Like Hair Follicle Neoplasias Lixin Kan1*†, Yijie Liu1†, Tammy L Mcguire1, Michael a Bonaguidi2,3 and John a Kessler1
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Kan et al. Journal of Biomedical Science 2011, 18:92 http://www.jbiomedsci.com/content/18/1/92 RESEARCH Open Access Inhibition of BMP signaling in P-Cadherin positive hair progenitor cells leads to trichofolliculoma- like hair follicle neoplasias Lixin Kan1*†, Yijie Liu1†, Tammy L McGuire1, Michael A Bonaguidi2,3 and John A Kessler1 Abstract Background: Skin stem cells contribute to all three major lineages of epidermal appendages, i.e., the epidermis, the hair follicle, and the sebaceous gland. In hair follicles, highly proliferative committed progenitor cells, called matrix cells, are located at the base of the follicle in the hair bulb. The differentiation of these early progenitor cells leads to specification of a central hair shaft surrounded by an inner root sheath (IRS) and a companion layer. Multiple signaling molecules, including bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), have been implicated in this process. Methods: To further probe the contribution of BMP signaling to hair follicle development and maintenance we employed a transgenic mouse that expresses the BMP inhibitor, Noggin, to disrupt BMP signaling specifically in subset of hair follicle progenitors under the control of neuron specific enolase (Nse) promoter. We then studied the skin tumor phenotypes of the transgenic mice through histology, immunohistochemistry and Western Blotting to delineate the underlying mechanisms. Double transgenic mice expressing BMP as well as noggin under control of the Nse promoter were used to rescue the skin tumor phenotypes. Results: We found that the transgene is expressed specifically in a subpopulation of P-cadherin positive progenitor cells in Nse-Noggin mice. Blocking BMP signaling in this cell population led to benign hair follicle-derived neoplasias resembling human trichofolliculomas, associated with down-regulation of E-cadherin expression and dynamic regulation of CD44. Conclusions: These observations further define a critical role for BMP signaling in maintaining the homeostasis of hair follicles, and suggest that dysregulation of BMP signaling in hair follicle progenitors may contribute to human trichofolliculoma. Keywords: Transgenic Mice, Nse-Noggin, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), trichofolliculoma Background maintenance of this important organ. Not surprisingly, The skin is a barrier that protects against the physical, disruption of BMP signaling has been implicated in an chemical, and thermal assaults of the environment. To array of skin disorders. serve these functions, epidermis generates an elaborate BMP signaling plays essential roles in many biological array of supportive appendages, including hair follicles processes in numerous types of cells and tissues during (HFs), sebaceous glands, sweat glands, and nails [1]. embryonic development and adult life [7]. BMP actions Many conserved signal molecules, such as WNT[2], are regulated in vivo in a time and location-dependent NOTCH[3], FGF[4], Hedgehog[5] and BMP[6], are manner by proteins such as noggin, gremlin, chordin involved in orchestrating the development and and others that antagonize BMP signaling by directly binding BMPs and their immediate downstream media- tors, thus blocking ligand activity [8]. Not surprisingly, * Correspondence: [email protected] the phenotypes generated from disrupting BMP signal- † Contributed equally 1Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of ing through loss-of-function or gain-of-function muta- Medicine, Chicago IL 60611, USA tions are temporally, spatially, and dosage-dependent. Full list of author information is available at the end of the article © 2011 Kan et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Kan et al. Journal of Biomedical Science 2011, 18:92 Page 2 of 12 http://www.jbiomedsci.com/content/18/1/92 For example, germline mutation of BMP2 or BMP4 leads Histology and immunohistochemistry to embryonic lethality [9,10], whereas inhibition of BMP Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed on fixed signaling by overexpressing Noggin under control of dif- tissue sections using Harris Modified Hematoxylin and ferent promoters, or by conditional knockout of BMP Eosin Y Solution (Sigma, St. Louis, MO), according to receptor subunits, leads to variable phenotypes. Many of the manufacturer’s instructions. Immunostaining was these mutant animals show strong cutaneous phenotypes done using standard protocols [17]. Briefly, sections that resemble human skin disorders. Further study along were fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde in PBS. Non-spe- this