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Dynamic Visualization of TGF-β/SMAD3 Transcriptional Responses in Single Living Cells

  • Dieuwke L. Marvin
  • , Li You
  • , Laura Bornes
  • , Maarten van Dinther
  • , Niek Peters
  • , Hao Dang
  • , Sarah K. Hakuno
  • , Marten Hornsveld
  • , Onno Kranenburg
  • , Jacco van Rheenen
  • , Jos H.T. Rohling
  • , Miao Ping Chien
  • , Peter Ten Dijke*
  • , Laila Ritsma
  • *Corresponding author for this work
  • Leiden University Medical Centre
  • Netherlands Cancer Institute
  • Utrecht University

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)
119 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling is tightly controlled in duration and intensity during embryonic development and in the adult to maintain tissue homeostasis. To visualize the TGF-β/SMAD3 signaling kinetics, we developed a dynamic TGF-β/SMAD3 transcriptional fluorescent reporter using multimerized SMAD3/4 binding elements driving the expression of a quickly folded and highly unstable GFP protein. We demonstrate the specificity and sensitivity of this reporter and its wide application to monitor dynamic TGF-β/SMAD3 transcriptional responses in both 2D and 3D systems in vitro, as well as in vivo, using live-cell and intravital imaging. Using this reporter in B16F10 cells, we observed single cell heterogeneity in response to TGF-β challenge, which can be categorized into early, late, and non-responders. Because of its broad application potential, this reporter allows for new discoveries into how TGF-β/SMAD3-dependent transcriptional dynamics are affected during multistep and reversible biological processes.

Original languageEnglish
Article number2508
JournalCancers
Volume14
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 19 May 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Funding: This research was supported by a Gisela Thier fellowship to L.R. from the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), a Veni grant to L.R. from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) (016.176.081), a subsidy from the Leids Universiteits Fonds to L.R. (LUF) (CWB 7204), ZonMW grant (09120012010061) (P.t.D) and the Doctor Josef Steiner Foundation (J.v.R.). L.R., P.t.D, and J.v.R. were supported by a subsidy from the Cancer Genomics Center Netherlands (CGC.NL).

Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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