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Bangru S, Chen J, Baker N, Das D, Chembazhi UV, Derham JM, Chorghade S, Arif W, Alencastro F, Duncan AW, Carstens RP, Kalsotra A. ESRP2-microRNA-122 axis directs the postnatal onset of liver polyploidization and maturation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.06.602336. [PMID: 39026848 PMCID: PMC11257421 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.06.602336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocyte polyploidy and maturity are critical to acquiring specialized liver functions. Multiple intra- and extracellular factors influence ploidy, but how they cooperate temporally to steer liver polyploidization and maturation or how post-transcriptional mechanisms integrate into these paradigms is unknown. Here, we identified an important regulatory hierarchy in which postnatal activation of Epithelial-Splicing-Regulatory-Protein-2 (ESRP2) stimulates biogenesis of liver-specific microRNA (miR-122), thereby facilitating polyploidization, maturation, and functional competence of hepatocytes. By determining transcriptome-wide protein-RNA interactions in vivo and integrating them with single-cell and bulk hepatocyte RNA-seq datasets, we delineate an ESRP2-driven RNA processing program that drives sequential replacement of fetal-to-adult transcript isoforms. Specifically, ESRP2 binds the primary miR-122 host gene transcript to promote its processing/biogenesis. Combining constitutive and inducible ESRP2 gain- and loss-of-function mice models with miR-122 rescue experiments, we demonstrate that timed activation of ESRP2 augments miR-122-driven program of cytokinesis failure, ensuring proper onset and extent of hepatocyte polyploidization.
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2
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Riccardi F, Romano G, Licastro D, Pagani F. Age-dependent regulation of ELP1 exon 20 splicing in Familial Dysautonomia by RNA Polymerase II kinetics and chromatin structure. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298965. [PMID: 38829854 PMCID: PMC11146744 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Familial Dysautonomia (FD) is a rare disease caused by ELP1 exon 20 skipping. Here we clarify the role of RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) and chromatin on this splicing event. A slow RNAPII mutant and chromatin-modifying chemicals that reduce the rate of RNAPII elongation induce exon skipping whereas chemicals that create a more relaxed chromatin exon inclusion. In the brain of a mouse transgenic for the human FD-ELP1 we observed on this gene an age-dependent decrease in the RNAPII density profile that was most pronounced on the alternative exon, a robust increase in the repressive marks H3K27me3 and H3K9me3 and a decrease of H3K27Ac, together with a progressive reduction in ELP1 exon 20 inclusion level. In HEK 293T cells, selective drug-induced demethylation of H3K27 increased RNAPII elongation on ELP1 and SMN2, promoted the inclusion of the corresponding alternative exons, and, by RNA-sequencing analysis, induced changes in several alternative splicing events. These data suggest a co-transcriptional model of splicing regulation in which age-dependent changes in H3K27me3/Ac modify the rate of RNAPII elongation and affect processing of ELP1 alternative exon 20.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Riccardi
- Human Molecular Genetics, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Padriciano, Trieste, Italy
| | - Giulia Romano
- Human Molecular Genetics, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Padriciano, Trieste, Italy
| | - Danilo Licastro
- Laboratorio di Genomica ed Epigenomica, AREA Science Park, Padriciano, Trieste, Italy
| | - Franco Pagani
- Human Molecular Genetics, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Padriciano, Trieste, Italy
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3
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Trink Y, Urbach A, Dekel B, Hohenstein P, Goldberger J, Kalisky T. Characterization of Alternative Splicing in High-Risk Wilms' Tumors. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4520. [PMID: 38674106 PMCID: PMC11050615 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084520] [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: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The significant heterogeneity of Wilms' tumors between different patients is thought to arise from genetic and epigenetic distortions that occur during various stages of fetal kidney development in a way that is poorly understood. To address this, we characterized the heterogeneity of alternative mRNA splicing in Wilms' tumors using a publicly available RNAseq dataset of high-risk Wilms' tumors and normal kidney samples. Through Pareto task inference and cell deconvolution, we found that the tumors and normal kidney samples are organized according to progressive stages of kidney development within a triangle-shaped region in latent space, whose vertices, or "archetypes", resemble the cap mesenchyme, the nephrogenic stroma, and epithelial tubular structures of the fetal kidney. We identified a set of genes that are alternatively spliced between tumors located in different regions of latent space and found that many of these genes are associated with the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and muscle development. Using motif enrichment analysis, we identified putative splicing regulators, some of which are associated with kidney development. Our findings provide new insights into the etiology of Wilms' tumors and suggest that specific splicing mechanisms in early stages of development may contribute to tumor development in different patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaron Trink
- Faculty of Engineering and Bar-Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA), Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; (Y.T.); (J.G.)
| | - Achia Urbach
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel;
| | - Benjamin Dekel
- Pediatric Stem Cell Research Institute and Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Edmond and Lily Safra Children’s Hospital, Sheba Tel-HaShomer Medical Centre, Ramat Gan 5262000, Israel
| | - Peter Hohenstein
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands;
| | - Jacob Goldberger
- Faculty of Engineering and Bar-Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA), Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; (Y.T.); (J.G.)
| | - Tomer Kalisky
- Faculty of Engineering and Bar-Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA), Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; (Y.T.); (J.G.)
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4
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Adesanya O, Das D, Kalsotra A. Emerging roles of RNA-binding proteins in fatty liver disease. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2024; 15:e1840. [PMID: 38613185 PMCID: PMC11018357 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
A rampant and urgent global health issue of the 21st century is the emergence and progression of fatty liver disease (FLD), including alcoholic fatty liver disease and the more heterogenous metabolism-associated (or non-alcoholic) fatty liver disease (MAFLD/NAFLD) phenotypes. These conditions manifest as disease spectra, progressing from benign hepatic steatosis to symptomatic steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, and, ultimately, hepatocellular carcinoma. With numerous intricately regulated molecular pathways implicated in its pathophysiology, recent data have emphasized the critical roles of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in the onset and development of FLD. They regulate gene transcription and post-transcriptional processes, including pre-mRNA splicing, capping, and polyadenylation, as well as mature mRNA transport, stability, and translation. RBP dysfunction at every point along the mRNA life cycle has been associated with altered lipid metabolism and cellular stress response, resulting in hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. Here, we discuss the current understanding of the role of RBPs in the post-transcriptional processes associated with FLD and highlight the possible and emerging therapeutic strategies leveraging RBP function for FLD treatment. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Diptatanu Das
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Auinash Kalsotra
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Cancer Center @ Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
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5
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Sun YD, Zhang H, Li YM, Han JJ. Abnormal metabolism in hepatic stellate cells: Pandora's box of MAFLD related hepatocellular carcinoma. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189086. [PMID: 38342420 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189086] [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: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a significant risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), as key mediators in liver injury response, are believed to play a crucial role in the repair process of liver injury. However, in MAFLD patients, the normal metabolic and immunoregulatory mechanisms of HSCs become disrupted, leading to disturbances in the local microenvironment. Abnormally activated HSCs are heavily involved in the initiation and progression of HCC. The metabolic disorders and abnormal activation of HSCs not only initiate liver fibrosis but also contribute to carcinogenesis. In this review, we provide an overview of recent research progress on the relationship between the abnormal metabolism of HSCs and the local immune system in the liver, elucidating the mechanisms of immune imbalance caused by abnormally activated HSCs in MAFLD patients. Based on this understanding, we discuss the potential and challenges of metabolic-based and immunology-based mechanisms in the treatment of MAFLD-related HCC, with a specific focus on the role of HSCs in HCC progression and their potential as targets for anti-cancer therapy. This review aims to enhance researchers' understanding of the importance of HSCs in maintaining normal liver function and highlights the significance of HSCs in the progression of MAFLD-related HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Dong Sun
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute Affiliated Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute Affiliated Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Yuan-Min Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, China
| | - Jian-Jun Han
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute Affiliated Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, China.
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Tao Y, Zhang Q, Wang H, Yang X, Mu H. Alternative splicing and related RNA binding proteins in human health and disease. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:26. [PMID: 38302461 PMCID: PMC10835012 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01734-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) serves as a pivotal mechanism in transcriptional regulation, engendering transcript diversity, and modifications in protein structure and functionality. Across varying tissues, developmental stages, or under specific conditions, AS gives rise to distinct splice isoforms. This implies that these isoforms possess unique temporal and spatial roles, thereby associating AS with standard biological activities and diseases. Among these, AS-related RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play an instrumental role in regulating alternative splicing events. Under physiological conditions, the diversity of proteins mediated by AS influences the structure, function, interaction, and localization of proteins, thereby participating in the differentiation and development of an array of tissues and organs. Under pathological conditions, alterations in AS are linked with various diseases, particularly cancer. These changes can lead to modifications in gene splicing patterns, culminating in changes or loss of protein functionality. For instance, in cancer, abnormalities in AS and RBPs may result in aberrant expression of cancer-associated genes, thereby promoting the onset and progression of tumors. AS and RBPs are also associated with numerous neurodegenerative diseases and autoimmune diseases. Consequently, the study of AS across different tissues holds significant value. This review provides a detailed account of the recent advancements in the study of alternative splicing and AS-related RNA-binding proteins in tissue development and diseases, which aids in deepening the understanding of gene expression complexity and offers new insights and methodologies for precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yining Tao
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200000, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Bone Tumor Institution, 200000, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200000, Shanghai, China
| | - Haoyu Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200000, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Bone Tumor Institution, 200000, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiyu Yang
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200000, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Bone Tumor Institution, 200000, Shanghai, China
| | - Haoran Mu
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200000, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Bone Tumor Institution, 200000, Shanghai, China.
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7
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Webster NJG, Kumar D, Wu P. Dysregulation of RNA splicing in early non-alcoholic fatty liver disease through hepatocellular carcinoma. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2500. [PMID: 38291075 PMCID: PMC10828381 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52237-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
While changes in RNA splicing have been extensively studied in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), no studies have systematically investigated changes in RNA splicing during earlier liver disease. Mouse studies have shown that disruption of RNA splicing can trigger liver disease and we have shown that the splicing factor SRSF3 is decreased in the diseased human liver, so we profiled RNA splicing in liver samples from twenty-nine individuals with no-history of liver disease or varying degrees of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We compared our results with three publicly available transcriptome datasets that we re-analyzed for splicing events (SEs). We found many changes in SEs occurred during early liver disease, with fewer events occurring with the onset of inflammation and fibrosis. Many of these early SEs were enriched for SRSF3-dependent events and were associated with SRSF3 binding sites. Mapping the early and late changes to gene ontologies and pathways showed that the genes harboring these early SEs were involved in normal liver metabolism, whereas those harboring late SEs were involved in inflammation, fibrosis and proliferation. We compared the SEs with HCC data from the TCGA and observed that many of these early disease SEs are found in HCC samples and, furthermore, are correlated with disease survival. Changes in splicing factor expression are also observed, which may be associated with distinct subsets of the SEs. The maintenance of these SEs through the multi-year oncogenic process suggests that they may be causative. Understanding the role of these splice variants in metabolic liver disease progression may shed light on the triggers of liver disease progression and the pathogenesis of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J G Webster
- Jennifer Moreno VA Medical Center, San Diego, CA, 92161, USA.
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA.
