Tbx20 regulation of endocardial cushion cell proliferation and extracellular matrix gene expression

While recent work has implicated Tbx20 in myocardial maturation and proliferation, the role of Tbx20 in heart valve development remains relatively unknown. Tbx20 expression was manipulated in primary avian endocardial cells in order to elucidate its function in developing endocardial cushions. Tbx20 gain of function was achieved with a Tbx20-adenovirus, and endogenous Tbx20 expression was inhibited with Tbx20-specific siRNA in cultured endocardial cushion cells. With Tbx20 gain of function, the expression of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPG), including aggrecan and versican, was decreased, while the expression of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) mmp9 and mmp13 was increased. Consistent results were observed with Tbx20 loss of function, where the expression of CSPG genes increased and MMP genes decreased. In addition, cushion mesenchyme proliferation increased with infection of a Tbx20-adenovirus and decreased with transfection of Tbx20-specfic siRNA. Furthermore, BMP2 treatment resulted in increased Tbx20 expression in endocardial cushion cells, and loss of Tbx20 led to increased Tbx2 and decreased N-myc gene expression. Taken together, these data support a role for Tbx20 in repressing extracellular matrix remodeling and promoting cell proliferation in mesenchymal valve precursor populations in endocardial cushions during embryonic development.     

Bmp2 is essential for cardiac cushion epithelial-mesenchymal transition and myocardial patterning

Cardiac cushion development provides a valuable system to investigate epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), a fundamental process in development and tumor progression. In the atrioventricular (AV) canal, endocardial cells lining the heart respond to a myocardial-derived signal, undergo EMT, and contribute to cushion mesenchyme. Here, we inactivated bone morphogenetic protein 2 (Bmp2) in the AV myocardium of mice. We show that Bmp2 has three functions in the AV canal: to enhance formation of the cardiac jelly, to induce endocardial EMT and to pattern the AV myocardium. Bmp2 is required for myocardial expression of Has2, a crucial component of the cardiac jelly matrix. During EMT, Bmp2 promotes expression of the basic helix-loop-helix factor Twist1, previously implicated in EMT in cancer metastases, and the homeobox genes Msx1 and Msx2. Deletion of the Bmp type 1A receptor, Bmpr1a, in endocardium also resulted in failed cushion formation, indicating that Bmp2 signals directly to cushion-forming endocardium to induce EMT. Lastly, we show that Bmp2 mutants failed to specify the AV myocardium with loss of Tbx2 expression uncovering a myocardial, planar signaling function for Bmp2. Our data indicate that Bmp2 has a crucial role in coordinating multiple aspects of AV canal morphogenesis.     

BRD4在喉鳞状细胞癌病灶转移过程中的作用及机制研究

目的:探讨溴样结构域蛋白4 (Bromoid Domain Protein 4,BRD4)在喉鳞状细胞癌病灶转移过程中的作用及其机制。方法:收集本院2016年4月-2018年4月收治的87例喉鳞状细胞癌患者手术标本。qRT-PCR、Western blot和免疫组化染色检测患者肿瘤组织(Tumor Tissue)、癌旁组织(Adjacent Tissue)和正常组织(Normal Tissue)中BRD4表达;BRD4拮抗剂GSK525762A(500nmo L/L)处理喉鳞状细胞癌Hep2细胞,24、48和72 h后CCK-8检测细胞增殖;Trans-well细胞迁移实验和侵袭实验分别检测GSK525762A给药前后Hep2细胞迁移和侵袭能力;qRT-PCR和Western blot检测GSK525762A给药前后Hep2细胞BRD4、E-Cadherin、N-Cadherin和Twist蛋白表达。结果:喉鳞状细胞癌肿瘤组织中BRD4表达高于癌旁组织和正常卵巢组织(P0.05);GSK525762A给药处理后Hep2细胞增殖能力、迁移和侵袭能力及BRD4和上皮间质转化相关蛋白N-Cadherin和Twist表达均明显低于阴性对照组(P0.05),而E-Cadherin表达的表达明显升高(P0.05)。结论:BRD4可能通过抑制E-Cadherin的表达,增加N-Cadherin和Twist的表达,进而激活上皮间质转化,促进喉鳞状细胞癌转移。     

