1. |
- Chen, Meng, et al.
(author)
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Increased Neuronal Differentiation of Neural Progenitor Cells Derived from Phosphovimentin-Deficient Mice.
- 2018
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In: Molecular neurobiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1559-1182 .- 0893-7648. ; 55:7, s. 5478-5489
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Vimentin is an intermediate filament (also known as nanofilament) protein expressed in several cell types of the central nervous system, including astrocytes and neural stem/progenitor cells. Mutation of the vimentin serine sites that are phosphorylated during mitosis (VIMSA/SA) leads to cytokinetic failures in fibroblasts and lens epithelial cells, resulting in chromosomal instability and increased expression of cell senescence markers. In this study, we investigated morphology, proliferative capacity, and motility of VIMSA/SAastrocytes, and their effect on the differentiation of neural stem/progenitor cells. VIMSA/SAastrocytes expressed less vimentin and more GFAP but showed a well-developed intermediate filament network, exhibited normal cell morphology, proliferation, and motility in an in vitro wound closing assay. Interestingly, we found a two- to fourfold increased neuronal differentiation of VIMSA/SAneurosphere cells, both in a standard 2D and in Bioactive3D cell culture systems, and determined that this effect was neurosphere cell autonomous and not dependent on cocultured astrocytes. Using BrdU in vivo labeling to assess neural stem/progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation in the hippocampus of adult mice, one of the two major adult neurogenic regions, we found a modest increase (by 8%) in the fraction of newly born and surviving neurons. Thus, mutation of the serine sites phosphorylated in vimentin during mitosis alters intermediate filament protein expression but has no effect on astrocyte morphology or proliferation, and leads to increased neuronal differentiation of neural progenitor cells.
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2. |
- de Pablo, Yolanda, et al.
(author)
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Vimentin Phosphorylation Is Required for Normal Cell Division of Immature Astrocytes
- 2019
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In: Cells. - : MDPI AG. - 2073-4409. ; 8:9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Vimentin (VIM) is an intermediate filament (nanofilament) protein expressed in multiple cell types, including astrocytes. Mice with VIM mutations of serine sites phosphorylated during mitosis (VIMSA/SA) show cytokinetic failure in fibroblasts and lens epithelial cells, chromosomal instability, facilitated cell senescence, and increased neuronal differentiation of neural progenitor cells. Here we report that in vitro immature VIMSA/SA astrocytes exhibit cytokinetic failure and contain vimentin accumulations that co-localize with mitochondria. This phenotype is transient and disappears with VIMSA/SA astrocyte maturation and expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP); it is also alleviated by the inhibition of cell proliferation. To test the hypothesis that GFAP compensates for the effect of VIMSA/SA in astrocytes, we crossed the VIMSA/SA and GFAP(-/-) mice. Surprisingly, the fraction of VIMSA/SA immature astrocytes with abundant vimentin accumulations was reduced when on GFAP(-/-) background. This indicates that the disappearance of vimentin accumulations and cytokinetic failure in mature astrocyte cultures are independent of GFAP expression. Both VIMSA/SA and VIM(SA/SA)GFAP(-/-) astrocytes showed normal mitochondrial membrane potential and vulnerability to H2O2, oxygen/glucose deprivation, and chemical ischemia. Thus, mutation of mitotic phosphorylation sites in vimentin triggers formation of vimentin accumulations and cytokinetic failure in immature astrocytes without altering their vulnerability to oxidative stress.
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3. |
- Wilhelmsson, Ulrika, 1970, et al.
(author)
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Nestin Regulates Neurogenesis in Mice Through Notch Signaling From Astrocytes to Neural Stem Cells
- 2019
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In: Cerebral Cortex. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1047-3211 .- 1460-2199. ; 29:10, s. 4050-4066
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The intermediate filament (nanofilament) protein nestin is a marker of neural stem cells, but its role in neurogenesis, including adult neurogenesis, remains unclear. Here, we investigated the role of nestin in neurogenesis in adult nestin-deficient (Nes(-/-)) mice. We found that the proliferation of Nes(-/-) neural stem cells was not altered, but neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of Nes(-/-) mice was increased. Surprisingly, the proneurogenic effect of nestin deficiency was mediated by its function in the astrocyte niche. Through its role in Notch signaling from astrocytes to neural stem cells, nestin negatively regulates neuronal differentiation and survival; however, its expression in neural stem cells is not required for normal neurogenesis. In behavioral studies, nestin deficiency in mice did not affect associative learning but was associated with impaired long-term memory.
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