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA.
| | - Deepak Kumar
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Panyisha Wu
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
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8
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Yan Q, Fang X, Liu X, Guo S, Chen S, Luo M, Lan P, Guan XY. Loss of ESRP2 Activates TAK1-MAPK Signaling through the Fetal RNA-Splicing Program to Promote Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2305653. [PMID: 37985644 PMCID: PMC10767434 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Tumors usually display fetal-like characteristics, and many oncofetal proteins have been identified. However, fetal-like reprogramming of RNA splicing in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is poorly understood. Here, it is demonstrated that the expression of epithelial splicing regulatory protein 2 (ESRP2), an RNA splicing factor, is suppressed in fetal hepatocytes and HCC, in parallel with tumor progression. By combining RNA-Seq with splicing analysis, it is identified that ESRP2 controls the fetal-to-adult switch of multiple splice isoforms in HCC. Functionally, ESRP2 suppressed cell proliferation and migration by specifically switching the alternative splicing (AS) of the TAK1 gene and restraining the expression of the fetal and oncogenic isoform, TAK1_ΔE12. Notably, aberrant TAK1 splicing led to the activation of p38MAPK signaling and predicted poor prognosis in HCC patients. Further investigation revealed that TAK1_ΔE12 protein interacted closely with TAB3 and formed liquid condensation in HCC cells, resulting in p38MAPK activation, enhanced cell migration, and accelerated tumorigenesis. Loss of ESRP2 sensitized HCC cells to TAK1 kinase inhibitor (TAK1i), promoting pyroptotic cell death and CD8+ T cell infiltration. Combining TAK1i with immune checkpoint therapy achieved potent tumor regression in mice. Overall, the findings reveal a previously unexplored onco-fetal reprogramming of RNA splicing and provide novel therapeutic avenues for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Yan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Department of General Surgery (Colorectal Surgery), The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Xiaona Fang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Xiaoxia Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Department of General Surgery (Colorectal Surgery), The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Sai Guo
- Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Siqi Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Department of General Surgery (Colorectal Surgery), The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Min Luo
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of recurrent metastatic cancer and personalized therapy, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ping Lan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Department of General Surgery (Colorectal Surgery), The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin-Yuan Guan
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of recurrent metastatic cancer and personalized therapy, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Clinical Oncology, State Key Laboratory for Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Advanced Energy Science and Technology Guangdong Laboratory, Huizhou, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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9
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Meyers NL, Ashuach T, Lyons DE, Khalid MM, Simoneau CR, Erickson AL, Bouhaddou M, Nguyen TT, Kumar GR, Taha TY, Natarajan V, Baron JL, Neff N, Zanini F, Mahmoudi T, Quake SR, Krogan NJ, Cooper S, McDevitt TC, Yosef N, Ott M. Hepatitis C virus infects and perturbs liver stem cells. mBio 2023; 14:e0131823. [PMID: 37938000 PMCID: PMC10746249 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01318-23] [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: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes liver disease, affecting millions. Even though we have effective antivirals that cure HCV, they cannot stop terminal liver disease. We used an adult stem cell-derived liver organoid system to understand how HCV infection leads to the progression of terminal liver disease. Here, we show that HCV maintains low-grade infections in liver organoids for the first time. HCV infection in liver organoids leads to transcriptional reprogramming causing cancer cell development and altered immune response. Our finding shows how HCV infection in liver organoids mimics HCV infection and patient pathogenesis. These results reveal that HCV infection in liver organoids contributes to liver disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tal Ashuach
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Center for Computational Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | | | - Mir M. Khalid
- Gladstone Institute of Virology, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Ann L. Erickson
- California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Mehdi Bouhaddou
- Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology, San Francisco, California, USA
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Thong T. Nguyen
- Gladstone Institute of Virology, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - G. Renuka Kumar
- Gladstone Institute of Virology, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Taha Y. Taha
- Gladstone Institute of Virology, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Vaishaali Natarajan
- Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jody L. Baron
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Norma Neff
- Chan Zuckerburg Biohub, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Fabio Zanini
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Tokameh Mahmoudi
- Department of Biochemistry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Stephen R. Quake
- Chan Zuckerburg Biohub, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Nevan J. Krogan
- Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology, San Francisco, California, USA
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Stewart Cooper
- California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Todd C. McDevitt
- Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, San Francisco, California, USA
- Bioengineering & Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Nir Yosef
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Center for Computational Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Melanie Ott
- Gladstone Institute of Virology, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Chan Zuckerburg Biohub, San Francisco, California, USA
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10
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Karpova Y, Orlicky DJ, Schmidt EE, Tulin AV. Disrupting Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ating Pathway Creates Premalignant Conditions in Mammalian Liver. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17205. [PMID: 38139034 PMCID: PMC10743425 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417205] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major global health concern, representing one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. Despite various treatment options, the prognosis for HCC patients remains poor, emphasizing the need for a deeper understanding of the factors contributing to HCC development. This study investigates the role of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in hepatocyte maturation and its impact on hepatobiliary carcinogenesis. A conditional Parg knockout mouse model was employed, utilizing Cre recombinase under the albumin promoter to target Parg depletion specifically in hepatocytes. The disruption of the poly(ADP-ribosyl)ating pathway in hepatocytes affects the early postnatal liver development. The inability of hepatocytes to finish the late maturation step that occurs early after birth causes intensive apoptosis and acute inflammation, resulting in hypertrophic liver tissue with enlarged hepatocytes. Regeneration nodes with proliferative hepatocytes eventually replace the liver tissue and successfully fulfill the liver function. However, early developmental changes predispose these types of liver to develop pathologies, including with a malignant nature, later in life. In a chemically induced liver cancer model, Parg-depleted livers displayed a higher tendency for hepatocellular carcinoma development. This study underscores the critical role of the poly(ADP-ribosyl)ating pathway in hepatocyte maturation and highlights its involvement in liver pathologies and hepatobiliary carcinogenesis. Understanding these processes may provide valuable insights into liver biology and liver-related diseases, including cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaroslava Karpova
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, 501 North Columbia Road, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA;
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, 119334 Moscow, Russia
| | - David J. Orlicky
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Edward E. Schmidt
- Microbiology & Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59718, USA;
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Lewis Hall, Bozeman, MT 59718, USA
- Redox Biology Laboratory, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1078 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Alexei V. Tulin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, 501 North Columbia Road, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA;
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11
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Sheng M, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Liu W, Wang X, Ke T, Liu P, Wang S, Shao W. Decoding the role of aberrant RNA alternative splicing in hepatocellular carcinoma: a comprehensive review. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:17691-17708. [PMID: 37898981 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05474-8] [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: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
During eukaryotic gene expression, alternative splicing of messenger RNA precursors is critical in increasing protein diversity and regulatory complexity. Multiple transcript isoforms could be produced by alternative splicing from a single gene; they could eventually be translated into protein isoforms with deleted, added, or altered domains or produce transcripts containing premature termination codons that could be targeted by nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. Alternative splicing can generate proteins with similar, different, or even opposite functions. Increasingly strong evidence indicates that abnormal RNA splicing is a prevalent and crucial occurrence in cellular differentiation, tissue advancement, and the development and progression of cancer. Aberrant alternative splicing could affect cancer cell activities such as growth, apoptosis, invasiveness, drug resistance, angiogenesis, and metabolism. This systematic review provides a comprehensive overview of the impact of abnormal RNA alternative splicing on the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengfei Sheng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yaoyun Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Weiyi Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Xingyu Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Tiaoying Ke
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Pingyang Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sihan Wang
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Wei Shao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
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12
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Jobbins AM, Yu S, Paterson HAB, Maude H, Kefala-Stavridi A, Speck C, Cebola I, Vernia S. Pre-RNA splicing in metabolic homeostasis and liver disease. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2023; 34:823-837. [PMID: 37673766 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2023.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
The liver plays a key role in sensing nutritional and hormonal inputs to maintain metabolic homeostasis. Recent studies into pre-mRNA splicing and alternative splicing (AS) and their effects on gene expression have revealed considerable transcriptional complexity in the liver, both in health and disease. While the contribution of these mechanisms to cell and tissue identity is widely accepted, their role in physiological and pathological contexts within tissues is just beginning to be appreciated. In this review, we showcase recent studies on the splicing and AS of key genes in metabolic pathways in the liver, the effect of metabolic signals on the spliceosome, and therapeutic intervention points based on RNA splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Jobbins
- MRC (Medical Research Council) London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Sijia Yu
- MRC (Medical Research Council) London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Helen A B Paterson
- MRC (Medical Research Council) London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Hannah Maude
- Section of Genetics and Genomics, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Antonia Kefala-Stavridi
- MRC (Medical Research Council) London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Christian Speck
- MRC (Medical Research Council) London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Inês Cebola
- Section of Genetics and Genomics, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Santiago Vernia
- MRC (Medical Research Council) London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
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13
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Salas-Silva S, Kim Y, Kim TH, Kim M, Seo D, Choi J, Factor VM, Seo HR, Song Y, Choi GS, Jung YK, Kim K, Lee KG, Jeong J, Shin JH, Choi D. Human chemically-derived hepatic progenitors (hCdHs) as a source of liver organoid generation: Application in regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and toxicology testing. Biomaterials 2023; 303:122360. [PMID: 38465578 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122360] [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: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Several types of human stem cells from embryonic (ESCs) and induced pluripotent (iPSCs) to adult tissue-specific stem cells are commonly used to generate 3D liver organoids for modeling tissue physiology and disease. We have recently established a protocol for direct conversion of primary human hepatocytes (hPHs) from healthy donor livers into bipotent progenitor cells (hCdHs). Here we extended this culture system to generate hCdH-derived liver organoids for diverse biomedical applications. METHODS To obtain hCdHs, hPHs were cultured in reprogramming medium containing A83-01 and CHIR99021 for 7 days. Liver organoids were established from hCdHs (hCdHOs) and human liver cells (hLOs) using the same donor livers for direct comparison, as well as from hiPSCs. Organoid properties were analyzed by standard in vitro assays. Molecular changes were determined by RT-qPCR and RNA-seq. Clinical relevance was evaluated by transplantation into FRG mice, modeling of alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD), and in vitro drug-toxicity tests. RESULTS hCdHs were clonally expanded as organoid cultures with low variability between starting hCdH lines. Similar to the hLOs, hCdHOs stably maintained stem cell phenotype based on accepted criteria. However, hCdHOs had an advantage over hLOs in terms of EpCAM expression, efficiency of organoid generation and capacity for directed hepatic differentiation as judged by molecular profiling, albumin secretion, glycogen accumulation, and CYP450 activities. Accordingly, FRG mice transplanted with hCdHOs survived longer than mice injected with hLOs. When exposed to ethanol, hCdHOs developed stronger ARLD phenotype than hLOs as evidenced by transcriptional profiling, lipid accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction. In drug-induced injury assays in vitro, hCdHOs showed a similar or higher sensitivity response than hPHs. CONCLUSION hCdHOs provide a novel patient-specific stem cell-based platform for regenerative medicine, toxicology testing and modeling liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soraya Salas-Silva
- Department of Surgery, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea; Research Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yohan Kim
- Department of Surgery, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea; Research Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea; Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307, Dresden, Germany; Department of MetaBioHealth, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Hun Kim
- Department of Surgery, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea; Research Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Myounghoi Kim
- Department of Surgery, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea; Research Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Daekwan Seo
- Office of Cellular, Tissue and Gene Therapies, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Researcj, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Jeonghoon Choi
- Office of Cellular, Tissue and Gene Therapies, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Researcj, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Valentina M Factor
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Haeng Ran Seo
- Advanced Biomedical Research Laboratory, Institute Pasteur Korea, 16, Daewangpangyo-ro 712-beon gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13488, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeonhwa Song
- Advanced Biomedical Research Laboratory, Institute Pasteur Korea, 16, Daewangpangyo-ro 712-beon gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13488, Republic of Korea
| | - Gyu Sung Choi
- Department of General Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Kyung Jung
- Department of Surgery, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Kungsik Kim
- Department of Surgery, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyeong Geun Lee
- Department of Surgery, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaemin Jeong
- Laboratory of Radiation Exposure and Therapeutics, National Radiation Emergency Medical Center, KIRAMS, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hyun Shin
- Department of Surgery, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea; Research Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dongho Choi
- Department of Surgery, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea; Research Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea; Department of HY-KIST Bio-convergence, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
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14
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Liang J, Wei J, Cao J, Qian J, Gao R, Li X, Wang D, Gu Y, Dong L, Yu J, Zhao B, Wang X. In-organoid single-cell CRISPR screening reveals determinants of hepatocyte differentiation and maturation. Genome Biol 2023; 24:251. [PMID: 37907970 PMCID: PMC10617096 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03084-8] [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: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Harnessing hepatocytes for basic research and regenerative medicine demands a complete understanding of the genetic determinants underlying hepatocyte differentiation and maturation. Single-cell CRISPR screens in organoids could link genetic perturbations with parallel transcriptomic readout in single cells, providing a powerful method to delineate roles of cell fate regulators. However, a big challenge for identifying key regulators during data analysis is the low expression levels of transcription factors (TFs), which are difficult to accurately estimate due to noise and dropouts in single-cell sequencing. Also, it is often the changes in TF activities in the transcriptional cascade rather than the expression levels of TFs that are relevant to the cell fate transition. RESULTS Here, we develop Organoid-based Single-cell CRISPR screening Analyzed with Regulons (OSCAR), a framework using regulon activities as readouts to dissect gene knockout effects in organoids. In adult-stem-cell-derived liver organoids, we map transcriptomes in 80,576 cells upon 246 perturbations associated with transcriptional regulation of hepatocyte formation. Using OSCAR, we identify known and novel positive and negative regulators, among which Fos and Ubr5 are the top-ranked ones. Further single-gene loss-of-function assays demonstrate that Fos depletion in mouse and human liver organoids promote hepatocyte differentiation by specific upregulation of liver metabolic genes and pathways, and conditional knockout of Ubr5 in mouse liver delays hepatocyte maturation. CONCLUSIONS Altogether, we provide a framework to explore lineage specifiers in a rapid and systematic manner, and identify hepatocyte determinators with potential clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junbo Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking, Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China
| | - Jinsong Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Jun Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking, Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Translational Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Jun Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking, Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China
| | - Ran Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking, Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China
| | - Xiaoyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Dingding Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking, Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China
| | - Yani Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking, Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China
| | - Lei Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovative Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Jia Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking, Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China
| | - Bing Zhao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.
