XIdax, an inhibitor of the canonical Wnt pathway, is required for anterior neural structure formation in Xenopus.

Wnt signaling pathways are involved during various stages in the development of many species. In Xenopus, the accumulation of beta-catenin on the dorsal side of embryo is required for induction of the organizer, while the head structure formation requires inhibition of Wnt signaling. Here, we report a role for xIdax, a negative regulator of Wnt signaling. XIdax is expressed in neural tissues at the neurula stage, and in the restricted region of the tadpole brain. Ectopic expression of xIdax inhibits the target gene expression, suggesting that xIdax can inhibit canonical Wnt signaling. To examine the function of xIdax, a morpholino oligo for xIdax (xIdaxMO) was designed. An injection into an animal pole cell caused a loss of forebrain. The anterior neural marker expression is decreased in xIdaxMO-injected embryo, suggesting that xIdax is required for anterior neural development. Moreover, a negative regulator that acts downstream of xIdax rescued this defect. We propose that Idax functions are dependent on the canonical Wnt pathway and are crucial for the anterior neural development.     

Control of the Wnt pathways by nephrocystin-4 is required for morphogenesis of the zebrafish pronephros

Nephronophthisis is a hereditary nephropathy characterized by interstitial fibrosis and cyst formation. It is caused by mutations in NPHP genes encoding the ciliary proteins, nephrocystins. In this paper, we investigate the function of nephrocystin-4, the product of the nphp4 gene, in vivo by morpholino-mediated knockdown in zebrafish and in vitro in mammalian kidney cells. Depletion of nephrocystin-4 results in convergence and extension defects, impaired laterality, retinal anomalies and pronephric cysts associated with alterations in early cloacal morphogenesis. These defects are accompanied by abnormal ciliogenesis in the cloaca and in the laterality organ. We show that nephrocystin-4 is required for the elongation of the caudal pronephric primordium and for the regulation of cell rearrangements during cloaca morphogenesis. Moreover, depletion of either inversin, the product of the nphp2 gene, or of the Wnt-planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway component prickle2 increases the proportion of cyst formation in nphp4-depleted embryos. Nephrocystin-4 represses the Wnt-β-catenin pathway in the zebrafish cloaca and in mammalian kidney cells in culture. In these cells, nephrocystin-4 interacts with inversin and dishevelled, and regulates dishevelled stability and subcellular localization. Our data point to a function of nephrocystin-4 in a tight regulation of the Wnt-β-catenin and Wnt-PCP pathways, in particular during morphogenesis of the zebrafish pronephros. Moreover, they highlight common signalling functions for inversin and nephrocystin-4, suggesting that these two nephrocystins are involved in common physiopathological mechanisms.     

Media conditioned by retinal pigment epithelial cells suppress the canonical Wnt pathway

Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells play critical roles in the maintenance of visual function, partly by secreting various biologically active factors that modulate the intraocular environment. Recent studies suggest involvement of Wnt proteins secreted by RPE cells in the pathogenesis of photoreceptor degeneration. In the present study, we examined, via the luciferase assay, the effect of media conditioned by RPE cells (RPE-CM) on activity of the canonical Wnt pathway in vitro. We isolated primary RPE cells from Long-Evans rats at P6-P9. In culture, these cells formed a monolayer with polygonal cell morphology and demonstrated repigmentation at confluency and immunoreactivity for ZO-1, a marker for tight junctions. To evaluate the effect of RPE-CM on the canonical Wnt pathway, we replaced the culture media of COS-7 cells transfected with (Tcf)(7)LUC, a multimeric Tcf-responsive element luciferase reporter construct, with RPE-CM and measured luciferase activity with or without Wnt3a or SB216763, a specific GSK3 inhibitor. RPE-CM did not enhance basal or Wnt3a-induced (Tcf)(7)LUC activity; instead, this activity decreased by 60%. RPE-CM also reduced SB216763-induced (Tcf)(7)LUC activity by 65%, which suggests that the inhibitory effect of RPE-CM is probably due to intracellular crosstalk rather than extracellular antagonism. RPE cells may thus be able to modulate the intraocular environment by regulating the canonical Wnt pathway.     

