Gene reactivation upon erosion of X-chromosome inactivation in female hiPSCs is predictable yet variable and persists through differentiation
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ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE262239 | GEO | 2025/05/13
REPOSITORIES: GEO
Similar Datasets
Project description:During culture, female human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including human induced PSCs (hiPSCs) exhibit a propensity for erosion of X-chromosome inactivation (XCI). This phenomenon is characterized by loss of XIST RNA expression and reactivation of a subset of X-linked genes from the inactive X chromosome (Xi). XCI erosion, despite its common occurrence, is often overlooked by the stem cell community, hindering a complete understanding of its impact on both fundamental and translational applications of hiPSCs. Investigating erosion dynamics in female hiPSCs, our study reveals that XCI erosion is a frequent yet heterogeneous phenomenon, resulting in reactivation of several X-linked genes. The likelihood of a gene to erode increases for those located on the short arm of the X chromosome and within H3K27me3-enriched domains. Paradoxically, genes that typically escape XCI are hypersensitive to loss of XIST RNA and XCI erosion. This implies that XIST RNA normally restrain expression levels of these genes on the Xi. Importantly, increased X-linked gene expression upon erosion does not globally impact (hydroxy)methylation levels in hiPSCs or at imprinted regions. By exploring diverse differentiation paradigms, such as trilineage commitment and cardiac differentiation, our study reveals the persistence of abnormal XCI patterns throughout differentiation. This finding has significant implications for fundamental research, translational applications, and clinical use of stem cells. We underscore the importance of raising awareness within the stem cell community regarding XCI erosion and advocate for its inclusion in comprehensive hiPSC quality control.
2025-05-13 | GSE262236 | GEO
Project description:During culture, female human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including human induced PSCs (hiPSCs) exhibit a propensity for erosion of X-chromosome inactivation (XCI). This phenomenon is characterized by loss of XIST RNA expression and reactivation of a subset of X-linked genes from the inactive X chromosome (Xi). XCI erosion, despite its common occurrence, is often overlooked by the stem cell community, hindering a complete understanding of its impact on both fundamental and translational applications of hiPSCs. Investigating erosion dynamics in female hiPSCs, our study reveals that XCI erosion is a frequent yet heterogeneous phenomenon, resulting in reactivation of several X-linked genes. The likelihood of a gene to erode increases for those located on the short arm of the X chromosome and within H3K27me3-enriched domains. Paradoxically, genes that typically escape XCI are hypersensitive to loss of XIST RNA and XCI erosion. This implies that XIST RNA normally restrain expression levels of these genes on the Xi. Importantly, increased X-linked gene expression upon erosion does not globally impact (hydroxy)methylation levels in hiPSCs or at imprinted regions. By exploring diverse differentiation paradigms, such as trilineage commitment and cardiac differentiation, our study reveals the persistence of abnormal XCI patterns throughout differentiation. This finding has significant implications for fundamental research, translational applications, and clinical use of stem cells. We underscore the importance of raising awareness within the stem cell community regarding XCI erosion and advocate for its inclusion in comprehensive hiPSC quality control.
2025-05-13 | GSE262238 | GEO
Project description:During culture, female human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), exhibit a propensity for erosion of X-chromosome inactivation (XCI). This phenomenon is characterized by the loss of XIST RNA expression and reactivation of a subset of X-linked genes from the inactive X chromosome (Xi). Despite its common occurrence, XCI erosion is often overlooked by the stem cell community, hindering a complete understanding of its impact on both fundamental and translational applications of hiPSCs. Our study investigates erosion dynamics in female hiPSCs and reveals that XCI erosion is a frequent yet heterogeneous phenomenon, resulting in the reactivation of several X-linked genes. The likelihood of a gene to erode increases for those located on the short arm of the X chromosome and within H3K27me3-enriched domains. Paradoxically, genes that typically escape XCI are hypersensitive to the loss of XIST RNA and XCI erosion. This implies that XIST RNA normally restrains expression levels of these genes on the Xi. Importantly, increased X-linked gene expression upon erosion does not globally impact (hydroxy)methylation levels in hiPSCs or at imprinted regions. By exploring diverse differentiation paradigms, such as trilineage commitment and cardiac differentiation, our study reveals the persistence of abnormal XCI patterns throughout differentiation. This finding has significant implications for fundamental research, translational applications, and clinical use of stem cells. We underscore the importance of raising awareness within the stem cell community regarding XCI erosion and advocate for its inclusion in comprehensive hiPSC quality control.
