Crosstalk between nitric oxide and retinoic acid pathways is essential for amphioxus pharynx development

• Published in: eLife Vol. 10
• Main Authors: Caccavale, Filomena, Annona, Giovanni, Subirana, Lucie, Escriva, Hector, Bertrand, Stephanie, D'Aniello, Salvatore
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England eLife Science Publications, Ltd 25.08.2021; eLife Sciences Publications Ltd; eLife Sciences Publication; eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
• Subjects: Animals; Body Patterning; branchiostoma lanceolatum; Cephalochordata; chordate; Developmental Biology; Earth Sciences; Embryo, Nonmammalian - embryology; Embryogenesis; Embryonic Development; Embryos; evolution; Gene expression; Gene regulation; Genes; Genetic transcription; Genotype & phenotype; Lancelets - embryology; Mouth; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; nitric oxide synthase; Oceanography; Pharynx; Pharynx - embryology; RA pathway; Retinaldehyde; Retinoic acid; Sapropterin dihydrochloride; Sciences of the Universe; Signal Transduction; Transcription; Tretinoin; Tretinoin - metabolism; Netherlands; branchiostoma lanceolatum; evolution; nitric oxide synthase; chordate; RA pathway; developmental biology
• ISSN: 2050-084X; 2050-084X
• DOI: 10.7554/eLife.58295

During animal ontogenesis, body axis patterning is finely regulated by complex interactions among several signaling pathways. Nitric oxide (NO) and retinoic acid (RA) are potent morphogens that play a pivotal role in vertebrate development. Their involvement in axial patterning of the head and pharynx shows conserved features in the chordate phylum. Indeed, in the cephalochordate amphioxus, NO and RA are crucial for the correct development of pharyngeal structures. Here, we demonstrate the functional cooperation between NO and RA that occurs during amphioxus embryogenesis. During neurulation, NO modulates RA production through the transcriptional regulation of Aldh1a.2 that irreversibly converts retinaldehyde into RA. On the other hand, RA directly or indirectly regulates the transcription of Nos genes. This reciprocal regulation of NO and RA pathways is essential for the normal pharyngeal development in amphioxus and it could be conserved in vertebrates.