BMP-2 Induces Versican and Hyaluronan That Contribute to Post-EMT AV Cushion Cell Migration

Distal outgrowth and maturation of mesenchymalized endocardial cushions are critical morphogenetic events during post-EMT atrioventricular (AV) valvuloseptal morphogenesis. We explored the role of BMP-2 in the regulation of valvulogenic extracellular matrix (ECM) components, versican and hyaluronan (HA), and cell migration during post-EMT AV cushion distal outgrowth/expansion. We observed intense staining of versican and HA in AV cushion mesenchyme from the early cushion expansion stage, Hamburger and Hamilton (HH) stage-17 to the cushion maturation stage, HH stage-29 in the chick. Based on this expression pattern we examined the role of BMP-2 in regulating versican and HA using 3D AV cushion mesenchymal cell (CMC) aggregate cultures on hydrated collagen gels. BMP-2 induced versican expression and HA deposition as well as mRNA expression of versican and Has2 by CMCs in a dose dependent manner. Noggin, an antagonist of BMP, abolished BMP-2-induced versican and HA as well as mRNA expression of versican and Has2. We further examined whether BMP-2-promoted cell migration was associated with expression of versican and HA. BMP-2- promoted cell migration was significantly impaired by treatments with versican siRNA and HA oligomer. In conclusion, we provide evidence that BMP-2 induces expression of versican and HA by AV CMCs and that these ECM components contribute to BMP-2-induced CMC migration, indicating critical roles for BMP-2 in distal outgrowth/expansion of mesenchymalized AV cushions.     

The cell cycle inhibitor p27Kip1 controls self-renewal and pluripotency of human embryonic stem cells by regulating the cell cycle,Brachyury and Twist

The continued turn over of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) while maintaining an undifferentiated state is dependent on the regulation of the cell cycle. Here we asked the question if a single cell cycle gene could regulate the self-renewal or pluripotency properties of hESC. We identified that the protein expression of the p27^Kip1 cell cycle inhibitor is low in hESC cells and increased with differentiation. By adopting a gain and loss of function strategy we forced or reduced its expression in undifferentiating conditions to define its functional role in self-renewal and pluripotency. Using undifferentiation conditions, overexpression of p27^Kip1 in hESC lead to a G₁ phase arrest with an enlarged and flattened hESC morphology and consequent loss of self-renewal ability. Loss of p27^Kip1 caused an elongated/scatter cell-like phenotype involving upregulation of Brachyury and Twist gene expression. We demonstrate the novel finding that p27^Kip1 protein occupies the Twist1 gene promoter and manipulation of p27^Kip1 by gain and loss of function is associated with Twist gene expression changes. These results define p27^Kip1 expression levels as critical for self-renewal and pluripotency in hESC and suggest a role for p27^Kip1 in controlling an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in hESC.     

Heat shock proteins, HSP25 and HSP70, and apoptosis in developing endocardial cushion of the mouse heart

Formation of the atrioventricular channels and valves from the endocardial cushion occurs through growth and remodeling of the initial endocardial cushion. This process requires balanced coordination of proliferation and apoptosis by still unknown factors. To detect a possible role for the heat shock proteins 25 and 70 (HSP25 and HSP70) as apoptosis-associated proteins and differentiation factors in the development of the endocardial cushion, we analyzed their temporal and regional occurrence during cell proliferation and apoptosis in E11-E17 embryos. The distribution and timing of these events and factors were consistent with the hypothesis that HSP25 is related to myocardial development whereas HSP70 is related to differentiation of the endocardial cushion by cell proliferation and apoptosis.