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Huang J, Tang J, Zhang C, Liu T, Deng Z, Liu L. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis uncovers heterogeneity in the labial gland microenvironment of primary Sjögren's syndrome. J Transl Autoimmun 2024; 9:100248. [PMID: 39131726 PMCID: PMC11314884 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtauto.2024.100248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a systemic autoimmune disorder with an unclear pathogenetic mechanism in the labial gland. This study aims to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms contributing to the development of this disease. Methods Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was performed on 32,337 cells of labial glands from three pSS patients and three healthy individuals. We analyzed all cell subsets implicated in pSS pathogenesis. Results Our research revealed diminished differentiation among epithelial cells, concomitant with an enhancement of interferons (IFNs)-mediated signaling pathways. This indicates a cellular functional shift in reaction to inflammatory triggers. Moreover, we observed an augmentation in the population of myofibroblasts and endothelial cells, likely due to the intensified IFNs signaling, suggesting a possible reconfiguration of tissue structure and vascular networks in the impacted regions. Within the immune landscape, there was an apparent increase in immunosuppressive macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs), pointing to an adaptive immune mechanism aimed at modulating inflammation and averting excessive tissue harm. Elevated activation levels of CD4+T cells, along with a rise in regulatory T (Treg) cells, were noted, indicating a nuanced immune interplay designed to manage the inflammatory response. In the CD8+T cell subsests, we detected a notable increase in cells expressing granzyme K (GZMK), signaling an intensified cytotoxic activity. Additionally, the escalated presence of T cells with high levels of heat shock proteins (HSPs) suggests a cellular stress condition, possibly associated with persistent low-grade inflammation, mirroring the chronic aspect of the condition. Conclusions Our research identified distinct stromal and immune cell populations linked to pSS, revealing new potential targets for its management. The activation of myeloid, B, and T cells could contribute to pSS pathogenesis, providing important guidance for therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chen Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The First People’s Hospital of Kunshan, Jiangsu, Suzhou, 215300, China
| | - Tingting Liu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The First People’s Hospital of Kunshan, Jiangsu, Suzhou, 215300, China
| | - Zhiyong Deng
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The First People’s Hospital of Kunshan, Jiangsu, Suzhou, 215300, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The First People’s Hospital of Kunshan, Jiangsu, Suzhou, 215300, China
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2
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Kalra S, Cho MH. Who Modifies the Modifiers: A High-Resolution View of the Genetic Modifiers of Cystic Fibrosis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2023; 207:1261-1262. [PMID: 36961916 PMCID: PMC10595439 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202303-0468ed] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/26/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sean Kalra
- Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Michael H Cho
- Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Boston, Massachusetts
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3
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Tomoshige K, Stuart WD, Fink-Baldauf IM, Ito M, Tsuchiya T, Nagayasu T, Yamatsuji T, Okada M, Fukazawa T, Guo M, Maeda Y. FOXA2 Cooperates with Mutant KRAS to Drive Invasive Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of the Lung. Cancer Res 2023; 83:1443-1458. [PMID: 37067057 PMCID: PMC10160002 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-2805] [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: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
The endoderm-lineage transcription factor FOXA2 has been shown to inhibit lung tumorigenesis in in vitro and xenograft studies using lung cancer cell lines. However, FOXA2 expression in primary lung tumors does not correlate with an improved patient survival rate, and the functional role of FOXA2 in primary lung tumors remains elusive. To understand the role of FOXA2 in primary lung tumors in vivo, here, we conditionally induced the expression of FOXA2 along with either of the two major lung cancer oncogenes, EGFRL858R or KRASG12D, in the lung epithelium of transgenic mice. Notably, FOXA2 suppressed autochthonous lung tumor development driven by EGFRL858R, whereas FOXA2 promoted tumor growth driven by KRASG12D. Importantly, FOXA2 expression along with KRASG12D produced invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (IMA) of the lung, a fatal mucus-producing lung cancer comprising approximately 5% of human lung cancer cases. In the mouse model in vivo and human lung cancer cells in vitro, FOXA2 activated a gene regulatory network involved in the key mucous transcription factor SPDEF and upregulated MUC5AC, whose expression is critical for inducing IMA. Coexpression of FOXA2 with mutant KRAS synergistically induced MUC5AC expression compared with that induced by FOXA2 alone. ChIP-seq combined with CRISPR interference indicated that FOXA2 bound directly to the enhancer region of MUC5AC and induced the H3K27ac enhancer mark. Furthermore, FOXA2 was found to be highly expressed in primary tumors of human IMA. Collectively, this study reveals that FOXA2 is not only a biomarker but also a driver for IMA in the presence of a KRAS mutation. SIGNIFICANCE FOXA2 expression combined with mutant KRAS drives invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma of the lung by synergistically promoting a mucous transcriptional program, suggesting strategies for targeting this lung cancer type that lacks effective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koichi Tomoshige
- Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - William D. Stuart
- Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Iris M. Fink-Baldauf
- Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Masaoki Ito
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Tomoshi Tsuchiya
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Takeshi Nagayasu
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Tomoki Yamatsuji
- Department of General Surgery, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan
| | - Morihito Okada
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Takuya Fukazawa
- Department of General Surgery, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan
| | - Minzhe Guo
- Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Yutaka Maeda
- Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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4
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Van Wettere AJ, Leir S, Cotton CU, Regouski M, Viotti Perisse I, Kerschner JL, Paranjapye A, Fan Z, Liu Y, Schacht M, White KL, Polejaeva IA, Harris A. Early developmental phenotypes in the cystic fibrosis sheep model. FASEB Bioadv 2023; 5:13-26. [PMID: 36643895 PMCID: PMC9832529 DOI: 10.1096/fba.2022-00085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Highly effective modulator therapies for cystic fibrosis (CF) make it a treatable condition for many people. However, although CF respiratory illness occurs after birth, other organ systems particularly in the digestive tract are damaged before birth. We use an ovine model of CF to investigate the in utero origins of CF disease since the sheep closely mirrors critical aspects of human development. Wildtype (WT) and CFTR -/- sheep tissues were collected at 50, 65, 80, 100, and 120 days of gestation and term (147 days) and used for histological, electrophysiological, and molecular analysis. Histological abnormalities are evident in CFTR-/- -/- animals by 80 days of gestation, equivalent to 21 weeks in humans. Acinar and ductal dilation, mucus obstruction, and fibrosis are observed in the pancreas; biliary fibrosis, cholestasis, and gallbladder hypoplasia in the liver; and intestinal meconium obstruction, as seen at birth in all large animal models of CF. Concurrently, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)-dependent short circuit current is present in WT tracheal epithelium by 80 days gestation and is absent from CFTR -/- tissues. Transcriptomic profiles of tracheal tissues confirm the early expression of CFTR and suggest that its loss does not globally impair tracheal differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud J. Van Wettere
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary SciencesUtah State UniversityLoganUtahUSA
- School of Veterinary MedicineUtah State UniversityLoganUtahUSA
| | - Shih‐Hsing Leir
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve University School of MedicineClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Calvin U. Cotton
- Departments of Pediatrics, Physiology and BiophysicsCase Western Reserve University School of MedicineClevelandOhioUSA
- Present address:
CFFT LaboratoriesLexingtonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Misha Regouski
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary SciencesUtah State UniversityLoganUtahUSA
| | - Iuri Viotti Perisse
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary SciencesUtah State UniversityLoganUtahUSA
| | - Jenny L. Kerschner
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve University School of MedicineClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Alekh Paranjapye
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve University School of MedicineClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Zhiqiang Fan
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary SciencesUtah State UniversityLoganUtahUSA
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary SciencesUtah State UniversityLoganUtahUSA
| | - Makayla Schacht
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve University School of MedicineClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Kenneth L. White
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary SciencesUtah State UniversityLoganUtahUSA
| | - Irina A. Polejaeva
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary SciencesUtah State UniversityLoganUtahUSA
| | - Ann Harris
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve University School of MedicineClevelandOhioUSA
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5
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Elf3 deficiency during zebrafish development alters extracellular matrix organization and disrupts tissue morphogenesis. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0276255. [DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
E26 transformation specific (ETS) family transcription factors are expressed during embryogenesis and are involved in various cellular processes such as proliferation, migration, differentiation, angiogenesis, apoptosis, and survival of cellular lineages to ensure appropriate development. Dysregulated expression of many of the ETS family members is detected in different cancers. The human ELF3, a member of the ETS family of transcription factors, plays a role in the induction and progression of human cancers is well studied. However, little is known about the role of ELF3 in early development. Here, the zebrafish elf3 was cloned, and its expression was analyzed during zebrafish development. Zebrafish elf3 is maternally deposited. At different developmental stages, elf3 expression was detected in different tissue, mainly neural tissues, endoderm-derived tissues, cartilage, heart, pronephric duct, blood vessels, and notochord. The expression levels were high at the tissue boundaries. Elf3 loss-of-function consequences were examined by using translation blocking antisense morpholino oligonucleotides, and effects were validated using CRISPR/Cas9 knockdown. Elf3-knockdown produced short and bent larvae with notochord, craniofacial cartilage, and fin defects. The extracellular matrix (ECM) in the fin and notochord was disorganized. Neural defects were also observed. Optic nerve fasciculation (bundling) and arborization in the optic tectum were defective in Elf3-morphants, and fragmentation of spinal motor neurons were evident. Dysregulation of genes encoding ECM proteins and matrix metalloprotease (MMP) and disorganization of ECM may play a role in the observed defects in Elf3 morphants. We conclude that zebrafish Elf3 is required for epidermal, mesenchymal, and neural tissue development.
