The Caenorhabditis elegans vab-10 spectraplakin isoforms protect the epidermis against internal and external forces.

Morphogenesis of the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo is driven by actin microfilaments in the epidermis and by sarcomeres in body wall muscles. Both tissues are mechanically coupled, most likely through specialized attachment structures called fibrous organelles (FOs) that connect muscles to the cuticle across the epidermis. Here, we report the identification of new mutations in a gene known as vab-10, which lead to severe morphogenesis defects, and show that vab-10 corresponds to the C. elegans spectraplakin locus. Our analysis of vab-10 reveals novel insights into the role of this plakin subfamily. vab-10 generates isoforms related either to plectin (termed VAB-10A) or to microtubule actin cross-linking factor plakins (termed VAB-10B). Using specific antibodies and mutations, we show that VAB-10A and VAB-10B have distinct distributions and functions in the epidermis. Loss of VAB-10A impairs the integrity of FOs, leading to epidermal detachment from the cuticle and muscles, hence demonstrating that FOs are functionally and molecularly related to hemidesmosomes. We suggest that this isoform protects against forces external to the epidermis. In contrast, lack of VAB-10B leads to increased epidermal thickness during embryonic morphogenesis when epidermal cells change shape. We suggest that this isoform protects cells against tension that builds up within the epidermis.

Glutamine-expanded ataxin-7 alters TFTC/STAGA recruitment and chromatin structure leading to photoreceptor dysfunction.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) is one of several inherited neurodegenerative disorders caused by a polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion, but it is the only one in which the retina is affected. Increasing evidence suggests that transcriptional alterations contribute to polyQ pathogenesis, although the mechanism is unclear. We previously demonstrated that the SCA7 gene product, ataxin-7 (ATXN7), is a subunit of the GCN5 histone acetyltransferase-containing coactivator complexes TFTC/STAGA. We show here that TFTC/STAGA complexes purified from SCA7 mice have normal TRRAP, GCN5, TAF12, and SPT3 levels and that their histone or nucleosomal acetylation activities are unaffected. However, rod photoreceptors from SCA7 mouse models showed severe chromatin decondensation. In agreement, polyQ-expanded ataxin-7 induced histone H3 hyperacetylation, resulting from an increased recruitment of TFTC/STAGA to specific promoters. Surprisingly, hyperacetylated genes were transcriptionally down-regulated, and expression analysis revealed that nearly all rod-specific genes were affected, leading to visual impairment in SCA7 mice. In conclusion, we describe here a set of events accounting for SCA7 pathogenesis in the retina, in which polyQ-expanded ATXN7 deregulated TFTC/STAGA recruitment to a subset of genes specifically expressed in rod photoreceptors, leading to chromatin alterations and consequent progressive loss of rod photoreceptor function.

Stromelysin-3 is a potent negative regulator of adipogenesis participating to cancer cell-adipocyte interaction/crosstalk at the tumor invasive front.

The initial invasive processes during cancer development remain largely unknown. Stromelysin-3/matrix metalloproteinase 11 (ST3/MMP11) is associated with tumor invasion and poor prognosis. We present novel evidence that adipocytes present at human breast tumor invasive front are induced by cancer cells to express ST3. Using mouse syngeneic model, light and electron microscopy showed that in ST3-deficient mice but not in wild-type mice, forced cancer cell-adipocyte interaction/crosstalk results in adipocyte membrane alteration, allowing cancer cell fat infiltration and death. Thus, adipocytes are involved in initial cancer cell survival into connective tissue, and this effect is ST3 mediated. This suggested that ST3 might play a role in adipocyte metabolism. Accordingly, ST3-deficient mice exhibited fat excess and increased mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) and adipocyte protein 2 (aP2) adipogenic markers, indicating that, in vivo, ST3 negatively regulates fat homeostasis. Moreover, ST3-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts exhibited a dramatic enhanced potential to differentiate into adipocytes associated with increased PPARgamma and aP2 expression, and recombinant ST3 treatment reverted their differentiation. Thus, in vitro, ST3 reduces adipocyte differentiation in an autocrine manner. High fibroblasts/adipocytes ratio is a stroma feature, and peritumoral fibroblast origin remains debated. Our results support the concept that invading cancer cells aberrantly restore the negative ST3 function on adipogenesis into proximal adipocytes/preadipocytes, leading to the accumulation/maintenance of a particular peritumoral fibroblast subpopulation. Accordingly, in human breast tumors, we observed that ST3-expressing peritumoral fibroblasts are distinct from alpha-smooth muscle actin-expressing myofibroblasts. This constitutes the first report of implication of a MMP in cancer cell-adipocyte interaction/crosstalk during early steps of connective tissue invasion.

