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Wnt signaling mediates acquisition of blood-brain barrier properties in naive endothelium derived from human pluripotent stem cells.

ABSTRACT: Endothelial cells (ECs) in the central nervous system (CNS) acquire their specialized blood-brain barrier (BBB) properties in response to extrinsic signals, with Wnt/β-catenin signaling coordinating multiple aspects of this process. Our knowledge of CNS EC development has been advanced largely by animal models, and human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) offer the opportunity to examine BBB development in an in vitro human system. Here, we show that activation of Wnt signaling in hPSC-derived naïve endothelial progenitors, but not in matured ECs, leads to robust acquisition of canonical BBB phenotypes including expression of GLUT-1, increased claudin-5, decreased PLVAP, and decreased permeability. RNA-seq revealed a transcriptome profile resembling ECs with CNS-like characteristics, including Wnt-upregulated expression of LEF1, APCDD1, and ZIC3. Together, our work defines effects of Wnt activation in naïve ECs and establishes an improved hPSC-based model for interrogation of CNS barriergenesis.

SUBMITTER: Gastfriend BD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8664294 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Rationale. The microvasculature of the central nervous system includes the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which regulates the permeability to nutrients and restricts the passage of toxic agents and inflammatory cells. Canonical Wnt/b-catenin signaling is responsible for the early phases of brain vascularization and blood-brain barrier differentiation. However, this signal declines after birth and other signaling pathways able to maintain barrier integrity at postnatal stage are still unknown. Objective. Sox17 constitutes a major downstream target of Wnt/b-catenin in endothelial cells and regulates arterial differentiation. In the present paper, we asked whether Sox17 may act downstream of Wnt/b-catenin in inducing BBB differentiation and maintenance. Methods and Results. Using reporter mice and nuclear staining of Sox17 and b-catenin, we report that while b-catenin signaling declines after birth, Sox17 activation increases and remains high in the adult. Endothelial-specific inactivation of Sox17 leads to increase of permeability of the brain microcirculation. The severity of this effect depends on the degree of BBB maturation: it is strong in the embryo, and progressively declines after birth. In search of Sox17 mechanism of action, RNA-Seq analysis of gene expression of brain endothelial cells has identified members of the Wnt/b-catenin signaling pathway as downstream targets of Sox17. Consistently, we found that Sox17 is a positive inducer of Wnt/b-catenin signaling and it acts in concert with this pathway to induce and maintain BBB properties. In vivo, inhibition of the b-catenin destruction complex or expression of a degradation-resistant b-catenin mutant, prevent the increase in permeability and retina vascular malformations observed in the absence of Sox17. Conclusions. Our data highlight a novel role for Sox17 in the induction and maintenance of the BBB and they underline the strict reciprocal tuning of this transcription factor and Wnt/b-catenin pathway. Modulation of Sox17 activity may be relevant to control BBB permeability in pathological conditions.

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Wnt signaling mediates acquisition of blood-brain barrier properties in naive endothelium derived from human pluripotent stem cells.

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