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6
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Scimeca M, Montanaro M, Bonfiglio R, Anemona L, Agrò EF, Asimakopoulos AD, Bei R, Manzari V, Urbano N, Giacobbi E, Servadei F, Bonanno E, Schillaci O, Mauriello A. The ETS Homologous Factor (EHF) Represents a Useful Immunohistochemical Marker for Predicting Prostate Cancer Metastasis. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:800. [PMID: 35453848 PMCID: PMC9025154 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12040800] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The main aim of this study was to investigate the risk of prostate cancer metastasis formation associated with the expression of ETS homologous factor (EHF) in a cohort of bioptic samples. To this end, the expression of EHF was evaluated in a cohort of 152 prostate biopsies including primary prostate cancers that developed metastatic lesions, primary prostate cancers that did not develop metastasis, and benign lesions. Data here reported EHF as a candidate immunohistochemical prognostic biomarker for prostate cancer metastasis formation regardless of the Gleason scoring system. Indeed, our data clearly show that primary lesions with EHF positive cells ≥40% had a great risk of developing metastasis within five years from the first diagnosis. Patients with these lesions had about a 40-fold increased risk of developing metastasis as compared with patients with prostate lesions characterized by a percentage of EHF positive cells ≤30%. In conclusion, the immunohistochemical evaluation of EHF could significantly improve the management of prostate cancer patients by optimizing the diagnostic and therapeutic health procedures and, more important, ameliorating the patient's quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Scimeca
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.M.); (R.B.); (L.A.); (E.G.); (F.S.); (E.B.); (A.M.)
- San Raffaele University, Via di Val Cannuta 247, 00166 Rome, Italy
- Faculty of Medicine, Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, Via di Sant’Alessandro 8, 00131 Rome, Italy
| | - Manuela Montanaro
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.M.); (R.B.); (L.A.); (E.G.); (F.S.); (E.B.); (A.M.)
| | - Rita Bonfiglio
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.M.); (R.B.); (L.A.); (E.G.); (F.S.); (E.B.); (A.M.)
| | - Lucia Anemona
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.M.); (R.B.); (L.A.); (E.G.); (F.S.); (E.B.); (A.M.)
| | - Enrico Finazzi Agrò
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Division of Urology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (E.F.A.); (A.D.A.)
| | - Anastasios D. Asimakopoulos
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Division of Urology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (E.F.A.); (A.D.A.)
| | - Roberto Bei
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, 00133 Rome, Italy; (R.B.); (V.M.)
| | - Vittorio Manzari
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, 00133 Rome, Italy; (R.B.); (V.M.)
| | - Nicoletta Urbano
- Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Oncohaematology, Policlinico “Tor Vergata”, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Erica Giacobbi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.M.); (R.B.); (L.A.); (E.G.); (F.S.); (E.B.); (A.M.)
| | - Francesca Servadei
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.M.); (R.B.); (L.A.); (E.G.); (F.S.); (E.B.); (A.M.)
| | - Elena Bonanno
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.M.); (R.B.); (L.A.); (E.G.); (F.S.); (E.B.); (A.M.)
| | - Orazio Schillaci
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy;
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Neuromed, Via Atinense, 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Alessandro Mauriello
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.M.); (R.B.); (L.A.); (E.G.); (F.S.); (E.B.); (A.M.)
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7
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Paranjapye A, NandyMazumdar M, Browne JA, Leir SH, Harris A. Krüppel-like factor 5 regulates wound repair and the innate immune response in human airway epithelial cells. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:100932. [PMID: 34217701 PMCID: PMC8353497 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A complex network of transcription factors regulates genes involved in establishing and maintaining key biological properties of the human airway epithelium. However, detailed knowledge of the contributing factors is incomplete. Here we characterize the role of Krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5), in controlling essential pathways of epithelial cell identity and function in the human lung. RNA-seq following siRNA-mediated depletion of KLF5 in the Calu-3 lung epithelial cell line identified significant enrichment of genes encoding chemokines and cytokines involved in the proinflammatory response and also components of the junctional complexes mediating cell adhesion. To determine direct gene targets of KLF5, we defined the cistrome of KLF5 using ChIP-seq in both Calu-3 and 16HBE14o- lung epithelial cell lines. Occupancy site concordance analysis revealed that KLF5 colocalized with the active histone modification H3K27ac and also with binding sites for the transcription factor CCAAT enhancer-binding protein beta (C/EBPβ). Depletion of KLF5 increased both the expression and secretion of cytokines including IL-1β, a response that was enhanced following exposure to Pseudomonas aeruginosa lipopolysaccharide. Calu-3 cells exhibited faster rates of repair after KLF5 depletion compared with negative controls in wound scratch assays. Similarly, CRISPR-mediated KLF5-null 16HBE14o- cells also showed enhanced wound closure. These data reveal a pivotal role for KLF5 in coordinating epithelial functions relevant to human lung disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alekh Paranjapye
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Monali NandyMazumdar
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - James A Browne
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Shih-Hsing Leir
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Ann Harris
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
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8
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Harris A. Human molecular genetics and the long road to treating cystic fibrosis. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 30:R264-R273. [PMID: 34245257 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The causative gene in cystic fibrosis was identified in 1989, three years before the publication of the first issue of Human Molecular Genetics. CFTR was among the first genes underlying a common inherited disorder to be cloned, and hence its subsequent utilization towards a cure for CF provides a roadmap for other monogenic diseases. Over the past 30 years the advances that built upon knowledge of the gene and the CFTR protein to develop effective therapeutics have been remarkable, and yet the setbacks have also been challenging. Technological progress in other fields has often circumvented the barriers. This review focuses on key aspects of CF diagnostics and current approaches to develop new therapies for all CFTR mutations. It also highlights the major research advances that underpinned progress towards treatments, and considers the remaining obstacles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Harris
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
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9
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Gao L, Yang T, Zhang S, Liang Y, Shi P, Ren H, Hou P, Chen M. EHF enhances malignancy by modulating AKT and MAPK/ERK signaling in non‑small cell lung cancer cells. Oncol Rep 2021; 45:102. [PMID: 33907840 PMCID: PMC8072815 DOI: 10.3892/or.2021.8053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Overexpression of ETS‑homologous factor (EHF) in non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is associated with poor patient prognosis. To explore the mechanism of the effect of EHF in NSCLC, EHF expression was examined in NSCLC and its role in cell proliferation, invasion, cell cycle, and apoptosis of NSCLC cells was evaluated by overexpressing EHF and/or knocking down EHF expression in NSCLC cells in vitro and in cancer cell grafted mice in vivo. The results revealed that the knockdown of EHF expression in NSCLC with siRNA significantly inhibited cell proliferation and invasion, arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase, and induced apoptosis, whereas overexpression of EHF in NSCLC promoted cell proliferation, tumor growth, and cancer cell migration in vitro. The in vivo experiments demonstrated that siRNA‑mediated downregulation of EHF expression in NSCLC cells significantly suppressed tumor growth in xenografted nude mice as compared to cancer progression in the mice grafted with NSCLC cells transfected with non‑specific control siRNA. The biochemical analyses revealed that EHF promoted NSCLC growth by regulating the transcription of Erb‑B2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2/3 (ERBB2, ERBB3) and mesenchymal‑epithelial transition (MET) factor tyrosine kinase receptors and modulating the AKT and ERK signaling pathways in the NSCLC cells. The present findings indicated that EHF could be used as a prognostic marker for NSCLC, and tyrosine kinase receptors of ERBB2, ERBB3 and MET could be drug targets for NSCLC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Gao
- Department of Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, P.R. China
| | - Tian Yang
- Shanxi Provincial Research Center for The Project of Prevention and Treatment of Respiratory Diseases, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Shuo Zhang
- Shanxi Provincial Research Center for The Project of Prevention and Treatment of Respiratory Diseases, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Yiqian Liang
- Shanxi Provincial Research Center for The Project of Prevention and Treatment of Respiratory Diseases, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Puyu Shi
- Shanxi Provincial Research Center for The Project of Prevention and Treatment of Respiratory Diseases, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Hui Ren
- Shanxi Provincial Research Center for The Project of Prevention and Treatment of Respiratory Diseases, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Peng Hou
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Mingwei Chen
- Shanxi Provincial Research Center for The Project of Prevention and Treatment of Respiratory Diseases, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
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10
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Browne JA, NandyMazumdar M, Paranjapye A, Leir SH, Harris A. The Bromodomain Containing 8 (BRD8) transcriptional network in human lung epithelial cells. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2021; 524:111169. [PMID: 33476703 PMCID: PMC8035426 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2021.111169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Mechanisms regulating gene expression in the airway epithelium underlie its response to the environment. A network of transcription factors (TFs) and architectural proteins, modulate chromatin accessibility and recruit activating or repressive signals. Bromodomain-containing proteins function as TFs or by engaging methyltransferase or acetyltransferase activity to induce chromatin modifications. Here we investigate the role of Bromodomain Containing 8 (BRD8) in coordinating lung epithelial function. Sites of BRD8 occupancy genome-wide were mapped in human lung epithelial cell lines (Calu-3 and 16HBE14o-). CCCTC-Binding Factor (CTCF) was identified as a predicted co-factor of BRD8, based upon motif over-representation under BRD8 ChIP-seq peaks. Following siRNA-mediated depletion of BRD8, differentially expressed genes with nearby peaks of BRD8 occupancy were subject to gene ontology process enrichment analysis. BRD8 targets are enriched for genes involved in the innate immune response and the cell cycle. Depletion of BRD8 increased the secretion of the antimicrobial peptide beta-defensin 1 and multiple chemokines, and reduced cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Browne
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | | | | | - Shih-Hsing Leir
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Cleveland, OH, USA; Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ann Harris
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Cleveland, OH, USA; Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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11
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Kerschner JL, Paranjapye A, Yin S, Skander DL, Bebek G, Leir SH, Harris A. A functional genomics approach to investigate the differentiation of iPSCs into lung epithelium at air-liquid interface. J Cell Mol Med 2020; 24:9853-9870. [PMID: 32692488 PMCID: PMC7520342 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.15568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The availability of robust protocols to differentiate induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into many human cell lineages has transformed research into the origins of human disease. The efficacy of differentiating iPSCs into specific cellular models is influenced by many factors including both intrinsic and extrinsic features. Among the most challenging models is the generation of human bronchial epithelium at air‐liquid interface (HBE‐ALI), which is the gold standard for many studies of respiratory diseases including cystic fibrosis. Here, we perform open chromatin mapping by ATAC‐seq and transcriptomics by RNA‐seq in parallel, to define the functional genomics of key stages of the iPSC to HBE‐ALI differentiation. Within open chromatin peaks, the overrepresented motifs include the architectural protein CTCF at all stages, while motifs for the FOXA pioneer and GATA factor families are seen more often at early stages, and those regulating key airway epithelial functions, such as EHF, are limited to later stages. The RNA‐seq data illustrate dynamic pathways during the iPSC to HBE‐ALI differentiation, and also the marked functional divergence of different iPSC lines at the ALI stages of differentiation. Moreover, a comparison of iPSC‐derived and lung donor‐derived HBE‐ALI cultures reveals substantial differences between these models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny L Kerschner
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Alekh Paranjapye
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Shiyi Yin
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Dannielle L Skander
- Systems Biology and Bioinformatics Graduate Program, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Gurkan Bebek
- Systems Biology and Bioinformatics Graduate Program, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Center for Proteomics and Bioinformatics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Department of Nutrition, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Shih-Hsing Leir
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ann Harris
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
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12
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Paranjapye A, Mutolo MJ, Ebron JS, Leir SH, Harris A. The FOXA1 transcriptional network coordinates key functions of primary human airway epithelial cells. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2020; 319:L126-L136. [PMID: 32432922 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00023.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The differentiated functions of the human airway epithelium are coordinated by a complex network of transcription factors. These include the pioneer factors Forkhead box A1 and A2 (FOXA1 and FOXA2), which are well studied in several tissues, but their role in airway epithelial cells is poorly characterized. Here, we define the cistrome of FOXA1 and FOXA2 in primary human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells by chromatin immunoprecipitation with deep-sequencing (ChIP-seq). Next, siRNA-mediated depletion of each factor is used to investigate their transcriptome by RNA-seq. We found that, as predicted from their DNA-binding motifs, genome-wide occupancy of the two factors showed substantial overlap; however, their global impact on gene expression differed. FOXA1 is an abundant transcript in HBE cells, while FOXA2 is expressed at low levels, and both these factors likely exhibit autoregulation and cross-regulation. FOXA1 regulated loci are involved in cell adhesion and the maintenance of epithelial cell identity, particularly through repression of genes associated with epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). FOXA1 also directly targets other transcription factors with a known role in the airway epithelium such as SAM-pointed domain-containing Ets-like factor (SPDEF). The intersection of the cistrome and transcriptome for FOXA1 revealed enrichment of genes involved in epithelial development and tissue morphogenesis. Moreover, depletion of FOXA1 was shown to reduce the transepithelial resistance of HBE cells, confirming the role of this factor in maintaining epithelial barrier integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alekh Paranjapye
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Michael J Mutolo
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Jey Sabith Ebron
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Shih-Hsing Leir
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Ann Harris
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
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13
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Yin S, Ray G, Kerschner JL, Hao S, Perez A, Drumm ML, Browne JA, Leir SH, Longworth M, Harris A. Functional genomics analysis of human colon organoids identifies key transcription factors. Physiol Genomics 2020; 52:234-244. [PMID: 32390556 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00113.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Organoids are a valuable three-dimensional (3D) model to study the differentiated functions of the human intestinal epithelium. They are a particularly powerful tool to measure epithelial transport processes in health and disease. Though biological assays such as organoid swelling and intraluminal pH measurements are well established, their underlying functional genomics are not well characterized. Here we combine genome-wide analysis of open chromatin by ATAC-Seq with transcriptome mapping by RNA-Seq to define the genomic signature of human intestinal organoids (HIOs). These data provide an important tool for investigating key physiological and biochemical processes in the intestinal epithelium. We next compared the transcriptome and open chromatin profiles of HIOs with equivalent data sets from the Caco2 colorectal carcinoma line, which is an important two-dimensional (2D) model of the intestinal epithelium. Our results define common features of the intestinal epithelium in HIO and Caco2 and further illustrate the cancer-associated program of the cell line. Generation of Caco2 cysts enabled interrogation of the molecular divergence of the 2D and 3D cultures. Overrepresented motif analysis of open chromatin peaks identified caudal type homeobox 2 (CDX2) as a key activating transcription factor in HIO, but not in monolayer cultures of Caco2. However, the CDX2 motif becomes overrepresented in open chromatin from Caco2 cysts, reinforcing the importance of this factor in intestinal epithelial differentiation and function. Intersection of the HIO and Caco2 transcriptomes further showed functional overlap in pathways of ion transport and tight junction integrity, among others. These data contribute to understanding human intestinal organoid biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyi Yin
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio
| | - Greeshma Ray
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Ohio
| | - Jenny L Kerschner
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio
| | - Shuyu Hao
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio
| | - Aura Perez
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio
| | - Mitchell L Drumm
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio
| | - James A Browne
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio
| | - Shih-Hsing Leir
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio
| | - Michelle Longworth
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Ohio
| | - Ann Harris
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio
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14
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Swahn H, Sabith Ebron J, Lamar K, Yin S, Kerschner JL, NandyMazumdar M, Coppola C, Mendenhall EM, Leir S, Harris A. Coordinate regulation of ELF5 and EHF at the chr11p13 CF modifier region. J Cell Mol Med 2019; 23:7726-7740. [PMID: 31557407 PMCID: PMC6815777 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.14646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
E74-like factor 5 (ELF5) and ETS-homologous factor (EHF) are epithelial selective ETS family transcription factors (TFs) encoded by genes at chr11p13, a region associated with cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease severity. EHF controls many key processes in lung epithelial function so its regulatory mechanisms are important. Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, we removed three key cis-regulatory elements (CREs) from the chr11p13 region and also activated multiple open chromatin sites with CRISPRa in airway epithelial cells. Deletion of the CREs caused subtle changes in chromatin architecture and site-specific increases in EHF and ELF5. CRISPRa had most effect on ELF5 transcription. ELF5 levels are low in airway cells but higher in LNCaP (prostate) and T47D (breast) cancer cells. ATAC-seq in these lines revealed novel peaks of open chromatin at the 5' end of chr11p13 associated with an expressed ELF5 gene. Furthermore, 4C-seq assays identified direct interactions between the active ELF5 promoter and sites within the EHF locus, suggesting coordinate regulation between these TFs. ChIP-seq for ELF5 in T47D cells revealed ELF5 occupancy within EHF introns 1 and 6, and siRNA-mediated depletion of ELF5 enhanced EHF expression. These results define a new role for ELF5 in lung epithelial biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Swahn
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Jey Sabith Ebron
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Kay‐Marie Lamar
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Shiyi Yin
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Jenny L. Kerschner
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Monali NandyMazumdar
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Candice Coppola
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsvilleALUSA
| | - Eric M. Mendenhall
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsvilleALUSA
| | - Shih‐Hsing Leir
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Ann Harris
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
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15
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Jiménez-González V, Ogalla-García E, García-Quintanilla M, García-Quintanilla A. Deciphering GRINA/Lifeguard1: Nuclear Location, Ca 2+ Homeostasis and Vesicle Transport. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20164005. [PMID: 31426446 PMCID: PMC6719933 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20164005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The Glutamate Receptor Ionotropic NMDA-Associated Protein 1 (GRINA) belongs to the Lifeguard family and is involved in calcium homeostasis, which governs key processes, such as cell survival or the release of neurotransmitters. GRINA is mainly associated with membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, endosome, and the cell surface, but its presence in the nucleus has not been explained yet. Here we dissect, with the help of different software tools, the potential roles of GRINA in the cell and how they may be altered in diseases, such as schizophrenia or celiac disease. We describe for the first time that the cytoplasmic N-terminal half of GRINA (which spans a Proline-rich domain) contains a potential DNA-binding sequence, in addition to cleavage target sites and probable PY-nuclear localization sequences, that may enable it to be released from the rest of the protein and enter the nucleus under suitable conditions, where it could participate in the transcription, alternative splicing, and mRNA export of a subset of genes likely involved in lipid and sterol synthesis, ribosome biogenesis, or cell cycle progression. To support these findings, we include additional evidence based on an exhaustive review of the literature and our preliminary data of the protein–protein interaction network of GRINA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elena Ogalla-García
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of Seville, 41012 Seville, Spain
| | - Meritxell García-Quintanilla
- Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), University Hospital Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Albert García-Quintanilla
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Pharmacy, University of Seville, 41012 Seville, Spain.
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16
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Yang R, Browne JA, Eggener SE, Leir SH, Harris A. A novel transcriptional network for the androgen receptor in human epididymis epithelial cells. Mol Hum Reprod 2019; 24:433-443. [PMID: 30016502 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gay029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 07/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION What is the transcriptional network governed by the androgen receptor (AR) in human epididymis epithelial (HEE) cells from the caput region and if the network is tissue-specific, how is this achieved? SUMMARY ANSWER About 200 genes are differentially expressed in the caput HEE cells after AR activation; the AR transcriptional network is tissue-specific and may be mediated in part by distinct AR co-factors including CAAT-enhancer binding protein beta (CEBPB) and runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1). WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Little is known about the AR transcriptional program genome wide in HEE cells, nor its co-factors in those cells. AR has been best studied in the prostate gland epithelium and prostate cancer cell lines, due to the important role of this factor in prostate cancer. However AR-associated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and AR co-factors have not yet been compared between human epididymis and prostate epithelial cells. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Caput HEE cells from two donors were exposed to the synthetic androgen R1881 at 1 nM for 12-16 h after 72 h of hormone starvation. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Chromatin was prepared from R1881-treated and vehicle control HEE cells. AR-associated chromatin was purified by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and AR occupancy genome wide was revealed by deep sequencing (ChIP-seq). Two independent biological replicates were performed. Total RNA was prepared from R1881 and control-treated HEE cells and gene expression profiles were documented by RNA-seq. The interaction of the potential novel AR co-factors CEBPB and RUNX1, identified through in-silico motif analysis of AR ChIP-seq data, was examined by ChIP-qPCR after siRNA-mediated depletion of each co-factor individually or simultaneously. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE The results identify about 200 genes that are differentially expressed (DEGs) in HEE cells after AR activation. Some of these DEGs show occupancy of AR at their promoters or cis-regulatory elements suggesting direct regulation. However, there is little overlap in AR-associated DEGs between HEE and prostate epithelial cells. Inspection of over-represented motifs in AR ChIP-seq peaks identified CEBPB and RUNX1 as potential co-factors, with no evidence for FOXA1, which is an important co-factor in the prostate epithelium. CEBPB and RUNX1 ChIP-seq in HEE cells showed that both these factors often occupied AR-binding sites, though rarely simultaneously. Further analysis at a single AR-regulated locus (FK506-binding protein 5, FKPB5) suggests that CEBPB may be a co-activator. These data suggest a novel AR transcriptional network governs differentiated functions of the human epididymis epithelium. LARGE SCALE DATA AR ChIP-seq and RNA-seq data are deposited at GEO: GSE109063. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION There is substantial donor-to-donor variation in primary HEE cells cultures. We applied stringent statistical tests with a false discovery rate (FDR) of 0.1% for ChIP-seq and standard pipelines for RNA-seq so it is possible that we have missed some AR-regulated genes that are important in caput epididymis function. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Our data suggest that a novel AR transcriptional network governs differentiated functions of the human epididymis epithelium. Since this cell layer has a critical role in normal sperm maturation, the results are of broader significance in understanding the mechanisms underlying the maintenance of fertility in men. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS This work was funded by the National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Development: R01 HD068901 (PI: Harris). The authors have no competing interests to declare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Yang
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - James A Browne
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Scott E Eggener
- Section of Urology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Shih-Hsing Leir
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ann Harris
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
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17
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Browne JA, Leir SH, Yin S, Harris A. Transcriptional networks in the human epididymis. Andrology 2019; 7:741-747. [PMID: 31050198 DOI: 10.1111/andr.12629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 12/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The epithelial lining of the human epididymis is critical for sperm maturation. This process requires distinct specialized functions in the head, body, and tail of the duct. These region-specific properties are maintained by distinct gene expression profiles which are governed by transcription factor networks, non-coding RNAs, and other factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used genome-wide protocols including DNase-seq, RNA-seq and ChIP-seq to characterize open (active) chromatin, the transcriptome and occupancy of specific transcription factors (TFs) respectively, in caput, corpus, and cauda segments of adult human epididymis tissue and primary human epididymis epithelial (HEE) cell cultures derived from them. RNA-seq following TF depletion or activation, combined with gene ontology analysis also determined TF targets. RESULTS Among regional differentially expressed transcripts were epithelial-selective transcription factors (TFs), microRNAs, and antiviral response genes. Caput-enriched TFs included hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 (HNF1) and the androgen receptor (AR), both of which were also predicted to occupy cis-regulatory elements identified as open chromatin in HEE cells. HNF1 targets were identified genome-wide using ChIP-seq, in HEE cells. Next, siRNA-mediated depletion of HNF1 revealed a pivotal role for this TF in coordinating epithelial water and solute transport in caput epithelium. The importance of AR in HEE cells was shown by AR ChIP-seq, and by RNA-seq after synthetic androgen (R1881) treatment. AR has a distinct transcriptional program in the HEE cells and likely recruits different co-factors (RUNX1 and CEBPβ) in comparison to those used in prostate epithelium. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Our data identify many transcription factors that regulate the development and differentiation of HEE cells. Moreover, a comparison between immature and adult HEE cells showed key TFs in the transition to fully differentiated function of this epithelium. These data may help identify new targets to treat male infertility and have the potential to open new avenues for male contraception.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A Browne
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - S-H Leir
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - S Yin
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - A Harris
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
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18
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Swahn H, Harris A. Cell-Selective Regulation of CFTR Gene Expression: Relevance to Gene Editing Therapeutics. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:E235. [PMID: 30893953 PMCID: PMC6471542 DOI: 10.3390/genes10030235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene is an attractive target for gene editing approaches, which may yield novel therapeutic approaches for genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF). However, for gene editing to be effective, aspects of the three-dimensional (3D) structure and cis-regulatory elements governing the dynamic expression of CFTR need to be considered. In this review, we focus on the higher order chromatin organization required for normal CFTR locus function, together with the complex mechanisms controlling expression of the gene in different cell types impaired by CF pathology. Across all cells, the CFTR locus is organized into an invariant topologically associated domain (TAD) established by the architectural proteins CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) and cohesin complex. Additional insulator elements within the TAD also recruit these factors. Although the CFTR promoter is required for basal levels of expression, cis-regulatory elements (CREs) in intergenic and intronic regions are crucial for cell-specific and temporal coordination of CFTR transcription. These CREs are recruited to the promoter through chromatin looping mechanisms and enhance cell-type-specific expression. These features of the CFTR locus should be considered when designing gene-editing approaches, since failure to recognize their importance may disrupt gene expression and reduce the efficacy of therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Swahn
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44067, USA.
| | - Ann Harris
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44067, USA.
