SDF-9, a protein tyrosine phosphatase-like molecule,regulates the L3/dauer developmental decision through hormonal signaling in C. elegans

The dauer larva of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a good model system for investigating the regulation of developmental fates by environmental cues. Here we show that SDF-9, a protein tyrosine phosphatase-like molecule, is involved in the regulation of dauer larva formation. The dauer larva of sdf-9 mutants is different from a normal dauer larva but resembles the dauer-like larva of daf-9 and daf-12 dauer-constitutive mutants. Like these mutants, the dauer-constitutive phenotypes of sdf-9 mutants were greatly enhanced by cholesterol deprivation. Epistasis analyses, together with the relationship between sdf-9 mutations and daf-9 expression, suggested that SDF-9 increases the activity of DAF-9 or helps the execution of the DAF-9 function. SDF-9 was expressed in two head cells in which DAF-9 is expressed. By their position and by genetic mosaic experiments, we identified these cells as XXXL/R cells, which are known as embryonic hypodermal cells and whose function at later stages is unknown. Killing of the sdf-9-expressing cells in the wild-type first-stage larva induced formation of the dauer-like larva. Since this study on SDF-9 and former studies on DAF-9 showed that the functions of these proteins are related to those of steroids, XXXL/R cells seem to play a key role in the metabolism or function of a steroid hormone(s) that acts in dauer regulation.     

C. elegans SGK-1 is the critical component in the Akt/PKB kinase complex to control stress response and life span

The DAF-2 insulin receptor-like signaling pathway controls metabolism, development, longevity, and stress response in C. elegans. Here we show that SGK-1, the C. elegans homolog of the serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase SGK, acts in parallel to the AKT kinases to mediate DAF-2 signaling. Loss of sgk-1 results in defective egg-laying, extended generation time, increased stress resistance, and an extension of life span. SGK-1 forms a protein complex with the AKT kinases, and is activated by and strictly depends on PDK-1. All three kinases of this complex are able to directly phosphorylate DAF-16/FKHRL1, yet have different functions in DAF-2 signaling. Whereas AKT-1 and AKT-2 are more important for regulating dauer formation, SGK-1 is the crucial factor for the control of development, stress response, and longevity. Our data also suggest the existence of a second pathway from DAF-2 to DAF-16 that does not depend on AKT-1, AKT-2, and SGK-1.     

Stromal derived factor-1 regulates bone morphogenetic protein 2-induced osteogenic differentiation of primary mesenchymal stem cells

Stromal derived factor-1 (SDF-1) is a chemokine signaling molecule that binds to its transmembrane receptor CXC chemokine receptor-4 (CXCR4). While we previously detected that SDF-1 was co-required with bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) for differentiating mesenchymal C2C12 cells into osteoblastic cells, it is unknown whether SDF-1 is similarly involved in the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Therefore, here we examined the role of SDF-1 signaling during BMP2-induced osteogenic differentiation of primary MSCs that were derived from human and mouse bone marrow. Our data showed that blocking of the SDF-1/CXCR4 signal axis or adding SDF-1 protein to MSCs significantly affected BMP2-induced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and osteocalcin (OCN) synthesis, markers of preosteoblasts and mature osteoblasts, respectively. Moreover, disrupting the SDF-1 signaling impaired bone nodule mineralization during terminal differentiation of MSCs. Furthermore, we detected that blocking of the SDF-1 signaling inhibited the BMP2-induced early expression of Runt-related factor-2 (Runx2) and osterix (Osx), two “master” regulators of osteogenesis, and the SDF-1 effect was mediated via intracellular Smad and Erk activation. In conclusion, our results demonstrated a regulatory role of SDF-1 in BMP2-induced osteogenic differentiation of MSCs, as perturbing the SDF-1 signaling affected the differentiation of MSCs towards osteoblastic cells in response to BMP2 stimulation. These data provide novel insights into molecular mechanisms underlying MSC osteogenesis, and will contribute to the development of MSC therapies for enhancing bone formation and regeneration in broad orthopaedic situations.     

A Caenorhabditis elegans type I TGF beta receptor can function in the absence of type II kinase to promote larval development

The daf-4 gene encodes a type II bone morphogenetic protein receptor in Caenorhabditis elegans that regulates dauer larva formation, body size and male tail patterning. The putative type I receptor partner for DAF-4 in regulating dauer larva formation is DAF-1. Genetic tests of the mechanism of activation of these receptors show that DAF-1 can signal in the absence of DAF-4 kinase activity. A daf-1 mutation enhances dauer formation in a daf-4 null background, whereas overexpression of daf-1 partially rescues a daf-4 mutant. DAF-1 alone cannot fully compensate for the loss of DAF-4 activity, indicating that nondauer development normally results from the activities of both receptors. DAF-1 signaling in the absence of a type II kinase is unique in the type I receptor family. The activity may be an evolutionary remnant, owing to daf-1's origin near the type I/type II divergence, or it may be an innovation that evolved in nematodes. daf-1 and daf-4 promoters both mediated expression of green fluorescent protein in the nervous system, indicating that a DAF-1/DAF-4 receptor complex may activate a neuronal signaling pathway. Signaling from a strong DAF-1/DAF-4 receptor complex or a weaker DAF-1 receptor alone may provide larvae with more precise control of the dauer/nondauer decision in a range of environmental conditions.     