Friedreich ataxia mouse models with progressive cerebellar and sensory ataxia reveal autophagic neurodegeneration in dorsal root ganglia.

Friedreich ataxia (FRDA), the most common recessive ataxia, is characterized by degeneration of the large sensory neurons of the spinal cord and cardiomyopathy. It is caused by severely reduced levels of frataxin, a mitochondrial protein involved in iron-sulfur cluster (ISC) biosynthesis. Through a spatiotemporally controlled conditional gene-targeting approach, we have generated two mouse models for FRDA that specifically develop progressive mixed cerebellar and sensory ataxia, the most prominent neurological features of FRDA. Histological studies showed both spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) anomalies with absence of motor neuropathy, a hallmark of the human disease. In addition, one line revealed a cerebellar granule cell loss, whereas both lines had Purkinje cell arborization defects. These lines represent the first FRDA models with a slowly progressive neurological degeneration. We identified an autophagic process as the causative pathological mechanism in the DRG, leading to removal of mitochondrial debris and apparition of lipofuscin deposits. These mice therefore represent excellent models for FRDA to unravel the pathological cascade and to test compounds that interfere with the degenerative process.

Polar nuclear localization of H1T2, a histone H1 variant, required for spermatid elongation and DNA condensation during spermiogenesis.

Spermiogenesis entails a major biochemical and morphological restructuring of the germ cell involving replacement of the somatic histones by protamines packing the DNA into the condensed spermatid nucleus and elimination of the cytoplasm during the elongation phase. We describe H1T2, an histone H1 variant selectively and transiently expressed in male haploid germ cells during spermiogenesis. In round and elongating spermatids, H1T2 specifically localizes to a chromatin domain at the apical pole, revealing a polarity in the spermatid nucleus. Inactivation by homologous recombination shows that H1T2 is critical for spermiogenesis as male H1t2(-/-) mice have greatly reduced fertility. Analysis of spermiogenesis in H1t2 mutant mice shows delayed nuclear condensation and aberrant elongation. As a result, mutant spermatids are characterized by the presence of residual cytoplasm, acrosome detachment, and fragmented DNA. Hence, H1T2 is a protein required for proper cell restructuring and DNA condensation during the elongation phase of spermiogenesis.

Distinct functions of TBP and TLF/TRF2 during spermatogenesis: requirement of TLF for heterochromatic chromocenter formation in haploid round spermatids.

TLF (TBP-like factor) is a protein commonly thought to belong to the general transcription initiation complex. TLF is evolutionarily conserved and has been shown to be essential for early development in C. elegans, zebrafish and Xenopus. In mammals however, TLF has a specialised function, as revealed by targeted mutation of the gene in the mouse germline. The TLF mutation elicits a complete arrest of late spermiogenesis and increased haploid cell apoptosis. We explored in more detail the molecular function that TLF plays in the differentiation program of male germ cells. A comparison of TBP and TLF reveals drastic differences, both in their temporal expression pattern and in their intracellular location. While TBP is ubiquitously expressed, TLF expression is strictly developmentally regulated, being very high in late pachytene spermatocytes, suggesting a function prior to the apoptosis of the haploid cells. A refined study of TLF-deficient mice reveals defective acrosome formation in early stage spermatids. Most importantly, our results uncover an unsuspected function of TLF in chromatin organisation. Indeed, early spermatids in TLF-deficient mice display a fragmentation of the chromocenter, a condensed structure formed by the association of centromeric heterochromatin and containing the HP1 proteins. This defect is likely to be the primary cause of spermatogenic failure in the TLF mutant mice.

