One critical task in pluripotent reprogramming is to erase the somatic transcriptional program of starting cells. No strategy or theory exists for achieving erasure of somatic gene expression memory. Here, we present a proof-of-principle strategy in which reprogramming to pluripotency is facilitated by small molecules that erase somatic cell transcription memory. We show that mild chemical targeting of the acetyllysine-binding pockets of the BET bromodomains, the transcriptional bookmarking domains, robustly enhances reprogramming. Furthermore, we show that chemical targeting of the transcriptional bookmarking BET bromodomains dramatically downregulates specific somatic gene expression programs in both naïve and reprogramming fibroblasts. Chemical blocking of the BET bromodomains also resulted in loss of fibroblast morphology early in reprograming. In this study, we experimentally demonstrate a concept for cell fate conversion: facilitating the conversion by chemically targeting the transcriptional bookmarking BET bromodomains responsible for transcriptional memory. Overall design: human BJ cells were treated with JQ1 at 50 nM for 48 hours. Differential expression was compared with DMSO treatment. The same treatments and comparsion were conducted for reprogramming BJ cells, which were transduced with OCT4, SOX2, and KLF4. JQ1iPSC5 is a iPSC (induced pluripotent stem cell) line generated in this study using small molecules JQ1.
Reprogramming by De-bookmarking the Somatic Transcriptional Program through Targeting of BET Bromodomains.
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View SamplesIt is well known that both recipient cells and donor nuclei demonstrate a mitotic advantage as observed in the traditional reprogramming with somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). However, It is not known whether a specific mitotic factor plays a critical role in reprogramming. Here we identify an isoform of human bromodomain-containing 3 (BRD3), BRD3R (BRD3 with Reprogramming activity), as a reprogramming factor. BRD3R positively regulates mitosis during reprogramming, upregulates a large set of mitotic genes at early stages of reprogramming, and associates with mitotic chromatin. Interestingly, a set of the mitotic genes upregulated by BRD3R constitutes a pluripotent molecular signature. The two BRD3 isoforms display differential binding to acetylated histones. Our results suggest a molecular interpretation for the mitotic advantage in reprogramming, and show that mitosis may be a driving force of reprogramming. Overall design: Human BJ cells transduced with lentiviral particles of the conventional reprogramming factors (OCT3/4, SOX2 and KLF4) were used as controls. Two types of controls were used: 1) BJ transduced with OSK (OCT4, SOX2 and KFL4) viruses; 2) BJ cells transduced with OSK plus GFP viruses. Experimental treatment was BJ cells transduced with OSK plus BRD3R viruses. RNA was extracted from cells at day 3 of reprogramming because the reprogramming cells are still homogeneous and transgenes are well expressed at this time point.
The acetyllysine reader BRD3R promotes human nuclear reprogramming and regulates mitosis.
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View SamplesThe goals of this study is to test whether NICD presence protects the RBPjk-null Hair Follicles by altering gene expression via association with other DNA binding proteins at P3, just before the conversion to TSLP-producing keratin cysts. Overall design: Methods: Skin samples were embedded in OCT. Sectioned at 20µm thickness. Dehydrated in EtOH, and equilibrated to Xylene before the LCM procedure. Laser capture was performed with Arcturus Veritas. Methods: ~100 hair follicles from Notch-null, PS-null, RBPjk-null and wild-type samples were pooled into 3 biological replicates for each genotype and subjected to RNA isolation followed by RNA-Seq. Conclusions: A total of 2047 genes were differentially expressed (=1.5 fold) in three or more biological replicates of Notch mutant hair follicles compared to wild-type controls (p-value<0.05). Unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis failed to distinguish between the mutants.
The Notch Intracellular Domain Has an RBPj-Independent Role during Mouse Hair Follicular Development.
Cell line, Subject
View SamplesPluripotent stem cells (PSCs) deficient for microRNAs (miRNAs), such as Dgcr8-/- or Dicer-/- embryonic stem cells (ESCs), contain no mature miRNA and cannot differentiate into somatic cells. How miRNA deficiency causes differentiation defects remains poorly understood. Here, we report that miR-302 is sufficient to enable neural differentiation of differentiation-incompetent Dgcr8-/- ESCs. Our data showed that miR-302 directly suppresses the tumor suppressor p53, which is modestly upregulated in Dgcr8-/- ESCs and serves as a barrier restricting neural differentiation. We demonstrated that direct inactivation of p53 by SV40 large T antigen, a short hairpin RNA against Trp53, or genetic ablation of Trp53 in Dgcr8-/- PSCs enables neural differentiation, while activation of p53 by the MDM2 inhibitor nutlin-3a in wild-type ESCs inhibits neural differentiation. Together, we demonstrate that a major function of miRNAs in neural differentiation is suppression of p53 and that modest activation of p53 blocks neural differentiation of miRNA-deficient PSCs.
