The aim was to carry out global analysis of gene expression changes occurring in the normal pubertal mouse mammary gland from the appearance to the regression of terminal end buds.
ERalpha-CITED1 co-regulated genes expressed during pubertal mammary gland development: implications for breast cancer prognosis.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesCellular senescence is a stable proliferation arrest associated with an altered secretory pathway, the Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype (SASP). However, cellular senescence is initiated by diverse molecular triggers, such as activated oncogenes and shortened telomeres, and is associated with varied and complex physiological endpoints, such as tumor suppression and tissue aging. The extent to which distinct triggers activate divergent modes of senescence that might be associated with different physiological endpoints is largely unknown. To begin to address this, we performed gene expression profiling to compare the senescence programs associated with two different modes of senescence, oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) and replicative senescence (RS [in part caused by shortened telomeres]). While both OIS and RS are associated with many common changes in gene expression compared to control proliferating cells, they also exhibit substantial differences. These results are discussed in light of potential physiological consequences, tumor suppression and aging.
A comparison of oncogene-induced senescence and replicative senescence: implications for tumor suppression and aging.
Cell line
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Placing the HIRA histone chaperone complex in the chromatin landscape.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe HIRA chaperone complex, comprised of HIRA, UBN1 and CABIN1, collaborates with histone-binding protein ASF1a to incorporate histone variant H3.3 into chromatin in a DNA replication-independent manner. To better understand its function and mechanism, we integrated HIRA, UBN1, ASF1a and histone H3.3 ChIP-seq and gene expression analyses. Most HIRA-binding sites co-localize with UBN1, ASF1a and H3.3 at active promoters and active and weak/poised enhancers. At promoters, binding of HIRA/UBN1/ASF1a correlates with the level of gene expression. HIRA is required for deposition of histone H3.3 at its binding sites. There are marked differences in nucleosome and co-regulator composition at different classes of HIRA-bound regulatory site. Underscoring this, we report novel physical interactions between the HIRA complex and transcription factors, a chromatin insulator and an ATP-dependent chromatin-remodelling complex. Our results map the distribution of the HIRA chaperone across the chromatin landscape and point to different interacting partners at functionally distinct regulatory sites.
Placing the HIRA histone chaperone complex in the chromatin landscape.
Specimen part
View SamplesPulmonary hypoxia is a common complication of chronic lung diseases leading to the development of pulmonary hypertension. The underlying sustained increase in vascular resistance in hypoxia is a response unique to the lung. Thus, we hypothesised that there are genes whose expression is altered selectively in the lung in response to alveolar hypoxia.
Lung-selective gene responses to alveolar hypoxia: potential role for the bone morphogenetic antagonist gremlin in pulmonary hypertension.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Wnt signaling potentiates nevogenesis.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesMelanocytes within benign human nevi are the paradigm for tumor suppressive senescent cells in a pre-malignant neoplasm. These cells typically contain mutations in either the BRAF or N-RAS oncogene and express markers of senescence, including p16. However, a nevus can contain 10s to 100s of thousands of clonal melanocytes and approximately 20-30% of melanoma are thought to arise in association with a pre-existing nevus. Neither observation is indicative of fail-safe senescence-associated proliferation arrest and tumor suppression. We set out to better understand the status of nevus melanocytes. Proliferation-promoting Wnt target genes, such as cyclin D1 and c-myc, were repressed in oncogene-induced senescent melanocytes in vitro, and repression of Wnt signaling in these cells induced a senescent-like state. In contrast, cyclin D1 and c-myc were expressed in many melanocytes of human benign nevi. Specifically, activated Wnt signalling in nevi correlated inversely with nevus maturation, an established dermatopathological correlate of clinical benignancy. Single cell analyses of lone epidermal melanocytes and nevus melanocytes showed that expression of proliferation-promoting Wnt targets correlates with prior proliferative expansion of p16-expressing nevus melanocytes. In a mouse model, activation of Wnt signaling delayed, but did not bypass, senescence of oncogene-expressing melanocytes, leading to massive accumulation of proliferation-arrested, p16-positive non-malignant melanocytes. We conclude that clonal hyperproliferation of oncogene-expressing melanocytes to form a nevus is facilitated by transient delay of senescence due to activated Wnt signaling. The observation that activation of Wnt signaling correlates inversely with nevus maturation, an indicator of clinical benignancy, supports the notion that persistent destabilization of senescence by Wnt signaling contributes to the malignant potential of nevi.
