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Bailey S, Ferraresso M, Alonso-Crisostomo L, Ward D, Smith S, Nicholson JC, Saini H, Enright AJ, Scarpini CG, Coleman N, Murray MJ. Targeting oncogenic microRNAs from the miR-371~373 and miR-302/367 clusters in malignant germ cell tumours causes growth inhibition through cell cycle disruption. Br J Cancer 2023; 129:1451-1461. [PMID: 37789102 PMCID: PMC10628203 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02453-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND MiR-371~373 and miR-302/367 cluster over-expression occurs in all malignant germ cell tumours (GCTs), regardless of age (paediatric/adult), site (gonadal/extragonadal), or subtype [seminoma, yolk sac tumour (YST), embryonal carcinoma (EC)]. Six of eight microRNAs from these clusters contain the seed sequence 'AAGUGC', determining mRNA targeting. Here we sought to identify the significance of these observations by targeting these microRNAs functionally. METHODS We targeted miR-371~373 and/or miR-302/367 clusters in malignant GCT cell lines, using CRISPR-Cas9, gapmer primary miR-302/367 transcript inhibition, and peptide nucleic acid (PNA) or locked nucleic acid (LNA)-DNA inhibition targeting miR-302a-d-3p, and undertook relevant functional assays. RESULTS MiR-302/367 cluster microRNAs made the largest contribution to AAGUGC seed abundance in malignant GCT cells, regardless of subtype (seminoma/YST/EC). Following the unsuccessful use of CRISPR-Cas9, gapmer, and PNA systems, LNA-DNA-based targeting resulted in growth inhibition in seminoma and YST cells. This was associated with the de-repression of multiple mRNAs targeted by AAGUGC seed-containing microRNAs, with pathway analysis confirming predominant disruption of Rho-GTPase signalling, vesicle organisation/transport, and cell cycle regulation, findings corroborated in clinical samples. Further LNA-DNA inhibitor studies confirmed direct cell cycle effects, with an increase of cells in G0/G1-phase and a decrease in S-phase. CONCLUSION Targeting of specific miR-371~373 and miR-302/367 microRNAs in malignant GCTs demonstrated their functional significance, with growth inhibition mediated through cell cycle disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivani Bailey
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK
- Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Marta Ferraresso
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK
| | | | - Dawn Ward
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK
| | - Stephen Smith
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK
| | - James C Nicholson
- Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Harpreet Saini
- EMBL-European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Anton J Enright
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK
| | - Cinzia G Scarpini
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK
| | - Nicholas Coleman
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK.
- Department of Histopathology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK.
| | - Matthew J Murray
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK.
- Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK.
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Maraghechi P, Aponte MTS, Ecker A, Lázár B, Tóth R, Szabadi NT, Gócza E. Pluripotency-Associated microRNAs in Early Vertebrate Embryos and Stem Cells. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1434. [PMID: 37510338 PMCID: PMC10379376 DOI: 10.3390/genes14071434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNA molecules, regulate a wide range of critical biological processes, such as proliferation, cell cycle progression, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis, in many cell types. The regulatory functions of miRNAs in embryogenesis and stem cell properties have been extensively investigated since the early years of miRNA discovery. In this review, we will compare and discuss the impact of stem-cell-specific miRNA clusters on the maintenance and regulation of early embryonic development, pluripotency, and self-renewal of embryonic stem cells, particularly in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pouneh Maraghechi
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Agrobiotechnology and Precision Breeding for Food Security National Laboratory, Szent-Györgyi Albert str. 4, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Maria Teresa Salinas Aponte
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Agrobiotechnology and Precision Breeding for Food Security National Laboratory, Szent-Györgyi Albert str. 4, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - András Ecker
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Agrobiotechnology and Precision Breeding for Food Security National Laboratory, Szent-Györgyi Albert str. 4, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Bence Lázár
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Agrobiotechnology and Precision Breeding for Food Security National Laboratory, Szent-Györgyi Albert str. 4, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
- National Centre for Biodiversity and Gene Conservation, Institute for Farm Animal Gene Conservation (NBGK-HGI), Isaszegi str. 200, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Roland Tóth
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Agrobiotechnology and Precision Breeding for Food Security National Laboratory, Szent-Györgyi Albert str. 4, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Nikolett Tokodyné Szabadi
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Agrobiotechnology and Precision Breeding for Food Security National Laboratory, Szent-Györgyi Albert str. 4, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Elen Gócza
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Agrobiotechnology and Precision Breeding for Food Security National Laboratory, Szent-Györgyi Albert str. 4, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
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Hatton JN, Frone MN, Cox HC, Crowley SB, Hiraki S, Yokoyama NN, Abul-Husn NS, Amatruda JF, Anderson MJ, Bofill-De Ros X, Carr AG, Chao EC, Chen KS, Gu S, Higgs C, Machado J, Ritter D, Schultz KA, Soper ER, Wu MK, Mester JL, Kim J, Foulkes WD, Witkowski L, Stewart DR. Specifications of the ACMG/AMP Variant Classification Guidelines for Germline DICER1 Variant Curation. Hum Mutat 2023; 2023:9537832. [PMID: 38084291 PMCID: PMC10713350 DOI: 10.1155/2023/9537832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Germline pathogenic variants in DICER1 predispose individuals to develop a variety of benign and malignant tumors. Accurate variant curation and classification is essential for reliable diagnosis of DICER1-related tumor predisposition and identification of individuals who may benefit from surveillance. Since 2015, most labs have followed the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and the Association for Molecular Pathology (ACMG/AMP) sequence variant classification guidelines for DICER1 germline variant curation. However, these general guidelines lack gene-specific nuances and leave room for subjectivity. Consequently, a group of DICER1 experts joined ClinGen to form the DICER1 and miRNA-Processing Genes Variant Curation Expert Panel (VCEP), to create DICER1- specific ACMG/AMP guidelines for germline variant curation. The VCEP followed the FDA-approved ClinGen protocol for adapting and piloting these guidelines. A diverse set of 40 DICER1 variants were selected for piloting, including 14 known Pathogenic/Likely Pathogenic (P/LP) variants, 12 known Benign/Likely Benign (B/LB) variants, and 14 variants classified as variants of uncertain significance (VUS) or with conflicting interpretations in ClinVar. Clinically meaningful classifications (i.e., P, LP, LB, or B) were achieved for 82.5% (33/40) of the pilot variants, with 100% concordance among the known P/LP and known B/LB variants. Half of the VUS or conflicting variants were resolved with four variants classified as LB and three as LP. These results demonstrate that the DICER1-specific guidelines for germline variant curation effectively classify known pathogenic and benign variants while reducing the frequency of uncertain classifications. Individuals and labs curating DICER1 variants should consider adopting this classification framework to encourage consistency and improve objectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica N Hatton
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Megan N Frone
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Hannah C Cox
- PreventionGenetics LLC, Marshfield, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | | | | | - Noura S Abul-Husn
- Institute for Genomic Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - James F Amatruda
- Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Xavier Bofill-De Ros
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth C Chao
- Ambry Genetics, Aliso Viejo, California, USA
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Kenneth S Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Shuo Gu
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Cecilia Higgs
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Jerry Machado
- Exact Sciences Laboratories, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Kris Ann Schultz
- Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's Minnesota, International Pleuropulmonary Blastoma/DICER1 Registry, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Emily R Soper
- Institute for Genomic Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mona K Wu
- Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Jung Kim
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - William D Foulkes
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Leora Witkowski
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Douglas R Stewart
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
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Mufteev M, Rodrigues DC, Yuki KE, Narula A, Wei W, Piekna A, Liu J, Pasceri P, Rissland OS, Wilson MD, Ellis J. Transcriptional buffering and 3'UTR lengthening are shaped during human neurodevelopment by shifts in mRNA stability and microRNA load. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.01.530249. [PMID: 36909614 PMCID: PMC10002768 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.01.530249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
The contribution of mRNA half-life is commonly overlooked when examining changes in mRNA abundance during development. mRNA levels of some genes are regulated by transcription rate only, but others may be regulated by mRNA half-life only shifts. Furthermore, transcriptional buffering is predicted when changes in transcription rates have compensating shifts in mRNA half-life resulting in no change to steady-state levels. Likewise, transcriptional boosting should result when changes in transcription rate are accompanied by amplifying half-life shifts. During neurodevelopment there is widespread 3'UTR lengthening that could be shaped by differential shifts in the stability of existing short or long 3'UTR transcript isoforms. We measured transcription rate and mRNA half-life changes during induced human Pluripotent Stem Cell (iPSC)-derived neuronal development using RATE-seq. During transitions to progenitor and neuron stages, transcriptional buffering occurred in up to 50%, and transcriptional boosting in up to 15%, of genes with changed transcription rates. The remaining changes occurred by transcription rate only or mRNA half-life only shifts. Average mRNA half-life decreased two-fold in neurons relative to iPSCs. Short gene isoforms were more destabilized in neurons and thereby increased the average 3'UTR length. Small RNA sequencing captured an increase in microRNA copy number per cell during neurodevelopment. We propose that mRNA destabilization and 3'UTR lengthening are driven in part by an increase in microRNA load in neurons. Our findings identify mRNA stability mechanisms in human neurodevelopment that regulate gene and isoform level abundance and provide a precedent for similar post-transcriptional regulatory events as other tissues develop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marat Mufteev
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Deivid C Rodrigues
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Kyoko E Yuki
- Genetics & Genome Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Ashrut Narula
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
- Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Wei Wei
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Alina Piekna
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Jiajie Liu
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Peter Pasceri
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Olivia S Rissland
- Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
- RNA Bioscience Initiative and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
| | - Michael D Wilson
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
- Genetics & Genome Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - James Ellis
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