2025-05-13 | GSE262233 | GEO
Project description:The Xist long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is essential for X-chromosome inactivation (XCI), the process by which mammals compensate for unequal numbers of sex chromosomes. During XCI, Xist coats the future inactive X (Xi) and recruits Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) to the X-inactivation center (Xic). Currently unclear is how Xist spreads silencing on a 150 Mb scale. Here we generate high-resolution maps of Xist binding across a developmental time course using CHART-seq. In female cells undergoing XCI de novo, Xist follows a two-step mechanism in which it initially targets gene-rich islands before spreading to intervening gene-poor domains. Xist is depleted from genes that escape XCI but frequently concentrates near escapee boundaries. Xist binding was linearly proportional to PRC2 density and H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), suggesting co-migration of Xist and PRC2. Interestingly, when the Xi is acutely stripped of Xist in post-XCI cells, Xist recovers quickly within both gene-rich and -poor domains on a time scale of hours instead of days, suggesting a previously primed Xi chromatin state. We conclude that Xist spreading takes on distinct stage-specific forms: During initial establishment, Xist follows a two-step mechanism, but during maintenance, Xist spreads rapidly to both gene-rich and -poor regions. Capture hybridization analysis of RNA targets (CHART) and input samples of (differentiating) mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells and immortalized mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) using paired-end 75 nt reads on Illumina HiSeq2500, with 2 replicates per sample (# of samples). RNA-seq of the same cell lines with 50 nt reads on Illumina HiSeq2000, with 2 replicates per sample (2 samples, 4 datasets total). CHIP-seq: Data from GSE36905 was aligned and processed as CHART-seq samples. Resulting coverage tracks (EZH2/K27me3) are linked directly to GSE48649 (bedGraphs linked below).
2013-11-04 | E-GEOD-48649 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:The inactive X (Xi) is formed by a process called X-Chromosome Inactivation (XCI), with Xist upregulation, retention of Xist RNA transcripts at the Xi, chromatin re-organization, and transcriptional silencing. Female lymphocytes have ‘dynamic’ XCI maintenance where Xist RNA is transcribed but absent from the Xi in naïve lymphocytes and re-localizes after in-vitro activation. How ‘dynamic’ XCI impacts Xi dosage and nuclear organization, or where Xist RNA interacts with the Xi is unknown. Here we find maintenance of Xi dosage and global structure despite the absence of Xist RNA in naïve B-cells. However, we identified 104 escape genes and observe a gain of de-novo TADs on the Xi. Stimulation-dependent Xi remodeling co-occurs with Xist RNA re-accumulation at the Xi, and loss of Xist increases TAD remodeling and decompacts the Xi in both naïve and stimulated B-cells. Altogether, these results reveal B-cell specific Xi plasticity which could underlie female-specific mechanisms in lymphocytes.
2024-12-31 | GSE212257 | GEO
Project description:The inactive X (Xi) is formed by a process called X-Chromosome Inactivation (XCI), with Xist upregulation, retention of Xist RNA transcripts at the Xi, chromatin re-organization, and transcriptional silencing. Female lymphocytes have ‘dynamic’ XCI maintenance where Xist RNA is transcribed but absent from the Xi in naïve lymphocytes and re-localizes after in-vitro activation. How ‘dynamic’ XCI impacts Xi dosage and nuclear organization, or where Xist RNA interacts with the Xi is unknown. Here we find maintenance of Xi dosage and global structure despite the absence of Xist RNA in naïve B-cells. However, we identified 104 escape genes and observe a gain of de-novo TADs on the Xi. Stimulation-dependent Xi remodeling co-occurs with Xist RNA re-accumulation at the Xi, and loss of Xist increases TAD remodeling and decompacts the Xi in both naïve and stimulated B-cells. Altogether, these results reveal B-cell specific Xi plasticity which could underlie female-specific mechanisms in lymphocytes.
