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Watson A, Harris RA, Engevik AC, Oezguen N, Nicholson MR, Dooley S, Stubler R, Satter LF, Karam LB, Kellermayer R. MYO5B and the Polygenic Landscape of Very Early-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease in an Ethnically Diverse Population. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2024:izae169. [PMID: 39096520 DOI: 10.1093/ibd/izae169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic discovery in very early-onset inflammatory bowel disease (VEO-IBD) can elucidate not only the origins of VEO-IBD, but also later-onset inflammatory bowel disease. We aimed to investigate the polygenic origins of VEO-IBD in a cohort with a high proportion of Hispanic patients. METHODS Patients with VEO-IBD who underwent whole exome sequencing at our center were included. Genes were categorized as genes of interest (GOIs) (129 genes previously described to be associated with VEO-IBD) or non-GOIs. VEO-IBD "susceptibility" single nucleotide variants (SNVs) were identified through enrichment compared with gnomAD (Genome Aggregation Database) and ALFA (Allele Frequency Aggregator) and were scored by Combined Annotation Dependent Depletion for deleteriousness. Gene networks carrying susceptibility SNVs were created. Myosin 5b immunofluorescence was also studied. RESULTS Fifty-six patients met inclusion criteria, and 32.1% identified as Hispanic. Monogenic disease was infrequent (8.9%). Significant enrichment of GOI susceptibility SNVs was observed, notably in MYO5B, especially in Hispanics. MEFV, TNFAIP3, SH3TC2, and NCF2 were also central participants in the GOI networks. Myosin 5b immunofluorescence in colonic mucosa was significantly reduced in those with MYO5B susceptibility SNVs compared with control subjects. Seven genes (ESRRA, HLA-DQ1, RETSAT, PABPC1, PARP4, CCDC102A, and SUSD2) were central participants in the non-GOI networks. CONCLUSIONS Our results support the polygenic nature of VEO-IBD, in which key participants, like MYO5B, were identified through network analytics. Rare variant load within susceptibility genes may be relevant not only for the genetic origins of inflammatory bowel disease, but also for the age of disease onset. Our findings could guide future work in precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashleigh Watson
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - R Alan Harris
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Amy C Engevik
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Numan Oezguen
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Texas Children's Microbiome Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Maribeth R Nicholson
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Sarah Dooley
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Rachel Stubler
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Lisa Forbes Satter
- Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Lina B Karam
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Richard Kellermayer
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Children's Nutrition and Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Houston, TX, USA
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2
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Leask MP, Crișan TO, Ji A, Matsuo H, Köttgen A, Merriman TR. The pathogenesis of gout: molecular insights from genetic, epigenomic and transcriptomic studies. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2024; 20:510-523. [PMID: 38992217 DOI: 10.1038/s41584-024-01137-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
The pathogenesis of gout involves a series of steps beginning with hyperuricaemia, followed by the deposition of monosodium urate crystal in articular structures and culminating in an innate immune response, mediated by the NLRP3 inflammasome, to the deposited crystals. Large genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of serum urate levels initially identified the genetic variants with the strongest effects, mapping mainly to genes that encode urate transporters in the kidney and gut. Other GWAS highlighted the importance of uncommon genetic variants. More recently, genetic and epigenetic genome-wide studies have revealed new pathways in the inflammatory process of gout, including genetic associations with epigenomic modifiers. Epigenome-wide association studies are also implicating epigenomic remodelling in gout, which perhaps regulates the responsiveness of the innate immune system to monosodium urate crystals. Notably, genes implicated in gout GWAS do not include those encoding components of the NLRP3 inflammasome itself, but instead include genes encoding molecules involved in its regulation. Knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying gout has advanced through the translation of genetic associations into specific molecular mechanisms. Notable examples include ABCG2, HNF4A, PDZK1, MAF and IL37. Current genetic studies are dominated by participants of European ancestry; however, studies focusing on other population groups are discovering informative population-specific variants associated with gout.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan P Leask
- Department of Physiology, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Tania O Crișan
- Department of Medical Genetics, "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Aichang Ji
- Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Hirotaka Matsuo
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Bio-Nano Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan
| | - Anna Köttgen
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tony R Merriman
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand.
