The genetic basis for susceptibility to Rift Valley fever disease in MBT/Pas mice.

The large variation in individual response to infection with Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) suggests that host genetic determinants play a role in determining virus-induced disease outcomes. These genetic factors are still unknown. The systemic inoculation of mice with RVFV reproduces major pathological features of severe human disease, notably the hepatitis and encephalitis. A genome scan performed on 546 (BALB/c × MBT) F2 progeny identified three quantitative trait loci (QTLs), denoted Rvfs-1 to Rvfs-3, that were associated with disease susceptibility in MBT/Pas mice. Non-parametric interval-mapping revealed one significant and two suggestive linkages with survival time on chromosomes 2 (Rvfs-1), 5 (Rvfs-3) and 11 (Rvfs-2) with respective logarithm of odds (LOD) scores of 4.58, 2.95 and 2.99. The two-part model, combining survival time and survival/death, identified one significant linkage to Rvfs-2 and one suggestive linkage to Rvfs-1 with respective LOD scores of 5.12 and 4.55. Under a multiple model, with additive effects and sex as a covariate, the three QTLs explained 8.3% of the phenotypic variance. Sex had the strongest influence on susceptibility. The contribution of Rvfs-1, Rvfs-2 and Rvfs-3 to survival time of RVFV-infected mice was further confirmed in congenic mice.

Resistance to plague of Mus spretus SEG/Pas mice requires the combined action of at least four genetic factors.

We have previously described SEG/Pas as the first mouse inbred strain able to survive subcutaneous injection of virulent Yersinia pestis, the agent of plague, and we identified Yprl1, Yprl2 and Yprl3 as three quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling this exceptional phenotype in females from a backcross between SEG/Pas and C57BL/6 strains. We have now developed congenic strains to further characterize the extent and effect of these genomic regions. In this study, we confirm the importance of two of these regions, both in males and females, while the third one may well be a spurious association. We show that no genomic region alone is able to increase the survival of C57BL/6 mice, but that C57BL/6 mice carrying both Yprl2 and Yprl3 exhibit intermediate resistance. Each of these two QTLs contains at least two subregions, which are required to increase survival. Finally, through the analysis of congenic strains in an F1 background, we establish the mode of inheritance of the SEG-derived resistance alleles. Altogether, this study has clarified and enhanced our understanding of the genetic architecture of resistance to plague in SEG/Pas mice.

Canine melanoma diagnosis: RACK1 as a potential biological marker.

Melanoma diagnosis in dogs can be challenging due to the variety of histological appearances of canine melanocytic neoplasms. Markers of malignancy are needed. Receptor for activated C-kinase 1 (RACK1) was found to characterize melanomas in other mammals. We investigated the value of RACK1 detection in the classification of 19 cutaneous and 5 mucosal melanocytic neoplasms in dogs. These tumors were categorized as melanocytomas or benign and melanomas or malignant after evaluation of their morphology, mitotic index, and Ki-67 growth fraction. Using immunofluorescence, we confirmed microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) as a marker of normal and transformed melanocytic cells in dog tissues. All control (n = 10) and tumoral (n = 24) samples stained positively for MITF (34/34, 100%). Whereas RACK1 was not detected in healthy skin melanocytes, melanocytic lesions were all positive for RACK1 signal (24/24, 100%). RACK1 cytoplasmic staining appeared with 2 distinct distribution patterns: strong, diffuse, and homogeneous or granular and heterogeneous. All melanoma samples (13/13, 100%) stained homogeneously for RACK1. All melanocytomas (11/11, 100%) stained heterogeneously for RACK1. Immunohistochemistry was less consistent than immunofluorescence for all labelings in melanocytic lesions, which were often very pigmented. Thus, the fluorescent RACK1-MITF labeling pattern helped to distinguish melanomas from melanocytomas. Furthermore, RACK1 labeling correlated with 2 of 11 morphological features linked to malignancy: cell and nuclear size. These results suggest that RACK1 may be used as a marker in dog melanomas.

Targeted disruption of otog results in deafness and severe imbalance.

Genes specifically expressed in the inner ear are candidates to underlie hereditary nonsyndromic deafness. The gene Otog has been isolated from a mouse subtractive cDNA cochlear library. It encodes otogelin, an N-glycosylated protein that is present in the acellular membranes covering the six sensory epithelial patches of the inner ear: in the cochlea (the auditory sensory organ), the tectorial membrane (TM) over the organ of Corti; and in the vestibule (the balance sensory organ), the otoconial membranes over the utricular and saccular maculae as well as the cupulae over the cristae ampullares of the three semi-circular canals. These membranes are involved in the mechanotransduction process. Their movement, which is induced by sound in the cochlea or acceleration in the vestibule, results in the deflection of the stereocilia bundle at the apex of the sensory hair cells, which in turn opens the mechanotransduction channels located at the tip of the stereo-cilia. We sought to elucidate the role of otogelin in the auditory and vestibular functions by generating mice with a targeted disruption of Otog. In Otog-/- mice, both the vestibular and the auditory functions were impaired. Histological analysis of these mutants demonstrated that in the vestibule, otogelin is required for the anchoring of the otoconial membranes and cupulae to the neuroepithelia. In the cochlea, ultrastructural analysis of the TM indicated that otogelin is involved in the organization of its fibrillar network. Otogelin is likely to have a role in the resistance of this membrane to sound stimulation. These results support OTOG as a possible candidate gene for a human nonsyndromic form of deafness.

Mus spretus SEG/Pas mice resist virulent Yersinia pestis, under multigenic control.

Laboratory mice are well known to be highly susceptible to virulent strains of Yersinia pestis in experimental models of bubonic plague. We have found that Mus spretus-derived SEG/Pas (SEG) mice are exceptionally resistant to virulent CO92 and 6/69 wild type strains. Upon subcutaneous injection of 10(2) colony-forming units (CFU), 90% of females and 68% of males survived, compared with only an 8% survival rate for both male and female C57BL/6 mice. Furthermore, half of the SEG mice survived a challenge of up to 10(7) CFU. The time required for mortality was similar between B6 and SEG, suggesting that survival is dependent on early rather than late processes. The analysis of 322 backcross mice identified three significant quantitative trait loci (QTLs) on chromosomes 3, 4 and 6, with dominant SEG protective alleles. Each QTL increased the survival rate by approximately 20%. The three QTLs function additively, thereby accounting for 67% of the difference between the parental phenotypes. Mice heterozygous for the three QTLs were just as resistant as SEG mice to Y. pestis challenge. The SEG strain therefore offers an invaluable opportunity to unravel mechanisms and underlying genetic factors of resistance against Y. pestis infection.

Phenotypic reversions at the W/Kit locus mediated by mitotic recombination in mice.

The mouse W locus encodes Kit, the receptor tyrosine kinase for stem cell factor (SCF). Kit is required for several developmental processes, including the proliferation and survival of melanoblasts. Because of the nearly complete failure of Wrio/+ melanoblasts to colonize the skin, the costs of Wrio/+ mice are characterized by a majority of white hairs interspersed among pigmented hairs, giving a roan effect. However, 3.6% of Wrio/+ mice exhibit phenotypic reversions, i.e., spots of wild-type color on their coats with an otherwise mutant phenotype. Melanocyte cell lines were derived from each of six independent reversion spots on the skin of (C57BL/6 x DBA/2)F1 Wrio/+ mice. All six melanocyte cell lines exhibited the general characteristics common to normal, nonimmortal mouse melanocytes. Of these, three revertant cell lines had lost the dominant-negative Wrio allele following mitotic recombination between the centromere and the W locus. One of the cell lines remained Wrio/+ but showed (i) stimulation in response to SCF and (ii) increased Kit expression, suggesting that the Wrio mutation can be rescued by increased endogenous expression of the c-kit proto-oncogene. Finally, two cell lines showed no detectable genetic change at the W/Kit locus and failed to respond to SCF stimulation in vitro. These results demonstrate that mitotic recombination can create large patches of wild-type hair on the coats of Wrio/+ mutant mice. This shows that mitotic recombination occurs spontaneously in normal healthy tissue in vivo. Moreover, these experiments confirm that other mechanisms, not associated with loss of heterozygosity, may account for the coat color reversion phenotype.

RACK1 cooperates with NRASQ61K to promote melanoma in vivo.

Melanoma is the deadliest skin cancer. RACK1 (Receptor for activated protein kinase C) protein was proposed as a biological marker of melanoma in human and domestic animal species harboring spontaneous melanomas. As a scaffold protein, RACK1 is able to coordinate the interaction of key signaling molecules implicated in both physiological cellular functions and tumorigenesis. A role for RACK1 in rewiring ERK and JNK signaling pathways in melanoma cell lines had been proposed. Here, we used a genetic approach to test this hypothesis in vivo in the mouse. We show that Rack1 knock-down in the mouse melanoma cell line B16 reduces invasiveness and induces cell differentiation. We have developed the first mouse model for RACK1 gain of function, Tyr::Rack1-HA transgenic mice, targeting RACK1 to melanocytes in vivo. RACK1 overexpression was not sufficient to initiate melanomas despite activated ERK and AKT. However, in a context of melanoma predisposition, RACK1 overexpression reduced latency and increased incidence and metastatic rate. In primary melanoma cells from Tyr::Rack1-HA, Tyr::NRasQ61K mice, activated JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase) and activated STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) acted as RACK1 oncogenic partners in tumoral progression. A sequential and coordinated activation of ERK, JNK and STAT3 with RACK1 is shown to accelerate aggressive melanoma development in vivo.

Instability at the W/c-kit locus in mice: analysis of melanocyte cell lines derived from reversion spots.

Mutations at the mouse W/c-kit locus have pleiotropic defects including impaired development of the melanocyte lineage. We have characterized the molecular basis of the Wei mutation. We show here that Wei is the result of a missense mutation in the ATP binding site domain of c-kit proto-oncogene which affects the tyrosine kinase function of the receptor. As a result, few melanoblasts survive during embryogenesis in heterozygous Wei/+ foetuses. Therefore the adult skin is partly devoid of differentiated pigmented cells giving rise to a mottled coat colour phenotype. However, three per cent of Wei/+ mice exhibit spots of wild-type pigmentation on the coat which is otherwise of mutant phenotype. Such areas are known as phenotypic reversions. To dissect the molecular events responsible for the phenotypic instability of the Wei mutation, we have isolated pure cultures of continuously proliferating melanocytes from two independent reversion spots. These melanocyte lines, designated Wei-R1 and Wei-R2, were shown to exhibit none of the characteristics associated with transformed melanocytes. We have used a polymorphic restriction site generated by the Wei mutation to show that both melanocyte lines are still heterozygous at the W focus. Furthermore, Wei-R1 and Wei-R2 melanocytes express both the mutated and the wild-type c-kit RNA. These results indicate that the somatic mutation events responsible for reversion spots are not necessarily associated with loss of heterozygosity at the W/c-kit locus. Together with previous data, this points to the fact that several mechanisms account for the coat colour reversion phenotype.

Multiple neuroendocrine tumours in transgenic mice induced by c-kit-SV40 T antigen fusion genes.

Transgenic mice carrying either a 1.008 or a 4.225 kb of the mouse c-kit 5'-flanking sequences linked to the oncogenic large T antigen (TAg) region of the simian virus 40 (SV40) genome were generated to test if the c-kit promoter could be used to develop useful mouse models. Both constructs promote tumourigenesis in the pituitary and the thyroid with high efficiency. The cell types from which each of these tumours derives were identified. Tumours of the pituitary derive from alpha-MSH-expressing cells located in the intermediate lobe. Transformed cells of the thyroid were calcitonin-positive, implying that the tumours derive from C cells or their precursors. Chromogranin A and neuron-specific enolase, general neuroendocrine cell markers, were expressed in both tumour types. Furthermore a variety of tumours appeared in the transgenic mice. Several of them stained positively for chromogranin A and/or neuron-specific enolase. This suggests a previously unsuspected tissue-specificity of the c-kit 5' flanking sequences for neuroendocrine cells. The Kit-TAg transgenic mouse lines may represent a valuable model for the study of the development and the biology of neuroendocrine tumours.

