Wnt3a Expression Is Associated with Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Wnt3a Expression Is Associated with Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Qi et al. Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research 2014, 33:107 http://www.jeccr.com/content/33/1/107 RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Wnt3a expression is associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition and promotes colon cancer progression Lisha Qi1,3,4†, Baocun Sun1,2,3,4*†, Zhiyong Liu1,3,4, Runfen Cheng1,3,4, Yixian Li2 and Xiulan Zhao2 Abstract Introduction: Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) contributes to the progression and metastasis of cancer cells and is associated with a more invasive phenotype of cancer. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is one of the major pathways involved in EMT regulation. Many studies provide evidence that β-catenin, the key regulator of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway, is important in regulating EMT in cancer. However, the roles of Wnt3a, the representative canonical Wnt ligand, in EMT and colon cancer progression have not yet been fully explored. Methods: The expression levels of Wnt3a and EMT-associated proteins (E-cadherin, vimentin, and β-catenin) were assessed by immunohistochemistry in human colon cancer tissues to evaluate the clinicopathological significance of Wnt3a, as well as the correlation between Wnt3a and EMT. We then upregulated Wnt3a expression in HCT116 colon cancer cells, established a nude mouse xenograft model, detected the expression of EMT and Wnt/β-catenin signaling-associated proteins, and observed invasion and clone-initiating abilities. Results: In 203 human colon cancer tissue samples, Wnt3a protein overexpression was related to colon cancer histological differentiation (P = 0.004), clinical stage (P = 0.008), presence of metastasis and recurrence (P = 0.036), and survival time (P = 0.007) of colon cancer patients. Wnt3a expression was notably concomitant with EMT immunohistochemical features, such as reduced expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin (P = 0.012), increased expression of the mesenchymal marker vimentin (P = 0.002), and cytoplasmic distribution of β-catenin (P = 0.021). Results of in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that Wnt3a overexpression could alter cell morphology, regulate EMT-associated protein expression, and enhance clone-initiation and invasion. Dkk1 (antagonist of Wnt/β-catenin signaling) could also partially reverse the expression of EMT-associated proteins in Wnt3a-overexpressing cells. Conclusions: Wnt3a expression was associated with EMT and promoted colon cancer progression. The EMT-inducing effect was partially due to the stimulative effect of Wnt3a on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Keywords: Wnt3a, Epithelial-mesenchymal transition, Wnt/β-catenin pathway, Colon cancer Introduction [2]. Thus, knowledge on the treatment of this disease Colorectal carcinoma is the third most common cause would advance if its metastasis mechanism is deeply of cancer-related deaths worldwide [1]. Although colorec- understood. tal cancer diagnosis and treatment have significantly ad- Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an early vanced over the past two decades, the five-year survival phase of the malignant transformation of epithelial cells. rate remains below 50%. More than 50% of colorectal can- In EMT, cells lose their polarities and contacts with neigh- cer cases metastasize to the lymph nodes, liver, and lungs boring cells and then acquire mesenchymal-like and motile phenotypes [3]. Tumor-cell EMT is considered a crucial * Correspondence: [email protected] event in cancer metastasis. Numerous factors can report- † Equal contributors edly induce or mediate EMT, and these factors are com- 1Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin 300060, China monly associated with carcinoma progression. 2Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China Full list of author information is available at the end of the article © 2014 Qi 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/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated. Qi et al. Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research 2014, 33:107 Page 2 of 11 http://www.jeccr.com/content/33/1/107 The Wnt signaling pathway is pivotal in embryogen- Wnt3a promoted EMT by activating the Wnt/β-catenin esis and development and is also widely implicated in a signaling pathway. number of human diseases [4-6]. Deregulation of the Wnt signaling pathway has been associated with senes- Material and methods cence bypass [7], aberrant cell growth [8], and cancer Clinical samples [9]. Signaling through the Wnt pathway starts with Wnt Tissue samples of colon cancer were harvested from 203 ligands, which consist of more than 19 closely related patients who had undergone surgery for colon cancer in but distinct secreted cysteine-rich glycoproteins [10]. By Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital activating multiple intracellular signaling cascades, Wnts (Tianjin, China) between January 2002 and December control various cellular functions, including prolifera- 2004. None of the patients had received any chemother- tion, tissue homeostasis, stem cell maintenance, and cell apy or radiotherapy before their operation. Data of clini- fate decisions [11,12]. Several Wnts such as Wnt1, copathological parameters were obtained from patients’ Wnt3a, and Wnt7a stimulate the β-catenin-dependent clinical records and pathological reports. pathway, called canonical Wnt signaling [12]. Other Wnts such as Wnt4, Wnt5a, and Wnt11 may activate Cell culture reagents and animals the protein kinase c, calcium-calmodulin kinase, or Jun The human colon cancer cell line HCT116 was obtained NH (2)-terminal kinase pathway, called non-canonical from the Cell Resource Center at the Institute of Basic Wnt signaling [13]. Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences/ The canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is well Peking Union Medical College (Beijing, China). Cells were established in colorectal oncogenesis, with >85% of these cultured in Iscove modified Dulbecco medium with 10% malignancies harboring mutations along the pathway FBS. Dkk1 recombinant protein was obtained from R&D that lead to constitutive activation. Many studies provide Systems. For Dkk1 administration in vitro, recombinant evidence that the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays Dkk1 (1 μg/mL) was added to culture medium. Typically, an important role in EMT regulation [14,15]. However, 50% of the medium was replaced every 24 h with fresh most investigations on the effects of the canonical Wnt conditioned medium containing Dkk1 at the original con- pathway on EMT have focused on β-catenin rather than centrations. Cells were harvested 48 h post-treatment, and on Wnt ligands despite the role of Wnt proteins as total cell lysates were collected for measurement by major initiating factors in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Western blot. The micro-Boyden chambers used were Blavier et al. found that Wnt1 overexpression in murine from NeuroProbe (Gaithersburg, MD, USA). Anti- mammary epithelial cells in vitro could promote EMT bodies to β-catenin, goat anti-rabbit, and goat anti- and cell proliferation [16]. Bo and Kanzawa have shown mouseIgG-FITCwerefromSantaCruzBiotechnology that increased Wnt5a provokes EMT of pancreatic can- (SantaCruz,CA,USA).AntibodiestoWnt3a,Snail, cer and gastric cancer cells [17,18]. Wu reported that Slug, and Twist were from Abcam (Cambridge, UK). Wnt3 activates the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and pro- Antibody to E-cadherin was from BD Biosciences (San motes EMT-like phenotypes in trastuzumab-resistant Jose, CA, USA). Antibody to vimentin was from Epitomics HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells [19]. Bao et al. (Burlingame, CA, USA). Phalloidin was from Invitrogen found that Wnt3a could promote the EMT, migration, (Carlsbad, CA, USA). Alexa Fluor 488 and 546 were from and proliferation of human lens epithelial cells [20]. Molecular Probes (Eugene, OR, USA). BALB/C nude mice Meanwhile, the role of Wnt3a in colorectal cancer EMT (4–5 weeks old) were obtained from Wei Tong Li Hua has not been fully explored. Experimental Animal Company (Beijing, China). In this study, we evaluated the clinicopathological sig- nificance of Wnt3a and analyzed the correlation between Immunohistochemical staining Wnt3a expression and EMT immunohistochemical fea- Streptavidin–biotin–peroxidase staining was performed as tures in tissue specimens from 203 colon cancer pa- previously described [21]. In a typical procedure, the