DOCSLIB.ORG

Demarcation of Stable Subpopulations Within the Pluripotent Hesc Compartment

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Demarcation of Stable Subpopulations Within the Pluripotent Hesc Compartment Demarcation of Stable Subpopulations within the Pluripotent hESC Compartment Sonam Bhatia1,3, Carlos Pilquil1, Ivana Roth-Albin1, Jonathan S. Draper1,2,3* 1 McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, 2 Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, 3 Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Abstract Heterogeneity is a feature of stem cell populations, resulting from innate cellular hierarchies that govern differentiation capability. How heterogeneity impacts human pluripotent stem cell populations is directly relevant to their efficacious use in regenerative medicine applications. The control of pluripotency is asserted by a core transcription factor network, of which Oct4 is a necessary member. In mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs), the zinc finger transcription factor Rex1 (Zfp42) closely tracks the undifferentiated state and is capable of segregating Oct4 positive mESCs into metastable populations expressing or lacking Rex1 that are inter-convertible. However, little is currently understood about the extent or function of heterogeneous populations in the human pluripotent compartment. Human ESCs express REX1 transcripts but the distribution and properties of REX1 expressing cells have yet to be described. To address these questions, we used gene targeting in human ESCs to insert the fluorescent protein Venus and an antibiotic selection marker under the control of the endogenous REX1 transcription regulatory elements, generating a sensitive, selectable reporter of pluripotency. REX1 is co- expressed in OCT4 and TRA-1-60 positive hESCs and rapidly lost upon differentiation. Importantly, REX1 expression reveals significant heterogeneity within seemingly homogenous populations of OCT4 and TRA-1-60 hESCs. REX1 expression is extinguished before OCT4 during differentiation, but, in contrast to the mouse, loss of REX1 expression demarcates a stable, OCT4 positive lineage-primed state in pluripotent hESCs that does not revert back to REX1 positivity under normal conditions. We show that loss of REX1 expression correlates with altered patterns of DNA methylation at the REX1 locus, implying that epigenetic mechanisms may interfere with the metastable phenotype commonly found in murine pluripotency. Citation: Bhatia S, Pilquil C, Roth-Albin I, Draper JS (2013) Demarcation of Stable Subpopulations within the Pluripotent hESC Compartment. PLoS ONE 8(2): e57276. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0057276 Editor: Majlinda Lako, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom Received July 18, 2012; Accepted January 20, 2013; Published February 21, 2013 Copyright: ß 2013 Bhatia et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Funding: This work was supported in part by funding to JSD from CIHR, SCN and a MEDI GL2 OCRIT. JSD is also supported by a Canada Research Chair in Human Stem Cell Lineage Commitment. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. * E-mail: [email protected] Introduction which permanent in vitro cell lines, embryonic stem cells (ESCs), have been established. Mouse ESCs closely resemble the ‘‘naı¨ve’’ Heterogeneity describes mixtures of distinct sub-populations of inner cell mass (ICM) of the blastocyst both in gene expression and cells with functional differences that arise due to a balance of stem differentiation capability [9,10] but display measurable differences cell self-renewal and differentiation. In pluripotent stem cells, the from later mouse epiblast stem cells (EpiSC) [11,12,13], which are cells at the apex of potency make discreet fate decisions, still considered pluripotent and capable of generating tissues committing to one of numerous, but finite lineage choices, and comprising all three germ layers. These observations suggested the descend through stages of cellular potential towards differentiated existence of a hierarchy within the pluripotent compartment that somatic phenotypes. Heterogeneity is a feature of stem cell systems has recently been explored by several elegant genetic experiments. throughout development, including intestinal, neural and hema- Mouse ESCs carrying fluorescent reporter proteins under the topoietic stem cells [1], and the