Article
Cell Biology
Zhengwei Yan, Minzhang Cheng, Guohui Hu, Yao Wang, Shaopeng Zeng, Aidi Huang, Linlin Xu, Yuan Liu, Chao Shi, Libin Deng, Quqin Lu, Hai Rao, Hua Lu, Ye-Guang Chen, Shiwen Luo
Summary: The study identified SuFu Negating Protein 1 (SNEP1) as a novel target in the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway, promoting colorectal cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth, as well as reducing sensitivity to anti-Hh inhibitors. SNEP1 destabilizes SuFu to regulate Hh signaling, playing a critical role in tumor growth and anti-Hh resistance.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Jianhang Jia, Jin Jiang
Summary: This review focuses on the essential role of Smoothened (Smo) protein in Hedgehog (Hh) signal transduction, as well as the regulatory mechanisms of Smo endocytosis and degradation in both insects and vertebrates. It discusses how Hh inhibits Smo ubiquitination and promotes Smo surface/ciliary accumulation through ubiquitin-specific protease 8 (USP8) in Drosophila, and also highlights the induction of sumoylation by Hh in regulating Smo trafficking and abundance in both Drosophila and mammalian cells.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sangwoo Shim, Raman Goyal, Alexios A. Panoutsopoulos, Olga A. Balashova, David Lee, Laura N. Borodinsky
Summary: The balance between neural stem cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation is crucial for the development of the nervous system. We found that Sonic hedgehog (Shh) enhances Ca2+ activity at the cilia of developing Xenopus laevis embryos, which promotes neuronal differentiation and inhibits proliferative signaling. These findings provide potential targets for the treatment of brain tumors and neurodevelopmental disorders.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Biology
Mengmeng Zhou, Yuhong Han, Jin Jiang
Summary: This study reveals that Ulk4 promotes Gli2 phosphorylation and activation at the ciliary tip by interacting with Stk36, suggesting a regulatory role of Ulk4 in the Hedgehog signaling pathway.
Article
Cell Biology
Hwajung Choi, Liu Yang, Yudong Liu, Ju-Kyung Jeong, Eui-Sic Cho
Summary: In this study, the factors and mechanisms of tooth root resorption were investigated using transgenic mice. It was found that cementum thickness and signaling pathways are associated with tooth root resorption. Dickkopf-related protein 1 was identified as a key molecule in the process of tooth root resorption. The study suggests that proper function and sustained signaling are crucial for tooth root homeostasis.
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Andrology
Yong-Hong Man, Isabella Warmbrunn, Ling Zhang, Zhi-Bing Zhang
Summary: This review discusses the molecular functions of intraflagellar transport (IFT) protein IFT25 and its interactions with other IFT particle subunits, and how they are involved in mammalian development and fertility.
ASIAN JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
C. H. H. Hor, J. C. W. Lo, A. L. S. Cham, W. Y. Leong, E. L. K. Goh
Summary: The study showed that conditional knock-out of the Shh pathway repressor Rab23 in mice resulted in mis-patterning of the cerebellum and increased GCP proliferation. Despite no prevalent occurrence of medulloblastoma in adulthood, Rab23-depleted GCPs exhibited upregulated Shh pathway activities and abnormal ciliogenesis.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Alex Pezzotta, Ilaria Gentile, Donatella Genovese, Maria Grazia Totaro, Cristina Battaglia, Anskar Yu-Hung Leung, Monica Fumagalli, Matteo Parma, Gianni Cazzaniga, Grazia Fazio, Myriam Alcalay, Anna Marozzi, Anna Pistocchi
Summary: Aberrant activation of the Hh pathway promotes cell proliferation and multi-drug resistance (MDR) in several cancers, including AML. In this study, a positive correlation between Hh, HDAC6, and MDR genes was observed in AML patients, leukemic cell lines, and a zebrafish model. Hyper-activation of Hh or HDAC6 increased proliferation of HSPCs, which could be rescued by HDAC6 inhibition. The presence of a cross-talk between Hh and HDAC6 mediated by stabilization of the primary cilium was detected for the first time. Inhibition of HDAC6 activity alone or in combination with cytarabine efficiently rescued the hematopoietic phenotype, suggesting HDAC6 as a potential therapeutic target for reducing proliferation of leukemic blasts in AML patients.
PHARMACOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Friederike Hantel, Huaize Liu, Lisa Fechtner, Herbert Neuhaus, Jie Ding, Danilo Arlt, Peter Walentek, Pablo Villavicencio-Lorini, Christoph Gerhardt, Thomas Hollemann, Thorsten Pfirrmann
Summary: Cilia play an important role in embryonic development, and the GID complex is involved in primary cilia-dependent signal transduction and protein homeostasis. GID subunits may be candidate genes for human ciliopathies associated with defects in Hedgehog signaling.
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Yin Peng, Xiaojing Zhang, Huijuan Lin, Shiqi Deng, Ying Qin, Jieqiong He, Fan Hu, Xiaohui Zhu, Xianling Feng, Jian Wang, Yanjie Wei, Xinmin Fan, Huan Lin, Hassan Ashktorab, Duane Smoot, Yansi Lv, Song Li, Stephen J. Meltzer, Zhe Jin
Summary: Mounting evidence suggests that miRNA-150 upregulation in gastric cancer promotes cell proliferation, migration, and EMT by targeting the tumor suppressor SUFU and activating Hedgehog and Wnt signaling. Inhibition of miRNA-150 shows promise in reducing tumor volume by suppressing Wnt and Hh signaling pathways.
Review
Cell Biology
Bo Wang, Zheyong Liang, Peijun Liu
Summary: This article reviews the role of the primary cilium in cancer, including its architecture, signaling pathways, cilia assembly and disassembly regulators, summarizing new findings in tumor microenvironments and different cancers, highlighting novel possibilities for therapeutic targets in cancer.
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elle C. Roberson, Ngan Kim Tran, Anushka N. Godambe, Harrison Mark, Michelle Nguimtsop, Trinity Rust, Elizabeth Ung, LeCaine J. Barker, Rebecca D. Fitch, John B. Wallingford
Summary: Decades of research have shown that the mammalian estrous cycle is regulated by cycling steroid hormones. However, the signaling mechanisms connecting hormonal action and the physical changes in the uterus during the cycle are still unclear. In this study, gene expression during all stages of the mouse estrous cycle was analyzed, revealing that several genetic programs responsible for tissue morphogenesis in developing embryos display cyclical patterns of expression. Furthermore, it was found that most of the genes involved in the Hedgehog signaling pathway are transcribed cyclically in the uterus. Disruption of the Hedgehog receptor smoothened not only affects the normal thickening of the endometrial lining but also induces abnormal deformation of the uterine smooth muscle. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms underlying normal uterine remodeling and cyclical gene expression.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Christian Siebold, Rajat Rohatgi
Summary: Ligands of the Hedgehog pathway use cholesterol repeatedly in various steps of the signaling process, including biogenesis, secretion, dispersal, and reception. Cholesterol molecules are attached to the ligands and serve as transfer agents for their secretion and spread, while a cholesterol transporter and sensor regulate the transmission of Hedgehog signals in target cells. The repeated use of cholesterol suggests that the Hedgehog pathway evolved by repurposing ancient systems that regulate sterol-like lipids in cell membranes.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Marcella Barbarino, Maria Bottaro, Laura Spagnoletti, Maria Margherita de Santi, Raffaella Guazzo, Chiara Defraia, Cosimo Custoza, Gabriella Serio, Francesco Iannelli, Matilde Pesetti, Raffaele Aiello, Diletta Rosati, Edoardo Zanfrini, Luca Luzzi, Cristiana Bellan, Antonio Giordano
Summary: Primary cilium is a cellular organelle found on almost all mammalian cells, which transduces signals and regulates various physiological pathways. Dysfunction in primary cilium is associated with pathologic conditions including cancer. This study focused on the role of primary cilium in the Hedgehog signaling pathway in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) and uncovered evidence of a PC-independent regulation of Hh signaling in MPM.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yanran Deng, Dezhen Peng, Jing Xiao, Yunhe Zhao, Wenhao Ding, Shengtao Yuan, Li Sun, Jian Ding, Zizhang Zhou, Meixiao Zhan
Summary: This study reveals a Hh-independent mechanism of SUFU exerting the anti-tumor role by suppressing tumor cell migration through antagonizing ZNF281.