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Workalemahu T, Avery C, Lopez S, Blue NR, Wallace A, Quinlan AR, Coon H, Warner D, Varner MW, Branch DW, Jorde LB, Silver RM. Whole-genome sequencing analysis in families with recurrent pregnancy loss: A pilot study. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281934. [PMID: 36800380 PMCID: PMC9937472 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
One to two percent of couples suffer recurrent pregnancy loss and over 50% of the cases are unexplained. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis has the potential to identify previously unrecognized causes of pregnancy loss, but few studies have been performed, and none have included DNA from families including parents, losses, and live births. We conducted a pilot WGS study in three families with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss, including parents, healthy live births, and losses, which included an embryonic loss (<10 weeks' gestation), fetal deaths (10-20 weeks' gestation) and stillbirths (≥ 20 weeks' gestation). We used the Illumina platform for WGS and state-of-the-art protocols to identify single nucleotide variants (SNVs) following various modes of inheritance. We identified 87 SNVs involving 75 genes in embryonic loss (n = 1), 370 SNVs involving 228 genes in fetal death (n = 3), and 122 SNVs involving 122 genes in stillbirth (n = 2). Of these, 22 de novo, 6 inherited autosomal dominant and an X-linked recessive SNVs were pathogenic (probability of being loss-of-function intolerant >0.9), impacting known genes (e.g., DICER1, FBN2, FLT4, HERC1, and TAOK1) involved in embryonic/fetal development and congenital abnormalities. Further, we identified inherited missense compound heterozygous SNVs impacting genes (e.g., VWA5B2) in two fetal death samples. The variants were not identified as compound heterozygous SNVs in live births and population controls, providing evidence for haplosufficient genes relevant to pregnancy loss. In this pilot study, we provide evidence for de novo and inherited SNVs relevant to pregnancy loss. Our findings provide justification for conducting WGS using larger numbers of families and warrant validation by targeted sequencing to ascertain causal variants. Elucidating genes causing pregnancy loss may facilitate the development of risk stratification strategies and novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsegaselassie Workalemahu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Cecile Avery
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Sarah Lopez
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Nathan R. Blue
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- Intermountain Healthcare, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Amelia Wallace
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Aaron R. Quinlan
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Hilary Coon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Derek Warner
- DNA Sequencing Core, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Michael W. Varner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- Intermountain Healthcare, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - D. Ware Branch
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- Intermountain Healthcare, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Lynn B. Jorde
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Robert M. Silver
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- Intermountain Healthcare, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
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Sugawara T, Kawamoto Y, Kawasaki T, Umezawa A, Akutsu H. A single allele of the hsa-miR-302/367 cluster maintains human pluripotent stem cells. Regen Ther 2022; 21:37-45. [PMID: 35702483 PMCID: PMC9162946 DOI: 10.1016/j.reth.2022.05.005] [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: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction In a diploid organism, two alleles from a single genetic locus are expressed to generate a normal phenotype. Heterozygous deleterious mutation causes a reduction of functional proteins to a half dose and insufficient amounts of functional proteins can occur to generate an in–normal phenotype, namely haploinsufficiency. Heterozygous deleterious mutation of microRNAs (miRs), non-coding RNAs that regulate the expression level of target transcripts, is still not well understood. The hsa-miR-302/367 cluster is the most abundant and specifically up-regulated miR cluster in human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and plays an important role in the maintenance of pluripotency. Methods We targeted the hsa-miR-302/367 region via a Cas9 nuclease complex with guide RNA and replaced that region with green fluorescent protein (GFP). Using a homologous donor, consisting of left and right arms and GFP, we confirmed deletion of the hsa-miR-302/367 cluster by homologous recombination without cellular destruction by microscopy. We sub-cloned GFP-positive colonies and checked the genotype of each sub-clone by genomic PCR. We then analyzed the pluripotency of heterozygous knockout cells with a hsa-miR-302/367 cluster by assessing cell proliferation ratio, morphology, and undifferentiated marker gene expression. We also used an embryoid body formation assay and transplanted wild-type and heterozygous knockout cells into immune-deficient mice. Furthermore, to analyze the lineage-specific differentiation potential of heterozygous knockout cells, we differentiated both wild-type and heterozygous knockout cells into neural stem cells. Results Here, we show that the half dose of mature miRs from the hsa-miR-302/367 cluster loci was sufficient for the continued self-renewal of hiPSCs. All GFP-positive clones were revealed to be heterozygous knockout cells, suggesting hsa-miR-302/367 cluster homozygous knockout cells were not maintained. The cell proliferation ratio, morphology, and expression of undifferentiated marker genes were comparable between wild-type and heterozygous knockout of undifferentiated human iPSCs. In addition, we found that heterozygous knockout human iPSCs have the capacity to differentiate into three germ layers, including neural stem cells. Conclusions Taken together, a single allele of the hsa-miR-302/367 cluster expresses a sufficient amount of miRs to maintain the pluripotent properties of human stem cells. hsa-miR-302/367 cluster was deleted with CRISPR/Cas9 in human pluripotent stem cells. Homozygous hsa-miR-302/367 knockout cell was not generated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Hidenori Akutsu
- Corresponding author. Department of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Regenerative Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development (NCCHD), Okura 2-10-1, Setagaya, Tokyo, 157-8535, Japan. Tel: +81-3-5494-7047, Fax: +81-3-5494-7048.
