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Maas, Richard

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Maas

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Richard

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Maas, Richard
Author's Publications: search.filters.isAuthorOfPublication.f76e1562-7844-4ab3-a387-f27d32a023f6

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Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
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    Pax6- and Six3-Mediated Induction of Lens Cell Fate in Mouse and Human ES Cells
    (Public Library of Science, 2014) Anchan, Raymond; Lachke, Salil A.; Gerami-Naini, Behzad; Lindsey, Jennifer; Ng, Nicholas; Naber, Catherine; Nickerson, Michael; Cavallesco, Resy; Rowan, Sheldon; Eaton, Jennifer L.; Xi, Qiongchao; Maas, Richard
    Embryonic stem (ES) cells provide a potentially useful in vitro model for the study of in vivo tissue differentiation. We used mouse and human ES cells to investigate whether the lens regulatory genes Pax6 and Six3 could induce lens cell fate in vitro. To help assess the onset of lens differentiation, we derived a new mES cell line (Pax6-GFP mES) that expresses a GFP reporter under the control of the Pax6 P0 promoter and lens ectoderm enhancer. Pax6 or Six3 expression vectors were introduced into mES or hES cells by transfection or lentiviral infection and the differentiating ES cells analyzed for lens marker expression. Transfection of mES cells with Pax6 or Six3 but not with other genes induced the expression of lens cell markers and up-regulated GFP reporter expression in Pax6-GFP mES cells by 3 days post-transfection. By 7 days post-transfection, mES cell cultures exhibited a>10-fold increase over controls in the number of colonies expressing γA-crystallin, a lens fiber cell differentiation marker. RT-PCR and immunostaining revealed induction of additional lens epithelial or fiber cell differentiation markers including Foxe3, Prox1, α- and β-crystallins, and Tdrd7. Moreover, γA-crystallin- or Prox1-expressing lentoid bodies formed by 30 days in culture. In hES cells, Pax6 or Six3 lentiviral vectors also induced lens marker expression. mES cells that express lens markers reside close to but are distinct from the Pax6 or Six3 transduced cells, suggesting that the latter induce nearby undifferentiated ES cells to adopt a lens fate by non-cell autonomous mechanisms. In sum, we describe a novel mES cell GFP reporter line that is useful for monitoring induction of lens fate, and demonstrate that Pax6 or Six3 is sufficient to induce ES cells to adopt a lens fate, potentially via non-cell autonomous mechanisms. These findings should facilitate investigations of lens development.
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    Inherited CHST11/MIR3922 deletion is associated with a novel recessive syndrome presenting with skeletal malformation and malignant lymphoproliferative disease
    (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2015) Chopra, Sameer; Leshchiner, Ignaty; Duzkale, Hatice; McLaughlin, Heather; Giovanni, Monica; Zhang, Chengsheng; Stitziel, Nathan; Fingeroth, Joyce; Joyce, Robin; Lebo, Matthew; Rehm, Heidi; Vuzman, Dana; Maas, Richard; Sunyaev, Shamil; Murray, Michael; Cassa, Christopher
    Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) such as chondroitin are ubiquitous disaccharide carbohydrate chains that contribute to the formation and function of proteoglycans at the cell membrane and in the extracellular matrix. Although GAG-modifying enzymes are required for diverse cellular functions, the role of these proteins in human development and disease is less well understood. Here, we describe two sisters out of seven siblings affected by congenital limb malformation and malignant lymphoproliferative disease. Using Whole-Genome Sequencing (WGS), we identified in the proband deletion of a 55 kb region within chromosome 12q23 that encompasses part of CHST11 (encoding chondroitin-4-sulfotransferase 1) and an embedded microRNA (MIR3922). The deletion was homozygous in the proband but not in each of three unaffected siblings. Genotyping data from the 1000 Genomes Project suggest that deletions inclusive of both CHST11 and MIR3922 are rare events. Given that CHST11 deficiency causes severe chondrodysplasia in mice that is similar to human limb malformation, these results underscore the importance of chondroitin modification in normal skeletal development. Our findings also potentially reveal an unexpected role for CHST11 and/or MIR3922 as tumor suppressors whose disruption may contribute to malignant lymphoproliferative disease.