sec- tients. The effects of Wnt3a ectopic expression in the tions were pretreated with microwaves, blocked, and incu- colon cancer cell line HCT116 on the expression of epi- bated with a series of antibodies overnight at 4°C. Then, thelial and mesenchymal markers and EMT transcrip- they were immunostained with HRP-conjugated antibody tion factors were studied. We also investigated cell and signals were revealed using 3,3-diaminobenzidine proliferation and invasion in cell cultures with Wnt3a buffer as substrate. In place of primary antibodies for overexpression, as well as tumor growth and metastasis the negative control, PBS was used. in a colon cancer xenograft model. We further treated The expression of Wnt3a, E-cadherin, vimentin, and Wnt3a-overexpressing
Recommended publications
  • A Commentary on WNT7A Implication in Cervical Cancer Development
    ndrom Sy es tic & e G n e e n G e f T o Artaza-Irigaray et al., J Genet Syndr Gene Ther 2015, 6:3 Journal of Genetic Syndromes h l e a r n a DOI: 10.4172/2157-7412.1000267 r p u y o J & Gene Therapy ISSN: 2157-7412 Commentary Open Access A Commentary on WNT7A Implication in Cervical Cancer Development Cristina Artaza-Irigaray1,2, Adriana Aguilar-Lemarroy1 and Luis F Jave-Suárez1* 1División de Inmunología, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Occidente (CIBO), Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico 2Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biomédicas, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud (CUCS) - Universidad de Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico Cervical Cancer (CC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer Conversely, silencing Wnt7a in HaCaT cells induced an increase in cell deaths in women worldwide and is associated directly with Human proliferation and migration rates. These results suggest that the loss of papillomavirus (HPV) infection [1]. Many authors have reported Wnt7a expression probably contributes to increased cell proliferation that HPV can immortalize human cells without leading to cell and migration during cervical tumor development. transformation by itself [2,3]. Thus, cervical carcinogenesis is a As responses always lead to new questions, the next step was multistep process involving HPV infection and additional alterations. to elucidate the way in which Wnt7a ligand expression was being In 2005, canonical Wnt signaling pathway activation was proposed repressed. Wnt7a is known to possess tumor suppressor properties as a second hit during epithelial malignant transformation but this in several cancers and is frequently inactivated due to CpG-island hypothesis remains controversial [3,4].
    [Show full text]
  • Transiently Structured Head Domains Control Intermediate Filament Assembly
    Transiently structured head domains control intermediate filament assembly Xiaoming Zhoua, Yi Lina,1, Masato Katoa,b,c, Eiichiro Morid, Glen Liszczaka, Lillian Sutherlanda, Vasiliy O. Sysoeva, Dylan T. Murraye, Robert Tyckoc, and Steven L. McKnighta,2 aDepartment of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390; bInstitute for Quantum Life Science, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 263-8555 Chiba, Japan; cLaboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0520; dDepartment of Future Basic Medicine, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, Japan; and eDepartment of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 Contributed by Steven L. McKnight, January 2, 2021 (sent for review October 30, 2020; reviewed by Lynette Cegelski, Tatyana Polenova, and Natasha Snider) Low complexity (LC) head domains 92 and 108 residues in length are, IF head domains might facilitate filament assembly in a manner respectively, required for assembly of neurofilament light (NFL) and analogous to LC domain function by RNA-binding proteins in the desmin intermediate filaments (IFs). As studied in isolation, these IF assembly of RNA granules. head domains interconvert between states of conformational disor- IFs are defined by centrally located α-helical segments 300 to der and labile, β-strand–enriched polymers. Solid-state NMR (ss-NMR) 350 residues in length. These central, α-helical segments are spectroscopic studies of NFL and desmin head domain polymers re- flanked on either end by head and tail domains thought to be veal spectral patterns consistent with structural order.
