pRB and E2F4 play distinct cell-intrinsic roles in fetal erythropoiesis

C2H2 Zinc Finger Transcription Factors Associated with Hemoglobinopathies

In humans, specific aberrations in β-globin results in sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia, symptoms of which can be ameliorated by increased expression of fetal globin (HbF). Two recent CRISPR-Cas9 screens, centered on ∼1500 annotated sequence-specific DNA binding proteins and performed in a human erythroid cell line that expresses adult hemoglobin, uncovered four groups of candidate regulators of HbF gene expression. They are (1) members of the nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase (NuRD) complex proteins that are already known for HbF control; (2) seven C2H2 zinc finger (ZF) proteins, including some (ZBTB7A and BCL11A) already known for directly silencing the fetal γ-globin genes in adult human erythroid cells; (3) a few other transcription factors of different structural classes that might indirectly influence HbF gene expression; and (4) DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) that maintains the DNA methylation marks that attract the MBD2-associated NuRD complex to DNA as well as associated histone H3 lysine 9 methylation. Here we briefly discuss the effects of these regulators, particularly C2H2 ZFs, in inducing HbF expression for treating β-hemoglobin disorders, together with recent advances in developing safe and effective small-molecule therapeutics for the regulation of this well-conserved hemoglobin switch.

Phenotypic and proteomic characterization of the human erythroid progenitor continuum reveal dynamic changes in cell cycle and in metabolic pathways

Human erythropoiesis is a complex process leading to the production of 2.5 million red blood cells per second. Following commitment of hematopoietic stem cells to the erythroid lineage, this process can be divided into three distinct stages: erythroid progenitor differentiation, terminal erythropoiesis, and reticulocyte maturation. We recently resolved the heterogeneity of erythroid progenitors into four different subpopulations termed EP1-EP4. Here, we characterized the growth factor(s) responsiveness of these four progenitor populations in terms of proliferation and differentiation. Using mass spectrometry-based proteomics on sorted erythroid progenitors, we quantified the absolute expression of ~5500 proteins from EP1 to EP4. Further functional analyses highlighted dynamic changes in cell cycle in these populations with an acceleration of the cell cycle during erythroid progenitor differentiation. The finding that E2F4 expression was increased from EP1 to EP4 is consistent with the noted changes in cell cycle. Finally, our proteomic data suggest that the protein machinery necessary for both oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis is present in these progenitor cells. Together, our data provide comprehensive insights into growth factor-dependence of erythroid progenitor proliferation and the proteome of four distinct populations of human erythroid progenitors which will be a useful framework for the study of erythroid disorders.

Revealing the action mechanisms of dexamethasone on the birth weight of infant using RNA-sequencing data of trophoblast cells

Dexamethasone (DEX) could induce low birth weight of infant, and low birth weight has close associations with glucocorticoid levels, insulin resistance, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome in adulthood. This study was designed to reveal the action mechanisms of DEX on the birth weight of infant.Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), trophoblast cells of human placenta were identified and the optimum treatment time of DEX were determined. Trophoblast cells were treated by DEX (DEX group) or ethanol (control group) (each group had 3 samples), and then were performed with RNA-sequencing. Afterward, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by R package, and their potential functions were successively enriched using DAVID database and Enrichr method. Followed by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using Cytoscape software. Using Enrichr method and TargetScan software, the transcription factors (TFs) and micorRNAs (miRNAs) targeted the DEGs separately were predicted. Based on MsigDB database, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed.There were 391 DEGs screened from the DEX group. Upregulated SRR and potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily J member 4 (KCNJ4) and downregulated GALNT1 separately were enriched in PDZ (an acronym of PSD-95, Dlg, and ZO-1) domain binding and Mucin type O-glycan biosynthesis. In the PPI network, CDK2 and CDK4 had higher degrees. TFs ATF2 and E2F4 and miRNA miR-16 were predicted for the DEGs. Moreover, qRT-PCR analysis confirmed that SRR and KCNJ4 were significantly upregulated.These genes might affect the roles of DEX in the birth weight of infant, and might be promising therapeutic targets for reducing the side effects of DEX.

Functional interrelationship between TFII-I and E2F transcription factors at specific cell cycle gene loci

Transcription factor TFII-I is a multifunctional protein implicated in the regulation of cell cycle and stress-response genes. Previous studies have shown that a subset of TFII-I associated genomic sites contained DNA-binding motifs for E2F family transcription factors. We analyzed the co-association of TFII-I and E2Fs in more detail using bioinformatics, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and co-immunoprecipitation experiments. The data show that TFII-I interacts with E2F transcription factors. Furthermore, TFII-I, E2F4, and E2F6 interact with DNA-regulatory elements of several genes implicated in the regulation of the cell cycle, including DNMT1, HDAC1, CDKN1C, and CDC27. Inhibition of TFII-I expression led to a decrease in gene expression and in the association of E2F4 and E2F6 with these gene loci in human erythroleukemia K562 cells. Finally, TFII-I deficiency reduced the proliferation of K562 cells and increased the sensitivity toward doxorubicin toxicity. The results uncover novel interactions between TFII-I and E2Fs and suggest that TFII-I mediates E2F function at specific cell cycle genes.

