Project description:Mesenchymal-epithelial interactions play a critical role in organ development, stem cells and disease. During intestinal development, pseudostratified epithelia undergo dramatic morphogenesis called villification, to form finger-like projections, in which mesenchymal cell clustering and muscle layers play a key role. In the adult, the gut mesenchyme is proposed as a key intestinal stem cell niche providing essential niche signals such as Wnt ligands, while the TGF beta signaling mediated gut stromal program is critical for cancer progression. However, how these signals are produced is currently unknown. In the gut, Hedgehog (Hh) signaling acts strictly in a paracrine manner: Hh ligands are expressed in the epithelium and activate signaling exclusively in the mesenchyme. Notably, Hh signaling is not only essential for mesenchymal clustering and muscle differentiation, it is also involved in intestinal tumorigenesis. To investigate Hh mediated mechanisms, we analyzed mice deleted for key Hh negative regulators, Sufu and/or Spop in the gut mesenchyme, and demonstrated their dosage dependent role in the negative regulation of Hh signaling. Although these mutants exhibit abnormal mesenchymal cell growth and functionally defective muscle layers, villification is completed with proper mesenchymal clustering, implying a permissive role for Hh signaling. These mesenchymal defects are partially rescued by Gli2 reduction, demonstrating the significance of its transcriptional regulation. Surprisingly, in contrast to its known inhibitory role in epithelial proliferation, abnormal Hh activation in the gut mesenchyme leads to increased epithelial proliferation. Corroborating this data, Sufu reduction is sufficient to promote intestinal tumorigenesis, while Gli2 heterozygosity suppresses it. To define GLI2-mediated downstream mechanisms, we mapped its binding sites and analyzed gene expression genome-wide, identifying one of the most robust Hh direct targetome data sets ever reported. This work reveals the GLI2 transcriptional regulation of Wnt and TGF beta pathways in stem cell proliferation and muscle differentiation, providing mechanistic insight into the intestinal stem cell niche in development and tumorigenesis.

Project description:Stomach and intestinal epithelial cells are maintained by the activity of stem cells located in the isthmus and crypt, respectively1,2. Recent studies have demonstrated a surprisingly conserved role for Wnt signaling in stomach and intestinal development and stem cells3,4. Although accumulating evidence suggests that intestinal stromal cells secrete Wnt ligands to promote stem cell renewal5-10, the source of stomach Wnt ligands is still unclear. Moreover, how these gastrointestinal stem cell niche signals are produced is currently unknown. By performing single cell analysis of gastrointestinal stromal cells, we identified cell populations with transcriptome signatures that are conserved between the stomach and intestine. In close proximity to gastrointestinal epithelial cells, these cells highly expressed pericyte markers and Wnt ligands. They also were enriched for Hh signaling, which plays a key role in gut development11,12. A recent study has shown that intestinal pericryptal cells co-express Hh target and Wnt ligand genes8. To define their relationship, we analyzed mice with Hh gain of function in the pericyte-like stromal cells conserved between the stomach and intestine, and found increased levels of Wnt ligands, supporting Hh regulation of stromal Wnt ligand expression. Moreover, utilizing Sufu and Spop double knockout mice, which stabilized GLI2, a key Hh mediator in the gut, we were able to map GLI2 binding sites genome-wide and analyze super enhancers. This work demonstrates GLI2 activation of stromal Wnt ligands through enhancers that are conserved between the stomach and intestine. To determine the significance of Wnt secreting gastrointestinal stromal cells, we genetically inhibited Wnt secretion from the perictye-like or broad stromal cells, demonstrating their roles in gastrointestinal regeneration and development, respectively. Our work not only identifies the conserved gastrointestinal stromal niche cell populations but also reveals their underlying signaling and epigenetic mechanisms.

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Gene expression analysis of FACS-isolated mammary stromal cells (Fsp1-expressing) between stromal Gli2 wild type control and stromal Gli2 ablated mice

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