fluctuations in gene expression that control of pluripotency-associated transcription factors such as comprise the heterogeneity in stem cell populations may be a Rex1 [14], Nanog [8] and Stella [15] have described an necessary feature, presenting ‘‘windows of opportunity’’, during unappreciated level of heterogeneity present in pluripotent Oct4 which cellular fate choices can be made [1,2,3]. The identification expressing ESC cultures. These reports have described the and characterization of the cellular hierarchies that distinguish the phenomena of metastability within the pluripotent compartment, differentiation capability of cells during development enables in which ESCs fluctuate the expression of pluripotent markers as control over these processes, permitting the efficient differentiation they transit between a naı¨ve and lineage primed state. In of cells into tissues suitable for regenerative medicine applications. particular, expression of the zinc finger transcription factor Rex1 In the early mouse embryo, a network of genes, including Oct4, (Zfp42) is exquisitely controlled during early embryogenesis and is Sox2 and Nanog, establish and maintain the pluripotent state sufficient to distinguish cells with an earlier ICM phenotype, [4,5,6,7,8]. Pluripotent cells can differentiate into all tissues of the capable of re-entering development and contribution in chimeric adult organism and represent the highest level of potency from PLOS ONE | www.plosone.org 1 February 2013 | Volume 8 | Issue 2 | e57276 Gene Targeting of REX1 in hESCs assays, from cells with later epiblast-like characteristics, that show Vector construction and homologous recombination poor chimeric contribution but good in vitro differentiation [14]. (HR) To date, the expression and necessity of genes such as OCT4, The REX1-VF2Pu targeting vector was generated by recombi- SOX2 or NANOG have been investigated in undifferentiated hESCs neering. Briefly, a SalI/EcoRI cut Venus-F2A-Puro-pA cassette [16,17,18] but attempts to explore the presence of a hierarchy was cloned into SalI/EcoRI cut pL451 (NCI-Frederick) to create within the pluripotent compartment have been limited to extant pL451+VF2Pu. 50 bp REX1 locus specific homology arms were antibodies to cell surface markers [19,20]. added to the region spanning Venus to the 39 Flp site of pL451 by We previously identified the human REX1 gene and showed PCR amplification (PrimeStar, Takara) with the REXVenus-F that REX1 transcripts are expressed in human ESCs and are and REXVenus-pL451-R primers (Table S1; primers ordered associated with an undifferentiated phenotype [21]. To gain from Sigma Genosys), producing the REX1VEN PCR product. insight into REX1 transcript expression, distribution and the Bacteria carrying the Human BAC RP11-713C19 and the nature of pluripotency in hESCs, we used homologous recombi- pSC101-BAD-gba plasmid [26] (containing the Red/ET recom- nation to target the human REX1 locus with the Venus fluorescent bineering genes) were then electroporated with the REXVEN Ven/w reporter gene [22]. The REX1 hESC reporter cell lines not PCR product and correct replacement of the ATG of the REX1 only allow a functional enrichment for undifferentiated cells but open reading frame (ORF) within exon 4 by the Venus-F2A- also describe a subpopulation of REX1 expressing cells within Puromycin cassette was confirmed by PCR and sequencing. REX- heterogeneous populations of pluripotent OCT4 or TRA-1-60 Gap-Rep-R and REX-Gap-Rep-F primers were used to add REX expressing hESCs. Fractionation of hESC based on REX1Venus 59 and 39 specific 50 bp homology arms onto EcoRI/NotI expression reveals a previously hidden hierarchy within the linearised pBS2SK (Stratgene), producing the REXGAP PCR pluripotent compartment, comprising undifferentiated and differ- product. Gap repair was performed on the REXVEN BAC with entiation primed cells, which lacks the metastability observed in the REXGAP PCR product to generate the pREX1-VF2Pu-TV murine ESCs targeting vector with 2.5 kb 59 and 4.5 kb 39 REX1 specific homology arms, and confirmed by sequencing across HR Materials and Methods junctions. The pREX1-VF2Pu-TV plasmid was transferred to the EL250 recombineering strain bacteria (NCI-Frederick) con- Human ESC culture and differentiation taining an inducible Flp and the FRT flanked PGK-Neo-pA Human ESC line H1 [23] (WiCell) was grown on mitotically- excised. inactivated MEFs in hESC media (Knockout DMEM supple- HESC cell line H1 was pre-treated with 10 uM Y27632 in mented with 15% Knockout SR, 16 Non Essential Amino Acids, hESC media for 1 hour and electroporated with 30 ug of AloI 16 Glutamax, 16 2ME (all Invitrogen) and 16 ng/ml bFGF linearised pREX1-VF2Pu-TV as previously described [27]. After (Peprotech) and passaged with Collagenase type IV (Invitrogen). electroporation, cells were replated on 4DR [28] MEFs
