Transcription profile of zebrafish hand2 (hanS6 allele) mutant embryos at 19hpf
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Heart formation requires the fusion of bilateral cardiomyocyte populations as they move toward the embryonic midline. The bHLH transcription factor Hand2 is essential for cardiac fusion; however, the effector genes that execute this function of Hand2 are unknown. Here, we provide the first evidence for a downstream component of the Hand2 pathway that mediates cardiac morphogenesis. Although hand2 is expressed in cardiomyocytes, mosaic analysis demonstrates that hand2 plays a non-autonomous role in regulating cardiomyocyte movement. Gene expression profiles reveal heightened expression of fibronectin 1 (fn1) in hand2 mutant embryos. Reciprocally, overexpression of hand2 leads to decreased Fibronectin levels. Furthermore, reduction of fn1 function enables rescue of cardiac fusion in hand2 mutants: bilateral cardiomyocyte populations merge and exhibit improved tissue architecture, albeit without major changes in apicobasal polarity. Together, our data provide a novel example of a tissue creating a favorable environment for its morphogenesis: the Hand2 pathway establishes an appropriate environment for cardiac fusion through negative modulation of Fn1 levels.
Project description:Heart formation requires the fusion of bilateral cardiomyocyte populations as they move toward the embryonic midline. The bHLH transcription factor Hand2 is essential for cardiac fusion; however, the effector genes that execute this function of Hand2 are unknown. Here, we provide the first evidence for a downstream component of the Hand2 pathway that mediates cardiac morphogenesis. Although hand2 is expressed in cardiomyocytes, mosaic analysis demonstrates that hand2 plays a non-autonomous role in regulating cardiomyocyte movement. Gene expression profiles reveal heightened expression of fibronectin 1 (fn1) in hand2 mutant embryos. Reciprocally, overexpression of hand2 leads to decreased Fibronectin levels. Furthermore, reduction of fn1 function enables rescue of cardiac fusion in hand2 mutants: bilateral cardiomyocyte populations merge and exhibit improved tissue architecture, albeit without major changes in apicobasal polarity. Together, our data provide a novel example of a tissue creating a favorable environment for its morphogenesis: the Hand2 pathway establishes an appropriate environment for cardiac fusion through negative modulation of Fn1 levels. Embryos from three independent hand2 mutant (hanS6 allele) heterozyogous crosses were collected. Examination of Tg(myl7:egfp) expression allow sorting of hand2 mutant embryos from their wild-type siblings.
Project description:To gain mechanistic insight into how Hand2 regulates cardiac fusion, we performed transcriptomic analyses of hand2 loss- and gain-of-function 20 hpf cardiomyocytes.
Project description:During reprogramming of fibroblasts into cardiomyocyte-like cells by overexpression of transcription factors, GATA4, Hand2, Mef2C and Tbx5 (GHMT), H3K4Me2, an active histone code, shifts from fibroblast-exclusive peaks to cardiomyocyte-exclusive peaks. Important cardiac genes are gradually marked by this active histone marker. Mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and neonatal mouse ventricular cardiomyocytes (NMVMs) represent fibroblasts and cardiomyocytes, respectively. Chromatins harvested from MEFs infected with retroviruses carrying GHMT at day 3, day 5, day 7 post-viral infection were prepared for immunoprecipitation.
Project description:During reprogramming of fibroblasts into cardiomyocyte-like cells by overexpression of transcription factors, GATA4, Hand2, Mef2C and Tbx5 (GHMT), H3K4Me2, an active histone code, shifts from fibroblast-exclusive peaks to cardiomyocyte-exclusive peaks. Important cardiac genes are gradually marked by this active histone marker.
Project description:Exploration and dissection of potential actions and effects of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in animals remain challenging. Here using multiple knockout mouse models and single-cell RNA sequencing, we demonstrate that the divergent lncRNA Hand2os1/Uph has a key, complex modulatory effect on the expression of its neighboring gene HAND2 and subsequently on heart development and function. Short deletion of the Hand2os1 promoter in mouse diminishes Hand2os1 transcription to 8~32%, but fails to affect HAND2 expression and yields no discernable heart phenotypes. Interestingly, full-length deletion of Hand2os1 in mouse causes moderate yet prevalent upregulation of HAND2 in hundreds of cardiac cells, leading to profound biological consequences, including dysregulated cardiac gene programs, congenital heart defects and perinatal lethality. We propose that the Hand2os1 locus dampens HAND2 expression to restrain cardiomyocyte proliferation, thereby orchestrating a balanced development of cardiac cell lineages. This study highlights the regulatory complexity of the lncRNA Hand2os1 on HAND2 expression, emphasizing the need for complementary genetic and single-cell approaches to delineate the function and primary molecular effects of an lncRNA in animals.