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3
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Rivet-Noor CR, Merchak AR, Render C, Gay NM, Beiter RM, Brown RM, Keeler A, Moreau GB, Li S, Olgun DG, Steigmeyer AD, Ofer R, Phan T, Vemuri K, Chen L, Mahoney KE, Shin JB, Malaker SA, Deppmann C, Verzi MP, Gaultier A. Stress-induced mucin 13 reductions drive intestinal microbiome shifts and despair behaviors. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:665-680. [PMID: 38579936 PMCID: PMC11187485 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Depression is a prevalent psychological condition with limited treatment options. While its etiology is multifactorial, both chronic stress and changes in microbiome composition are associated with disease pathology. Stress is known to induce microbiome dysbiosis, defined here as a change in microbial composition associated with a pathological condition. This state of dysbiosis is known to feedback on depressive symptoms. While studies have demonstrated that targeted restoration of the microbiome can alleviate depressive-like symptoms in mice, translating these findings to human patients has proven challenging due to the complexity of the human microbiome. As such, there is an urgent need to identify factors upstream of microbial dysbiosis. Here we investigate the role of mucin 13 as an upstream mediator of microbiome composition changes in the context of stress. Using a model of chronic stress, we show that the glycocalyx protein, mucin 13, is selectively reduced after psychological stress exposure. We further demonstrate that the reduction of Muc13 is mediated by the Hnf4 transcription factor family. Finally, we determine that deleting Muc13 is sufficient to drive microbiome shifts and despair behaviors. These findings shed light on the mechanisms behind stress-induced microbial changes and reveal a novel regulator of mucin 13 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney R Rivet-Noor
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Andrea R Merchak
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Caroline Render
- Undergraduate Department of Global Studies, University of Virginia College of Arts and Sciences, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Naudia M Gay
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Rebecca M Beiter
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Ryan M Brown
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Austin Keeler
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia College of Arts and Sciences, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - G Brett Moreau
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Sihan Li
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Deniz G Olgun
- Undergraduate Department of Computer Science, University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA; Undergraduate Department of Neuroscience Studies, University of Virginia College of Arts and Sciences, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | | | - Rachel Ofer
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Center for Lipid Research, Division of Environmental & Population Health Biosciences, EOHSI, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Tobey Phan
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Kiranmayi Vemuri
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Center for Lipid Research, Division of Environmental & Population Health Biosciences, EOHSI, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Lei Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Keira E Mahoney
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Jung-Bum Shin
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Stacy A Malaker
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Chris Deppmann
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia College of Arts and Sciences, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Michael P Verzi
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Center for Lipid Research, Division of Environmental & Population Health Biosciences, EOHSI, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Alban Gaultier
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
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4
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Ledru N, Wilson PC, Muto Y, Yoshimura Y, Wu H, Li D, Asthana A, Tullius SG, Waikar SS, Orlando G, Humphreys BD. Predicting proximal tubule failed repair drivers through regularized regression analysis of single cell multiomic sequencing. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1291. [PMID: 38347009 PMCID: PMC10861555 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45706-0] [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: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Renal proximal tubule epithelial cells have considerable intrinsic repair capacity following injury. However, a fraction of injured proximal tubule cells fails to undergo normal repair and assumes a proinflammatory and profibrotic phenotype that may promote fibrosis and chronic kidney disease. The healthy to failed repair change is marked by cell state-specific transcriptomic and epigenomic changes. Single nucleus joint RNA- and ATAC-seq sequencing offers an opportunity to study the gene regulatory networks underpinning these changes in order to identify key regulatory drivers. We develop a regularized regression approach to construct genome-wide parametric gene regulatory networks using multiomic datasets. We generate a single nucleus multiomic dataset from seven adult human kidney samples and apply our method to study drivers of a failed injury response associated with kidney disease. We demonstrate that our approach is a highly effective tool for predicting key cis- and trans-regulatory elements underpinning the healthy to failed repair transition and use it to identify NFAT5 as a driver of the maladaptive proximal tubule state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Ledru
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Parker C Wilson
- Division of Anatomic and Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yoshiharu Muto
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yasuhiro Yoshimura
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Haojia Wu
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Dian Li
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Amish Asthana
- Department of Surgery, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center; Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Stefan G Tullius
- Division of Transplant Surgery and Transplant Surgery Research Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sushrut S Waikar
- Section of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Giuseppe Orlando
- Department of Surgery, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center; Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Benjamin D Humphreys
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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5
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Thakur A, Park K, Cullum R, Fuglerud BM, Khoshnoodi M, Drissler S, Stephan TL, Lotto J, Kim D, Gonzalez FJ, Hoodless PA. HNF4A guides the MLL4 complex to establish and maintain H3K4me1 at gene regulatory elements. Commun Biol 2024; 7:144. [PMID: 38297077 PMCID: PMC10830483 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05835-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4A (HNF4A/NR2a1), a transcriptional regulator of hepatocyte identity, controls genes that are crucial for liver functions, primarily through binding to enhancers. In mammalian cells, active and primed enhancers are marked by monomethylation of histone 3 (H3) at lysine 4 (K4) (H3K4me1) in a cell type-specific manner. How this modification is established and maintained at enhancers in connection with transcription factors (TFs) remains unknown. Using analysis of genome-wide histone modifications, TF binding, chromatin accessibility and gene expression, we show that HNF4A is essential for an active chromatin state. Using HNF4A loss and gain of function experiments in vivo and in cell lines in vitro, we show that HNF4A affects H3K4me1, H3K27ac and chromatin accessibility, highlighting its contribution to the establishment and maintenance of a transcriptionally permissive epigenetic state. Mechanistically, HNF4A interacts with the mixed-lineage leukaemia 4 (MLL4) complex facilitating recruitment to HNF4A-bound regions. Our findings indicate that HNF4A enriches H3K4me1, H3K27ac and establishes chromatin opening at transcriptional regulatory regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avinash Thakur
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer, Vancouver, V5Z 1L3, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Kwangjin Park
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer, Vancouver, V5Z 1L3, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Rebecca Cullum
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer, Vancouver, V5Z 1L3, Canada
| | - Bettina M Fuglerud
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer, Vancouver, V5Z 1L3, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | | | - Sibyl Drissler
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer, Vancouver, V5Z 1L3, Canada
- Cell and Developmental Biology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Tabea L Stephan
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer, Vancouver, V5Z 1L3, Canada
- Cell and Developmental Biology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Jeremy Lotto
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer, Vancouver, V5Z 1L3, Canada
- Cell and Developmental Biology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Donghwan Kim
- Center of Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, 2089, USA
| | - Frank J Gonzalez
- Center of Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, 2089, USA
| | - Pamela A Hoodless
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer, Vancouver, V5Z 1L3, Canada.