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19
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O'Neal WK, Knowles MR. Cystic Fibrosis Disease Modifiers: Complex Genetics Defines the Phenotypic Diversity in a Monogenic Disease. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2018; 19:201-222. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-083117-021329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
In many respects, genetic studies in cystic fibrosis (CF) serve as a paradigm for a human Mendelian genetic success story. From recognition of the condition as a heritable pathological entity to implementation of personalized treatments based on genetic findings, this multistep pathway of progress has focused on the genetic underpinnings of CF clinical disease. Along this path was the recognition that not all CFTR gene mutations produce the same disease and the recognition of the complex, multifactorial nature of CF genotype–phenotype relationships. The non- CFTR genetic components (gene modifiers) that contribute to variation in phenotype are the focus of this review. A multifaceted approach involving candidate gene studies, genome-wide association studies, and gene expression studies has revealed significant gene modifiers for multiple CF phenotypes. The bold challenges for the future are to integrate the findings into our understanding of CF pathogenesis and to use the knowledge to develop novel therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanda K. O'Neal
- Cystic Fibrosis/Pulmonary Research and Treatment Center, Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA;,
| | - Michael R. Knowles
- Cystic Fibrosis/Pulmonary Research and Treatment Center, Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA;,
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20
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Strug LJ, Stephenson AL, Panjwani N, Harris A. Recent advances in developing therapeutics for cystic fibrosis. Hum Mol Genet 2018; 27:R173-R186. [PMID: 30060192 PMCID: PMC6061831 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite hope that a cure was imminent when the causative gene was cloned nearly 30 years ago, cystic fibrosis (CF [MIM: 219700]) remains a life-shortening disease affecting more than 70 000 individuals worldwide. However, within the last 6 years the Food and Drug Administration's approval of Ivacaftor, the first drug that corrects the defective cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator protein [CFTR (MIM: 602421)] in patients with the G551D mutation, marks a watershed in the development of novel therapeutics for this devastating disease. Here we review recent progress in diverse research areas, which all focus on curing CF at the genetic, biochemical or physiological level. In the near future it seems probable that development of mutation-specific therapies will be the focus, since it is unlikely that any one approach will be efficient in correcting the more than 2000 disease-associated variants. We discuss the new drugs and combinations of drugs that either enhance delivery of misfolded CFTR protein to the cell membrane, where it functions as an ion channel, or that activate channel opening. Next we consider approaches to correct the causative genetic lesion at the DNA or RNA level, through repressing stop mutations and nonsense-mediated decay, modulating splice mutations, fixing errors by gene editing or using novel routes to gene replacement. Finally, we explore how modifier genes, loci elsewhere in the genome that modify CF disease severity, may be used to restore a normal phenotype. Progress in all of these areas has been dramatic, generating enthusiasm that CF may soon become a broadly treatable disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa J Strug
- Division of Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anne L Stephenson
- Department of Respirology, Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Naim Panjwani
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ann Harris
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
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21
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Magalhães M, Tost J, Pineau F, Rivals I, Busato F, Alary N, Mely L, Leroy S, Murris M, Caimmi D, Claustres M, Chiron R, De Sario A. Dynamic changes of DNA methylation and lung disease in cystic fibrosis: lessons from a monogenic disease. Epigenomics 2018; 10:1131-1145. [PMID: 30052057 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2018-0005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM To assess whether DNA methylation levels account for the noninherited phenotypic variations observed among cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. PATIENTS & METHODS Using the 450 K BeadChip, we profiled DNA methylation in nasal epithelial cells collected from 32 CF patients and 16 controls. RESULTS We detected substantial DNA methylation differences up to 55% (median β change 0.13; IQR: 0.15-0.11) between CF patients and controls. DNA methylation levels differed between mild and severe CF patients and correlated with lung function at 50 CpG sites. CONCLUSION In CF samples, dynamic changes of DNA methylation occurred in genes responsible for the integrity of the epithelium and the inflammatory and immune responses, were prominent in transcriptionally active genomic regions and were over-represented in enhancers active in lung tissues. ( Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02884622).
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Magalhães
- Laboratoire de Génétique de Maladies Rares - EA7402 Montpellier University - Montpellier - France.,Laboratory of Biological System Modeling - INCT/IDN, CDTS - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
| | - Jörg Tost
- Laboratory for Epigenetics & Environment - Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine - CEA - Institut de Biologie François Jacob - Evry - France
| | - Fanny Pineau
- Laboratoire de Génétique de Maladies Rares - EA7402 Montpellier University - Montpellier - France
| | - Isabelle Rivals
- Equipe de Statistique Appliquée - ESPCI Paris - PSL Research University - UMRS1158 - Paris - France
| | - Florence Busato
- Laboratory for Epigenetics & Environment - Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine - CEA - Institut de Biologie François Jacob - Evry - France
| | - Nathan Alary
- Laboratoire de Génétique de Maladies Rares - EA7402 Montpellier University - Montpellier - France
| | - Laurent Mely
- CRCM, Renée Sabran Hospital - CHU Lyon - Hyères - France
| | - Sylvie Leroy
- CRCM, Pasteur Hospital - CHU Nice - Nice - France
| | - Marlène Murris
- CRCM, Larrey Hospital - CHU Toulouse - Toulouse - France
| | - Davide Caimmi
- CRCM, Arnaud de Villeneuve Hospital - CHU Montpellier - Montpellier - France
| | - Mireille Claustres
- Laboratoire de Génétique de Maladies Rares - EA7402 Montpellier University - Montpellier - France.,Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire - CHU Montpellier - Montpellier - France
| | - Raphaël Chiron
- CRCM, Arnaud de Villeneuve Hospital - CHU Montpellier - Montpellier - France
| | - Albertina De Sario
- Laboratoire de Génétique de Maladies Rares - EA7402 Montpellier University - Montpellier - France
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22
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Ramnath D, Irvine KM, Lukowski SW, Horsfall LU, Loh Z, Clouston AD, Patel PJ, Fagan KJ, Iyer A, Lampe G, Stow JL, Schroder K, Fairlie DP, Powell JE, Powell EE, Sweet MJ. Hepatic expression profiling identifies steatosis-independent and steatosis-driven advanced fibrosis genes. JCI Insight 2018; 3:120274. [PMID: 30046009 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.120274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic liver disease (CLD) is associated with tissue-destructive fibrosis. Considering that common mechanisms drive fibrosis across etiologies, and that steatosis is an important cofactor for pathology, we performed RNA sequencing on liver biopsies of patients with different fibrosis stages, resulting from infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) (with or without steatosis) or fatty liver disease. In combination with enhanced liver fibrosis score correlation analysis, we reveal a common set of genes associated with advanced fibrosis, as exemplified by those encoding the transcription factor ETS-homologous factor (EHF) and the extracellular matrix protein versican (VCAN). We identified 17 fibrosis-associated genes as candidate EHF targets and demonstrated that EHF regulates multiple fibrosis-associated genes, including VCAN, in hepatic stellate cells. Serum VCAN levels were also elevated in advanced fibrosis patients. Comparing biopsies from patients with HCV with or without steatosis, we identified a steatosis-enriched gene set associated with advanced fibrosis, validating follistatin-like protein 1 (FSTL1) as an exemplar of this profile. In patients with advanced fibrosis, serum FSTL1 levels were elevated in those with steatosis (versus those without). Liver Fstl1 mRNA levels were also elevated in murine CLD models. We thus reveal a common gene signature for CLD-associated liver fibrosis and potential biomarkers and/or targets for steatosis-associated liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Ramnath
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) and.,IMB Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Katharine M Irvine
- Centre for Liver Disease Research and.,Faculty of Medicine, Mater Research Institute, Translational Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Samuel W Lukowski
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) and.,IMB Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Leigh U Horsfall
- Centre for Liver Disease Research and.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Zhixuan Loh
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) and.,IMB Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Preya J Patel
- Centre for Liver Disease Research and.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Abishek Iyer
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) and.,IMB Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Guy Lampe
- Pathology Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jennifer L Stow
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) and.,IMB Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kate Schroder
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) and.,IMB Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - David P Fairlie
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) and.,IMB Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Joseph E Powell
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) and.,IMB Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Elizabeth E Powell
- Centre for Liver Disease Research and.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Matthew J Sweet
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) and.,IMB Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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23
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A transcription factor network represses CFTR gene expression in airway epithelial cells. Biochem J 2018; 475:1323-1334. [PMID: 29572268 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20180044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene cause the inherited disorder cystic fibrosis (CF). Lung disease is the major cause of CF morbidity, though CFTR expression levels are substantially lower in the airway epithelium than in pancreatic duct and intestinal epithelia, which also show compromised function in CF. Recently developed small molecule therapeutics for CF are highly successful for one specific CFTR mutation and have a positive impact on others. However, the low abundance of CFTR transcripts in the airway limits the opportunity for drugs to correct the defective substrate. Elucidation of the transcriptional mechanisms for the CFTR locus has largely focused on intragenic and intergenic tissue-specific enhancers and their activating trans-factors. Here, we investigate whether the low CFTR levels in the airway epithelium result from the recruitment of repressive proteins directly to the locus. Using an siRNA screen to deplete ∼1500 transcription factors (TFs) and associated regulatory proteins in Calu-3 lung epithelial cells, we identified nearly 40 factors that upon depletion elevated CFTR mRNA levels more than 2-fold. A subset of these TFs was validated in primary human bronchial epithelial cells. Among the strongest repressors of airway expression of CFTR were Krüppel-like factor 5 and Ets homologous factor, both of which have pivotal roles in the airway epithelium. Depletion of these factors, which are both recruited to an airway-selective cis-regulatory element at -35 kb from the CFTR promoter, improved CFTR production and function, thus defining novel therapeutic targets for enhancement of CFTR.
