Inhibition of desmin expression blocks myoblast fusion and interferes with the myogenic regulators MyoD and myogenin.

The muscle-specific intermediate filament protein, desmin, is one of the earliest myogenic markers whose functional role during myogenic commitment and differentiation is unknown. Sequence comparison of the presently isolated and fully characterized mouse desmin cDNA clones revealed a single domain of polypeptide similarity between desmin and the basic and helix-loop-helix region of members of the myoD family myogenic regulators. This further substantiated the need to search for the function of desmin. Constructs designed to express anti-sense desmin RNA were used to obtain stably transfected C2C12 myoblast cell lines. Several lines were obtained where expression of the anti-sense desmin RNA inhibited the expression of desmin RNA and protein down to basal levels. As a consequence, the differentiation of these myoblasts was blocked; complete inhibition of myoblast fusion and myotube formation was observed. Rescue of the normal phenotype was achieved either by spontaneous revertants, or by overexpression of the desmin sense RNA in the defective cell lines. In several of the cell lines obtained, inhibition of desmin expression was followed by differential inhibition of the myogenic regulators myoD and/or myogenin, depending on the stage and extent of desmin inhibition in these cells. These data suggested that myogenesis is modulated by at least more than one pathway and desmin, which so far was believed to be merely an architectural protein, seems to play a key role in this process.

Biological markers during early pregnancy: trophoblastic signals of the peri-implantation period.

The peri-implantation period extends from the time the blastocyst is free in the uterus, through the processes of recognition and attachment, to the beginning of trophoblast differentiation and the interactions between the embryo and the uterine endometrium which initiate establishment of the hemochorial placenta. It is during the peri-implantation period that the embryo and hormonally regulated endometrial cells appear to be most sensitive to factors which introduce risk into the intrauterine environment. There are no markers which can be used practically to assess pregnancy risk during the peri-implantation period of either human or laboratory rodents. Experimental studies, using in vitro laboratory models of differentiating trophoblast cells, have identified peptide hormone markers of pivotal developmental processes. Exposure of trophoblast during the expression of these processes could have severe and far-reaching effects individually and societally. While these trophoblast signals are limited in their utility with respect to health monitoring extrapolation of these findings to human pregnancy, the signals could serve to identify more practical and sensitive markers to assess risk in early gestation. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) has been used extensively as a marker to assess risk during the early stages of pregnancy. Extrapolation of experimental data indicates how hCG could be used more effectively in analyses of possible cause and effect relationships. The limitations of hCG as a marker for risk during the human peri-implantation period are discussed. Peptide hormones which could serve to assess risk during this critical period of extraordinary sensitivity to toxic factors are introduced.

Antisense RNA production in transgenic mice.

There are many reports of antisense inhibition of gene expression in cultured cells. We have generated four strains of transgenic mice expressing antisense hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) RNA in brain, or heart and liver, or all three organs. In the brain of one strain, the level of antisense RNA in the different brain regions roughly correlates with the degree of inhibition of the native HPRT mRNA in those same regions. Despite this decrease of up to 60% of endogenous HPRT mRNA, no reproducible reduction in HPRT activity has been observed. Possible reasons for the differences between the effectiveness of antisense inhibition in cultured cells and transgenic animals are discussed.

Expression of desmin, laminin and fibronectin during in situ differentiation (decidualization) of rat uterine stromal cells.

Immunocytochemical analysis of frozen rat uterine sections containing decidual tissue, formed in response to normal or artificial stimulation of uteri sensitized by endogenous or exogenous hormonal regimens, demonstrated an elevated expression of the intermediate filament protein desmin in decidual cells. Changes in the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) components were coordinated with the elevated expression of desmin as stromal cells underwent decidualization. In parallel with the pattern of regional decidualization, as determined by elevated desmin expression, laminin accumulated in ECM of decidual cells while an apparent decrease in fibronectin was associated with altered organization at the decidual cell surface. The in situ observations confirm previous results, which indicated that the expression of desmin in decidual cells formed in vivo or in vitro is a valid marker of their differentiation, and resolve questions unanswered in the previous study: (a) desmin (and laminin) appear to be constitutively expressed in non-decidualized stroma at barely detectable levels, (b) desmin is a valid marker of stromal cell differentiation because it is expressed similarly in decidual cells, irrespective of varying experimental protocols for uterine sensitization and stimulation, and (c) desmin expression follows the same regional progression described for the process of decidualization in morphological and histochemical studies.

Ectopic correction of ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency in sparse fur mice.

The sparse fur (spf) mutant mouse is a model for human X-linked ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency. Human OTC cDNA placed under transcriptional control of the mouse OTC promoter was microinjected into fertilized oocytes of spf mice. Two founder lines of transgenic mice were phenotypically and biochemically corrected for OTC deficiency by the expression of the human gene at high levels in the small intestine with little or no expression occurring in the liver. The tissue pattern of expression of transgenic mice bearing the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene placed under the control of the mouse OTC promoter parallels these results. These experiments demonstrate that human OTC cDNA is selectively expressed in small bowel by a truncated OTC promoter, and such ectopic expression corrects the spf phenotypic and metabolic features of this inborn error. These data suggest that somatic gene therapy of OTC deficiency can be achieved by intestine-targeted gene transfer.