    [Show full text]
  • WNT4 and WNT3A Activate Cell Autonomous Wnt Signaling Independent of Secretion
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/333906; this version posted September 14, 2018. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC 4.0 International license. Running Title: Secretion-independent Wnt signaling Research article WNT4 and WNT3A activate cell autonomous Wnt signaling independent of secretion Deviyani M. Rao1, Rebecca L. Ferguson1, Tomomi M. Yamamoto2, Benjamin G. Bitler2, Matthew J. Sikora1 Affiliation: 1Dept. of Pathology, 2Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Corresponding author: Matthew J. Sikora, PhD.; Mail Stop 8104, Research Complex 1 South, Room 5117, 12801 E. 17th Ave.; Aurora, CO 80045. Tel: (303)724-4301; Fax: (303)724-3712; email: [email protected]. Twitter: @mjsikora Funding This work was supported by R00 CA193734 (MJS) and R00 CA194318 (BGB) from the National Institutes of Health, and by a grant from the Cancer League of Colorado, Inc (MJS). Authors' contributions DMR and MJS conceived of the project and experiments. DMR, RLF, and MJS designed and performed experiments. RLF, DMR, and TMY developed models for the project. DMR, RLF, BGB, and MJS contributed to data analysis and interpretation. DMR wrote the draft manuscript; all authors read and revised the manuscript, and have read and approved of this version of the manuscript. bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/333906; this version posted September 14, 2018. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity.
    [Show full text]
  • Wnt-Independent and Wnt-Dependent Effects of APC Loss on the Chemotherapeutic Response
    International Journal of Molecular Sciences Review Wnt-Independent and Wnt-Dependent Effects of APC Loss on the Chemotherapeutic Response Casey D. Stefanski 1,2 and Jenifer R. Prosperi 1,2,3,* 1 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46617, USA; [email protected] 2 Mike and Josie Harper Cancer Research Institute, South Bend, IN 46617, USA 3 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine-South Bend, South Bend, IN 46617, USA * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-574-631-4002 Received: 30 September 2020; Accepted: 20 October 2020; Published: 22 October 2020 Abstract: Resistance to chemotherapy occurs through mechanisms within the epithelial tumor cells or through interactions with components of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Chemoresistance and the development of recurrent tumors are two of the leading factors of cancer-related deaths. The Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC) tumor suppressor is lost in many different cancers, including colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer, and its loss correlates with a decreased overall survival in cancer patients. While APC is commonly known for its role as a negative regulator of the WNT pathway, APC has numerous binding partners and functional roles. Through APC’s interactions with DNA repair proteins, DNA replication proteins, tubulin, and other components, recent evidence has shown that APC regulates the chemotherapy response in cancer cells. In this review article, we provide an overview of some of the cellular processes in which APC participates and how they impact chemoresistance through both epithelial- and TME-derived mechanisms. Keywords: adenomatous polyposis coli; chemoresistance; WNT signaling 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau (Molecular Pathology/Neurodegenerative Disease/Neurofibriliary Tangles) M
    Proc. Nati. Acad. Sci. USA Vol. 85, pp. 4051-4055, June 1988 Medical Sciences Cloning and sequencing of the cDNA encoding a core protein of the paired helical filament of Alzheimer disease: Identification as the microtubule-associated protein tau (molecular pathology/neurodegenerative disease/neurofibriliary tangles) M. GOEDERT*, C. M. WISCHIK*t, R. A. CROWTHER*, J. E. WALKER*, AND A. KLUG* *Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QH, United Kingdom; and tDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge Clinical School, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, United Kingdom Contributed by A. Klug, March 1, 1988 ABSTRACT Screening of cDNA libraries prepared from (21). This task is made all the more difficult because there is the frontal cortex ofan zheimer disease patient and from fetal no functional or physiological assay for the protein(s) of the human brain has led to isolation of the cDNA for a core protein PHF. The only identification so far possible is the morphol- of the paired helical fiament of Alzheimer disease. The partial ogy of the PHFs at the electron microscope level, and here amino acid sequence of this core protein was used to design we would accept only experiments on isolated individual synthetic oligonucleotide probes. The cDNA encodes a protein of filaments, not on neurofibrillary tangles (in which other 352 amino acids that contains a characteristic amino acid repeat material might be occluded). One thus needs a label or marker in its carboxyl-terminal half. This protein is highly homologous for the PHF itself, which can at the same time be used to to the sequence ofthe mouse microtubule-assoiated protein tau follow the steps of the biochemical purification.