CELL DEATH AND DIFFERENTIATION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hongchen Cai, Aimin Liu
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2016)
Article
Cell Biology
Stephanie O. Agbu, Yinwen Liang, Aimin Liu, Kathryn V. Anderson
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
N. Yang, EL-H Leung, C. Liu, L. Li, T. Eguether, X-J Jun Yao, E. C. Jones, D. A. Norris, A. Liu, R. A. Clark, D. R. Roop, G. J. Pazour, K. R. Shroyer, J. Chen
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shixuan Wang, Aimin Liu, Guangyu Wu, Han-Fei Ding, Shuang Huang, Stanley Nahman, Zheng Dong
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2018)
Review
Cell Biology
Aimin Liu
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wei Zhang, Si-Lu Yang, Mei Yang, Stephanie Herrlinger, Qiang Shao, John L. Collar, Edgar Fierro, Yanhong Shi, Aimin Liu, Hui Lu, Bruce E. Herring, Ming-Lei Guo, Shilpa Buch, Zhen Zhao, Jian Xu, Zhipeng Lu, Jian-Fu Chen
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2019)
Article
Cell Biology
Abilasha Rao-Bhatia, Min Zhu, Wen-Chi Yin, Sabrina Coquenlorge, Xiaoyun Zhang, Janghee Woo, Yu Sun, Charlotte H. Dean, Aimin Liu, Chi-Chung Hui, Ramesh A. Shivdasani, Helen McNeill, Sevan Hopyan, Tae-Hee Kim
DEVELOPMENTAL CELL
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cristin Chon, Grace Chon, Yurika Matsui, Huiqing Zeng, Zhi-Chun Lai, Aimin Liu
Summary: Genome association studies in humans and genetic studies in mice have linked TMEM132 family members to various conditions, while the presence of multiple paralogs in mammalian genomes complicates the understanding of these proteins. However, research in fruit flies has shown that dtn, the sole TMEM132 homolog in Drosophila melanogaster, plays an essential role in reproduction.
Article
Developmental Biology
Yuan Wang, Graham Herzig, Cassandra Molano, Aimin Liu
Summary: This study reports the expression patterns of Tmem132 family members in the mouse nervous system, revealing differential and partially overlapping expression in both the central and peripheral nervous system, suggesting potential partial redundancy among them.
GENE EXPRESSION PATTERNS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Steven Y. Cheng, Matthias Lauth, Aimin Liu
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pathology
Shixuan Wang, Aimin Liu, Yunchao Su, Zheng Dong
Summary: This study found that planar cell polarity (PCP) contributes to the repair of renal tubules after kidney injury. By specifically eliminating Intu from kidney tubules, the study demonstrated that Intu knockdown delays kidney repair and ameliorates renal fibrosis. The results provide evidence for the involvement of PCP in tubular repair after kidney injury.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Developmental Biology
Huiqing Zeng, Aimin Liu
Summary: This study describes caudal developmental defects in Tmem132a mutant mice, including skeletal, neural tube closure, genitourinary tract and hindgut defects. The researchers found that Tmem132a mutation led to the failure of excluding the visceral endoderm from the medial region of early hindgut, resulting in the loss or malformation of cloaca-derived structures and indirectly affecting the neural tube and kidney/ureter. They also identified Tmem132a as a new regulator of planar cell polarity (PCP) and hindgut malformation as the underlying cause of developmental defects in multiple caudal structures.
Article
Developmental Biology
Yuan Wang, Huiqing Zeng, Aimin Liu
JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Developmental Biology
Hongchen Cai, Aimin Liu
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2017)