Wnt/β-catenin signaling modulates corneal epithelium stratification via inhibition of Bmp4 during mouse development

Author:

Zhang Yujin12,Yeh Lung-Kun34,Zhang Suohui15,Call Mindy1,Yuan Yong1,Yasunaga Mayu6,Kao Winston W.-Y.1,Liu Chia-Yang12

Affiliation:

1. Edith J. Crawley Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA

2. School of Optometry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA

3. Department of Ophthalmology, Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan, R.O.C

4. Chang-Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, R.O.C

5. Undergraduate Programs of Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA

6. Health Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Takamatsu 761-0395, Japan

Abstract

The development of organs with an epithelial parenchyma relies on reciprocal mesenchymal-epithelial communication. Mouse corneal epithelium stratification is the consequence of a coordinated developmental process based on mesenchymal-epithelial interactions. The molecular mechanism underlying these interactions remains unclear. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is involved in fundamental aspects of development through the regulation of various growth factors. Here, we show that conditional ablation of either β-catenin (Ctnnb1cKO) or co-receptors Lrp5/6 (Lrp5/6cKO) in corneal stromal cells results in precocious stratification of the corneal epithelium. By contrast, ectopic expression of a murine Ctnnb1 gain-of-function mutant (Ctnnb1cGOF) retards corneal epithelium stratification. We also discovered that Bmp4 is upregulated in the absence of β-catenin in keratocytes, which further triggers ERK1/2 (Mapk3/1) and Smad1/5 phosphorylation and enhances transcription factor p63 (Trp63) expression in mouse corneal basal epithelial cells and in a human corneal epithelial cell line (HTCE). Interestingly, mouse neonates given a subconjunctival BMP4 injection displayed a phenotype resembling that of Ctnnb1cKO. Conditional ablation of Bmp4 eradicates the phenotype produced in Ctnnb1cKO mice. Furthermore, ChIP and promoter-luciferase assays show that β-catenin binds to and suppresses Bmp4 promoter activity. These data support the concept that cross-talk between the Wnt/β-catenin/Bmp4 axis (in the stromal mesenchyme) and Bmp4/p63 signaling (in the epithelium) plays a pivotal role in epithelial stratification during corneal morphogenesis.

Publisher

The Company of Biologists

Subject

Developmental Biology,Molecular Biology

全球学者库

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"全球学者库"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前全球学者库共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2023 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3