GDF3 promotes adipose tissue macrophage-mediated inflammation via altered chromatin accessibility during aging
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE272899 | GEO | 2025/10/14
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:Age-related susceptibility to sepsis and endotoxemia is poorly defined, although hyperactivation of the immune system and the expansion of the visceral adipose as an immunological reservoir are underlying features. Macrophages from older organisms exhibit substantial changes, including chronic NLRP3 inflammasome activation, genomic remodeling and a dysfunctional, amplified inflammatory response upon new exposure to pathogen. However, the mechanisms by which old macrophages maintain their inflammatory phenotype during endotoxemia remains elusive. We previously identified Gdf3, a TGFβ superfamily cytokine, as a top-regulated gene by age and the NLRP3 inflammasome in adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs). Here, we demonstrate that endotoxemia increases inflammatory (CD11c+) ATMs in a Gdf3-dependent manner in old mice. Lifelong systemic or myeloid-specific deletion of Gdf3 leads to reduced endotoxemia-induced inflammation, with decreased CD11c+ ATMs and inflammatory cytokines, and protection from hypothermia. Moreover, acute blockade of Gdf3 using JQ1, a BRD4 inhibitor, phenocopies old mice with lifelong Gdf3-deficiency. We show that GDF3 promotes the inflammatory phenotype in ATMs by phosphorylating SMAD2/3. Mechanistically, the differential chromatin landscape of ATMs from old mice with or without myeloid-driven Gdf3 indicates that GDF3-SMAD2/3 signaling axis shifts the chromatin accessibility of ATMs towards an inflammatory state during aging. Furthermore, pharmaceutical inhibition of SMAD3 with a specific inhibitor of SMAD3 (SIS3) mimics Gdf3 deletion. SIS3 reduces endotoxemia-mediated inflammation with fewer CD11c+ ATMs and less severe hypothermia in old, but not young mice, as well as reduced mortality. In human adipose tissue, age positively correlates with GDF3 level, while inflammation correlates with pSMAD2/3 level. Overall, these results highlight the importance of GDF3-SMAD2/3 axis in driving inflammation in older organisms and identify this signaling axis as a promising therapeutic target for mitigating endotoxemia-related inflammation in the aged.
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Project description:We report sustained changes in the chromatin accessibility landscape of adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) from high fat diet (HFD)-fed mice persist long after return to regular diet (RD). We compared the data of ATAC-seq performed on nuclei extracted from FACS-sorted ATMs isolated from HFD, RD-RD and HFD-RD-fed mice. Inter-group comparisons revealed the highest diversity and hence the greatest number of differentially accessible regions (DARs) to occur between ATMs from RD-RD and HFD-RD-fed mice, and considerably fewer DARs were identified between ATMs from HFD-RD vs HFD-fed mice. Association of DARs with the nearest gene and gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed considerable pathway enrichment, especially pathways coding for angiogenesis and inflammatory response, in HFD-RD group when compared to RD-RD group. The results altogether indicated that most changes in chromatin landscape induced by HFD-feeding are maintained as open chromatin positions for a long time, suggesting that HFD-feeding leads to long-term reprograming of ATMs and renders them prone to pro-angiogenic and pro-inflammatory responses.
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Project description:We report that obese fat tissue of mice contain multiple distinct populations of adipose tissue macrophage (ATM) with unique transcriptomes and chromatin landscapes. Mouse Ly6c ATMs express genes that are adipogenic, while CD9 ATMs express pro-inflammatory genes under the control of activating transcription factors. Adoptive transfer of Ly6c ATMs into lean mice activates gene programs typical of normal adipocyte physiology. By contrast, adoptive transfer of CD9 ATMs drives gene expression that is characteristic of obesity.
2018-06-04 | GSE113583 | GEO
Project description:We report that obese fat tissue of mice contain multiple distinct populations of adipose tissue macrophage (ATM) with unique transcriptomes and chromatin landscapes. Mouse Ly6c ATMs express genes that are adipogenic, while CD9 ATMs express pro-inflammatory genes under the control of activating transcription factors. Adoptive transfer of Ly6c ATMs into lean mice activates gene programs typical of normal adipocyte physiology. By contrast, adoptive transfer of CD9 ATMs drives gene expression that is characteristic of obesity.
2018-06-04 | GSE113594 | GEO
Project description:We report that obese fat tissue of mice contain multiple distinct populations of adipose tissue macrophage (ATM) with unique transcriptomes and chromatin landscapes. Mouse Ly6c ATMs express genes that are adipogenic, while CD9 ATMs express pro-inflammatory genes under the control of activating transcription factors. Adoptive transfer of Ly6c ATMs into lean mice activates gene programs typical of normal adipocyte physiology. By contrast, adoptive transfer of CD9 ATMs drives gene expression that is characteristic of obesity.
2018-06-04 | GSE113560 | GEO
Project description:Macrophage-mediated inflammatory response has been implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity and insulin resistance. Brd4 has emerged as a key regulator in the innate immune response. However, the role of Brd4 in obesity-associated inflammation and insulin resistance remains uncharacterized. Here, we demonstrated that myeloid-lineage specific Brd4 knockout (Brd4-CKO) mice were protected from high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced obesity with less fat accumulation, higher energy expenditure, and increased lipolysis in adipose tissue. Brd4-CKO mice also displayed reduced local and systemic inflammation with improved insulin sensitivity upon HFD. RNA-sequencing of adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) from HFD-fed wide-type and Brd4-CKO mice revealed that expression of antilipolytic factor Gdf3 was significantly decreased in ATMs of Brd4-CKO mice. We also found that Brd4 bound to the promoter and enhancers of Gdf3 to facilitate PPARγ-dependent Gdf3 expression in macrophages. Furthermore, Brd4-mediated expression of Gdf3 acted as a paracrine signal targeting adipocytes to suppress the expression of lipases and the associated lipolysis in cultured cells and mice. Controlling the expression of Gdf3 in ATMs could be one of the mechanisms by which Brd4 modulates lipid metabolism and diet-induced obesity. This study suggests that Brd4 could be a potential therapeutic target for obesity and insulin resistance.