Project description:Fibroblasts can be reprogrammed into cardiomyocyte-like cells by overexpressing transcription factors, GATA4, Hand2, Mef2C and Tbx5 (GHMT). A83-01, an inhibitor of ALK4, ALK5 and ALK7 and two microRNA, miR-1 and miR-133 increase the efficiency of cardiac reprogramming. RNA_Seq was performed to anyalyze effects of these factors on gene expression.
Project description:FTO was found to inhibit keratinocyte inflammation and proliferation in both in vitro and in vivo settings, independent of m6A demethylase function. RNA-seq was used to identify fibronectin (FN1,FN) as a potential target for FTO. FTO does not rely on demethylase activity to decrease FN1 expression. The anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects of FTO on psoriasis partly depend on FN1. FTO may regulate the skipping of EDA exon in FN1.
Project description:Growth and expansion of ventricular chambers is essential during cardiogenesis and is achieved by proliferation of cardiac progenitors that are not fully differentiated. Disruption of this process can lead to prenatal lethality. In contrast, adult cardiomyocytes achieve growth through hypertrophy rather than hyperplasia. Although epicardial-derived signals may contribute to the proliferative process in myocytes, the factors and cell types responsible for development of the ventricular myocardial thickness are unclear. Moreover, the function of embryonic cardiac fibroblasts, derived from epicardium, and their secreted factors are largely unknown. Using a novel co-culture system, we found that embryonic cardiac fibroblasts induced proliferation of cardiomyocytes, in contrast to adult cardiac fibroblasts that promoted myocyte hypertrophy. We identified fibronectin, collagen and heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor as embryonic cardiac fibroblast-specific signals that collaboratively promoted cardiomyocyte proliferation in a paracrine fashion. b1 integrin was required for this proliferative response, and ventricular cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of b1 integrin in mice resulted in reduced myocardial proliferation and impaired ventricular compaction. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized paracrine function of embryonic cardiac fibroblasts in regulating cardiomyocyte proliferation. This SuperSeries is composed of the following subset Series: GSE14411: Gene expression in b1-integrin wild-type and knockout mouse heart GSE14412: Gene expression in mouse embyonic cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts and adult cardiac fibroblasts Refer to individual Series
Project description:Growth and expansion of ventricular chambers is essential during cardiogenesis and is achieved by proliferation of cardiac progenitors that are not fully differentiated. Disruption of this process can lead to prenatal lethality. In contrast, adult cardiomyocytes achieve growth through hypertrophy rather than hyperplasia. Although epicardial-derived signals may contribute to the proliferative process in myocytes, the factors and cell types responsible for development of the ventricular myocardial thickness are unclear. Moreover, the function of embryonic cardiac fibroblasts, derived from epicardium, and their secreted factors are largely unknown. Using a novel co-culture system, we found that embryonic cardiac fibroblasts induced proliferation of cardiomyocytes, in contrast to adult cardiac fibroblasts that promoted myocyte hypertrophy. We identified fibronectin, collagen and heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor as embryonic cardiac fibroblast-specific signals that collaboratively promoted cardiomyocyte proliferation in a paracrine fashion. b1 integrin was required for this proliferative response, and ventricular cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of b1 integrin in mice resulted in reduced myocardial proliferation and impaired ventricular compaction. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized paracrine function of embryonic cardiac fibroblasts in regulating cardiomyocyte proliferation. To identify candidate fibroblast-derived factors that promote myocyte proliferation, we isolated RNA from Nkx-YFP+ cardiomyocytes, embryonic cardiac fibroblasts, and adult cardiac fibroblasts and profiled mRNA expressions by microarray analyses. Arrays were performed using Affymetrix mouse Gene 1.0 ST arrays. Analysis was performed on three biological replicates of mouse embyonic cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts and adult cardiac fibroblasts.