- Institute of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China.
- Institute of Organoid Technology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, China.
| | - Xiaoyue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking, Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China.
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Translational Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100730, China.
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15
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Derham JM, Kalsotra A. The discovery, function, and regulation of epithelial splicing regulatory proteins (ESRP) 1 and 2. Biochem Soc Trans 2023; 51:1097-1109. [PMID: 37314029 PMCID: PMC11298080 DOI: 10.1042/bst20221124] [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] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Alternative splicing is a broad and evolutionarily conserved mechanism to diversify gene expression and functionality. The process relies on RNA binding proteins (RBPs) to recognize and bind target sequences in pre-mRNAs, which allows for the inclusion or skipping of various alternative exons. One recently discovered family of RBPs is the epithelial splicing regulatory proteins (ESRP) 1 and 2. Here, we discuss the structure and physiological function of the ESRPs in a variety of contexts. We emphasize the current understanding of their splicing activities, using the classic example of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 mutually exclusive splicing. We also describe the mechanistic roles of ESRPs in coordinating the splicing and functional output of key signaling pathways that support the maintenance of, or shift between, epithelial and mesenchymal cell states. In particular, we highlight their functions in the development of mammalian limbs, the inner ear, and craniofacial structure while discussing the genetic and biochemical evidence that showcases their conserved roles in tissue regeneration, disease, and cancer pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M. Derham
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Auinash Kalsotra
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Cancer Center @ Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
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16
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Lan J, Zhou Y, Liu Y, Xia Y, Wan Y, Cao J. Role of ADAM33 short isoform as a tumor suppressor in the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer via oncogenic function disruption of full-length ADAM33. Hum Cell 2023:10.1007/s13577-023-00898-3. [PMID: 36977901 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-023-00898-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Thyroid cancer is the most prevalent endocrine malignancy globally; however, its underlying pathogenesis remains unclarified. Reportedly, alternative splicing is involved in processes such as embryonic stem and precursor cell differentiation, cell lineage reprogramming, and epithelial-mesenchymal transitions. ADAM33-n, an alternative splicing isoform of ADAM33, encodes a small protein containing 138 amino acids of the N-terminal of full-length ADAM33, which constructs a chaperone-like domain that was previously reported to bind and block the proteolysis activity of ADAM33. In this study, we reported for the first time that ADAM33-n was downregulated in thyroid cancer. The results of cell counting kit-8 and colony formation assays showed that ectopic ADAM33-n in papillary thyroid cancer cell lines restricted cell proliferation and colony formation. Moreover, we demonstrated that ectopic ADAM33-n reversed the oncogenic function of full-length ADAM33 in cell growth and colony formation in the MDA-T32 and BCPAP cells. These findings indicate the tumor suppressor ability of ADAM33-n. Altogether, our study findings present a potential explanatory model of how the downregulation of the oncogenic gene ADAM33 promotes the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Lan
- Department of General Surgery, The first affiliated hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yehui Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, The first affiliated hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The first affiliated hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Xia
- Department of General Surgery, The first affiliated hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuqiu Wan
- Department of General Surgery, The first affiliated hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jianbo Cao
- Department of General Surgery, The first affiliated hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215000, People's Republic of China.
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17
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Arif W, Mathur B, Saikali MF, Chembazhi UV, Toohill K, Song YJ, Hao Q, Karimi S, Blue SM, Yee BA, Van Nostrand EL, Bangru S, Guzman G, Yeo GW, Prasanth KV, Anakk S, Cummins CL, Kalsotra A. Splicing factor SRSF1 deficiency in the liver triggers NASH-like pathology and cell death. Nat Commun 2023; 14:551. [PMID: 36759613 PMCID: PMC9911759 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35932-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulation of RNA processing contributes profoundly to tissue development and physiology. Here, we report that serine-arginine-rich splicing factor 1 (SRSF1) is essential for hepatocyte function and survival. Although SRSF1 is mainly known for its many roles in mRNA metabolism, it is also crucial for maintaining genome stability. We show that acute liver damage in the setting of targeted SRSF1 deletion in mice is associated with the excessive formation of deleterious RNA-DNA hybrids (R-loops), which induce DNA damage. Combining hepatocyte-specific transcriptome, proteome, and RNA binding analyses, we demonstrate that widespread genotoxic stress following SRSF1 depletion results in global inhibition of mRNA transcription and protein synthesis, leading to impaired metabolism and trafficking of lipids. Lipid accumulation in SRSF1-deficient hepatocytes is followed by necroptotic cell death, inflammation, and fibrosis, resulting in NASH-like liver pathology. Importantly, SRSF1-depleted human liver cancer cells recapitulate this pathogenesis, illustrating a conserved and fundamental role for SRSF1 in preserving genome integrity and tissue homeostasis. Thus, our study uncovers how the accumulation of detrimental R-loops impedes hepatocellular gene expression, triggering metabolic derangements and liver damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waqar Arif
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Bhoomika Mathur
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Michael F Saikali
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ullas V Chembazhi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Katelyn Toohill
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - You Jin Song
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Qinyu Hao
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Saman Karimi
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Cancer Center, University of Illinois Hospital and Health Science Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Steven M Blue
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Brian A Yee
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Eric L Van Nostrand
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sushant Bangru
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Cancer Center @ Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Grace Guzman
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Cancer Center, University of Illinois Hospital and Health Science Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Gene W Yeo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kannanganattu V Prasanth
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Cancer Center @ Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Sayeepriyadarshini Anakk
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Cancer Center @ Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Carolyn L Cummins
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Auinash Kalsotra
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Cancer Center @ Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Carl R. Woese Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
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18
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Berasain C, Arechederra M, Argemí J, Fernández-Barrena MG, Avila MA. Loss of liver function in chronic liver disease: An identity crisis. J Hepatol 2023; 78:401-414. [PMID: 36115636 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Adult hepatocyte identity is constructed throughout embryonic development and fine-tuned after birth. A multinodular network of transcription factors, along with pre-mRNA splicing regulators, define the transcriptome, which encodes the proteins needed to perform the complex metabolic and secretory functions of the mature liver. Transient hepatocellular dedifferentiation can occur as part of the regenerative mechanisms triggered in response to acute liver injury. However, persistent downregulation of key identity genes is now accepted as a strong determinant of organ dysfunction in chronic liver disease, a major global health burden. Therefore, the identification of core transcription factors and splicing regulators that preserve hepatocellular phenotype, and a thorough understanding of how these networks become disrupted in diseased hepatocytes, is of high clinical relevance. In this context, we review the key players in liver differentiation and discuss in detail critical factors, such as HNF4α, whose impairment mediates the breakdown of liver function. Moreover, we present compelling experimental evidence demonstrating that restoration of core transcription factor expression in a chronically injured liver can reset hepatocellular identity, improve function and ameliorate structural abnormalities. The possibility of correcting the phenotype of severely damaged and malfunctional livers may reveal new therapeutic opportunities for individuals with cirrhosis and advanced liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Berasain
- Program of Hepatology, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra, IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain.
| | - Maria Arechederra
- Program of Hepatology, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra, IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Josepmaria Argemí
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra, IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain; Liver Unit, Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Maite G Fernández-Barrena
- Program of Hepatology, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra, IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Matías A Avila
- Program of Hepatology, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra, IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain.
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19
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Characterization of alternative mRNA splicing in cultured cell populations representing progressive stages of human fetal kidney development. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19548. [PMID: 36380228 PMCID: PMC9666651 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24147-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Nephrons are the functional units of the kidney. During kidney development, cells from the cap mesenchyme-a transient kidney-specific progenitor state-undergo a mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET) and subsequently differentiate into the various epithelial cell types that create the tubular structures of the nephron. Faults in this transition can lead to a pediatric malignancy of the kidney called Wilms' tumor that mimics normal kidney development. While human kidney development has been characterized at the gene expression level, a comprehensive characterization of alternative splicing is lacking. Therefore, in this study, we performed RNA sequencing on cell populations representing early, intermediate, and late developmental stages of the human fetal kidney, as well as three blastemal-predominant Wilms' tumor patient-derived xenografts. Using this newly generated RNAseq data, we identified a set of transcripts that are alternatively spliced between the different developmental stages. Moreover, we found that cells from the earliest developmental stage have a mesenchymal splice-isoform profile that is similar to that of blastemal-predominant Wilms' tumor xenografts. RNA binding motif enrichment analysis suggests that the mRNA binding proteins ESRP1, ESRP2, RBFOX2, and QKI regulate alternative mRNA splicing during human kidney development. These findings illuminate new molecular mechanisms involved in human kidney development and pediatric kidney cancer.