Targets of TGF-beta signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans dauer formation

Caenorhabditis elegans dauer formation is controlled by multiple environmental factors. The chemosensory neuron ASI regulates dauer formation by secretion of DAF-7/TGF-beta, but the molecular targets of the DAF-7 ligand are incompletely defined and the cellular targets are unknown. We genetically characterized and cloned a putative transducer of DAF-7 signaling called daf-14 and found that it encodes a Smad protein. DAF-14 Smad has a highly unusual structure completely lacking the N-terminal domain found in all other Smad proteins known to date. daf-14 genetically interacts with daf-8, which encodes another Smad, and the interaction suggests partial functional redundancy between these two Smad proteins. We also studied the cellular targets of DAF-7 signaling by studying the sites of action of daf-14 and daf-4, the putative receptor for DAF-7. daf-14::gfp is expressed in multiple tissues that are remodeled during dauer formation. However, analysis of mosaics generated by free duplication loss and tissue-specific expression constructs indicate cell-nonautonomous function of daf-4, arguing against direct DAF-7 signaling to tissues throughout the animal. Instead, these experiments suggest the nervous system as a target of DAF-7 signaling and that the nervous system in turn regulates dauer formation by other tissues.     

Localization of a guanylyl cyclase to chemosensory cilia requires the novel ciliary MYND domain protein DAF-25

In harsh conditions, Caenorhabditis elegans arrests development to enter a non-aging, resistant diapause state called the dauer larva. Olfactory sensation modulates the TGF-β and insulin signaling pathways to control this developmental decision. Four mutant alleles of daf-25 (abnormal DAuer Formation) were isolated from screens for mutants exhibiting constitutive dauer formation and found to be defective in olfaction. The daf-25 dauer phenotype is suppressed by daf-10/IFT122 mutations (which disrupt ciliogenesis), but not by daf-6/PTCHD3 mutations (which prevent environmental exposure of sensory cilia), implying that DAF-25 functions in the cilia themselves. daf-25 encodes the C. elegans ortholog of mammalian Ankmy2, a MYND domain protein of unknown function. Disruption of DAF-25, which localizes to sensory cilia, produces no apparent cilia structure anomalies, as determined by light and electron microscopy. Hinting at its potential function, the dauer phenotype, epistatic order, and expression profile of daf-25 are similar to daf-11, which encodes a cilium-localized guanylyl cyclase. Indeed, we demonstrate that DAF-25 is required for proper DAF-11 ciliary localization. Furthermore, the functional interaction is evolutionarily conserved, as mouse Ankmy2 interacts with guanylyl cyclase GC1 from ciliary photoreceptors. The interaction may be specific because daf-25 mutants have normally-localized OSM-9/TRPV4, TAX-4/CNGA1, CHE-2/IFT80, CHE-11/IFT140, CHE-13/IFT57, BBS-8, OSM-5/IFT88, and XBX-1/D2LIC in the cilia. Intraflagellar transport (IFT) (required to build cilia) is not defective in daf-25 mutants, although the ciliary localization of DAF-25 itself is influenced in che-11 mutants, which are defective in retrograde IFT. In summary, we have discovered a novel ciliary protein that plays an important role in cGMP signaling by localizing a guanylyl cyclase to the sensory organelle.     

Daf-2 signaling modifies mutant SOD1 toxicity in C. elegans

The DAF-2 Insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS) pathway is a strong modifier of Caenorhabditis elegans longevity and healthspan. As aging is the greatest risk factor for developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), we were interested in determining if DAF-2 signaling modifies disease pathology in mutant superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) expressing C. elegans. Worms with pan-neuronal G85R SOD1 expression demonstrate significantly impaired locomotion as compared to WT SOD1 expressing controls and they develop insoluble SOD1 aggregates. Reductions in DAF-2 signaling, either through a hypomorphic allele or neuronally targeted RNAi, decreases the abundance of aggregated SOD1 and results in improved locomotion in a DAF-16 dependant manner. These results suggest that manipulation of the DAF-2 Insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of ALS.     

Proteolytic processing of SDF-1 α by matrix metalloproteinase-2 impairs CXCR4 signaling and reduces neural progenitor cell migration

Neural stem cells and neural progenitor cells (NPCs) exist throughout life and are mobilized to replace neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes after injury. Stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1, now named CXCL12) and its receptor CXCR4, an α-chemokine receptor, are critical for NPC migration into damaged areas of the brain. Our previous studies demonstrated that immune activated and/or HIV-1-infected human monocyte-derived- macrophages (MDMs) induced a substantial increase of SDF-1 production by human astrocytes. However, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, a protein up-regulated in HIV-1-infected macrophages, is able to cleave four amino acids from the N-terminus of SDF-1, resulting in a truncated SDF-1(5-67). In this study, we investigate the diverse signaling and function induced by SDF-1 α and SDF-1(5-67) in human cortical NPCs. SDF-1(5-67) was generated by incubating human recombinant SDF-1α with MMP-2 followed by protein determination via mass spectrometry, Western blotting and ELISA. SDF-1α induced time-dependent phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) 1/2, Akt-1, and diminished cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). In contrast, SDF-1(5-67) failed to induce these signaling. SDF-1α activation of CXCR4 induced migration of NPCs, an effect that is dependent on ERK1/2 and Akt-1 pathways; whereas SDF-1(5-67) failed to induce NPC migration. This observation provides evidence that MMP-2 may affect NPC migration through post-translational processing of SDF-1α.