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Xenopus gpx3 Mediates Posterior Development by Regulating Cell Death during Embryogenesis
Hongchan Lee1, Tayaba Ismail1, Youni Kim1
1KNU-Center for Nonlinear Dynamics, CMRI, BK21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea.
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 16, 2020
Summary
Glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPx3) is crucial for vertebrate embryonic development, particularly tail formation. Knocking down GPx3 disrupts tail growth by increasing cell death and altering key signaling pathways.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPx3) is a key antioxidant selenoprotein involved in protecting against oxidative damage.
- GPx3 downregulation is linked to tumor progression, metastasis, and diseases like liver and heart conditions.
- The role of GPx3 in vertebrate embryonic development is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional significance of the gene gpx3 during vertebrate embryogenesis.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying GPx3's role in embryonic development.
Main Methods:
- Utilized *Xenopus laevis* as a model organism for studying embryogenesis.
- Determined gpx3 spatiotemporal expression using RT-PCR and Whole Mount In Situ Hybridization (WISH).
- Performed gpx3 knockdown using antisense morpholino oligonucleotides (MOs), followed by rescue experiments with ebselen, gene expression analysis, RNA sequencing, TUNEL and PH3 staining, and ROS level measurements.
Main Results:
- gpx3 is zygotically expressed, with enhanced expression during the tailbud stage, localized to the prospective tail region.
- gpx3 knockdown resulted in shortened, malformed post-anal tails, which were rescued by ebselen.
- Knockdown led to altered expression of genes in Wnt, Notch, and BMP signaling pathways, increased cell death, decreased cell proliferation, and elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the tail region.
Conclusions:
- GPx3 is essential for normal posterior embryonic development in vertebrates.
- GPx3 regulates tailbud development by modulating cell death and proliferation, potentially through Wnt, Notch, and BMP signaling.
- GPx3's antioxidant function, by managing ROS levels, is critical for embryonic development.
