Abnormalities of stem cell function and/or the destruction of stem cells leads to an olfactory epithelium (OE) that remains olfactory (including a full complement of sustentacular cells), but one that has no neurons, no globose basal cells, and no ongoing neurogenesis. Horizontal basal cells (HBCs) are still evident in aneuronal OE, but clearly are not functioning as multipotent progenitors/stem cells as they can and do under other circumstances. These and other data indicate that HBCs must be activated in some way by signals emanating from a damaged epithelium, in order to function as stem cells. Recently, we have shown that the transcription factor p63 is key to HBC differentiation and regeneration. We will test whether p63 is the key factor that regulates (prevents) HBC activation using a mouse genetic approach.
In Aim 1 we will conditionally knock-out and conditionally over-express p63 selectively in HBCs, using K5 driver lines, and analyze clonal progeny from the targeted HBCs. Signaling via the Wnt and Notch pathways play antagonistic roles in regulating stem cells and their transition to more differentiated and shorter-lived progenitors. Moreover, both of them interface with p63 in that regulation. Accordingly, in Aims 2 and 3, we will assess how knock-out vs. constitutive activation of the Notch and Wnt pathways, respectively, affect HBC activation and function as progenitor. We will use the same kind of approach to achieve cell type- and temporal-control over the targeted genes. We expect that the results will show that p63 is the master regulator of HBC activation and that both Wnt and Notch pathways will participate in controlling both p63 and HBC activation. After completion of the experiments, we will be poised to apply small molecule inhibitors of p63 and the key signaling pathways to the problem of restoring neurogenesis to an aneuronal OE.

Public Health Relevance

Olfactory dysfunction is a nearly universal consequence of aging and has serious consequences on nutritional status as well as quality of life more generally. In some cases, exhaustion and/or inappropriately prolonged dormancy of the stem cells of the olfactory epithelium looks to be the culprit. The experiments proposed in this grant test how olfactory stem cells can be awakened in mice so that the epithelium is restored to health. We will manipulate a key transcription factor, p63, that acts as the master switch for one category of olfactory stem cells, as well as the Notch and Wnt pathways that act on p63. When completed, we can use the information gained to design potential therapeutic approaches to reinvigorate stem cells.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DC002167-17
Application #
8585047
Study Section
Somatosensory and Chemosensory Systems Study Section (SCS)
Program Officer
Sullivan, Susan L
Project Start
1993-12-01
Project End
2016-12-31
Budget Start
2014-01-01
Budget End
2014-12-31
Support Year
17
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
$419,915
Indirect Cost
$165,421
Name
Tufts University
Department
Anatomy/Cell Biology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
039318308
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02111
Herrick, Daniel B; Guo, Zhen; Jang, Woochan et al. (2018) Canonical Notch Signaling Directs the Fate of Differentiating Neurocompetent Progenitors in the Mammalian Olfactory Epithelium. J Neurosci 38:5022-5037
Lin, Brian; Coleman, Julie H; Peterson, Jesse N et al. (2017) Injury Induces Endogenous Reprogramming and Dedifferentiation of Neuronal Progenitors to Multipotency. Cell Stem Cell 21:761-774.e5
Schwob, James E; Jang, Woochan; Holbrook, Eric H et al. (2017) Stem and progenitor cells of the mammalian olfactory epithelium: Taking poietic license. J Comp Neurol 525:1034-1054
Peterson, Jesse N; Lin, Brian; Shin, Jong et al. (2017) Replication of JC Virus DNA in the G144 Oligodendrocyte Cell Line Is Dependent Upon Akt. J Virol 91:
Vyas, Rutesh N; Meredith, Diane; Lane, Robert P (2017) Lysine-specific demethylase-1 (LSD1) depletion disrupts monogenic and monoallelic odorant receptor (OR) expression in an olfactory neuronal cell line. Mol Cell Neurosci 82:1-11
Coleman, Julie H; Lin, Brian; Schwob, James E (2017) Dissecting LSD1-Dependent Neuronal Maturation in the Olfactory Epithelium. J Comp Neurol 525:3391-3413
Herrick, Daniel B; Lin, Brian; Peterson, Jesse et al. (2017) Notch1 maintains dormancy of olfactory horizontal basal cells, a reserve neural stem cell. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 114:E5589-E5598
Packard, Adam I; Lin, Brian; Schwob, James E (2016) Sox2 and Pax6 Play Counteracting Roles in Regulating Neurogenesis within the Murine Olfactory Epithelium. PLoS One 11:e0155167
Kilinc, Seda; Savarino, Alyssa; Coleman, Julie H et al. (2016) Lysine-specific demethylase-1 (LSD1) is compartmentalized at nuclear chromocenters in early post-mitotic cells of the olfactory sensory neuronal lineage. Mol Cell Neurosci 74:58-70
Schnittke, Nikolai; Herrick, Daniel B; Lin, Brian et al. (2015) Transcription factor p63 controls the reserve status but not the stemness of horizontal basal cells in the olfactory epithelium. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 112:E5068-77

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