Project description:Purpose: Construction of 3D zebrafish spatial transcriptomics data for studying the establishment of AP axis. Methods: We performed serial bulk RNA-seq data of zebrafish embryo at three development points. Using the published spatial transcriptomics data as references, we implemented Palette to infer spatial gene expression from bulk RNA-seq data and constructed 3D embryonic spatial transcriptomics. The constructed 3D transcriptomics data was then projected on zebrafish embryo images with 3D coordinates, establishing a spatial gene expression atlas named Danio rerio Asymmetrical Maps (DreAM). Results: DreAM provides a powerful platform for visualizing gene expression patterns on zebrafish morphology and investigating spatial cell-cell interactions. Conclusions: Our work used DreAM to explore the establishment of anteroposterior (AP) axis, and identified multiple morphogen gradients that played essential roles in determining cell AP positions. Finally, we difined a hox score, and comprehensively demonstrated the spatial collinearity of Hox genes at single-cell resolution during development.
Project description:Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) has been shown to target developing vasculature in piscine and mammalian model systems. In the zebrafish, MTBE induces vascular lesions throughout development. These lesions result from exposure to MTBE at an early stage in development (6-somites to Prim-5 stages). During this time period, transcript levels of vegfa, vegfc, and vegfr1 were significantly decreased in embryos exposed to 5 mM MTBE. We performed global gene analysis as an unbiased approach to discover possible modes of action of MTBE vascular toxicity. Embryos were exposed at 3 hours post fertilization (hpf) in triplicate to one of three concentrations of MTBE: 5mM (induces vascular lesions and significantly decreases vegfa), 0.625mM (NOAEL; no observed adverse effect level), and 0.00625mM (100-fold below NOAEL), or to embryo media (control). Samples were collected at 6-somites (~15hpf), 21-somites (~24 hpf), and Prim-5 (~30 hpf) stages of development. Embryos were meticulously staged at exposure and at the time of collection to maintain a homogeneous population. Our experimental design sought to explore the effect of three concentrations MTBE on three different stages of zebrafish embryonic development during the critical period established for the chemical. This time period also corresponds to an important time in the cardiovascular system develop of our model vertebrate.
Project description:Proteolytical processing of the growth factor VEGFC through the concerted activity of CCBE1 and ADAMTS3 is required for lymphatic development to occur. How these factors act together in time and space, and which cell types produce these factors is not understood. Here we assess the function of Adamts3 and the related protease Adamts14 during zebrafish lymphangiogenesis and show both proteins to be able to process Vegfc. Only the simultaneous loss of both protein functions results in lymphatic defects identical to vegfc loss-of-function situations. Cell transplantation experiments demonstrate neuronal structures and/or fibroblasts to constitute cellular sources not only for both proteases but also for Ccbe1 and Vegfc. We further show that it is the local restriction of Vegfc maturation which is needed to trigger normal lymphatic sprouting and directional migration. Our data provide a single-cell resolution model for establishing secretion and processing hubs for Vegfc during developmental lymphangiogenesis
Project description:The development of a differentiated and functional vasculature requires coordinated control of cell fate specification, lineage differentiation and vascular network growth. Cellular proliferation is spatiotemporally regulated in developing vessel networks but how this is achieved and differentially controlled in specific lineages is unknown. Using a zebrafish forward genetic screen for mutants that form blood vessels but fail to form lymphatic vessels, we uncovered a mutant for the RNA helicase Ddx21. Ddx21 cell-autonomously regulates the early development of lymphatic endothelial cells. Ddx21 is essential for Vegfc-Vegfr3 driven endothelial cell proliferation. Ddx21 is an established regulator of ribosomal RNA transcription and in the absence of Ddx21, mutant lymphatic endothelial cells show reduced ribosome biogenesis. Ultimately, loss of Ddx21 leads to a p53-p21 dependent cell cycle arrest that blocks embryonic lymphangiogenesis. Thus, the RNA helicase Ddx21 coordinates the endothelial cell proliferative response to Vegfc-Vegfr3 signalling by balancing ribosome biogenesis and p53-p21 signalling. This mechanism may have therapeutic potential in diseases of excessive lymphangiogenesis such as in cancer metastasis or lymphatic malformation.
Project description:The development of a differentiated and functional vasculature requires coordinated control of cell fate specification, lineage differentiation and vascular network growth. Cellular proliferation is spatiotemporally regulated in developing vessel networks but how this is achieved and differentially controlled in specific lineages is unknown. Using a zebrafish forward genetic screen for mutants that form blood vessels but fail to form lymphatic vessels, we uncovered a mutant for the RNA helicase Ddx21. Ddx21 cell-autonomously regulates the early development of lymphatic endothelial cells. Ddx21 is essential for Vegfc-Vegfr3 driven endothelial cell proliferation. Ddx21 is an established regulator of ribosomal RNA transcription and in the absence of Ddx21, mutant lymphatic endothelial cells show reduced ribosome biogenesis. Ultimately, loss of Ddx21 leads to a p53-p21 dependent cell cycle arrest that blocks embryonic lymphangiogenesis. Thus, the RNA helicase Ddx21 coordinates the endothelial cell proliferative response to Vegfc-Vegfr3 signalling by balancing ribosome biogenesis and p53-p21 signalling. This mechanism may have therapeutic potential in diseases of excessive lymphangiogenesis such as in cancer metastasis or lymphatic malformation.
Project description:To determine whether lymphangiogenesis is required for cardiac regeneration, vegfc(hy-/-);vegfd(-/-) double mutants and control hearts were collected and analyzed at 180 days after cryoinjury, this corresponds to a time point when the regenerative response is normally completed in wild-type zebrafish. Surprisingly, the vast majority (~70%) of vegfc(hy-/-);vegfd(-/-) mutants, which completely lack cardiac lymphatics, were able to mount a complete regenerative response without any signs of fibrosis. We found that the cardiac regenerative response was impaired only in a subset (3/8) of vegfc(hy-/-);vegfd(-/-) mutants, which were characterized by large deposits of fibrotic scar tissue present at the injury site. To profile vegfc/d-dependent genetic pathways contributing to lymphangiogenesis in cardiac regeneration, we performed RNA-seq on cryosections from control and mutant ventricles at 180 days following cryoinjury. Overall, vegfc(hy-/-);vegfd(-/-) mutant ventricles were characterized by an up-regulation of pathways related to metabolism, inflammation, hemostasis, negative regulation of FGFR signaling, translation, protein maturation and nonsense mediated decay compared to control hearts. These findings are consistent with the cardiac hypertrophy phenotype in vegfc(hy-/-);vegfd(-/-) mutants. To determine the molecular basis of the regenerative capacity within the mutant fish population, we next compared the transcriptional profiles of vegfc(hy-/-);vegfd(-/-) mutant hearts that did not regenerate (n=3) with the profiles of mutant hearts which recovered completely (n=5) at 180 days post cryoinjury. The subset of vegfc(hy-/-);vegfd(-/-) mutant hearts that failed to regenerate were characterized by an enrichment of inflammatory pathways, in particular TRAF6-mediated IRF7 activation, interferon alpha beta signaling and regulation of IFNA signaling. These findings suggest that loss of the vegfc/d signaling axis causes a sustained and pronounced inflammatory response following injury. This change in the cardiac micro-environment seems to favor adverse conditions which impair the regenerative process.