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Somatic mutations reveal hyperactive Notch signaling in prurigo nodularis.

Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by pruritic skin nodules of unknown etiology. Little is known about genetic changes in PN pathogenesis, particularly somatic events, which are often implicated in inflammatory conditions. We thus performed whole-exome sequencing on 54 lesional and nonlesional skin biopsies from 17 patients with PN and 10 patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) for comparison. Somatic mutational analysis revealed that PN lesional skin harbors recurrent somatic mutations in fibrotic, neurotropic, and cancer-associated genes that are absent in adjacent PN nonlesional skin. Nonsynonymous mutations were most frequently present in NOTCH1 and the Notch signaling pathway, a key regulator of cellular proliferation and tissue fibrosis. In contrast, NOTCH1 mutations were absent in AD. Somatic copy-number analysis, combined with expression data, identified recurrently deleted and downregulated genes in PN lesional skin, which are associated with axonal guidance and extension. Follow-up immunofluorescence validation demonstrated increased NOTCH1 expression in PN lesional skin fibroblasts and increased Notch signaling in PN lesional dermis. Finally, a multicenter analysis revealed increased risk of NOTCH1-associated diseases in patients with PN. In characterizing the somatic landscape of PN, this study highlights the potential role of Notch pathway dysregulation in PN pathogenesis and fibrosis.

Humans↗

Distribution of Notch1-expressing cells and proliferating cells in mouse vomeronasal organ.

Vomeronasal receptor neurons (VRNs) proliferate and differentiate continuously in the vomeronasal organ (VNO) throughout life. In adult mice, new VRNs are generated mainly in the marginal region, located in the boundary region between sensory and nonsensory epithelia. The Notch signaling pathway is involved in differentiation in the developing nervous system. To understand the Notch signaling pathway involved in generating VRNs, we focused on the relationship between the expression pattern of Notch1 and the localization of proliferating cells in both developing and regenerating mice VNO, and examined the Notch signaling pathway involved in the development of VNO by in situ hybridization of Notch1 and immunocytochemistry of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine. During embryonic and neonatal development, proliferating cells and Notch1-expressing (+) cells were observed evenly throughout VNO. A large number of proliferating cells and Notch1 (+) cells were observed in embryonic VNO, but gradually decreased during development. The localization of proliferating cells was similar to that of Notch1 (+) cells at each developmental stage. In adult VNO, there are a few proliferating cells and Notch1 (+) cells, which were only in the marginal region of VNO. Seven days after removal of the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB), VRNs proliferated throughout VNO. Although the number of Notch1 (+) cells also increased in VNO, the majority of these were concentrated in the dorsal region of VNO, suggesting that it has two types of differentiating cell. These results suggest that Notch1 plays a role in the differentiation of VRNs during development and regeneration of VRNs after removal of AOB.

Animals↗

Mice lacking both presenilin genes exhibit early embryonic patterning defects.

Genetic studies in worms, flies, and humans have implicated the presenilins in the regulation of the Notch signaling pathway and in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease. There are two highly homologous presenilin genes in mammals, presenilin 1 (PS1) and presenilin 2 (PS2). In mice, inactivation of PS1 leads to developmental defects that culminate in a perinatal lethality. To test the possibility that the late lethality of PS1-null mice reflects genetic redundancy of the presenilins, we have generated PS2-null mice by gene targeting, and subsequently, PS1/PS2 double-null mice. Mice homozygous for a targeted null mutation in PS2 exhibit no obvious defects; however, loss of PS2 on a PS1-null background leads to embryonic lethality at embryonic day 9.5. Embryos lacking both presenilins, and surprisingly, those carrying only a single copy of PS2 on a PS1-null background, exhibit multiple early patterning defects, including lack of somite segmentation, disorganization of the trunk ventral neural tube, midbrain mesenchyme cell loss, anterior neuropore closure delays, and abnormal heart and second branchial arch development. In addition, Delta like-1 (Dll1) and Hes-5, two genes that lie downstream in the Notch pathway, were misexpressed in presenilin double-null embryos: Hes-5 expression was undetectable in these mice, whereas Dll1 was expressed ectopically in the neural tube and brain of double-null embryos. We conclude that the presenilins play a widespread role in embryogenesis, that there is a functional redundancy between PS1 and PS2, and that both vertebrate presenilins, like their invertebrate homologs, are essential for Notch signaling.

Animals↗

Generation of new Notch2 mutant alleles.

The Notch signaling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved intercellular signaling mechanism, and mutations in its components disrupt embryonic development in many organisms and cause inherited diseases in humans. We previously described construction and analysis of a hypomorphic allele of the Notch2 gene. Homozygosity for this allele leads to embryonic and perinatal lethality due to cardiovascular and kidney defects. We report here novel Notch2 mutant alleles generated by gene targeting in embryonic stem cells, including a conditional null allele in which exon 3 of the Notch2 gene is flanked by loxP sequences. These new Notch2 mutant alleles expand the set of tools available for studying the myriad roles of the Notch pathway during mammalian development and will enable analysis of Notch2 function at additional stages of embryogenesis and in adult mice.

Alleles↗

Notch signaling in astrocytes and neuroblasts of the adult subventricular zone in health and after cortical injury.

The postnatal subventricular zone (SVZ) is a niche for continuous neurogenesis in the adult brain and likely plays a fundamental role in self-repair responses in neurodegenerative conditions. Maintenance of the pool of neural stem cells within this area depends on cell-cell communication such as that provided by the Notch signaling pathway. Notch1 receptor mRNA has been found distributed in different areas of the postnatal brain including the SVZ. Although the identity of Notch1-expressing cells has been established in the majority of these areas, it is still unclear what cell types within the SVZ are expressing components of this pathway. Here we demonstrate that most of expression of Notch1 in the adult SVZ occurs in polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM)-positive neural precursors and in glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive SVZ astrocytes. Notch1 was also found in PSA-NCAM-positive neuroblasts located within the rostral migratory stream (RMS) but much less in those that have reached the olfactory bulb. We show that two of the naturally occurring Notch1 activators, Jagged1 and Delta1, are also expressed in the SVZ and within the RMS in the adult mouse brain. Finally, using a model of cortical stab wound, we show that the astrogliogenic response of the SVZ to injury is accompanied by activation of the Notch pathway.

Animals↗

The Notch ligand Jagged1 is required for inner ear sensory development.

Within the mammalian inner ear there are six separate sensory regions that subserve the functions of hearing and balance, although how these sensory regions become specified remains unknown. Each sensory region is populated by two cell types, the mechanosensory hair cell and the supporting cell, which are arranged in a mosaic in which each hair cell is surrounded by supporting cells. The proposed mechanism for creating the sensory mosaic is lateral inhibition mediated by the Notch signaling pathway. However, one of the Notch ligands, Jagged1 (Jag1), does not show an expression pattern wholly consistent with a role in lateral inhibition, as it marks the sensory patches from very early in their development--presumably long before cells make their final fate decisions. It has been proposed that Jag1 has a role in specifying sensory versus nonsensory epithelium within the ear [Adam, J., Myat, A., Roux, I. L., Eddison, M., Henrique, D., Ish-Horowicz, D. & Lewis, J. (1998) Development (Cambridge, U.K.) 125, 4645--4654]. Here we provide experimental evidence that Notch signaling may be involved in specifying sensory regions by showing that a dominant mouse mutant headturner (Htu) contains a missense mutation in the Jag1 gene and displays missing posterior and sometimes anterior ampullae, structures that house the sensory cristae. Htu/+ mutants also demonstrate a significant reduction in the numbers of outer hair cells in the organ of Corti. Because lateral inhibition mediated by Notch predicts that disruptions in this pathway would lead to an increase in hair cells, we believe these data indicate an earlier role for Notch within the inner ear.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

NOTCH1 mutations in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: prognostic significance and implication in multifactorial leukemogenesis.

PURPOSE: NOTCH signaling pathway is essential in T-cell development and NOTCH1 mutations are frequently present in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). To gain insight into its clinical significance, NOTCH1 mutation was investigated in 77 patients with T-ALL. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Detection of NOTCH1 mutation was done using reverse transcription-PCR amplification and direct sequencing, and thereby compared according to the clinical/biological data of the patients. RESULTS: Thirty-two mutations were identified in 29 patients (with dual mutations in 3 cases), involving not only the heterodimerization and proline/glutamic acid/serine/threonine domains as previously reported but also the transcription activation and ankyrin repeat domains revealed for the first time. These mutations were significantly associated with elevated WBC count at diagnosis and independently linked to short survival time. Interestingly, the statistically significant difference of survival according to NOTCH1 mutations was only observed in adult patients (>18 years) but not in pediatric patients (< or = 18 years), possibly due to the relatively good overall response of childhood T-ALL to the current chemotherapy. NOTCH1 mutations could coexist with HOX11, HOX11L2, or SIL-TAL1 expression. The negative effect of NOTCH1 mutation on prognosis was potentiated by HOX11L2 but was attenuated by HOX11. CONCLUSION: NOTCH1 mutation is an important prognostic marker in T-ALL and its predictive value could be even further increased if coevaluated with other T-cell-related regulatory genes. NOTCH pathway thus acts combinatorially with oncogenic transcriptional factors on T-ALL pathogenesis.

