Laminin matrix adhesion regulates basal mammary epithelial cell identity.

Mammary epithelium is a bilayered ductal network composed of luminal and basal epithelial cells, which together drive the growth and functional differentiation of the gland. Basal mammary epithelial cells (MECs) exhibit remarkable plasticity and progenitor activity that facilitate epithelial expansion. However, their activity must be tightly regulated to restrict excess basal cell activity. Here, we show that adhesion of basal cells to laminin α5-containing basement membrane matrix, which is produced by luminal cells, presents such a control mechanism. Adhesion to laminin α5 directs basal cells towards a luminal cell fate, and thereby results in a marked decrease of basal MEC progenitor activity in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, these effects are mediated through ß4-integrin and activation of p21 (encoded by CDKN1A). Thus, we demonstrate that laminin matrix adhesion is a key determinant of basal identity and essential to building and maintaining a functional multicellular epithelium.

Rare progerin-expressing preadipocytes and adipocytes contribute to tissue depletion over time.

Accumulation of progerin is believed to underlie the pathophysiology of Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, a disease characterized by clinical features suggestive of premature aging, including loss of subcutaneous white adipose tissue (sWAT). Although progerin has been found in cells and tissues from apparently healthy individuals, its significance has been debated given its low expression levels and rare occurrence. Here we demonstrate that sustained progerin expression in a small fraction of preadipocytes and adipocytes of mouse sWAT (between 4.4% and 6.7% of the sWAT cells) results in significant tissue pathology over time, including fibrosis and lipoatrophy. Analysis of sWAT from mice of various ages showed senescence, persistent DNA damage and cell death that preceded macrophage infiltration, and systemic inflammation. Our findings suggest that continuous progerin expression in a small cell fraction of a tissue contributes to aging-associated diseases, the adipose tissue being particularly sensitive.

Global genome splicing analysis reveals an increased number of alternatively spliced genes with aging.

Alternative splicing (AS) is a key regulatory mechanism for the development of different tissues; however, not much is known about changes to alternative splicing during aging. Splicing events may become more frequent and widespread genome-wide as tissues age and the splicing machinery stringency decreases. Using skin, skeletal muscle, bone, thymus, and white adipose tissue from wild-type C57BL6/J male mice (4 and 18 months old), we examined the effect of age on splicing by AS analysis of the differential exon usage of the genome. The results identified a considerable number of AS genes in skeletal muscle, thymus, bone, and white adipose tissue between the different age groups (ranging from 27 to 246 AS genes corresponding to 0.3-3.2% of the total number of genes analyzed). For skin, skeletal muscle, and bone, we included a later age group (28 months old) that showed that the number of alternatively spliced genes increased with age in all three tissues (P < 0.01). Analysis of alternatively spliced genes across all tissues by gene ontology and pathway analysis identified 158 genes involved in RNA processing. Additional analysis of AS in a mouse model for the premature aging disease Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome was performed. The results show that expression of the mutant protein, progerin, is associated with an impaired developmental splicing. As progerin accumulates, the number of genes with AS increases compared to in wild-type skin. Our results indicate the existence of a mechanism for increased AS during aging in several tissues, emphasizing that AS has a more important role in the aging process than previously known.

Skin Disease in Laminopathy-Associated Premature Aging.

The nuclear lamina, a protein network located under the nuclear membrane, has during the past decade found increasing interest due to its significant involvement in a range of genetic diseases, including the segmental premature aging syndromes Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, restrictive dermopathy, and atypical Werner syndrome. In this review we examine these diseases, some caused by mutations in the LMNA gene, and their skin disease features. Advances within this area might also provide novel insights into the biology of skin aging, as recent data suggest that low levels of progerin are expressed in unaffected individuals and these levels increase with aging.

Overexpression of Lamin B Receptor Results in Impaired Skin Differentiation.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare segmental progeroid disorder commonly caused by a point mutation in the LMNA gene that results in the increased activation of an intra-exonic splice site and the production of a truncated lamin A protein, named progerin. In our previous work, induced murine epidermal expression of this specific HGPS LMNA mutation showed impaired keratinocyte differentiation and upregulated lamin B receptor (LBR) expression in suprabasal keratinocytes. Here, we have developed a novel transgenic animal model with induced overexpression of LBR in the interfollicular epidermis. LBR overexpression resulted in epidermal hypoplasia, along with the downregulation and mislocalization of keratin 10, suggesting impaired keratinocyte differentiation. Increased LBR expression in basal and suprabasal cells did not coincide with increased proliferation. Similar to our previous report of HGPS mice, analyses of γH2AX, a marker of DNA double-strand breaks, revealed an increased number of keratinocytes with multiple foci in LBR-overexpressing mice compared with wild-type mice. In addition, suprabasal LBR-positive cells showed densely condensed and peripherally localized chromatin. Our results show a moderate skin differentiation phenotype, which indicates that upregulation of LBR is not the sole contributor to the HGPS phenotype.

Transgene silencing of the Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome mutation results in a reversible bone phenotype, whereas resveratrol treatment does not show overall beneficial effects.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare premature aging disorder that is most commonly caused by a de novo point mutation in exon 11 of the LMNA gene, c.1824C>T, which results in an increased production of a truncated form of lamin A known as progerin. In this study, we used a mouse model to study the possibility of recovering from HGPS bone disease upon silencing of the HGPS mutation, and the potential benefits from treatment with resveratrol. We show that complete silencing of the transgenic expression of progerin normalized bone morphology and mineralization already after 7 weeks. The improvements included lower frequencies of rib fractures and callus formation, an increased number of osteocytes in remodeled bone, and normalized dentinogenesis. The beneficial effects from resveratrol treatment were less significant and to a large extent similar to mice treated with sucrose alone. However, the reversal of the dental phenotype of overgrown and laterally displaced lower incisors in HGPS mice could be attributed to resveratrol. Our results indicate that the HGPS bone defects were reversible upon suppressed transgenic expression and suggest that treatments targeting aberrant progerin splicing give hope to patients who are affected by HGPS.

Low levels of the reverse transactivator fail to induce target transgene expression in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a genetic disease with multiple features that are suggestive of premature aging. Most patients with HGPS carry a mutation on one of their copies of the LMNA gene. The LMNA gene encodes the lamin A and lamin C proteins, which are the major proteins of the nuclear lamina. The organs of the cardiovascular system are amongst those that are most severely affected in HGPS, undergoing a progressive depletion of vascular smooth muscle cells, and most children with HGPS die in their early teens from cardio-vascular disease and other complications from atherosclerosis. In this study, we developed a transgenic mouse model based on the tet-ON system to increase the understanding of the molecular mechanisms leading to the most lethal aspect of HGPS. To induce the expression of the most common HGPS mutation, LMNA c.1824C>T; p.G608G, in the vascular smooth muscle cells of the aortic arch and thoracic aorta, we used the previously described reverse tetracycline-controlled transactivator, sm22α-rtTA. However, the expression of the reverse sm22α-transactivator was barely detectable in the arteries, and this low level of expression was not sufficient to induce the expression of the target human lamin A minigene. The results from this study are important because they suggest caution during the use of previously functional transgenic animal models and emphasize the importance of assessing transgene expression over time.

Embryonic expression of the common progeroid lamin A splice mutation arrests postnatal skin development.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) and restrictive dermopathy (RD) are two laminopathies caused by mutations leading to cellular accumulation of prelamin A or one of its truncated forms, progerin. One proposed mechanism for the more severe symptoms in patients with RD compared with HGPS is that higher levels of farnesylated lamin A are produced in RD. Here, we show evidence in support of that hypothesis. Overexpression of the most common progeroid lamin A mutation (LMNA c.1824C>T, p.G608G) during skin development results in a severe phenotype, characterized by dry scaly skin. At postnatal day 5 (PD5), progeroid animals showed a hyperplastic epidermis, disorganized sebaceous glands and an acute inflammatory dermal response, also involving the hypodermal fat layer. PD5 animals also showed an upregulation of multiple inflammatory response genes and an activated NF-kB target pathway. Careful analysis of the interfollicular epidermis showed aberrant expression of the lamin B receptor (LBR) in the suprabasal layer. Prolonged expression of LBR, in 14.06% of the cells, likely contributes to the observed arrest of skin development, clearly evident at PD4 when the skin had developed into single-layer epithelium in the wild-type animals while progeroid animals still had the multilayered appearance typical for skin at PD3. Suprabasal cells expressing LBR showed altered DNA distribution, suggesting the induction of gene expression changes. Despite the formation of a functional epidermal barrier and proven functionality of the gap junctions, progeroid animals displayed a greater rate of water loss as compared with wild-type littermates and died within the first two postnatal weeks.

Stem cell depletion in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS or progeria) is a very rare genetic disorder with clinical features suggestive of premature aging. Here, we show that induced expression of the most common HGPS mutation (LMNA c.1824C>T, p.G608G) results in a decreased epidermal population of adult stem cells and impaired wound healing in mice. Isolation and growth of primary keratinocytes from these mice demonstrated a reduced proliferative potential and ability to form colonies. Downregulation of the epidermal stem cell maintenance protein p63 with accompanying activation of DNA repair and premature senescence was the probable cause of this loss of adult stem cells. Additionally, upregulation of multiple genes in major inflammatory pathways indicated an activated inflammatory response. This response has also been associated with normal aging, emphasizing the importance of studying progeria to increase the understanding of the normal aging process.