ORCID Profile
0000-0003-2302-2643
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Publisher: American Physiological Society
Date: 04-2021
Abstract: Using a novel coculture system, transcriptomics, and transgenic mice, we investigated differential molecular signaling between the intestinal epithelium and mesenchyme during development and in the adult. We show that the Notch pathway factor delta-like protein-1 (DLK1) is stromally produced during development and uncover a new role for DLK1 in the regulation of intestinal epithelial stem recursor expansion and differentiation to secretory lineages.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 31-10-2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 07-02-2020
DOI: 10.1002/STEM.3139
Abstract: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease of an entire synovial joint characterized by clinical symptoms and distortion of joint tissues, including cartilage, muscles, ligaments, and bone. Although OA is a disease of all joint tissues, it is a defined accessible compartment and is thus amenable to topical surgical and regenerative therapies, including stem cells. All tissues arise from stem progenitor cells, and the relative capacity of different cellular compartments, and different in iduals, to renew tissues into adulthood may be important in the onset of many different degenerative diseases. OA is driven by both mechanical and inflammatory factors, but how these factors affect the proliferation and differentiation of cells into cartilage in vivo is largely unknown. Indeed, our very basic understanding of the physiological cellular kinetics and biology of the stem-progenitor cell unit of the articular cartilage, and how this is influenced by mechano-inflammatory injury, is largely unknown. OA seems, rather deceptively, to be the low-hanging fruit for stem cell therapy. Without the basic understanding of the stem cell and progenitor unit that generate and maintain articular cartilage in vivo, we will continue to waste opportunities to both prevent and manage this disease. In this review, we discuss the biology of chondrogenesis, the stem cell populations that support articular cartilage in health and disease, and future opportunities afforded through the translation of basic articular chondrocyte stem cell biology into new clinical therapies.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-03-2021
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-021-86675-4
Abstract: The intestinal stroma provides an important microenvironment for immune cell activation. The perturbation of this tightly regulated process can lead to excessive inflammation. We know that upregulated Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in the intestinal epithelium plays a key role in the inflammatory condition of preterm infants, such as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). However, the surrounding stromal contribution to excessive inflammation in the pre-term setting awaits careful dissection. Ex vivo co-culture of embryonic day 14.5 (E14.5) or adult murine intestinal stromal cells with exogenous monocytes was undertaken. We also performed mRNAseq analysis of embryonic and adult stromal cells treated with vehicle control or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), followed by pathway and network analyses of differentially regulated transcripts. Cell characteristics were compared using flow cytometry and pHrodo red phagocytic stain, candidate gene analysis was performed via siRNA knockdown and gene expression measured by qPCR and ELISA. Embryonic stromal cells promote the differentiation of co-cultured monocytes to CD11b high CD11c high mononuclear phagocytes, that in turn express decreased levels of CD103. Global mRNAseq analysis of stromal cells following LPS stimulation identified TLR signaling components as the most differentially expressed transcripts in the immature compared to adult setting. We show that CD14 expressed by CD11b + CD45 + embryonic stromal cells is a key inducer of TLR mediated inflammatory cytokine production and phagocytic activity of monocyte derived cells. We utilise transcriptomic analyses and functional ex vivo modelling to improve our understanding of unique molecular cues provided by the immature intestinal stroma.