Adolescent↗

Notch signalling: a simple pathway becomes complex.

A small number of signalling pathways are used iteratively to regulate cell fates, cell proliferation and cell death in development. Notch is the receptor in one such pathway, and is unusual in that most of its ligands are also transmembrane proteins; therefore signalling is restricted to neighbouring cells. Although the intracellular transduction of the Notch signal is remarkably simple, with no secondary messengers, this pathway functions in an enormous diversity of developmental processes and its dysfunction is implicated in many cancers.

Animals↗

Transcripts of Grg4, a murine groucho-related gene, are detected in adjacent tissues to other murine neurogenic gene homologues during embryonic development.

The groucho-related genes (Grg) of the mouse comprise at least four family members. In Drosophila, groucho is one of the neurogenic genes that participates in the Notch signalling pathway. The Groucho protein interacts with Hairy-related transcription factors to regulate segmentation, neurogenesis and sex determination. Thus, by analogy to the Drosophila proteins, murine Grg proteins may interact with mammalian Hairy and E(spl) homologues (Hes proteins) and take part in a signalling pathway downstream of murine Notch. We have isolated murine Grg4 cDNAs and examined Grg4 expression during embryogenesis. Transcripts of Grg4 were detected in proliferating epithelial tissues undergoing mesenchymal induction, overlapping with Grg3, Notch1 and Hes1 expression. Grg4 was also expressed in the central nervous system and somites, but in cells adjacent to Grg3-, Notch1-, and Hes1-expressing cells. This distinct pattern of expression suggests a role for Grg4 in later stages of cell differentiation than for the other mouse neurogenic gene homologues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Alagille syndrome and the Jagged1 gene.

Since the first descriptions of Alagille syndrome (syndromic bile duct paucity) 30 years ago, our appreciation of the clinical variability and complexity of this disorder has grown. In addition to the liver, Alagille syndrome is associated with abnormalities that involve the heart, eye, skeleton, kidneys, and the increasing importance of abnormalities of the central nervous system is being recognized. The developmental nature of the disorder has been proven with the identification of the disease-causing gene, Jagged1. Jagged1 is a cell surface protein that functions in an embryologically important signaling pathway, known as the Notch signaling pathway. Identification of the role of Jagged1 (JAG1) in the etiology of Alagille syndrome has improved diagnosis for this variably expressed disorder. In this review, we summarize information on the range of clinical abnormalities of the liver and other affected organs in affected individuals. Genetic studies have demonstrated the range of defects in JAG1 that cause Alagille syndrome. Mutations in JAG1 can be identified in 70% of Alagille syndrome patients, and they are inherited in 30-50%. These mutations include total gene deletions as well as mutations (frameshift, missense, and nonsense) in almost all regions of the 26 exons of the Jagged1 gene. This review focuses on clinical and genetic features of Alagille syndrome.

Alagille Syndrome↗

Identity of the beta-globin locus control region binding protein HS2NF5 as the mammalian homolog of the notch-regulated transcription factor suppressor of hairless.

Previously, we characterized a DNA-binding protein, HS2NF5, that bound tightly to a conserved region within hypersensitive site 2 (HS2) of the human beta-globin locus control region (LCR) (Lam, L. T. , and Bresnick, E. H. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 32421-32429). The beta-globin LCR controls the chromatin structure, transcription, and replication of the beta-globin genes. We have now purified HS2NF5 to near-homogeneity from fetal bovine thymus. Two polypeptides of 56 and 61 kDa copurified with the DNA binding activity. The two proteins bound to the LCR recognition site with an affinity (3.1 nM) and specificity similar to mouse erythroleukemia cell HS2NF5. The amino acid sequences of tryptic peptides of purified HS2NF5 revealed it to be identical to the murine homolog of the suppressor of hairless transcription factor, also known as recombination signal binding protein Jkappa or C promoter binding factor 1 (CBF1). The CBF1 site within HS2 resides near sites for hematopoietic regulators such as GATA-1, NF-E2, and TAL1. An additional conserved, high affinity CBF1 site was localized within HS4 of the LCR. As CBF1 is a downstream target of the Notch signaling pathway, we propose that Notch may modulate LCR activity during hematopoiesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Repression of activator protein-1-mediated transcriptional activation by the Notch-1 intracellular domain.