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20
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Cheng R, Zheng X, Wang Y, Ma X, Liu X, Xu W, Wang M, Gao Y, Xing X, Zhou C, Sun H, Guo Z, Quan F, Liu J, Hua S, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Liu X. Modification of alternative splicing in bovine somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos using engineered CRISPR-Cas13d. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2022; 65:2257-2268. [PMID: 35524909 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-021-2060-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Animal cloning can be achieved by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), but the resulting live birth rate is relatively low. We previously improved the efficiency of bovine SCNT by exogenous melatonin treatment or by overexpression of lysine-specific demethylase 4D (KDM4D) and 4E (KDM4E). In this study, we revealed abundant alternative splicing (AS) transitions during fertilization and embryonic genome activation, and demonstrated abnormal AS in bovine SCNT embryos compared with in vitro fertilized embryos. We used the CRISPR-Cas13d RNA-targeting system to target cis-elements of ABI2 and ZNF106 pre-mRNA to modify AS, thus reducing the ratio of abnormal-isoform SCNT embryos by nearly 50% and achieving a high survival rate (11%-19%). These results indicate that this system may provide an efficient method for bovine cloning, while also paving the way for further improvements in the efficiency of SCNT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Cheng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Xiaoman Zheng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Yingmei Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Xing Ma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Xin Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Wenjun Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Mengyun Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Yuanpeng Gao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Xupeng Xing
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Chuan Zhou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Hongzheng Sun
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Zekun Guo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Fusheng Quan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Jun Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China.
| | - Song Hua
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China.
| | - Yongsheng Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China.
| | - Yong Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China.
| | - Xu Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, China.
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21
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Zhu L, Li W. Roles of Physicochemical and Structural Properties of RNA-Binding Proteins in Predicting the Activities of Trans-Acting Splicing Factors with Machine Learning. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23084426. [PMID: 35457243 PMCID: PMC9030803 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Trans-acting splicing factors play a pivotal role in modulating alternative splicing by specifically binding to cis-elements in pre-mRNAs. There are approximately 1500 RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in the human genome, but the activities of these RBPs in alternative splicing are unknown. Since determining RBP activities through experimental methods is expensive and time consuming, the development of an efficient computational method for predicting the activities of RBPs in alternative splicing from their sequences is of great practical importance. Recently, a machine learning model for predicting the activities of splicing factors was built based on features of single and dual amino acid compositions. Here, we explored the role of physicochemical and structural properties in predicting their activities in alternative splicing using machine learning approaches and found that the prediction performance is significantly improved by including these properties. By combining the minimum redundancy–maximum relevance (mRMR) method and forward feature searching strategy, a promising feature subset with 24 features was obtained to predict the activities of RBPs. The feature subset consists of 16 dual amino acid compositions, 5 physicochemical features, and 3 structural features. The physicochemical and structural properties were as important as the sequence composition features for an accurate prediction of the activities of splicing factors. The hydrophobicity and distribution of coil are suggested to be the key physicochemical and structural features, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wenjin Li
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-0755-26942336
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22
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Ura H, Togi S, Niida Y. A comparison of mRNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) library preparation methods for transcriptome analysis. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:303. [PMID: 35418012 PMCID: PMC9008973 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08543-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND mRNA sequencing is a powerful technique, which is used to investigate the transcriptome status of a gene of interest, such as its transcription level and splicing variants. Presently, several RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) methods have been developed; however, the relative advantage of each method has remained unknown. Here we used three commercially available RNA-Seq library preparation kits; the traditional method (TruSeq), in addition to full-length double-stranded cDNA methods (SMARTer and TeloPrime) to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of these three approaches in transcriptome analysis. RESULTS We observed that the number of expressed genes detected from the TeloPrime sequencing method was fewer than that obtained using the TruSeq and SMARTer. We also observed that the expression patterns between TruSeq and SMARTer correlated strongly. Alternatively, SMARTer and TeloPrime methods underestimated the expression of relatively long transcripts. Moreover, genes having low expression levels were undetected stochastically regardless of any three methods used. Furthermore, although TeloPrime detected a significantly higher proportion at the transcription start site (TSS), its coverage of the gene body was not uniform. SMARTer is proposed to be yielded for nonspecific genomic DNA amplification. In contrast, the detected splicing event number was highest in the TruSeq. The percent spliced in index (PSI) of the three methods was highly correlated. CONCLUSIONS TruSeq detected transcripts and splicing events better than the other methods and measured expression levels of genes, in addition to splicing events accurately. However, although detected transcripts and splicing events in TeloPrime were fewer, the coverage at TSS was highest. Additionally, SMARTer was better than TeloPrime with regards to the detected number of transcripts and splicing events among the understudied full-length double-stranded cDNA methods. In conclusion, for short-read sequencing, TruSeq has relative advantages for use in transcriptome analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Ura
- Center for Clinical Genomics, Kanazawa Medical University Hospital, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada, Kahoku, Ishikawa, 920-0923, Japan. .,Division of Genomic Medicine, Department of Advanced Medicine, Medical Research Institute, Kanazawa Medical University, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada, Kahoku, Ishikawa, 920-0923, Japan.
| | - Sumihito Togi
- Center for Clinical Genomics, Kanazawa Medical University Hospital, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada, Kahoku, Ishikawa, 920-0923, Japan.,Division of Genomic Medicine, Department of Advanced Medicine, Medical Research Institute, Kanazawa Medical University, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada, Kahoku, Ishikawa, 920-0923, Japan
| | - Yo Niida
- Center for Clinical Genomics, Kanazawa Medical University Hospital, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada, Kahoku, Ishikawa, 920-0923, Japan.,Division of Genomic Medicine, Department of Advanced Medicine, Medical Research Institute, Kanazawa Medical University, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada, Kahoku, Ishikawa, 920-0923, Japan
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23
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Reixachs-Solé M, Eyras E. Uncovering the impacts of alternative splicing on the proteome with current omics techniques. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2022; 13:e1707. [PMID: 34979593 PMCID: PMC9542554 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The high‐throughput sequencing of cellular RNAs has underscored a broad effect of isoform diversification through alternative splicing on the transcriptome. Moreover, the differential production of transcript isoforms from gene loci has been recognized as a critical mechanism in cell differentiation, organismal development, and disease. Yet, the extent of the impact of alternative splicing on protein production and cellular function remains a matter of debate. Multiple experimental and computational approaches have been developed in recent years to address this question. These studies have unveiled how molecular changes at different steps in the RNA processing pathway can lead to differences in protein production and have functional effects. New and emerging experimental technologies open exciting new opportunities to develop new methods to fully establish the connection between messenger RNA expression and protein production and to further investigate how RNA variation impacts the proteome and cell function. This article is categorized under:RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing Translation > Regulation RNA Evolution and Genomics > Computational Analyses of RNA
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Reixachs-Solé
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network and the Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Eduardo Eyras
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network and the Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Spain.,Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
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24
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Baralle M, Baralle FE. Alternative splicing and liver disease. Ann Hepatol 2021; 26:100534. [PMID: 34547477 DOI: 10.1016/j.aohep.2021.100534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Alternative splicing produces complex and dynamic changes in the protein isoforms that are necessary for the proper biological functioning of the metabolic pathways involved in liver development and hepatocyte homeostasis. Changes in the physiological state of alternatively spliced forms are increasingly linked to liver pathologies. This may occur when the expression or function of the set of proteins controlling the alternative splicing processes are altered by external effectors such as oxidative stress and other environmental variations. Studies addressing these modifications reveal a complex interplay between the expression levels of different proteins that regulate the alternative splicing process as well as the changes in alternative splicing. This interplay results in a cascade of different protein isoforms that correlate with the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma, and alcoholic liver disease. However, research on the detailed molecular mechanism underlying the production of these isoforms is needed. It is imperative to identify the physiological processes affected by the differentially spliced isoforms and confirm their role on the onset and maintenance of the pathology. This is required to design potential therapeutic approaches targeting the key splicing changes to revert the pathological condition as well as identify prognostic markers. In this review, we describe the complexity of the splicing process through an example to encourage researchers to go down this path. Subsequently, rather than a catalog of splicing events we have hand-picked and discuss a few selected studies of specific liver pathologies and suggested ways to focus research on these areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Baralle
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Padriciano 99, Italy
| | - Francisco E Baralle
- Fondazione Italiana Fegato-Onlus, Bldg. Q, AREA Science Park, ss14, Km 163.5, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy.
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25
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Gárate-Rascón M, Recalde M, Jimenez M, Elizalde M, Azkona M, Uriarte I, Latasa MU, Urtasun R, Bilbao I, Sangro B, Garcia-Ruiz C, Fernandez-Checa JC, Corrales FJ, Esquivel A, Pineda-Lucena A, Fernández-Barrena MG, Ávila MA, Arechederra M, Berasain C. Splicing Factor SLU7 Prevents Oxidative Stress-Mediated Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4α Degradation, Preserving Hepatic Differentiation and Protecting From Liver Damage. Hepatology 2021; 74:2791-2807. [PMID: 34170569 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Hepatocellular dedifferentiation is emerging as an important determinant in liver disease progression. Preservation of mature hepatocyte identity relies on a set of key genes, predominantly the transcription factor hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) but also splicing factors like SLU7. How these factors interact and become dysregulated and the impact of their impairment in driving liver disease are not fully understood. APPROACH AND RESULTS Expression of SLU7 and that of the adult and oncofetal isoforms of HNF4α, driven by its promoter 1 (P1) and P2, respectively, was studied in diseased human and mouse livers. Hepatic function and damage response were analyzed in wild-type and Slu7-haploinsufficient/heterozygous (Slu7+/- ) mice undergoing chronic (CCl4 ) and acute (acetaminophen) injury. SLU7 expression was restored in CCl4 -injured mice using SLU7-expressing adeno-associated viruses (AAV-SLU7). The hepatocellular SLU7 interactome was characterized by mass spectrometry. Reduced SLU7 expression in human and mouse diseased livers correlated with a switch in HNF4α P1 to P2 usage. This response was reproduced in Slu7+/- mice, which displayed increased sensitivity to chronic and acute liver injury, enhanced oxidative stress, and marked impairment of hepatic functions. AAV-SLU7 infection prevented liver injury and hepatocellular dedifferentiation. Mechanistically we demonstrate a unique role for SLU7 in the preservation of HNF4α1 protein stability through its capacity to protect the liver against oxidative stress. SLU7 is herein identified as a key component of the stress granule proteome, an essential part of the cell's antioxidant machinery. CONCLUSIONS Our results place SLU7 at the highest level of hepatocellular identity control, identifying SLU7 as a link between stress-protective mechanisms and liver differentiation. These findings emphasize the importance of the preservation of hepatic functions in the protection from liver injury.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Miriam Recalde
- Hepatology Program, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Maddalen Jimenez
- Hepatology Program, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - María Elizalde
- Hepatology Program, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - María Azkona
- Hepatology Program, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Iker Uriarte
- Hepatology Program, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - M Uxue Latasa
- Hepatology Program, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Raquel Urtasun
- Hepatology Program, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Idoia Bilbao
- Hepatology Unit, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Bruno Sangro
- CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Hepatology Unit, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Carmen Garcia-Ruiz
- CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Cell Death and Proliferation, IIBB-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain.,Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS and CIBEREHD, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José C Fernandez-Checa
- CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Cell Death and Proliferation, IIBB-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain.,Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS and CIBEREHD, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Fernando J Corrales
- CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Functional Proteomics Laboratory, National Center for Biotechnology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Argitxu Esquivel
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | | | - Maite G Fernández-Barrena
- Hepatology Program, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Matías A Ávila
- Hepatology Program, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - María Arechederra
- Hepatology Program, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Carmen Berasain
- Hepatology Program, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
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26
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Investigation of the hepatic mTOR/S6K1/SREBP1 signalling pathway in rats at different ages: from neonates to adults. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:7415-7422. [PMID: 34655015 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06757-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dysfunctions in the lipogenic process controlled by the hepatic mTOR/S6K1/SREBP-1c signaling pathway may contribute to the pathogenesis of various chronic diseases. In the present study, we aimed to determine age-related changes in the mTOR/S6K1/SREBP1 pathway in rat liver tissues. METHODS AND RESULTS We performed Western Blot analysis to determine age-related changes in the mTOR/S6K1/SREBP1 pathway in Sprague Dawley male rats liver tissues of six different age groups representing neonatal, infant, weaning, puberty, young adult, adult life periods, and Oil Red O staining to evaluate age-related lipid accumulation. We observed an increase in Akt and p-Akt levels with age in compared to the 0-day-old group. Total mTOR and SREBP1 expression increased from the 0-day-old to the 28-day-old group but decreased in the following age groups. p-mTOR and p-S6K1 levels in the 0-day-old group were higher than the other groups. S6K1 expression was lowest in the 0-day-old group and showed changes among the age groups. Lipid accumulation was seen in liver sections taken from the 12-month-old group. mTOR/S6K1/SREBP1 pathway expression showed changes with age during the neonatal-adult life cycle stages in rat liver tissues. CONCLUSION We suggest that understanding the molecular mechanisms age-related changes of lipogenesis function is necessary to contribute to the development of therapeutic approaches.
