Dickkopf 3 Promotes the Differentiation of Substantia Nigra Dopaminergic Neurons In Vivo and from Pluripotent Stem Cells In Vitro
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ABSTRACT: WNT1/beta-catenin signaling plays a crucial role in the generation of mesodiencephalic dopaminergic (mdDA) neurons including the Substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) subpopulation, whose degeneration is a hallmark of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). However, the precise functions of WNT/beta-catenin signaling in this context remain unknown. Using mutant mice, primary ventral midbrain (VM) cells and pluripotent stem cells (mouse embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells), we show that Dickkopf 3 (DKK3), a secreted glycoprotein that modulates WNT/beta-catenin signaling, is specifically required for the correct differentiation of a rostrolateral mdDA precursor subset into SNc DA neurons. Dkk3 transcription in the murine VM coincides with the onset of mdDA neurogenesis and is required for the maintenance of LMX1A and consequently PITX3 expression in rostrolateral mdDA precursors, without affecting the proliferation or specification of their progenitors. Treatment of primary VM cells or differentiating pluripotent stem cells with recombinant WNT1 and/or DKK3 proteins consistently increases the proportion of mdDA cells with SNc DA neuron identity and promotes their survival in vitro. The SNc DA pro-differentiation and pro-survival properties of DKK3, together with its known anti-tumorigenic effect, therefore make it an ideal candidate for the improvement of regenerative and neuroprotective strategies in the treatment of PD. We performed gene expression microarray analysis on iPSC-derived and FACS-sorted GFP-positive Pitx3GFP/+ mdDA neurons, differentiated in the presence or absence of recombinant human WNT1 and recombinant human DKK3. In addition, we analysed primary and FACS-sorted GFP-positive Pitx3+/GFP mdDA neurons isolated from the E13.5 and E14.5 ventral midbrain of Pitx3+/GFP embryos
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
SUBMITTER: Johannes Beckers
PROVIDER: E-GEOD-58813 | biostudies-arrayexpress |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress
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