Publisher's Note: Eya1 controls cell polarity, spindle orientation, cell fate and Notch signaling in distal embryonic lung epithelium by El-Hashash et al. Development doi:10.1242/dev.058479

Asymmetric stem cell division is a critical mechanism for balancing self-renewal and differentiation. Adult stem cells often orient their mitotic spindle to place one daughter inside the niche and the other outside of it to achieve asymmetric division. It remains unknown whether and how the niche may direct division orientation. Here we discover a novel and evolutionary conserved mechanism that couples cell polarity to cell fate. We show that the cytokine receptor homolog Dome, acting downstream of the niche-derived ligand Upd, directly binds to the microtubule-binding protein Eb1 to regulate spindle orientation in Drosophila male germline stem cells (GSCs). Dome’s role in spindle orientation is entirely separable from its known function in self-renewal mediated by the JAK-STAT pathway. We propose that integration of two functions (cell polarity and fate) in a single receptor is a key mechanism to ensure an asymmetric outcome following cell division.

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Cytokine receptor-Eb1 interaction couples cell polarity and fate during asymmetric cell division

10.1101/229047 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Cuie Chen ◽

Ryan Cummings ◽

Aghapi Mordovanakis ◽

Alan J. Hunt ◽

Michael Mayer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Cell Division ◽

Cell Fate ◽

Cell Polarity ◽

Adult Stem Cells ◽

Asymmetric Cell Division ◽

Cytokine Receptor ◽

Spindle Orientation ◽

Germline Stem Cells ◽

Self Renewal

AbstractAsymmetric stem cell division is a critical mechanism for balancing self-renewal and differentiation. Adult stem cells often orient their mitotic spindle to place one daughter inside the niche and the other outside of it to achieve asymmetric division. It remains unknown whether and how the niche may direct division orientation. Here we discover a novel and evolutionary conserved mechanism that couples cell polarity to cell fate. We show that the cytokine receptor homolog Dome, acting downstream of the niche-derived ligand Upd, directly binds to the microtubule-binding protein Eb1 to regulate spindle orientation in Drosophila male germline stem cells (GSCs). Dome’s role in spindle orientation is entirely separable from its known function in self-renewal mediated by the JAK-STAT pathway. We propose that integration of two functions (cell polarity and fate) in a single receptor is a key mechanism to ensure an asymmetric outcome following cell division.

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Cell polarity and spindle orientation in the distal epithelium of embryonic lung

Developmental Dynamics ◽

10.1002/dvdy.22551 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 240 (2) ◽

pp. 441-445 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Ahmed H. El-Hashash ◽

David Warburton

Keyword(s):

Cell Polarity ◽

Spindle Orientation ◽

Embryonic Lung

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Notch Signaling Regulation in HCC: From Hepatitis Virus to Non-Coding RNAs

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells10030521 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 521

Author(s):

Catia Giovannini ◽

Francesca Fornari ◽

Fabio Piscaglia ◽

Laura Gramantieri

Keyword(s):

Notch Signaling ◽

Cell Fate ◽

Hepatitis Virus ◽

Notch Pathway ◽

Notch Receptor ◽

Gamma Secretase ◽

Stem Cell Maintenance ◽

Pathway Activation ◽

Promising Therapeutic Approach ◽

Conserved Genes

The Notch family includes evolutionary conserved genes that encode for single-pass transmembrane receptors involved in stem cell maintenance, development and cell fate determination of many cell lineages. Upon activation by different ligands, and depending on the cell type, Notch signaling plays pleomorphic roles in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) affecting neoplastic growth, invasion capability and stem like properties. A specific knowledge of the deregulated expression of each Notch receptor and ligand, coupled with resultant phenotypic changes, is still lacking in HCC. Therefore, while interfering with Notch signaling might represent a promising therapeutic approach, the complexity of Notch/ligands interactions and the variable consequences of their modulations raises concerns when performed in undefined molecular background. The gamma-secretase inhibitors (GSIs), representing the most utilized approach for Notch inhibition in clinical trials, are characterized by important adverse effects due to the non-specific nature of GSIs themselves and to the lack of molecular criteria guiding patient selection. In this review, we briefly summarize the mechanisms involved in Notch pathway activation in HCC supporting the development of alternatives to the γ-secretase pan-inhibitor for HCC therapy.