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Estrada-Meza C, Torres-Copado A, Loreti González-Melgoza L, Ruiz-Manriquez LM, De Donato M, Sharma A, Pathak S, Banerjee A, Paul S. Recent insights into the microRNA and long non-coding RNA-mediated regulation of stem cell populations. 3 Biotech 2022; 12:270. [PMID: 36101546 PMCID: PMC9464284 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-022-03343-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have multi-lineage differentiation. The transition from self-renewal to differentiation requires rapid and extensive gene expression alterations. Since different stem cells exhibit diverse non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) expression profiles, the critical roles of ncRNAs in stem cell reprogramming, pluripotency maintenance, and differentiation have been widely investigated over the past few years. Hence, in this current review, the two main categories of ncRNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), are discussed. While the primary way by which miRNAs restrict mRNA transcription is through miRNA-mRNA interaction, lncRNAs have a wide range of effects on mRNA functioning, including interactions with miRNAs. Both of these ncRNAs participate in the post-transcriptional regulation of crucial biological mechanisms, such as cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, aging, and cell fate decisions. These findings shed light on a previously unknown aspect of gene regulation in stem cell fate determination and behavior. Overall, we summarized the key roles of miRNAs (including exosomal miRNAs) and lncRNAs in the regulation of stem cell populations, such as cardiac, hematopoietic, mesenchymal, neural, and spermatogonial, as well ncRNAs' influence on malignancy through modulating cancer stem cells, which might significantly contribute to clinical stem cell therapy and in regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Estrada-Meza
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Queretaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, CP 76130 Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Andrea Torres-Copado
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Queretaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, CP 76130 Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Luisa Loreti González-Melgoza
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Queretaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, CP 76130 Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Luis M. Ruiz-Manriquez
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Queretaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, CP 76130 Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Marcos De Donato
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Queretaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, CP 76130 Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Ashutosh Sharma
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Queretaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, CP 76130 Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Surajit Pathak
- Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Chennai, India
| | - Antara Banerjee
- Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Chennai, India
| | - Sujay Paul
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Queretaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, CP 76130 Queretaro, Mexico
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8
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Rajasekaran S, Khan E, Ching SR, Khan M, Siddiqui J, Gradia DF, Lin C, Bouley SJ, Mercadante D, Manning AL, Gerber AP, Walker J, Miles W. PUMILIO competes with AUF1 to control DICER1 RNA levels and miRNA processing. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:7048-7066. [PMID: 35736218 PMCID: PMC9262620 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
DICER1 syndrome is a cancer pre-disposition disorder caused by mutations that disrupt the function of DICER1 in miRNA processing. Studying the molecular, cellular and oncogenic effects of these mutations can reveal novel mechanisms that control cell homeostasis and tumor biology. Here, we conduct the first analysis of pathogenic DICER1 syndrome allele from the DICER1 3'UTR. We find that the DICER1 syndrome allele, rs1252940486, abolishes interaction with the PUMILIO RNA binding protein with the DICER1 3'UTR, resulting in the degradation of the DICER1 mRNA by AUF1. This single mutational event leads to diminished DICER1 mRNA and protein levels, and widespread reprogramming of miRNA networks. The in-depth characterization of the rs1252940486 DICER1 allele, reveals important post-transcriptional regulatory events that control DICER1 levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swetha Rajasekaran
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Eshan Khan
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Samuel R Ching
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Misbah Khan
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Jalal K Siddiqui
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Daniela F Gradia
- Department of Microbial Sciences, School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, UK
- Department of Genetics, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Chenyu Lin
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Stephanie J Bouley
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Dayna L Mercadante
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
| | - Amity L Manning
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
| | - André P Gerber
- Department of Microbial Sciences, School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, UK
| | - James A Walker
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Wayne O Miles
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +1 614 366 2869;
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9
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Guo YL, Gurung C, Fendereski M, Huang F. Dicer and PKR as Novel Regulators of Embryonic Stem Cell Fate and Antiviral Innate Immunity. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2022; 208:2259-2266. [PMID: 35577384 PMCID: PMC9179006 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) represent a unique cell population in the blastocyst stage embryo. They have been intensively studied as a promising cell source for regenerative medicine. Recent studies have revealed that both human and mouse ESCs are deficient in expressing IFNs and have attenuated inflammatory responses. Apparently, the ability to express IFNs and respond to certain inflammatory cytokines is not "innate" to ESCs but rather is developmentally acquired by somatic cells during differentiation. Accumulating evidence supports a hypothesis that the attenuated innate immune response may serve as a protective mechanism allowing ESCs to avoid immunological cytotoxicity. This review describes our current understanding of the molecular basis that shapes the immune properties of ESCs. We highlight the recent findings on Dicer and dsRNA-activated protein kinase R as novel regulators of ESC fate and antiviral immunity and discuss how ESCs use alternative mechanisms to accommodate their stem cell properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Lin Guo
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS; and
| | - Chandan Gurung
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS; and
| | - Mona Fendereski
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS; and
| | - Faqing Huang
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Program, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
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10
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DICER1-associated hepatic cystic neoplasm with pleuropulmonary blastoma-like features: a novel clinicopathologic diagnosis. Mod Pathol 2022; 35:676-679. [PMID: 34907324 PMCID: PMC9214667 DOI: 10.1038/s41379-021-00947-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
This report documents a unique multicystic neoplasm of the liver in an 8-month-old boy with a heterozygous germline pathogenic DICER1 variant. This neoplasm, initially considered most likely a mesenchymal hamartoma based on imaging, demonstrated the characteristic histologic pattern of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma residing in the subepithelial or cambium layer-like zone of the epithelial-lined cysts. Thus, although the differential diagnosis includes mesenchymal hamartoma, a young child with a multicystic mass lesion in the liver, lung, or kidney should both raise the possibility of a germline pathogenic DICER1 variant and also not be mistaken for one of the other hepatic neoplasms of childhood.
