Biology subjects

Aoto, K.

Publications and source records attributed to Aoto, K..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Rdh10-mediated Retinoic Acid Signaling Regulates the Neural Crest Cell Microenvironment During ENS Formation

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is formed from vagal neural crest cells (NCC), which generate most of the neurons and glia that regulate gastrointestinal function. Defects in the migration or differentiation of NCC in the gut can result in gastrointestinal disorders such as Hirschsprung disease (HSCR). Although mutations in many genes have been associated with the etiology of HSCR, a significant proportion of affected individuals have an undetermined genetic diagnosis. Therefore, its important to identify new genes, modifiers and environmental factors that regulate ENS development and disease. Rdh10 catalyzes the first oxidative step in the metabolism of vitamin A to its active metabolite, RA, and is therefore a central regulator of vitamin A metabolism and retinoic acid (RA) synthesis during embryogenesis. We discovered that retinol dehydrogenase 10 (Rdh10) loss-of-function mouse embryos exhibit intestinal aganglionosis, characteristic of HSCR. Vagal NCC form and migrate in Rdh10 mutant embryos but fail to invade the foregut. Rdh10 is highly expressed in the mesenchyme surrounding the entrance to the foregut and is essential between E7.5-E9.5 for NCC invasion into the gut. Comparative RNA-sequencing revealed downregulation of the Ret-Gdnf-Gfr1 gene signaling network in Rdh10 mutants, which is critical for vagal NCC chemotaxis. Furthermore, the composition of the extracellular matrix through which NCC migrate is also altered, in part by increased collagen deposition. Collectively this restricts NCC entry into the gut, demonstrating that Rdh10-mediated vitamin A metabolism and RA signaling pleiotropically regulates the NCC microenvironment during ENS formation and in the pathogenesis of intestinal aganglionosis.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Endothelial FOXC1 and FOXC2 promote intestinal regeneration after ischemia-reperfusion injury

Intestinal ischemia induces mucosal damage while simultaneously activating intestinal stem cells (ISCs), which subsequently regenerate the damaged intestinal epithelium. However, whether paracrine factors secreted from vascular endothelial cells (ECs) - blood and lymphatic ECs (BECs and LECs, respectively) - regulate ISC-mediated regeneration have yet to be elucidated. Here, we identify FOXC1 and FOXC2 as essential regulators of paracrine signaling in regeneration of the small intestine after ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. EC- and LEC-specific deletions of Foxc1, Foxc2, or both in mice augment I/R-induced intestinal damage by causing defects in vascular regrowth, expression of the chemokine CXCL12 and the Wnt activator R- spondin 3 in BECs and LECs, respectively, and activation of Wnt signaling in ISCs. Treatment with CXCL12 and R-spondin 3 rescues the I/R-induced intestinal damage in EC- and LEC-Foxc mutant mice, respectively. This study provides evidence that FOXC1 and FOXC2 are required for intestinal regeneration by stimulating paracrine CXCL12 and Wnt signaling.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Differential roles of neural crest- and endothelial-derived FOXC2 in trabecular meshwork and Schlemms Canal in glaucomatous pathology

Impaired development and maintenance of the Schlemms Canal (SC) is associated with perturbed aqueous humor outflow regulation and glaucoma progression. Key molecular mechanisms, such as ANGPT/TIE2, PROX1, and VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 regulate SC development and maintenance, but mechanisms of paracrine signaling from neighboring tissues, including the trabecular meshwork (TM) are poorly understood. Here, we show Foxc2 is critical within the neural crest (NC)-derived TM and SC endothelium for development of the aqueous humor outflow pathway. In mice, NC- specific deletion of Foxc2 results in abnormal anterior eye segment development, including impaired SC morphogenesis and functional maintenance, loss of SC identity, and impaired maintenance of intraocular pressure (IOP). Visible light optical coherence tomography angiography analysis also demonstrated functional impairment of the SC in response to changes in IOP in NC-Foxc2-/- mice, suggesting increased TM stiffness. Utilization of single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis then identified that this phenotype is predominately characterized by transcriptional changes associated with extracellular matrix organization and stiffness in TM-associated cell clusters, including increased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression, which can generate soluble TIE2 that acts as an ANGPT trap. As FOXC2 is also critically involved in development of the lymphatic vasculature in other tissues, we also show that endothelial-specific deletion of Foxc2 resulted in impaired SC morphogenesis due to loss of TIE2 expression, which was rescued by deletion of the TIE2 phosphatase VE-PTP. Thus, NC-Foxc2 is critical for development of the TM, and both NC- and endothelial-Foxc2 are key for maintenance of SC identity and its morphogenesis.

developmental biology↗