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
- Cell and Developmental Biology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
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6
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Onodera T, Kim DS, Ye R, Wang MY, Chen S, Field BC, Straub L, Sun XN, Li C, Lee C, Paredes M, Crewe C, Zhao S, Kusminski CM, Gordillo R, Scherer PE. Protective roles of adiponectin and molecular signatures of HNF4α and PPARα as downstream targets of adiponectin in pancreatic β cells. Mol Metab 2023; 78:101821. [PMID: 37806486 PMCID: PMC10598053 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The disease progression of the metabolic syndrome is associated with prolonged hyperlipidemia and insulin resistance, eventually giving rise to impaired insulin secretion, often concomitant with hypoadiponectinemia. As an adipose tissue derived hormone, adiponectin is beneficial for insulin secretion and β cell health and differentiation. However, the down-stream pathway of adiponectin in the pancreatic islets has not been studied extensively. Here, along with the overall reduction of endocrine pancreatic function in islets from adiponectin KO mice, we examine PPARα and HNF4α as additional down-regulated transcription factors during a prolonged metabolic challenge. To elucidate the function of β cell-specific PPARα and HNF4α expression, we developed doxycycline inducible pancreatic β cell-specific PPARα (β-PPARα) and HNF4α (β-HNF4α) overexpression mice. β-PPARα mice exhibited improved protection from lipotoxicity, but elevated β-oxidative damage in the islets, and also displayed lowered phospholipid levels and impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. β-HNF4α mice showed a more severe phenotype when compared to β-PPARα mice, characterized by lower body weight, small islet mass and impaired insulin secretion. RNA-sequencing of the islets of these models highlights overlapping yet unique roles of β-PPARα and β-HNF4α. Given that β-HNF4α potently induces PPARα expression, we define a novel adiponectin-HNF4α-PPARα cascade. We further analyzed downstream genes consistently regulated by this axis. Among them, the islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) gene is an important target and accumulates in adiponectin KO mice. We propose a new mechanism of IAPP aggregation in type 2 diabetes through reduced adiponectin action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiharu Onodera
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Dae-Seok Kim
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Risheng Ye
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - May-Yun Wang
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Shiuhwei Chen
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Bianca C Field
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Leon Straub
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Xue-Nan Sun
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Chao Li
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Charlotte Lee
- Center for Hypothalamic Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Megan Paredes
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Clair Crewe
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Shangang Zhao
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Christine M Kusminski
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Ruth Gordillo
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Philipp E Scherer
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States.
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Yoshimura Y, Muto Y, Omachi K, Miner JH, Humphreys BD. Elucidating the Proximal Tubule HNF4A Gene Regulatory Network in Human Kidney Organoids. J Am Soc Nephrol 2023; 34:1672-1686. [PMID: 37488681 PMCID: PMC10561821 DOI: 10.1681/asn.0000000000000197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT HNF4 genes promote proximal tubule differentiation in mice, but their function in human nephrogenesis is not fully defined. This study uses human pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived kidney organoids as a model to investigate HNF4A and HNF4G functions. The loss of HNF4A , but not HNF4G , impaired reabsorption-related molecule expression and microvilli formation in human proximal tubules. Cleavage under targets and release using nuclease (CUT&RUN) sequencing and CRISPR-mediated transcriptional activation (CRISPRa) further confirm that HNF4A directly regulates its target genes. Human kidney organoids provide a good model for studying transcriptional regulation in human kidney development. BACKGROUND The proximal tubule plays a major role in electrolyte homeostasis. Previous studies have shown that HNF4A regulates reabsorption-related genes and promotes proximal tubule differentiation during murine kidney development. However, the functions and gene regulatory mechanisms of HNF4 family genes in human nephrogenesis have not yet been investigated. METHODS We generated HNF4A -knock out (KO), HNF4G -KO, and HNF4A/4G -double KO human pluripotent stem cell lines, differentiated each into kidney organoids, and used immunofluorescence analysis, electron microscopy, and RNA-seq to analyze them. We probed HNF4A-binding sites genome-wide by cleavage under targets and release using nuclease sequencing in both human adult kidneys and kidney organoid-derived proximal tubular cells. Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-mediated transcriptional activation validated HNF4A and HNF4G function in proximal tubules during kidney organoid differentiation. RESULTS Organoids lacking HNF4A , but not HNF4G , showed reduced expression of transport-related, endocytosis-related, and brush border-related genes, as well as disorganized brush border structure in the apical lumen of the organoid proximal tubule. Cleavage under targets and release using nuclease revealed that HNF4A primarily bound promoters and enhancers of genes that were downregulated in HNF4A -KO, suggesting direct regulation. Induced expression of HNF4A or HNF4G by CRISPR-mediated transcriptional activation drove increased expression of selected target genes during kidney organoid differentiation. CONCLUSIONS This study reveals regulatory mechanisms of HNF4A and HNF4G during human proximal tubule differentiation. The experimental strategy can be applied more broadly to investigate transcriptional regulation in human kidney development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiro Yoshimura
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Yoshiharu Muto
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Kohei Omachi
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Jeffrey H. Miner
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Benjamin D. Humphreys
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
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8
