Wnt/β-catenin signaling promotes neural differentiation by activation of the neuron-specific transcription factors, Neurogenin1 (Ngn1), NeuroD and Brn3a, in the nervous system. Since neurons in cranial sensory ganglia and dorsal root ganglia transiently express Ngn1, NeuroD and Brn3a during embryonic development, we hypothesized that Wnt proteins could instructively promote a sensory neuronal fate from mesencymal stem cells (MSCs) directed to differentiate into neurons. Consistent with our hypothesis, Wnt1 induced expression of sensory neuron markers including Ngn1, NeuroD and Brn3a, as well as glutamatergic markers in neurally-induced MSCs in vitro and promoted engraftment of transplanted MSCs in the inner ear bearing selective loss of sensory neurons in vivo. Given the consensus function of T cell leukemia 3 (Tlx3), as a glutamatergic selector gene, we postulated that the effects of canonical Wnt signaling on sensory neuron and glutamatergic marker gene expression in MSCs may be mediated by Tlx3. We first confirmed that Wnt1 indeed up-regulates Tlx3 expression, which can be suppressed by canonical Wnt inhibitors. Next, our chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that T-cell factor 3/4 (TCF3/4), Wnt-activated DNA binding proteins, interact with a regulatory region of Tlx3 in MSCs after neural induction. Furthermore, we demonstrated that forced expression of Tlx3 in MSCs induced sensory and glutamatergic neuron markers after neural induction. Together, these results identify Tlx3 as a novel target for canonical Wnt signaling that confers somatic stem cells with a sensory neuron phenotype upon neural induction.

The adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene is mutated in familial adenomatous polyposis and in most sporadic colorectal tumors. During both embryonic and postnatal periods, APC is widely expressed in a variety of tissues, including the brain and gastrointestinal tract. The APC gene product (APC) is a large multidomain protein consisting of 2843 amino acids. APC downregulates the Wnt signaling pathway through its binding to beta-catenin and Axin. Most mutated APC proteins in colorectal tumors lack the beta-catenin-binding regions and fail to inhibit Wnt signaling, leading to the overproliferation of tumor cells. Several mouse models (APC580D, APCDelta716, APC1309, APCMin, APC1638T) have been established to investigate carcinogenesis caused by APC mutations. APC also binds to APC-stimulated guanine nucleotide exchange factor, the kinesin superfamily-associated protein 3, IQGAP1, microtubules, EB1, and discs large (DLG). APC has both nuclear localization signals and nuclear export signals in its molecule, suggesting its occasional nuclear localization and export of beta-catenin from the nucleus. APC is highly expressed in the intestinal and colorectal epithelia and may be involved in homeostasis of the enterocyte renewal phenomena, in which proliferation, migration, differentiation, and apoptosis are highly regulated both temporally and spatially. Through the many binding proteins mentioned, APC can exert multiple functions involved in epithelial homeostasis.

No abstract

It is known that magnesium antagonizes phosphate-induced apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells and prevents vascular calcification. Here we tested whether magnesium can also counteract other pathological conditions where phosphate toxicity is involved, such as progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). We explored how the link between the risk of CKD progression and hyperphosphatemia is modified by magnesium status. A post hoc analysis was run in 311 non-diabetic CKD patients who were divided into four groups according to the median values of serum magnesium and phosphate. During a median follow-up of 44 months, 135 patients developed end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). After adjustment for relevant clinical factors, patients in the lower magnesium-higher phosphate group were at a 2.07-fold (95% CI: 1.23-3.48) risk for incident ESKD and had a significantly faster decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate compared with those in the higher magnesium-higher phosphate group. There were no significant differences in the risk of these renal outcomes among the higher magnesium-higher phosphate group and both lower phosphate groups. Incubation of tubular epithelial cells in high phosphate and low magnesium medium in vitro increased apoptosis and the expression levels of profibrotic and proinflammatory cytokine; these changes were significantly suppressed by increasing magnesium concentration. Thus, magnesium may act protectively against phosphate-induced kidney injury.

Activating transcription factor 1 (ATF1) and the cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) are members of the CREB/ATF family implicated in cAMP- and calcium-induced transcriptional activation. Although ATF1 and CREB share extensive homology, the function of ATF1 is poorly understood. Its phosphorylation state and activation by Ca2+- and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) II were therefore examined. Phosphopeptide mapping analysis and Western blotting studies demonstrated that in vitro, CaMK II phosphorylates only Ser63 (corresponding to Ser133 of CREB), which is essential for the activation, and not Ser72 (corresponding to Ser142 of CREB), which is a negative regulation site. Both ATF1 and CREB bound CBP in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. As expected from these in vitro studies, transient transfection studies revealed that ATF1 is activated by CaMK II. Our findings suggest that CaMK II mediates transactivation of cAMP responsive genes via ATF1.

No abstract

The serum glycoprotein fetuin-A is an important inhibitor of extraosseous calcification. The importance of fetuin-A has been confirmed in fetuin-A null mice, which develop widespread extraosseous calcification including the kidney. However, the mechanism how fetuin-A protects kidneys from nephrocalcinosis remains uncertain. Here, we demonstrate that intratubular fetuin-A plays a role in the prevention of nephrocalcinosis in the proximal tubules. Although normal rat kidney did not express mRNA for fetuin-A, we found punctate immunohistochemical staining of fetuin-A mainly in the S1 segment of the proximal tubules. The staining pattern suggested that fetuin-A passed through the slit diaphragm, traveled in the proximal tubular lumen, and was introduced into proximal tubular cells by megalin-mediated endocytosis. To test this hypothesis, we inhibited the function of megalin by intravenous injection of histidine-tagged soluble receptor-associated protein (His-sRAP), a megalin inhibitor. His-sRAP injection diminished fetuin-A staining in the proximal tubules and led to urinary excretion of fetuin-A. We further analyzed the role of fetuin-A in nephrocalcinosis. Continuous injection of parathyroid hormone (PTH) 1–34 induced nephrocalcinosis mainly in the proximal tubules in rats. His-sRAP retained fetuin-A in renal tubular lumen and thereby protected the kidneys of PTH-treated rats from calcification. Our findings suggest that tubular luminal fetuin-A works as a natural inhibitor against calcification in the proximal tubules under PTH-loaded condition.

The adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc) gene is mutated in familial adenomatous polyposis and in sporadic colorectal tumors. The Apc gene product (APC), basically a cytoplasmic protein, blocks cell cycle progression and plays crucial roles in development. The APC binds to beta-catenin, axin and glycogen synthase kinase 3beta to form a large protein complex, in which beta-catenin is phosphorylated and broken down, resulting in negative regulation of the Wnt signaling pathway. Most of the mutated Apc genes in colorectal tumors lack beta-catenin-binding regions and fail to inhibit Wnt signaling, leading to overproliferation of tumor cells. The APC, having some nuclear localizing signals in its molecule, can also be localized in the nucleus. The nuclear APC exports excess beta-catenin to the cytoplasm. Through its C-terminus, APC binds to post-synaptic density discs large zonula occludens domain-containing proteins, such as discs large (DLG) and post-synaptic density (PSD)-95, and may play important roles in epithelial morphogenesis, brain development and neuronal functions. In addition, APC is involved in cell motility through its association with microtubules and APC-stimulated guanine nucleotide exchange factor. Colocalization of APC and DLG is dependent on microtubules. The Apc gene is highly expressed in the embryonic and postnatal developing brain. Recently, we found that APC is required for the activity of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors by facilitating the clustering of PSD-95 and these receptors at the postsynapse. In addition, APC is present in astrocytes, although its role in astrocytes is, as yet, unknown.