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Reinforcement of STAT3 Activity Reprogrammes Human Embryonic Stem Cells to Naive-Like Pluripotency
    ARTICLE Received 17 Apr 2014 | Accepted 2 Apr 2015 | Published 13 May 2015 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8095 OPEN Reinforcement of STAT3 activity reprogrammes human embryonic stem cells to naive-like pluripotency Hongwei Chen1,2, Ire`ne Aksoy1,2,3, Fabrice Gonnot1,2, Pierre Osteil1,2, Maxime Aubry1,2, Claire Hamela1,2, Cloe´ Rognard1,2, Arnaud Hochard1,2, Sophie Voisin1,2,4, Emeline Fontaine1,2, Magali Mure1,2, Marielle Afanassieff1,2,4, Elouan Cleroux5, Sylvain Guibert5, Jiaxuan Chen3,Ce´line Vallot6, Herve´ Acloque7, Cle´mence Genthon7,Ce´cile Donnadieu7, John De Vos8,9, Damien Sanlaville10, Jean- Franc¸ois Gue´rin1,2, Michael Weber5, Lawrence W. Stanton3, Claire Rougeulle6, Bertrand Pain1,2,4, Pierre-Yves Bourillot1,2 & Pierre Savatier1,2 Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)/STAT3 signalling is a hallmark of naive pluripotency in rodent pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), whereas fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 and activin/nodal signalling is required to sustain self-renewal of human PSCs in a condition referred to as the primed state. It is unknown why LIF/STAT3 signalling alone fails to sustain pluripotency in human PSCs. Here we show that the forced expression of the hormone-dependent STAT3-ER (ER, ligand-binding domain of the human oestrogen receptor) in combination with 2i/LIF and tamoxifen allows human PSCs to escape from the primed state and enter a state char- acterized by the activation of STAT3 target genes and long-term self-renewal in FGF2- and feeder-free conditions. These cells acquire growth properties, a gene expression profile and an epigenetic landscape closer to those described in mouse naive PSCs.
    [Show full text]
  • Boosting the Cellular Potency of Embryonic Stem Cells by Spliceosome Targeting ✉ Wilfried A
    Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy www.nature.com/sigtrans RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT OPEN Boosting the cellular potency of embryonic stem cells by spliceosome targeting ✉ Wilfried A. Kues1 Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy (2021) 6:324; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-021-00743-9 In recent work published in Cell, Shen et al.1 identified transfected ES cells with short interfering RNAs against different spliceosome inhibition in embryonic stem (ES) cells as a key spliceosome transcripts (the spliceosome consisted of 5 core and mechanism for the transition from pluri- to totipotency. Spliceo- several cofactor subunits, here 14 transcripts were targeted), some inhibition, achieved by RNA interference or the chemical respectively. Transient repression of 10 of the 14 splicing factors inhibitor pladienolide B, may gain widespread relevance to the resulted in ES cells, which maintained the typical colony culture of totipotent ES cells, in vitro differentiation of extra- morphology, however, pluripotent marker genes—Oct4 (Pou5f1), embryonal tissue and organoids, translation to the maintenance of Nanog, Sox2, Zfp42 and others—became down-regulated, at the pluripotent cells of other mammal species, including humans, and same time marker genes of totipotency—particularly Zscan4s and a better molecular understanding of cellular potency in stem cells MERVL—were up-regulated. Zscan4s (Zink finger and SCAN and cancer. domain containing 4) is a transcription factor and MERVL (murine The first successful isolation and maintenance of ES derived endogenous retrovirus L) an endogenous retrovirus with a usually fi 1234567890();,: from the inner cell mass (ICM) of murine blastocyst stages was restricted expression to 2-cell embryos. These results were veri ed described in 1981,2 and since then acted as game changer for by supplementing the culture medium with pladienolide B, a genetic studies in this mammalian model organism.