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Cloutier G, Seltana A, Fallah S, Beaulieu JF. Integrin α7β1 represses intestinal absorptive cell differentiation. Exp Cell Res 2023; 430:113723. [PMID: 37499931 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2023.113723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Intestinal epithelial cell differentiation is a highly controlled and orderly process occurring in the crypt so that cells migrating out to cover the villi are already fully functional. Absorptive cell precursors, which originate from the stem cell population located in the lower third of the crypt, are subject to several cycles of amplification in the transit amplifying (TA) zone, before reaching the terminal differentiation compartment located in the upper third. There is a large body of evidence that absorptive cell differentiation is halted in the TA zone through various epigenetic, transcriptional and intracellular signalling events or mechanisms allowing the transient expansion of this cell population but how these mechanisms are themself regulated remains obscure. One clue can be found in the epithelial cell-matrix microenvironment located all along the crypt-villus axis. Indeed, a previous study from our group revealed that α5-subunit containing laminins such as lamimin-511 and 512 inhibit early stages of differentiation in Caco-2/15 cells. Among potential receptors for laminin 511/512 is the integrin α7β1, which has previously been reported to be expressed in the human intestinal crypts and in early stages of Caco-2/15 cell differentiation. In this study, the effects of knocking down ITGA7 in Caco-2/15 cells were studied using shRNA and CRISPR/Cas9 strategies. Abolition of the α7 integrin subunit resulted in a significant increase in the level of differentiation and polarization markers as well as the morphological features of intestinal cells. Activities of focal adhesion kinase and Src kinase were both reduced in α7-knockdown cells while the three major intestinal pro-differentiation factors CDX2, HNFα1 and HNF4α were overexpressed. Two epigenetic events associated with intestinal differentiation, the reduction of tri-methylated lysine 27 on histone H3 and the increase of acetylation of histone H4 were also observed in α7-knockdown cells. On the other hand, the ablation of α7 had no effect on cell proliferation. In conclusion, these data indicate that integrin α7β1 acts as a major repressor of absorptive cell terminal differentiation in the Caco-2/15 cell model and suggest that the laminin-α7β1 integrin interaction occurring in the transit amplifying zone of the adult intestine is involved in the transient halting of absorptive cell terminal differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Cloutier
- Laboratory of Intestinal Physiopathology, Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Amira Seltana
- Laboratory of Intestinal Physiopathology, Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Sepideh Fallah
- Laboratory of Intestinal Physiopathology, Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Jean-François Beaulieu
- Laboratory of Intestinal Physiopathology, Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1H 5N4, Canada.
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9
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Kelly C, Jawahar J, Davey L, Everitt JI, Galanko JA, Anderson C, Avendano JE, McCann JR, Sartor RB, Valdivia RH, Rawls JF. Spontaneous episodic inflammation in the intestines of mice lacking HNF4A is driven by microbiota and associated with early life microbiota alterations. mBio 2023; 14:e0150423. [PMID: 37526424 PMCID: PMC10470520 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01504-23] [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: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) occur in genetically susceptible individuals who mount inappropriate immune responses to their microbiota leading to chronic intestinal inflammation. Whereas IBD clinical presentation is well described, how interactions between microbiota and host genotype impact early subclinical stages of the disease remains unclear. The transcription factor hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4A) has been associated with human IBD, and deletion of Hnf4a in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) in mice (Hnf4aΔIEC) leads to spontaneous colonic inflammation by 6-12 mo of age. Here, we tested if pathology in Hnf4aΔIEC mice begins earlier in life and if microbiota contribute to that process. Longitudinal analysis revealed that Hnf4aΔIEC mice reared in specific pathogen-free (SPF) conditions develop episodic elevated fecal lipocalin 2 (Lcn2) and loose stools beginning by 4-5 wk of age. Lifetime cumulative Lcn2 levels correlated with histopathological features of colitis at 12 mo. Antibiotic and gnotobiotic tests showed that these phenotypes in Hnf4aΔIEC mice were dependent on microbiota. Fecal 16S rRNA gene sequencing in SPF Hnf4aΔIEC and control mice disclosed that genotype significantly contributed to differences in microbiota composition by 12 mo, and longitudinal analysis of the Hnf4aΔIEC mice with the highest lifetime cumulative Lcn2 revealed that microbial community differences emerged early in life when elevated fecal Lcn2 was first detected. These microbiota differences included enrichment of a novel phylogroup of Akkermansia muciniphila in Hnf4aΔIEC mice. We conclude that HNF4A functions in IEC to shape composition of the gut microbiota and protect against episodic inflammation induced by microbiota throughout the lifespan. IMPORTANCE The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), characterized by chronic inflammation of the intestine, affect millions of people around the world. Although significant advances have been made in the clinical management of IBD, the early subclinical stages of IBD are not well defined and are difficult to study in humans. This work explores the subclinical stages of disease in mice lacking the IBD-associated transcription factor HNF4A in the intestinal epithelium. Whereas these mice do not develop overt disease until late in adulthood, we find that they display episodic intestinal inflammation, loose stools, and microbiota changes beginning in very early life stages. Using germ-free and antibiotic-treatment experiments, we reveal that intestinal inflammation in these mice was dependent on the presence of microbiota. These results suggest that interactions between host genotype and microbiota can drive early subclinical pathologies that precede the overt onset of IBD and describe a mouse model to explore those important processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecelia Kelly
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jayanth Jawahar
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lauren Davey
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Immunology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jeffrey I. Everitt
- Department of Pathology, Research Animal Pathology Core, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Joseph A. Galanko
- Department of Medicine, Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Chelsea Anderson
- Department of Medicine, Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jonathan E. Avendano
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jessica R. McCann
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - R. Balfour Sartor
- Department of Medicine, Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Raphael H. Valdivia
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Immunology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - John F. Rawls
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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10
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Vemuri K, Radi SH, Sladek FM, Verzi MP. Multiple roles and regulatory mechanisms of the transcription factor HNF4 in the intestine. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1232569. [PMID: 37635981 PMCID: PMC10450339 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1232569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4-alpha (HNF4α) drives a complex array of transcriptional programs across multiple organs. Beyond its previously documented function in the liver, HNF4α has crucial roles in the kidney, intestine, and pancreas. In the intestine, a multitude of functions have been attributed to HNF4 and its accessory transcription factors, including but not limited to, intestinal maturation, differentiation, regeneration, and stem cell renewal. Functional redundancy between HNF4α and its intestine-restricted paralog HNF4γ, and co-regulation with other transcription factors drive these functions. Dysregulated expression of HNF4 results in a wide range of disease manifestations, including the development of a chronic inflammatory state in the intestine. In this review, we focus on the multiple molecular mechanisms of HNF4 in the intestine and explore translational opportunities. We aim to introduce new perspectives in understanding intestinal genetics and the complexity of gastrointestinal disorders through the lens of HNF4 transcription factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiranmayi Vemuri
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States
- Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Sarah H. Radi
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Frances M. Sladek
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Michael P. Verzi
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States
- Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
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11
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Zhu P, Wu K, Zhang C, Batool SS, Li A, Yu Z, Huang J. Advances in new target molecules against schistosomiasis: A comprehensive discussion of physiological structure and nutrient intake. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011498. [PMID: 37498810 PMCID: PMC10374103 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis, a severe parasitic disease, is primarily caused by Schistosoma mansoni, Schistosoma japonicum, or Schistosoma haematobium. Currently, praziquantel is the only recommended drug for human schistosome infection. However, the lack of efficacy of praziquantel against juvenile worms and concerns about the emergence of drug resistance are driving forces behind the research for an alternative medication. Schistosomes are obligatory parasites that survive on nutrients obtained from their host. The ability of nutrient uptake depends on their physiological structure. In short, the formation and maintenance of the structure and nutrient supply are mutually reinforcing and interdependent. In this review, we focus on the structural features of the tegument, esophagus, and intestine of schistosomes and their roles in nutrient acquisition. Moreover, we introduce the significance and modes of glucose, lipids, proteins, and amino acids intake in schistosomes. We linked the schistosome structure and nutrient supply, introduced the currently emerging targets, and analyzed the current bottlenecks in the research and development of drugs and vaccines, in the hope of providing new strategies for the prevention and control of schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhu
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Kaijuan Wu
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Chaobin Zhang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Syeda Sundas Batool
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Anqiao Li
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zheng Yu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha, China
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12
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Beinsteiner B, Billas IML, Moras D. Structural insights into the HNF4 biology. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1197063. [PMID: 37404310 PMCID: PMC10315846 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1197063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 (HNF4) is a transcription factor (TF) belonging to the nuclear receptor (NR) family that is expressed in liver, kidney, intestine and pancreas. It is a master regulator of liver-specific gene expression, in particular those genes involved in lipid transport and glucose metabolism and is crucial for the cellular differentiation during development. Dysregulation of HNF4 is linked to human diseases, such as type I diabetes (MODY1) and hemophilia. Here, we review the structures of the isolated HNF4 DNA binding domain (DBD) and ligand binding domain (LBD) and that of the multidomain receptor and compare them with the structures of other NRs. We will further discuss the biology of the HNF4α receptors from a structural perspective, in particular the effect of pathological mutations and of functionally critical post-translational modifications on the structure-function of the receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brice Beinsteiner
- Laboratory IGBMC (Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology), Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg (Unistra), Strasbourg, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1258, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 7104, Illkirch, France
| | - Isabelle M. L. Billas
- Laboratory IGBMC (Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology), Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg (Unistra), Strasbourg, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1258, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 7104, Illkirch, France
| | - Dino Moras
- Laboratory IGBMC (Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology), Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg (Unistra), Strasbourg, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1258, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 7104, Illkirch, France
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13
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A Kaleidoscope of Keratin Gene Expression and the Mosaic of Its Regulatory Mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065603. [PMID: 36982676 PMCID: PMC10052683 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Keratins are a family of intermediate filament-forming proteins highly specific to epithelial cells. A combination of expressed keratin genes is a defining property of the epithelium belonging to a certain type, organ/tissue, cell differentiation potential, and at normal or pathological conditions. In a variety of processes such as differentiation and maturation, as well as during acute or chronic injury and malignant transformation, keratin expression undergoes switching: an initial keratin profile changes accordingly to changed cell functions and location within a tissue as well as other parameters of cellular phenotype and physiology. Tight control of keratin expression implies the presence of complex regulatory landscapes within the keratin gene loci. Here, we highlight patterns of keratin expression in different biological conditions and summarize disparate data on mechanisms controlling keratin expression at the level of genomic regulatory elements, transcription factors (TFs), and chromatin spatial structure.
