Starvation activates ECM-remodeling gene transcription and putative enhancers in fibroblasts despite inducing quiescence.

ABSTRACT: Depletion of growth factors and nutrients induces cellular quiescence, which often accompanies transcriptional silencing and chromatin compaction. Paradoxically, such depletion occurs in pathological microenvironments in which fibroblasts are activated to orchestrate tissue remodeling. The relationship between fibroblast activation and growth factor and nutrient depletion remains unclear. Here, we report that serum depletion in cell culture, a model for growth factor and nutrient depletions, extensively activates transcription in fibroblasts despite inducing quiescence. Activated genes were enriched for extracellular matrix (ECM) structural components and proteases. ECM-related transcription accompanied the activation of putative distal enhancers but not promoters. The activated putative e

SUBMITTER: Secchia S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12337133 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature