Levels of Gli3 repressor correlate with Bmp4 expression and apoptosis during limb development.

Removal of the posterior wing bud leads to massive apoptosis of the remaining anterior wing bud mesoderm. We show here that this finding correlates with an increase in the level of the repressor form of the Gli3 protein, due to the absence of the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) protein signaling. Therefore, we used the anterior wing bud mesoderm as a model system to analyze the relationship between the repressor form of Gli3 and apoptosis in the developing limb. With increased Gli3R levels, we demonstrate a concomitant increase in Bmp4 expression and signaling in the anterior mesoderm deprived of Shh signaling. Several experimental approaches show that the apoptosis can be prevented by exogenous Noggin, indicating that Bmp signaling mediates it. The analysis of Bmp4 expression in several mouse and chick mutations with defects in either expression or processing of Gli3 indicates a correlation between the level of the repressor form of Gli3 and Bmp4 expression in the distal mesoderm. Our analysis adds new insights into the way Shh differentially controls the processing of Gli3 and how, subsequently, BMP4 expression may mediate cell survival or cell death in the developing limb bud in a position-dependent manner.     

Shh/Gli1信号参与小鼠脊髓损伤后血-脊髓屏障渗透性改变及运动功能恢复

目的:探讨sonic hedgehog/Gli1(Shh/Gli1)信号在小鼠脊髓损伤后病理变化及运动功能恢复中的作用。方法:成年雄性C57野生型、Gli1lz和Gli1lz/lz小鼠行T8节段脊髓夹伤及假手术。Gli1lz小鼠脊髓损伤及假手术后3 d行X-gal染色;7 d行Shh/PDGFr-α、Shh/GFAP、LacZ/GFAP染色,观察Shh/Gli1信号在小鼠脊髓损伤后的激活。C57野生型和Gli1lz/lz小鼠脊髓夹伤后7 d行GFAP染色和实时定量RT-PCR,观察星形胶质细胞反应;术后14 d尾静脉注射伊文氏兰观察血-脊髓屏障改变;术后1、3、5 d和7 d行BMS评分评价小鼠后肢运动功能。结果:脊髓损伤7 d后,损伤区Shh表达升高;Shh/Gli1信号报告基因LacZ表达升高,主要表达于反应性星形胶质细胞;免疫组织化学及实时定量RT-PCR结果显示Gli1基因敲除不影响脊髓损伤后GFAP表达;伊文氏兰染色及其定量分析显示Gli1lz/lz小鼠脊髓损伤后脊髓组织伊文氏兰外渗增加。BMS评分显示Gli1lz/lz小鼠运动功能恢复显著差于野生型小鼠。结论:Shh/Gli1信号在小鼠脊髓损伤后激活,可能参与脊髓损伤后血-脊髓屏障渗透性的改变,并影响脊髓损伤后的运动功能恢复。