Project description:We compared the transcriptome of WT and Gata2+/- mouse fetal liver (FL) and bone marrow (BM) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in various developmental stages. We defined HSCs as the lineage-cKit+Sca1+CD48-CD150+ cell population in both FL (at E14) and BM (during adulthood and aging). Additionally, we investigated the transcriptome of HSCs that are isolated from mice with WT background and transplanted with either aged-WT or aged-Gata2+/- BM cells following irradiation.
Project description:Clinical GATA2 deficiency syndromes arise from germline haploinsufficiency inducing mutations in GATA2, resulting in immunodeficiency that evolves to myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)/acute myeloid leukemia (AML). How GATA2 haploinsufficiency disrupts the function and transcriptional network of hematopoietic stem/progenitors (HSCs/HSPCs) to facilitate the shift from immunodeficiency sequalae to pre-leukemia is poorly characterised. Using a conditional mouse model harboring a single allele deletion of Gata2 when HSCs emerge in utero, we identify pervasive defects in HSPC differentiation from young adult Gata2 haploinsufficient mice during B-cell maturation, early erythroid specification, megakaryocyte maturation to platelets and inflammatory cell generation. Gata2 haploinsufficiency abolishes HSC self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation capacity following transplantation. These alterations closely associate with deregulated DNA damage responses and inflammatory signalling conveyed from Gata2 haploinsufficient HSCs. We also identify functional interplay between Gata2 and Asxl1, a driver of DNA damage and inflammation and, notably, a recurrent secondary mutation found in GATA2 haploinsufficiency disease progression to MDS/AML. shRNA mediated knockdown of Asxl1 in Gata2 haploinsufficient HSPCs led to a differentiation block in committed progenitor formation beyond that in Gata2 haploinsufficient HSPCs. By analysis of HSCs from young adult compound Gata2/Asxl1 haploinsufficient mice, we discover hyperproliferation of double haploinsufficent HSCs, which are also functionally compromised in transplantation compared to their single haploinsufficient counterparts. Through both Gata2/Asxl1 dependent and unique transcriptional programs, HSCs from young adult compound Gata2/Asxl1 haploinsufficient mice fortify deregulated DNA damage responses and inflammatory signalling in HSCs initiated in Gata2 haploinsufficient mice and establish a broad pre-leukemic program. Our data reveal how Gata2 haploinsufficiency initially drives deregulation of HSC genome integrity and suggest the mechanisms of how secondary mutations like ASXL1 take advantage of HSC genomic instability to nurture a pre-leukemic state in GATA2 haploinsufficiency syndromes.
Project description:The transcription factor GATA2 plays a major role in the generation and maintenance of the hematopoietic system. In humans, heterozygous germline mutations in GATA2 often lead to a loss of function of one allele, causing GATA2 haploinsufficiency. In mice, Gata2 has an essential regulatory function in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) generation and maintenance. However, whereas Gata2-null mice are lethal at embryonic day (E) 10.53, Gata2 heterozygous (Gata2+/-) mice survive to adulthood with normal blood values. However, mouse models thus emerged as a useful source to identify the function of GATA2 in HSC generation and fitness, they leave the mechanisms causing the different aspects of GATA2 deficiency syndrome largely undiscovered. Zebrafish have the advantage of having two GATA2 orthologues; Gata2a and Gata2b. Gata2a is expressed predominantly in the vasculature and is required for programming of the hemogenic endothelium. Gata2b is expressed in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) and homozygous deletion (gata2b-/-) redirects HSPCs differentiation bias, thus mimicking one of the GATA2 haploinsufficiency phenotypes found in patients. But patients carry heterozygous rather than homozygous GATA2 mutations, we specifically focused on how heterozygous Gata2b mutations could be mechanistically linked to erythro-myelodysplasia, a major clinical hallmark of GATA2 patients. To investigate the mechanisms of heterozygous GATA2 mutation caused GATA2 deficiency syndrome, we created a heterozygous gata2b mutation zebrafish model and sorted the entire progenitor and HSPC population including the lymphoid population from kidney marrow (KM) of WT and mutated zebrafish based on the scatter profile of flow cytometry for single-cell RNA (scRNA) sequencing.
Project description:The transcription factor GATA2 plays a major role in the generation and maintenance of the hematopoietic system. In humans, heterozygous germline mutations in GATA2 often lead to a loss of function of one allele, causing GATA2 haploinsufficiency. In mice, Gata2 has an essential regulatory function in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) generation and maintenance. However, whereas Gata2-null mice are lethal at embryonic day (E) 10.53, Gata2 heterozygous (Gata2+/-) mice survive to adulthood with normal blood values. However, mouse models thus emerged as a useful source to identify the function of GATA2 in HSC generation and fitness, they leave the mechanisms causing the different aspects of GATA2 deficiency syndrome largely undiscovered. Zebrafish have the advantage of having two GATA2 orthologues; Gata2a and Gata2b. Gata2a is expressed predominantly in the vasculature and is required for programming of the hemogenic endothelium. Gata2b is expressed in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) and homozygous deletion (gata2b-/-) redirects HSPCs differentiation bias, thus mimicking one of the GATA2 haploinsufficiency phenotypes found in patients. But patients carry heterozygous rather than homozygous GATA2 mutations, we specifically focused on how heterozygous Gata2b mutations could be mechanistically linked to erythro-myelodysplasia, a major clinical hallmark of GATA2 patients. To investigate the mechanisms of heterozygous GATA2 mutation caused GATA2 deficiency syndrome, we created a heterozygous gata2b mutation zebrafish model and sorted the entire progenitor and HSPC population including the lymphoid population from kidney marrow (KM) of WT and mutated zebrafish based on the scatter profile of flow cytometry for single-nucleus ATAC (snATAC) sequencing.
Project description:Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) is a potent inhibitor of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) proliferation. However, the precise mechanism for this effect is unknown. Here, we have identified the transcription factor Gata2, previously described as an important regulator of HSC function, as an early and direct target gene for TGFβ-induced Smad signaling in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Interestingly, TGFβ-induced Gata2 upregulation is critical for subsequent transcriptional activation of the TGFβ signaling effector molecule p57 and resulting growth arrest of HSPCs. Importantly, both Gata2 and p57 are abundantly expressed in freshly isolated highly purified HSCs, demonstrating the relevance of this circuit in HSC regulation within the HSC niche. Our results connect key molecules involved in HSC self-renewal and reveal a functionally relevant network regulating proliferation of primitive hematopoietic cells. To identify TGFβ targets downstream of Gata2, we carried out a ChIP-Seq experiment on TGFβ-induced Lhx2 cells. Interestingly, there was a large overlap between the GATA2-bound genes and genes differentially expressed after 2h TGFβ induction. One sample of 1x10^8 cells (treated with 10 ng/ml TGFβ for 2h) was sequenced.