    [Show full text]
  • Neurofilaments: Neurobiological Foundations for Biomarker Applications
    Neurofilaments: neurobiological foundations for biomarker applications Arie R. Gafson1, Nicolas R. Barthelmy2*, Pascale Bomont3*, Roxana O. Carare4*, Heather D. Durham5*, Jean-Pierre Julien6,7*, Jens Kuhle8*, David Leppert8*, Ralph A. Nixon9,10,11,12*, Roy Weller4*, Henrik Zetterberg13,14,15,16*, Paul M. Matthews1,17 1 Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK 2 Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA 3 a ATIP-Avenir team, INM, INSERM , Montpellier university , Montpellier , France. 4 Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, United Kingdom 5 Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada 6 Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Laval University, Quebec, Canada. 7 CERVO Brain Research Center, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Québec, QC, G1J 2G3, Canada 8 Neurologic Clinic and Policlinic, Departments of Medicine, Biomedicine and Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. 9 Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA. 10Departments of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, 11 Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA. 12Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA 13 University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK 14 UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London 15 Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden 16 Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden 17 UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College, London * Co-authors ordered alphabetically Address for correspondence: Prof.
    [Show full text]
  • Tsukushi Functions As a Wnt Signaling Inhibitor by Competing with Wnt2b for Binding to Transmembrane Protein Frizzled4
    Tsukushi functions as a Wnt signaling inhibitor by competing with Wnt2b for binding to transmembrane protein Frizzled4 Kunimasa Ohtaa,b,1,2, Ayako Itoa,c,1, Sei Kuriyamaa,d,3, Giuseppe Lupoe,f, Mitsuko Kosakag,4, Shin-ichi Ohnumah, Shinichi Nakagawai, and Hideaki Tanakaa,c,d aDepartment of Developmental Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan; bPrecursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama 332-0012, Japan; cGlobal Center of Excellence, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan; d21st Century Center of Excellence, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan; eDepartment of Biology and Biotechnology “C. Darwin,” University of Rome “La Sapienza,” 00185 Rome, Italy; fIstituto Pasteur–Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, 00185, Rome, Italy; gRIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe 650-0047, Japan; hInstitute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom; and IRIKEN Advanced Science Institute, Nakagawa RNA Biology Laboratory, Saitama 351-0198, Japan Edited* by Lynn T. Landmesser, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, and approved July 8, 2011 (received for review January 11, 2011) The Wnt signaling pathway is essential for the development of We previously described the isolation of Tsukushi (TSK) protein diverse tissues during embryogenesis. Signal transduction is acti- isoforms (13), soluble molecules belonging to the small leucine- vated by the binding of Wnt proteins to the type I receptor low- rich proteoglycan (SLRP) family (14), and showed that they work density lipoprotein receptor–related protein 5/6 and the seven-pass as extracellular modulators of pivotal signaling cascades during transmembrane protein Frizzled (Fzd), which contains a Wnt- early embryonic development in chicks and frogs (13, 15–17).
    [Show full text]
  • Deregulated Wnt/Β-Catenin Program in High-Risk Neuroblastomas Without
    Oncogene (2008) 27, 1478–1488 & 2008 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved 0950-9232/08 $30.00 www.nature.com/onc ONCOGENOMICS Deregulated Wnt/b-catenin program in high-risk neuroblastomas without MYCN amplification X Liu1, P Mazanek1, V Dam1, Q Wang1, H Zhao2, R Guo2, J Jagannathan1, A Cnaan2, JM Maris1,3 and MD Hogarty1,3 1Division of Oncology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA; 2Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA and 3Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA Neuroblastoma (NB) is a frequently lethal tumor of Introduction childhood. MYCN amplification accounts for the aggres- sive phenotype in a subset while the majority have no Neuroblastoma (NB) is a childhood embryonal malig- consistently identified molecular aberration but frequently nancy arising in the peripheral sympathetic nervous express MYC at high levels. We hypothesized that acti- system. Half of all children with NB present with features vated Wnt/b-catenin (CTNNB1) signaling might account that define their tumorsashigh riskwith poor overall for this as MYC is a b-catenin transcriptional target and survival despite intensive therapy (Matthay et al., 1999). multiple embryonal and neural crest malignancies have A subset of these tumors are characterized by high-level oncogenic alterations in this pathway. NB cell lines without genomic amplification of the MYCN proto-oncogene MYCN amplification express higher levels of MYC and (Matthay et al., 1999) but the remainder have no b-catenin (with aberrant nuclear localization) than MYCN- consistently identified aberration to account for their amplified cell lines.
    [Show full text]
  • INITIAL EXPRESSION of NEUROFILAMENTS and VIMENTIN in the CENTRAL and PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM of the MOUSE EMBRYO in Vivol
    0270-6474/84/0408-2080$02.00/O The Journal of Neuroscience Copyright 0 Society for Neuroscience Vol. 4, No. 8, pp. 2080-2094 Printed in U.S.A. August 1984 INITIAL EXPRESSION OF NEUROFILAMENTS AND VIMENTIN IN THE CENTRAL AND PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM OF THE MOUSE EMBRYO IN VIVOl PHILIPPE COCHARD’ AND DENISE PAULIN* Institut d%mbryologie du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et du Collkge de France, 94130 Nogent-sur-Marne, France and *Laboratoire de Gdn&ique Cellulaire, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France Received December 9,1983; Accepted February 9, 1984 Abstract The appearance of neurofilaments (NFs) and vimentin (Vim) in the nervous system of the mouse embryo was documented using immunohistochemical techniques. The three NF protein subunits appear early and simultaneously in central and peripheral neurons at 9 to 10 days of gestation. The onset of NF expression is concomitant with axon elongation and correlates extremely well with neurofibrillar differentiation and, in the case of autonomic ganglia, with the expression of adrenergic neurotransmitter properties. In the central and peripheral nervous system, NF expression is preceded by that of Vim, and both types of intermediate filaments coexist within the same cell for a short period of time. Specific markers of neuronal and glial cell types are powerful cases, they have revealed common epitopes shared by the tools for studying the mechanisms generating cellular diversi- various classes of IF (Pruss et al., 1981; Dellagi et al., 1982; fication in the nervous system. In recent years, intermediate Gown and Vogel, 1982 and, in the NF class, by the various NF filaments (IFS), a particular class of cytoskeletal proteins, have subunits (Willard and Simon, 1981; Lee et al., 1982; Goldstein attracted much interest, largely because of their polymorphism; et al., 1983).
    [Show full text]
  • Differential Organization of Desmin and Vimentin in Muscle Is Due to Differences in Their Head Domains Robert B
    Differential Organization of Desmin and Vimentin in Muscle Is Due to Differences in Their Head Domains Robert B. Cary and Michael W. Klymkowsky Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0347 Abstract. In most myogenic systems, synthesis of the aggregates. In embryonic epithelial cells, both vimen- intermediate filament (IF) protein vimentin precedes tin and desmin formed extended IF networks. Vimen- the synthesis of the muscle-specific IF protein desmin. tin and desmin differ most dramatically in their NH:- In the dorsal myotome of the Xenopus embryo, how- terminal "head" regions. To determine whether the ever, there is no preexisting vimentin filament system head region was responsible for the differences in the and desmin's initial organization is quite different from behavior of these two proteins, we constructed plas- that seen in vimentin-containing myocytes (Cary and mids encoding chimeric proteins in which the head of Klymkowsky, 1994. Differentiation. In press.). To de- one was attached to the body of the other. In muscle, termine whether the organization of IFs in the Xeno- the vimentin head-desmin body (VDD) polypeptide pus myotome reflects features unique to Xenopus or is formed longitudinal IFs and massive IF bundles like due to specific properties of desmin, we used the in- vimentin. The desmin head-vimentin body (DVV) jection of plasmid DNA to drive the synthesis of polypeptide, on the other hand, formed IF meshworks vimentin or desmin in myotomal cells. At low levels and non-filamentous structures like desmin. In em- of accumulation, exogenous vimentin and desmin both bryonic epithelial cells DVV formed a discrete fila- enter into the endogenous desmin system of the myo- ment network while VDD did not.