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27
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Lu X, Li R, Wang X, Guo Q, Wang L, Zhou X. Overexpression of Epithelial Splicing Regulatory Protein 1 in Metastatic Lesions of Serous Ovarian Carcinoma Correlates with Poor Patient Prognosis. Cancer Biother Radiopharm 2021; 37:850-861. [PMID: 34495766 DOI: 10.1089/cbr.2021.0215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Epithelial splicing regulatory proteins (ESRPs) can regulate alternative splicing of RNA and play roles in tumorigenesis and development of various malignancies. In this study, bioinformatic analyses and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to investigate the function of ESPRs in serous ovarian carcinoma (SOC) oncogenesis and metastasis. Materials and Methods: The mRNA levels of ESRPs were analyzed by Oncomine and gene expression profiling interactive analysis (GEPIA). Prognostic values of ESRPs were analyzed by GEPIA and the UALCAN website. Genetic variations of ESRPs were analyzed by cBioPortal. ESRP1 was selected for further research. The relationship between ESRP1 and immunoregulatory molecules was studied by using the TISIDB database. ESRP1 protein expression in OC was investigated via IHC assays. Results: ESRP1 and ESRP2 mRNA were significantly upregulated in SOC (p < 0.05). The prognostic value of ESRP1 mRNA in SOC was inconsistent, and ESRP2 mRNA level did not relate to prognosis for OC patients. The IHC results showed higher ESRP1 expression in OC tissues than in normal ovarian tissues (p = 0.002), and ESRP1 expression in metastatic lesions of OC patients was higher than in paired primary OC tissues (p = 0.035). The ESRP1 expression was related to FIGO stage, differentiation, and peritoneal metastasis (p = 0.016; 0.031; 0.038, respectively). The ESRP1 switch (the differential expression of ESRP1 between metastatic and primary tumor of ovarian carcinoma) was significantly associated with E-cadherin expression in metastatic OC tumors (p = 0.012). The ESRP1 expression in both metastasis and ESRP1 switch significantly correlated with poor prognosis of OC patients (p = 0.045; 0.038, respectively), and ESRP1 switch and FIGO stage were independent risk factors for OC patient prognosis (p = 0.033; 0.009, respectively). Conclusions: The ESRP1 may promote OC metastasis by promoting OC cell colonization via the mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) process. The ESRP1 expression in metastatic lesions of OC patients may be a biomarker for predicting prognosis and a potential therapeutic target in OC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Lu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang City, China
| | - Runzhou Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang City, China
| | - Xingshuang Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang City, China
| | - Qixuan Guo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang City, China
| | - Ling Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang City, China
| | - Xin Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang City, China
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28
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Wang H, Chan TW, Vashisht AA, Drew BG, Calkin AC, Harris TE, Wohlschlegel JA, Xiao X, Reue K. Lipin 1 modulates mRNA splicing during fasting adaptation in liver. JCI Insight 2021; 6:e150114. [PMID: 34494556 PMCID: PMC8492312 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.150114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Lipin 1 regulates cellular lipid homeostasis through roles in glycerolipid synthesis (through phosphatidic acid phosphatase activity) and transcriptional coactivation. Lipin 1-deficient individuals exhibit episodic disease symptoms that are triggered by metabolic stress, such as stress caused by prolonged fasting. We sought to identify critical lipin 1 activities during fasting. We determined that lipin 1 deficiency induces widespread alternative mRNA splicing in liver during fasting, much of which is normalized by refeeding. The role of lipin 1 in mRNA splicing was largely independent of its enzymatic function. We identified interactions between lipin 1 and spliceosome proteins, as well as a requirement for lipin 1 to maintain homeostatic levels of spliceosome small nuclear RNAs and specific RNA splicing factors. In fasted Lpin1-/- liver, we identified a correspondence between alternative splicing of phospholipid biosynthetic enzymes and dysregulated phospholipid levels; splicing patterns and phospholipid levels were partly normalized by feeding. Thus, lipin 1 influences hepatic lipid metabolism through mRNA splicing, as well as through enzymatic and transcriptional activities, and fasting exacerbates the deleterious effects of lipin 1 deficiency on metabolic homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Wang
- Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
| | | | - Ajay A Vashisht
- Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Brian G Drew
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anna C Calkin
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Baker Department of Cardiometabolic Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Thurl E Harris
- Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - James A Wohlschlegel
- Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Molecular Biology Institute and
| | - Xinshu Xiao
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program and.,Molecular Biology Institute and.,Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Karen Reue
- Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA,,Molecular Biology Institute and
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29
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Hyun J, Al Abo M, Dutta RK, Oh SH, Xiang K, Zhou X, Maeso-Díaz R, Caffrey R, Sanyal AJ, Freedman JA, Patierno SR, Moylan CA, Abdelmalek MF, Diehl AM. Dysregulation of the ESRP2-NF2-YAP/TAZ axis promotes hepatobiliary carcinogenesis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. J Hepatol 2021; 75:623-633. [PMID: 33964370 PMCID: PMC8380690 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2021.04.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the hepatic correlate of the metabolic syndrome, is a major risk factor for hepatobiliary cancer (HBC). Although chronic inflammation is thought to be the root cause of all these diseases, the mechanism whereby it promotes HBC in NAFLD remains poorly understood. Herein, we aim to evaluate the hypothesis that inflammation-related dysregulation of the ESRP2-NF2-YAP/TAZ axis promotes HB carcinogenesis. METHODS We use murine NAFLD models, liver biopsies from patients with NAFLD, human liver cancer registry data, and studies in liver cancer cell lines. RESULTS Our results confirm the hypothesis that inflammation-related dysregulation of the ESRP2-NF2-YAP/TAZ axis promotes HB carcinogenesis, supporting a model whereby chronic inflammation suppresses hepatocyte expression of ESRP2, an RNA splicing factor that directly targets and activates NF2, a tumor suppressor that is necessary to constrain YAP/TAZ activation. The resultant loss of NF2 function permits sustained YAP/TAZ activity that drives hepatocyte proliferation and de-differentiation. CONCLUSION Herein, we report on a novel mechanism by which chronic inflammation leads to sustained activation of YAP/TAZ activity; this imposes a selection pressure that favors liver cells with mutations enabling survival during chronic oncogenic stress. LAY SUMMARY Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) increases the risk of hepatobiliary carcinogenesis. However, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Our study demonstrates that chronic inflammation suppresses hepatocyte expression of ESRP2, an adult RNA splicing factor that activates NF2. Thus, inactive (fetal) NF2 loses the ability to activate Hippo kinases, leading to the increased activity of downstream YAP/TAZ and promoting hepatobiliary carcinogenesis in chronically injured livers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeongeun Hyun
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Duke University Health System, Durham, NC, USA; Regeneration Next, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA; Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan, South Korea; Department of Nanobiomedical Science and BK21 PLUS NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, South Korea; Department of Regenerative Dental Medicine, College of Dentistry, Dankook University, Cheonan, South Korea
| | - Muthana Al Abo
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Rajesh Kumar Dutta
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Duke University Health System, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Seh Hoon Oh
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Duke University Health System, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Kun Xiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Xiyou Zhou
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Duke University Health System, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Raquel Maeso-Díaz
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Duke University Health System, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Arun J Sanyal
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Jennifer A Freedman
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Duke University Health System, Durham, NC, USA; Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Steven R Patierno
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Duke University Health System, Durham, NC, USA; Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Cynthia A Moylan
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Duke University Health System, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Manal F Abdelmalek
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Duke University Health System, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Anna Mae Diehl
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Duke University Health System, Durham, NC, USA.
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30
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Razpotnik R, Nassib P, Kunej T, Rozman D, Režen T. Identification of Novel RNA Binding Proteins Influencing Circular RNA Expression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7477. [PMID: 34299096 PMCID: PMC8307310 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are increasingly recognized as having a role in cancer development. Their expression is modified in numerous cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, little is known about the mechanisms of their regulation. The aim of this study was to identify regulators of circRNAome expression in HCC. Using publicly available datasets, we identified RNA binding proteins (RBPs) with enriched motifs around the splice sites of differentially expressed circRNAs in HCC. We confirmed the binding of some of the candidate RBPs using ChIP-seq and eCLIP datasets in the ENCODE database. Several of the identified RBPs were found to be differentially expressed in HCC and/or correlated with the overall survival of HCC patients. According to our bioinformatics analyses and published evidence, we propose that NONO, PCPB2, PCPB1, ESRP2, and HNRNPK are candidate regulators of circRNA expression in HCC. We confirmed that the knocking down the epithelial splicing regulatory protein 2 (ESRP2), known to be involved in the maintenance of the adult liver phenotype, significantly changed the expression of candidate circRNAs in a model HCC cell line. By understanding the systemic changes in transcriptome splicing, we can identify new proteins involved in the molecular pathways leading to HCC development and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rok Razpotnik
- Centre for Functional Genomics and Bio-Chips, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (R.R.); (P.N.); (D.R.)
| | - Petra Nassib
- Centre for Functional Genomics and Bio-Chips, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (R.R.); (P.N.); (D.R.)
| | - Tanja Kunej
- Department of Animal Science, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1230 Domžale, Slovenia;
| | - Damjana Rozman
- Centre for Functional Genomics and Bio-Chips, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (R.R.); (P.N.); (D.R.)
| | - Tadeja Režen
- Centre for Functional Genomics and Bio-Chips, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (R.R.); (P.N.); (D.R.)