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24
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Gillen AE, Yang R, Cotton CU, Perez A, Randell SH, Leir SH, Harris A. Molecular characterization of gene regulatory networks in primary human tracheal and bronchial epithelial cells. J Cyst Fibros 2018; 17:444-453. [PMID: 29459038 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcf.2018.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Revised: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/27/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Robust methods to culture primary airway epithelial cells were developed several decades ago and these cells provide the model of choice to investigate many diseases of the human lung. However, the molecular signature of cells from different regions of the airway epithelium has not been well characterized. METHODS We utilize DNase-seq and RNA-seq to examine the molecular signatures of primary cells derived from human tracheal and bronchial tissues, as well as healthy and diseased (cystic fibrosis (CF)) donor lung tissue. RESULTS Our data reveal an airway cell signature that is divergent from other epithelial cell types and from common airway epithelial cell lines. The differences between tracheal and bronchial cells are clearly evident as are common regulatory features. Only minor variation is seen between bronchial cells from healthy or CF donors. CONCLUSIONS These data are a valuable resource for functional genomics analysis of airway epithelial tissues in human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin E Gillen
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL, 60614, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, United States
| | - Rui Yang
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL, 60614, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, United States
| | - Calvin U Cotton
- Departments of Pediatrics, Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States
| | - Aura Perez
- Departments of Pediatrics, Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States
| | - Scott H Randell
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Shih-Hsing Leir
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL, 60614, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, United States; Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States
| | - Ann Harris
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL, 60614, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, United States; Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States.
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25
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Microvesicle-mediated delivery of miR-1343: impact on markers of fibrosis. Cell Tissue Res 2017; 371:325-338. [PMID: 29022142 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-017-2697-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Tissue fibrosis, the development of fibrous connective tissue as a result of injury or damage, is associated with many common diseases and cannot be treated effectively. The complex biological processes accompanying fibrosis often involve aberrant signaling through the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) pathway. In the search for mechanisms to repress this signaling, microRNAs have emerged as a novel class of molecules capable of targeting single members of the TGF-β pathway, or the pathway as a whole. We previously identified miR-1343 as a potent repressor of TGF-β signaling and fibrosis through the direct attenuation of both canonical TGF-β receptors. Here, we build upon our previous findings to better characterize the function of endogenous miR-1343 in normal biology and examine the potential role of exogenous miR-1343 as a repressor of TGF-β signaling. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated deletion of miR-1343 from A549 lung epithelial cells impacts several processes and genes implicated in fibrosis and known to be TGF-β pathway effectors. Moreover, the responses are opposite to those we observed previously when miR-1343 was overexpressed in the same cell type. We also show that miR-1343 can be shuttled into exosomes, a type of extracellular vesicle that are exported by cells into the surrounding medium and can be absorbed by distant target cells. miR-1343 delivered into primary lung fibroblasts by exosomes has a measurable function in reducing TGF-β signaling and markers of fibrosis. These results highlight a role for miR-1343 in fine-tuning the TGF-β pathway and suggest its use as a therapeutic in fibrotic disease.
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26
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Stolzenburg LR, Yang R, Kerschner JL, Fossum S, Xu M, Hoffmann A, Lamar KM, Ghosh S, Wachtel S, Leir SH, Harris A. Regulatory dynamics of 11p13 suggest a role for EHF in modifying CF lung disease severity. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:8773-8784. [PMID: 28549169 PMCID: PMC5587731 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2017] [Revised: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene cause cystic fibrosis (CF), but are not good predictors of lung phenotype. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) previously identified additional genomic sites associated with CF lung disease severity. One of these, at chromosome 11p13, is an intergenic region between Ets homologous factor (EHF) and Apaf-1 interacting protein (APIP). Our goal was to determine the functional significance of this region, which being intergenic is probably regulatory. To identify cis-acting elements, we used DNase-seq and H3K4me1 and H3K27Ac ChIP-seq to map open and active chromatin respectively, in lung epithelial cells. Two elements showed strong enhancer activity for the promoters of EHF and the 5' adjacent gene E47 like ETS transcription factor 5 (ELF5) in reporter gene assays. No enhancers of the APIP promoter were found. Circular chromosome conformation capture (4C-seq) identified direct physical interactions of elements within 11p13. This confirmed the enhancer-promoter associations, identified additional interacting elements and defined topologically associating domain (TAD) boundaries, enriched for CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF). No strong interactions were observed with the APIP promoter, which lies outside the main TAD encompassing the GWAS signal. These results focus attention on the role of EHF in modifying CF lung disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay R. Stolzenburg
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Rui Yang
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Jenny L. Kerschner
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44016, USA
| | - Sara Fossum
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Matthew Xu
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Andrew Hoffmann
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Kay-Marie Lamar
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44016, USA
| | - Sujana Ghosh
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Sarah Wachtel
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Shih-Hsing Leir
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44016, USA
| | - Ann Harris
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44016, USA
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27
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Rubin AJ, Barajas BC, Furlan-Magaril M, Lopez-Pajares V, Mumbach MR, Howard I, Kim DS, Boxer LD, Cairns J, Spivakov M, Wingett SW, Shi M, Zhao Z, Greenleaf WJ, Kundaje A, Snyder M, Chang HY, Fraser P, Khavari PA. Lineage-specific dynamic and pre-established enhancer-promoter contacts cooperate in terminal differentiation. Nat Genet 2017; 49:1522-1528. [PMID: 28805829 PMCID: PMC5715812 DOI: 10.1038/ng.3935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Chromosome conformation is an important feature of metazoan gene regulation; however, enhancer-promoter contact remodeling during cellular differentiation remains poorly understood. To address this, genome-wide promoter capture Hi-C (CHi-C) was performed during epidermal differentiation. Two classes of enhancer-promoter contacts associated with differentiation-induced genes were identified. The first class ('gained') increased in contact strength during differentiation in concert with enhancer acquisition of the H3K27ac activation mark. The second class ('stable') were pre-established in undifferentiated cells, with enhancers constitutively marked by H3K27ac. The stable class was associated with the canonical conformation regulator cohesin, whereas the gained class was not, implying distinct mechanisms of contact formation and regulation. Analysis of stable enhancers identified a new, essential role for a constitutively expressed, lineage-restricted ETS-family transcription factor, EHF, in epidermal differentiation. Furthermore, neither class of contacts was observed in pluripotent cells, suggesting that lineage-specific chromatin structure is established in tissue progenitor cells and is further remodeled in terminal differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Rubin
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Brook C Barajas
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Mayra Furlan-Magaril
- Nuclear Dynamics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK.,Departamento de Genética Molecular, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Vanessa Lopez-Pajares
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Maxwell R Mumbach
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Imani Howard
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Daniel S Kim
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Lisa D Boxer
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Jonathan Cairns
- Nuclear Dynamics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | - Minyi Shi
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Zhixin Zhao
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - William J Greenleaf
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Anshul Kundaje
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Michael Snyder
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Howard Y Chang
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Peter Fraser
- Nuclear Dynamics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Paul A Khavari
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.,Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, California, USA
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28
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Sikora D, Rocheleau L, Brown EG, Pelchat M. Influenza A virus cap-snatches host RNAs based on their abundance early after infection. Virology 2017. [PMID: 28646652 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2017.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The influenza A virus RNA polymerase cleaves the 5' ends of host RNAs and uses these RNA fragments as primers for viral mRNA synthesis. We performed deep sequencing of the 5' host-derived ends of the eight viral mRNAs of influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (H1N1) virus in infected A549 cells, and compared the population to those of A/Hong Kong/1/1968 (H3N2) and A/WSN/1933 (H1N1). In the three strains, the viral RNAs target different populations of host RNAs. Host RNAs are cap-snatched based on their abundance, and we found that RNAs encoding proteins involved in metabolism are overrepresented in the cap-snatched populations. Because this overrepresentation could be a reflection of the host response early after infection, and thus of the increased availability of these transcripts, our results suggest that host RNAs are cap-snatched mainly based on their abundance without preferential targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Sikora
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 8M5
| | - Lynda Rocheleau
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 8M5
| | - Earl G Brown
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 8M5
| | - Martin Pelchat
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 8M5.
