PUBLICATION

HSF4 regulates lens fiber cell differentiation by activating p53 and its downstream regulators

Authors
Gao, M., Huang, Y., Wang, L., Huang, M., Liu, F., Liao, S., Yu, S., Lu, Z., Han, S., Hu, X., Qu, Z., Liu, X., Assefa Yimer, T., Yang, L., Tang, Z., Li, D.W., Liu, M.
ID
ZDB-PUB-171006-4
Date
2017
Source
Cell Death & Disease   8: e3082 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Gao, Meng, Han, Shanshan, Huang, Yuwen, Hu, Xuebin, Liu, Fei, Liu, Mugen, Liu, Xiliang, Lu, Zhaojing, Qu, Zhen, Yang, Lifang, Yu, Shanshan
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Caspase 3/genetics
  • Cataract/genetics*
  • Cataract/pathology
  • Cell Differentiation/genetics*
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Nucleus/genetics
  • Cell Nucleus/pathology
  • DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics
  • Epithelial Cells/metabolism
  • Epithelial Cells/pathology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Heat Shock Transcription Factors/genetics*
  • Humans
  • Lens, Crystalline/growth & development
  • Lens, Crystalline/metabolism
  • Lens, Crystalline/pathology
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/genetics*
  • Zebrafish/genetics
  • Zebrafish/growth & development
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein/genetics
  • fas Receptor/genetics
PubMed
28981088 Full text @ Cell Death Dis.
Abstract
Cataract refers to opacities of the lens that impede the passage of light. Mutations in heat shock transcription factor 4 (HSF4) have been associated with cataract; however, the mechanisms regarding how mutations in HSF4 cause cataract are still obscure. In this study, we generated an hsf4 knockout zebrafish model using TALEN technology. The mutant zebrafish developed an early-onset cataract with multiple developmental defects in lens. The epithelial cells of the lens were overproliferated, resulting in the overabundance of lens fiber cells in hsf4null zebrafish lens. Consequently, the arrangement of the lens fiber cells became more disordered and irregular with age. More importantly, the terminal differentiation of the lens fiber cell was interrupted as the organelles cannot be cleaved in due time. In the cultured human lens epithelial cells, HSF4 could stabilize and retain p53 in the nucleus to activate its target genes such as fas cell surface death receptor (Fas) and Bcl-2-associated X apoptosis regulator (Bax). In the hsf4null fish, both p53 and activated-caspase3 were significantly decreased. Combined with the finding that the denucleation defect could be partially rescued through microinjection of p53, fas and bax mRNA into the mutant embryos, we directly proved that HSF4 promotes lens fiber cell differentiation by activating p53 and its downstream regulators. The data we presented suggest that apoptosis-related genes are involved in the lens fiber cell differentiation. Our finding that HSF4 functions in the upstream to activate these genes highlighted the new regulatory modes of HSF4 in the terminal differentiation of lens fiber cell.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping