The secreted Wnt signaling inhibitor Dickkopfl （Dkkl） plays key role in vertebrate head induction. Its receptor Kremen synergizes with Dkkl in Wnt inhibition. Here we have carried out expression and functional studi...The secreted Wnt signaling inhibitor Dickkopfl （Dkkl） plays key role in vertebrate head induction. Its receptor Kremen synergizes with Dkkl in Wnt inhibition. Here we have carried out expression and functional studies of the Dkk and Kremen genes in amphioxus （Branchiostoma belcheri）. During embryonic and larval development, BbDkkl/2/4 is expressed in the posterior mesoendoderm, anterior somatic mesoderm and the pharyngeal regions. Its expression becomes restricted to the pharyngeal region on the left side at larval stages. In 45 h larvae, BbDkkl/2/4 is expressed specifically in the cerebral vesicle. BbDkk3 was only detected at larval stages in the mid-intestine region. Seven Kremen related genes were identified in the genome of the Florida amphioxus （Branchiostoma floridae）, clustered in 4 scaffolds, and are designated Kremenl-4 and Kremen-like 1-3, respectively. In B. belcheri, Kremenl is strongly expressed in the mesoendoderm during early development and Kremen3 is expressed asymmetrically in spots in the larval pharyngeal region. In luciferase reporter assays, BbDkkl/2/4 can strongly inhibit Wnt signaling, while BbDkk3, BbKremenl and BbKremen3 can not. No co-operative effect was observed between amphioxus Dkkl/2/4 and Kremens, suggesting that the interaction between Dkk and Kremen likely originated later during evolution.展开更多
AIM： To clarify alterations of Dickkopfs （Dkks） and Kremen2 （Krm2） in gastrointestinal cancer. METHODS： We investigated the expression profiles and epigenetic alterations of Dkks and Krm2 genes in gastrointestin...AIM： To clarify alterations of Dickkopfs （Dkks） and Kremen2 （Krm2） in gastrointestinal cancer. METHODS： We investigated the expression profiles and epigenetic alterations of Dkks and Krm2 genes in gastrointestinal cancer using RT-PCR, tissue microarray analysis, and methylation specific PCR （MSP）. Cancer cells were treated with the demethylating agent and/or histone deacetylase inhibitor. WST-8 assays and/n y/tro invasion assays after treatment with specific siRNA for those genes were performed. RESULTS： Dkks and Krm2 expression levels were reduced in a certain subset of the gastrointestinal cancer cell lines and cancer tissues. This was correlated with promoter hypermethylation. There were significant correlations between Dkks over-expression levels and beta-catenin over-expression in colorectal cancer. In colorectal cancers with beta-catenin over-expression, Dkk-1 expression levels were significantly lower in those with lymph node metastases than in those without. Down-regulation of Dkks expression by siRNA resulted in a significant increase in cancer cell growth and invasiveness in vitro.CONCLUSION： Down-regulation of the Dkks associated to promoter hypermethylation appears to be frequently involved in gastrointestinal tumorigenesis.展开更多
LRP6, a co-receptor for the morphogen Wnt, aids endocytosis of anthrax complexes. Here we report that Dickkopfl （DKK1） protein, a secreted LRP6 ligand and antagonist, is also a modulator of anthrax toxin sensitivity...LRP6, a co-receptor for the morphogen Wnt, aids endocytosis of anthrax complexes. Here we report that Dickkopfl （DKK1） protein, a secreted LRP6 ligand and antagonist, is also a modulator of anthrax toxin sensitivity, shRNA-mediated gene silencing or TALEN-mediated gene knockout of DKK1 reduced sensitivity of cells to PA-dependent hybrid toxins. However, unlike the solely inhibitory effect on Wnt signaling, the effects of DKK1 overexpression on anthrax toxicity were bidirectional, depending on its endogenous expression and cell context. Fluorescence microscopy and biochemical analyses showed that DKK1 facilitates internalization of anthrax toxins and their receptors, an event mediated by DKK1-LRP6-Kremen2 complex. Monoclonal antibodies against DKK1 provided dose-dependent protection to macrophages from killing by anthrax lethal toxin （LT）. Our discovery that DKK1 forms ternary structure with LRP6 and Kremen2 in promoting PA-mediated toxin internalization provides a paradigm for bacterial exploitation of mechanisms that host cells use to internalize signaling proteins.展开更多