Expression of the receptor tyrosine kinase KIT in mature beta-cells and in the pancreas in development.

In the pancreas, ligands of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are thought to be implicated in the development and function of the islets of Langerhans, which represent the endocrine part of the pancreas. In a previous study, we randomly screened by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for RTKs expressed in the embryonic pancreas. One cDNA fragment that was cloned during this screen corresponded to the KIT receptor. The objective of the present study was to analyze the pattern of Kit expression in the pancreas. We demonstrated that Kit is expressed and functional in terms of signal transduction in the insulin-producing cell line INS-1. Indeed, upon treatment with the KIT ligand (KITL), the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase was phosphorylated, and the expression of early responsive genes was induced. We also demonstrated that Kit mRNAs are present in fetal and adult rat islets. We next used mice that had integrated the lacZ reporter gene into the Kit locus. In these mice, beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) served as a convenient marker for expression of the endogenous Kit gene. Kit was found to be specifically transcribed in beta-cells (insulin-expressing cells), whereas no expression was found in other endocrine cell types or in the exocrine tissue. Interestingly, not all mature beta-cells expressed Kit, indicating that Kit is a marker of a subpopulation of beta-cells. Finally, by following beta-gal expression in the pancreas during fetal life, we found that at E14.5, Kit is expressed in both insulin- and glucagon-expressing cells present at that stage, and also in a specific cell population present in the epithelium that stained negative for endocrine markers. These data suggest that these Kit-positive/endocrine-negative cells could represent a subpopulation of endocrine cell precursors.

Evidence for mitotic recombination in Wei/+ heterozygous mice.

A number of alleles at coat color loci of the house mouse give rise to areas of wild-type pigmentation on the coats of otherwise mutant animals. Such unstable alleles include both recessive and dominant mutations. Among the latter are several alleles at the W locus. In this report, phenotypic reversions of the Wei allele at the W locus were studied Mice heterozygous in repulsion for both Wei and buff (bf) [i.e. Wei+/+bf] were examined for the occurrence of phenotypic reversion events. Buff (bf) is a recessive mutation, which lies 21 cM from W on the telomeric side of chromosome 5 and is responsible for the khaki colored coat of nonagouti buff homozygotes (a/a; bf/bf). Two kinds of fully pigmented reversion spots were recovered on the coats of a/a; Wei+/+bf mice: either solid black or khaki colored. Furthermore phenotypic reversions of Wei/+ were enhanced significantly following X-irradiation of 9.25-day-old Wei/+ embryos (P less than 0.04). These observations are consistent with the suggestion of a role for mitotic recombination in the origin of these phenotypic reversions. In addition these results rise the intriguing possibility that some W mutations may enhance mitotic recombination in the house mouse.

A novel model to study the dorsolateral migration of melanoblasts.

Melanocytes derived from pluripotent neural crest cells migrate initially in the dorsolateral pathway between the ectoderm and dermomyotome. To understand the role of specific proteins involved in this cell migration, we looked for a cellular model that mimics the in vivo behavior of melanoblasts, and that allows functional studies of their migration. We report here that wild-type embryonic stem (ES) cells are able to follow the ventral and dorsolateral neural crest pathways after being grafted into chicken embryos. By contrast, a mutant ES cell line deficient for beta1 integrin subunits, proteins involved in cell-extracellular interactions, had a severely impaired migratory behavior. Interestingly, ES cells deficient for Kit, the tyrosine kinase receptor for the stem cell factor (SCF), behaved similarly to wild-type ES cells. Thus, grafting mouse ES cells into chicken embryos provides a new cellular system that allows both in vitro and in vivo studies of the molecular mechanisms controlling dorsolateral migration.