The Wnt pathway: a key network in cell signalling dysregulated by viruses

Viruses are obligate parasites dependent on host cells for survival. Viral infection of a cell activates a panel of pattern recognition receptors that mediate antiviral host responses to inhibit viral replication and dissemination. Viruses have evolved mechanisms to evade and subvert this antiviral host response, including encoding proteins that hijack, mimic and/or manipulate cellular processes such as the cell cycle, DNA damage repair, cellular metabolism and the host immune response. Currently, there is an increasing interest whether viral modulation of these cellular processes, including the cell cycle, contributes to cancer development. One cellular pathway related to cell cycle signalling is the Wnt pathway. This review focuses on the modulation of this pathway by human viruses, known to cause (or associated with) cancer development. The main mechanisms where viruses interact with the Wnt pathway appear to be through (i) epigenetic modification of Wnt genes; (ii) cellular or viral miRNAs targeting Wnt genes; (iii) altering specific Wnt pathway members, often leading to (iv) nuclear translocation of β‐catenin and activation of Wnt signalling. Given that diverse viruses affect this signalling pathway, modulating Wnt signalling could be a generalised critical process for the initiation or maintenance of viral pathogenesis, with resultant dysregulation contributing to virus‐induced cancers. Further study of this virus–host interaction may identify options for targeted therapy against Wnt signalling molecules as a means to reduce virus‐induced pathogenesis and the downstream consequences of infection. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Epigenetic regulation of DACT2, a key component of the Wnt signalling pathway in human lung cancer

Dapper, Dishevelled‐associated antagonist of β‐catenin (DACT), is involved in Xenopus embryonic development. Human DACT2 is localized on chromosome 6q27, a region of frequent loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in human cancers. However, the function and regulation of DACT2 in human lung cancer remain unclear. DNA sequencing, methylation‐specific PCR (MSP), semi‐quantitative RT‐PCR, western blotting, and xenograft models were employed in this study. Eight lung cancer cell lines, 106 cases of primary lung cancer, four specimens of normal lung from patients without cancer, and 99 blood samples from healthy individuals were examined. We found that while there was no SNP related to lung cancer, the DACT2 promoter region is frequently methylated in human lung cancer. DACT2 is silenced by promoter region hypermethylation and re‐expressed by 5‐aza‐2′‐deoxyazacytidine treatment of lung cancer cell lines. Methylation of DACT2 was associated with poor differentiation of lung cancer. Loss of DACT2 expression was associated with promoter region hypermethylation in primary lung cancer, and was associated with increased β‐catenin expression. Restoration of DACT2 expression suppressed tumour proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. DACT2 expression was down‐regulated by siRNA knockdown in H727 cells. DACT2 inhibited T‐cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor (TCF/LEF) and its downstream genes. In conclusion, DACT2 methylation is a potential lung cancer detection marker. DACT2 is regulated by promoter region hypermethylation. DACT2 inhibits lung cancer proliferation by suppressing the Wnt signalling pathway in lung cancer. Copyright © 2013 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Myoblast city, the Drosophila homolog of DOCK180/CED-5, is required in a Rac signaling pathway utilized for multiple developmental processes

The Rac and Cdc42 GTPases share several regulators and effectors, yet perform distinct biological functions. The factors determining such specificity in vivo have not been identified. In a mutational screen in Drosophila to identify Rac-specific signaling components, we isolated 11 alleles of myoblast city (mbc). mbc mutant embryos exhibit defects in dorsal closure, myogenesis, and neural development. DOCK180, the mammalian homolog of Mbc, associates with Rac, but not Cdc42, in a nucleotide-independent manner. These results suggest that Mbc is a specific upstream regulator of Rac activity that mediates several morphogenetic processes in Drosophila embryogenesis.     

The Pax2 homolog sparkling is required for development of cone and pigment cells in the Drosophila eye

A new Drosophila Pax gene, sparkling (spa), implicated in eye development, was isolated and shown to encode the homolog of the vertebrate Pax2, Pax5, and Pax8 proteins. It is expressed in the embryonic nervous system and in cone, primary pigment, and bristle cells of larval and pupal eye discs. In spa^pol mutants, a deletion of an enhancer abolishes Spa expression in cone and primary pigment cells and results in a severely disturbed development of non-neuronal ommatidial cells. Spa expression is further required for activation of cut in cone cells and of the Bar locus in primary pigment cells. We suggest close functional analogies between Spa and Pax2 in the development of the insect and vertebrate eye.     