    [Show full text]
  • Hippocampus Formation: an Intriguing Collaboration Henk Roelink
    bb10g06.qxd 04/03/2000 01:10 Page R279 Dispatch R279 Hippocampus formation: An intriguing collaboration Henk Roelink Recent genetic studies have shown that the signalling temporal lobes are formed. In an adult rodent, the hip- factor Wnt3a is required for formation of the pocampus is consequently still found close to the dorsal hippocampus; the developmental consequences of Wnt midline where it is initially formed (Figure 1). signalling in the hippocampus are mediated by multiple HMG-box transcription factors, with LEF-1 being It is clear that Wnt family members are required for the required just for formation of the dentate gyrus. development of many embryonic structures, functions mediated by their effects on fundamental processes such Address: Department of Biological Structure and Center for Developmental Biology, University of Washington, Box 357420, as cell proliferation, differentiation, survival or mainte- Seattle, Washington 98117-7420, USA. nance. Obtaining a clear picture of how each Wnt acts is E-mail: [email protected] complicated by the relatively large size of the family, which has at least 18 members in amniotes [3]. Analyses of Current Biology 2000, 10:R279–R281 mice lacking one or several Wnt genes have revealed some 0960-9822/00/$ – see front matter remarkable phenotypes, often characterized by failure of © 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. induction of very specific anatomical structures. Wnt3A is no exception, and although several papers have been pub- Inductive interactions are fundamental to the formation of lished already on the more obvious defects of Wnt3a all brain structures. and signalling by molecules of the knockout mice, a recent paper from McMahon and col- Wingless/Wnt family is known to play a role in many of leagues [1] has reported a very interesting defect in the them.
    [Show full text]
  • Vimentin, Carcinoembryonic Antigen and Keratin in the Diagnosis of Mesothelioma, Adenocarcinoma and Reactive Pleural Lesions
    Eur Respir J 1990, 3, 997-1001 Vimentin, carcinoembryonic antigen and keratin in the diagnosis of mesothelioma, adenocarcinoma and reactive pleural lesions N. AI-Saffar, P .S. Hasleton Vimentin, carcinoembryonic antigen and keratin in the diagnosis of Dept of Pathology, Regional CardiO!horacic Centre, mesothelioma, adenocarcinoma and reactive pleural lesions. N. Al-Saffar, P .S. Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, UK. Hasleton. ABSTRACT: An immunohistochemical study of reactive pleural lesions, Correspondence: P.S. Hasleton, Dept of Pathology, Wythensbawe Hospital, Southmoor Road, adenocarcinomas and mesothellomas using carclnoembyronic antigen Wythenshawe, Manchester M23 9LT, UK. (CEA), cytokeratln and vlmentln was carried out. All the specimens were obtained at surgery except for 11 mesotheliomas found at necropsy. Keywords: Adenocarcinoma (lung); carcinoembryonic Vlmentln was positive In 23 or 27 mesotheliomas and negative In all the antigen (CEA); keratin; mesothelioma (pleural); adenocarcinomas and 4 of 17 reactive mesothelial lesions. Conversely, vimentin. CEA was positive In all the adenocarcinomas but negative 1n all mesothe­ liomas. Immunoreactivity for vlmentln was seen In only 3 of 11 post­ Received: February 1990; accepted after revision May mortem mesotheliomas. Vlmentln Is a useful adjunct to the tissue diagnosis 2, 1990. of mesothelioma especially when CEA Is negative and cytokeratln positive. Its use appears largely confirmed to well fixed surgically derived tissues. Eur Respir J., 1990, 3, 997- 1001. The diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma is 38 mesothelioma cases were necropsy specimens often difficult. It may be confused histologically with a coming mainly from the Medical Boarding Panel (M.B.P.) reactive pleurisy or adenocarcinoma. Separation from (Respiratory Diseases). Seven were epithelial, three benign lesions is obviously important.
    [Show full text]