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31
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Chembazhi UV, Bangru S, Hernaez M, Kalsotra A. Cellular plasticity balances the metabolic and proliferation dynamics of a regenerating liver. Genome Res 2021; 31:576-591. [PMID: 33649154 DOI: 10.1101/2020.05.29.124263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The adult liver has an exceptional ability to regenerate, but how it maintains its specialized functions during regeneration is unclear. Here, we used partial hepatectomy (PHx) in tandem with single-cell transcriptomics to track cellular transitions and heterogeneities of ∼22,000 liver cells through the initiation, progression, and termination phases of mouse liver regeneration. Our results uncovered that, following PHx, a subset of hepatocytes transiently reactivates an early-postnatal-like gene expression program to proliferate, while a distinct population of metabolically hyperactive cells appears to compensate for any temporary deficits in liver function. Cumulative EdU labeling and immunostaining of metabolic, portal, and central vein-specific markers revealed that hepatocyte proliferation after PHx initiates in the midlobular region before proceeding toward the periportal and pericentral areas. We further demonstrate that portal and central vein proximal hepatocytes retain their metabolically active state to preserve essential liver functions while midlobular cells proliferate nearby. Through combined analysis of gene regulatory networks and cell-cell interaction maps, we found that regenerating hepatocytes redeploy key developmental regulons, which are guided by extensive ligand-receptor-mediated signaling events between hepatocytes and nonparenchymal cells. Altogether, our study offers a detailed blueprint of the intercellular crosstalk and cellular reprogramming that balances the metabolic and proliferative requirements of a regenerating liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ullas V Chembazhi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Sushant Bangru
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Cancer Center@Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Mikel Hernaez
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, 31008 Navarra, Spain
| | - Auinash Kalsotra
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Cancer Center@Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
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32
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Chembazhi UV, Bangru S, Hernaez M, Kalsotra A. Cellular plasticity balances the metabolic and proliferation dynamics of a regenerating liver. Genome Res 2021; 31:576-591. [PMID: 33649154 PMCID: PMC8015853 DOI: 10.1101/gr.267013.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The adult liver has an exceptional ability to regenerate, but how it maintains its specialized functions during regeneration is unclear. Here, we used partial hepatectomy (PHx) in tandem with single-cell transcriptomics to track cellular transitions and heterogeneities of ∼22,000 liver cells through the initiation, progression, and termination phases of mouse liver regeneration. Our results uncovered that, following PHx, a subset of hepatocytes transiently reactivates an early-postnatal-like gene expression program to proliferate, while a distinct population of metabolically hyperactive cells appears to compensate for any temporary deficits in liver function. Cumulative EdU labeling and immunostaining of metabolic, portal, and central vein-specific markers revealed that hepatocyte proliferation after PHx initiates in the midlobular region before proceeding toward the periportal and pericentral areas. We further demonstrate that portal and central vein proximal hepatocytes retain their metabolically active state to preserve essential liver functions while midlobular cells proliferate nearby. Through combined analysis of gene regulatory networks and cell-cell interaction maps, we found that regenerating hepatocytes redeploy key developmental regulons, which are guided by extensive ligand-receptor-mediated signaling events between hepatocytes and nonparenchymal cells. Altogether, our study offers a detailed blueprint of the intercellular crosstalk and cellular reprogramming that balances the metabolic and proliferative requirements of a regenerating liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ullas V Chembazhi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Sushant Bangru
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.,Cancer Center@Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Mikel Hernaez
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.,Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, 31008 Navarra, Spain
| | - Auinash Kalsotra
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.,Cancer Center@Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.,Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
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33
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Wu P, Zhang M, Webster NJG. Alternative RNA Splicing in Fatty Liver Disease. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:613213. [PMID: 33716968 PMCID: PMC7953061 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.613213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative RNA splicing is a process by which introns are removed and exons are assembled to construct different RNA transcript isoforms from a single pre-mRNA. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between dysregulation of RNA splicing and a number of clinical syndromes, but the generality to common disease has not been established. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease affecting one-third of adults worldwide, increasing the risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this review we focus on the change in alternative RNA splicing in fatty liver disease and the role for splicing regulation in disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panyisha Wu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Moya Zhang
- University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Nicholas J. G. Webster
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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34
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Ura H, Togi S, Niida Y. Target-capture full-length double-strand cDNA sequencing for alternative splicing analysis. RNA Biol 2021; 18:1600-1607. [PMID: 33472537 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2021.1872961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing is a regulated process by which eukaryotic genes may produce diverse biological products. Defects in the process typically affect cellular function and can lead to disease. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have been developed to detect alternative splicing events; however, the alternative splicing events detected by standard RNA-Seq may or may not be derived from full-length RNA. The SMARTer method provides full-length double-strand cDNA synthesis, and the resulting gene expression patterns correlate strongly with standard RNA-Seq. However, it also yields non-specific genomic DNA amplification. We improved the SMARTer method by employing a target-capture full-length double-strand cDNA sequencing method. High-fidelity, full-length cDNA is generated by the SMARTer method, followed by target-specific capture with exon probes. The expression pattern observed with this SMARTer Capture method was highly correlated with the results of the original SMARTer method. The number and accuracy of the detected splicing events were increased by eliminating non-specific genomic DNA amplification by the SMARTer Capture. Compared to the original SMARTer method, the SMARTer Capture provided 4-fold greater detection of alternative splicing events at the same read number, and it took less than 1/100 of read number to detect the same number of splicing events. The percent splicing in index (PSI) of the SMARTer Capture is highly correlated with the PSI of the SMARTer. These results indicate that the SMARTer Capture represents an improvement of the SMARTer method to accurately characterize alternative splicing repertories in targeted genes without biases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Ura
- Center for Clinical Genomics, Kanazawa Medical University Hospital, Ishikawa, Japan.,Division of Genomic Medicine, Department of Advanced Medicine, Medical Research Institute, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Sumihito Togi
- Center for Clinical Genomics, Kanazawa Medical University Hospital, Ishikawa, Japan.,Division of Genomic Medicine, Department of Advanced Medicine, Medical Research Institute, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Yo Niida
- Center for Clinical Genomics, Kanazawa Medical University Hospital, Ishikawa, Japan.,Division of Genomic Medicine, Department of Advanced Medicine, Medical Research Institute, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan
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35
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Chen T, Oh S, Gregory S, Shen X, Diehl AM. Single-cell omics analysis reveals functional diversification of hepatocytes during liver regeneration. JCI Insight 2020. [DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.141024 33208554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
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36
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Chen T, Oh S, Gregory S, Shen X, Diehl AM. Single-cell omics analysis reveals functional diversification of hepatocytes during liver regeneration. JCI Insight 2020; 5:141024. [PMID: 33208554 PMCID: PMC7710279 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.141024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult liver has enormous regenerative capacity; it can regenerate after losing two-thirds of its mass while sustaining essential metabolic functions. How the liver balances dual demands for increased proliferative activity with maintenance of organ function is unknown but essential to prevent liver failure. Using partial hepatectomy (PHx) in mice to model liver regeneration, we integrated single-cell RNA- and ATAC-Seq to map state transitions in approximately 13,000 hepatocytes at single-cell resolution as livers regenerated, and validated key findings with IHC, to uncover how the organ regenerates hepatocytes while simultaneously fulfilling its vital tissue-specific functions. After PHx, hepatocytes rapidly and transiently diversified into multiple distinct populations with distinct functional bifurcation: some retained the chromatin landscapes and transcriptomes of hepatocytes in undamaged adult livers, whereas others transitioned to acquire chromatin landscapes and transcriptomes of fetal hepatocytes. Injury-related signaling pathways known to be critical for regeneration were activated in transitioning hepatocytes, and the most fetal-like hepatocytes exhibited chromatin landscapes that were enriched with transcription factors regulated by those pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi Chen
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Simon Gregory
- Department of Neurology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Xiling Shen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Anna Mae Diehl
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Medicine and
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37
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Wineberg Y, Bar-Lev TH, Futorian A, Ben-Haim N, Armon L, Ickowicz D, Oriel S, Bucris E, Yehuda Y, Pode-Shakked N, Gilad S, Benjamin S, Hohenstein P, Dekel B, Urbach A, Kalisky T. Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Reveals mRNA Splice Isoform Switching during Kidney Development. J Am Soc Nephrol 2020; 31:2278-2291. [PMID: 32651222 PMCID: PMC7609002 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2019080770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During mammalian kidney development, nephron progenitors undergo a mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition and eventually differentiate into the various tubular segments of the nephron. Recently, Drop-seq single-cell RNA sequencing technology for measuring gene expression from thousands of individual cells identified the different cell types in the developing kidney. However, that analysis did not include the additional layer of heterogeneity that alternative mRNA splicing creates. METHODS Full transcript length single-cell RNA sequencing characterized the transcriptomes of 544 individual cells from mouse embryonic kidneys. RESULTS Gene expression levels measured with full transcript length single-cell RNA sequencing identified each cell type. Further analysis comprehensively characterized splice isoform switching during the transition between mesenchymal and epithelial cellular states, which is a key transitional process in kidney development. The study also identified several putative splicing regulators, including the genes Esrp1/2 and Rbfox1/2. CONCLUSIONS Discovery of the sets of genes that are alternatively spliced as the fetal kidney mesenchyme differentiates into tubular epithelium will improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that drive kidney development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yishay Wineberg
- Department of Bioengineering and Bar-Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Tali Hana Bar-Lev
- Department of Bioengineering and Bar-Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Anna Futorian
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Nissim Ben-Haim
- Department of Bioengineering and Bar-Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Leah Armon
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Debby Ickowicz
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Sarit Oriel
- Department of Bioengineering and Bar-Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Efrat Bucris
- Department of Bioengineering and Bar-Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Yishai Yehuda
- Department of Bioengineering and Bar-Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Naomi Pode-Shakked
- Pediatric Stem Cell Research Institute, Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Shlomit Gilad
- The Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Sima Benjamin
- The Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Peter Hohenstein
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Benjamin Dekel
- Pediatric Stem Cell Research Institute, Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Achia Urbach
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Tomer Kalisky
- Department of Bioengineering and Bar-Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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38
