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Fei L, Zhang K, Poddar N, Hautaniemi S, Sahu B. Single-cell epigenome analysis identifies molecular events controlling direct conversion of human fibroblasts to pancreatic ductal-like cells. Dev Cell 2023; 58:1701-1715.e8. [PMID: 37751683 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Cell fate can be reprogrammed by ectopic expression of lineage-specific transcription factors (TFs). However, the exact cell state transitions during transdifferentiation are still poorly understood. Here, we have generated pancreatic exocrine cells of ductal epithelial identity from human fibroblasts using a set of six TFs. We mapped the molecular determinants of lineage dynamics using a factor-indexing method based on single-nuclei multiome sequencing (FI-snMultiome-seq) that enables dissecting the role of each individual TF and pool of TFs in cell fate conversion. We show that transition from mesenchymal fibroblast identity to epithelial pancreatic exocrine fate involves two deterministic steps: an endodermal progenitor state defined by activation of HHEX with FOXA2 and SOX17 and a temporal GATA4 activation essential for the maintenance of pancreatic cell fate program. Collectively, our data suggest that transdifferentiation-although being considered a direct cell fate conversion method-occurs through transient progenitor states orchestrated by stepwise activation of distinct TFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangru Fei
- Applied Tumor Genomics Program, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Kaiyang Zhang
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Nikita Poddar
- Applied Tumor Genomics Program, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Sampsa Hautaniemi
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Biswajyoti Sahu
- Applied Tumor Genomics Program, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, Helsinki 00014, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, Helsinki 00014, Finland; Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, Helsinki 00014, Finland; Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Gaustadelléen 21, 0349 Oslo, Norway.
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Genetic Analysis of the Grapevine GATA Gene Family and Their Expression Profiles in Response to Hormone and Downy Mildew Infection. HORTICULTURAE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/horticulturae8040303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Grapevine (Vitis. vinifera L.) is one of the most economically important fruit crops throughout the world. However, grape production is increasingly impacted by numerous diseases, including downy mildew, caused by the oomycete Plasmopara viticola. In grapevine and other plants, members of the GATA family of transcription factors play key roles in light and phytohormone signaling. However, little is known about their potential roles in biotic defense responses. As a first step, we identified 27 GATA transcription factors in grapevine and defined their transcriptional responses to three biotic stress-related phytohormones (SA, MeJA, and BR) in callus cells, and challenge with P. viticola in a downy mildew-sensitive cultivar, V. vinifera ‘Pinot noir’, and a resistant cultivar, V. piasezkii ‘Liuba-8′. Many of the VvGATA genes had higher expression at 0.5 h after hormones treatments. Moreover, a group of VvGATAs was dramatically induced in ‘Liuba-8′ at 24 post infection by P. viticola. However, the same genes were significantly repressed and showed low expression levels in ‘Pinot noir’. Additionally, VvGATA27 was located in the nucleus and had transcriptional activity. Taken together, the study identified the GATA full gene families in grapes on phylogenetic analysis and protein structure. Moreover, this study provided a basis for discussing the roles of VvGATAs in response to hormones and P. viticola infection. Our results provided evidence for the selection of candidate genes against downy mildew and lay the foundation for further investigation of VvGATA transcription factors.
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Malinova A, Veghini L, Real FX, Corbo V. Cell Lineage Infidelity in PDAC Progression and Therapy Resistance. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:795251. [PMID: 34926472 PMCID: PMC8675127 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.795251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Infidelity to cell fate occurs when differentiated cells lose their original identity and either revert to a more multipotent state or transdifferentiate into a different cell type, either within the same embryonic lineage or in an entirely different one. Whilst in certain circumstances, such as in wound repair, this process is beneficial, it can be hijacked by cancer cells to drive disease initiation and progression. Cell phenotype switching has been shown to also serve as a mechanism of drug resistance in some epithelial cancers. In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the role of lineage infidelity and phenotype switching is still unclear. Two consensus molecular subtypes of PDAC have been proposed that mainly reflect the existence of cell lineages with different degrees of fidelity to pancreatic endodermal precursors. Indeed, the classical subtype of PDAC is characterised by the expression of endodermal lineage specifying transcription factors, while the more aggressive basal-like/squamous subtype is defined by epigenetic downregulation of endodermal genes and alterations in chromatin modifiers. Here, we summarise the current knowledge of mechanisms (genetic and epigenetic) of cell fate switching in PDAC and discuss how pancreatic organoids might help increase our understanding of both cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic factors governing lineage infidelity during the distinct phases of PDAC evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Malinova
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Lisa Veghini
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Francisco X. Real
- Epithelial Carcinogenesis Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, Madrid, Spain
- CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain
- Department de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Vincenzo Corbo
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- ARC-Net Research Centre, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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