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11
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Qi Y, Ye Y, Wang R, Yu S, Zhang Y, Lv J, Jin W, Xia S, Jiang W, Li Y, Zhang D. Mitochondrial dysfunction by TFAM depletion disrupts self-renewal and lineage differentiation of human PSCs by affecting cell proliferation and YAP response. Redox Biol 2022; 50:102248. [PMID: 35091324 PMCID: PMC8802056 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2022.102248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic mitochondrial dysfunction is frequently associated with various embryonic developmental defects. However, how mitochondria contribute to early development and cell fate determination is poorly studied, especially in humans. Using human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), we established a Dox-induced knockout model with mitochondrial dysfunction and evaluated the effect of mitochondrial dysfunction on human pluripotency maintenance and lineage differentiation. The nucleus-encoded gene TFAM (transcription factor A, mitochondrial), essential for mitochondrial gene transcription and mitochondrial DNA replication, is targeted to construct the mitochondrial dysfunction model. The hPSCs with TFAM depletion exhibit the decrease of mtDNA level and oxidative respiration efficiency, representing a typical mitochondrial dysfunction phenotype. Mitochondrial dysfunction leads to impaired self-renewal in hPSCs due to proliferation arrest. Although the mitochondrial dysfunction does not affect pluripotent gene expression, it results in a severe defect in lineage differentiation. Further study in mesoderm differentiation reveals that mitochondrial dysfunction causes proliferation disability and YAP nuclear translocalization and thus together blocks mesoderm lineage differentiation. These findings provide new insights into understanding the mitochondrial function in human pluripotency maintenance and mesoderm differentiation.
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12
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Mitochondrial homeostasis regulates definitive endoderm differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells. Cell Death Dis 2022; 8:69. [PMID: 35177589 PMCID: PMC8854419 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-022-00867-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Cellular organelles play fundamental roles in almost all cell behaviors. Mitochondria have been reported to be functionally linked to various biological processes, including reprogramming and pluripotency maintenance. However, very little about the role of mitochondria has been revealed in human early development and lineage specification. Here, we reported the characteristics and function of mitochondria during human definitive endoderm differentiation. Using a well-established differentiation system, we first investigated the change of mitochondrial morphology by comparing undifferentiated pluripotent stem cells, the intermediate mesendoderm cells, and differentiated endoderm cells, and found that mitochondria were gradually elongated and matured along differentiation. We further analyzed the expression pattern of mitochondria-related genes by RNA-seq, indicating that mitochondria became active during differentiation. Supporting this notion, the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) was increased as well. Functionally, we utilized chemicals and genome editing techniques, which could interfere with mitochondrial homeostasis, to determine the role of mitochondria in human endoderm differentiation. Treatment with mitochondrial inhibitors, or genetic depletion of mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM), significantly reduced the differentiation efficiency of definitive endoderm. In addition, the defect in endoderm differentiation due to dysfunctional mitochondria could be restored to some extent by the addition of ATP. Moreover, the clearance of excessive ROS due to dysfunctional mitochondria by N-acetylcysteine (NAC) improved the differentiation as well. We further found that ATP and NAC could partially replace the growth factor activin A for definitive endoderm differentiation. Our study illustrates the essential role of mitochondria during human endoderm differentiation through providing ATP and regulating ROS levels, which may provide new insight for metabolic regulation of cell fate determination.
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13
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Xiong YM, Pan HT, Ding HG, He Y, Zhang J, Zhang F, Yu B, Zhang T, Huang HF. Proteomic and functional analysis of proteins related to embryonic development of decidua in patients with recurrent pregnancy loss. Biol Reprod 2021; 105:1246-1256. [PMID: 34296254 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioab140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is defined as the loss of two or more consecutive pregnancies before the 20 weeks of gestation. Recurrent pregnancy loss affects about 1-2% of couples trying to conceive; however, the mechanisms leading to this complication are largely unknown. Our previous studies using comparative proteomics identified 314 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the placental villous. In this study, we identified 5479 proteins from a total of 34,157 peptides in decidua of patients with early recurrent pregnancy loss (Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD023849). Further analysis identified 311 DEPs in the decidua tissue; and 159 proteins were highly expressed while 152 proteins were lowly expressed. These 311 proteins were further analyzed by using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). The results suggested that 50 DEPs played important roles in the embryonic development. Upstream analysis of these DEPs revealed that AGT was the most important upstream regulator. Furthermore, protein - protein interaction (PPI) analysis of the embryonic development DEPs from the placental villous and decidua was performed in the STRING database. This study identified several proteins specifically associated with embryonic development in decidua of patients with early recurrent pregnancy loss. Therefore, these results provide new insights into potential biological mechanisms, that may ultimately inform recurrent pregnancy loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Meng Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Zhejiang University), Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China.,Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,Institute of Embryo-Fetal Original Adult Disease, Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Hai-Tao Pan
- The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China.,Shaoxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Shaoxing, China.,Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China.,Institute of Embryo-Fetal Original Adult Disease, Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Hai-Gang Ding
- Shaoxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Shaoxing, China.,Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
| | - Yao He
- Shaoxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Shaoxing, China.,Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Shaoxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Shaoxing, China.,Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Shaoxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Shaoxing, China.,Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
| | - Bin Yu
- Shaoxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Shaoxing, China.,Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Shaoxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Shaoxing, China.,Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
| | - He-Feng Huang
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Zhejiang University), Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China.,Institute of Embryo-Fetal Original Adult Disease, Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, Shanghai, 200030, China
