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Loss of Uhrf1 in neural stem cells leads to activation of retroviral elements and delayed neurodegeneration [E16]

ABSTRACT: In order to understand if early epigenetic mechanisms instruct the long-term behaviour of neural stem cells (NSCs) and their progeny, we examined the protein Uhrf1 as it is highly expressed in NSCs of the developing brain and rapidly downregulated upon differentiation. Conditional deletion of Uhrf1 in the developing cerebral cortex resulted in rather normal proliferation and neurogenesis but severe postnatal neurodegeneration. During development, deletion of Uhrf1 resulted in global DNA hypomethylation with a strong activation of the IAP family of endogenous retroviral elements, accompanied by an increase in hydroxy methyl cytosine. Downregulation of Tet enzymes rescued the IAP activation in Uhrf1 cKO cells, suggesting an antagonistic interplay between Uhrf1 and Tet on IAP regulation. As IAP upregulation persists into postnatal stages in the conditional Uhrf1 KO mice, our data show the lack of means to repress IAPs in differentiating neurons that normally never express Uhrf1. The high load of viral proteins and other transcriptional dysregulation ultimately lead to extensive postnatal neurodegeneration. Taken together, these data show that early developmental NSC factors can have long-term effects in neuronal differentiation and survival. Moreover, it highlights how specific the consequences of widespread changes in DNA methylation are for certain classes of retroviral elements.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE84545 | GEO | 2016/11/01

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA329589

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Throughout postnatal life in mammals, neural stem cells (NSCs) are located in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricles. The greatest diversity of neuronal and glial lineages they generate occurs during early postnatal life in a region-specific manner. In order to evaluate potential heterogeneity in the NSC pool, we microdissected the dorsal and lateral SVZ at different postnatal ages and isolated NSCs and their immediate progeny based on their expression of Hes5-EGFP/Prominin1 and Ascl1-EGFP, respectively. Whole genome comparative transcriptome analysis revealed transcriptional regulators as major hallmarks that sustain postnatal SVZ regionalization. Manipulation of single genes encoding for locally enriched transcription factors influenced NSC specification indicating that the fate of regionalized postnatal SVZ NSCs can be readily modified . These findings reveal functional heterogeneity of NSCs in the postnatal SVZ and provide targets to recruit region-specific lineages in regenerative contexts. Microarrays of neural stem cells, early progenitors and the tissue from subregions of the subventricular zone were compiled to screen for the full extent of heterogeneity in this region during postnatal life. Spatially distinct regions of the developing forebrain subventricular zone (SVZ) aged at P4, P8 and P11 were microdissected in RNAse free/sterile conditions. Mice expressing Ascl1-EGFP in the SVZ were used to aid accurate microdissection of the dorsal and lateral wall of each of the studied time points as per our previous publications characterizing this method. As well as at the whole microdomain level, additionally, NSCs (Hes5-EGFP+/Prom1+) and early progenitors (Ascl1-EGFP+) from each microdomain were further isolated by FAC sorting methods. This was to provide a comprehensive gene expression analysis at the tissue level and at the cellular level. Generally, 1 litter was used to yield 1 'n' number of replicates. A total of 23 affymetrix analysis were performed.

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Loss of Uhrf1 in neural stem cells leads to activation of retroviral elements and delayed neurodegeneration [E16]

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