PUBLICATION

Planar cell polarity zebrafish models of congenital scoliosis reveal novel underlying defects in notochord morphogenesis

Authors
Wang, M., Zhao, S., Shi, C., Guyot, M.C., Liao, M., Tauer, J.T., Willie, B.M., Cobetto, N., Aubin, C.?., K?ster-Sch?ck, E.D., Drapeau, P., Zhang, J., Wu, N., Kibar, Z.
ID
ZDB-PUB-241018-17
Date
2024
Source
Development (Cambridge, England)   151(21): (Journal)
Registered Authors
Drapeau, Pierre, Kibar, Zoha
Keywords
Congenital scoliosis, Notochord, Planar cell polarity, Zebrafish model
MeSH Terms
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/genetics
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/metabolism
  • Morphogenesis*/genetics
  • Notochord*/embryology
  • Notochord*/metabolism
  • Notochord*/pathology
  • Zebrafish*/embryology
  • Zebrafish*/genetics
  • Apoptosis*/genetics
  • Spine/abnormalities
  • Spine/embryology
  • Spine/pathology
  • Animals
  • Extracellular Matrix/metabolism
  • Zebrafish Proteins*/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins*/metabolism
  • Membrane Proteins/genetics
  • Membrane Proteins/metabolism
  • Scoliosis*/congenital
  • Scoliosis*/genetics
  • Scoliosis*/pathology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Intercellular Junctions/metabolism
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism
  • Cell Polarity*/genetics
PubMed
39417583 Full text @ Development
Abstract
Congenital scoliosis (CS) is a type of vertebral malformation whose etiology remains elusive. The notochord is pivotal for vertebrae development but its role in CS is still understudied. Zebrafish knockout of ptk7a, a planar cell polarity (PCP) gene that is essential for convergence and extension (C&E) of the notochord, developed congenital scoliosis-like vertebral malformations (CVM). Maternal zygotic ptk7a mutants displayed severe C&E defects of the notochord. Excessive apoptosis occurred in the malformed notochord, causing a significantly reduced number of vacuolated cells, and compromising the mechanical properties of the notochord. The latter manifested as a less stiff extracellular matrix along with a significant reduction in the number of the caveolae and severely loosened intercellular junctions in the vacuolated region. These defects led to focal kinks, abnormal mineralization, and CVM exclusively at the anterior spine. Loss of function of another PCP gene, vangl2, also revealed excessive apoptosis in the notochord associated with CVM. This study suggests a new model for CS pathogenesis that is associated with defects in notochord C&E and highlights an essential role of PCP signaling in vertebrae development.
Errata / Notes
This article is corrected by ZDB-PUB-250207-3.
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