results demonstrate the difference between the fore- and hindlimb buds in the cell competence of Shh induction in response to FGF-4, suggesting the possibility that the responsiveness of mesenchymal cells in signaling molecules is not the same in the fore- and hindlimb buds.     

成纤维细胞生长因子信号调控早期鸡胚胎神经嵴细胞的迁移

目的 利用Sprouty2基因阻断成纤维细胞生长因子（FGF）信号,探讨FGF在早期鸡胚胎发育过程中对神经嵴细胞迁移的影响及其机制。方法 通过体内培养的方法孵育鸡胚至HH9期,通过显微注射的方法将Sprouty2-绿色荧光蛋白（GFP）质粒注射入神经管腔内。实验侧使用电穿孔转染的方法转染胚胎半侧神经管,另一侧正常神经管设为对照侧。采用神经嵴细胞特异标记物HNK1免疫荧光的方法检测Sprouty2基因阻断FGF信号后是否影响胚胎头部和躯干部神经嵴细胞的迁移过程。随后,进一步通过检测神经细胞钙黏分子N-Cadherin的表达来观察细胞之间黏附作用的改变。结果 HNK1免疫荧光检测结果显示,Sprouty2转染侧即阻断FGF信号通路后,HNK1在早期鸡胚胎的头部和躯干部的表达量均比对照侧的表达量增多;而神经细胞钙黏分子N-Cadherin检测结果表明,Sprouty2转染侧和正常对照侧N Cadherin在头部和躯干部神经管上表达量的差异均无显著性。结论 Sprouty2基因阻断FGF信号后,促进了早期鸡胚胎神经嵴细胞的迁移,但是FGF信号对此过程的影响可能不是由神经钙黏分子N-Cadherin介导的。     

阻断Sonic Hedgehog信号对不同人肝癌细胞生长的影响

 目的: 研究阻断Sonic Hedgehog (Shh)信号对不同人肝癌细胞生长的影响,探讨阻断Shh信号抑制肝癌细胞生长的机制。方法: RT-PCR法检测Shh信号分子在3株人肝癌细胞(BEL-7402、Huh7和HepG2)中的表达,并检测Shh阻断抗体作用后BEL-7402细胞Shh信号效应分子表达变化;MTT法检测人肝癌细胞增殖活性;流式细胞术检测人肝癌细胞凋亡;Western blot 检测凋亡相关蛋白表达。结果: Shh信号分子在3株人肝癌细胞中均有表达,Shh阻断抗体可以下调Shh信号效应分子patched (Ptch)、Gli1和Gli2的表达;Shh阻断抗体可以抑制3株肝癌细胞生长,增加G₀/G₁期细胞,并诱导细胞凋亡;Shh阻断抗体作用后,BEL-7402细胞pro-caspase-3、pro-caspase-8和pro-caspase-9蛋白表达水平下降,cleaved caspase-3、cleaved caspase-8和cleaved caspase-9蛋白表达水平升高。结论: 阻断Shh信号可抑制Shh高表达的人肝癌细胞生长,阻滞细胞周期于G₀/G₁期,并诱导肝癌细胞凋亡。     

槲芪散可通过激活Hedgehog信号通路抑制大鼠肝癌前病变的形成

目的:探讨槲芪散是否通过调控Hedgehog信号通路抑制大鼠肝癌前病变的机制。方法:采用改良的Solt-Farber二步法复制大鼠肝癌前病变模型,于肝大部切除术后3 d开始给予槲芪散(8 g/kg)灌胃治疗,4周后收集血清和肝脏标本。分别采用HE染色、免疫组织化学、免疫荧光染色、Western blot、实时荧光定量PCR等方法,观察肝脏病理变化,检测肝组织谷胱甘肽S-转移酶π(glutathione S-transferase-π,GST-π)、甲胎蛋白(alpha-fetoprotein,AFP)、OV6、白蛋白(albumin,ALB)、Hedgehog信号分子Shh、Smo、Gli2及下游靶分子cyclin D、cyclin E的表达水平;利用比色法检测血清丙氨酸转氨酶(alanine aminotransferase,ALT)、天冬氨酸转氨酶(aspartate aminotransferase,AST)和γ-谷氨酰转移酶(gamma-glutamyltransferase,GGT)水平;给予Hedgehog信号通路抑制剂环杷明观察槲芪散在体外对肝卵圆细胞的影响。结果:与模型组比较,槲芪散可降低肝癌前病变大鼠血清ALT、AST和GGT水平,减轻肝癌前病变大鼠肝脏的病理变化,降低肝癌前病变标志物GST-π和AFP的表达;槲芪散可促使肝卵圆细胞标志物OV6和肝细胞标志物ALB的表达;槲芪散可激活肝脏Hedgehog信号通路,增加Shh、Smo、Gli2及其下游靶分子cyclin D、cyclin E的表达。结论:中药复方槲芪散可通过激活Hedgehog信号通路促进肝前体细胞增殖和诱导肝前体细胞向肝细胞分化,抑制肝癌前病变的形成,促进肝脏修复。     

Role for hedgehog pathway in regulating growth and function of invariant NKT cells

Lymphocyte accumulation is characteristic of chronic hepatitis, but the mechanisms regulating lymphocyte numbers and their roles in liver disease progression are poorly understood. The Hedgehog (Hh) pathway regulates thymic development and lymphopoeisis during embryogenesis, and is activated in fibrosing liver disease in adults. Our objective was to determine if Hh ligands regulate the viability and phenotype of NKT cells, which comprise a substantial sub‐population of resident lymphocytes in healthy adult livers and often accumulate during liver fibrosis. The results demonstrate that a mouse invariant NKT cell line (DN32 iNKT cells), mouse primary liver iNKT cells, and human peripheral blood iNKT cells are all responsive to sonic hedgehog (Shh). In cultured iNKT cells, Shh enhances proliferation, inhibits apoptosis, induces activation, and stimulates expression of the pro‐fibrogenic cytokine, IL‐13. Livers of transgenic mice with an overly active Hh pathway harbor increased numbers of iNKT cells. iNKT cells also express Shh. These results demonstrate that iNKT cells produce and respond to Hh ligands, and that Hh pathway activation regulates the size and cytokine production of liver iNKT cell populations. Therefore, Hh pathway activation may contribute to the local expansion of pro‐fibrogenic iNKT cell populations during certain types of fibrosing liver damage.     

Hedgehog signaling in the neural crest cells regulates the patterning and growth of facial primordia

Facial abnormalities in human SHH mutants have implicated the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway in craniofacial development, but early defects in mouse Shh mutants have precluded the experimental analysis of this phenotype. Here, we removed Hh-responsiveness specifically in neural crest cells (NCCs), the multipotent cell type that gives rise to much of the skeleton and connective tissue of the head. In these mutants, many of the NCC-derived skeletal and nonskeletal components are missing, but the NCC-derived neuronal cell types are unaffected. Although the initial formation of branchial arches (BAs) is normal, expression of several Fox genes, specific targets of Hh signaling in cranial NCCs, is lost in the mutant. The spatially restricted expression of Fox genes suggests that they may play an important role in BA patterning. Removing Hh signaling in NCCs also leads to increased apoptosis and decreased cell proliferation in the BAs, which results in facial truncation that is evident by embryonic day 11.5 (E11.5). Together, our results demonstrate that Hh signaling in NCCs is essential for normal patterning and growth of the face. Further, our analysis of Shh-Fox gene regulatory interactions leads us to propose that Fox genes mediate the action of Shh in facial development.