Project description:We report on P7 dental pulp root and crown genetics and pathways altered by the deletion of Tgfbr2 in the dental pulp and odontoblast cells to investigate the short tooth root phenotype demonstrated in the Tgfbr2 conditional knockout mice.
Project description:We report the changes in gene expression in mouse prostate comparing normal wild type prostate to tumors generated by Cre mediated deletion of Pten or Apc, either with or without deletion of Tgfbr2. Pten single mutant tumors were isolated at either 8 weeks or 22 weeks of age, with high grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) as the main phenotype. Pten;Tgfbr2 double mutants were isolated at 8 weeks (primarily HGPIN), or at 11-14 weeks with extensive locally invasive cancer. Apc single mutants were isolated at 36 weeks old with adenosquamous HGPIN, or at 21-24 weeks of age for the Apc:Tgfbr2 double mutants, which had adenosquamous carcinoma. Ages for the two double mutant groups were based on initial signs of excess tumor burden. Wild type control prostates were isolated at around 20 weeks of age.
Project description:The overall goal of this project is to investigate the role of TGF-beta signaling in palate development in order to discover candidate therapeutics for preventing and treating congenital birth defects. Here, we conducted gene expression profiling of embryonic palatal tissue from wild type mice as well as those with a neural crest specific conditional inactivation of the Tgfbr2 gene. The latter mice provide a model of cleft palate formation. To investigate the mechanism of cleft palate resulting from mutations in TGFBR2, we analyzed neural crest specific conditional inactivation of Tgfbr2 in mice (Tgfbr2fl/fl;Wnt1-Cre). We performed microarray analyses using the palatal tissue of Tgfbr2fl/fl;Wnt1-Cre mice at embryonic day E13.5 (prior to palatal fusion, n=6 per genotype) and E14.5 (during palatal fusion, n=5 per genotype) to examine the genes regulated by Tgf-beta during palate formation.
Project description:Transforming growth factor (TGF) plays an important role in tooth morphogenesis and mineralization. During postnatal development, the dental pulp (DP) mesenchyme secretes neurotrophic factors that guide trigeminal nerve fibers into and throughout the DP. This process is tightly linked with dentin formation and mineralization. Our laboratory established a mouse model in which Tgfbr2 was conditionally deleted in DP mesenchyme using an Osterix promoter-driven Cre recombinase (Tgfbr2cko). These mice survived postnatally with significant defects in bones and teeth, including reduced mineralization and short roots. Hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed reduced axon-like structures in the mutant mice. Reporter imaging demonstrated that Osterix-Cre activity within the tooth was active in the DP and derivatives, but not in neurons. Immunofluorescence staining for 3 tubulin (neuronal marker) was performed on serial cryosections from control and mutant molars on postnatal days 7 and 24 (P7, P24). Confocal imaging and pixel quantification demonstrated reduced innervation in Tgfbr2cko first molars at both stages compared to controls, indicating that signals necessary to promote neurite outgrowth were disrupted by Tgfbr2 deletion. We performed mRNA-Sequence (RNA-Seq) and gene onotology analyses using RNA from the DP of P7 control and mutant mice to investigate the pathways involved in Tgfbr2-mediated tooth development. These analyses identified downregulation of several mineralization-related and neuronal genes in the Tgfbr2cko DP compared to controls. Select gene expression patterns were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR and immunofluorescence imaging. Lastly, trigeminal neurons were co-cultured atop Transwell filters overlying primary Tgfbr2f/f DP cells. Tgfbr2 in the DP was deleted via adenovirus-expressed Cre recombinase. Confocal imaging of axons through the filter pores showed increased axonal sprouting from neurons cultured with Tgfbr2-positive DP cells compared to neurons cultured alone. Axon sprouting was reduced when Tgfbr2 was knocked down in the DP cells. Immunofluorescence of dentin sialophosphoprotein in co-cultured DP cells confirmed reduced mineralization potential in cells with Tgfbr2 deletion. Both our proteomics and RNA-Seq analyses indicate that axonal guidance cues, particularly semaphorin signaling, were disrupted by Tgfbr2 deletion. Thus, Tgfbr2 in the DP mesenchyme appears to regulate differentiation and the cells’ ability to guide neurite outgrowth during tooth mineralization and innervation.
Project description:Genomics studies have detected numerous genetic alterations in esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC), a highly malignant and leading mortal cancer. However, the functions of these mutations in the formation and progression of ESCC largely remain elusive, partially due to lack of feasible animal models. Here, we report a convenient platform with normal esophageal organoids, CRISPR/cas9-mediated introduction of ESCC-associated genetic alterations, and orthotopic transplantation to generate a serial of primary ESCC models in mice. With this platform, we validated that multiple frequently mutated genes, including FAT1/2/4, NOTCH2, KMT2D, EP300, and TGFBR2, as bona fide tumor suppressor genes in ESCC. Among them, TGFBR2 loss dramatically promoted tumorigenesis and multi-organ metastasis. Paradoxically, TGFBR2 deficiency led to Smad3 activation and disruption of Smad3 could partially restrain the progression of Tgfbr2 mutated tumors. Drug screening with tumor organoids revealed that pinaverium bromide, a calcium channel blocker used for irritable bowel syndrome, could repress Smad3 activity and restrain Tgfbr2 deficient ESCC in vitro and in vivo. Our studies provide a highly efficient platform to investigate the in vivo functional of ESCC-associated mutations and develop potential treatment for this miserable malignancy.
Project description:The overall goal of this project is to investigate the role of TGF-beta signaling in tongue development in order to study the contribution of cranial neural crest (CNC) cells towards the patterning of cranial mesoderm for proper tongue formation. Here, we conducted gene expression profiling of embryonic tongue tissue from wild type mice as well as those with a neural crest specific conditional inactivation of the Tgfbr2 gene. The latter mice provide a model of microglossia, a common congenital birth defect which is frequently observed with several syndromic conditions. To investigate the mechanism of microglossia resulting from dysfunctional TGF-Beta signaling during muscle development, we analyzed neural crest specific conditional inactivation of Tgfbr2 in mice (Tgfbr2fl/fl;Wnt1-Cre). We performed microarray analyses of tongue tissue of Tgfbr2fl/fl;Wnt1-Cre mutant mice and Tgfbr2fl/fl control mice at embryonic day E14.5 (n=3 per genotype) to examine the genes regulated by Tgf-beta during tongue muscle development.
Project description:Lung mesenchymal knockout of transforming growth factor, beta receptor II (Tgfbr2) will lead to lung malformation, including impaired lung branching and cystic lesion. In order to understand the underlying mechanisms, total RNA of wild type and mesenchymal Tgfbr2 knockout lungs were isolated and sequenced using the next-generation RNA sequencing technique.
Project description:We used microarrays to characterize the global changes in gene expression within the ascending aorta of mice due to conditional disruption of TGF-M-NM-2 signaling in smooth muscle and/or due to heterozygous fibrillin-1 mutation. Myh11-CreERT2.Tgfbr2f/f (abbreviated as Cre.Tgfbr2) mice were cross-bred to Fbn1C1039G/+ (abbreviated as Fbn1C/+) mice and treated with vehicle or tamoxifen for 5 d starting at 4 wk of age to generate 4 groups of animals: 1) Cre.Tgfbr2-Veh: controls with intact TGF-M-NM-2 signaling and wild-type fibrillin-1 expression; 2) Cre.Tgfbr2-Tmx: conditional disruption of Tgfbr2 in smooth muscle with wild-type fibrillin-1 expression; 3) Fbn1C1039G.Cre.Tgfbr2-Veh: heterozygous expression of mutant fibrillin-1 with intact TGF-M-NM-2 signaling; and 4) Fbn1C1039G.Cre.Tgfbr2-Tmx: conditional disruption of Tgfbr2 in smooth muscle with heterozygous expression of mutant fibrillin-1. The animals were euthanized at 6 weeks of age and their ascending aortas (from above the coronary arteries to the first arch branch) were collected and total RNA was extracted.
Project description:The overall goal of this project is to investigate the role of TGF-beta signaling in regulating the cellular metabolism of cranial neural crest (CNC) cells during palate development. Here, we conducted gene expression profiling of primary mouse embryonic palatal mesenchymal (MEPM) cells from wild type mice as well as those with a neural crest specific conditional inactivation of the Tgfbr2 gene. The latter mice provide a model of cleft palate, which is among the most common congenital birth defects and observed in many syndromic conditions. To investigate the adverse effects of dysfunctional TGF-Beta signaling on the cellular metabolism of palatal mesenchyme during palatogenesis, we analyzed mice with a neural crest cell-specific conditional inactivation of Tgfbr2 (Tgfbr2fl/fl;Wnt1-Cre). We performed microarray analyses of primary mouse embryonic palatal mesenchymal cells of Tgfbr2fl/fl;Wnt1-Cre mutant mice and Tgfbr2fl/fl control mice, collected at embryonic day 13.5 (n=4 per genotype) and cultured with standard media (DMEM with supplements). Cells were collected after 2 passages.