WNT7A and PAX6 define corneal epithelium homeostasis and pathogenesis.
Nature
; 511(7509): 358-61, 2014 Jul 17.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25030175
ABSTRACT
The surface of the cornea consists of a unique type of non-keratinized epithelial cells arranged in an orderly fashion, and this is essential for vision by maintaining transparency for light transmission. Cornea epithelial cells (CECs) undergo continuous renewal from limbal stem or progenitor cells (LSCs), and deficiency in LSCs or corneal epithelium--which turns cornea into a non-transparent, keratinized skin-like epithelium--causes corneal surface disease that leads to blindness in millions of people worldwide. How LSCs are maintained and differentiated into corneal epithelium in healthy individuals and which key molecular events are defective in patients have been largely unknown. Here we report establishment of an in vitro feeder-cell-free LSC expansion and three-dimensional corneal differentiation protocol in which we found that the transcription factors p63 (tumour protein 63) and PAX6 (paired box protein PAX6) act together to specify LSCs, and WNT7A controls corneal epithelium differentiation through PAX6. Loss of WNT7A or PAX6 induces LSCs into skin-like epithelium, a critical defect tightly linked to common human corneal diseases. Notably, transduction of PAX6 in skin epithelial stem cells is sufficient to convert them to LSC-like cells, and upon transplantation onto eyes in a rabbit corneal injury model, these reprogrammed cells are able to replenish CECs and repair damaged corneal surface. These findings suggest a central role of the WNT7A-PAX6 axis in corneal epithelial cell fate determination, and point to a new strategy for treating corneal surface diseases.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Proteínas Repressoras
/
Proteínas de Homeodomínio
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Epitélio Corneano
/
Doenças da Córnea
/
Proteínas Wnt
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Fatores de Transcrição Box Pareados
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Proteínas do Olho
/
Homeostase
Tipo de estudo:
Etiology_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Animals
/
Humans
/
Male
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2014
Tipo de documento:
Article