| 1. |
- Acosta, Helena, et al.
(författare)
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The serpin PN1 is a feedback regulator of FGF signaling in germ layer and primary axis formation.
- 2015
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Ingår i: Development: For advances in developmental biology and stem cells. - : The Company of Biologists. - 1477-9129. ; 142:6, s. 1146-1158
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Germ layer formation and primary axis development rely on Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs). In Xenopus, the secreted serine protease HtrA1 induces mesoderm and posterior trunk/tail structures by facilitating the spread of FGF signals. Here, we show that the serpin Protease nexin-1 (PN1) is transcriptionally activated by FGF signals, suppresses mesoderm and promotes head development in mRNA-injected embryos. An antisense morpholino oligonucleotide against PN1 has the opposite effect and inhibits ectodermal fate. However, ectoderm and anterior head structures can be restored in PN1-depleted embryos when HtrA1 and FGF receptor activities are diminished, indicating that FGF signals negatively regulate their formation. We show that PN1 binds to and inhibits HtrA1, prevents degradation of the proteoglycan Syndecan 4 and restricts paracrine FGF/Erk signaling. Our data suggest that PN1 is a negative-feedback regulator of FGF signaling and has important roles in ectoderm and head development.
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| 2. |
- Arregi, Igor, et al.
(författare)
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Retinol dehydrogenase-10 regulates pancreas organogenesis and endocrine cell differentiation via paracrine retinoic acid signaling
- 2016
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Ingår i: Endocrinology. - : The Endocrine Society. - 0013-7227 .- 1945-7170. ; 157:12, s. 4615-4631
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Vitamin A-derived retinoic acid (RA) signals are critical for the development of several organs, including the pancreas. However, the tissue-specific control of RA synthesis in organ and cell lineage development has only poorly been addressed in vivo. Here, we show that retinol dehydrogenase-10 (Rdh10), a key enzyme in embryonic RA production, has important functions in pancreas organogenesis and endocrine cell differentiation. Rdh10 was expressed in the developing pancreas epithelium and surrounding mesenchyme. Rdh10 null mutant mouse embryos exhibited dorsal pancreas agenesis and a hypoplastic ventral pancreas with retarded tubulogenesis and branching. Conditional disruption of Rdh10 from the endoderm caused increased mortality, reduced body weight, and lowered blood glucose levels after birth. Endodermal Rdh10 deficiency led to a smaller dorsal pancreas with a reduced density of early glucagonβ and insulinβ cells. During the secondary transition, the reduction of Neurogenin3β endocrine progenitors in the mutant dorsal pancreas accounted for fewer β-and α-cells. Changes in the expression of β-and α-cellspecific transcription factors indicated that Rdh10 might also participate in the terminal differentiation of endocrine cells. Together, our results highlight the importance of both mesenchymal andepithelialRdh10forpancreogenesisandthefirstwaveofendocrinecell differentiation.Wefurther propose a model in which the Rdh10-expressing exocrine tissue acts as an essential source ofRAsignals in the second wave of endocrine cell differentiation.
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| 3. |
- Gouignard, Nadège, et al.
(författare)
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Gene expression of the two developmentally regulated dermatan sulfate epimerases in the Xenopus embryo
- 2018
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 13:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chondroitin sulfate (CS)/dermatan sulfate (DS) proteoglycans are abundant on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix and have important functions in matrix structure, cell-matrix interaction and signaling. The DS epimerases 1 and 2, encoded by Dse and Dsel, respectively, convert CS to a CS/DS hybrid chain, which is structurally and conformationally richer than CS, favouring interaction with matrix proteins and growth factors. We recently showed that Xenopus Dse is essential for the migration of neural crest cells by allowing cell surface CS/DS proteoglycans to adhere to fibronectin. Here we investigate the expression of Dse and Dsel in Xenopus embryos. We show that both genes are maternally expressed and exhibit partially overlapping activity in the eyes, brain, trigeminal ganglia, neural crest, adenohypophysis, sclerotome, and dorsal endoderm. Dse is specifically expressed in the epidermis, anterior surface ectoderm, spinal nerves, notochord and dermatome, whereas Dsel mRNA alone is transcribed in the spinal cord, epibranchial ganglia, prechordal mesendoderm and myotome. The expression of the two genes coincides with sites of cell differentiation in the epidermis and neural tissue. Several expression domains can be linked to previously reported phenotypes of knockout mice and clinical manifestations, such as the Musculocontractural Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and psychiatric disorders.
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| 4. |
- Gouignard, Nadège, et al.
(författare)
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Musculocontractural Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and neurocristopathies : Dermatan sulfate is required for Xenopus neural crest cells to migrate and adhere to fibronectin
- 2016
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Ingår i: Disease Models and Mechanisms. - : The Company of Biologists. - 1754-8403 .- 1754-8411. ; 9:6, s. 607-620
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Of all live births with congenital anomalies, approximately one-third exhibit deformities ofthe head and face. Most craniofacial disorders are associated with defects in a migratory stem and progenitor cell population, which is designated the neural crest (NC). Musculocontractural Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (MCEDS) is a heritable connective tissue disorder with distinct craniofacial features; this syndrome comprises multiple congenital malformations that are caused bydysfunction ofdermatan sulfate (DS) biosynthetic enzymes, including DS epimerase-1 (DS-epi1; also known as DSE). Studies in mice have extended our understanding of DS-epi1 inconnective tissue maintenance; however, its role in fetal development is not understood. We demonstrate that DS-epi1isimportant for the generationofisolated iduronic acid residues in chondroitin sulfate (CS)/DS proteoglycans in early Xenopus embryos. The knockdown of DS-epi1 does not affect the formation of early NC progenitors; however, it impairs the correct activation of transcription factors involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and reduces the extent of NC cell migration, which leads to a decrease in NC-derived craniofacial skeleton, melanocytes and dorsal fin structures. Transplantation experiments demonstrate a tissue-autonomous role for DS-epi1 in cranial NC cell migration in vivo. Cranial NC explant and single-cell cultures indicate a requirement of DS-epi1 in cell adhesion, spreading and extension of polarized cell processes on fibronectin. Thus, our work indicates a functional link between DS and NC cell migration. We conclude that NC defects in the EMT and cell migration might account for the craniofacial anomalies and other congenital malformations in MCEDS, which might facilitate the diagnosis and development of therapies for this distressing condition. Moreover, the presented correlations between human DS-epi1 expression and gene sets of mesenchymal character, invasion and metastasis in neuroblastoma and malignant melanoma suggest an association between DS and NC-derived cancers.