    [Show full text]
  • Selecting Antagonistic Antibodies That Control Differentiation Through Inducible Expression in Embryonic Stem Cells
    Selecting antagonistic antibodies that control differentiation through inducible expression in embryonic stem cells Anna N. Melidonia,1, Michael R. Dysonb, Sam Wormaldc,2, and John McCaffertya,b,3 aDepartment of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QW, United Kingdom; bIONTAS Ltd., Cambridge CB2 1QW, United Kingdom; and cThe Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton Cambs CB10 1SA, United Kingdom Edited* by Richard A. Lerner, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, and approved August 27, 2013 (received for review June 26, 2013) Antibodies that modulate receptor function have great untapped (5). In an alternative approach, antibodies were retained at the cell potential in the control of stem cell differentiation. In contrast to surface of BaF3 reporter cells, leading to the identification of an many natural ligands, antibodies are stable, exquisitely specific, agonistic antibody to the granulocyte colony-stimulating receptor (6). and are unaffected by the regulatory mechanisms that act on Pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ES cells) represent an ideal natural ligands. Here we describe an innovative system for reporter cell system for identifying functional antibodies because identifying such antibodies by introducing and expressing anti- they are poised to differentiate into many different cell types in body gene populations in ES cells. Following induced antibody vitro (7). ES cell fate decisions are influenced by a wide range of expression and secretion, changes in differentiation outcomes of cell-surface receptors (7–9), creating the potential to target many individual antibody-expressing ES clones are monitored using lin- different classes of ligands and receptors (e.g., receptor tyrosine fi eage-speci c gene expression to identify clones that encode and kinases, G protein-coupled receptors, ion channels, integrins, and express signal-modifying antibodies.
    [Show full text]
  • REX1 Promotes EMT-Induced Cell Metastasis by Activating the JAK2/ STAT3-Signaling Pathway by Targeting SOCS1 in Cervical Cancer
    Oncogene (2019) 38:6940–6957 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-019-0906-3 ARTICLE REX1 promotes EMT-induced cell metastasis by activating the JAK2/ STAT3-signaling pathway by targeting SOCS1 in cervical cancer 1 2 1 1,2 Yu-Ting Zeng ● Xiao-Fang Liu ● Wen-Ting Yang ● Peng-Sheng Zheng Received: 15 November 2018 / Revised: 3 July 2019 / Accepted: 5 July 2019 / Published online: 13 August 2019 © The Author(s) 2019. This article is published with open access Abstract ZFP42 zinc finger protein (REX1), a pluripotency marker in mouse pluripotent stem cells, has been identified as a tumor suppressor in several human cancers. However, the function of REX1 in cervical cancer remains unknown. Both IHC and western blot assays demonstrated that the expression of REX1 protein in cervical cancer tissue was much higher than that in normal cervical tissue. A xenograft assay showed that REX1 overexpression in SiHa and HeLa cells facilitated distant metastasis but did not significantly affect tumor formation in vivo. In addition, in vitro cell migration and invasion capabilities were also promoted by REX1. Mechanistically, REX1 overexpression induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by upregulating VIMENTIN and downregulating E-CADHERIN. Furthermore, the JAK2/STAT3- 1234567890();,: 1234567890();,: signaling pathway was activated in REX1-overexpressing cells, which also exhibited increased levels of p-STAT3 and p- JAK2, as well as downregulated expression of SOCS1, which is an inhibitor of the JAK2/STAT3-signaling pathway, at both the transcriptional and translational levels. A dual-luciferase reporter assay and qChIP assays confirmed that REX1 trans- suppressed the expression of SOCS1 by binding to two specific regions of the SOCS1 promoter.
    [Show full text]
  • Effect of Long-Term 3D Spheroid Culture on WJ-MSC
    cells Article Effect of Long-Term 3D Spheroid Culture on WJ-MSC Agnieszka Kaminska 1, Aleksandra Wedzinska 1 , Marta Kot 2 and Anna Sarnowska 1,2,* 1 Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, Translational Platform for Regenerative Medicine, Polish Academy of Science, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland; [email protected] (A.K.); [email protected] (A.W.) 2 Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, Department of Stem Cell Bioengineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +48-22-6086598 Abstract: The aim of our work was to develop a protocol enabling a derivation of mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC) subpopulation with increased expression of pluripotent and neural genes. For this purpose we used a 3D spheroid culture system optimal for neural stem cells propagation. Although 2D culture conditions are typical and characteristic for MSC, under special treatment these cells can be cultured for a short time in 3D conditions. We examined the effects of prolonged 3D spheroid culture on MSC in hope to select cells with primitive features. Wharton Jelly derived MSC (WJ-MSC) were cultured in 3D neurosphere induction medium for about 20 days in vitro. Then, cells were transported to 2D conditions and confront to the initial population and population constantly cultured in 2D. 3D spheroids culture of WJ-MSC resulted in increased senescence, de- creased stemness and proliferation. However long-termed 3D spheroid culture allowed for selection of cells exhibiting increased expression of early neural and SSEA4 markers what might indicate the survival of cell subpopulation with unique features.
