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EKLF/KLF1 expression defines a unique macrophage subset during mouse erythropoiesis.

ABSTRACT: Erythroblastic islands are a specialized niche that contain a central macrophage surrounded by erythroid cells at various stages of maturation. However, identifying the precise genetic and transcriptional control mechanisms in the island macrophage remains difficult due to macrophage heterogeneity. Using unbiased global sequencing and directed genetic approaches focused on early mammalian development, we find that fetal liver macrophages exhibit a unique expression signature that differentiates them from erythroid and adult macrophage cells. The importance of erythroid Krüppel-like factor (EKLF)/KLF1 in this identity is shown by expression analyses in EKLF-/- and in EKLF-marked macrophage cells. Single-cell sequence analysis simplifies heterogeneity and identifies clusters of genes important for EKLF-dependent macrophage function and novel cell surface biomarkers. Remarkably, this singular set of macrophage island cells appears transiently during embryogenesis. Together, these studies provide a detailed perspective on the importance of EKLF in the establishment of the dynamic gene expression network within erythroblastic islands in the developing embryo and provide the means for their efficient isolation.

SUBMITTER: Mukherjee K

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7932694 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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EKLF/KLF1 expression defines a unique macrophage subset during mouse erythropoiesis.

Mukherjee Kaustav K Xue Li L Planutis Antanas A Gnanapragasam Merlin Nithya MN Chess Andrew A Bieker James J JJ

eLife 20210211

Erythroblastic islands are a specialized niche that contain a central macrophage surrounded by erythroid cells at various stages of maturation. However, identifying the precise genetic and transcriptional control mechanisms in the island macrophage remains difficult due to macrophage heterogeneity. Using unbiased global sequencing and directed genetic approaches focused on early mammalian development, we find that fetal liver macrophages exhibit a unique expression signature that differentiates ...[more]

PMID: 33570494

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Project description:Purpose: We characterized the role of EKLF in erythroblast island macrophages in E13.5 mouse fetal liver by analysing the transcriptomes of F4/80+ macrophages from WT and EKLF-/- by RNA-Seq. In addition we analyzed the transcriptomes of F4/80+ fetal liver macrophages from an EKLF/GFP mouse, where GFP acts as a surrogate for EKLF expression, to determine the genes enriched in EKLF/GFP+ macrophages compared to EKLF/GFP- macrophages where EKLF is not expressed. Finally, we used single cell RNA sequencing to resolve the heterogeneous population of F4/80+ macrophages from WT. Methods: For RNA-Seq from WT and EKLF-/- F4/80+ macrophages were FACS sorted from primary E13.5 mouse fetal livers and RNA was isolated using the Trizol method. F4/80+ macrophages were also FACS sorted from the EKLF/GFP mouse and the GFP+ and GFP- populations were collected. The GFP+ population had low cell numbers and therefore RNA was isolated using an Agilent RNA Nanoprep kit. For single cell sequencing, E13.5 fetal livers were stained with F4/80-PE antibody and the F4/80-PE+ cells were purified using an EZ-Sep PE selection kit (mouse). 25,000 cells were submitted for single cell sequencing for the Chromium V3 platform. Library preparation was done using the standard Illumina Truseq workflow, and libraries were sequenced in a Hiseq 2500 for WT and EKLF-/-, or Novaseq for EKLF/GFP and single cell sequencing. Results: We found that 1954 genes are differentially expressed in EKLF-/- F4/80+ macrophages vs WT and 2330 genes are differentially enriched in EKLF/GFP+ F4/80+ macrophages using DESeq2. Of these, 504 are common and constitute the EKLF-dependent gene expression program in F4/80+ fetal liver macrophages. We resolved the F4/80+ WT macrophages into 13 clusters based on gene expression and find that 23% of the total F4/80+ cells express EKLF. Conclusions: We find that the F4/80+ fetal liver macrophage are a unique cell type. We identify the EKLF-dependent gene expression program in these macrophages and determine an important transcription circuit governed by EKLF that constitute cell cycle and other Klf and Sp family transcription factors. Single cell sequencing showed a highly heterogeneous population of macrophages with activated macrophage as well as erythro-myeloid characteristics. Based on the expression of EKLF, we identified specific cell surface markers for EKLF+ F4/80+ macrophages.

Dataset Information

EKLF/KLF1 expression defines a unique macrophage subset during mouse erythropoiesis.

Publications

EKLF/KLF1 expression defines a unique macrophage subset during mouse erythropoiesis.

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