Project description:Morphogenesis of the heart is a complex process that relies on the precise gene expression and gene expression regulators during embryonic development. Dgcr8 is a gene involved in cardiac morphogenesis and it is in the chromosomal region deleted in 22q11.2DS patients. In order to study Dgcr8 function on heart development, we inactivated this gene in the cardiac progenitor cells of mouse embryos and did expression profiling of the long RNAs and miRNAs. We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression downstream of DGCR8 underlying cardiac development.
Project description:We have performed conditional inactivation of mef2c in the anterior heart field (AHF) of mice and observed a phenotypic spectrum of outflow tract anomalies in the conditional mutant hearts. In an effort to identify misregulated genes in the outflow tracts of the mutants, we have performed RNA-Seq on outflow tract samples dissected from E10.5 mutant and wild-type embryos.
Project description:Heart morphogenesis is highly complex, and depends on the generation of diverse cell types which interact with each other in an orchestrated manner to remodel the primitive heart tube into a functional organ. Cardiac outflow tract formation critically depends on continued contribution of cardiac progenitor cells from the anterior second heart field to ensure proper growth of the outflow tract. Prior to entering the outflow tract, neural crest cells migrate in close apposition to the second heart field and may play important roles in regulating second heart field growth dynamics, however the molecular mechanisms by which neural crest cells interact with the second heart field have remained elusive. Here, we discover that neural crest cells are a primary source of Dickkopf1 (DKK1), a secreted Wnt signalling inhibitor, which modulates Wnt signalling activity in the second heart field to impose a balance between progenitor maintenance and differentiation. Further, we identify the ubiquitin ligase NEDD4 as a critical regulator of DKK1 levels, with disruption of Nedd4 activity leading to outflow tract defects. In the context of disease pathogenicity, we show a novel human congenital heart disease variant of NEDD4 has lost the ability to ubiquitinate DKK1, and is associated with heart defects in a mouse model of the genetic variant. Our findings point to an unexpected role for neural crest cells acting as a rheostat of Wnt signalling activity in cardiac progenitors, identifying a new molecular pathway underpinning correct outflow tract morphogenesis, and a new causative factor of congenital heart disease.
Project description:We have performed conditional inactivation of mef2c in the anterior heart field (AHF) of mice and observed a phenotypic spectrum of outflow tract anomalies in the conditional mutant hearts. In an effort to identify misregulated genes in the outflow tracts of the mutants, we have performed RNA-Seq on outflow tract samples dissected from E10.5 mutant and wild-type embryos. There are four wild-type samples and four mutant samples.