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29
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Fossum SL, Mutolo MJ, Tugores A, Ghosh S, Randell SH, Jones LC, Leir SH, Harris A. Ets homologous factor (EHF) has critical roles in epithelial dysfunction in airway disease. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:10938-10949. [PMID: 28461336 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.775304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Revised: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The airway epithelium forms a barrier between the internal and external environments. Epithelial dysfunction is critical in the pathology of many respiratory diseases, including cystic fibrosis. Ets homologous factor (EHF) is a key member of the transcription factor network that regulates gene expression in the airway epithelium in response to endogenous and exogenous stimuli. EHF, which has altered expression in inflammatory states, maps to the 5' end of an intergenic region on Chr11p13 that is implicated as a modifier of cystic fibrosis airway disease. Here we determine the functions of EHF in primary human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells and relevant airway cell lines. Using EHF ChIP followed by deep sequencing (ChIP-seq) and RNA sequencing after EHF depletion, we show that EHF targets in HBE cells are enriched for genes involved in inflammation and wound repair. Furthermore, changes in gene expression impact cell phenotype because EHF depletion alters epithelial secretion of a neutrophil chemokine and slows wound closure in HBE cells. EHF activates expression of the SAM pointed domain-containing ETS transcription factor, which contributes to goblet cell hyperplasia. Our data reveal a critical role for EHF in regulating epithelial function in lung disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara L Fossum
- From the Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, Illinois 60614.,the Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611
| | - Michael J Mutolo
- From the Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, Illinois 60614.,the Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611
| | - Antonio Tugores
- the Unidad de Investigación, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno Infantil, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Sujana Ghosh
- From the Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, Illinois 60614.,the Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611
| | - Scott H Randell
- the Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina Cystic Fibrosis Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, and
| | - Lisa C Jones
- the Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina Cystic Fibrosis Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, and
| | - Shih-Hsing Leir
- From the Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, Illinois 60614.,the Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611.,the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44016
| | - Ann Harris
- From the Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, Illinois 60614, .,the Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611.,the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44016
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30
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Albino D, Civenni G, Rossi S, Mitra A, Catapano CV, Carbone GM. The ETS factor ESE3/EHF represses IL-6 preventing STAT3 activation and expansion of the prostate cancer stem-like compartment. Oncotarget 2016; 7:76756-76768. [PMID: 27732936 PMCID: PMC5363547 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.12525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastatic prostate cancer represents a yet unsolved clinical problem due to the high frequency of relapse and treatment resistance. Understanding the pathways that lead to prostate cancer progression is an important task to prevent this deadly disease. The ETS transcription factor ESE3/EHF has an important role in differentiation of human prostate epithelial cells. Loss of ESE3/EHF in prostate epithelial cells determines transformation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and acquisition of stem-like properties. In this study we identify IL-6 as a direct target of ESE3/EHF that is activated in prostate epithelial cells upon loss of ESE3/EHF. ESE3/EHF and IL-6 were significantly inversely correlated in prostate tumors. Chromatin immunoprecipitation confirmed binding of ESE3/EHF to a novel ETS binding site in the IL-6 gene promoter. Inhibition of IL-6 reverted transformation and stem-like phenotype in tumorigenic ESE3/EHF knockdown prostate epithelial cell models. Conversely, IL-6 stimulation induced malignant phenotypes, stem-like behavior and STAT3 activation. Increased level of IL-6 was observed in prostatospheres compared with adherent bulk cancer cells and this was associated with stronger activation of STAT3. Human prostate tumors with IL-6 elevation and loss of ESE3/EHF were associated with STAT3 activation and displayed upregulation of genes related to cell adhesion, cancer stem-like and metastatic spread. Pharmacological inhibition of IL-6/STAT3 activation by a JAK inhibitor restrained cancer stem cell growth in vitro and inhibited self-renewal in vivo. This study identifies a novel connection between the transcription factor ESE3/EHF and the IL-6/JAK/STAT3 pathway and suggests that targeting this axis might be preferentially beneficial in tumors with loss of ESE3/EHF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Albino
- Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics Program, Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland (IOSI), Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Gianluca Civenni
- Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics Program, Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland (IOSI), Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Simona Rossi
- Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics Program, Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland (IOSI), Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Abhishek Mitra
- Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics Program, Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland (IOSI), Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Carlo V. Catapano
- Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics Program, Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland (IOSI), Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Giuseppina M. Carbone
- Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics Program, Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland (IOSI), Bellinzona, Switzerland
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31
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Rajagopalan P, Nanjappa V, Raja R, Jain AP, Mangalaparthi KK, Sathe GJ, Babu N, Patel K, Cavusoglu N, Soeur J, Pandey A, Roy N, Breton L, Chatterjee A, Misra N, Gowda H. How Does Chronic Cigarette Smoke Exposure Affect Human Skin? A Global Proteomics Study in Primary Human Keratinocytes. OMICS : A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2016; 20:615-626. [PMID: 27828771 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2016.0123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Cigarette smoking has been associated with multiple negative effects on human skin. Long-term physiological effects of cigarette smoke are through chronic and not acute exposure. Molecular alterations due to chronic exposure to cigarette smoke remain unclear. Primary human skin keratinocytes chronically exposed to cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) showed a decreased wound-healing capacity with an increased expression of NRF2 and MMP9. Using quantitative proteomics, we identified 4728 proteins, of which 105 proteins were overexpressed (≥2-fold) and 41 proteins were downregulated (≤2-fold) in primary skin keratinocytes chronically exposed to CSC. We observed an alteration in the expression of several proteins involved in maintenance of epithelial barrier integrity, including keratin 80 (5.3 fold, p value 2.5 × 10-7), cystatin A (3.6-fold, p value 3.2 × 10-3), and periplakin (2.4-fold, p value 1.2 × 10-8). Increased expression of proteins associated with skin hydration, including caspase 14 (2.2-fold, p value 4.7 × 10-2) and filaggrin (3.6-fold, p value 5.4 × 10-7), was also observed. In addition, we report differential expression of several proteins, including adipogenesis regulatory factor (2.5-fold, p value 1.3 × 10-3) and histone H1.0 (2.5-fold, p value 6.3 × 10-3) that have not been reported earlier. Bioinformatics analyses demonstrated that proteins differentially expressed in response to CSC are largely related to oxidative stress, maintenance of skin integrity, and anti-inflammatory responses. Importantly, treatment with vitamin E, a widely used antioxidant, could partially rescue adverse effects of CSC exposure in primary skin keratinocytes. The utility of antioxidant-based new dermatological formulations in delaying or preventing skin aging and oxidative damages caused by chronic cigarette smoke exposure warrants further clinical investigations and multi-omics research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavithra Rajagopalan
- 1 Institute of Bioinformatics , International Tech Park, Bangalore, India
- 2 School of Biotechnology, KIIT University , Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Vishalakshi Nanjappa
- 1 Institute of Bioinformatics , International Tech Park, Bangalore, India
- 3 Amrita School of Biotechnology , Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kollam, India
| | - Remya Raja
- 1 Institute of Bioinformatics , International Tech Park, Bangalore, India
| | - Ankit P Jain
- 1 Institute of Bioinformatics , International Tech Park, Bangalore, India
- 2 School of Biotechnology, KIIT University , Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Kiran K Mangalaparthi
- 1 Institute of Bioinformatics , International Tech Park, Bangalore, India
- 3 Amrita School of Biotechnology , Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kollam, India
| | - Gajanan J Sathe
- 1 Institute of Bioinformatics , International Tech Park, Bangalore, India
- 4 Manipal University , Manipal, India
| | - Niraj Babu
- 1 Institute of Bioinformatics , International Tech Park, Bangalore, India
| | - Krishna Patel
- 1 Institute of Bioinformatics , International Tech Park, Bangalore, India
- 3 Amrita School of Biotechnology , Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kollam, India
| | | | - Jeremie Soeur
- 5 L'Oréal Research and Innovation , Aulnay Sous Bois, France
| | - Akhilesh Pandey
- 6 McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, Maryland
- 7 Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, Maryland
- 8 Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, Maryland
- 9 Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Nita Roy
- 10 L'Oréal India, Bangalore, India
| | - Lionel Breton
- 5 L'Oréal Research and Innovation , Aulnay Sous Bois, France
| | - Aditi Chatterjee
- 1 Institute of Bioinformatics , International Tech Park, Bangalore, India
| | | | - Harsha Gowda
- 1 Institute of Bioinformatics , International Tech Park, Bangalore, India
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32
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Novel variation at chr11p13 associated with cystic fibrosis lung disease severity. Hum Genome Var 2016; 3:16020. [PMID: 27408752 PMCID: PMC4935763 DOI: 10.1038/hgv.2016.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Revised: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Published genome-wide association studies (GWASs) identified an intergenic region with regulatory features on chr11p13 associated with cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease severity. Targeted resequencing in n=377, followed by imputation to n=6,365 CF subjects, was used to identify unrecognized genetic variants (including indels and microsatellite repeats) associated with phenotype. Highly significant associations were in strong linkage disequilibrium and were seen only in Phe508del homozygous CF subjects, indicating a CFTR genotype-specific mechanism.