Interaction of the Macrophage and Primitive Erythroid Lineages in the Mammalian Embryo

Two distinct forms of erythropoiesis, primitive and definitive, are found in mammals. Definitive erythroid precursors in the bone marrow mature in the physical context of macrophage cells in "erythroblastic islands." In the murine embryo, overlapping waves of primitive hematopoietic progenitors and definitive erythro-myeloid progenitors, each containing macrophage potential, arise in the yolk sac prior to the emergence of hematopoietic stem cells. Primitive erythroblasts mature in the bloodstream as a semi-synchronous cohort while macrophage cells derived from the yolk sac seed the fetal liver. Late-stage primitive erythroblasts associate with macrophage cells in erythroblastic islands in the fetal liver, indicating that primitive erythroblasts can interact with macrophage cells extravascularly. Like definitive erythroblasts, primitive erythroblasts physically associate with macrophages through α4 integrin-vascular adhesion molecule 1-mediated interactions and α4 integrin is redistributed onto the plasma membrane of primitive pyrenocytes. Both in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that fetal liver macrophage cells engulf primitive pyrenocytes. Taken together, these studies indicate that several aspects of the interplay between macrophage cells and maturing erythroid precursor cells are conserved during the ontogeny of mammalian organisms.

E2F8 as a Novel Therapeutic Target for Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

The E2F members have been divided into transcription activators (E2F1-E2F3) and repressors (E2F4-E2F8). E2F8 with E2F7 has been known to play an important physiologic role in embryonic development and cell cycle regulation by repressing E2F1. However, the function of E2F8 in cancer cells is unknown.

METHODS

E2F8 expression was assessed by immunoblotting or immunofluorescence staining in human lung cancer (LC) cells and tissues from LC patients (n = 45). Cell proliferation, colony formation, and invasion analysis were performed to evaluate the role of E2F8 in LC. Microarray analysis was used to determine the target genes of E2F8. The regulation of E2F8 on the expression of ubiquitin-like PHD and RING domain-containing 1 (UHRF1), one of E2F8 target genes, was determined using chromatin immunoprecipitation and promoter activity assays. Human LC xenograft models were used to determine the effects of inhibiting E2F8 by siRNAs (n = 7 per group) or antisense morpholino (n = 8 per group) on tumor growth. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and group differences by the Student's t test. All statistical tests were two-sided.

RESULTS

LC tumors overexpressed E2F8 compared with normal lung tissues. Depletion of E2F8 inhibited cell proliferation and tumor growth. E2F8 knockdown statistically significantly reduced the expression of UHRF1 (~60%-70%, P < .001), and the direct binding of E2F8 on the promoter of UHRF1 was identified. Kaplan-Meier analysis with a public database showed prognostic significance of aberrant E2F8 expression in LC (HR = 1.91 95% CI = 1.21 to 3.01 in chemo-naïve patients, P = .0047).

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that E2F8 is overexpressed in LC and is required for the growth of LC cells. These findings implicate E2F8 as a novel therapeutic target for LC treatment.

Aberrant splicing of U12-type introns is the hallmark of ZRSR2 mutant myelodysplastic syndrome

Somatic mutations in the spliceosome gene ZRSR2 — located on the X chromosome — are associated with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). ZRSR2 is involved in the recognition of 3΄ splice site during the early stages of spliceosome assembly; however, its precise role in RNA splicing has remained unclear. Here, we characterize ZRSR2 as an essential component of the minor spliceosome (U12-dependent) assembly. shRNA mediated knockdown of ZRSR2 leads to impaired splicing of the U12-type introns, and RNA-Sequencing of MDS bone marrow reveals that loss of ZRSR2 activity causes increased mis-splicing. These splicing defects involve retention of the U12-type introns while splicing of the U2-type introns remain mostly unaffected. ZRSR2 deficient cells also exhibit reduced proliferation potential and distinct alterations in myeloid and erythroid differentiation in vitro. These data identify a specific role for ZRSR2 in RNA splicing and highlight dysregulated splicing of U12-type introns as a characteristic feature of ZRSR2 mutations in MDS.

Cytotoxicity of quantum dots and graphene oxide to erythroid cells and macrophages

Great concerns have been raised about the exposure and possible adverse influence of nanomaterials due to their wide applications in a variety of fields, such as biomedicine and daily lives. The blood circulation system and blood cells form an important barrier against invaders, including nanomaterials. However, studies of the biological effects of nanomaterials on blood cells have been limited and without clear conclusions thus far. In the current study, the biological influence of quantum dots (QDs) with various surface coating on erythroid cells and graphene oxide (GO) on macrophages was closely investigated. We found that QDs posed great damage to macrophages through intracellular accumulation of QDs coupled with reactive oxygen species generation, particularly for QDs coated with PEG-NH2. QD modified with polyethylene glycol-conjugated amine particles exerted robust inhibition on cell proliferation of J744A.1 macrophages, irrespective of apoptosis. Additionally, to the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to have demonstrated that GO could provoke apoptosis of erythroid cells through oxidative stress in E14.5 fetal liver erythroid cells and in vivo administration of GO-diminished erythroid population in spleen, associated with disordered erythropoiesis in mice.

Hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma: An insight into molecular mechanisms and therapeutic strategies

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects more than 170 million people worldwide, and thereby becomes a series global health challenge. Chronic infection with HCV is considered one of the major causes of end-stage liver disease including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Although the multiple functions of the HCV proteins and their impacts on the modulation of the intracellular signaling transduction processes, the drive of carcinogenesis during the infection with HCV, is thought to result from the interactions of viral proteins with host cell proteins. Thus, the induction of mutator phenotype, in liver, by the expression of HCV proteins provides a key mechanism for the development of HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC is considered one of the most common malignancies worldwide with increasing incidence during the past decades. In many countries, the trend of HCC is attributed to several liver diseases including HCV infection. However, the development of HCC is very complicated and results mainly from the imbalance between tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes, as well as from the alteration of cellular factors leading to a genomic instability. Besides the poor prognosis of HCC patients, this type of tumor is quite resistance to the available therapies. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms, which are implicated in the development of HCC during the course of HCV infection, may help to design a general therapeutic protocol for the treatment and/or the prevention of this malignancy. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms, which are involved in the development of HCV-associated HCC and the possible therapeutic strategies.