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Guo Q, Zheng J, Ba H, Sun H, Zhai J, Wang W, Li C. Calreticulin Identified as One of the Androgen Response Genes That Trigger Full Regeneration of the Only Capable Mammalian Organ, the Deer Antler. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:862841. [PMID: 35769266 PMCID: PMC9235033 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.862841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Deer antlers are male secondary sexual characters that develop to become bone; they are unique appendages that, once lost, can fully regenerate from the permanent bony protuberances or pedicles. Pedicle periosteum (PP) is the tissue that gives rise to the regenerating antlers with three differentiation stages, namely, dormant (DoPP), potentiated (PoPP), and activated (AcPP). Thus far, the transition from the PoPP to the AcPP has not been studied. Our results showed that the AcPP cells maintained their original stem cell features by expressing mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) markers CD73, CD90, and CD105, although they had entered the proliferation mode. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the AcPP compared with those of the PoPP were mainly involved in protein processing, cell cycle, and calcium signaling pathways. Calreticulin (CALR), an androgen response gene, was significantly differentially upregulated in the AcPP cells, and its expression level was negatively regulated by androgens, in contrast to the currently known model systems where all regulation is positive. The downregulation of CALR expression in the AcPP cells in vitro inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, and inhibited cell cycle progression at G1-S transition. Therefore, CALR is likely a downstream mediator of androgen hormones for triggering initiation of antler regeneration. We believe that the identification of CALR has not only discovered “one critical piece” of the “jigsaw puzzle” in the initiation of antler regeneration but also helps in revealing the mechanism underlying this unique mammalian epimorphic regeneration and has also opened a new avenue for the study of the nature of CALR regulation by androgen (putative binding partners), thus facilitating the identification of potential molecule(s) for investigation as targets for clinical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Guo
- Institute of Antler Science and Product Technology, Changchun Sci-Tech University, Jilin, China
- Institute of Special Economic Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jilin, China
| | - Junjun Zheng
- Institute of Special Economic Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jilin, China
| | - Hengxing Ba
- Institute of Antler Science and Product Technology, Changchun Sci-Tech University, Jilin, China
| | - Hongmei Sun
- Institute of Special Economic Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jilin, China
| | - Jingjie Zhai
- Department of Oral Implantology, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Sciences and Technology for Stomatology Nanoengineering, Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Jilin, China
| | - Wenying Wang
- Institute of Antler Science and Product Technology, Changchun Sci-Tech University, Jilin, China
| | - Chunyi Li
- Institute of Antler Science and Product Technology, Changchun Sci-Tech University, Jilin, China
- *Correspondence: Chunyi Li,
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Zhai JC, Han RB, Wang SN, Wang QH, Xia YL, Liu WS, Yin YJ, Li HP. DNA methylation and mRNA expression of COL6A3 in antler mesenchyme of female and male reindeer. Genes Genomics 2019; 41:1007-1013. [PMID: 31134592 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-019-00829-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUD Reindeer is the only deer species that both male and female produce antlers, which provides a particularly interesting case in studying the differences between antlers of the two sexes. Alpha 3(VI) Collagen Gene (COL6A3), forms a microfibrillar network associated with the structural integrity and biomechanical properties, has been found to be one of the differentially expressed genes in antler mesenchyme of female and male reindeer. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS The promoter sequence of reindeer COL6A3 gene was obtained using the cloning technology and analyzed by the bioinformatics methods. Bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP) was used to detect the methylation status of the COL6A3 promoter in reindeer antler mesenchyme. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect COL6A3 expression in the antler mesenchyme of female and male reindeer. RESULTS Sequence analysis revealed that the reindeer COL6A3 partial promoter sequence was 983 bp including the possible promoter region at + 105 bp to + 155 bp. Homology and phylogenetic analysis indicated that the COL6A3 promoter of reindeer had the closest genetic distance with Bos taurus, Capra hircus and Ovis aries. BSP results indicated that the methylation level of COL6A3 promoter in the female reindeer antler mesenchyme was significantly higher than in the male. Correlating with increased methylation status, we also found that COL6A3 mRNA expression in female reindeer antler mesenchyme was significantly lower than in the male. CONCLUSION The higher methylation level of the COL6A3 gene in female reindeer antler mesenchyme coincides with decreased COL6A3 mRNA expression, thereby affecting the transposon silencing mechanism and possibly contributing to apparent differences of antlers in female and male reindeer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Cheng Zhai
- College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China.,School of Earth Sciences, East China University of Technology, Nanchang, 330013, China
| | - Ruo-Bing Han
- College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
| | - Sheng-Nan Wang
- College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
| | - Qiang-Hui Wang
- College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
| | - Yan-Ling Xia
- College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
| | - Wei-Shi Liu
- College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
| | - Ya-Jie Yin
- College of Bioengineering, Daqing Normal University, Daqing, 163712, China
| | - He-Ping Li
- College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China.
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Yang C, Zhang Y, Song Y, Lu X, Gao H. Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis of the regenerative and non-regenerative tissues in sika deer (Cervus nippon). Gene 2018; 676:249-255. [PMID: 30016669 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Revised: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Deer antlers, the secondary organs of deer, are a unique model to study regeneration of organ/tissue in mammals. Pedicle periosteum (PP) is the key tissue type for antler regeneration. Based on our previous study, the DNA methylation was found to be the basic molecular mechanism underlying the antler regeneration. In this study, we compare the genome-wide DNA methylation level in regenerative tissues (the potentiated PP of antler, muscle, heart and liver) and non-regenerative tissue (the dormant PP) of deer by the fluorescence-labeled methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (F-MSAP) method. Our results showed that DNA methylation level was significantly lower in the regenerative tissues compared to the non-regenerative tissue (P < 0.05). Furthermore, 26 T-DMRs which displayed different methylated status in regenerative and non-regenerative tissues were identified by the MSAP method, and were further confirmed by Southern blot analysis. Taken together, our data suggest that DNA methylation, an important epigenetic regulation mechanism, may play an important role in the mammalian tissue/organ regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Yang
- Institute of Special Wild Economic Animals and Plants, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, PR China; State Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economic Animals, Changchun, PR China.
| | - Yan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Institute of Military Veterinary, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, PR China
| | - Yanyan Song
- No. 2 Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, PR China
| | - Xiao Lu
- Institute of Special Wild Economic Animals and Plants, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, PR China; State Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economic Animals, Changchun, PR China
| | - Hang Gao
- No. 1 Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
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Abstract
Cytosine methylation plays a major role in the regulation of sequential and tissue-specific expression of genes. De novo aberrant DNA methylation and demethylation are also crucial processes in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. The mechanisms of how and when such aberrant methylation and demethylation occur in tumor cells are still obscure, however. To evaluate subtle epigenetic alteration among minor subclonal populations, morphology-oriented epigenetic analysis is requisite, especially where heterogeneity and flexibility are as notable as in the process of cancer progression and cellular differentiation at critical stages. Therefore, establishment of reliable morphology-oriented epigenetic studies has become increasingly important in not only the experimental but also the diagnostic field. By selecting a subset of cells based on characteristic morphological features disclosed by microdissection or in situ hybridization, we discovered how methylation at certain CpG sites outside of CpG islands would play a crucial epigenetic role in the versatility and flexibility of gene expression during cancer progression. In this review, we first introduce technical aspects of two morphology-oriented epigenetic studies: (1) histoendonuclease-linked detection of methylated sites of DNA (HELMET), and (2) padlock probe and rolling circle amplification (RCA) for in situ identification of methylated cytosine in a sequence-dependent manner. We then present our observation of a novel MeCP2-mediated gene-silencing mechanism through the addition of methylation to a single-CpG-locus upstream of the TATA-box of the receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and of secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (SFRP4) gene promoters.
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Yang C, Zhang Y, Liu W, Lu X, Li C. Genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation in five tissues of sika deer (Cervus nippon). Gene 2017; 645:48-54. [PMID: 29253609 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2017.12.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Revised: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation plays an important role in regulating gene expression during tissue development and differentiation in eukaryotes. In contrast to domestic animals, epigenetic studies have been seldom conducted in wild animals. In the present study, we conducted the genome-wide profiling of DNA methylation for five tissues of sika deer using the fluorescence-labeled methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (F-MSAP) technique. Overall, a total of 104,131 fragments were amplified including 41,951 methylated fragments using 32 pairs of selected primers. The average incidence of DNA methylation was approximately 38.18% in muscle, 40.32% in heart, 41.86% in liver, 41.20% in lung, and 41.68% in kidney, respectively. Also, the significant differences of the DNA methylation levels were found between the different tissue types (P<0.05), which indicates that the differences of genome-wide DNA methylation levels may be related to gene expression during tissue development and differentiation. In addition, 37 tissue-specific differentially methylated regions (T-DMRs) were identified and recovered by MSAP in five tissues, and were further confirmed by Southern blot analysis. Our study presents the first look at the T-DMRs in sika deer and represents an initial step towards understanding of epigenetic regulatory mechanism underlying tissue development and differentiation in sika deer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Yang
- Institute of Special Wild Economic Animals and Plants, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, PR China; State Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economic Animals, Changchun, PR China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Institute of Military Veterinary, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, PR China
| | - Wenyuan Liu
- Institute of Special Wild Economic Animals and Plants, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, PR China; State Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economic Animals, Changchun, PR China
| | - Xiao Lu
- Institute of Special Wild Economic Animals and Plants, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, PR China; State Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economic Animals, Changchun, PR China
| | - Chunyi Li
- Institute of Special Wild Economic Animals and Plants, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, PR China; State Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economic Animals, Changchun, PR China.
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