The PtdIns3P phosphatase myotubularin is a cytoplasmic protein that also localizes to Rac1-inducible plasma membrane ruffles.

Myotubularin, the phosphatase mutated in X-linked myotubular myopathy, was shown to dephosphorylate phosphatidylinositol 3-monophosphate (PtdIns3P) and was also reported to interact with nuclear transcriptional regulators from the trithorax family. We have characterized a panel of specific antibodies and investigated the subcellular localization of myotubularin. Myotubularin is not detected in the nucleus, and localizes mostly as a dense cytoplasmic network. Overexpression of myotubularin does not detectably affect vesicle trafficking in the mammalian cells investigated, in contrast to previous observations in yeast models. Both mutation of a key aspartate residue of myotubularin and dominant activation of Rac1 GTPase lead to the recruitment of myotubularin to specific plasma membrane domains. Localization to Rac1-induced ruffles is dependent on the presence of a domain highly conserved in the myotubularin family (that we named RID). We thus propose that myotubularin may dephosphorylate a subpool of PtdIns3P (or another related substrate) at the plasma membrane.

Idebenone delays the onset of cardiac functional alteration without correction of Fe-S enzymes deficit in a mouse model for Friedreich ataxia.

Friedreich ataxia (FRDA), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder associated with cardiomyopathy, is caused by severely reduced frataxin, a mitochondrial protein involved in Fe-S cluster assembly. We have recently generated mouse models that reproduce important progressive pathological and biochemical features of the human disease. Our frataxin-deficient mouse models initially demonstrate time-dependent intramitochondrial iron accumulation, which occurs after onset of the pathology and after inactivation of the Fe-S dependent enzymes. Here, we report a more detailed pathophysiological characterization of our mouse model with isolated cardiac disease by echocardiographic, biochemical and histological studies and its use for placebo-controlled therapeutic trial with Idebenone. The Fe-S enzyme deficiency occurs at 4 weeks of age, prior to cardiac dilatation and concomitant development of left ventricular hypertrophy, while the mitochondrial iron accumulation occurs at a terminal stage. From 7 weeks onward, Fe-S enzyme activities are strongly decreased and are associated with lower levels of oxidative stress markers, as a consequence of reduced respiratory chain activity. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the antioxidant Idebenone delays the cardiac disease onset, progression and death of frataxin deficient animals by 1 week, but does not correct the Fe-S enzyme deficiency. Our results support the view that frataxin is a necessary, albeit non-essential, component of the Fe-S cluster biogenesis, and indicate that Idebenone acts downstream of the primary Fe-S enzyme deficit. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that Idebenone is cardioprotective even in the context of a complete lack of frataxin, which further supports its utilization for the treatment of FRDA.

Abnormal sperm in mice with targeted deletion of the act (activator of cAMP-responsive element modulator in testis) gene.

ACT [activator of cAMP-responsive element modulator (CREM) in testis] is a LIM-only protein that interacts with transcription factor CREM in postmeiotic male germ cells and enhances CREM-dependent transcription. CREM regulates many crucial genes required for spermatid maturation, and targeted mutation of the Crem gene in the mouse germ-line blocks spermatogenesis. Here we report the phenotype of mice in which targeted disruption of the act gene was obtained by homologous recombination. Whereas the seminiferous tubules of the act(-/-) mice contain all of the developmental stages of germ cells and the mice are fertile, the amount of mature sperm in the epididymis is drastically reduced. The residual sperm display severe abnormalities, including fully folded tails and aberrant head shapes. These results indicate that numerous postmeiotic genes under CREM control require the coactivator function of ACT. Thus, the fine-tuning of sperm development is achieved by the coordinated action of two transcriptional regulators.