Transcription factor scleraxis vitally contributes to progenitor lineage direction in wound healing of adult tendon in mice

Sakabe, Tomoya, Sakai, T ORCID: 0000-0002-7375-5450, Sakai, Keiko, Maeda, Toru, Sunaga, Ataru, Furuta, Nao, Schweitzer, Ronen and Sasaki, Takako (2018) Transcription factor scleraxis vitally contributes to progenitor lineage direction in wound healing of adult tendon in mice. The Journal of biological chemistry, 293 (16). pp. 5766-5780.

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Official URL: https://www.jbc.org/content/293/16/5766

Abstract

Tendon is a dense connective tissue that transmits high mechanical forces from skeletal muscle to bone. The transcription factor scleraxis (Scx) is a highly specific marker of both precursor and mature tendon cells (tenocytes). Mice lacking scx exhibit a specific and virtually complete loss of tendons during development. However, the functional contribution of Scx to wound healing in adult tendon has not yet been fully characterized. Here, using ScxGFP-tracking and loss-of-function systems, we show in an adult mouse model of Achilles tendon injury that paratenon cells, representing a stem cell antigen-1 (Sca-1)–positive and Scx-negative progenitor subpopulation, display Scx induction, migrate to the wound site, and produce extracellular matrix (ECM) to bridge the defect, whereas resident tenocytes exhibit a delayed response. Scx induction in the progenitors is initiated by transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling. scx-deficient mice had migration of Sca-1–positive progenitor cell to the lesion site but impaired ECM assembly to bridge the defect. Mechanistically, scx-null progenitors displayed higher chondrogenic potential with up-regulation of SRY-box 9 (Sox9) coactivator PPAR-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) in vitro, and knock-in analysis revealed that forced expression of full-length scx significantly inhibited Sox9 expression. Accordingly, scx-null wounds formed cartilage-like tissues that developed ectopic ossification. Our findings indicate a critical role of Scx in a progenitor-cell lineage in wound healing of adult mouse tendon. These progenitor cells could represent targets in strategies to facilitate tendon repair. We propose that this lineage-regulatory mechanism in tissue progenitors could apply to a broader set of tissues or biological systems in the body.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	extracellular matrix, tendon, wound healing, mouse genetics, cell biology, transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), scleraxis, tissue progenitor cells, conditional knockout
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	15 Mar 2018 08:36
Last Modified:	19 Jan 2023 06:38
DOI:	10.1074/jbc.RA118.001987
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3019046