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    Resolving stem and progenitor cells in the adult mouse incisor through gene co-expression analysis
    (eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd, 2017) Seidel, Kerstin; Marangoni, Pauline; Tang, Cynthia; Houshmand, Bahar; Du, Wen; Maas, Richard; Murray, Steven; Oldham, Michael C; Klein, Ophir D
    Investigations into stem cell-fueled renewal of an organ benefit from an inventory of cell type-specific markers and a deep understanding of the cellular diversity within stem cell niches. Using the adult mouse incisor as a model for a continuously renewing organ, we performed an unbiased analysis of gene co-expression relationships to identify modules of co-expressed genes that represent differentiated cells, transit-amplifying cells, and residents of stem cell niches. Through in vivo lineage tracing, we demonstrated the power of this approach by showing that co-expression module members Lrig1 and Igfbp5 define populations of incisor epithelial and mesenchymal stem cells. We further discovered that two adjacent mesenchymal tissues, the periodontium and dental pulp, are maintained by distinct pools of stem cells. These findings reveal novel mechanisms of incisor renewal and illustrate how gene co-expression analysis of intact biological systems can provide insights into the transcriptional basis of cellular identity. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.24712.001
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    Efficient Differentiation of Steroidogenic and Germ-Like Cells from Epigenetically-Related iPSCs Derived from Ovarian Granulosa Cells
    (Public Library of Science, 2015) Anchan, Raymond; Gerami-Naini, Behzad; Lindsey, Jennifer S.; Ho, Joshua W. K.; Kiezun, Adam; Lipskind, Shane; Ng, Nicholas; LiCausi, Joseph A.; Kim, Chloe S.; Brezina, Paul; Tuschl, Thomas; Maas, Richard; Kearns, William G.; Williams, Zev
    To explore restoration of ovarian function using epigenetically-related, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), we functionally evaluated the epigenetic memory of novel iPSC lines, derived from mouse and human ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) using c-Myc, Klf4, Sox2 and Oct4 retroviral vectors. The stem cell identity of the mouse and human GC-derived iPSCs (mGriPSCs, hGriPSCs) was verified by demonstrating embryonic stem cell (ESC) antigen expression using immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR analysis, as well as formation of embryoid bodies (EBs) and teratomas that are capable of differentiating into cells from all three germ layers. GriPSCs’ gene expression profiles associate more closely with those of ESCs than of the originating GCs as demonstrated by genome-wide analysis of mRNA and microRNA. A comparative analysis of EBs generated from three different mouse cell lines (mGriPSCs; fibroblast-derived iPSC, mFiPSCs; G4 embryonic stem cells, G4 mESCs) revealed that differentiated mGriPSC-EBs synthesize 10-fold more estradiol (E2) than either differentiated FiPSC- or mESC-EBs under identical culture conditions. By contrast, mESC-EBs primarily synthesize progesterone (P4) and FiPSC-EBs produce neither E2 nor P4. Differentiated mGriPSC-EBs also express ovarian markers (AMHR, FSHR, Cyp19a1, ER and Inha) as well as markers of early gametogenesis (Mvh, Dazl, Gdf9, Boule and Zp1) more frequently than EBs of the other cell lines. These results provide evidence of preferential homotypic differentiation of mGriPSCs into ovarian cell types. Collectively, our data support the hypothesis that generating iPSCs from the desired tissue type may prove advantageous due to the iPSCs’ epigenetic memory.
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    An integrated miRNA functional screening and target validation method for organ morphogenesis
    (Nature Publishing Group, 2016) Rebustini, Ivan T.; Vlahos, Maryann; Packer, Trevor; Kukuruzinska, Maria A.; Maas, Richard
    The relative ease of identifying microRNAs and their increasing recognition as important regulators of organogenesis motivate the development of methods to efficiently assess microRNA function during organ morphogenesis. In this context, embryonic organ explants provide a reliable and reproducible system that recapitulates some of the important early morphogenetic processes during organ development. Here we present a method to target microRNA function in explanted mouse embryonic organs. Our method combines the use of peptide-based nanoparticles to transfect specific microRNA inhibitors or activators into embryonic organ explants, with a microRNA pulldown assay that allows direct identification of microRNA targets. This method provides effective assessment of microRNA function during organ morphogenesis, allows prioritization of multiple microRNAs in parallel for subsequent genetic approaches, and can be applied to a variety of embryonic organs.
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    An Evolutionarily Conserved Enhancer Regulates Bmp4 Expression in Developing Incisor and Limb Bud
    (Public Library of Science, 2012) Lachke, Salil A.; O’Connell, Daniel J.; Aboukhalil, Anton; Choe, Sung E.; Turbe-Doan, Annick; Robertson, Erin A.; Amendt, Brad A.; Jumlongras, Dolrudee; Li, Xiao; Ho, Joshua Wing Kei; Olsen, Bjorn; Bulyk, Martha; Maas, Richard
    To elucidate the transcriptional regulation of Bmp4 expression during organogenesis, we used phylogenetic footprinting and transgenic reporter analyses to identify Bmp4 cis-regulatory modules (CRMs). These analyses identified a regulatory region located \(\sim\)46 kb upstream of the mouse Bmp4 transcription start site that had previously been shown to direct expression in lateral plate mesoderm. We refined this regulatory region to a 396-bp minimal enhancer, and show that it recapitulates features of endogenous Bmp4 expression in developing mandibular arch ectoderm and incisor epithelium during the initiation-stage of tooth development. In addition, this enhancer directs expression in the apical ectodermal ridge (AER) of the developing limb and in anterior and posterior limb mesenchyme. Transcript profiling of E11.5 mouse incisor dental lamina, together with protein binding microarray (PBM) analyses, allowed identification of a conserved DNA binding motif in the Bmp4 enhancer for Pitx homeoproteins, which are also expressed in the developing mandibular and incisor epithelium. In vitro electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) and in vivo transgenic reporter mutational analyses revealed that this site supports Pitx binding and that the site is necessary to recapitulate aspects of endogenous Bmp4 expression in developing craniofacial and limb tissues. Finally, Pitx2 chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) demonstrated direct binding of Pitx2 to this Bmp4 enhancer site in a dental epithelial cell line. These results establish a direct molecular regulatory link between Pitx family members and Bmp4 gene expression in developing incisor epithelium.