    [Show full text]
  • Vascular Microarray Profiling in Two Models of Hypertension Identifies
    BMC Genomics BioMed Central Research article Open Access Vascular microarray profiling in two models of hypertension identifies caveolin-1, Rgs2 and Rgs5 as antihypertensive targets T Hilton Grayson1, Stephen J Ohms2, Therese D Brackenbury1, Kate R Meaney1, Kaiman Peng2, Yvonne E Pittelkow3, Susan R Wilson3, Shaun L Sandow4 and Caryl E Hill*1 Address: 1Division of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia, 2Australian Cancer Research Foundation Biomolecular Resource Facility, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia, 3Centre for Bioinformation Science, Mathematical Sciences Institute, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia and 4School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia Email: T Hilton Grayson - [email protected]; Stephen J Ohms - [email protected]; Therese D Brackenbury - [email protected]; Kate R Meaney - [email protected]; Kaiman Peng - [email protected]; Yvonne E Pittelkow - [email protected]; Susan R Wilson - [email protected]; Shaun L Sandow - [email protected]; Caryl E Hill* - [email protected] * Corresponding author Published: 7 November 2007 Received: 27 March 2007 Accepted: 7 November 2007 BMC Genomics 2007, 8:404 doi:10.1186/1471-2164-8-404 This article is available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/8/404 © 2007 Grayson et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
    [Show full text]
  • Tracking the Embryonic Stem Cell Transition from Ground State Pluripotency Tüzer Kalkan1,*, Nelly Olova2, Mila Roode1, Carla Mulas1, Heather J
    © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd | Development (2017) 144, 1221-1234 doi:10.1242/dev.142711 STEM CELLS AND REGENERATION TECHNIQUES AND RESOURCES ARTICLE Tracking the embryonic stem cell transition from ground state pluripotency Tüzer Kalkan1,*, Nelly Olova2, Mila Roode1, Carla Mulas1, Heather J. Lee2,3, Isabelle Nett1, Hendrik Marks4, Rachael Walker1,2, Hendrik G. Stunnenberg4, Kathryn S. Lilley5,6, Jennifer Nichols1,7, Wolf Reik2,3,8, Paul Bertone1 and Austin Smith1,5,* ABSTRACT global gene expression is reconfigured and DNA methylation Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells are locked into self-renewal by increases, which is indicative of a profound cellular transition shielding from inductive cues. Release from this ground state in (Boroviak et al., 2014, 2015; Auclair et al., 2014; Bedzhov and minimal conditions offers a system for delineating developmental Zernicka-Goetz, 2014). Subsequently, egg cylinder epiblast cells are progression from naïve pluripotency. Here, we examine the initial subject to inductive cues leading up to gastrulation and they become transition process. The ES cell population behaves asynchronously. fated, although not yet lineage committed (Tam and Zhou, 1996; We therefore exploited a short-half-life Rex1::GFP reporter to isolate Osorno et al., 2012; Solter et al., 1970). The late phase of ‘ ’ cells either side of exit from naïve status. Extinction of ES cell identity pluripotency during gastrulation is termed primed , reflecting the in single cells is acute. It occurs only after near-complete elimination incipient expression of lineage-specification factors (Nichols and of naïve pluripotency factors, but precedes appearance of lineage Smith, 2009; Hackett and Surani, 2014).