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14
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Bara AM, Chen L, Ma C, Underwood J, Moreci RS, Sumigray K, Sun T, Diao Y, Verzi M, Lechler T. Maf family transcription factors are required for nutrient uptake in the mouse neonatal gut. Development 2022; 149:285915. [PMID: 36504079 PMCID: PMC10112929 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
There are fundamental differences in how neonatal and adult intestines absorb nutrients. In adults, macromolecules are broken down into simpler molecular components in the lumen of the small intestine, then absorbed. In contrast, neonates are thought to rely on internalization of whole macromolecules and subsequent degradation in the lysosome. Here, we identify the Maf family transcription factors MAFB and c-MAF as markers of terminally differentiated intestinal enterocytes throughout life. The expression of these factors is regulated by HNF4α and HNF4γ, master regulators of enterocyte cell fate. Loss of Maf factors results in a neonatal-specific failure to thrive and loss of macromolecular nutrient uptake. RNA-Seq and CUT&RUN analyses defined an endo-lysosomal program as being downstream of these transcription factors. We demonstrate major transcriptional changes in metabolic pathways, including fatty acid oxidation and increases in peroxisome number, in response to loss of Maf proteins. Finally, we show that loss of BLIMP1, a repressor of adult enterocyte genes, shows highly overlapping changes in gene expression and similar defects in macromolecular uptake. This work defines transcriptional regulators that are necessary for nutrient uptake in neonatal enterocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne M Bara
- Department of Dermatology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Celina Ma
- Department of Dermatology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Julie Underwood
- Department of Dermatology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Rebecca S Moreci
- Department of Dermatology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Kaelyn Sumigray
- Department of Dermatology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Tongyu Sun
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Yarui Diao
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Michael Verzi
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Terry Lechler
- Department of Dermatology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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15
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Heppert JK, Lickwar CR, Tillman MC, Davis BR, Davison JM, Lu HY, Chen W, Busch-Nentwich EM, Corcoran DL, Rawls JF. Conserved roles for Hnf4 family transcription factors in zebrafish development and intestinal function. Genetics 2022; 222:iyac133. [PMID: 36218393 PMCID: PMC9713462 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription factors play important roles in the development of the intestinal epithelium and its ability to respond to endocrine, nutritional, and microbial signals. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 family nuclear receptors are liganded transcription factors that are critical for the development and function of multiple digestive organs in vertebrates, including the intestinal epithelium. Zebrafish have 3 hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 homologs, of which, hnf4a was previously shown to mediate intestinal responses to microbiota in zebrafish larvae. To discern the functions of other hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 family members in zebrafish development and intestinal function, we created and characterized mutations in hnf4g and hnf4b. We addressed the possibility of genetic redundancy amongst these factors by creating double and triple mutants which showed different rates of survival, including apparent early lethality in hnf4a; hnf4b double mutants and triple mutants. RNA sequencing performed on digestive tracts from single and double mutant larvae revealed extensive changes in intestinal gene expression in hnf4a mutants that were amplified in hnf4a; hnf4g mutants, but limited in hnf4g mutants. Changes in hnf4a and hnf4a; hnf4g mutants were reminiscent of those seen in mice including decreased expression of genes involved in intestinal function and increased expression of cell proliferation genes, and were validated using transgenic reporters and EdU labeling in the intestinal epithelium. Gnotobiotics combined with RNA sequencing also showed hnf4g has subtler roles than hnf4a in host responses to microbiota. Overall, phenotypic changes in hnf4a single mutants were strongly enhanced in hnf4a; hnf4g double mutants, suggesting a conserved partial genetic redundancy between hnf4a and hnf4g in the vertebrate intestine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K Heppert
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Colin R Lickwar
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Matthew C Tillman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Briana R Davis
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - James M Davison
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Hsiu-Yi Lu
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Wei Chen
- Center for Genomics and Computational Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | | | - David L Corcoran
- Center for Genomics and Computational Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - John F Rawls
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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16
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Sheikh A, Tumala B, Vickers TJ, Martin JC, Rosa BA, Sabui S, Basu S, Simoes RD, Mitreva M, Storer C, Tyksen E, Head RD, Beatty W, Said HM, Fleckenstein JM. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli heat-labile toxin drives enteropathic changes in small intestinal epithelia. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6886. [PMID: 36371425 PMCID: PMC9653437 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34687-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) produce heat-labile (LT) and/or heat-stable (ST) enterotoxins, and commonly cause diarrhea in resource-poor regions. ETEC have been linked repeatedly to sequelae in children including enteropathy, malnutrition, and growth impairment. Although cellular actions of ETEC enterotoxins leading to diarrhea are well-established, their contributions to sequelae remain unclear. LT increases cellular cAMP to activate protein kinase A (PKA) that phosphorylates ion channels driving intestinal export of salt and water resulting in diarrhea. As PKA also modulates transcription of many genes, we interrogated transcriptional profiles of LT-treated intestinal epithelia. Here we show that LT significantly alters intestinal epithelial gene expression directing biogenesis of the brush border, the major site for nutrient absorption, suppresses transcription factors HNF4 and SMAD4 critical to enterocyte differentiation, and profoundly disrupts microvillus architecture and essential nutrient transport. In addition, ETEC-challenged neonatal mice exhibit substantial brush border derangement that is prevented by maternal vaccination with LT. Finally, mice repeatedly challenged with toxigenic ETEC exhibit impaired growth recapitulating the multiplicative impact of recurring ETEC infections in children. These findings highlight impacts of ETEC enterotoxins beyond acute diarrheal illness and may inform approaches to prevent major sequelae of these common infections including malnutrition that impact millions of children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaullah Sheikh
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Brunda Tumala
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Tim J Vickers
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - John C Martin
- The McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Bruce A Rosa
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- The McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Subrata Sabui
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology/Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Research, VA Medical Center, Long Beach, CA, 90822, USA
| | - Supratim Basu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Rita D Simoes
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Makedonka Mitreva
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- The McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Chad Storer
- The McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Erik Tyksen
- The McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Richard D Head
- The McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Wandy Beatty
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Hamid M Said
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology/Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Research, VA Medical Center, Long Beach, CA, 90822, USA
| | - James M Fleckenstein
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
- Infectious Diseases, Medicine Service, Veterans Affairs Saint Louis Health Care System, Saint Louis, MO, 63106, USA.