Elevated p53 Activities Restrict Differentiation Potential of MicroRNA-Deficient Pluripotent Stem Cells.
Specimen part
View SamplesIn order to identify putative downstream target genes of RBE, we sequenced mRNA from dexamethasone (DEX) and mock treated transgenic Arabidopsis line 35S:GR-RBE (RBE coding region fused to a glucocorticoid receptor domain driven by the constitutive 35S promoter) floral tissues. We compared the results from DEX and mock treatments and focused on the 832 genes whose expression was significantly reduced (P < 0.025) by 2-fold or more in DEX as compared to mock-treated plants. In this analysis, we identified MIR164c (EEP1) as a candidate target of RBE, which was further confirmed by other molecular and genetic analyses. Regulation of MIR164c by RBE is important for normal floral organ formation in Arabidopsis. Overall design: We used two biological replicates, each with two technical replicates for four hour DEX or mock treated floral tissues to produce 8 sequencing libraries.
RBE controls microRNA164 expression to effect floral organogenesis.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesALS is a uniformly fatal neurodegenerative disease in which motor neurons in the spinal cord and brain stem are selectively lost. Individual motor - groups of motor neurons innervating single muscles - show widely varying degrees of disease resistance: in the final stages of ALS, nearly all voluntary movement is lost but eye movement and eliminative and sexual functions remain relatively unimpaired. These functions are controlled by motor neurons of the oculomotor (III), trochlear (IV) and abducens (VI) nuclei in the midbrain and brainstem, and by Onufs nucleus in the lumbosacral spinal cord, respectively. Correspondingly, in ALS autopsies the oculomotor and Onufs nuclei are almost completely preserved. We used microarray profiling of isolated wildtype mouse motor neurons to identify genes whose expression was characteristic of both oculomotor and Onufs nuclei but not of vulnerable lumbar spinal neurons, or vice versa.
Neuronal matrix metalloproteinase-9 is a determinant of selective neurodegeneration.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesRNA-seq of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) whole blood and healthy controls to determine the gene expression changes in these patients. Overall design: RNA-seq of PAXgene blood from SLE and healthy donors.
The Ro60 autoantigen binds endogenous retroelements and regulates inflammatory gene expression.
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View SamplesExercise training improves whole body glucose homeostasis through effects largely attributed to adaptations in skeletal muscle; however, training also affects other tissues including adipose tissue. To determine if exercise-induced adaptations to adipose tissue contribute to training-induced improvements in glucose homeostasis, subcutaneous white adipose tissue (scWAT) from trained or sedentary donor mice was transplanted into the visceral cavity of sedentary recipients. Remarkably, nine days post-transplantation, mice receiving trained scWAT had improved glucose tolerance and enhanced insulin sensitivity compared to mice transplanted with sedentary scWAT or sham-treated mice. Mice transplanted with trained scWAT had increased insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in tibialis anterior and soleus muscles and brown adipose tissue, suggesting that the transplanted scWAT exerted endocrine effects. Furthermore, the deleterious effects of high-fat feeding on glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity were completely reversed if high-fat fed recipient mice were transplanted with trained scWAT. In additional experiments, voluntary exercise training by wheel running for only 11 days resulted in profound changes in scWAT including increased expression of 1550 genes involved in numerous cellular functions, including metabolism. Exercise training causes adaptations to scWAT that elicit metabolic improvements in other tissues, demonstrating a previously unrecognized role for adipose tissue in the beneficial effects of exercise on systemic glucose homeostasis.
A novel role for subcutaneous adipose tissue in exercise-induced improvements in glucose homeostasis.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesRNA-seq of Ro60-null GM12878 cell lines in order to determine the gene expression changes resulting from loss of Ro60. Overall design: 3 separate clones of Ro60(Trove2)-null cells derived from zinc finger nuclease targeting of exon 2, two wildtype biological replicates, +/- IFNa for 6 hours.
The Ro60 autoantigen binds endogenous retroelements and regulates inflammatory gene expression.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesDetermine the gene expression profile in peripheral blood monocytes isolated from 3 healthy donors +/- 6 hours of interferon-alpha treatment. Overall design: 3 healthy donor PBMCs +/- interferon-alpha.
The Ro60 autoantigen binds endogenous retroelements and regulates inflammatory gene expression.
No sample metadata fields
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