line will deepen our understanding of the normal cific binding was blocked with 10% normal serum role of BMP signaling in skin and supportive appendages. diluted in 1% bovine serum albumin (BSA, Jackson Lab, Here we utilized transgenic mice that overexpress USA) and 0.25% Triton X-100 for one hour in room noggin under control of the neuron-specific enolase temperature. The sections were then incubated with pri- (Nse) promoter [11] to further probe the role of BMP mary antibodies diluted with 1% BSA + 0.25% Triton X- signaling in orchestrating proliferation and differentia- 100 at 4°C overnight. The sections were then incubated tion of epidermal progenitors. We found that overex- with appropriate secondary antibodies (Cy3 or Cy2 con- pression of Noggin in P-cadherin positive hair jugated antibodies (Jackson Lab) diluted with 1% BSA + progenitor cells led to benign hair follicle-derived neo- 0.25% Triton X-100 or Alexa Fluor 488, Alexa Fluor plasias resembling human trichofolliculomas. 594, and Alexa 647 (1:1000, Invitrogen)) in the dark at Trichofolliculoma (also called folliculoma, or hair folli- room temperature for 2 hours. Counterstaining was cle nevus) is a benign highly structured hamartoma of then performed with DAPI (1:5000). Fluorescent images the pilosebaceous unit. The morphologic features of tri- were processed by Adobe Photoshop. Anti-Ki67 (Novus chofolliculoma are variable, reminiscent of the anagen, Biologicals), anti-total b-cat (Santa Cruz Biotechnology catagen, and telogen phases of a normal hair follicle in Inc), anti-phospho b-cat (Thr41/Ser45) (cell signaling), its cycle. However, the follicular epithelium usually exhi- anti-active b-cat (clone 8E7, Millipore), and NSE (Bio- bits a distinct granular cell layer similar to the normal Genex), anti-K14 (covance) are used in this study. follicular infundibulum. Follicles or follicle-like struc- tures branch to form secondary or tertiary units. Tricho- Western blot analysis keratin, not real hair, may be found enclosed in the Protein levels of CD44 and P-cad in tissue were mea- follicle matrix cells, and the stroma is moderately cellu- sured by Western blotting. Tissues were homogenized lar and loosely organized similar to that found in the in protein extract buffer (Roche) and homogenized sam- normal follicle. These characteristic histological features ples (20 μg of protein) were subjected to 4-20% distinguish this disorder from similar skin disorders SDSPAGE gradient gel (Bio-Rad) under reducing condi- such as dilated pore of winer, trichoepithelioma, follicu- tions. The CD44 was identified by Rat anti-mouse CD44 losebaceous cystic hamartoma [12], pilomatricomas or (BD Bioscience) and P-cad was identified by mouse sebaceous trichofolliculoma[13].However,theprecise anti-p-cad antibody (BD Bioscience). The membranes etiology of trichofolliculoma is still unknown. were incubated with the secondary antibodies (Biotiny- Our current study of a trichofolliculoma-like pheno- lated goat anti-rat IgG and Biotinylated goat anti-mouse type in Nse-Noggin mice indicated that blocking BMP IgG1) (Santa Cruz Biotechnology Inc) for 1 hr at room signaling in hair follicle progenitors is associated with temperature. Blots were developed by the ECL Western down-regulationofE-cadherinexpressionandsubse- blotting detection reagents (Perkin-Elmer). quent dosage dependent up-regulation of CD44. Com- plimentary to a previous report [14], we also observed Statistical Analyses dysregulation of b-catenin signaling in tumor cells. This Values are expressed as means ± standard deviation of study not only provides additional evidence of the the mean, and p < 0.05 is considered to be statistical importance of BMP signaling in maintaining the home- significance. Intergroup comparisons were made using ostasis of hair follicles, but also may help to further two-way ANOVA. The photographs shown represent understand the pathophysiology of human skin disor- the results obtained from three independent ders, especially trichofolliculomas. experiments. Materials and Methods Results Animal study procedures The noggin transgene is expressed in P-cadherin positive Previously generated Nse-Noggin and Nse-BMP4 mice hair progenitor cells in Nse-Noggin mice were used in this study [15,16]. All animal experiments Noggin overexpression under different promoters leads in this study were approved by the Animal Care and to a spectrum of phenotypes due to differing temporal Use Committee at Northwestern University. and spatial patterns of transgene expression [18-21]. We Kan et al. Journal of Biomedical Science 2011, 18:92 Page 3 of 12 http://www.jbiomedsci.com/content/18/1/92 initially constructed transgenic animals that overexpress expression pattern reflects the endogenous Nse