2021-03-24 | GSE169475 | GEO
Project description:BMDMs or iMACs were generated via differentiation of bone marrow cells or immortalized precursors, respectively, in culture media containing m-CSF for 7 day. Upon differentiation, BMDMs or iMacs were left untreated or stimulated as described below. 1) BMDM WT were stimulated with LPS, PGE2, IL-10, LPS+PGE2, LPS+IL-10 for 4 hours: each condition in triplicate. This experiment was performed to assess chromatin accessibility in the concomitant presence of pro-inflammatory (LPS) and anti-inflammatory stimuli (PGE2 and IL-10). 2) MEF2A-deficient iMac clones (D7, A7, A8, C7) and MEF2A-proficient (referred to as wild-type) iMac clones (NE, B3 and D10) were generated via CRISPR/Cas9 and stimulated or not with LPS for either 4 hours: each condition in single. This experiment was performed to assess the role in MEF2a in controlling chromatin accessibility upon LPS stimulation.
2021-06-08 | E-MTAB-9252 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Rationale: SMAD2 is a co-regulator that binds a variety of transcription factors and modulates activities during human development. Heterozygous SMAD2 loss-of-function (LoF) variants and missense variants are identified in patients with complex congenital heart disease (CHD), and in patients with arterial aneurysms and dissections. Mechanisms that account for distinct cardiovascular phenotypes caused by SMAD2 variants remain unknown. We aimed to define the transcriptional and epigenetic effects of heterozygous SMAD2 loss-of-function (LoF) and missense variants and identify the involvement of transcription factor networks and genes that contribute to CHD. Compared to LoF variants, we assessed the function of rare SMAD2 missense variants of uncertain significance. Methods: We constructed isogenic induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with heterozygous or homozygous LoF and rare (MAF ≤ 10-5) missense SMAD2 variants identified in CHD probands. Wildtype and mutant iPSCs were studied by bulk RNA sequencing (RNAseq) and chromatin accessibility (ATACseq). Datasets were integrated with published SMAD2/3 chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIPseq) studies. Cardiomyocyte differentiation and contractility of mutant iPSCs was assessed. Results: SMAD2 haploinsufficiency reduced open chromatin across promoter regions and altered the expression of 385 direct SMAD regulated genes, including ten previously identified as dominant CHD genes. Motif analyses in regions with differential ATAC peaks predicted that SMAD2 haploinsufficiency disrupts interactions with at least five transcription factors, NANOG, ETS, TEAD3/4, CREB1 and AP1. Compared to SMAD2-haploinsufficient cells, iPSCs with heterozygous R114C or W274C variants exhibited shared and distinct patterns of altered chromatin accessibility, transcription factor binding motifs, and dysregulated genes. Conclusions: SMAD2 haploinsufficiency disrupts chromatin interactions and perturbs transcription factor binding, disrupting normal cardiovascular development. Differences in the molecular consequences of LoF and missense variants likely contribute to clinical phenotypic heterogeneity. Additionally, these data indicate opportunities for molecular functional analyses to improve re-classification of SMAD2 variants of uncertain clinical significance.
2025-10-29 | GSE280689 | GEO
Project description:Rationale: SMAD2 is a co-regulator that binds a variety of transcription factors and modulates activities during human development. Heterozygous SMAD2 loss-of-function (LoF) variants and missense variants are identified in patients with complex congenital heart disease (CHD), and in patients with arterial aneurysms and dissections. Mechanisms that account for distinct cardiovascular phenotypes caused by SMAD2 variants remain unknown. We aimed to define the transcriptional and epigenetic effects of heterozygous SMAD2 loss-of-function (LoF) and missense variants and identify the involvement of transcription factor networks and genes that contribute to CHD. Compared to LoF variants, we assessed the function of rare SMAD2 missense variants of uncertain significance. Methods: We constructed isogenic induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with heterozygous or homozygous LoF and rare (MAF ≤ 10-5) missense SMAD2 variants identified in CHD probands. Wildtype and mutant iPSCs were studied by bulk RNA sequencing (RNAseq) and chromatin accessibility (ATACseq). Datasets were integrated with published SMAD2/3 chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIPseq) studies. Cardiomyocyte differentiation and contractility of mutant iPSCs was assessed. Results: SMAD2 haploinsufficiency reduced open chromatin across promoter regions and altered the expression of 385 direct SMAD regulated genes, including ten previously identified as dominant CHD genes. Motif analyses in regions with differential ATAC peaks predicted that SMAD2 haploinsufficiency disrupts interactions with at least five transcription factors, NANOG, ETS, TEAD3/4, CREB1 and AP1. Compared to SMAD2-haploinsufficient cells, iPSCs with heterozygous R114C or W274C variants exhibited shared and distinct patterns of altered chromatin accessibility, transcription factor binding motifs, and dysregulated genes. Conclusions: SMAD2 haploinsufficiency disrupts chromatin interactions and perturbs transcription factor binding, disrupting normal cardiovascular development. Differences in the molecular consequences of LoF and missense variants likely contribute to clinical phenotypic heterogeneity. Additionally, these data indicate opportunities for molecular functional analyses to improve re-classification of SMAD2 variants of uncertain clinical significance.
2025-04-02 | GSE278726 | GEO
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2021-01-20 | GSE165120 | GEO