Wnt signaling potentiates nevogenesis.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe mammalian HIRA/UBN1/ASF1a complex is a histone chaperone complex that is conserved from yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) to humans. This complex preferentially deposits the histone variant H3.3 into chromatin in a DNA replication-independent manner and is implicated in diverse chromatin regu- latory events from gene activation to heterochromatinization. In yeast, the orthologous complex consists of three Hir proteins (Hir1p, Hir2p, and Hir3p), Hpc2p, and Asf1p. Yeast Hir3p has weak homology to CABIN1, a fourth member of the human complex, suggesting that Hir3p and CABIN1 may be orthologs. Here we show that HIRA and CABIN1 interact at ectopic and endogenous levels of expression in cells, and we isolate the quaternary HIRA/UBN1/CABIN1/ASF1a (HUCA) complex, assembled from recombinant proteins. Mutational analyses support the view that HIRA acts as a scaffold to bring together UBN1, ASF1a, and CABIN1 into a quaternary complex. We show that, like HIRA, UBN1, and ASF1a, CABIN1 is involved in heterochromatinization of the genome of senescent human cells. Moreover, in proliferating cells, HIRA and CABIN1 regulate overlapping sets of genes, and these genes are enriched in the histone variant H3.3. In sum, these data demonstrate that CABIN1 is a functional member of the human HUCA complex and so is the likely ortholog of yeast Hir3p.
Human CABIN1 is a functional member of the human HIRA/UBN1/ASF1a histone H3.3 chaperone complex.
Specimen part
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Lamin B1 depletion in senescent cells triggers large-scale changes in gene expression and the chromatin landscape.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesCellular senescence is a stable proliferation arrest in response to stress, associated with an altered secretory pathway (Senescence Associated Secretory Phenotype (SASP)). Senescence-associated proliferation arrest and the SASP are thought to act in concert to promote tumor suppression and tissue aging. While chromatin regulation and down regulation of lamin B1 have been implicated as effectors of cell senescence, functional interactions between them are poorly understood. We compared the genome-wide distributions of H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 between proliferating and senescent primary human cells and found dramatic differences, including large-scale domains of H3K4me3- and H3K27me3-enriched mesas and H3K27me3-depleted canyons in senescent cells. Senescent mesas form at the sites of lamin B1-associated domains (LADs) in proliferating cells. Mesas also overlap with regions that exhibit DNA hypomethylation in cancer, suggesting that chromatin changes in pre-malignant senescent cells foreshadow epigenetic changes in cancer. Proliferating fibroblasts from Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome patients expressing mutant lamin A (progerin) also show evidence of H3K4me3 mesas, suggesting a link between premature chromatin changes and accelerated cell senescence and tissue aging. In contrast, canyons form mostly in between LADs and are enriched in genes, gene promoters and enhancers. Strikingly, H3K27me3 loss in canyons is correlated with upregulation of key senescence genes, including genes comprising the SASP, indicating a link between global changes in chromatin structure and local regulation of gene expression. Finally, premature reduction of lamin B1 in midlife proliferating cells triggers formation of senescence-associated mesas and canyons and accelerated senescence. Together, our data illustrate a profound reorganization of chromatin during senescence, and suggest that down regulation of lamin B1 in senescence is a key trigger of global and local chromatin changes that impact gene expression, aging and cancer.
Lamin B1 depletion in senescent cells triggers large-scale changes in gene expression and the chromatin landscape.
Specimen part, Cell line
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