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 24-07-2020
DOI: 10.1101/2020.07.24.219394
Abstract: Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling is required for early forebrain development and cortical formation. How the endogenous modulators of BMP signaling regulate the structural and functional maturation of the developing brain remains unclear. Here we show that expression of the BMP antagonist, Grem1 , marks a neuroprogenitor that gives rise to layer V and VI glutamatergic neurons in the embryonic mouse brain. Lineage tracing of Grem1 -expressing cells in the embryonic brain was examined by administration of tamoxifen to pregnant Grem1creERT Rosa26LSLTdtomato mice at 13.5 days post coitum (dpc), followed by collection of embryos later in gestation. In addition, at 14.5 dpc, bulk mRNA seq analysis of differentially expressed transcripts between FACS sorted Grem1 positive and negative cells was performed. We also generated Emx1-cre mediated Grem1 conditional knockout mice ( Emx1-Cre Grem1 flox/flox ) in which the Grem1 gene was deleted specifically in the dorsal telencephalon. Grem1 Emx1cKO animals had reduced cortical thickness, especially layers V and VI and impaired motor balance and fear sensitivity compared to littermate controls. This study has revealed new roles for Grem1 in the structural and functional maturation of the developing cortex. The BMP antagonist, Grem1 , marks neuroprogenitors that give rise to deep layer glutamatergic neurons in the embryonic mouse brain. Grem1 conditional knockout mice display cortical and behavioural abnormalities.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 17-04-2019
DOI: 10.1136/GUTJNL-2017-315920
Abstract: Serrated colorectal cancer (CRC) accounts for approximately 25% of cases and includes tumours that are among the most treatment resistant and with worst outcomes. This CRC subtype is associated with activating mutations in the mitogen-activated kinase pathway gene, BRAF , and epigenetic modifications termed the CpG Island Methylator Phenotype, leading to epigenetic silencing of key tumour suppressor genes. It is still not clear which (epi-)genetic changes are most important in neoplastic progression and we begin to address this knowledge gap herein. We use organoid culture combined with CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering to sequentially introduce genetic alterations associated with serrated CRC and which regulate the stem cell niche, senescence and DNA mismatch repair. Targeted biallelic gene alterations were verified by DNA sequencing. Organoid growth in the absence of niche factors was assessed, as well as analysis of downstream molecular pathway activity. Orthotopic engraftment of complex organoid lines, but not Braf V600E alone, quickly generated adenocarcinoma in vivo with serrated features consistent with human disease. Loss of the essential DNA mismatch repair enzyme, Mlh1, led to microsatellite instability. Sphingolipid metabolism genes are differentially regulated in both our mouse models of serrated CRC and human CRC, with key members of this pathway having prognostic significance in the human setting. We generate rapid, complex models of serrated CRC to determine the contribution of specific genetic alterations to carcinogenesis. Analysis of our models alongside patient data has led to the identification of a potential susceptibility for this tumour type.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-06-2016
DOI: 10.1002/JCB.25596
Abstract: MSC-like populations derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-MSC) serve as an alternative stem cell source due to their high proliferative capacity. In this study, we assessed the immunomodulatory potential of iPSC-MSC generated from periodontal ligament (PDL) and gingival (GF) tissue. The iPSC-MSC lines exhibited a similar level of suppression of mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) proliferation compared to their respective parental fibroblast populations in vitro. Moreover, iPSC-MSC demonstrated the ability to suppress T-cells effector cells, Th1/Th2/Th17 populations, and increase levels of Treg cells. In order to investigate the mechanisms involved, expression of common MSC-derived soluble factors known to supress lymphocyte proliferation were assessed in iPSC-MSC cultured with PBMNC with direct cell-cell contact or separated in transwells. Real-time PCR analysis of factors known to be involved in MSC mediated immune regulation, found a general trend of elevated IDO1 and IL6 transcript levels in iPSC-MSC lines and their respective primary cells co-cultured with activated PBMNC, with a wide range of gene expression levels between the different mesenchymal cell types. The results suggest that different iPSC-MSC may be useful as a potential alternative source of cells for future clinical use in therapeutic applications because of their potent immunosuppressive properties. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 2844-2853, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2021
DOI: 10.1053/J.GASTRO.2020.11.011
Abstract: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), key constituents of the tumor microenvironment, either promote or restrain tumor growth. Attempts to therapeutically target CAFs have been h ered by our incomplete understanding of these functionally heterogeneous cells. Key growth factors in the intestinal epithelial niche, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), also play a critical role in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. However, the crucial proteins regulating stromal BMP balance and the potential application of BMP signaling to manage CRC remain largely unexplored. Using human CRC RNA expression data, we identified CAF-specific factors involved in BMP signaling, then verified and characterized their expression in the CRC stroma by in situ hybridization. CRC tumoroids and a mouse model of CRC hepatic metastasis were used to test approaches to modify BMP signaling and treat CRC. We identified Grem1 and Islr as CAF-specific genes involved in BMP signaling. Functionally, GREM1 and ISLR acted to inhibit and promote BMP signaling, respectively. Grem1 and Islr marked distinct fibroblast subpopulations and were differentially regulated by transforming growth factor β and FOXL1, providing an underlying mechanism to explain fibroblast biological dichotomy. In patients with CRC, high GREM1 and ISLR expression levels were associated with poor and favorable survival, respectively. A GREM1-neutralizing antibody or fibroblast Islr overexpression reduced CRC tumoroid growth and promoted Lgr5 Stromal BMP signaling predicts and modifies CRC progression and survival, and it can be therapeutically targeted by novel AAV-directed gene delivery to the liver.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2022