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14
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Yoon JY, de Kock L, Stewart CJR, McCluggage WG, Foulkes WD, Clarke BA, Rouzbahman M. Endometrial Stem/Progenitor cell (ES/PC) Marker Expression Profile in Adenosarcoma and Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma. Cancer Treat Res Commun 2021; 27:100363. [PMID: 33838572 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2021.100363] [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: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The uterus is one of the most dynamic organs in the human body, and this dynamic homeostasis is supported by endometrial stem/progenitor cells (ES/PCs), which are heterogeneous in their phenotype and degree of differentiation. ES/PCs are generally localized in the endometrial stroma, the site of origin for adenosarcoma and endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS). Subsets of ESSs and adenosarcomas harbor SUZ12 or DICER1 gene alterations, two genes with roles in embryonic stem cell biology. However, the possible contribution of ES/PCs to tumorigenesis is unexplored. METHOD We examined the expression of eleven ES/PC markers, along with three proteins expressed in the mature endometrial stroma (ER, PR and CD10) in 60 uterine tumors (24 low-, 11 high-grade ESS, 25 adenosarcomas). Protein expression profiles were assessed by unsupervised hierarchical clustering. miRNA expression profiles were examined in a subset of adenosarcoma with/without DICER1 mutations, using the NanoString platform. RESULTS ES/PC markers were variably expressed, and the tumors exhibited limited immunophenotypic resemblance to different ES/PCs. Within the ESSs, the ES/PC marker clustering pattern was prognostic for both overall and disease-free survival. Comparing adenosarcomas and ESSs, most high-grade ESSs clustered with one another, while low-grade ESSs and adenosarcomas tended to cluster with one another. Among the adenosarcomas, the miRNA expression profiles were varied with respect to the DICER1 mutation status, with pathway analysis pointing to dysregulated signal transduction and stem cell biology. CONCLUSIONS ESSs and adenosarcomas exhibit varying immunophenotypic resemblance to ES/PCs. These expression profiles have prognostic implications and may be genetically driven.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju-Yoon Yoon
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Pathology, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Leanne de Kock
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Lady Davis Institute, Segal Cancer Centre, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Colin J R Stewart
- School for Women's and Infants' Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - W Glenn McCluggage
- Department of Pathology, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - William D Foulkes
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Lady Davis Institute, Segal Cancer Centre, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Blaise A Clarke
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Pathology, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Marjan Rouzbahman
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Pathology, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
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15
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Chen S, Chen B, Su G, Chen J, Guo D, Yin Q, Wang W, Zhao Z, Zhang L, Shi J, Lu W. Branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase-1 regulates self-renewal and pluripotency of mouse embryonic stem cells through Ras signaling. Stem Cell Res 2020; 49:102097. [PMID: 33271468 DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2020.102097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The developmental plasticity of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) is mainly controlled by well-characterized transcription factors, but additional factors, especially those related to metabolism that modulate this intrinsic program remain elusive. Here, using whole transcriptome analysis, we identified branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase-1(Bcat1) as highly-expressed in mouse ESCs and dramatically down-regulated upon differentiation. Bcat1 deletion impaired pluripotency and self-renewal in mouse ESCs, while Bcat1 overexpression resulted in robust ESC self-renewal and inhibition of differentiation. Whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) analysis showed that Bcat1 deletion altered whole genome methylation levels and hence gene expression in multiple pathways. Specifically, Bcat1 deletion increased expression of RAS protein activator like 1(Rasal1), leading to inactivation of Ras-Erk/MAPK signaling, while Rasal1 inhibition rescued defects seen in Bcat1 deleted cells. In summary, we demonstrate that Bcat1 is essential for mouse ESC self-renewal and pluripotency and that this effect is mediated by DNA methylation and the Ras signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaohui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, 300071 Tianjin, China
| | - Bohan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, 300071 Tianjin, China
| | - Guangsong Su
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, 300071 Tianjin, China
| | - Jun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, 300071 Tianjin, China
| | - Dianhao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, 300071 Tianjin, China
| | - Qingqing Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, 300071 Tianjin, China
| | - Wenbin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, 300071 Tianjin, China
| | - Zhongfang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, 300071 Tianjin, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, 300071 Tianjin, China.
| | - Jiandang Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, 300071 Tianjin, China.
| | - Wange Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, 300071 Tianjin, China.
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16
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Teino I, Matvere A, Pook M, Varik I, Pajusaar L, Uudeküll K, Vaher H, Trei A, Kristjuhan A, Org T, Maimets T. Impact of AHR Ligand TCDD on Human Embryonic Stem Cells and Early Differentiation. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E9052. [PMID: 33260776 PMCID: PMC7731104 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21239052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor, which mediates the effects of a variety of environmental stimuli in multiple tissues. Recent advances in AHR biology have underlined its importance in cells with high developmental potency, including pluripotent stem cells. Nonetheless, there is little data on AHR expression and its role during the initial stages of stem cell differentiation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the temporal pattern of AHR expression during directed differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) into neural progenitor, early mesoderm and definitive endoderm cells. Additionally, we investigated the effect of the AHR agonist 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on the gene expression profile in hESCs and differentiated cells by RNA-seq, accompanied by identification of AHR binding sites by ChIP-seq and epigenetic landscape analysis by ATAC-seq. We showed that AHR is differentially regulated in distinct lineages. We provided evidence that TCDD alters gene expression patterns in hESCs and during early differentiation. Additionally, we identified novel potential AHR target genes, which expand our understanding on the role of this protein in different cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indrek Teino
- Chair of Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Riia 23, 51010 Tartu, Estonia; (A.M.); (M.P.); (I.V.); (L.P.); (K.U.); (H.V.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (T.M.)
