Drosophila jumu modulates apoptosis via a JNK-dependent pathway and is required for other processes in wing development

• Published in: Apoptosis (London) 2019-06, Vol.24 (5-6), p.465-477
• Main Authors: Wang, Xiao Chun, Liu, Ziguang, Jin, Li Hua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - genetics; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cancer Research; Cell Biology; Cell Death - genetics; Cell Proliferation - genetics; Drosophila; Drosophila - genetics; Drosophila - growth & development; Drosophila - metabolism; Drosophila - physiology; Drosophila Proteins - genetics; Drosophila Proteins - metabolism; Forkhead protein; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Gene Knockdown Techniques; Hematopoiesis; Homeostasis; Immune system; Insects; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - genetics; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism; Loss of Function Mutation; Oncology; Phenotype; Phenotypes; Phosphoprotein Phosphatases - metabolism; Polarity; rho GTP-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Signal transduction; Signal Transduction - genetics; Signaling; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Virology; Wing discs; Wings; Wings, Animal - growth & development; Wings, Animal - metabolism; Wings, Animal - pathology; Wnt1 Protein - metabolism
• ISSN: 1360-8185; 1573-675X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10495-019-01527-x

Previous studies in several model organisms have revealed that members of the Forkhead (Fkh) transcription factor family have multiple functions. Drosophila Jumeau (Jumu), a member of this family, participates in cardiogenesis, hematopoiesis and immune system homeostasis. Here, we show that loss of jumu function positively regulates or triggers apoptosis via a JNK-dependent pathway in wing development. jumu mutants showed reduced wing size and increased apoptosis. Moreover, we observed a loss of the anterior cross vein (ACV) phenotype that was similar to that observed in wings in which JNK signaling has been ectopically activated. The JNK signaling markers puckered ( puc ) and p-JNK were also significantly increased in the wing discs of jumu mutants. In addition, apoptosis induced by the loss of jumu was rescued by knocking down JNK, indicating a role for JNK in reducing jumu -induced apoptosis. Jumu could also control wing margin development via the positive regulation of cut expression, and the observed wing margin defect did not result from a loss of jumu -induced apoptosis. Further, jumu deficiency in the pupal wing could induce multiple wing hairs via a Rho1-mediated planar cell polarity pathway, but abnormal Rho1 expression was not why jumu loss induced apoptosis via a JNK-dependent pathway in wing discs.