Nonproportional changes in plasma renin concentration, renal renin content, and rat renin messenger RNA.

The expression of the renin gene in rat kidneys was studied using mouse submaxillary gland renin complementary DNA. The length of rat renin messenger RNA (mRNA) was approximately 1600 nucleotides, similar to that of mouse submaxillary gland and kidney renin mRNA. Rat renin mRNA was quantified by a radiodensitometric complementary DNA hybridization assay. The effects of intense long-term stimulation and short-term inhibition of renin secretion on plasma renin concentration, renal renin concentration, and renin mRNA content were compared with those of controls. After 15 days of sodium depletion and captopril treatment, plasma renin concentration increased 46-fold, renal renin concentration only 1.5-fold, and renin mRNA content increased about threefold. Following a 1-hour infusion of angiotensin II in sodium-depleted and captopril-treated rats, plasma renin concentration decreased by 84% whereas no significant changes in either renal renin concentration or renin mRNA content were observed. These results show that sodium depletion and captopril treatment increase the level of renin gene transcription and renin biosynthesis. However, there are nonproportional changes in plasma renin levels, renal renin content, and its mRNA. These results suggest that newly synthesized renin is not stored in the kidney but is rapidly secreted into the blood. Short-term inhibition of plasma renin concentration by angiotensin II is most likely mediated by posttranslational mechanisms.

Segmental homology between the promoter region of the human renin gene and the mouse ren1 and ren2 promoter regions.

We have isolated and determined the nucleotide (nt) sequence of the 5' region of the human renin gene (h-ren). Two TATA boxes and a CAAT box were found. Start point determination has shown that only the proximal TATA box was used as the transcription initiation signal, both in the kidney and in a renin-secreting tumor. Comparison of the sequence of the 500-bp region upstream from the transcription start point with the corresponding regions of the ren1 and ren2 genes of the Swiss mouse revealed no overall homology between the human and mouse renin sequences. Only very short sequences of high homology ranging in size from 10 to 18 nt were found in the sequenced regions. By hybridization experiments, we have detected a region upstream from each mouse renin gene related to the h-ren; analysis of the nt sequence of this region reveals that they belong to the Alu family of repetitive DNA.

Mouse submaxillary renin: a useful model for the study of renal renin.

The submaxillary gland of mouse contains a renin-like enzyme which represents as much as 5% of the total protein content. Its physico-chemical and enzymatic characteristics are similar to those of renal renin. Recently, the amino-acid sequence of the submaxillary pre-prorenin molecule has been deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the renin structural gene. A model for pre-prorenin processing into active renin has been proposed. Comparison of the structures of mouse submaxillary renin and of aspartyl proteases shows that renin belongs to this class of proteins and shares a similar catalytic site. Although the structure of renal renin is not yet known, preliminary studies suggest that the renal pro-enzyme is processed as the submaxillary enzyme. However, glycosylation would occur in the case of renal renin, whereas submaxillary renin is not glycosylated. Genetic studies and DNA hybridization experiments in mouse with high or low renin content in the submaxillary gland show that submaxillary renin in high renin producing strains results from a gene duplication. Submaxillary renin is therefore an isoenzyme and a useful model for the study of renal renin.

The major protein fraction of mouse milk revisited using proven proteomic tools.

The PRM/Alf inbred mice exhibit a huge intestinal lengthening. Since milk contains bioactive factors implied in numerous biological processes, one hypothesis is that PRM/Alf milk contains intestinotrophic factors contributing to this remarkable phenotype. A comparison between the milk from PRM/Alf and C57BL/6J (as a control) strains could be helpful in the identification of such factors, including proteins. However, a complete description of the mouse milk major protein fraction is still missing. Hence we adapted a reliable technique to separate and identify the major mouse milk proteins. This approach was achieved through the protein study of milk from C57BL/6J and PWK/Pas strains representative of two Mus musculus subspecies, M. m. domesticus and M. m. musculus respectively. C57BL/6J milk samples were first skimmed and fractionated by reverse phase-HPLC (RP-HPLC). The protein content of each chromatographic peak was analysed by SDS-PAGE and identified by mass spectrometry. This methodological approach allowed characterization of nine major mouse milk proteins: alpha(s1), beta, gamma, epsilon and kappa-caseins, Whey Acidic Protein, lactoferrin, Serum Albumin, Fatty Acid Binding Protein, as well as an alpha(s1)-casein isoform. Then, RP-HPLC patterns of C57BL/6J milk proteins were compared with those obtained starting from the milk of PWK/Pas females. This comparison revealed a protein polymorphism for the alpha(s1)-casein.