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1155/2018/2601945
Abstract: Mesenchymal stromal cell-like populations have been derived from mouse-induced pluripotent stem cells (miPSC-MSC) with the capability for tissue regeneration. In this study, murine iPSC underwent differentiation towards an MSC-like immunophenotype. Stable miPSC-MSC cultures expressed the MSC-associated markers, CD73, CD105, and Sca-1, but lacked expression of the pluripotency marker, SSEA1, and hematopoietic markers, CD34 and CD45. Functionally, miPSC-MSC exhibited the potential for trilineage differentiation into osteoblasts, adipocytes, and chondrocytes and the capacity to suppress the proliferation of mitogen-activated splenocytes. The efficacy of miPSC-MSC was assessed in an acute inflammation model following systemic or local delivery into mice with subcutaneous implants containing heat-inactivated P . gingivalis . Histological analysis revealed less inflammatory cellular infiltrate within the sponges in mice treated with miPSC-MSC cells delivered locally rather than systemically. Assessment of proinflammatory cytokines in mouse spleens found that CXCL1 transcripts and protein were reduced in mice treated with miPSC-MSC. In a periodontitis model, mice subjected to oral inoculation with P . gingivalis revealed less bone tissue destruction and inflammation within the jaws when treated with miPSC-MSC compared to PBS alone. Our results demonstrated that miPSC-MSC derived from iPSC have the capacity to control acute and chronic inflammatory responses associated with the destruction of periodontal tissue. Therefore, miPSC-MSC present a promising novel source of stromal cells which could be used in the treatment of periodontal disease and other inflammatory systemic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Publisher: The Company of Biologists
Date: 12-07-2021
DOI: 10.1242/DEV.195883
Abstract: Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling is required for early forebrain development and cortical formation. How the endogenous modulators of BMP signaling regulate the structural and functional maturation of the developing brain remains unclear. Here, we show that expression of the BMP antagonist Grem1 marks committed layer V and VI glutamatergic neurons in the embryonic mouse brain. Lineage tracing of Grem1-expressing cells in the embryonic brain was examined by administration of tamoxifen to pregnant Grem1creERT Rosa26LSLTdtomato mice at 13.5 days post coitum (dpc), followed by collection of embryos later in gestation. In addition, at 14.5 dpc, bulk mRNA-seq analysis of differentially expressed transcripts between FACS-sorted Grem1-positive and -negative cells was performed. We also generated Emx1-cre-mediated Grem1 conditional knockout mice (Emx1-Cre Grem1flox/flox) in which the Grem1 gene was deleted specifically in the dorsal telencephalon. Grem1Emx1cKO animals had reduced cortical thickness, especially layers V and VI, and impaired motor balance and fear sensitivity compared with littermate controls. This study has revealed new roles for Grem1 in the structural and functional maturation of the developing cortex.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 16-08-2018
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Date: 11-08-2023
Abstract: Synthetic biology has developed sophisticated cellular biosensors to detect and respond to human disease. However, biosensors have not yet been engineered to detect specific extracellular DNA sequences and mutations. Here, we engineered naturally competent Acinetobacter baylyi to detect donor DNA from the genomes of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, organoids, and tumors. We characterized the functionality of the biosensors in vitro with coculture assays and then validated them in vivo with sensor bacteria delivered to mice harboring colorectal tumors. We observed horizontal gene transfer from the tumor to the sensor bacteria in our mouse model of CRC. This cellular assay for targeted, CRISPR-discriminated horizontal gene transfer (CATCH) enables the biodetection of specific cell-free DNA.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 2011
DOI: 10.1039/C1MT00127B
Abstract: We have identified a novel regulator from the MerR family of transcription factors in the bacterial pathogen Haemophilus influenzae (HI1623 nickel-associated merR-like Regulator--NimR). NimR regulates the expression of a Ni(2+) uptake transporter (NikKLMQO). The promoters for nimR and the nik operon are ergent and overlapping and NimR binds at a site between the promoter elements for nikKLMQO. Expression of this operon requires NimR and depends on Ni(2+). Growth rates of the H. influenzae nimR and nikQ mutants were reduced in chemically defined media compared to the wild type and the mutants were unable to grow in the presence of EDTA. The mutant strains were less tolerant of acidic pH and the wild type Rd KW20 could not tolerate low pH in the presence of fluoramide, a urease specific inhibitor, confirming that both nickel transport and urea hydrolysis are a central process in pH control. H. influenzae nimR and nikQ strains were deficient in urease activity, but this could be specifically restored by the addition of excess Ni(2+). NimR did not directly regulate the expression of urease genes but the activity of urease requires both nimR and nikQ. Purified NimR is a dimer that binds 1 Ni(2+)ion. NimR is the first ex le of a Ni-dependent regulator from the MerR family and targeting a metal ion uptake system it is distinct from NikR the Ni-responsive regulators of the ribbon-helix-helix family.