    [Show full text]
  • The Oct4 and Nanog Transcription Network Regulates Pluripotency in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
    ARTICLES The Oct4 and Nanog transcription network regulates pluripotency in mouse embryonic stem cells Yuin-Han Loh1,2,7, Qiang Wu1,7, Joon-Lin Chew1,2,7, Vinsensius B Vega3, Weiwei Zhang1,2, Xi Chen1,2, Guillaume Bourque3, Joshy George3, Bernard Leong3, Jun Liu4, Kee-Yew Wong5, Ken W Sung3, Charlie W H Lee3, Xiao-Dong Zhao4, Kuo-Ping Chiu3, Leonard Lipovich3, Vladimir A Kuznetsov3, Paul Robson2,5, Lawrence W Stanton5, Chia-Lin Wei4, Yijun Ruan4, Bing Lim5,6 & Huck-Hui Ng1,2 Oct4 and Nanog are transcription factors required to maintain the pluripotency and self-renewal of embryonic stem (ES) cells. http://www.nature.com/naturegenetics Using the chromatin immunoprecipitation paired-end ditags method, we mapped the binding sites of these factors in the mouse ES cell genome. We identified 1,083 and 3,006 high-confidence binding sites for Oct4 and Nanog, respectively. Comparative location analyses indicated that Oct4 and Nanog overlap substantially in their targets, and they are bound to genes in different configurations. Using de novo motif discovery algorithms, we defined the cis-acting elements mediating their respective binding to genomic sites. By integrating RNA interference–mediated depletion of Oct4 and Nanog with microarray expression profiling, we demonstrated that these factors can activate or suppress transcription. We further showed that common core downstream targets are important to keep ES cells from differentiating. The emerging picture is one in which Oct4 and Nanog control a cascade of pathways that are intricately connected to govern pluripotency, self-renewal, genome surveillance and cell fate determination. Nature Publishing Group Group Nature Publishing 6 ES cells are pluripotent cells derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) protein, was identified as a factor that can sustain pluripotency 200 of the mammalian blastocyst.
    [Show full text]
  • A Prominent and Conserved Role for YY1 in Xist Transcriptional Activation
    ARTICLE Received 4 Feb 2014 | Accepted 1 Aug 2014 | Published 11 Sep 2014 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5878 A prominent and conserved role for YY1 in Xist transcriptional activation Me´lanie Makhlouf1,2,*, Jean-Franc¸ois Ouimette1,2,*, Andrew Oldfield1,2,*,w, Pablo Navarro3, Damien Neuillet1,2 & Claire Rougeulle1,2 Accumulation of the noncoding RNA Xist on one X chromosome in female cells is a hallmark of X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) in eutherians. Here we uncover an essential function for the ubiquitous autosomal transcription factor Yin-Yang 1 (YY1) in the transcriptional acti- vation of Xist in both human and mouse. We show that loss of YY1 prevents Xist upregulation during the initiation and maintenance of X-inactivation, and that YY1 binds directly the Xist 50 region to trigger the activity of the Xist promoter. Binding of YY1 to the Xist 50 region before XCI competes with the Xist repressor REX1, whereas DNA methylation controls mono-allelic fixation of YY1 to Xist at the onset of XCI. YY1 is thus the first autosomal activating factor involved in a fundamental and conserved pathway of Xist regulation that ensures the asymmetric transcriptional upregulation of the master regulator of XCI. 1 CNRS, UMR7216 Epigenetics and Cell Fate, F-75013 Paris, France. 2 Univ Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cite´, F-75013 Paris, France. 3 CNRS, URA2578 Institute Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France. * These authors contributed equally to this work. wPresent address: NIEHS, Laboratory of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Systems Biology, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA. Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to C.R.
    [Show full text]
  • (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 7,970,552 B1
    US007970552B1 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 7,970,552 B1 Stefanon et al. 45) Date of Patent: Jun. 28,9 2011 (54) DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM FOR SELECTING 3. R 238, E. 1 NUTRITION AND PHARMACOLOGICAL 6,493,641- - w B1 12/2002 Singheblak et et al. al. PRODUCTS FOR ANIMALS 6,537,213 B2 3/2003 Dodds 6,730,023 B1 5, 2004 Dodds (76) Inventors: Bruno Stefanon, Martignacco (IT): W. 7,029.441 B2 4/2006 Dodds Jean Dodds, Santa Monica, CA (US) 7,296,5377,134,995 B2 12/200611/2006 BurghardiDodds et al. (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this (Continued) patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS WO WO99-67642 A2 12/1999 (21) Appl. No.: 12/927,769 (Continued) (22) Filed: Nov. 19, 2010 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Related U.S. Application Data Swanson et al., “Nutritional Genomics: Implication for Companion Animals'. The American Society for Nutritional Sciences, (2003).J. (63) Continuation of application No. 12/316,824, filed on Nutr. 133:3033-3040 (18 pages). Dec. 16, 2008, now Pat. No. 7,873,482. (Continued) (51) Int. Cl. G06F 9/00 (2006.01) Primary Examiner — Edward Raymond (52) U.S. Cl. ......................................................... 702/19 (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Greenberg Traurig, LLP 58) Field of Classification Search .................... 702/19, (58) 702/182 185 (57) ABSTRACT See application file for complete search history. An analysis of the profile of a non-human animal comprises: a) providing a genotypic database to the species of the non (56) References Cited human animal Subject or a selected group of the species; b) obtaining animal data; c) correlating the database of a) with U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Somatostatin Receptor Type 2 Contributes to the Self-Renewal of Murine Embryonic Stem Cells
    Acta Pharmacologica Sinica (2014) 35: 1023–1030 npg © 2014 CPS and SIMM All rights reserved 1671-4083/14 $32.00 www.nature.com/aps Original Article Somatostatin receptor type 2 contributes to the self-renewal of murine embryonic stem cells Xin-xiu XU1, 2, Li-hong ZHANG1, *, Xin XIE1, 2, * 1CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, the National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; 2Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, Laboratory of Receptor-based Bio-medicine, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China Aim: The roles of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) in stem cell biology remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to identify GPCRs that might contribute to the self-renewal of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Methods: The expression levels of pluripotent genes and GPCR gene were detected in E14 mESCs using PCR array and RT-PCR. Immunofluorescent staining was used to examine the expression of pluripotent markers and the receptor translocation. Western blot analysis was used to detect phosphorylation of signal proteins. Knock-down of receptor was conducted to confirm its role in pluripotency maintenance. Results: In leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)-free medium, mESCs lost the typical morphology of pluripotency, accompanied by markedly decreases in expression of somatostatin receptor type 2 (SSTR2), as well as the pluripotency biomarkers Oct4, Sox2, Rex1 and Nanog. Addition of the SSTR2 agonist octreotide or seglitide (0.1–30 μmol/L) in LIF-free medium dose-dependently promoted the self-renewal of mESCs, whereas the SSTR2 antagonist S4 (0.03–3 μmol/L) dose-dependently blocked octreotide-induced self-renewal.
    [Show full text]
  • Increased Intracellular Ph Is Necessary for Adult Epithelial and Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation
    Published November 7, 2016 This article has original data in the JCB Data Viewer JCB: Report http://jcb-dataviewer.rupress.org/jcb/browse/12703 Increased intracellular pH is necessary for adult epithelial and embryonic stem cell differentiation Bryne Ulmschneider,1,2 Bree K. Grillo-Hill,3,4 Marimar Benitez,1,2 Dinara R. Azimova,1,2 Diane L. Barber,3 and Todd G. Nystul1,2 1Department of Anatomy, 2Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, and 3Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143 4Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA 95192 Despite extensive knowledge about the transcriptional regulation of stem cell differentiation, less is known about the role of dynamic cytosolic cues. We report that an increase in intracellular pH (pHi) is necessary for the efficient differentiation of Drosophila adult follicle stem cells (FSCs) and mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). We show that pHi increases with differentiation from FSCs to prefollicle cells (pFCs) and follicle cells. Loss of the Drosophila Na+–H+ exchanger DNhe2 lowers pHi in differentiating cells, impairs pFC differentiation, disrupts germarium morphology, and decreases fecundity. In contrast, increasing pHi promotes excess pFC cell differentiation toward a polar/stalk cell fate through suppressing Hedgehog pathway activity. Increased pHi also occurs with mESC differentiation and, when prevented, attenuates spon- Downloaded from taneous differentiation of naive cells, as determined by expression of microRNA clusters and stage-specific markers. Our findings reveal a previously unrecognized role of pHi dynamics for the differentiation of two distinct types of stem cell lineages, which opens new directions for understanding conserved regulatory mechanisms.
    [Show full text]