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Notch signaling coordinates ommatidial rotation in the Drosophila eye via transcriptional regulation of the EGF-Receptor ligand Argos

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-019-55203-w ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yildiz Koca ◽

Benjamin E. Housden ◽

William J. Gault ◽

Sarah J. Bray ◽

Marek Mlodzik

Keyword(s):

Notch Signaling ◽

Cell Fate ◽

Planar Cell Polarity ◽

Egf Receptor ◽

Control Cell ◽

Loss Of Function ◽

Egfr Signaling ◽

Specific Expression ◽

Egfr Signaling Pathway ◽

Ommatidial Rotation

AbstractIn all metazoans, a small number of evolutionarily conserved signaling pathways are reiteratively used during development to orchestrate critical patterning and morphogenetic processes. Among these, Notch (N) signaling is essential for most aspects of tissue patterning where it mediates the communication between adjacent cells to control cell fate specification. In Drosophila, Notch signaling is required for several features of eye development, including the R3/R4 cell fate choice and R7 specification. Here we show that hypomorphic alleles of Notch, belonging to the Nfacet class, reveal a novel phenotype: while photoreceptor specification in the mutant ommatidia is largely normal, defects are observed in ommatidial rotation (OR), a planar cell polarity (PCP)-mediated cell motility process. We demonstrate that during OR Notch signaling is specifically required in the R4 photoreceptor to upregulate the transcription of argos (aos), an inhibitory ligand to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), to fine-tune the activity of EGFR signaling. Consistently, the loss-of-function defects of Nfacet alleles and EGFR-signaling pathway mutants are largely indistinguishable. A Notch-regulated aos enhancer confers R4 specific expression arguing that aos is directly regulated by Notch signaling in this context via Su(H)-Mam-dependent transcription.

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Notch restricts lymphatic vessel sprouting induced by vascular endothelial growth factor

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2010-11-317800 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 118 (4) ◽

pp. 1154-1162 ◽

Cited By ~ 73

Author(s):

Wei Zheng ◽

Tuomas Tammela ◽

Masahiro Yamamoto ◽

Andrey Anisimov ◽

Tanja Holopainen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Notch Signaling ◽

Cell Fate ◽

Target Genes ◽

Notch Pathway ◽

Lymphatic Vessels ◽

Soluble Form ◽

Fibrin Gel ◽

3 Dimensional ◽

Endothelial Growth Factor

Abstract Notch signaling plays a central role in cell-fate determination, and its role in lateral inhibition in angiogenic sprouting is well established. However, the role of Notch signaling in lymphangiogenesis, the growth of lymphatic vessels, is poorly understood. Here we demonstrate Notch pathway activity in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), as well as induction of delta-like ligand 4 (Dll4) and Notch target genes on stimulation with VEGF or VEGF-C. Suppression of Notch signaling by a soluble form of Dll4 (Dll4-Fc) synergized with VEGF in inducing LEC sprouting in 3-dimensional (3D) fibrin gel assays. Expression of Dll4-Fc in adult mouse ears promoted lymphangiogenesis, which was augmented by coexpressing VEGF. Lymphangiogenesis triggered by Notch inhibition was suppressed by a monoclonal VEGFR-2 Ab as well as soluble VEGF and VEGF-C/VEGF-D ligand traps. LECs transduced with Dll4 preferentially adopted the tip cell position over nontransduced cells in 3D sprouting assays, suggesting an analogous role for Dll4/Notch in lymphatic and blood vessel sprouting. These results indicate that the Notch pathway controls lymphatic endothelial quiescence, and explain why LECs are poorly responsive to VEGF compared with VEGF-C. Understanding the role of the Notch pathway in lymphangiogenesis provides further insight for the therapeutic manipulation of the lymphatic vessels.

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SUMOylation Negatively Regulates Angiogenesis by Targeting Endothelial NOTCH Signaling

Circulation Research ◽

10.1161/circresaha.117.310696 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 121 (6) ◽

