Surveillance and repair of DNA damage are essential for maintaining the integrity of the genetic information that is needed for normal development. Several multienzyme pathways, including the excision repair of damaged or missing bases, carry out DNA repair in mammals. We determined the developmental role of the X-ray cross-complementing (Xrcc)-1 gene, which is central to base excision repair, by generating a targeted mutation in mice. Heterozygous matings produced Xrcc1-/- embryos at early developmental stages, but not Xrcc1-/- late-stage fetuses or pups. Histology showed that mutant (Xrcc1-/-) embryos arrested at embryonic day (E) 6.5 and by E7.5 were morphologically abnormal. The most severe abnormalities observed in mutant embryos were in embryonic tissues, which showed increased cell death in the epiblast and an altered morphology in the visceral embryonic endoderm. Extraembryonic tissues appeared relatively normal at E6.5-7.5. Even without exposure to DNA-damaging agents, mutant embryos showed increased levels of unrepaired DNA strand breaks in the egg cylinder compared with normal embryos. Xrcc1-/- cell lines derived from mutant embryos were hypersensitive to mutagen-induced DNA damage. Xrcc1 mutant embryos that were also made homozygous for a null mutation in Trp53 underwent developmental arrest after only slightly further development, thus revealing a Trp53-independent mechanism of embryo lethality. These results show that an intact base excision repair pathway is essential for normal early postimplantation mouse development and implicate an endogenous source of DNA damage in the lethal phenotype of embryos lacking this repair capacity.

Members of the Ets family of transcription factors mediate transcriptional responses of multiple signaling pathways in diverse cell types and organisms. Targeted deletion of the conserved DNA binding domain of the Ets2 transcription factor results in the retardation and death of homozygous mouse embryos before 8.5 days of embryonic development. Defects in extraembryonic tissue gene expression and function include deficient expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9, gelatinase B), persistent extracellular matrix, and failure of ectoplacental cone proliferation. Mutant embryos were rescued by aggregation with tetraploid mouse embryos, which complement the developmental defects by providing functional extraembryonic tissues. Rescued Ets2-deficient mice are viable and fertile but have wavy hair, curly whiskers, and abnormal hair follicle shape and arrangement, resembling mice with mutations of the EGF receptor or its ligands. However, these mice are not deficient in the production of TGF␣ or the EGF receptor. Homozygous mutant cell lines respond mitogenically to TGF␣, EGF, FGF1, and FGF2. However, FGF fails to induce MMP-13 (collagenase-3) and MMP-3 (stromelysin-1) in the Ets2-deficient fibroblasts. Ectopic expression of Ets2 in the deficient fibroblasts restores expression of both matrix metalloproteinases. Therefore, Ets2 is essential for placental function, mediating growth factor signaling to key target genes including MMP-3, MMP-9, and MMP-13 in different cell types, and for regulating hair development.

The pregnancy complication preeclampsia (PE), which occurs in approximately 3% to 8% of human pregnancies, is characterized by placental pathologies that can lead to significant fetal and maternal morbidity and mortality. Currently, the only known cure is delivery of the placenta. As the etiology of PE remains unknown, it is vital to find models to study this common syndrome. Here we show that matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) deficiency causes physiological and placental abnormalities in mice, which mimic features of PE. As with the severe cases of this syndrome, which commence early in gestation, MMP9-null mouse embryos exhibit deficiencies in trophoblast differentiation and invasion shortly after implantation, along with intrauterine growth restriction or embryonic death. Reciprocal embryo transfer experiments demonstrated that embryonic MMP9 is a major contributor to normal implantation, but maternal MMP9 also plays a role in embryonic trophoblast development. Pregnant MMP9-null mice bearing null embryos exhibited clinical features of PE as VEGF dysregulation and proteinuria accompanied by preexisting elevated blood pressure and kidney pathology. Thus, our data show that fetal and maternal MMP9 play a role in the development of PE and establish the MMP9-null mice as a much-needed model to study the clinical course of this syndrome.ectoplacental cone | fetus P reeclampsia (PE) is one of the most common pregnancy complications worldwide, affecting ∼3% to 8% of all pregnancies, and is a leading cause of perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality (1). PE is characterized by placental hypoperfusion and shallow trophoblast invasion of uterine blood vessels (2) that is particularly evident in the severe cases that commence early in pregnancy (3). Adequate trophoblast invasion is vital to provide the embryo with access to oxygen and nutrients, and, in human and mouse, the placenta is thereby in direct contact with maternal blood. The clinical diagnostic criteria of this syndrome include widespread maternal endothelial dysfunction as evidenced by hypertension, proteinuria, and peripheral and/or cerebral edema (4). In addition to the maternal signs, PE is also frequently associated with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and prematurity (5). The etiology of PE is unclear and the only known cure is delivery of the placenta. The upstream regulatory mechanisms remain elusive, as do the downstream consequences that lead to the maternal signs. Nevertheless, there is substantial evidence for contributing factors including abnormal placentation, particularly the invasive component. Restricted invasion is thought to be a reflection of defects in the cytotrophoblast (CTB) differentiation pathway that is required for uterine interstitial and endovascular invasion. Specifically, CTBs, which are epithelial cells of ectodermal origin, acquire vascularlike properties, and this transformation is dysregulated in PE (3, 6). The rudimentary endovascular invasion is thought to lead to the release of pathologic factors such as va...

No abstract

Dad1 has been shown to play a role in preventing apoptotic cell death and in regulating levels of N-linked glycosylation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the BHK hamster cell line. To address the in vivo role of Dad1 in these processes during multicellular development, we have analyzed mice carrying a null allele for Dad1. Embryos homozygous for this mutation express abnormal N-glycosylated proteins and are developmentally delayed by embryonic day 7.5. Such mutants exhibit aberrant morphology, impaired mesodermal development, and increased levels of apoptosis in specific tissues. These defects culminate in homozygous embryos failing to turn the posterior axis and subsequent lethality by embryonic day 10.5. Thus, Dad1 is required for proper processing of N-linked glycoproteins and for certain cell survival in the mouse.