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    Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC) Is Required for Normal Development of Skin and Thymus
    (Public Library of Science, 2006) Kuraguchi, Mari; Wang, Xiu-Ping; Rothenberg, Rebecca; Ohene-Baah, Nana Yaw; Lund, Jennifer J; Bronson, Roderick; Kucherlapati, Melanie; Maas, Richard; Kucherlapati, Raju
    The tumor suppressor gene Apc (adenomatous polyposis coli) is a member of the Wnt signaling pathway that is involved in development and tumorigenesis. Heterozygous knockout mice for Apc have a tumor predisposition phenotype and homozygosity leads to embryonic lethality. To understand the role of Apc in development we generated a floxed allele. These mice were mated with a strain carrying Cre recombinase under the control of the human Keratin 14 (K14) promoter, which is active in basal cells of epidermis and other stratified epithelia. Mice homozygous for the floxed allele that also carry the K14-cre transgene were viable but had stunted growth and died before weaning. Histological and immunochemical examinations revealed that K14-cre–mediated Apc loss resulted in aberrant growth in many ectodermally derived squamous epithelia, including hair follicles, teeth, and oral and corneal epithelia. In addition, squamous metaplasia was observed in various epithelial-derived tissues, including the thymus. The aberrant growth of hair follicles and other appendages as well as the thymic abnormalities in K14-cre; ApcCKO/CKO mice suggest the Apc gene is crucial in embryonic cells to specify epithelial cell fates in organs that require epithelial–mesenchymal interactions for their development.
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    An Integrated Gene Regulatory Network Controls Stem Cell Proliferation in Teeth
    (Public Library of Science, 2007) Wang, Xiu-Ping; Suomalainen, Marika; Felszeghy, Szabolcs; Zelarayan, Laura C; Alonso, Maria T; Plikus, Maksim V; Maas, Richard; Chuong, Cheng-Ming; Schimmang, Thomas; Thesleff, Irma
    Epithelial stem cells reside in specific niches that regulate their self-renewal and differentiation, and are responsible for the continuous regeneration of tissues such as hair, skin, and gut. Although the regenerative potential of mammalian teeth is limited, mouse incisors grow continuously throughout life and contain stem cells at their proximal ends in the cervical loops. In the labial cervical loop, the epithelial stem cells proliferate and migrate along the labial surface, differentiating into enamel-forming ameloblasts. In contrast, the lingual cervical loop contains fewer proliferating stem cells, and the lingual incisor surface lacks ameloblasts and enamel. Here we have used a combination of mouse mutant analyses, organ culture experiments, and expression studies to identify the key signaling molecules that regulate stem cell proliferation in the rodent incisor stem cell niche, and to elucidate their role in the generation of the intrinsic asymmetry of the incisors. We show that epithelial stem cell proliferation in the cervical loops is controlled by an integrated gene regulatory network consisting of Activin, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and Follistatin within the incisor stem cell niche. Mesenchymal FGF3 stimulates epithelial stem cell proliferation, and BMP4 represses Fgf3 expression. In turn, Activin, which is strongly expressed in labial mesenchyme, inhibits the repressive effect of BMP4 and restricts Fgf3 expression to labial dental mesenchyme, resulting in increased stem cell proliferation and a large, labial stem cell niche. Follistatin limits the number of lingual stem cells, further contributing to the characteristic asymmetry of mouse incisors, and on the basis of our findings, we suggest a model in which Follistatin antagonizes the activity of Activin. These results show how the spatially restricted and balanced effects of specific components of a signaling network can regulate stem cell proliferation in the niche and account for asymmetric organogenesis. Subtle variations in this or related regulatory networks may explain the different regenerative capacities of various organs and animal species.
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    Investigation of eight candidate genes on chromosome 1p36 for autosomal dominant total congenital cataract
    (Molecular Vision, 2008) Burdon, Kathryn P.; Hattersley, Kathryn; Lachke, Salil Anil; Laurie, Kate J.; Maas, Richard; Mackey, David A.; Craig, Jamie E.
    Purpose: To identify the causative gene for autosomal dominant total congenital cataract in a six-generation Australian family displaying linkage to chromosome 1p36. Methods: Eight candidate genes (HSPB7, FBXO42, EFHD2, ZBTB17, CAPZB, FBLIM1, ALDH4A1, and MFAP2) from within the previously defined linkage interval were selected based on expression in lens and their known or putative function. The coding exons were sequenced in multiple affected family members and compared to the reference sequence. Results: No segregating mutations were identified in any of the eight genes. Thirty-one polymorphisms were detected, 20 of which were in the exons and 11 in the flanking introns. Conclusions: Coding mutations in HSPB7, FBXO42, EFHD2, ZBTB17, CAPZB, FBLIM1, ALDH4A1, and MFAP2 do not account for congenital cataract in this family.