SOX9 reprograms endothelial cells by altering the chromatin landscape.

ABSTRACT: The transcription factor SOX9 is activated at the onset of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) during embryonic development and in pathological conditions. Its roles in regulating these processes, however, are not clear. Using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) as an EndMT model, we show that SOX9 expression alone is sufficient to activate mesenchymal genes and steer endothelial cells towards a mesenchymal fate. By genome-wide mapping of the chromatin landscape, we show that SOX9 displays features of a pioneer transcription factor, such as opening of chromatin and leading to deposition of active histone modifications at silent chromatin regions, guided by SOX dimer motifs and H2A.Z enrichment. We further observe highly transient and dynamic SOX9 binding, possibly pro

SUBMITTER: Fuglerud BM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9410909 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature