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Mowery CT, Freimer JW, Chen Z, Casaní-Galdón S, Umhoefer JM, Arce MM, Gjoni K, Daniel B, Sandor K, Gowen BG, Nguyen V, Simeonov DR, Garrido CM, Curie GL, Schmidt R, Steinhart Z, Satpathy AT, Pollard KS, Corn JE, Bernstein BE, Ye CJ, Marson A. Systematic decoding of cis gene regulation defines context-dependent control of the multi-gene costimulatory receptor locus in human T cells. Nat Genet 2024; 56:1156-1167. [PMID: 38811842 PMCID: PMC11176074 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-024-01743-5] [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: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Cis-regulatory elements (CREs) interact with trans regulators to orchestrate gene expression, but how transcriptional regulation is coordinated in multi-gene loci has not been experimentally defined. We sought to characterize the CREs controlling dynamic expression of the adjacent costimulatory genes CD28, CTLA4 and ICOS, encoding regulators of T cell-mediated immunity. Tiling CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) screens in primary human T cells, both conventional and regulatory subsets, uncovered gene-, cell subset- and stimulation-specific CREs. Integration with CRISPR knockout screens and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing (ATAC-seq) profiling identified trans regulators influencing chromatin states at specific CRISPRi-responsive elements to control costimulatory gene expression. We then discovered a critical CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) boundary that reinforces CRE interaction with CTLA4 while also preventing promiscuous activation of CD28. By systematically mapping CREs and associated trans regulators directly in primary human T cell subsets, this work overcomes longstanding experimental limitations to decode context-dependent gene regulatory programs in a complex, multi-gene locus critical to immune homeostasis.
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Grants
- P30 DK063720 NIDDK NIH HHS
- R01 HG008140 NHGRI NIH HHS
- T32 GM007618 NIGMS NIH HHS
- S10 OD028511 NIH HHS
- F99 CA234842 NCI NIH HHS
- S10 OD021822 NIH HHS
- K00 CA234842 NCI NIH HHS
- P01 AI138962 NIAID NIH HHS
- U01 HL157989 NHLBI NIH HHS
- R01 DK129364 NIDDK NIH HHS
- T32 DK007418 NIDDK NIH HHS
- R01 AI136972 NIAID NIH HHS
- F30 AI157167 NIAID NIH HHS
- R01 HG011239 NHGRI NIH HHS
- NIH grants 1R01DK129364-01A1, P01AI138962, and R01HG008140; the Larry L. Hillblom Foundation (grant no. 2020-D-002-NET); and Northern California JDRF Center of Excellence. A.M. is a member of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI), and has received funding from the Arc Institute, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), Cancer Research Institute (CRI) Lloyd J. Old STAR award, a gift from the Jordan Family, a gift from the Byers family and a gift from B. Bakar.
- UCSF ImmunoX Computational Immunology Fellow, is supported by NIH grant F30AI157167, and has received support from NIH grants T32DK007418 and T32GM007618
- NIH grant R01HG008140
- Career Award for Medical Scientists from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, a Lloyd J. Old STAR Award from the Cancer Research Institute, and the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
- NIH grant U01HL157989
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody T Mowery
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jacob W Freimer
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Zeyu Chen
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Departments of Cell Biology and Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Salvador Casaní-Galdón
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Departments of Cell Biology and Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jennifer M Umhoefer
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Maya M Arce
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ketrin Gjoni
- Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Bence Daniel
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulomes, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Microchemistry, Proteomics, Lipidomics and Next Generation Sequencing, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Katalin Sandor
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin G Gowen
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Vinh Nguyen
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- UCSF CoLabs, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Dimitre R Simeonov
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Christian M Garrido
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gemma L Curie
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ralf Schmidt
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Zachary Steinhart
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ansuman T Satpathy
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Program in Immunology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Katherine S Pollard
- Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub SF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jacob E Corn
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Bradley E Bernstein
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Departments of Cell Biology and Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chun Jimmie Ye
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub SF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Rosalind Russell/Ephraim P. Engleman Rheumatology Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Alexander Marson
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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3
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Jiang K, Fu Y, Kelly JA, Gaffney PM, Holmes LC, Jarvis JN. Comparison of the three-dimensional chromatin structures of adolescent and adult peripheral blood B cells: implications for the study of pediatric autoimmune diseases. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.11.557171. [PMID: 37745336 PMCID: PMC10515843 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.11.557171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Background/Purpose Knowledge of the 3D genome is essential to elucidate genetic mechanisms driving autoimmune diseases. The 3D genome is distinct for each cell type, and it is uncertain whether cell lines faithfully recapitulate the 3D architecture of primary human cells or whether developmental aspects of the pediatric immune system require use of pediatric samples. We undertook a systematic analysis of B cells and B cell lines to compare 3D genomic features encompassing risk loci for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), systemic lupus (SLE), and type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods We isolated B cells from healthy individuals, ages 9-17. HiChIP was performed using CTCF antibody, and CTCF peaks were identified. CTCF loops within the pediatric were compared to three datasets: 1) self-called CTCF consensus peaks called within the pediatric samples, 2) ENCODE's publicly available GM12878 CTCF ChIP-seq peaks, and 3) ENCODE's primary B cell CTCF ChIPseq peaks from two adult females. Differential looping was assessed within the pediatric samples and each of the three peak datasets. Results The number of consensus peaks called in the pediatric samples was similar to that identified in ENCODE's GM12878 and primary B cell datasets. We observed <1% of loops that demonstrated significantly differential looping between peaks called within the pediatric samples themselves and when called using ENCODE GM12878 peaks . Significant looping differences were even less when comparing loops of the pediatric called peaks to those of the ENCODE primary B cell peaks. When querying loops found in juvenile idiopathic arthritis, type 1 diabetes, or systemic lupus erythematosus risk haplotypes, we observed significant differences in only 2.2%, 1.0%, and 1.3% loops, respectively, when comparing peaks called within the pediatric samples and ENCODE GM12878 dataset. The differences were even less apparent when comparing loops called with the pediatric vs ENCODE adult primary B cell peak datasets.The 3D chromatin architecture in B cells is similar across pediatric, adult, and EBVtransformed cell lines. This conservation of 3D structure includes regions encompassing autoimmune risk haplotypes. Conclusion Thus, even for pediatric autoimmune diseases, publicly available adult B cell and cell line datasets may be sufficient for assessing effects exerted in the 3D genomic space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyu Jiang
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Yao Fu
- Genes and Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Jennifer A. Kelly
- Genes and Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Patrick M. Gaffney
- Genes and Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Lucy C. Holmes
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - James N. Jarvis
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics Program, University of Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA
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4
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González‐Serna D, Shi C, Kerick M, Hankinson J, Ding J, McGovern A, Tutino M, Villanueva‐Martin G, Ortego‐Centeno N, Callejas JL, Martin J, Orozco G. Identification of Mechanisms by Which Genetic Susceptibility Loci Influence Systemic Sclerosis Risk Using Functional Genomics in Primary T Cells and Monocytes. Arthritis Rheumatol 2023; 75:1007-1020. [PMID: 36281738 PMCID: PMC10953390 DOI: 10.1002/art.42396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex autoimmune disease with a strong genetic component. However, most of the genes associated with the disease are still unknown because associated variants affect mostly noncoding intergenic elements of the genome. We used functional genomics to translate the genetic findings into a better understanding of the disease. METHODS Promoter capture Hi-C and RNA-sequencing experiments were performed in CD4+ T cells and CD14+ monocytes from 10 SSc patients and 5 healthy controls to link SSc-associated variants with their target genes, followed by differential expression and differential interaction analyses between cell types. RESULTS We linked SSc-associated loci to 39 new potential target genes and confirmed 7 previously known SSc-associated genes. We highlight novel causal genes, such as CXCR5, as the most probable candidate gene for the DDX6 locus. Some previously known SSc-associated genes, such as IRF8, STAT4, and CD247, showed cell type-specific interactions. We also identified 15 potential drug targets already in use in other similar immune-mediated diseases that could be repurposed for SSc treatment. Furthermore, we observed that interactions were directly correlated with the expression of important genes implicated in cell type-specific pathways and found evidence that chromatin conformation is associated with genotype. CONCLUSION Our study revealed potential causal genes for SSc-associated loci, some of them acting in a cell type-specific manner, suggesting novel biologic mechanisms that might mediate SSc pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- David González‐Serna
- Institute of Parasitology and Biomedicine López‐Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN‐CSIC)GranadaSpain
| | - Chenfu Shi
- Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences, Centre for Genetics and Genomics Versus Arthritis, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and HealthThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Martin Kerick
- Institute of Parasitology and Biomedicine López‐Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN‐CSIC)GranadaSpain
| | - Jenny Hankinson
- Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and HealthThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - James Ding
- Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences, Centre for Genetics and Genomics Versus Arthritis, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and HealthThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Amanda McGovern
- Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences, Centre for Genetics and Genomics Versus Arthritis, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and HealthThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Mauro Tutino
- Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and HealthThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Gonzalo Villanueva‐Martin
- Institute of Parasitology and Biomedicine López‐Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN‐CSIC)GranadaSpain
| | - Norberto Ortego‐Centeno
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario San CecilioInstitute for Biosanitary Research of Granada (ibs.GRANADA)GranadaSpain
| | - José Luis Callejas
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario San CecilioInstitute for Biosanitary Research of Granada (ibs.GRANADA)GranadaSpain
| | - Javier Martin
- Institute of Parasitology and Biomedicine López‐Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN‐CSIC)GranadaSpain
| | - Gisela Orozco
- Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences, Centre for Genetics and Genomics Versus Arthritis, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, and NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research CentreManchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science CentreManchesterUK
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5
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Chandrasekaran V, Oparina N, Garcia-Bonete MJ, Wasén C, Erlandsson MC, Malmhäll-Bah E, Andersson KME, Jensen M, Silfverswärd ST, Katona G, Bokarewa MI. Cohesin-Mediated Chromatin Interactions and Autoimmunity. Front Immunol 2022; 13:840002. [PMID: 35222432 PMCID: PMC8866859 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.840002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Proper physiological functioning of any cell type requires ordered chromatin organization. In this context, cohesin complex performs important functions preventing premature separation of sister chromatids after DNA replication. In partnership with CCCTC-binding factor, it ensures insulator activity to organize enhancers and promoters within regulatory chromatin. Homozygous mutations and dysfunction of individual cohesin proteins are embryonically lethal in humans and mice, which limits in vivo research work to embryonic stem cells and progenitors. Conditional alleles of cohesin complex proteins have been generated to investigate their functional roles in greater detail at later developmental stages. Thus, genome regulation enabled by action of cohesin proteins is potentially crucial in lineage cell development, including immune homeostasis. In this review, we provide current knowledge on the role of cohesin complex in leukocyte maturation and adaptive immunity. Conditional knockout and shRNA-mediated inhibition of individual cohesin proteins in mice demonstrated their importance in haematopoiesis, adipogenesis and inflammation. Notably, these effects occur rather through changes in transcriptional gene regulation than through expected cell cycle defects. This positions cohesin at the crossroad of immune pathways including NF-kB, IL-6, and IFNγ signaling. Cohesin proteins emerged as vital regulators at early developmental stages of thymocytes and B cells and after antigen challenge. Human genome-wide association studies are remarkably concordant with these findings and present associations between cohesin and rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and HLA-B27 related chronic inflammatory conditions. Furthermore, bioinformatic prediction based on protein-protein interactions reveal a tight connection between the cohesin complex and immune relevant processes supporting the notion that cohesin will unearth new clues in regulation of autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkataragavan Chandrasekaran
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Nina Oparina
- Rheumatology Clinic, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Maria-Jose Garcia-Bonete
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Caroline Wasén
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Malin C. Erlandsson
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Eric Malmhäll-Bah
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Karin M. E. Andersson
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Maja Jensen
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Sofia T. Silfverswärd
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Gergely Katona
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Maria I. Bokarewa
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Rheumatology Clinic, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
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6
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Poppenberg KE, Tutino VM, Tarbell E, Jarvis JN. Broadening our understanding of genetic risk for scleroderma/systemic sclerosis by querying the chromatin architecture surrounding the risk haplotypes. BMC Med Genomics 2021; 14:114. [PMID: 33894768 PMCID: PMC8066847 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-021-00964-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic variants in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) locus contribute to the risk for developing scleroderma/systemic sclerosis (SSc). However, there are other replicated loci that also contribute to genetic risk for SSc, and it is unknown whether genetic risk in these non-HLA loci acts primarily on the vasculature, immune system, fibroblasts, or other relevant cell types. We used the Cistrome database to investigate the epigenetic landscapes surrounding 11 replicated SSc associated loci to determine whether SNPs in these loci may affect regulatory elements and whether they are likely to impact a specific cell type. METHODS We mapped 11 replicated SNPs to haplotypes and sought to determine whether there was significant enrichment for H3K27ac and H3K4me1 marks, epigenetic signatures of enhancer function, on these haplotypes. We queried pathologically relevant cell types: B cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, monocytes, and T cells. We then identified the topologically associated domains (TADs) that encompass the SSc risk haplotypes in primary T cells to identify the full range of genes that may be influenced by SSc causal SNPs. We used gene ontology analyses of the genes within the TADs to gain insight into immunologic functions that might be affected by SSc causal SNPs. RESULTS The SSc-associated haplotypes were enriched (p value < 0.01) for H3K4me1/H3K27ac marks in monocytes. Enrichment of one of the two histone marks was found in B cells, fibroblasts, and T cells. No enrichment was identified in endothelial cells. Ontological analyses of genes within the TADs encompassing the risk haplotypes showed enrichment for regulation of transcription, protein binding, activation of T lymphocytes, and proliferation of immune cells. CONCLUSIONS The 11 non-HLA SSc risk haplotypes queried are highly enriched for H3K4me1/H3K27ac-marked regulatory elements in a broad range of immune cells and fibroblasts. Furthermore, in immune cells, the risk haplotypes belong to larger chromatin structures encompassing genes that regulate a wide array of immune processes associated with SSc pathogenesis. Though importance of the vasculature in the pathobiology of SSc is widely accepted, we were unable to find evidence for genetic influences on endothelial cell function in these regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerry E. Poppenberg
- Canon Stroke and Vascular Research Center, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY USA
| | - Vincent M. Tutino
- Canon Stroke and Vascular Research Center, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY USA
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY USA
| | - Evan Tarbell
- Quantitative Systems Pharmacology, Enhanced Pharmacodynamics, LLC, Buffalo, NY USA
| | - James N. Jarvis
- Quantitative Systems Pharmacology, Enhanced Pharmacodynamics, LLC, Buffalo, NY USA
- Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics Program, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY USA
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