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Yang R, Kerschner JL, Gosalia N, Neems D, Gorsic LK, Safi A, Crawford GE, Kosak ST, Leir SH, Harris A. Differential contribution of cis-regulatory elements to higher order chromatin structure and expression of the CFTR locus. Nucleic Acids Res 2016; 44:3082-94. [PMID: 26673704 PMCID: PMC4838340 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv1358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Revised: 11/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Higher order chromatin structure establishes domains that organize the genome and coordinate gene expression. However, the molecular mechanisms controlling transcription of individual loci within a topological domain (TAD) are not fully understood. The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene provides a paradigm for investigating these mechanisms.CFTR occupies a TAD bordered by CTCF/cohesin binding sites within which are cell-type-selective cis-regulatory elements for the locus. We showed previously that intronic and extragenic enhancers, when occupied by specific transcription factors, are recruited to the CFTR promoter by a looping mechanism to drive gene expression. Here we use a combination of CRISPR/Cas9 editing of cis-regulatory elements and siRNA-mediated depletion of architectural proteins to determine the relative contribution of structural elements and enhancers to the higher order structure and expression of the CFTR locus. We found the boundaries of the CFTRTAD are conserved among diverse cell types and are dependent on CTCF and cohesin complex. Removal of an upstream CTCF-binding insulator alters the interaction profile, but has little effect on CFTR expression. Within the TAD, intronic enhancers recruit cell-type selective transcription factors and deletion of a pivotal enhancer element dramatically decreases CFTR expression, but has minor effect on its 3D structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Yang
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL 60614, USA Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Jenny L Kerschner
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL 60614, USA Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Nehal Gosalia
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL 60614, USA Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Daniel Neems
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Lidija K Gorsic
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL 60614, USA Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Alexias Safi
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics and Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Gregory E Crawford
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics and Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Steven T Kosak
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Shih-Hsing Leir
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL 60614, USA Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Ann Harris
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL 60614, USA Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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34
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Browne JA, Yang R, Eggener SE, Leir SH, Harris A. HNF1 regulates critical processes in the human epididymis epithelium. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2016; 425:94-102. [PMID: 26808453 PMCID: PMC4799753 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2016.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2015] [Revised: 12/26/2015] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The luminal environment of the epididymis participates in sperm maturation and impacts male fertility. It is dependent on the coordinated expression of many genes encoding proteins with a role in epithelial transport. We identified cis-regulatory elements for critical genes in epididymis function, by mapping open chromatin genome-wide in human epididymis epithelial (HEE) cells. Bioinformatic predictions of transcription factors binding to the regulatory elements suggested an important role for hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 (HNF1) in the transcriptional program of these cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and deep sequencing (ChIP-seq) revealed HNF1 target genes in HEE cells. In parallel, the contribution of HNF1 to the transcriptome of HEE cells was determined by RNA-seq, following siRNA-mediated depletion of both HNF1α and HNF1β transcription factors. Repression of these factors caused differential expression of 1892 transcripts (902 were downregulated and 990 upregulated) in comparison to non-targeting siRNAs. Differentially expressed genes with HNF1 ChIP-seq peaks within 20 kb were subject to gene ontology process enrichment analysis. Among the most significant processes associated with down-regulated genes were epithelial transport of water, phosphate and bicarbonate, all critical processes in epididymis epithelial function. Measurements of intracellular pH (pHi) confirmed a role for HNF1 in regulating the epididymis luminal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Browne
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Rui Yang
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Scott E Eggener
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Shih-Hsing Leir
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ann Harris
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
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35
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Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 coordinates multiple processes in a model of intestinal epithelial cell function. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2016; 1859:591-8. [PMID: 26855178 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2016.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2015] [Revised: 02/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 transcription factors (HNF1α/β) are associated with diabetes. These factors are well studied in the liver, pancreas and kidney, where they direct tissue-specific gene regulation. However, they also have an important role in the biology of many other tissues, including the intestine. We investigated the transcriptional network governed by HNF1 in an intestinal epithelial cell line (Caco2). We used chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by direct sequencing (ChIP-seq) to identify HNF1 binding sites genome-wide. Direct targets of HNF1 were validated using conventional ChIP assays and confirmed by siRNA-mediated depletion of HNF1, followed by RT-qPCR. Gene ontology process enrichment analysis of the HNF1 targets identified multiple processes with a role in intestinal epithelial cell function, including properties of the cell membrane, cellular response to hormones, and regulation of biosynthetic processes. Approximately 50% of HNF1 binding sites were also occupied by other members of the intestinal transcriptional network, including hepatocyte nuclear factor 4A (HNF4A), caudal type homeobox 2 (CDX2), and forkhead box A2 (FOXA2). Depletion of HNF1 in Caco2 cells increases FOXA2 abundance and decreases levels of CDX2, illustrating the coordinated activities of the network. These data suggest that HNF1 plays an important role in regulating intestinal epithelial cell function, both directly and through interactions with other intestinal transcription factors.
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36
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miR-1343 attenuates pathways of fibrosis by targeting the TGF-β receptors. Biochem J 2015; 473:245-56. [PMID: 26542979 DOI: 10.1042/bj20150821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Irreversible respiratory obstruction resulting from progressive airway damage, inflammation and fibrosis is a feature of several chronic respiratory diseases, including cystic fibrosis (CF), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The cytokine transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) has a pivotal role in promoting lung fibrosis and is implicated in respiratory disease severity. In the present study, we show that a previously uncharacterized miRNA, miR-1343, reduces the expression of both TGF-β receptor 1 and 2 by directly targeting their 3'-UTRs. After TGF-β exposure, elevated intracellular miR-1343 significantly decreases levels of activated TGF-β effector molecules, pSMAD2 (phosphorylated SMAD2) and pSMAD3 (phosphorylated SMAD3), when compared with a non-targeting control miRNA. As a result, the abundance of fibrotic markers is reduced, cell migration into a scratch wound impaired and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) repressed. Mature miR-1343 is readily detected in human neutrophils and HL-60 cells and is activated in response to stress in A549 lung epithelial cells. miR-1343 may have direct therapeutic applications in fibrotic lung disease.
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37
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Genome-wide association meta-analysis identifies five modifier loci of lung disease severity in cystic fibrosis. Nat Commun 2015; 6:8382. [PMID: 26417704 PMCID: PMC4589222 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The identification of small molecules that target specific CFTR variants has ushered in a new era of treatment for cystic fibrosis (CF), yet optimal, individualized treatment of CF will require identification and targeting of disease modifiers. Here we use genome-wide association analysis to identify genetic modifiers of CF lung disease, the primary cause of mortality. Meta-analysis of 6,365 CF patients identifies five loci that display significant association with variation in lung disease. Regions on chr3q29 (MUC4/MUC20; P=3.3 × 10(-11)), chr5p15.3 (SLC9A3; P=6.8 × 10(-12)), chr6p21.3 (HLA Class II; P=1.2 × 10(-8)) and chrXq22-q23 (AGTR2/SLC6A14; P=1.8 × 10(-9)) contain genes of high biological relevance to CF pathophysiology. The fifth locus, on chr11p12-p13 (EHF/APIP; P=1.9 × 10(-10)), was previously shown to be associated with lung disease. These results provide new insights into potential targets for modulating lung disease severity in CF.
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38
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Gosalia N, Yang R, Kerschner JL, Harris A. FOXA2 regulates a network of genes involved in critical functions of human intestinal epithelial cells. Physiol Genomics 2015; 47:290-7. [PMID: 25921584 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00024.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2015] [Accepted: 04/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The forkhead box A (FOXA) family of pioneer transcription factors is critical for the development of many endoderm-derived tissues. Their importance in regulating biological processes in the lung and liver is extensively characterized, though much less is known about their role in intestine. Here we investigate the contribution of FOXA2 to coordinating intestinal epithelial cell function using postconfluent Caco2 cells, differentiated into an enterocyte-like model. FOXA2 binding sites genome-wide were determined by ChIP-seq and direct targets of the factor were validated by ChIP-qPCR and siRNA-mediated depletion of FOXA1/2 followed by RT-qPCR. Peaks of FOXA2 occupancy were frequent at loci contributing to gene ontology pathways of regulation of cell migration, cell motion, and plasma membrane function. Depletion of both FOXA1 and FOXA2 led to a significant reduction in the expression of multiple transmembrane proteins including ion channels and transporters, which form a network that is essential for maintaining normal ion and solute transport. One of the targets was the adenosine A2B receptor, and reduced receptor mRNA levels were associated with a functional decrease in intracellular cyclic AMP. We also observed that 30% of FOXA2 binding sites contained a GATA motif and that FOXA1/A2 depletion reduced GATA-4, but not GATA-6 protein levels. These data show that FOXA2 plays a pivotal role in regulating intestinal epithelial cell function. Moreover, that the FOXA and GATA families of transcription factors may work cooperatively to regulate gene expression genome-wide in the intestinal epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nehal Gosalia
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois; and
| | - Rui Yang
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois; and
| | - Jenny L Kerschner
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois; and
| | - Ann Harris
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois; and Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
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