An early cell shape transition drives evolutionary expansion of the human forebrain

AbstractThe human brain has undergone rapid expansion since humans diverged from other great apes, but the mechanism of this human-specific enlargement is still unknown. Here, we use cerebral organoids derived from human, gorilla and chimpanzee cells to study developmental mechanisms driving evolutionary brain expansion. We find that the differentiation of neuroepithelial cells to neurogenic radial glia is a protracted process in apes, involving a previously unrecognized transition state characterized by a change in cell shape. Furthermore, we show that human organoids are larger due to a delay in this transition. Temporally resolved RNA-seq from human and gorilla organoids reveals differences in gene expression patterns associated with cell morphogenesis, and in particular highlights ZEB2, a known regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cell shape. We show, through loss- and gain-of-function experiments, that ZEB2 promotes the progression of neuroepithelial differentiation, and its ectopic overexpression in human is sufficient to trigger a premature transition. Thus, by mimicking the nonhuman ape expression in human organoids, we are able to force the acquisition of nonhuman ape architecture, establishing for the first time, an instructive role of neuroepithelial cell shape in human brain expansion.

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The FOXK1-CCDC43 Axis Promotes the Invasion and Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer Cells

Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1159/000495924 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 51 (6) ◽

pp. 2547-2563 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jing Wang ◽

Guangnan Liu ◽

Mengwei Liu ◽

Li Xiang ◽

Yizhi Xiao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Expression Patterns ◽

Gene Promoter ◽

Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Colorectal Cancer Cells ◽

Invasion Assays ◽

Transcriptional Target

Background/Aims: The CCDC43 gene is conserved in human, rhesus monkey, mouse and zebrafish. Bioinformatics studies have demonstrated the abnormal expression of CCDC43 gene in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the role and molecular mechanism of CCDC43 in CRC remain unknown. Methods: The functional role of CCDC43 and FOXK1 in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was determined using immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, western blot, EdU incorporation, luciferase, chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and cell invasion assays. Results: The CCDC43 gene was overexpressed in human CRC. High expression of CCDC43 protein was associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis in patients with CRC. Moreover, the induction of EMT by CCDC43 occurred through TGF-β signaling. Furthermore, a positive correlation between the expression patterns of CCDC43 and FOXK1 was observed in CRC cells. Promoter assays demonstrated that FOXK1 directly bound and activated the human CCDC43 gene promoter. In addition, CCDC43 was necessary for FOXK1- mediated EMT and metastasis in vitro and vivo. Taken together, this work identified that CCDC43 promoted EMT and was a direct transcriptional target of FOXK1 in CRC cells. Conclusion: FOXK1-CCDC43 axis might be helpful to develop the drugs for the treatment of CRC.

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Role of Decorin in Posterior Capsule Opacification and Eye Lens Development

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells10040863 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 863

Author(s):

Shinsuke Shibata ◽

Naoko Shibata ◽

Satoshi Ohtsuka ◽

Yasuo Yoshitomi ◽

Etsuko Kiyokawa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Growth Factor ◽

Transforming Growth Factor ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Smooth Muscle Actin ◽

Expression Patterns ◽

Posterior Capsule Opacification ◽

Posterior Capsule ◽

Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Mouse Lens

Decorin (DCN) is involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of lens epithelial cells (LECs) has been proposed as a major cause for the development of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after cataract surgery. We investigated the plausible target gene(s) that suppress PCO. The expression of Dcn was significantly upregulated in rat PCO tissues compared to that observed in the control using a microarray-based approach. LECs treated with fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 2 displayed an enhanced level of DCN expression, while LECs treated with transforming growth factor (TGF)β-2 showed a decrease in DCN expression. The expression of tropomyosin 1 (Tpm1), a marker of lens EMT increased after the addition of TGFβ-2 in human LEC; however, upregulation of Tpm1 mRNA or protein expression was reduced in human LECs overexpressing human DCN (hDCN). No phenotypic changes were observed in the lenses of 8- and 48-week-old transgenic mice for lens-specific hDCN (hDCN-Tg). Injury-induced EMT of the mouse lens, and the expression patterns of α smooth muscle actin, were attenuated in hDCN-Tg mice lenses. Overexpression of DCN inhibited the TGFβ-2-induced upregulation of Tpm1 and EMT observed during wound healing of the lens, but it did not affect mouse lens morphology until 48 weeks of age. Our findings demonstrate that DCN plays a significant role in regulating EMT formation of LECs and PCO, and suggest that for therapeutic intervention, maintenance of physiological expression of DCN is essential to attenuate EMT progression and PCO formation.