pp. 636-649 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Xiaolong Zhu ◽

Sha Ding ◽

Cong Qiu ◽

Yanna Shi ◽

Lin Song ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Notch Signaling ◽

Cell Fate ◽

Developmental Disorders ◽

Interaction Mechanism ◽

Growth Factor Receptor ◽

Vascular Diseases ◽

Cell Interaction ◽

Protein Signaling

Rationale: The highly conserved NOTCH (neurogenic locus notch homolog protein) signaling pathway functions as a key cell–cell interaction mechanism controlling cell fate and tissue patterning, whereas its dysregulation is implicated in a variety of developmental disorders and cancers. The pivotal role of endothelial NOTCH in regulation of angiogenesis is widely appreciated; however, little is known about what controls its signal transduction. Our previous study indicated the potential role of post-translational SUMO (small ubiquitin-like modifier) modification (SUMOylation) in vascular disorders. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of SUMOylation in endothelial NOTCH signaling and angiogenesis. Methods and Results: Endothelial SENP1 (sentrin-specific protease 1) deletion, in newly generated endothelial SENP1 (the major protease of the SUMO system)–deficient mice, significantly delayed retinal vascularization by maintaining prolonged NOTCH1 signaling, as confirmed in cultured endothelial cells. An in vitro SUMOylation assay and immunoprecipitation revealed that when SENP1 associated with N1ICD (NOTCH1 intracellular domain), it functions as a deSUMOylase of N1ICD SUMOylation on conserved lysines. Immunoblot and immunoprecipitation analyses and dual-luciferase assays of natural and SUMO-conjugated/nonconjugated NOTCH1 forms demonstrated that SUMO conjugation facilitated NOTCH1 cleavage. This released N1ICD from the membrane and stabilized it for translocation to the nucleus where it functions as a cotranscriptional factor. Functionally, SENP1-mediated NOTCH1 deSUMOylation was required for NOTCH signal activation in response to DLL4 (Delta-like 4) stimulation. This in turn suppressed VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) receptor signaling and angiogenesis, as evidenced by immunoblotted signaling molecules and in vitro angiogenesis assays. Conclusions: These results establish reversible NOTCH1 SUMOylation as a regulatory mechanism in coordinating endothelial angiogenic signaling; SENP1 acts as a critical intrinsic mediator of this process. These findings may apply to NOTCH-regulated biological events in nonvascular tissues and provide a novel therapeutic strategy for vascular diseases and tumors.

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Abstract 3380: Acetylation-dependent Regulation Of Notch1 Signaling In Endothelial Cells

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.118.suppl_18.s_415-c ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 118 (suppl_18) ◽

Author(s):

Virginia Guarani ◽

Franck Dequiedt ◽

Andreas M Zeiher ◽

Stefanie Dimmeler ◽

Michael Potente

Keyword(s):

Endothelial Cells ◽

Notch Signaling ◽

Cell Fate ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Trichostatin A ◽

Notch Pathway ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Class Iii ◽

Cell Fate Decisions ◽

Knock Down

The Notch signaling pathway is a versatile regulator of cell fate decisions and plays an essential role for embryonic and postnatal vascular development. As only modest differences in Notch pathway activity suffice to determine dramatic differences in blood vessel development, this pathway is tightly regulated by a variety of molecular mechanisms. Reversible acetylation has emerged as an important post-translational modification of several non-histone proteins, which are targeted by histone deacetylases (HDACs). Here, we report that specifically the Notch1 intracellular domain (NICD) is itself an acetylated protein and that its acetylation level is tightly regulated by the SIRT1 deacetylase, which we have previously identified as a key regulator of endothelial angiogenic functions during vascular growth. Coexpression of NICD with histone acetyltransferases such as p300 or PCAF induced a dose- and time-dependent acetylation of NICD. Blocking HDAC activity using the class III HDAC inhibitor nicotinamid (NAM), but not the class I/II HDAC inhibior trichostatin A, resulted in a significant increase of NICD acetylation suggesting that NICD is targetd by class III HDACs for deacetylation. Among the class III HDACs with deacetylase activity (SIRT1, 2, 3, 5), knock down of specifically SIRT1 resulted in enhanced acetylation of NICD. Moreover, wild type SIRT1, but not a catalytically inactive mutant catalyzed the deacetylation of NICD in a nicotinamid-dependent manner. SIRT1, but SIRT2, SIRT3 or SIRT5, associated with NICD through its catalytic domain demonstrating that SIRT1 is a direct NICD deacetylase. Enhancing NICD acetylation by either overexpression of p300 or inhibition of SIRT1 activity using NAM or RNAi-mediated knock down resulted in enhanced NICD protein stability by blocking its ubiquitin-mediated degradation. Consistent with these results, loss of SIRT1 amplified Notch target gene expression in endothelial cells in response to NICD overexpression or treatment with the Notch ligand Dll4. In summary, our results identify reversible acetylation of NICD as a novel molecular mechanism to control Notch signaling and suggest that deacetylation of NICD by SIRT1 plays a key role in the dynamic regulation of Notch signaling in endothelial cells.

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