褪黑素通过激活典型Wnt/β-catenin信号通路促进许旺细胞迁移

背景:褪黑素主要是由松果体分泌的一种神经内分泌激素,能够促进许旺细胞增殖并促进周围神经损伤后再生。目的:探究褪黑素对许旺细胞迁移活性的影响及其相关分子机制。方法:体外培养大鼠许旺细胞RSC96细胞株并鉴定;CCK-8检测褪黑素对许旺细胞增殖活性的影响;采用Transwell细胞迁移小室,观察0,100 nmol/L,1μmol/L,10μmol/L褪黑素作用20 h对许旺细胞迁移活性的影响;采用qRT-PCR和Western-blot检测褪黑素受体1,2在许旺细胞上的表达情况;通过Transwell细胞迁移实验,观察褪黑素受体拮抗剂luzindole或典型Wnt/β-catenin信号通路抑制剂IWR-1对褪黑素促进许旺细胞迁移活性的影响。Western-blot检测褪黑素对许旺细胞中Wnt/β-catenin信号通路活性的调控作用。结果与结论:①贴壁培养的RSC96细胞具有许旺细胞的典型形态,细胞呈纺锤状或三角形,细胞两极伸出细长的突起;许旺细胞标志物S-100免疫荧光染色阳性;②相较于空白对照组,1,10μmol/L褪黑素能够显著促进许旺细胞迁移,对其产生化学性吸引作用,其中1μmol/L褪黑素作用最显著;③许旺细胞主要表达褪黑素受体1;Transwell细胞迁移实验表明,和单纯褪黑素处理组比较,luzindole和褪黑素共同干预组迁移的细胞数无显著性改变,而IWR-1和褪黑素共同干预组许旺细胞迁移的细胞数显著低于单纯褪黑素处理组(P<0.05);④qRT-PCR和Western-blot结果表明,相较于空白对照组,褪黑素组许旺细胞中P-Lrp6,LEF-1和细胞核β-catenin蛋白表达水平显著上调(P<0.05);⑤单纯褪黑素组和IWR-1+褪黑素组许旺细胞中LEF-1和核β-catenin蛋白表达量均显著高于空白对照组和单纯IWR-1组(P<0.05),表明褪黑素在一定程度上拮抗IWR-1对Wnt/β-catenin信号通路活性的抑制作用;⑥上述数据证实,褪黑素能够通过激活Wnt/β-catenin信号通路促进许旺细胞迁移。     

PR72, a novel regulator of Wnt signaling required for Naked cuticle function

The Wnt signaling cascade is a central regulator of cell fate determination during embryonic development, whose deregulation contributes to oncogenesis. Naked cuticle is the first Wnt-induced antagonist found in this pathway, establishing a negative-feedback loop that limits the Wnt signal required for early segmentation. In addition, Naked cuticle is proposed to function as a switch, acting to restrict classical Wnt signaling and to activate a second Wnt signaling pathway that controls planar cell polarity during gastrulation movements in vertebrates. Little is known about the biochemical function of Naked cuticle or its regulation. Here we report that PR72, a Protein Phosphatase type 2A regulatory subunit of unknown function, interacts both physically and functionally with Naked cuticle. We show that PR72, like Naked cuticle, acts as a negative regulator of the classical Wnt signaling cascade, establishing PR72 as a novel regulator of the Wnt signaling pathway. Our data provide evidence that the inhibitory effect of Naked cuticle on Wnt signaling depends on the presence of PR72, both in mammalian cell culture and in Xenopus embryos. Moreover, PR72 is required during early embryonic development to regulate cell morphogenetic movements during body axis formation.     

Skin-specific expression of ictacalcin, a homolog of the S100 genes, during zebrafish embryogenesis.

Full-length cDNA coding for the ictacalcin gene, a homolog of the S100 genes, was isolated in zebrafish and mapped on linkage group 16 using the LN54 radiation hybrid panel. The homology and phylogenetic analyses, based on the deduced amino acid sequences, showed the orthologous relationship of ictacalcin genes between zebrafish and other fish species. However, ictacalcin genes constitute an out-group with respect to other members of the S100 gene family. This result supports the findings that fish ictacalcin genes are new members of the S100 gene family and may have evolved after the divergence of teleosts and tetrapods. The zebrafish ictacalcin gene was zygotically transcribed from 12 hours postfertilization onward and was stably expressed throughout adulthood. During zebrafish embryogenesis, the ictacalcin gene was specifically expressed in striated epidermal cells covering the entire embryo. The ictacalcin staining in keratinocytes of striated epithelia was absent in the cytoplasm surrounding the nuclei, but it was highly concentrated in the peripheral margin. Tissues enriched with epithelia folds, such as olfactory epithelium, hatching gland, pectoral fin buds, urogenital opening, and pharynx, showed a robust ictacalcin expression. The strikingly heavy staining of ictacalcin in the pharyngeal region provides us with an early marker to follow the pharynx formation in zebrafish embryos.     

Frequent methylation of DAB2, a Wnt pathway antagonist,in oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas

Background

Aberrations in Wnt signaling pathway are related to the pathogenesis of head and neck carcinomas and their activation frequently results from epigenetic alterations. This study aimed to assess the frequency of the methylation of DAB2, which acts as a negative regulator of Wnt signaling, and correlate it with clinicopathological features in a group of oral cancer patients.

Activation of the p38 MAP kinase pathway is required for foam cell formation from macrophages exposed to oxidized LDL

Endocytosis of oxidized low density lipoproteins (oxLDL) by macrophages, mediated by scavenger receptors, is thought to play a central role in foam cell formation and, thus, in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. OxLDL activates several MAP kinases, including the ERK, JNK and p38 MAP kinases, but the role of these activations in oxLDL uptake has not been studied. In the present investigation, we find that SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38, blocks oxLDL-exposed J774 cells from becoming foam cells. Inhibition of foam cell formation by blockade of the p38 pathway is, at least in part, due to inhibition of oxLDL-induced up-regulation of the scavenger receptor CD36. Using pharmaceutical inhibitors and dominant active MAP kinase kinases, we demonstrated that activation of the p38 pathway, but not the ERK or JNK pathways, is necessary and sufficient to transactivate PPARgamma, a nuclear receptor that has recently been shown to play a pivotal role in oxLDL-induced CD36 expression. Our results for the first time demonstrate a regulation of CD36 by p38, and the importance of the p38 pathway in regulation of foam cell formation.     

tsunami, the Dictyostelium homolog of the Fused kinase, is required for polarization and chemotaxis

In a forward genetic screen for chemotaxis mutants in Dictyostelium discoideum, we identified a loss-of-function mutation, designated tsunami, encoding a homolog of the Fused kinase. Cells lacking tsuA function could not effectively perform chemotaxis and were unable to become polarized or correctly orient pseudopods in chemotactic gradients. While tsuA(-) cells were able to couple receptor occupancy to phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5) trisphosphate (PIP3) production and actin polymerization, the PIP3 response was prolonged and basal F-actin levels were increased. Interestingly, TsuA localizes to the microtubule network and puncta mainly found at the cell periphery. Analysis of the gene uncovered a novel C-terminal domain that we designated the Tsunami Homology (TH) domain. Both the kinase domain and the TH domain are required to rescue the phenotypic defects of tsuA(-) cells. While kinase activity is not required for localization to microtubules, the TH domain is essential. Thus, localization of kinase activity to microtubules is critical for TsuA function. We propose that functions in association with the microtubule network may underlie the divergent roles of Fused kinase proteins in different organisms.     

Expression and regulation of Nkd-1, an intracellular component of Wnt signalling pathway in the chick embryo

The Wnt family of secreted signalling molecules control a wide range of developmental processes in all metazoans. The intracellular response to Wnt signalling depends on the choice of signalling cascade activated in the responding cell. Cells can activate either the canonical pathway that modulates gene expression to control cellular differentiation and proliferation, or the non-canonical pathway that controls cell polarity and movement. Recent work has identified the protein Naked Cuticle to act as an intracellular switch to promote the non-canonical pathway at the expense of the canonical pathway. We have cloned chick Naked Cuticle-1 (cNkd-1) and show that it is expressed in a dynamic manner during early embryogenesis. We show that it is expressed in the somites and in particular regions where cells are undergoing movement. Lastly, we show that the expression of cNkd-1 is regulated by Wnt expression originating from the neural tube. This study provides evidence that non-canonical Wnt signalling plays a part in somite development.