Directional selectivity of afferent neurons in zebrafish neuromasts is regulated by Emx2 in presynaptic hair cells.

The orientation of hair bundles on top of sensory hair cells (HCs) in neuromasts of the lateral line system allows fish to detect direction of water flow. Each neuromast shows hair bundles arranged in two opposing directions and each afferent neuron innervates only HCs of the same orientation. Previously, we showed that this opposition is established by expression of Emx2 in half of the HCs, where it mediates hair bundle reversal (Jiang et al., 2017). Here, we show that Emx2 also regulates neuronal selection: afferent neurons innervate either Emx2-positive or negative HCs. In emx2 knockout and gain-of-function neuromasts, all HCs are unidirectional and the innervation patterns and physiological responses of the afferent neurons are dependent on the presence or absence of Emx2. Our results indicate that Emx2 mediates the directional selectivity of neuromasts by two distinct processes: regulating hair bundle orientation in HCs and selecting afferent neuronal targets.

Supt20 is required for development of the axial skeleton.

Somitogenesis and subsequent axial skeletal development is regulated by the interaction of pathways that determine the periodicity of somite formation, rostrocaudal somite polarity and segment identity. Here we use a hypomorphic mutant mouse line to demonstrate that Supt20 (Suppressor of Ty20) is required for development of the axial skeleton. Supt20 hypomorphs display fusions of the ribs and vertebrae at lower thoracic levels along with anterior homeotic transformation of L1 to T14. These defects are preceded by reduction of the rostral somite and posterior shifts in Hox gene expression. While cycling of Notch target genes in the posterior presomitic mesoderm (PSM) appeared normal, expression of Lfng was reduced. In the anterior PSM, Mesp2 expression levels and cycling were unaffected; yet, expression of downstream targets such as Lfng, Ripply2, Mesp1 and Dll3 in the prospective rostral somite was reduced accompanied by expansion of caudal somite markers such as EphrinB2 and Hes7. Supt20 interacts with the Gcn5-containing SAGA histone acetylation complex. Gcn5 hypomorphic mutant embryos show similar defects in axial skeletal development preceded by posterior shift of Hoxc8 and Hoxc9 gene expression. We demonstrate that Gcn5 and Supt20 hypomorphs show similar defects in rostral-caudal somite patterning potentially suggesting shared mechanisms.

The iron exporter ferroportin 1 is essential for development of the mouse embryo, forebrain patterning and neural tube closure.

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are some of the most common birth defects observed in humans. The incidence of NTDs can be reduced by peri-conceptional folic acid supplementation alone and reduced even further by supplementation with folic acid plus a multivitamin. Here, we present evidence that iron maybe an important nutrient necessary for normal development of the neural tube. Following implantation of the mouse embryo, ferroportin 1 (Fpn1) is essential for the transport of iron from the mother to the fetus and is expressed in the visceral endoderm, yolk sac and placenta. The flatiron (ffe) mutant mouse line harbors a hypomorphic mutation in Fpn1 and we have created an allelic series of Fpn1 mutations that result in graded developmental defects. A null mutation in the Fpn1 gene is embryonic lethal before gastrulation, hypomorphic Fpn1(ffe/ffe) mutants exhibit NTDs consisting of exencephaly, spina bifida and forebrain truncations, while Fpn1(ffe/KI) mutants exhibit even more severe NTDs. We show that Fpn1 is not required in the embryo proper but rather in the extra-embryonic visceral endoderm. Our data indicate that loss of Fpn1 results in abnormal morphogenesis of the anterior visceral endoderm (AVE). Defects in the development of the forebrain in Fpn1 mutants are compounded by defects in multiple signaling centers required for maintenance of the forebrain, including the anterior definitive endoderm (ADE), anterior mesendoderm (AME) and anterior neural ridge (ANR). Finally, we demonstrate that this loss of forebrain maintenance is due in part to the iron deficiency that results from the absence of fully functional Fpn1.

Cytoplasmic cAMP concentrations in intact cardiac myocytes.

In cardiac myocytes there is evidence that activation of some receptors can regulate protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent responses by stimulating cAMP production that is limited to discrete intracellular domains. We previously developed a computational model of compartmentalized cAMP signaling to investigate the feasibility of this idea. The model was able to reproduce experimental results demonstrating that both beta(1)-adrenergic and M(2) muscarinic receptor-mediated cAMP changes occur in microdomains associated with PKA signaling. However, the model also suggested that the cAMP concentration throughout most of the cell could be significantly higher than that found in PKA-signaling domains. In the present study we tested this counterintuitive hypothesis using a freely diffusible fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based biosensor constructed from the type 2 exchange protein activated by cAMP (Epac2-camps). It was determined that in adult ventricular myocytes the basal cAMP concentration detected by the probe is approximately 1.2 muM, which is high enough to maximally activate PKA. Furthermore, the probe detected responses produced by both beta(1) and M(2) receptor activation. Modeling suggests that responses detected by Epac2-camps mainly reflect what is happening in a bulk cytosolic compartment with little contribution from microdomains where PKA signaling occurs. These results support the conclusion that even though beta(1) and M(2) receptor activation can produce global changes in cAMP, compartmentation plays an important role by maintaining microdomains where cAMP levels are significantly below that found throughout most of the cell. This allows receptor stimulation to regulate cAMP activity over concentration ranges appropriate for modulating both higher (e.g., PKA) and lower affinity (e.g., Epac) effectors.

cAMP microdomains and L-type Ca2+ channel regulation in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes.

