TY - JOUR
T1 - Arrest of WNT/β-catenin signaling enables the transition from pluripotent to differentiated germ cells in mouse ovaries
AU - Le Rolle, Morgane
AU - Massa, Filippo
AU - Siggers, Pam
AU - Turchi, Laurent
AU - Loubat, Agnès
AU - Koo, Bon Kyoung
AU - Clevers, Hans
AU - Greenfield, Andy
AU - Schedl, Andreas
AU - Chaboissier, Marie Christine
AU - Chassot, Anne Amandine
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/7/27
Y1 - 2021/7/27
N2 - Germ cells form the basis for sexual reproduction by producing gametes. In ovaries, primordial germ cells exit the cell cycle and the pluripotency-associated state, differentiate into oogonia, and initiate meiosis. Despite the importance of germ cell differentiation for sexual reproduction, signaling pathways regulating their fate remain largely unknown. Here, we show in mouse embryonic ovaries that germ cell–intrinsic β-catenin activity maintains pluripotency and that its repression is essential to allow differentiation and meiosis entry in a timely manner. Accordingly, in β-catenin loss-of-function and gain-of-function mouse models, the germ cells precociously enter meiosis or remain in the pluripotent state, respectively. We further show that interaction of β-catenin and the pluripotent-associated factor POU5F1 in the nucleus is associated with germ cell pluripotency. The exit of this complex from the nucleus correlates with germ cell differentiation, a process promoted by the up-regulation of Znrf3, a negative regulator of WNT/β-catenin signaling. Together, these data identify the molecular basis of the transition from primordial germ cells to oogonia and demonstrate that β-catenin is a central gatekeeper in ovarian differentiation and gametogenesis.
AB - Germ cells form the basis for sexual reproduction by producing gametes. In ovaries, primordial germ cells exit the cell cycle and the pluripotency-associated state, differentiate into oogonia, and initiate meiosis. Despite the importance of germ cell differentiation for sexual reproduction, signaling pathways regulating their fate remain largely unknown. Here, we show in mouse embryonic ovaries that germ cell–intrinsic β-catenin activity maintains pluripotency and that its repression is essential to allow differentiation and meiosis entry in a timely manner. Accordingly, in β-catenin loss-of-function and gain-of-function mouse models, the germ cells precociously enter meiosis or remain in the pluripotent state, respectively. We further show that interaction of β-catenin and the pluripotent-associated factor POU5F1 in the nucleus is associated with germ cell pluripotency. The exit of this complex from the nucleus correlates with germ cell differentiation, a process promoted by the up-regulation of Znrf3, a negative regulator of WNT/β-catenin signaling. Together, these data identify the molecular basis of the transition from primordial germ cells to oogonia and demonstrate that β-catenin is a central gatekeeper in ovarian differentiation and gametogenesis.
KW - Differentiation
KW - Germ cells
KW - Ovary
KW - POU5F1/OCT4
KW - WNT/β-catenin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85111132382&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1073/pnas.2023376118
DO - 10.1073/pnas.2023376118
M3 - Article
C2 - 34301885
AN - SCOPUS:85111132382
SN - 0027-8424
VL - 118
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
IS - 30
M1 - e2023376118
ER -