| | - Antti Matvere
- Chair of Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Riia 23, 51010 Tartu, Estonia; (A.M.); (M.P.); (I.V.); (L.P.); (K.U.); (H.V.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (T.M.)
| | - Martin Pook
- Chair of Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Riia 23, 51010 Tartu, Estonia; (A.M.); (M.P.); (I.V.); (L.P.); (K.U.); (H.V.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (T.M.)
| | - Inge Varik
- Chair of Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Riia 23, 51010 Tartu, Estonia; (A.M.); (M.P.); (I.V.); (L.P.); (K.U.); (H.V.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (T.M.)
| | - Laura Pajusaar
- Chair of Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Riia 23, 51010 Tartu, Estonia; (A.M.); (M.P.); (I.V.); (L.P.); (K.U.); (H.V.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (T.M.)
| | - Keyt Uudeküll
- Chair of Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Riia 23, 51010 Tartu, Estonia; (A.M.); (M.P.); (I.V.); (L.P.); (K.U.); (H.V.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (T.M.)
| | - Helen Vaher
- Chair of Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Riia 23, 51010 Tartu, Estonia; (A.M.); (M.P.); (I.V.); (L.P.); (K.U.); (H.V.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (T.M.)
| | - Annika Trei
- Chair of Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Riia 23, 51010 Tartu, Estonia; (A.M.); (M.P.); (I.V.); (L.P.); (K.U.); (H.V.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (T.M.)
| | - Arnold Kristjuhan
- Chair of Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Riia 23, 51010 Tartu, Estonia; (A.M.); (M.P.); (I.V.); (L.P.); (K.U.); (H.V.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (T.M.)
| | - Tõnis Org
- Chair of Biotechnology, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Riia 23, 51010 Tartu, Estonia;
- Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Riia 23b, 51010 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Toivo Maimets
- Chair of Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Riia 23, 51010 Tartu, Estonia; (A.M.); (M.P.); (I.V.); (L.P.); (K.U.); (H.V.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (T.M.)
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17
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The Key Role of MicroRNAs in Self-Renewal and Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21176285. [PMID: 32877989 PMCID: PMC7504502 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Naïve pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs) represent distinctive developmental stages, mimicking the pre- and the post-implantation events during the embryo development, respectively. The complex molecular mechanisms governing the transition from ESCs into EpiSCs are orchestrated by fluctuating levels of pluripotency transcription factors (Nanog, Oct4, etc.) and wide-ranging remodeling of the epigenetic landscape. Recent studies highlighted the pivotal role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in balancing the switch from self-renewal to differentiation of ESCs. Of note, evidence deriving from miRNA-based reprogramming strategies underscores the role of the non-coding RNAs in the induction and maintenance of the stemness properties. In this review, we revised recent studies concerning the functions mediated by miRNAs in ESCs, with the aim of giving a comprehensive view of the highly dynamic miRNA-mediated tuning, essential to guarantee cell cycle progression, pluripotency maintenance and the proper commitment of ESCs.
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18
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Sugawara T, Miura T, Kawasaki T, Umezawa A, Akutsu H. The hsa-miR-302 cluster controls ectodermal differentiation of human pluripotent stem cell via repression of DAZAP2. Regen Ther 2020; 15:1-9. [PMID: 32490061 PMCID: PMC7251312 DOI: 10.1016/j.reth.2020.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Recent studies have revealed that microRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) are important for self-renewal, differentiation, and cellular reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC); however, their functional roles and target genes that are regulated by human PSC-specific miRs including hsa-miR-302 clusters remain largely unknown. Analysis of their target gene will give us the opportunity to understand the functional roles of such miRs. Methods We analyzed the expression profiles of miRs in 4 somatic cell lines, 8 human iPSC lines derived from 4 different cell types, 3 human ESC lines, and embryoid bodies differentiated from the human ESCs to identify human PSC-specific miRs. We also analyzed the simultaneous expression profiles of miRs and mRNAs to identify candidate targets of human PSC-specific miRs. Then, we constructed a vector for overexpressing one of the target gene to dissect the functions of human PSC-specific miR in maintenance of self-renew and differentiation. Results We focused on hsa-miR-302 cluster as a human PSC-specific miR and identified 22 candidate targets of hsa-miR-302 cluster that were moderately expressed in undifferentiated human PSCs and up-regulated in differentiated cells. Deleted in azoospermia-associated protein 2 (DAZAP2), one such target, was directly repressed by hsa-miR-302a, -302b, -302c and -302d, but not by hsa-miR-367. Overexpression of DAZAP2 caused a decrease in cell proliferation of undifferentiated human iPSCs, although morphology and undifferentiated marker gene expression was not affected. In addition, neural differentiation was suppressed in DAZAP2-overexpressing human iPSCs. Conclusion Our study revealed that hsa-miR-302 cluster controls the cell proliferation of human PSCs and the neural differentiation of human PSCs by repression of DAZAP2, thereby highlighting an additional function of human PSC-specific miRs in maintaining pluripotency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Hidenori Akutsu
- Corresponding author. Department of Reproductive Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Developmen, Okura 2-10-1, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8535, Japan. Fax: +81-3-5494-7048.