Developmental decisions that control cell fate are commonly regulated by the Notch signaling pathway. Activation of transmembrane Notch receptors results in proteolytic liberation of the intracellular domain of Notch, which translocates into the nucleus, binds a repressor (C promoter binding factor 1/RBP-Jkappa, Su(H), and Lag-1 (CSL)), and induces target genes. We found that the intracellular domain of human Notch-1 (NIC-1) represses activator protein-1 (AP-1)-mediated transactivation. Because numerous genes that control immune and inflammatory responses are AP-1-dependent and Notch regulates immune cell function, we investigated the underlying molecular mechanisms. Repression of AP-1 by NIC-1 did not represent a general inhibitory effect on transcription because nuclear factor kappaB-dependent transcription and transcription driven by a constitutive promoter and enhancer were not affected by NIC-1. The physiological relevance of the repression was supported by the facts that repression was apparent in multiple cell lines, endogenous AP-1 target genes were repressed, and similar concentrations of NIC-1 were required for CSL-dependent activation and AP-1 repression. The RBP-Jkappa-associated molecule domain of NIC-1 that mediates CSL binding and distinct sequences necessary for transactivation were required for repression. However, there was not a strict correlation between the sequence requirements for CSL-dependent activation and AP-1 repression. Repression correlated with predominant nuclear localization of NIC-1 and was not accompanied by disruption of c-Jun amino-terminal kinase-dependent signaling events required for AP-1 activation or by defective AP-1 DNA binding activity. These results provide evidence for negative cross-talk between Notch and AP-1, which may have important consequences for controlling diverse biological processes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Cell movements controlled by the Notch signalling cascade during foregut development in Drosophila.

Notch signalling is an evolutionarily conserved cell interaction mechanism, the role of which in controlling cell fate choices has been studied extensively. Recent studies in both vertebrates and invertebrates revealed additional functions of Notch in proliferation and apoptotic events. We provide evidence for an essential role of the Notch signalling pathway during morphogenetic cell movements required for the formation of the foregut-associated proventriculus organ in the Drosophila embryo. We demonstrate that the activation of the Notch receptor occurs in two rows of boundary cells in the proventriculus primordium. The boundary cells delimit a population of foregut epithelial cells that invaginate into the endodermal midgut layer during proventriculus morphogenesis. Notch receptor activation requires the expression of its ligand Delta in the invaginating cells and apical Notch receptor localisation in the boundary cells. We further show that the movement of the proventricular cells is dependent on the short stop gene that encodes the Drosophila plectin homolog of vertebrates and is a cytoskeletal linker protein of the spectraplakin superfamily. short stop is transcriptionally activated in response to the Notch signalling pathway in boundary cells and we demonstrate that the localisation of the Notch receptor and Notch signalling activity depend on short stop activity. Our results provide a novel link between the Notch signalling pathway and cytoskeletal reorganisation controlling cell movement during the development of foregut-associated organs.

Actins↗

Intracellular-activated Notch1 can reactivate Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus from latency.

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) establishes a predominantly latent infection in the infected host. Importantly, during latency, only a small number of viral encoded genes are expressed. This viral gene expression pattern contributes to the establishment of long-term infection as well as the ability of the virus to evade the immune system. Previous studies have been shown that the replication and transcription activator (RTA) encoded by ORF50 activates it downstream genes and initiates viral lytic reactivation through functional interaction with RBP-Jkappa, the major downstream effector of the Notch signaling pathway. This indicates that RTA can usurp the conserved Notch signaling pathway and mimic the activities of intracellular Notch1 to modulate gene expression. In this report, we show that the activated intracellular domain of Notch1 (ICN) is aberrantly accumulated in KSHV latently infected pleural effusion lymphoma (PEL) cells. ICN activated the RTA promoter in a dose-dependent manner, and forced expression of ICN in latently infected KSHV-positive cells initiated full blown lytic replication with the production of infectious viral progeny. However, latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) which is predominantly expressed during latency can specifically down-modulate ICN-mediated transactivation of RTA and so control KSHV for lytic reactivation. These results demonstrate that LANA can inhibit viral lytic replication by antagonizing ICN function and suggest that LANA is a critical component of the regulatory control mechanism for switching between viral latent and lytic replication by directly interacting with effectors of the conserved cellular Notch1 pathway.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Interplay between Notch signaling and epigenetic silencers in cancer.