2024-12-31 | GSE208393 | GEO
Project description:X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) entails a massive structural reorganization of the inactive X (Xi). However the molecular architecture of the Xi is unknown. Here we show that the Xi lacks typical autosomal features such as active/inactive compartments and topologically associating domains (TADs), except around a small number of genes that escape XCI and remain expressed. Escaping genes form TADs and retain DNA accessibility at promoter-proximal and CTCF binding sites, indicating that these loci can avoid Xist-mediated erasure of chromosomal structure. We further show that genesilencing competent Xist RNA is sufficient to induce segregation of the Xi into two ‘mega-domains’ separated by a boundary that includes the DXZ4 macrosatellite. Deletion of this boundary prior to XCI results in fusion of the megadomains and altered patterns of escape that correlate with changes in TAD structure following differentiation and XCI . Our results suggest a critical role for the boundary locus and Xist RNA in shaping the structure of the Xi and modulating escape from XCI. Our findings also point to roles of transcription and CTCF binding in TAD formation in the context of facultative heterochromatin.
2016-07-18 | GSE72697 | GEO
Project description:X chromosome inactivation (XCI) in female lymphocytes is uniquely regulated, as the inactive X (Xi) chromosome lacks localized Xist RNA and heterochromatin modifications. Epigenetic profiling reveals that Xist RNA is lost from the Xi at the pro-B cell stage and that additional heterochromatic modifications are gradually lost during B cell development. Activation of mature B cells restores Xist RNA and heterochromatin to the Xi in a dynamic two-step process that differs in timing and pattern, depending on the method of B cell stimulation. Finally, we find that DNA binding by YY1 maintains XCI in activated B cells, as ex-vivo YY1 deletion results in loss of Xi heterochromatin marks and up-regulation of X-linked genes. Ectopic expression of the YY1 zinc finger domain is sufficient for Xist RNA localization during B cell activation. Together, our results indicate that Xist RNA localization is critical for maintaining XCI in female lymphocytes, and that chromatin changes on the Xi during B cell development and the dynamic nature of YY1-dependent XCI maintenance in mature B cells predisposes X- linked immunity genes to reactivation.
2018-02-22 | GSE104097 | GEO
Project description:X Chromosome Inactivation (XCI) equalizes X-linked gene expression between sexes. B cells exhibit dynamic XCI, with Xist RNA/heterochromatic marks absent on the inactive X (Xi) in naive B cells but returning following mitogenic stimulation. The impact of dynamic XCI on Xi structure and maintenance was previously unknown. Here, we find dosage compensation of the Xi with state-specific XCI escape genes in naive and in vitro activated B cells. Allele-specific OligoPaints indicate similar Xi and Xa territories in B cells that are less compact than in fibroblasts. Allele-specific Hi-C reveals a lack of TAD-like structures on the Xi of naive B cells, and stimulation-induced alterations in TAD-like boundary strength independent of gene expression. Notably, Xist deletion in B cells changes TAD boundaries and large-scale Xi compaction. Altogether, our results uncover B cell-specific Xi plasticity which could underlie sex-biased biological mechanisms.
2024-12-31 | GSE283966 | GEO
Project description:The Xist long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is essential for X-chromosome inactivation (XCI), the process by which mammals compensate for unequal numbers of sex chromosomes. During XCI, Xist coats the future inactive X (Xi) and recruits Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) to the X-inactivation center (Xic). Currently unclear is how Xist spreads silencing on a 150 Mb scale. Here we generate high-resolution maps of Xist binding across a developmental time course using CHART-seq. In female cells undergoing XCI de novo, Xist follows a two-step mechanism in which it initially targets gene-rich islands before spreading to intervening gene-poor domains. Xist is depleted from genes that escape XCI but frequently concentrates near escapee boundaries. Xist binding was linearly proportional to PRC2 density and H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), suggesting co-migration of Xist and PRC2. Interestingly, when the Xi is acutely stripped of Xist in post-XCI cells, Xist recovers quickly within both gene-rich and -poor domains on a time scale of hours instead of days, suggesting a previously primed Xi chromatin state. We conclude that Xist spreading takes on distinct stage-specific forms: During initial establishment, Xist follows a two-step mechanism, but during maintenance, Xist spreads rapidly to both gene-rich and -poor regions.
2013-11-04 | GSE48649 | GEO