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| 5. |
- Maccarana, Marco, et al.
(författare)
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Inhibition of iduronic acid biosynthesis by ebselen reduces glycosaminoglycan accumulation in mucopolysaccharidosis type I fibroblasts
- 2021
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Ingår i: Glycobiology. - : Oxford University Press. - 0959-6658 .- 1460-2423. ; 31:10, s. 1319-1329
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS-I) is a rare lysosomal storage disorder caused by deficiency of the enzyme alpha-L-iduronidase, which removes iduronic acid in both chondroitin/dermatan sulfate (CS/DS) and heparan sulfate (HS) and thereby contributes to the catabolism of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). To ameliorate this genetic defect, the patients are currently treated by enzyme replacement and bone marrow transplantation, which have a number of drawbacks. This study was designed to develop an alternative treatment by inhibition of iduronic acid formation. By screening the Prestwick drug library, we identified ebselen as a potent inhibitor of enzymes that produce iduronic acid in CS/DS and HS. Ebselen efficiently inhibited iduronic acid formation during CS/DS synthesis in cultured fibroblasts. Treatment of MPS-I fibroblasts with ebselen not only reduced accumulation of CS/DS but also promoted GAG degradation. In early Xenopus embryos, this drug phenocopied the effect of downregulation of DS-epimerase 1, the main enzyme responsible for iduronic production in CS/DS, suggesting that ebselen inhibits iduronic acid production in vivo. However, ebselen failed to ameliorate the CS/DS and GAG burden in MPS-I mice. Nevertheless, the results propose a potential of iduronic acid substrate reduction therapy for MPS-I patients.
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| 6. |
- Pera, Edgar, et al.
(författare)
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Aberrant neural crest development causes craniofacial and other malformations in an animal model of Musculocontractural Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Rare Diseases Research & Treatment. - 2572-9411. ; 1:3, s. 74-77
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Musculocontractural Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (MC-EDS) is a rare recessive disorder that is characterized by connective tissue fragility, distinct craniofacial features and congenital malformations. MC-EDS patients have defects in the enzymes dermatan sulfate epimerase-1 and dermatan 4-O-sulfotransferase-1, which are involved in the biosynthesis of iduronic acid in the chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate (CS/DS) chains of proteoglycans (PGs). While the connective tissue defect is a result of disturbed collagen fibril assembly based on a decreased iduronic acid content of interacting CS/DS-PGs, the cause of the developmental malformations in MC-EDS is not well understood. This review focuses on a new role of CS/DS-PGs in the development of multipotent and highly migratory neural crest (NC) cells in the Xenopus embryo model of MC-EDS. Single iduronic acid residues in CS/DS-PGs are involved in the formation of NC-derived craniofacial structures by facilitating the migration and adhesion of NC cells to fibronectin. Our results suggest a defect in NC development as cause of the craniofacial and other congenital anomalies in MC-EDS patients, which might contribute to an improved diagnosis and etiology-based therapy.
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| 7. |
- Pera, Edgar, et al.
(författare)
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Active signals, gradient formation and regional specificity in neural induction.
- 2014
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Ingår i: Experimental Cell Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 1090-2422 .- 0014-4827. ; 321:1, s. 25-31
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The question of how the vertebrate embryo gives rise to a nervous system is of paramount interest in developmental biology. Neural induction constitutes the earliest step in this process and is tightly connected with development of the embryonic body axes. In the Xenopus embryo, perpendicular gradients of BMP and Wnt signals pattern the dorsoventral and anteroposterior body axes. Both pathways need to be inhibited to allow anterior neural induction to occur. FGF8 and IGF are active neural inducers that together with BMP and Wnt signals are integrated at the level of Smad 1/5/8 phosphorylation. Hedgehog (Hh) also contributes to anterior neural induction. Suppressor-of-fused plays an important role in intertwining the Hh and Wnt pathways. Distinct mechanisms are discussed that establish morphogen gradients and integrate retinoic acid and FGF signals during posterior development. These findings not only improve our understanding of regional specification in neural induction, but have profound implications for mammalian stem cell research and regenerative medicine.
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| 8. |
- Pera, Edgar, et al.
(författare)
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Whole-mount in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry in Xenopus embryos.
- 2015. - 1
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Ingår i: In Situ Hybridization Methods. - New York, NY : Springer New York. - 1940-6045 .- 0893-2336. - 9781493923021 - 9781493944637 - 9781493923038 ; 99, s. 151-167
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Xenopus is a favorable experimental model in developmental biology. With its fast and external development, high number of progeny and large size, early embryos are well suited for micromanipulation to study the function of genes with relevance to human diseases. In this chapter, we present a combined method for lineage tracing and whole-mount in situ hybridization. In addition, we present protocols for immunohistochemistry and assays to monitor the cell proliferation and apoptosis in whole embryos.
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