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 05-04-2023
DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.03.535370
Abstract: Bioengineered probiotics enable new opportunities to improve colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, prevention and treatment strategies. Here, we demonstrate the phenomenon of selective, long-term colonization of colorectal adenomas after oral delivery of probiotic E. coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) to a genetically-engineered murine model of CRC predisposition. We show that, after oral administration, adenomas can be monitored over time by recovering EcN from stool. We also demonstrate specific colonization of EcN to solitary neoplastic lesions in an orthotopic murine model of CRC. We then exploit this neoplasia-homing property of EcN to develop early CRC intervention strategies. To detect lesions, we engineer EcN to produce a small molecule, salicylate, and demonstrate that oral delivery of this strain results in significantly increased levels of salicylate in the urine of adenoma-bearing mice, in comparison to healthy controls. We also assess EcN engineered to locally release immunotherapeutics at the neoplastic site. Oral delivery to mice bearing adenomas, reduced adenoma burden by ∼50%, with notable differences in the spatial distribution of T cell populations within diseased and healthy intestinal tissue, suggesting local induction of robust anti-tumor immunity. Together, these results support the use of EcN as an orally-delivered platform to detect disease and treat CRC through its production of screening and therapeutic molecules.
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 11-09-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJMM.2013.02.012
Abstract: Of the known proteins which use nickel as a co-factor, Haemophilus influenzae contains only urease and glyoxalase I (gloA). We have recently reported that this pathogen harbours a unique nickel uptake system (nikKLMQO-nimR). Unusually, the disruption of the nickel uptake system (nikQ or nimR mutants) resulted in cells that aggregated and formed an increased biofilm compared to the wild type cells. Using a gloA mutant strain and urease-specific inhibitor we showed that this phenotype is not due to the loss-of-function of these enzymes. By generating H. influenzae "resting cells" which are enzymatically inactive but maintain their structural integrity we have shown that the cell aggregation in the nikQ/nimR mutants is not due to the loss of enzymatic function. The nikQ mutant was unable to accumulate nickel but the addition of excess nickel did restore intracellular nickel levels and this resulted in the nikQ mutant returning to the wild type "free-living" phenotype cells with no aggregation and no biofilm formation. We used a range of techniques which showed that the nikQ mutant possesses changes to its cell surface properties. The mutant was more negatively charged than wild type cells as well as being more hydrophobic. Analysis of the outer membrane constituents showed that there were molecular differences. Although the nikQ mutant appears to grow the same as its wild type cell we have shown that there is a change in the "lifestyle" of these nickel limited cells and this induces changes to the surface of the cell to promote cell-cell aggregation and biofilm formation.
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 18-03-2012
DOI: 10.1155/2012/819176
Abstract: Little is known about innate immunity and components of inflammasomes in airway epithelium. This study evaluated immunohistological evidence for NLRP3 inflammasomes in normal and inflamed murine (Balb/c) airway epithelium in a model of ovalbumin (OVA) induced allergic airway inflammation. The airway epithelium of control mice exhibited strong cytoplasmic staining for total caspase-1, ASC, and NLRP3, whereas the OVA mice exhibited strong staining for active caspase-1, with redistribution of caspase-1, IL-1 β and IL-18, indicating possible activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Active caspase-1, NLRP3, and other inflammasome components were also detected in tissue eosinophils from OVA mice, and may potentially contribute to IL-1 β and IL-18 production. In whole lung, inRNA expression of NAIP and procaspase-1 was increased in OVA mice, whereas NLRP3, IL-1 β and IL-18 decreased. Some OVA-treated mice also had significantly elevated and tightly correlated serum levels of IL-1 β and TNF α . In cultured normal human bronchial epithelial cells, LPS priming resulted in a significant increase in NLRP3 and II-lp protein expression. This study is the first to demonstrate NLRP3 inflammasome components in normal airway epithelium and changes with inflammation. We propose activation and/or luminal release of the inflammasome is a feature of allergic airway inflammation which may contribute to disease pathogenesis.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-06-2016
DOI: 10.1002/JCP.25437
Abstract: Neural crest cells (NCC) hold great promise for tissue engineering, however the inability to easily obtain large numbers of NCC is a major factor limiting their use in studies of regenerative medicine. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) are emerging as a novel candidate that could provide an unlimited source of NCC. In the present study, we examined the potential of neural crest tissue-derived periodontal ligament (PDL) iPSC to differentiate into neural crest-like cells (NCLC) relative to iPSC generated from a non-neural crest derived tissue, foreskin fibroblasts (FF). We detected high HNK1 expression during the differentiation of PDL and FF iPSC into NCLC as a marker for enriching for a population of cells with NCC characteristics. We isolated PDL iPSC- and FF iPSC-derived NCLC, which highly expressed HNK1. A high proportion of the HNK1-positive cell populations generated, expressed the MSC markers, whilst very few cells expressed the pluripotency markers or the hematopoietic markers. The PDL and FF HNK1-positive populations gave rise to smooth muscle, neural, glial, osteoblastic and adipocytic like cells and exhibited higher expression of smooth muscle, neural, and glial cell-associated markers than the PDL and FF HNK1-negative populations. Interestingly, the HNK1-positive cells derived from the PDL-iPSC exhibited a greater ability to differentiate into smooth muscle, neural, glial cells and adipocytes, than the HNK1-positive cells derived from the FF-iPSC. Our work suggests that HNK1-enriched NCLC from neural crest tissue-derived iPSC more closely resemble the phenotypic and functional hallmarks of NCC compared to the HNK1-low population and non-neural crest iPSC-derived NCLC. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 402-416, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Publisher: MyJove Corporation
Date: 03-09-2021
DOI: 10.3791/62630
Abstract: Hepatic metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a major component of the tumor microenvironment, play a crucial role in metastatic CRC progression and predict poor patient prognosis. However, there is a lack of satisfactory mouse models to study the crosstalk between metastatic cancer cells and CAFs. Here, we present a method to investigate how liver metastasis progression is regulated by the metastatic niche and possibly could be restrained by stroma-directed therapy. Portal vein injection of CRC organoids generated a desmoplastic reaction, which faithfully recapitulated the fibroblast-rich histology of human CRC liver metastases. This model was tissue-specific with a higher tumor burden in the liver when compared to an intra-splenic injection model, simplifying mouse survival analyses. By injecting luciferase-expressing tumor organoids, tumor growth kinetics could be monitored by in vivo imaging. Moreover, this preclinical model provides a useful platform to assess the efficacy of therapeutics targeting the tumor mesenchyme. We describe methods to examine whether adeno-associated virus-mediated delivery of a tumor-inhibiting stromal gene to hepatocytes could remodel the tumor microenvironment and improve mouse survival. This approach enables the development and assessment of novel therapeutic strategies to inhibit hepatic metastasis of CRC.
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 30-03-2023
DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.29.534651
Abstract: Osteoarthritis (OA), which carries an enormous disease burden across the world, is characterised by irreversible degeneration of articular cartilage (AC), and subsequently bone. The cellular cause of OA is unknown. Here, using lineage tracing in mice, we show that the BMP-antagonist Gremlin 1 ( Grem1 ) marks a novel chondrogenic progenitor (CP) cell population in the articular surface that generates joint cartilage and subchondral bone during development and adulthood. Notably, this CP population is depleted in injury-induced OA, and with age. OA is also induced by toxin-mediated ablation of Grem1 CP cells in young mice. Transcriptomic analysis and functional modelling in mice revealed articular surface Grem1 -lineage cells are dependent on Foxo1 ablation of Foxo1 in Grem1 -lineage cells led to early OA. This analysis identified FGFR3 signalling as a therapeutic target, and injection of its activator, FGF18, caused proliferation of Grem1 -lineage CP cells, increased cartilage thickness, and reduced OA pathology. We propose that OA arises from the loss of CP cells at the articular surface secondary to an imbalance in progenitor cell homeostasis and present a new progenitor population as a locus for OA therapy.
Location: Australia
No related grants have been discovered for Jia Ng.