Many different receptors can stimulate cAMP synthesis in the heart, but not all elicit the same functional responses. For example, it has been recognized for some time that prostaglandins such as PGE1 increase cAMP production and activate PKA, but they do not elicit responses like those produced by beta-adrenergic receptor (betaAR) agonists such as isoproterenol (isoprenaline), even though both stimulate the same signalling pathway. In the present study, we confirm that isoproterenol, but not PGE1, is able to produce cAMP-dependent stimulation of the L-type Ca(2+) current in guinea pig ventricular myocytes. This is despite finding evidence that these cells express EP(4) prostaglandin receptors, which are known to activate G(s)-dependent signalling pathways. Using fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based biosensors that are either freely diffusible or bound to A kinase anchoring proteins, we demonstrate that the difference is due to the ability of isoproterenol to stimulate cAMP production in cytosolic and caveolar compartments of intact cardiac myocytes, while PGE1 only stimulates cAMP production in the cytosolic compartment. Unlike other receptor-mediated responses, compartmentation of PGE1 responses was not due to concurrent activation of a G(i)-dependent signalling pathway or phosphodiesterase activity. Instead, compartmentation of the PGE1 response in cardiac myocytes appears to be due to transient stimulation of cAMP in a microdomain that can communicate directly with the bulk cytosolic compartment but not the caveolar compartment associated with betaAR regulation of L-type Ca(2+) channel function.

Phosphodiesterase 4D deficiency in the ryanodine-receptor complex promotes heart failure and arrhythmias.

Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) regulate the local concentration of 3',5' cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) within cells. cAMP activates the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). In patients, PDE inhibitors have been linked to heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias, although the mechanisms are not understood. We show that PDE4D gene inactivation in mice results in a progressive cardiomyopathy, accelerated heart failure after myocardial infarction, and cardiac arrhythmias. The phosphodiesterase 4D3 (PDE4D3) was found in the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2)/calcium-release-channel complex (required for excitation-contraction [EC] coupling in heart muscle). PDE4D3 levels in the RyR2 complex were reduced in failing human hearts, contributing to PKA-hyperphosphorylated, "leaky" RyR2 channels that promote cardiac dysfunction and arrhythmias. Cardiac arrhythmias and dysfunction associated with PDE4 inhibition or deficiency were suppressed in mice harboring RyR2 that cannot be PKA phosphorylated. These data suggest that reduced PDE4D activity causes defective RyR2-channel function associated with heart failure and arrhythmias.

Beta-adrenergic- and muscarinic receptor-induced changes in cAMP activity in adult cardiac myocytes detected with FRET-based biosensor.

beta-Adrenergic receptor activation regulates cardiac myocyte function through the stimulation of cAMP production and subsequent activation of protein kinase A (PKA). Furthermore, muscarinic receptor activation inhibits as well as facilitates these cAMP-dependent effects. However, it has not always been possible to correlate the muscarinic responses with the direct measurement of changes in cellular cAMP activity. Genetically encoded biosensors have recently been developed, making it possible to monitor real-time changes in cAMP and PKA activity at the single cell level. One such biosensor consists of the regulatory and catalytic subunits of PKA labeled with cyan and yellow fluorescent proteins, respectively. Changes in cAMP activity affecting the association of these labeled PKA subunits can be detected as changes in fluorescence resonance energy transfer. In the present study, an adenovirus-based approach was developed to express this recombinant protein complex in adult cardiac myocytes and use it to monitor changes in cAMP activity produced by beta-adrenergic and muscarinic receptor activation. The biosensor expressed with the use of this system is able to detect changes in cAMP activity produced by physiologically relevant levels of beta-adrenergic receptor activation without disrupting normal functional responses. It was also possible to directly demonstrate the complex temporal pattern of inhibitory and stimulatory changes in cAMP activity produced by muscarinic receptor activation in these cells. The adenovirus-based approach we have developed should facilitate the use of this biosensor in studying cAMP and PKA-dependent signaling mechanisms in a wide variety of cell types.

Genistein inhibits cardiac L-type Ca(2+) channel activity by a tyrosine kinase-independent mechanism.

It has been suggested that protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) activity can directly regulate cardiac L-type Ca(2+) channels. This conclusion is based to a large extent on the observation that the PTK inhibitor genistein can inhibit the cardiac L-type Ca(2+) current. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the ability of genistein to inhibit cardiac L-type Ca(2+) channel activity is due to inhibition of PTK activity. Genistein significantly reduced the magnitude of the L-type Ca(2+) current in guinea pig ventricular myocytes recorded using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. However, this effect was associated with extracellular, not intracellular, application of the drug. Peroxovanadate (PVN), a potent protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, had no effect on the basal Ca(2+) current. PVN was also ineffective in preventing the inhibitory effect of genistein. Internal perfusion of cells with a pipette solution containing ATPgammaS was used to prevent reversibility of phosphorylation-dependent processes. This treatment did not alter the inhibitory effect of genistein, although it did result in irreversible protein kinase A-dependent regulation of the Ca(2+) current. Bath application of lavendustin A, a PTK inhibitor that is structurally unrelated to genistein, did not affect the Ca(2+) current amplitude. The inhibitory effect of genistein was also associated with a hyperpolarizing shift in the voltage dependence of Ca(2+) channel inactivation. These results are consistent with the conclusion that the cardiac L-type Ca(2+) current is not directly regulated by PTK activity and that the inhibitory effect of genistein is due to direct non-catalytic blockade of the channels.