Taken together, these results indicate that loss of Dkk1 interferes with the program required for proper differentiation of cardiomyocytes in Heart-enriched explants as illustrated on the top (marked in pink) were isolated from stage 28 and 34 embryos bilaterally injected with either Control MO or Dkk1 MO

Taken together, these results indicate that loss of Dkk1 interferes with the program required for proper differentiation of cardiomyocytes in Heart-enriched explants as illustrated on the top (marked in pink) were isolated from stage 28 and 34 embryos bilaterally injected with either Control MO or Dkk1 MO. cardiac defects (Brade et?al., 2007). Bakuchiol Likewise, Isl1 knockout mice display cardiac phenotypes (Cai et?al., 2003). Overexpression of Isl1 in mouse embryonic stem cells and embryos implicated Isl1 in the regulation of cardiomyocyte subtype identity (Dorn et?al., 2015). Although some Isl1 target genes during cardiogenesis such as Mef2c and Rabbit Polyclonal to Collagen I GATA6 have been already identified (Black, 2007; Dorn et?al., 2015; Wang et?al., 2016) the exact mechanisms how Isl1 regulates early actions of cardiac development still remain elusive. Wnt signaling has been shown to be critical for multiple phases of cardiac development (Gessert and Khl, 2010). As Wnt proteins are able to activate different intracellular signaling pathways, referred to as canonical (-catenin dependent) and non-canonical (-catenin independent) Wnt signaling, a complex picture on the role of Wnt signaling during cardiogenesis has emerged (Gessert and Khl, 2010). While canonical Wnt/-catenin signaling is required for proper mesoderm formation (Huelsken et?al., 2000; Lindsley et?al., 2006; Liu et?al., 1999), it is low during cardiac specification (Willems et?al., 2011). Subsequently, Wnt/-catenin signaling is essential for proliferation of cardiomyocytes (Ai et?al., 2007; Kwon et?al., 2007), but again needs to be low for terminal differentiation (Lavery et?al., 2008; Martin et?al., 2010). In contrast, non-canonical -catenin independent Wnt signaling supports cardiac specification in different model systems including chicken and embryos as well as murine and human embryonic stem cells (Chen et?al., 2008; Eisenberg and Eisenberg, 1999; Mazzotta et?al., 2016; Onizuka et?al., 2012; Pandur et?al., 2002; Rai et?al., 2012; Terami et?al., 2004; Ueno et?al., 2007). Later in development, non-canonical Wnt signaling has been demonstrated to be required for terminal differentiation (Gessert et?al., 2008; Hempel et?al., 2017) and to be also involved in ventricular trabeculation, sarcomere formation and proper outflow tract development in mice (Nagy et?al., 2010; Zhou et?al., 2007) and (Hempel et?al., 2017). Inhibitors of Wnt signaling have been shown to support cardiac development likely due to the requirement of low Wnt/-catenin signaling during specification and terminal differentiation of cardiomyocytes. Ectopic formation of cardiomyocytes in embryos has been demonstrated upon injection of RNA coding for Wnt inhibitors such as Dickkopf 1 (Dkk1), crescent, Frzb or sizzled, although with different efficiency (Schneider and Mercola, 2001). Likewise, treatment of murine or human embryonic stem cell (ESC) cultures with recombinant Dkk1 protein or small molecule inhibitors of Wnt/-catenin signaling has been shown to drive differentiation of ES cells into the cardiac lineage (Lian et?al., 2012; Rai et?al., 2012; Willems et?al., 2011). In contrast to those Dkk1 gain-of-function studies, only little is known about the role of endogenous Dkk1 during cardiogenesis. Dkk1/Dkk2 double knockout mice display a variety of cardiac developmental defects including smaller hearts (Phillips et?al., 2011), suggesting a requirement for Dkk proteins during cardiogenesis. Direct programming of ESCs towards a cardiomyocyte fate by Bakuchiol overexpressing cardiac specific transcription factors such as Mesp1 also seems to implicate Dkk1 (David et?al., 2008). Using as a model system we here show that the Wnt inhibitor Dkk1 acts downstream of Isl1 during cardiac development by regulating canonical Wnt/-catenin signaling. 2.?Materials and methods 2.1. embryos embryos were obtained by fertilization, cultured and staged according to Nieuwkoop (1956). All procedures were performed according to the German animal use and care law and approved by the German state administration Baden-Wrttemberg (Regierungspr?sidium Tbingen). 2.2. Morpholino oligonucleotide (MO) and RNA injections All MOs were purchased from Gene Tools, LLC, OR, USA and resuspended in DEPC-H2O. Morpholino oligonucleotide sequences were: Dkk1 MO: CAT GTT GCT GCC CAT TCC TCT GTC C; Isl1MO: GGT CTC CCA TAT CTC CCA TAG CTG T; Control MO: CCT CTT ACC TCA GTT ACA ATT TAT A. The Isl1 MO was validated for functionality as described earlier (Brade et?al., 2007). To monitor the efficiency Bakuchiol of Dkk1 MO, the MO binding site as well as the mutated Bakuchiol binding site reflecting Bakuchiol the corresponding human RNA sequence were cloned in front of and in frame with GFP in pCS2+. 1?ng of the indicated RNA and 10?ng of either Dkk1 MO or Control MO were injected unilateral into 2-cell stage embryos and GFP translation was monitored at stage.