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17
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Lang T, Pelaseyed T. Discovery of a MUC3B gene reconstructs the membrane mucin gene cluster on human chromosome 7. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275671. [PMID: 36256656 PMCID: PMC9578598 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Human tissue surfaces are coated with mucins, a family of macromolecular sugar-laden proteins serving diverse functions from lubrication to the formation of selective biochemical barriers against harmful microorganisms and molecules. Membrane mucins are a distinct group of mucins that are attached to epithelial cell surfaces where they create a dense glycocalyx facing the extracellular environment. All mucin proteins carry long stretches of tandemly repeated sequences that undergo extensive O-linked glycosylation to form linear mucin domains. However, the repetitive nature of mucin domains makes them prone to recombination and renders their genetic sequences particularly difficult to read with standard sequencing technologies. As a result, human mucin genes suffer from significant sequence gaps that have hampered the investigation of gene function in health and disease. Here we leveraged a recent human genome assembly to characterize a previously unmapped MUC3B gene located at the q22 locus on chromosome 7, within a cluster of four structurally related membrane mucin genes that we name the MUC3 cluster. We found that MUC3B shares high sequence identity with the known MUC3A gene and that the two genes are governed by evolutionarily conserved regulatory elements. Furthermore, we show that MUC3A, MUC3B, MUC12, and MUC17 in the human MUC3 cluster are expressed in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). Our results complete existing genetic gaps in the MUC3 cluster which is a conserved genetic unit in vertebrates. We anticipate our results to be the starting point for the detection of disease-associated polymorphisms in the human MUC3 cluster. Moreover, our study provides the basis for the exploration of intestinal mucin gene function in widely used experimental models such as human intestinal organoids and genetic mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiange Lang
- Big Data Decision Institution, Jinan University, Tianhe, Guangzhou, China
| | - Thaher Pelaseyed
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Qu J, Yang F, Zhu T, Wang Y, Fang W, Ding Y, Zhao X, Qi X, Xie Q, Chen M, Xu Q, Xie Y, Sun Y, Chen D. A reference single-cell regulomic and transcriptomic map of cynomolgus monkeys. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4069. [PMID: 35831300 PMCID: PMC9279386 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31770-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-human primates are attractive laboratory animal models that accurately reflect both developmental and pathological features of humans. Here we present a compendium of cell types across multiple organs in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) using both single-cell chromatin accessibility and RNA sequencing data. The integrated cell map enables in-depth dissection and comparison of molecular dynamics, cell-type compositions and cellular heterogeneity across multiple tissues and organs. Using single-cell transcriptomic data, we infer pseudotime cell trajectories and cell-cell communications to uncover key molecular signatures underlying their cellular processes. Furthermore, we identify various cell-specific cis-regulatory elements and construct organ-specific gene regulatory networks at the single-cell level. Finally, we perform comparative analyses of single-cell landscapes among mouse, monkey and human. We show that cynomolgus monkey has strikingly higher degree of similarities in terms of immune-associated gene expression patterns and cellular communications to human than mouse. Taken together, our study provides a valuable resource for non-human primate cell biology. Non-human primates are attractive laboratory animal models that can accurately reflect some developmental and pathological features of humans. Here the authors chart a reference cell map of cynomolgus monkeys using both scATAC-seq and scRNA-seq data across multiple organs, providing insights into the molecular dynamics and cellular heterogeneity of this organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023, Nanjing, China
| | - Fa Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023, Nanjing, China
| | - Tao Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023, Nanjing, China
| | - Yingshuo Wang
- The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, 310052, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wen Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023, Nanjing, China
| | - Xue Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023, Nanjing, China
| | - Xianjia Qi
- Shanghai XuRan Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 1088 Zhongchun Road, 201109, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiangmin Xie
- The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, 310052, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ming Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023, Nanjing, China
| | - Yicheng Xie
- The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, 310052, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Yang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023, Nanjing, China. .,Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, 210023, Nanjing, China.
| | - Dijun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023, Nanjing, China.
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Transcriptional Integration of Distinct Microbial and Nutritional Signals by the Small Intestinal Epithelium. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 14:465-493. [PMID: 35533983 PMCID: PMC9305020 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2022.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS The intestine constantly interprets and adapts to complex combinations of dietary and microbial stimuli. However, the transcriptional strategies by which the intestinal epithelium integrates these coincident sources of information remain unresolved. We recently found that microbiota colonization suppresses epithelial activity of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 nuclear receptor transcription factors, but their integrative regulation was unknown. METHODS We compared adult mice reared germ-free or conventionalized with a microbiota either fed normally or after a single high-fat meal. Preparations of unsorted jejunal intestinal epithelial cells were queried using lipidomics and genome-wide assays for RNA sequencing and ChIP sequencing for the activating histone mark H3K27ac and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha. RESULTS Analysis of lipid classes, genes, and regulatory regions identified distinct nutritional and microbial responses but also simultaneous influence of both stimuli. H3K27ac sites preferentially increased by high-fat meal in the presence of microbes neighbor lipid anabolism and proliferation genes, were previously identified intestinal stem cell regulatory regions, and were not hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha targets. In contrast, H3K27ac sites preferentially increased by high-fat meal in the absence of microbes neighbor targets of the energy homeostasis regulator peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha, neighbored fatty acid oxidation genes, were previously identified enterocyte regulatory regions, and were hepatocyte factor 4 alpha bound. CONCLUSIONS Hepatocyte factor 4 alpha supports a differentiated enterocyte and fatty acid oxidation program in germ-free mice, and that suppression of hepatocyte factor 4 alpha by the combination of microbes and high-fat meal may result in preferential activation of intestinal epithelial cell proliferation programs. This identifies potential transcriptional mechanisms for intestinal adaptation to multiple signals and how microbiota may modulate intestinal lipid absorption, epithelial cell renewal, and systemic energy balance.
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A potent HNF4α agonist reveals that HNF4α controls genes important in inflammatory bowel disease and Paneth cells. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266066. [PMID: 35385524 PMCID: PMC8985954 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
HNF4α has been implicated in IBD through a number of genome-wide association studies. Recently, we developed potent HNF4α agonists, including N-trans caffeoyltyramine (NCT). NCT was identified by structural similarity to previously the previously identified but weak HNF4α agonists alverine and benfluorex. Here, we administered NCT to mice fed a high fat diet, with the goal of studying the role of HNF4α in obesity-related diseases. Intestines from NCT-treated mice were examined by RNA-seq to determine the role of HNF4α in that organ. Surprisingly, the major classes of genes altered by HNF4α were involved in IBD and Paneth cell biology. Multiple genes downregulated in IBD were induced by NCT. Paneth cells identified by lysozyme expression were reduced in high fat fed mice. NCT reversed the effect of high fat diet on Paneth cells, with multiple markers being induced, including a number of defensins, which are critical for Paneth cell function and intestinal barrier integrity. NCT upregulated genes that play important role in IBD and that are downregulated in that disease. It reversed the loss of Paneth cell markers that occurred in high fat diet fed mice. These data suggest that HNF4α could be a therapeutic target for IBD and that the agonists that we have identified could be candidate therapeutics.
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Regulatory domains controlling high intestinal vitamin D receptor gene expression are conserved in mouse and human. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101616. [PMID: 35065959 PMCID: PMC8891975 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Vitamin D receptor (VDR) levels are highest in the intestine where it mediates 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D-induced gene expression. However, the mechanisms controlling high intestinal VDR gene expression are unknown. Here, we used Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin using Sequencing (ATAC-Seq) to identify the regulatory sites controlling intestine-specific Vdr gene expression in the small intestine (villi and crypts) and colon of developing, adult, and aged mice. We identified 17 ATAC peaks in a 125 kb region from intron 3 to −55.8 kb from exon 1 of the Vdr gene. Interestingly, many of these peaks were missing/reduced in the developing intestine. Chromatin ImmunoPrecipitation-Sequencing (ChIP-Seq) peaks for intestinal transcription factors (TFs) were present within the ATAC peaks and at HiChIP looping attachments that connected the ATAC/TF ChIP peaks to the transcription start site and CCCTF-binding factor sites at the borders of the Vdr gene regulatory domain. Intestine-specific regulatory sites were identified by comparing ATAC peaks to DNAse-Seq data from other tissues that revealed tissue-specific, evolutionary conserved, and species-specific peaks. Bioinformatics analysis of human DNAse-Seq peaks revealed polymorphisms that disrupt TF-binding sites. Our analysis shows that mouse intestinal Vdr gene regulation requires a complex interaction of multiple distal regulatory regions and is controlled by a combination of intestinal TFs. These intestinal regulatory sites are well conserved in humans suggesting that they may be key components of VDR regulation in both mouse and human intestines.
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The genetic basis of urate control and gout: Insights into molecular pathogenesis from follow-up study of genome-wide association study loci. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol 2021; 35:101721. [PMID: 34732286 DOI: 10.1016/j.berh.2021.101721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
This review focuses on the post-genome-wide association study (GWAS) era in gout, i.e., the translation of GWAS genetic association signals into biologically informative knowledge. Analytical and experimental follow-up of individual loci, based on the identification of causal genetic variants, reveals molecular pathogenic pathways. We summarize in detail the largest GWAS in urate to date, then we review follow-up studies and molecular insights from ABCG2, HNF4A, PDZK1, MAF, GCKR, ALDH2, ALDH16A1, SLC22A12, SLC2A9, ABCC4, and SLC22A13, including the role of insulin signaling. One common factor in these pathways is the importance of transcriptional control, including the HNF4α transcription factor. The new molecular knowledge reveals new targets for intervention to manage urate levels and prevent gout.
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