Department of Biotechnology
inStem (Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine)

Neuroepithelial bodies and terminal bronchioles are niches for distinctive club cells that repair the airways following acute notch inhibition.

Publication Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

September 24, 2024

Journal

Cell reports

Volume/Issue

43/9

ISSN

2211-1247

Lower airway club cells (CCs) serve the dual roles of a secretory cell and a stem cell. Here, we probe how the CC fate is regulated. We find that, in response to acute perturbation of Notch signaling, CCs adopt distinct fates. Although the vast majority transdifferentiate into multiciliated cells, a “variant” subpopulation (v-CCs), juxtaposed to neuroepithelial bodies (NEBs; 5%-10%) and located at bronchioalveolar duct junctions (>80%), does not. Instead, v-CCs transition into lineage-ambiguous states but can revert to a CC fate upon restoration of Notch signaling and repopulate the airways with CCs and multiciliated cells. The v-CC response to Notch inhibition is dependent on localized activation of β-catenin in v-CCs. We propose that the CC fate is stabilized by canonical Notch signaling, that airways are susceptible to perturbations to this pathway, and that NEBs/terminal bronchioles comprise niches that modulate CC plasticity via β-catenin activation to facilitate airway repair post Notch inhibition.

Alternate Journal

Cell Rep

PubMed ID

39182223

Authors

Sai Manoz Lingamallu
Aditya Deshpande
Neenu Joy
Kirthana Ganeshan
Neelanjana Ray
Rajesh Kumar Ladher
Makoto Mark Taketo
Daniel Lafkas
Arjun Guha

Keywords

Signal Transduction
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Receptors, Notch
Bronchioles
beta Catenin
Neuroepithelial Bodies
Animals