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Sciarrillo R, Wojtuszkiewicz A, Assaraf YG, Jansen G, Kaspers GJL, Giovannetti E, Cloos J. The role of alternative splicing in cancer: From oncogenesis to drug resistance. Drug Resist Updat 2020; 53:100728. [PMID: 33070093 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2020.100728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Alternative splicing is a tightly regulated process whereby non-coding sequences of pre-mRNA are removed and protein-coding segments are assembled in diverse combinations, ultimately giving rise to proteins with distinct or even opposing functions. In the past decade, whole genome/transcriptome sequencing studies revealed the high complexity of splicing regulation, which occurs co-transcriptionally and is influenced by chromatin status and mRNA modifications. Consequently, splicing profiles of both healthy and malignant cells display high diversity and alternative splicing was shown to be widely deregulated in multiple cancer types. In particular, mutations in pre-mRNA regulatory sequences, splicing regulators and chromatin modifiers, as well as differential expression of splicing factors are important contributors to cancer pathogenesis. It has become clear that these aberrations contribute to many facets of cancer, including oncogenic transformation, cancer progression, response to anticancer drug treatment as well as resistance to therapy. In this respect, alternative splicing was shown to perturb the expression a broad spectrum of relevant genes involved in drug uptake/metabolism (i.e. SLC29A1, dCK, FPGS, and TP), activation of nuclear receptor pathways (i.e. GR, AR), regulation of apoptosis (i.e. MCL1, BCL-X, and FAS) and modulation of response to immunotherapy (CD19). Furthermore, aberrant splicing constitutes an important source of novel cancer biomarkers and the spliceosome machinery represents an attractive target for a novel and rapidly expanding class of therapeutic agents. Small molecule inhibitors targeting SF3B1 or splice factor kinases were highly cytotoxic against a wide range of cancer models, including drug-resistant cells. Importantly, these effects are enhanced in specific cancer subsets, such as splicing factor-mutated and c-MYC-driven tumors. Furthermore, pre-clinical studies report synergistic effects of spliceosome modulators in combination with conventional antitumor agents. These strategies based on the use of low dose splicing modulators could shift the therapeutic window towards decreased toxicity in healthy tissues. Here we provide an extensive overview of the latest findings in the field of regulation of splicing in cancer, including molecular mechanisms by which cancer cells harness alternative splicing to drive oncogenesis and evade anticancer drug treatment as well as splicing-based vulnerabilities that can provide novel treatment opportunities. Furthermore, we discuss current challenges arising from genome-wide detection and prediction methods of aberrant splicing, as well as unravelling functional relevance of the plethora of cancer-related splicing alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocco Sciarrillo
- Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Pediatric Oncology, Emma's Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Anna Wojtuszkiewicz
- Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Yehuda G Assaraf
- The Fred Wyszkowski Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Gerrit Jansen
- Amsterdam Immunology and Rheumatology Center, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Gertjan J L Kaspers
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Emma's Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Elisa Giovannetti
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, Pisa, Italy
| | - Jacqueline Cloos
- Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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39
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Hu Q, Greene CS, Heller EA. Specific histone modifications associate with alternative exon selection during mammalian development. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:4709-4724. [PMID: 32319526 PMCID: PMC7229819 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) is frequent during early mouse embryonic development. Specific histone post-translational modifications (hPTMs) have been shown to regulate exon splicing by either directly recruiting splice machinery or indirectly modulating transcriptional elongation. In this study, we hypothesized that hPTMs regulate expression of alternatively spliced genes for specific processes during differentiation. To address this notion, we applied an innovative machine learning approach to relate global hPTM enrichment to AS regulation during mammalian tissue development. We found that specific hPTMs, H3K36me3 and H3K4me1, play a role in skipped exon selection among all the tissues and developmental time points examined. In addition, we used iterative random forest model and found that interactions of multiple hPTMs most strongly predicted splicing when they included H3K36me3 and H3K4me1. Collectively, our data demonstrated a link between hPTMs and alternative splicing which will drive further experimental studies on the functional relevance of these modifications to alternative splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiwen Hu
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Casey S Greene
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Heller
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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40
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Lin KT, Krainer AR. PSI-Sigma: a comprehensive splicing-detection method for short-read and long-read RNA-seq analysis. Bioinformatics 2020; 35:5048-5054. [PMID: 31135034 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btz438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Percent Spliced-In (PSI) values are commonly used to report alternative pre-mRNA splicing (AS) changes. Previous PSI-detection tools were limited to specific AS events and were evaluated by in silico RNA-seq data. We developed PSI-Sigma, which uses a new PSI index, and we employed actual (non-simulated) RNA-seq data from spliced synthetic genes (RNA Sequins) to benchmark its performance (i.e. precision, recall, false positive rate and correlation) in comparison with three leading tools (rMATS, SUPPA2 and Whippet). RESULTS PSI-Sigma outperformed these tools, especially in the case of AS events with multiple alternative exons and intron-retention events. We also briefly evaluated its performance in long-read RNA-seq analysis, by sequencing a mixture of human RNAs and RNA Sequins with nanopore long-read sequencers. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION PSI-Sigma is implemented is available at https://github.com/wososa/PSI-Sigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuan-Ting Lin
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
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41
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Lee SE, Alcedo KP, Kim HJ, Snider NT. Alternative Splicing in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020; 10:699-712. [PMID: 32389640 PMCID: PMC7490524 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2020.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for the majority of primary liver cancer cases, with more than 850,000 new diagnoses per year globally. Recent trends in the United States have shown that liver cancer mortality has continued to increase in both men and women, while 5-year survival remains below 20%. Understanding key mechanisms that drive chronic liver disease progression to HCC can reveal new therapeutic targets and biomarkers for early detection of HCC. In that regard, many studies have underscored the importance of alternative splicing as a source of novel HCC prognostic markers and disease targets. Alternative splicing of pre-mRNA provides functional diversity to the genome, and endows cells with the ability to rapidly remodel the proteome. Genes that control fundamental processes, such as metabolism, cell proliferation, and apoptosis, are altered globally in HCC by alternative splicing. This review highlights the major splicing factors, RNA binding proteins, transcriptional targets, and signaling pathways that are of key relevance to HCC. We highlight primary research from the past 3-5 years involving functional interrogation of alternative splicing in rodent and human liver, using both large-scale transcriptomic and focused mechanistic approaches. Because this is a rapidly advancing field, we anticipate that it will be transformative for the future of basic liver biology, as well as HCC diagnosis and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Eun Lee
- Department of Surgery, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea,Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Karel P. Alcedo
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Hong Jin Kim
- Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Natasha T. Snider
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina,Correspondence Address correspondence to: Natasha Snider, PhD, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, 5340C MBRB, 111 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516. fax: (919) 966-6927.
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Dubois V, Gheeraert C, Vankrunkelsven W, Dubois‐Chevalier J, Dehondt H, Bobowski‐Gerard M, Vinod M, Zummo FP, Güiza F, Ploton M, Dorchies E, Pineau L, Boulinguiez A, Vallez E, Woitrain E, Baugé E, Lalloyer F, Duhem C, Rabhi N, van Kesteren RE, Chiang C, Lancel S, Duez H, Annicotte J, Paumelle R, Vanhorebeek I, Van den Berghe G, Staels B, Lefebvre P, Eeckhoute J. Endoplasmic reticulum stress actively suppresses hepatic molecular identity in damaged liver. Mol Syst Biol 2020; 16:e9156. [PMID: 32407006 PMCID: PMC7224309 DOI: 10.15252/msb.20199156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver injury triggers adaptive remodeling of the hepatic transcriptome for repair/regeneration. We demonstrate that this involves particularly profound transcriptomic alterations where acute induction of genes involved in handling of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) is accompanied by partial hepatic dedifferentiation. Importantly, widespread hepatic gene downregulation could not simply be ascribed to cofactor squelching secondary to ERS gene induction, but rather involves a combination of active repressive mechanisms. ERS acts through inhibition of the liver-identity (LIVER-ID) transcription factor (TF) network, initiated by rapid LIVER-ID TF protein loss. In addition, induction of the transcriptional repressor NFIL3 further contributes to LIVER-ID gene repression. Alteration to the liver TF repertoire translates into compromised activity of regulatory regions characterized by the densest co-recruitment of LIVER-ID TFs and decommissioning of BRD4 super-enhancers driving hepatic identity. While transient repression of the hepatic molecular identity is an intrinsic part of liver repair, sustained disequilibrium between the ERS and LIVER-ID transcriptional programs is linked to liver dysfunction as shown using mouse models of acute liver injury and livers from deceased human septic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Dubois
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
- Present address:
Clinical and Experimental EndocrinologyDepartment of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing (CHROMETA)KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Céline Gheeraert
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | - Wouter Vankrunkelsven
- Clinical Division and Laboratory of Intensive Care MedicineDepartment of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | | | - Hélène Dehondt
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | | | - Manjula Vinod
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | | | - Fabian Güiza
- Clinical Division and Laboratory of Intensive Care MedicineDepartment of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Maheul Ploton
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | - Emilie Dorchies
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | - Laurent Pineau
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | - Alexis Boulinguiez
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | - Emmanuelle Vallez
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | - Eloise Woitrain
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | - Eric Baugé
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | - Fanny Lalloyer
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | - Christian Duhem
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | - Nabil Rabhi
- UMR 8199 ‐ EGIDCNRSInstitut Pasteur de LilleUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | - Ronald E van Kesteren
- Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive ResearchNeuroscience Campus AmsterdamVU UniversityAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Cheng‐Ming Chiang
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer CenterDepartments of Biochemistry and PharmacologyUniversity of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasTXUSA
| | - Steve Lancel
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | - Hélène Duez
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | | | - Réjane Paumelle
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | - Ilse Vanhorebeek
- Clinical Division and Laboratory of Intensive Care MedicineDepartment of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Greet Van den Berghe
- Clinical Division and Laboratory of Intensive Care MedicineDepartment of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Bart Staels
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | - Philippe Lefebvre
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
| | - Jérôme Eeckhoute
- Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1011‐EGIDUniversity of LilleLilleFrance
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Wen Y, Chen J, Li J, Arif W, Kalsotra A, Irudayaraj J. Effect of PFOA on DNA Methylation and Alternative Splicing in Mouse Liver. Toxicol Lett 2020; 329:38-46. [PMID: 32320774 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2020.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a persistent organic pollutant prevalent in the environment and implicated in damage to the liver leading to a fatty liver phenotype called hepatocellular steatosis. Our goal is to provide a basis for PFOA-induced hepatocellular steatosis in relation to epigenetic alterations and mRNA splicing. Young adult female mice exposed to different concentrations of PFOA showed an increase in liver weight with decreased global DNA methylation (5-mC). At higher concentrations, the expression of DNA methyltransferase 3A (Dnmt3a) was significantly reduced and the expression of tet methycytosine dioxygenase 1 (Tet1) was significantly increased. There was no significant change in the other Dnmts and Tets. PFOA exposure significantly increased the expression of cell cycle regulators and anti-apoptotic genes. The expression of multiple genes involved in mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) signaling pathway were altered significantly with reduction in Pten (phosphatase and tensin homolog, primary inhibitor of mTOR pathway) expression. Multiple splicing factors whose protein but not mRNA levels affected by PFOA exposure were identified. The changes in protein abundance of the splicing factors was also reflected in altered splicing pattern of their target genes, which provided new insights on the previously unexplored mechanisms of PFOA-mediated hepatotoxicity and pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Wen
- Department of Bioengineering. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA; Biomedical Research Center in Mills Breast Cancer Institute, Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Jackie Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Junya Li
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Waqar Arif
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Auinash Kalsotra
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Carl R. Woese Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Joseph Irudayaraj
- Department of Bioengineering. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA; Biomedical Research Center in Mills Breast Cancer Institute, Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA; Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
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44
