Project description:With the aim of finding small molecules that stimulate erythropoiesis earlier than erythropoietin and that enhance CFU-E production, we studied the mechanism by which glucocorticoids increase CFU-E formation. Using BFU-E and CFU-E progenitors purified by a new technique, we demonstrate that glucocorticoids stimulate the earliest (BFU-E) progenitors to undergo limited self-renewal, which increases formation of CFU-E cells > 20-fold. Interestingly, glucocorticoids induce expression of genes in BFU-E cells that contain promoter regions highly enriched for hypoxia-induced factor 1 alpha (HIF1a) binding sites. This suggests activation of HIF1a may enhance or replace the effect of glucocorticoids on BFU-E self-renewal. Indeed, HIF1a activation by a prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor (PHI) synergizes with glucocorticoids and enhances production of CFU-Es 170-fold. Since PHIs are able to increase erythroblast production at very low concentrations of glucocorticoids, PHI-induced stimulation of BFU-E progenitors thus represents a conceptually new therapeutic window for treating Epo-resistant anemia. RNA-Seq was performed on enriched populations of BFU-E, CFU-E and Ter119+ as well as BFU-E enriched cells treated with Dex and DMOG
Project description:With the aim of finding small molecules that stimulate erythropoiesis earlier than erythropoietin and that enhance CFU-E production, we studied the mechanism by which glucocorticoids increase CFU-E formation. Using BFU-E and CFU-E progenitors purified by a new technique, we demonstrate that glucocorticoids stimulate the earliest (BFU-E) progenitors to undergo limited self-renewal, which increases formation of CFU-E cells > 20-fold. Interestingly, glucocorticoids induce expression of genes in BFU-E cells that contain promoter regions highly enriched for hypoxia-induced factor 1 alpha (HIF1a) binding sites. This suggests activation of HIF1a may enhance or replace the effect of glucocorticoids on BFU-E self-renewal. Indeed, HIF1a activation by a prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor (PHI) synergizes with glucocorticoids and enhances production of CFU-Es 170-fold. Since PHIs are able to increase erythroblast production at very low concentrations of glucocorticoids, PHI-induced stimulation of BFU-E progenitors thus represents a conceptually new therapeutic window for treating Epo-resistant anemia.
Project description:Erythroid progenitor BFU-Es are so-named based on their ability to generate in methylcellulose culture large colonies of erythroid cells that consist of “bursts” of smaller erythroid colonies derived from the later CFU-E Epo- dependent progenitors. “Early” BFU-E cells forming large BFU-E colonies presumably have higher capacities for self-renewal than do those forming small BFU-E colonies. In order to understand the mechanism underlying this heterogeneity, we conducted single cell transcriptome analysis on BFU-E cells purified from mouse embryos. Our analyses showed that there are two principal subgroups of mouse BFU-E cells and that the type III TGFβ receptor (TβRIII) is a potential marker that distinguishes “early” and “late” BFU-Es. Expression of TβRIII is correlated with that of GATA1, a gene encoding an erythroid transcription factor induced during the BFU-E to CFU-E transition. The mouse and human BFU-E sub populations (TßRIII10%lo) expressing the 10% lowest amount of surface TβRIII are indeed enriched for early BFU-Es, and are significantly more responsive to glucocorticoid stimulation, which promotes BFU-E self-renewal, as compared to the total BFU-E population. The TßRIII10%lo BFU-E subpopulation presumably represents earlier BFU-Es with maximal capacity for self-renewal. Consistent with this notion, signaling by the TGFβ receptor kinases RI and RII increases during the transition from early (TßRIII10%lo) to late (TßRIII10%hi) BFU-Es and then decreases in CFU-E cells. Blocking TGF-β signaling by receptor kinase inhibitors increase TßRIII10%lo BFU-E cell self-renewal and increases total erythroblast production, suggesting the use of this type of drug in treating Epo unresponsive anemias.
Project description:An immortalized multipotent otic progenitor (iMOP) cell was generated by transient expression of c-Myc in Sox2-expressing otic progenitor cells. The procedure activated endogenous c-Myc expression in the cells and amplified existing Sox2-dependent transcripts to promote self-renewal. Downregulation of c-Myc expression following growth factor withdrawal resulted in a molecular switch from self-renewal to otic differentiation. Progenitor cells from embryonic inner ear that form otospheres were infected with a c-Myc retrovirus to promote self-renewal
Project description:Synergism between PPARα and glucocorticoid receptor signaling promotes self-renewal of BFU-E erythroid progenitors and increases red cell production [RNA-seq]
Project description:Synergism between PPARα and glucocorticoid receptor signaling promotes self-renewal of BFU-E erythroid progenitors and increases red cell production [ChIP-seq]