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19
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Vedanayagam J, Chatila WK, Aksoy BA, Majumdar S, Skanderup AJ, Demir E, Schultz N, Sander C, Lai EC. Cancer-associated mutations in DICER1 RNase IIIa and IIIb domains exert similar effects on miRNA biogenesis. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3682. [PMID: 31417090 PMCID: PMC6695490 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11610-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Somatic mutations in the RNase IIIb domain of DICER1 arise in cancer and disrupt the cleavage of 5' pre-miRNA arms. Here, we characterize an unstudied, recurrent, mutation (S1344L) in the DICER1 RNase IIIa domain in tumors from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project and MSK-IMPACT profiling. RNase IIIa/b hotspots are absent from most cancers, but are notably enriched in uterine cancers. Systematic analysis of TCGA small RNA datasets show that DICER1 RNase IIIa-S1344L tumors deplete 5p-miRNAs, analogous to RNase IIIb hotspot samples. Structural and evolutionary coupling analyses reveal constrained proximity of RNase IIIa-S1344 to the RNase IIIb catalytic site, rationalizing why mutation of this site phenocopies known hotspot alterations. Finally, examination of DICER1 hotspot endometrial tumors reveals derepression of specific miRNA target signatures. In summary, comprehensive analyses of DICER1 somatic mutations and small RNA data reveal a mechanistic aspect of pre-miRNA processing that manifests in specific cancer settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Vedanayagam
- Department of Developmental Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Walid K Chatila
- Department of Computational Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.,Tri-Institutional Program in Computational Biology and Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA.,Marie-Josee and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Bülent Arman Aksoy
- Department of Computational Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.,Tri-Institutional Program in Computational Biology and Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA.,Immunology and Microbiology Department, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29412, USA
| | - Sonali Majumdar
- Department of Developmental Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Anders Jacobsen Skanderup
- Department of Computational Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.,Computational and Systems Biology, Agency for Science Technology and Research, Genome Institute of Singapore, 60 Biopolis Street, Singapore, 138672, Singapore
| | - Emek Demir
- Department of Computational Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.,Oregon Health and Science University, Computational Biology Program, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Nikolaus Schultz
- Marie-Josee and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.,Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.,Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Chris Sander
- Department of Computational Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA. .,cBio Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. .,Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Eric C Lai
- Department of Developmental Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA. .,Tri-Institutional Program in Computational Biology and Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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Li QV, Rosen BP, Huangfu D. Decoding pluripotency: Genetic screens to interrogate the acquisition, maintenance, and exit of pluripotency. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-SYSTEMS BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2019; 12:e1464. [PMID: 31407519 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Pluripotent stem cells have the ability to unlimitedly self-renew and differentiate to any somatic cell lineage. A number of systems biology approaches have been used to define this pluripotent state. Complementary to systems level characterization, genetic screens offer a unique avenue to functionally interrogate the pluripotent state and identify the key players in pluripotency acquisition and maintenance, exit of pluripotency, and lineage differentiation. Here we review how genetic screens have helped us decode pluripotency regulation. We will summarize results from RNA interference (RNAi) based screens, discuss recent advances in CRISPR/Cas-based genetic perturbation methods, and how these advances have made it possible to more comprehensively interrogate pluripotency and differentiation through genetic screens. Such investigations will not only provide a better understanding of this unique developmental state, but may enhance our ability to use pluripotent stem cells as an experimental model to study human development and disease progression. Functional interrogation of pluripotency also provides a valuable roadmap for utilizing genetic perturbation to gain systems level understanding of additional cellular states, from later stages of development to pathological disease states. This article is categorized under: Developmental Biology > Stem Cell Biology and Regeneration Developmental Biology > Developmental Processes in Health and Disease Biological Mechanisms > Cell Fates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing V Li
- Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, New York.,Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Bess P Rosen
- Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, New York.,Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences at Cornell University, New York, New York
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Roles of MicroRNAs in Establishing and Modulating Stem Cell Potential. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20153643. [PMID: 31349654 PMCID: PMC6696000 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20153643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Early embryonic development in mammals, from fertilization to implantation, can be viewed as a process in which stem cells alternate between self-renewal and differentiation. During this process, the fates of stem cells in embryos are gradually specified, from the totipotent state, through the segregation of embryonic and extraembryonic lineages, to the molecular and cellular defined progenitors. Most of those stem cells with different potencies in vivo can be propagated in vitro and recapitulate their differentiation abilities. Complex and coordinated regulations, such as epigenetic reprogramming, maternal RNA clearance, transcriptional and translational landscape changes, as well as the signal transduction, are required for the proper development of early embryos. Accumulated studies suggest that Dicer-dependent noncoding RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs) and endogenous small-interfering RNAs (endo-siRNAs), are involved in those regulations and therefore modulate biological properties of stem cells in vitro and in vivo. Elucidating roles of these noncoding RNAs will give us a more comprehensive picture of mammalian embryonic development and enable us to modulate stem cell potencies. In this review, we will discuss roles of miRNAs in regulating the maintenance and cell fate potential of stem cells in/from mouse and human early embryos.
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