基金supported by the grant from the Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. KSCX2-YW-R-090)
文摘The secreted Wnt signaling inhibitor Dickkopfl （Dkkl） plays key role in vertebrate head induction. Its receptor Kremen synergizes with Dkkl in Wnt inhibition. Here we have carried out expression and functional studies of the Dkk and Kremen genes in amphioxus （Branchiostoma belcheri）. During embryonic and larval development, BbDkkl/2/4 is expressed in the posterior mesoendoderm, anterior somatic mesoderm and the pharyngeal regions. Its expression becomes restricted to the pharyngeal region on the left side at larval stages. In 45 h larvae, BbDkkl/2/4 is expressed specifically in the cerebral vesicle. BbDkk3 was only detected at larval stages in the mid-intestine region. Seven Kremen related genes were identified in the genome of the Florida amphioxus （Branchiostoma floridae）, clustered in 4 scaffolds, and are designated Kremenl-4 and Kremen-like 1-3, respectively. In B. belcheri, Kremenl is strongly expressed in the mesoendoderm during early development and Kremen3 is expressed asymmetrically in spots in the larval pharyngeal region. In luciferase reporter assays, BbDkkl/2/4 can strongly inhibit Wnt signaling, while BbDkk3, BbKremenl and BbKremen3 can not. No co-operative effect was observed between amphioxus Dkkl/2/4 and Kremens, suggesting that the interaction between Dkk and Kremen likely originated later during evolution.
基金Supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (H.Y. and F.I.)Grants-in-Aid for Cancer Research from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan (H.Y. and F.I.)
文摘AIM： To clarify alterations of Dickkopfs （Dkks） and Kremen2 （Krm2） in gastrointestinal cancer. METHODS： We investigated the expression profiles and epigenetic alterations of Dkks and Krm2 genes in gastrointestinal cancer using RT-PCR, tissue microarray analysis, and methylation specific PCR （MSP）. Cancer cells were treated with the demethylating agent and/or histone deacetylase inhibitor. WST-8 assays and/n y/tro invasion assays after treatment with specific siRNA for those genes were performed. RESULTS： Dkks and Krm2 expression levels were reduced in a certain subset of the gastrointestinal cancer cell lines and cancer tissues. This was correlated with promoter hypermethylation. There were significant correlations between Dkks over-expression levels and beta-catenin over-expression in colorectal cancer. In colorectal cancers with beta-catenin over-expression, Dkk-1 expression levels were significantly lower in those with lymph node metastases than in those without. Down-regulation of Dkks expression by siRNA resulted in a significant increase in cancer cell growth and invasiveness in vitro.CONCLUSION： Down-regulation of the Dkks associated to promoter hypermethylation appears to be frequently involved in gastrointestinal tumorigenesis.
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(30770465,31070115)the National Basic Research Program of China(2010CB911800)+1 种基金the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences(to WenSheng Wei)by an award(HDTRA1-06-C-0039)from the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency(to Stanley N.Cohen)
文摘LRP6, a co-receptor for the morphogen Wnt, aids endocytosis of anthrax complexes. Here we report that Dickkopfl （DKK1） protein, a secreted LRP6 ligand and antagonist, is also a modulator of anthrax toxin sensitivity, shRNA-mediated gene silencing or TALEN-mediated gene knockout of DKK1 reduced sensitivity of cells to PA-dependent hybrid toxins. However, unlike the solely inhibitory effect on Wnt signaling, the effects of DKK1 overexpression on anthrax toxicity were bidirectional, depending on its endogenous expression and cell context. Fluorescence microscopy and biochemical analyses showed that DKK1 facilitates internalization of anthrax toxins and their receptors, an event mediated by DKK1-LRP6-Kremen2 complex. Monoclonal antibodies against DKK1 provided dose-dependent protection to macrophages from killing by anthrax lethal toxin （LT）. Our discovery that DKK1 forms ternary structure with LRP6 and Kremen2 in promoting PA-mediated toxin internalization provides a paradigm for bacterial exploitation of mechanisms that host cells use to internalize signaling proteins.