Given its role in the development and self-renewal of many tissues, it is not surprising that a prominent role has recently been proposed for the Notch signal transduction pathway in tumor development. However, exactly how Notch hyperactivation promotes oncogenesis is poorly understood. Recent findings in Drosophila melanogaster have linked the Notch pathway to epigenetic silencing and the tumor suppressor gene Rb during tumorigenesis. Because aberrant epigenetic gene silencing contributes to the pathogenesis of most human cancers, these findings may provide a new focal point to understand how Notch is associated with cancers, and to help develop better selective cancer therapies.

Animals↗

Jagged 1 is a beta-catenin target gene required for ectopic hair follicle formation in adult epidermis.

The Wnt and Notch signalling pathways regulate hair follicle maintenance, but how they intersect is unknown. We show that Notch signalling is active in the hair follicle pre-cortex, a region of high Wnt activity, where commitment to hair lineages occurs. Deletion of jagged 1 (Jag1) results in inhibition of the hair growth cycle and conversion of hair follicles into cysts of cells undergoing interfollicular epidermal differentiation. Conversely, activation of Notch in adult epidermis triggers expansion of the base of the hair follicle, sebaceous gland enlargement and abnormal clumping of the follicles. In adult epidermis, the induction of new hair follicle formation by beta-catenin is prevented by blocking Notch signalling pharmacologically or through Jag1 deletion. Conversely, activation of both pathways accelerates growth and differentiation of ectopic follicles. beta-catenin stimulates Notch signalling by inducing Jag1 transcription. We conclude that the Notch pathway acts downstream of the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway to determine epidermal cell fate.

Animals↗

Radical fringe negatively modulates Notch signaling in postmitotic neurons of the rat brain.

Fringe was originally identified as a novel secreted signaling protein with a key role in wing formation of Drosophila. Three vertebrate fringe homologues, Radical, Lunatic and Manic fringe, were also identified, and have been shown to play major roles in neurogenesis during development. However, the expression and roles of vertebrate fringe homologues in the adult brain remain to be elucidated. We isolated the cDNA encoding rat Radical fringe (334 amino acids) from rat embryos, and found its mRNA to be most abundantly expressed in the adult rat brain by Northern blotting analysis. The localization of Radical fringe mRNA in the adult rat brain was also examined by in situ hybridization. The mRNA was abundantly expressed in most neurons, but not glial cells, throughout the brain. Notch signaling was shown to negatively modulate the stability of neurites and connections in postmitotic primary neurons. Furthermore, genetic evidence indicated that fringe modulated the Notch signaling pathway. Therefore, we examined the effects of Radical fringe on the Notch signaling pathway in primary rat neurons of the cerebral cortex using recombinant rat Radical fringe protein. Radical fringe protein significantly inhibited expression of the Notch effector Hes1 mRNA in primary neurons. These results indicated that Radical fringe functions by inhibiting Notch signaling in postmitotic neurons of the brain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Inhibition of EBF function by active Notch signaling reveals a novel regulatory pathway in early B-cell development.

The Notch signaling pathway is involved in several lineage commitment and differentiation events. One of these is fate determination of the common lymphoid progenitor, promoting T-cell development at the expense of B-cell differentiation. It has been suggested that this process relies on Notch's ability to inhibit E proteins, which are crucial for early B-cell development. Here, we report that Notch signaling also modulates the function of the transcription factor, early B-cell factor (EBF). Transient transfection of intracellular Notch1 (Notch1-IC) into a pre-B cell line resulted in the down-regulation of EBF-regulated promoters and diminished the capacity of EBF to activate these promoters in an epithelial cell line. This correlated with a reduction in the ability of EBF to bind DNA. Ligand-induced stimulation of endogenous Notch receptors with Delta4 mimicked the activity of Notch1-IC toward EBF. These data suggest that Notch signaling may affect B-versus T-lineage commitment by the targeting of both EBF and E2A.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