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The transforming growth factor-b (TGF-b) superfamily includes more than 30 members which have a broad array of biological activities. TGF-b superfamily ligands bind to type II and type I serine/threonine kinase receptors and transduce signals via Smad proteins. Receptor-regulated Smads (R-Smads) can be classi®ed into two subclasses, i.e. those activated by activin and TGF-b signaling pathways (AR-Smads), and those activated by bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathways (BR-Smads). The numbers of type II and type I receptors and Smad proteins are limited. Thus, signaling of the TGF-b superfamily converges at the receptor and Smad levels. In the intracellular signaling pathways, Smads interact with various partner proteins and thereby exhibit a wide variety of biological activities. Moreover, signaling by Smads is modulated by various other signaling pathways allowing TGF-b superfamily ligands to elicit diverse effects on target cells. Perturbations of the TGF-b/BMP signaling pathways result in various clinical disorders including cancers, vascular diseases, and bone disorders.

An emerging aspect of redox signaling is the pathway mediated by electrophilic byproducts, such as nitrated cyclic nucleotide (for example, 8-nitroguanosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (8-nitro-cGMP)) and nitro or keto derivatives of unsaturated fatty acids, generated via reactions of inflammation-related enzymes, reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide and secondary products. Here we report that enzymatically generated hydrogen sulfide anion (HS−) regulates the metabolism and signaling actions of various electrophiles. HS− reacts with electrophiles, best represented by 8-nitro-cGMP, via direct sulfhydration and modulates cellular redox signaling. The relevance of this reaction is reinforced by the significant 8-nitro-cGMP formation in mouse cardiac tissue after myocardial infarction that is modulated by alterations in HS− biosynthesis. Cardiac HS−, in turn, suppresses electrophile-mediated H-Ras activation and cardiac cell senescence, contributing to the beneficial effects of HS− on myocardial infarction–associated heart failure. Thus, this study reveals HS−-induced electrophile sulfhydration as a unique mechanism for regulating electrophile-mediated redox signaling.

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The yolk sac and the para-aortic splanchnopleura/aorta-genital ridges-mesonephros (P-Sp/AGM) region are the main sites of haematopoietic activity in the mouse embryo at the pre-liver stage of development. By day 11.5 of gestation, the AGM region is capable of autonomous initiation and expansion of definitive haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). By day 12.5, HSC activity in the AGM region is reduced whilst a second wave of HSCs begins to emerge in the yolk sac. We show here that HSCs emerging in both locations are marked by co-expression of the endothelial-specific marker VE-cadherin and the pan-leukocyte antigen CD45. Phenotypic characterisation using CD31, TIE2,FLK1, Ac-LDL receptors, and CD34 markers demonstrated significant similarities between this VE-cadherin+CD45+ `double-positive'population and endothelial cells suggesting a common origin for these cells. The double-positive fraction also expressed the stem cell markers Kit, Sca1 and AA4.1. Long-term transplantation experiments demonstrated that the double-positive population, which constituted less than 0.05% of the day 11.5 AGM region and the day 12.5 yolk sac, is highly enriched for HSCs. In vitro assays showed that this population is also enriched for myeloid progenitors. During foetal liver colonization, circulating HSCs remained within the VE-cadherin+ cell fraction, although their phenotypic similarity with endothelial cells became less prominent. Upon liver colonisation the majority of HSCs downregulated VE-cadherin, expression of which was completely lost in the adult bone marrow. Partial loss of VE-cadherin expression in HSCs can be observed extra hepatically in the advanced AGM region by E12.5. Similarly, the CD34+KIT+ population in the placenta,recently identified as a reservoir of HSCs, partly lose VE-cadherin expression by E12.5. By culturing isolated E11.5 AGM region and E12.5 yolk sac we show that the developmental switch from a `primary'VE-cadherin+CD45+ to a more `advanced'VE-cadherin-CD45+ phenotype does not require contact of HSCs with the liver and is probably a function of developmental time.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are pleiotropic growth and differentiation factors belonging to the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily. Signals of the TGF-β-like ligands are propagated to the nucleus through specific interaction of transmembrane serine/threonine kinase receptors and Smad proteins. GCCGnCGC has been suggested as a consensus binding sequence for DrosophilaMad regulated by a BMP-like ligand, Decapentaplegic. Smad1 is one of the mammalian Smads activated by BMPs. Here we show that Smad1 binds to this motif upon BMP stimulation in the presence of the common Smad, Smad4. The binding affinity is likely to be relatively low, because Smad1 binds to three copies of the motif weakly, but more repeats of the motif significantly enhance the binding. Heterologous reporter genes (GCCG-Lux) with multiple repeats of the motif respond to BMP stimulation but not to TGF-β or activin. Mutational analyses reveal several bases critical for the responsiveness. A natural BMP-responsive reporter, pTlx-Lux, is activated by BMP receptors in P19 cells but not in mink lung cells. In contrast, GCCG-Lux responds to BMP stimulation in both cells, suggesting that it is a universal reporter that directly detects Smad phosphorylation by BMP receptors.

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