NOTCH1 and NOTCH3 coordinate esophageal squamous differentiation through a CSL-dependent transcriptional network.
OBJECTIVE
The Notch receptor family regulates cell fate through cell-cell communication. CSL (CBF-1/RBP-jκ, Su(H), Lag-1) drives canonical Notch-mediated gene transcription during cell lineage specification, differentiation, and proliferation in the hematopoietic system, the intestine, the pancreas, and the skin. However, the functional roles of Notch in esophageal squamous epithelial biology are unknown.


METHODS
Normal esophageal keratinocytes were stimulated with calcium chloride to induce terminal differentiation. The squamous epithelia were reconstituted in organotypic 3-dimensional culture, a form of human tissue engineering. Notch was inhibited in culture with a γ-secretase inhibitor or dominant negative mastermind-like 1 (DNMAML1). The roles of Notch receptors were evaluated by in vitro gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments. Additionally, DNMAML1 was targeted to the mouse esophagus by cytokeratin K14 promoter-driven Cre (K14Cre) recombination of Lox-STOP-Lox-DNMAML1. Notch-regulated gene expression was determined by reporter transfection, chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
NOTCH1 (N1) was activated at the onset of squamous differentiation in the esophagus. Intracellular domain of N1 (ICN1) directly activated NOTCH3 (N3) transcription, inducing HES5 and early differentiation markers such as involucrin (IVL) and cytokeratin CK13 in a CSL-dependent fashion. N3 enhanced ICN1 activity and was required for squamous differentiation. Loss of Notch signaling in K14Cre;DNMAML1 mice perturbed esophageal squamous differentiation and resulted in N3 loss and basal cell hyperplasia.


CONCLUSIONS
Notch signaling is important for esophageal epithelial homeostasis. In particular, the cross talk of N3 with N1 during differentiation provides novel, mechanistic insights into Notch signaling and squamous epithelial biology.
Ohashi
Shinya
S
Gastroenterology Division, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Natsuizaka
Mitsuteru
M
Yashiro-Ohtani
Yumi
Y
Kalman
Ross A
RA
Nakagawa
Momo
M
Wu
Lizi
L
Klein-Szanto
Andres J
AJ
Herlyn
Meenhard
M
Diehl
J Alan
JA
Katz
Jonathan P
JP
Pear
Warren S
WS
Seykora
John T
JT
Nakagawa
Hiroshi
H
D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D004947:Esophagus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D051819:Immunoglobulin J Recombination Signal Sequence-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D051881:Receptor, Notch1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000071656:Receptor, Notch3; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology
D051819:Immunoglobulin J Recombination Signal Sequence-Binding Protein; C497761:NOTCH1 protein, human; C499374:NOTCH3 protein, human; C497762:Notch1 protein, mouse; C499373:Notch3 protein, mouse; C497570:RBPJ protein, human; D051881:Receptor, Notch1; D000071656:Receptor, Notch3; D051880:Receptors, Notch
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