Cooperative and indispensable roles of endothelin 3 and KIT signalings in melanocyte development.

The development of melanocytes from neural crest-derived precursor cells depends on signaling by the receptor tyrosine kinase KIT and the G protein-coupled endothelin receptor B (EDNRB) pathways. Loss-of-function mutations in either of these two signaling receptor molecules cause a loss or a marked reduction in the number of melanocyte precursors in the embryo and finally lead to loss of the coat color. Using cultures of embryonic stem (ES) cells to induce melanocyte differentiation in vitro, we investigated the requirement for EDNRB signaling during the entire developmental process of the melanocyte, in association with that for KIT signaling. During the 21-day period necessary for the induction of mature melanocytes from undifferentiated ES cells, endothelin 3 (EDN3), a ligand for EDNRB, increased the number of melanocytes in proportion to the period during which it was present. We tested the compensatory effect of EDNRB signaling on KIT signaling in vivo by using Kit(W-LacZ)/Kit(W-LacZ) ES cells and confirmed that the ectopic expression of EDN3 in the skin reduced the white spotting of Kit(W57)/Kit(W57)mice. KIT ligand (KITL) and EDN3 worked synergistically to induce melanocyte differentiation in vitro; however, the complete lack of EDNRB signaling attained by the use of EDN3-/- ES cells and an EDNRB antagonist, BQ788, revealed that the resulting failure of melanocyte development was not compensated by the further activation of KIT signaling by adding KITL. Simultaneous blockade of EDNRB and KIT signalings eliminated melanocyte precursors completely, suggesting that the maintenance or survival of early melanocyte precursors at least required the existence of either EDNRB or KIT signalings.

The patchwork mouse phenotype: implication for melanocyte replacement in the hair follicle.

Mice homozygous for the recessive patchwork (pwk) mutation are characterized by a variegated pigment pattern with a mixture of unpigmented and normally pigmented hairs. The pigmented hair bulbs contain functional melanocytes. By contrast, the unpigmented hair bulbs contain no melanocytes. This lack results from the death of melanoblasts in the hair follicle at the end of embryogenesis. Here, we report that melanoblasts and melanocytes are found in the epidermis of pwk/pwk mice. Furthermore, these epidermal pigment cells are able to colonize new hair follicles after skin wounding. Despite the presence of epidermal pigment cells with a colonization potential, a follicle that had produced an unpigmented hair produces a new unpigmented hair during the successive hair growth cycles. This hair color continuity is also true for the pigmented hair follicles. Thus, in normal conditions, the hair acts as an independent functional unit as regards its pigment cells population.

Kidney and submaxillary gland renins are encoded by two non-allelic genes in Swiss mice.

Two distinct phenotypic groups of inbred strains of mice, with different amounts of submaxillary gland (SMG) renin have been described. We have previously shown that strains with high levels of SMG renin, such as Swiss or AKR mice, have two renin genes, Rn1 and Rn2, per haploid genome, while strains with low levels of SMG, such as BALB/c or C57Bl/6, have only one renin gene. We now report the molecular cloning of cDNA copies of Swiss mouse kidney renin mRNA and present nucleotide sequence data of the recombinant clones. Comparison of these sequences with the sequence of Swiss mouse SMG renin mRNA we have previously reported, demonstrates that Swiss mice express the two non-allelic genes, Rn1 and Rn2.