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Hyun J, Sun Z, Ahmadi AR, Bangru S, Chembazhi UV, Du K, Chen T, Tsukamoto H, Rusyn I, Kalsotra A, Diehl AM. Epithelial splicing regulatory protein 2-mediated alternative splicing reprograms hepatocytes in severe alcoholic hepatitis. J Clin Invest 2020; 130:2129-2145. [PMID: 31945016 PMCID: PMC7108908 DOI: 10.1172/jci132691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe alcoholic hepatitis (SAH) is a deadly liver disease without an effective medical therapy. Although SAH mortality is known to correlate with hepatic accumulation of immature liver cells, why this occurs and how it causes death are unclear. Here, we demonstrate that expression of epithelial splicing regulatory protein 2 (ESRP2), an RNA-splicing factor that maintains the nonproliferative, mature phenotype of adult hepatocytes, was suppressed in both human SAH and various mouse models of SAH in parallel with the severity of alcohol consumption and liver damage. Inflammatory cytokines released by excessive alcohol ingestion reprogrammed adult hepatocytes into proliferative, fetal-like cells by suppressing ESRP2. Sustained loss of ESRP2 permitted reemergence of a fetal RNA-splicing program that attenuates the Hippo signaling pathway and thus allows fetal transcriptional regulators to accumulate in adult liver. We further showed that depleting ESRP2 in mice exacerbated alcohol-induced steatohepatitis, enabling surviving hepatocytes to shed adult hepatocyte functions and become more regenerative, but threatening overall survival by populating the liver with functionally immature hepatocytes. Our findings revealed a mechanism that explains why liver failure develops in patients with the clinical syndrome of SAH, suggesting that recovery from SAH might be improved by limiting adult-to-fetal reprogramming in hepatocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeongeun Hyun
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Health System, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Regeneration Next, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN) and College of Science and Technology, Dankook University, Cheonan, South Korea
| | - Zhaoli Sun
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ali Reza Ahmadi
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sushant Bangru
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and
- Cancer Center at Illinois, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Ullas V. Chembazhi
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and
| | - Kuo Du
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Health System, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Tianyi Chen
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Hidekazu Tsukamoto
- Southern California Research Center for ALPD and Cirrhosis and Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
- Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Ivan Rusyn
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Auinash Kalsotra
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and
- Cancer Center at Illinois, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Anna Mae Diehl
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Health System, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Misra C, Bangru S, Lin F, Lam K, Koenig SN, Lubbers ER, Hedhli J, Murphy NP, Parker DJ, Dobrucki LW, Cooper TA, Tajkhorshid E, Mohler PJ, Kalsotra A. Aberrant Expression of a Non-muscle RBFOX2 Isoform Triggers Cardiac Conduction Defects in Myotonic Dystrophy. Dev Cell 2020; 52:748-763.e6. [PMID: 32109384 PMCID: PMC7098852 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.01.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multisystemic genetic disorder caused by the CTG repeat expansion in the 3'-untranslated region of DMPK gene. Heart dysfunctions occur in ∼80% of DM1 patients and are the second leading cause of DM1-related deaths. Herein, we report that upregulation of a non-muscle splice isoform of RNA-binding protein RBFOX2 in DM1 heart tissue-due to altered splicing factor and microRNA activities-induces cardiac conduction defects in DM1 individuals. Mice engineered to express the non-muscle RBFOX240 isoform in heart via tetracycline-inducible transgenesis, or CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing, reproduced DM1-related cardiac conduction delay and spontaneous episodes of arrhythmia. Further, by integrating RNA binding with cardiac transcriptome datasets from DM1 patients and mice expressing the non-muscle RBFOX2 isoform, we identified RBFOX240-driven splicing defects in voltage-gated sodium and potassium channels, which alter their electrophysiological properties. Thus, our results uncover a trans-dominant role for an aberrantly expressed RBFOX240 isoform in DM1 cardiac pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaitali Misra
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Sushant Bangru
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Feikai Lin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Kin Lam
- Department of Physics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Centers for Macromolecular Modeling, Bioinformatics and Experimental Molecular Imaging at Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Sara N Koenig
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Ellen R Lubbers
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jamila Hedhli
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Centers for Macromolecular Modeling, Bioinformatics and Experimental Molecular Imaging at Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Nathaniel P Murphy
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Darren J Parker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Lawrence W Dobrucki
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Centers for Macromolecular Modeling, Bioinformatics and Experimental Molecular Imaging at Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Thomas A Cooper
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Department of Physics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Centers for Macromolecular Modeling, Bioinformatics and Experimental Molecular Imaging at Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Peter J Mohler
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Auinash Kalsotra
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
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RNA-Seq transcriptome profiling in three liver regeneration models in rats: comparative analysis of partial hepatectomy, ALLPS, and PVL. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5213. [PMID: 32251301 PMCID: PMC7089998 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61826-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The liver is a unique organ that has a phenomenal capacity to regenerate after injury. Different surgical procedures, including partial hepatectomy (PH), intraoperative portal vein ligation (PVL), and associated liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) show clinically distinct recovery patterns and regeneration. The observable clinical differences likely mirror some underlying variations in the patterns of gene activation and regeneration pathways. In this study, we provided a comprehensive comparative transcriptomic analysis of gene regulation in regenerating rat livers temporally spaced at 24 h and 96 h after PH, PVL, and ALPPS. The time-dependent factors appear to be the most important determinant of post-injury alterations of gene expression in liver regeneration. Gene expression profile after ALPPS showed more similar expression pattern to the PH than the PVL at the early phase of the regeneration. Early transcriptomic changes and predicted upstream regulators that were found in all three procedures included cell cycle associated genes (E2F1, CCND1, FOXM1, TP53, and RB1), transcription factors (Myc, E2F1, TBX2, FOXM1), DNA replication regulators (CDKN1A, EZH2, RRM2), G1/S-transition regulators (CCNB1, CCND1, RABL6), cytokines and growth factors (CSF2, IL-6, TNF, HGF, VEGF, and EGF), ATM and p53 signaling pathways. The functional pathway, upstream, and network analyses revealed both unique and overlapping molecular mechanisms and pathways for each surgical procedure. Identification of molecular signatures and regenerative signaling pathways for each surgical procedure further our understanding of key regulators of liver regeneration as well as patient populations that are likely to benefit from each procedure.
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Fujita KI, Ishizuka T, Mitsukawa M, Kurata M, Masuda S. Regulating Divergent Transcriptomes through mRNA Splicing and Its Modulation Using Various Small Compounds. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21062026. [PMID: 32188117 PMCID: PMC7139312 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21062026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Human transcriptomes are more divergent than genes and contribute to the sophistication of life. This divergence is derived from various isoforms arising from alternative splicing. In addition, alternative splicing regulated by spliceosomal factors and RNA structures, such as the RNA G-quadruplex, is important not only for isoform diversity but also for regulating gene expression. Therefore, abnormal splicing leads to serious diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. In the first part of this review, we describe the regulation of divergent transcriptomes using alternative mRNA splicing. In the second part, we present the relationship between the disruption of splicing and diseases. Recently, various compounds with splicing inhibitor activity were established. These splicing inhibitors are recognized as a biological tool to investigate the molecular mechanism of splicing and as a potential therapeutic agent for cancer treatment. Food-derived compounds with similar functions were found and are expected to exhibit anticancer effects. In the final part, we describe the compounds that modulate the messenger RNA (mRNA) splicing process and their availability for basic research and future clinical potential.
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48
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Abstract
High-throughput sequencing-based methods and their applications in the study of transcriptomes have revolutionized our understanding of alternative splicing. Networks of functionally coordinated and biologically important alternative splicing events continue to be discovered in an ever-increasing diversity of cell types in the context of physiologically normal and disease states. These studies have been complemented by efforts directed at defining sequence codes governing splicing and their cognate trans-acting factors, which have illuminated important combinatorial principles of regulation. Additional studies have revealed critical roles of position-dependent, multivalent protein-RNA interactions that direct splicing outcomes. Investigations of evolutionary changes in RNA binding proteins, splice variants, and associated cis elements have further shed light on the emergence, mechanisms, and functions of splicing networks. Progress in these areas has emphasized the need for a coordinated, community-based effort to systematically address the functions of individual splice variants associated with normal and disease biology.
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49
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Bangru S, Kalsotra A. Cellular and molecular basis of liver regeneration. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2020; 100:74-87. [PMID: 31980376 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2019.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in genetics and genomics have reinvigorated the field of liver regeneration. It is now possible to combine lineage-tracing with genome-wide studies to genetically mark individual liver cells and their progenies and detect precise changes in their genome, transcriptome, and proteome under normal versus regenerative settings. The recent use of single-cell RNA sequencing methodologies in model organisms has, in some ways, transformed our understanding of the cellular and molecular biology of liver regeneration. Here, we review the latest strides in our knowledge of general principles that coordinate regeneration of the liver and reflect on some conflicting evidence and controversies surrounding this topic. We consider the prominent mechanisms that stimulate homeostasis-related vis-à-vis injury-driven regenerative responses, highlight the likely cellular sources/depots that reconstitute the liver following various injuries and discuss the extrinsic and intrinsic signals that direct liver cells to proliferate, de-differentiate, or trans-differentiate while the tissue recovers from acute or chronic damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushant Bangru
- Departments of Biochemistry and Pathology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA; Cancer Center@ Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Auinash Kalsotra
- Departments of Biochemistry and Pathology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA; Cancer Center@ Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA; Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA.
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50
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Famulari ES, Navarro-Tableros V, Herrera Sanchez MB, Bortolussi G, Gai M, Conti L, Silengo L, Tolosano E, Tetta C, Muro AF, Camussi G, Fagoonee S, Altruda F. Human liver stem cells express UGT1A1 and improve phenotype of immunocompromised Crigler Najjar syndrome type I mice. Sci Rep 2020; 10:887. [PMID: 31965023 PMCID: PMC6972964 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-57820-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Crigler Najjar Syndrome type I (CNSI) is a rare recessive disorder caused by mutations in the Ugt1a1 gene. There is no permanent cure except for liver transplantation, and current therapies present several shortcomings. Since stem cell-based therapy offers a promising alternative for the treatment of this disorder, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of human liver stem cells (HLSC) in immune-compromised NOD SCID Gamma (NSG)/Ugt1−/− mice, which closely mimic the pathological manifestations in CNSI patients. To assess whether HLSC expressed UGT1A1, decellularised mouse liver scaffolds were repopulated with these cells. After 15 days’ culture ex vivo, HLSC differentiated into hepatocyte-like cells showing UGT1A1 expression and activity. For the in vivo human cell engraftment and recovery experiments, DiI-labelled HLSC were injected into the liver of 5 days old NSG/Ugt1−/− pups which were analysed at postnatal Day 21. HLSC expressed UGT1A1 in vivo, induced a strong decrease in serum unconjugated bilirubin, thus significantly improving phenotype and survival compared to untreated controls. A striking recovery from brain damage was also observed in HLSC-injected mutant mice versus controls. Our proof-of-concept study shows that HLSC express UGT1A1 in vivo and improve the phenotype and survival of NSG/Ugt1−/− mice, and show promises for the treatment of CNSI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvira Smeralda Famulari
- Molecular Biotechnology Center, Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Victor Navarro-Tableros
- 2i3T - Società per la gestione dell'incubatore di imprese e per il trasferimento tecnologico dell'Università degli studi di Torino, Scarl and Molecular Biotechnology Center, Turin, Italy
| | - Maria Beatriz Herrera Sanchez
- 2i3T - Società per la gestione dell'incubatore di imprese e per il trasferimento tecnologico dell'Università degli studi di Torino, Scarl and Molecular Biotechnology Center, Turin, Italy
| | - Giulia Bortolussi
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Trieste, Italy
| | - Marta Gai
- Molecular Biotechnology Center, Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Laura Conti
- Molecular Biotechnology Center, Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Silengo
- Molecular Biotechnology Center, Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, CNR c/o Molecular Biotechnology Center, Turin, Italy
| | - Emanuela Tolosano
- Molecular Biotechnology Center, Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Andrés Fernando Muro
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Trieste, Italy
| | - Giovanni Camussi
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Sharmila Fagoonee
- Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, CNR c/o Molecular Biotechnology Center, Turin, Italy.
| | - Fiorella Altruda
- Molecular Biotechnology Center, Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy. .,Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, CNR c/o Molecular Biotechnology Center, Turin, Italy.
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