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By moonlighting in the nucleus, villin regulates epithelial plasticity

Molecular Biology of the Cell ◽

10.1091/mbc.e15-06-0453 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 535-548 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Srinivas Patnaik ◽

Sudeep P. George ◽

Eric Pham ◽

Swati Roy ◽

Kanchan Singh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wound Repair ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Actin Binding ◽

Nuclear Accumulation ◽

Epithelial Polarity ◽

Systematic Analysis ◽

Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Epithelial Plasticity ◽

First Time

Villin is a tissue-specific, actin-binding protein involved in the assembly and maintenance of microvilli in polarized epithelial cells. Conversely, villin is also linked with the loss of epithelial polarity and gain of the mesenchymal phenotype in migrating, invasive cells. In this study, we describe for the first time how villin can switch between these disparate functions to change tissue architecture by moonlighting in the nucleus. Our study reveals that the moonlighting function of villin in the nucleus may play an important role in tissue homeostasis and disease. Villin accumulates in the nucleus during wound repair, and altering the cellular microenvironment by inducing hypoxia increases the nuclear accumulation of villin. Nuclear villin is also associated with mouse models of tumorigenesis, and a systematic analysis of a large cohort of colorectal cancer specimens confirmed the nuclear distribution of villin in a subset of tumors. Our study demonstrates that nuclear villin regulates epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Altering the nuclear localization of villin affects the expression and activity of Slug, a key transcriptional regulator of EMT. In addition, we find that villin directly interacts with a transcriptional corepressor and ligand of the Slug promoter, ZBRK1. The outcome of this study underscores the role of nuclear villin and its binding partner ZBRK1 in the regulation of EMT and as potential new therapeutic targets to inhibit tumorigenesis.

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Magnesium Chloride is an Effective Therapeutic Agent for Prostate Cancer

Functional Foods in Health and Disease ◽

10.31989/ffhd.v8i1.368 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 62 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Julianna Maria Santos ◽

Fazle Hussain

Keyword(s):

Prostate Cancer ◽

Magnesium Chloride ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Chromatin Condensation ◽

Myosin Ii ◽

In Vivo Studies ◽

Migration Speed ◽

Mesenchymal Transition

Background: Reduced levels of magnesium can cause several diseases and increase cancer risk. Motivated by magnesium chloride’s (MgCl2) non-toxicity, physiological importance, and beneficial clinical applications, we studied its action mechanism and possible mechanical, molecular, and physiological effects in prostate cancer with different metastatic potentials.Methods: We examined the effects of MgCl2, after 24 and 48 hours, on apoptosis, cell migration, expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, and V-H+-ATPase, myosin II (NMII) and the transcription factor NF Kappa B (NFkB) expressions.Results: MgCl2 induces apoptosis, and significantly decreases migration speed in cancer cells with different metastatic potentials. MgCl2 reduces the expression of V-H+-ATPase and myosin II that facilitates invasion and metastasis, suppresses the expression of vimentin and increases expression of E-cadherin, suggesting a role of MgCl2 in reversing the EMT. MgCl2 also significantly increases the chromatin condensation and decreases NFkB expression.Conclusions: These results suggest a promising preventive and therapeutic role of MgCl2 for prostate cancer. Further studies should explore extending MgCl2 therapy to in vivo studies and other cancer types.Keywords: Magnesium chloride, prostate cancer, migration speed, V-H+-ATPase, and EMT.

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The Role of BRCA1 in Suppressing Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Mammary Gland and Tumor Development

10.21236/ada612714 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Xin-Hai Pei

Keyword(s):

Mammary Gland ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Tumor Development ◽

Mesenchymal Transition

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Effect of Annexins Translocated in Extracellular Vesicles on Tumorigenesis

Current Molecular Medicine ◽

10.2174/1566524020666200825163512 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

Author(s):

Qionghui Wu ◽

Haidong Wei ◽

Wenbo Meng ◽

Xiaodong Xie ◽

Zhenchang Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tumor Cells ◽

Extracellular Vesicles ◽

Immune Cell ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Main Role ◽

Tumor Cell Adhesion ◽

Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Calcium Dependent ◽

Tumor Neovascularization

: Annexin, a calcium-dependent phospholipid binding protein, can affect tumor cell adhesion, proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and metastasis, as well as tumor neovascularization in different ways. Recent studies have shown that annexin exists not only as an intracellular protein in tumor cells, but also in different ways to be secret outside the cell as a “crosstalk” tool for tumor cells and tumor microenvironment, thus playing an important role in the development of tumors, such as participating in epithelial-mesenchymal transition, regulating immune cell behavior, promoting neovascularization and so on. The mechanism of annexin secretion in the form of extracellular vesicles and its specific role is still unclear. This paper summarizes the main role of annexin secreted into the extracellular space in the form of extracellular vesicles in tumorigenesis and drug resistance and analyzes its possible mechanism.

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