Functional analysis of novel genes differentially expressed genes in heart/hemangioblast precursor cells (H/HPC)

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Cerberus is a feedback inhibitor of Nodal asymmetric signaling in the chick embryo

The TGF-beta-related molecule Nodal plays an essential and conserved role in left-right patterning of the vertebrate embryo. Previous reports have shown that the zebrafish and mouse Cerberus-related proteins Charon and Cerberus-like-2 (Cerl-2), respectively, act in the node region to prevent the Nodal signal from crossing to the right side, whereas chick Cerberus (cCer) has an unclear function in the left-side mesoderm. In this study, we investigate the transcriptional regulation and function of cCer in left-right development. By analyzing the enhancer activity of cCer 5' genomic sequences in electroporated chick embryos, we identified a cCer left-side enhancer that contains two FoxH1 and one SMAD binding site. We show that these Nodal-responsive elements are necessary and sufficient for the activation of transcription in the left-side mesoderm. In transgenic mouse embryos, cCer regulatory sequences behave as in chick embryos, suggesting that the cis-regulatory sequences of Cerberus-related genes have diverged during vertebrate evolution. Moreover, our findings from cCer overexpression and knockdown experiments indicate that cCer is a negative-feedback regulator of Nodal asymmetric signaling. We propose that cCer and mouse Cerl-2 have evolved distinct regulatory mechanisms but retained a conserved function in left-right development, which is to restrict Nodal activity to the left side of the embryo.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The activity of cerberus-like 2 during cardiogenesis, morphological and morphogenetics studies

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Enhancing antioxidants extraction from agro-industrial by-products by enzymatic treatment

Nowadays, agro-industrial by-products are of increasing interest as a source of antioxidant compounds. Thus, alternative green techniques to extract antioxidant compounds have been pursued. The use of enzymes to release bioactive compounds through antioxidant activity reduces the environmental impact caused by traditional extraction systems using organic solvents. A crude enzymatic extract containing carbohydrolases was produced by solid-state fermentation (SSF) of an olive pomace and brewery spent-grain combination. The crude extract was evaluated at different temperatures and pH values and its thermostability was studied. Results showed that β-glucosidase and cellulase were more stable than xylanase, particularly cellulase, which kept 91% of its activity for 72 h at 45 °C. The extract was also applied in enzymatic treatments (ET) to liberate antioxidant compounds from winery, olive mill and brewery by-products under optimal conditions for enzymatic activities. The highest antioxidant activity was found in extracts obtained after enzymatic treatment of exhausted olive pomace (EOP). Enzymatic crude extract produced by SSF was successfully applied in the extraction of antioxidant compounds from winery, olive mill and brewery by-products. Thus, integrating SSF and enzymatic technologies is a valuable approach to implement circular economy practices in the agro-food industry.This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) and BioTec-Norte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020—Programa Operacional Regional do Norte. This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of SFRH/BD/114777/2016.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Functional analysis of the mouse Nodal antagonist, Cerl2, during left-right axis formation

Although recently our understanding of how the LR asymmetry is generated in vertebrate embryos has seen rapid progress, many important questions remain to be explained. In mouse embryos, the leftward flow of the extra-embryonic fluid in the node cavity, called nodal flow, seems to be the symmetry-breaking event. However, it is not yet know how this flow functions or how the asymmetric signal(s) generated in the node is/are transferred to the lateral plate mesoderm. The mouse gene cerberus-like2(cerl2) encodes a 20-kDa protein with a predicted signal peptide sequence and a cysteine-rich domain (CRD) containing nine cysteines characteristic of the Cerberus/DAN family. Whole-mount in situ hybridization studies showed that cerl2 transcripts could be first detected in a horseshoe-shaped expression pattern in the perinodal region of the mouse embryo (E7.0), resembling Nodal expression at this stage. At stage E7.5, expression of cerl2 begins to decrease in intensity on the left side, and by early somitogenesis (E8.0), it can be strongly detected in the right side of the node, assuming a complementary expression pattern to that observed in Nodal. Furthermore, it was shown that Cerl2 activity is upstream of the Nodal receptor inhibiting Nodal and its downstream targets. A physical interaction between these two proteins exists, which suggests that Cerl2 is a secreted Nodal antagonist. Here, to elucidate the role of Cerl2 protein in the early events of symmetry breaking the functional activity of this Nodal antagonist will be discussed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Generation of a gene-corrected human induced pluripotent stem cell line derived from a patient with laterality defects and congenital heart anomalies with a c.455G > A alteration in DAND5.

This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (PTDC/ BIM-MED/3363/2014) and iNOVA4Health -UID/Multi/04462/ 2013, a program financially supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia/ Ministério da Educação e Ciência, through national funds and co-funded by FEDER under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement.Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from individual patient basis are considered a powerful resource to model human diseases. However, to study complex multigenic diseases such as Congenital Heart Disease, it is crucial to generate perfect isogenic controls to understand gene singularity and contribution. Here, we report the engendering of an isogenic hiPSC line with homozygous correction of c.455G > A alteration in the DAND5 gene, using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The characterization of a clone of this cell line demonstrates normal karyotype, pluripotent state, and potential to differentiate in vitro towards endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm.publishersversionpublishe

N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfate 6-O-sulfotransferase expression during early mouse embryonic development

N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfate 6-O-sulfotransferase (GalNAc4S-6ST) is an enzyme which is known to help build up the GlcA beta 1-3GalNAc(4,6-bisSO(4)) unit of chondroitin sulfate E (CSE). This enzymatic activity has been reported in squid cartilage and in human serum, but has never been reported as an enzyme required during early mouse development. On the other hand, CSE has been shown to bind with strong affinity to Midkine (MK). The latter is a heparin-binding growth factor which has been found to play important regulatory roles in differentiation and morphogenesis during mouse embryonic development. We have analyzed the expression pattern of the GalNAc4S-6ST gene during early mouse embryonic development by whole mount in situ hybridization. The results show that GalNAc4S-6ST is differentially expressed in the anterior visceral ectoderm at stage E5.5 and later becomes restricted to the embryonic endoderm, especially in the prospective midgut region. During the turning process, expression of GalNAc4S-6ST gene is detected in the forebrain, branchial arches, across the gut tube (hindgut, midgut and foregut diverticulum), in the vitelline veins and artery and in the splanchnopleure layer. These results open the possibility of a role for GalNAc4S-6ST during early mouse development

Matrix Gla Protein expression pattern in the early avian embryo

MGP (Matrix Gla Protein) is an extracellular matrix vitamin K dependent protein previously identified as a physiological inhibitor of calcification and shown to be well conserved among vertebrates during evolution. MGP is involved in other mechanisms such as TGF-beta and BMP activity, and a proposed modulator of cell-matrix interactions. MGP is expressed early in vertebrate development although its role has not been clarified. Previous work in the chicken embryo found MGP localization predominantly in the aorta and aortic valve base, but no data is available earlier in development. Here we examined MGP expression pattern using whole-mount in situ hybridization and histological sectioning during the initial stages of chick development. MGP was first detected at HH10 in the head and in the forming dorsal aorta. At the moment of the onset of blood circulation, MGP was expressed additionally in the venous plexus which will remodel into the vitelline arteries. By E2.25, it is clear that the vitelline arteries are MGP positive. MGP expression progresses centrifugally throughout the area vasculosa of the yolk sac. Between stages HH17 and HH19 MGP is seen in the dorsal aorta, heart, notochord, nephric duct, roof plate, vitelline arteries and in the yolk sac, beneath main arterial branches and in the vicinity of several vessels and venules. MGP expression persists in these areas at least until E4.5. These data suggest that MGP expression could be associated with cell migration and differentiation and to the onset of angiogenesis in the developing chick embryo. This data has biomedical relevance by pointing to the potential use of chick embryo explants to study molecules involved in artery calcification

Simultaneous production of β-glucidase and extraction of antioxidant compounds by solid-state fermentation of winery and olive mill wastes

Wineries and olive mills wastes have a high content in phenolic compounds. This work aims to evaluate the production of β-glucosidase by solid-state fermentation (SSF) of these wastes to increase the extraction of phenolic antioxidant compounds. Filamentous fungi were growth on solid wastes under SSF. The β-glucosidase activity and antioxidant activity was measured in the extract obtained after 7 days of growth at 25 ºC. The results showed that the use of exhausted olive pomace as substrate allowed to achieve the maximum production of β-glucosidase. Fungi that achieved the highest production of enzyme were A. niger CECT 2088 and A. niger MUM 03.49 with 28.31 ± 0.03 and 22.2 ± 0.2 U/g dry substrate. In addition, all studied fungi increased the antioxidant capacity of aqueous extract obtained after SSF of all wastes respect to unfermented wastes. The SSF showed to be a potential clean technology to extract antioxidant compounds.José Manuel Salgado was supported by grant CEB/N2020 – INV/01/2016 from Project “BIOTECNORTE - Underpinning Biotechnology to foster the north of Portugal bioeconomy” (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004). This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145FEDER-006684) and BioTec-Norte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

CCBE1 in Cardiac Development and Disease

Funding Information: Funding: OB was a pre-doctoral fellow of Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (PD/BD/105891/2015). This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) grants (PTDC/SAU-ENB/121095/2010, HMSP-ICT/0039/2013 and 02/SAICT/2017/029590) to JA Belo and by the Scientific Employment Stimulus to JMI (Norma Transitória 8189/2018, FCT), and iNOVA4Health – UIDB/Multi/04462/2020 and UIDP/Multi/04462/2020, a program financially supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia / Ministério da Educação e Ciência, through national funds is acknowledged.The collagen- and calcium-binding EGF-like domains 1 (CCBE1) is a secreted protein extensively described as indispensable for lymphangiogenesis during development enhancing VEGF-C signaling. In human patients, mutations in CCBE1 have been found to cause Hennekam syndrome, an inherited disease characterized by malformation of the lymphatic system that presents a wide variety of symptoms such as primary lymphedema, lymphangiectasia, and heart defects. Importantly, over the last decade, an essential role for CCBE1 during heart development is being uncovered. In mice, Ccbe1 expression was initially detected in distinct cardiac progenitors such as first and second heart field, and the proepicardium. More recently, Ccbe1 expression was identified in the epicardium and sinus venosus (SV) myocardium at E11.5–E13.5, the stage when SV endocardium–derived (VEGF-C dependent) coronary vessels start to form. Concordantly, CCBE1 is required for the correct formation of the coronary vessels and the coronary artery stem in the mouse. Additionally, Ccbe1 was found to be enriched in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESC) and revealed as a new essential gene for the differentiation of ESC-derived early cardiac precursor cell lineages. Here, we bring an up-to-date review on the role of CCBE1 in cardiac development, function, and human disease implications. Finally, we envisage the potential of this molecule’s functions from a regenerative medicine perspective, particularly novel therapeutic strategies for heart disease.publishersversionpublishe