Project description:The chromatin regulator ATRX is inactivated in large subsets of adult and pediatric glioma. Whether and how ATRX deficiency promotes oncogenesis by epigenomic dysregulation remains unclear. We found that Atrx loss, especially when coupled with Tp53 inactivation, promoted cell motility and modulated differentiation state in primary murine neuroepithelial progenitors, recapitulating characteristic disease phenotypes and molecular features. Moreover, Atrx deficiency induced widespread shifts in chromatin accessibility, histone composition, and gene transcription at vacant Atrx binding sites distributed across the genome. Finally, target genes mediating Atrx-deficient phenotypes in vitro exhibited similarly selective misexpression in ATRX-mutant human glioma tissues and cell lines. These findings demonstrate that, in appropriate physiological contexts, ATRX deficiency and its epigenomic sequelae are sufficient to induce disease-defining oncogenic phenotypes.
Project description:The chromatin regulator ATRX is inactivated in large subsets of adult and pediatric glioma. Whether and how ATRX deficiency promotes oncogenesis by epigenomic dysregulation remains unclear. We found that Atrx loss, especially when coupled with Tp53 inactivation, promoted cell motility and modulated differentiation state in primary murine neuroepithelial progenitors, recapitulating characteristic disease phenotypes and molecular features. Moreover, Atrx deficiency induced widespread shifts in chromatin accessibility, histone composition, and gene transcription at vacant Atrx binding sites distributed across the genome. Finally, target genes mediating Atrx-deficient phenotypes in vitro exhibited similarly selective misexpression in ATRX-mutant human glioma tissues and cell lines. These findings demonstrate that, in appropriate physiological contexts, ATRX deficiency and its epigenomic sequelae are sufficient to induce disease-defining oncogenic phenotypes.
Project description:The chromatin regulator ATRX is inactivated in large subsets of adult and pediatric glioma. Whether and how ATRX deficiency promotes oncogenesis by epigenomic dysregulation remains unclear. We found that Atrx loss, especially when coupled with Tp53 inactivation, promoted cell motility and modulated differentiation state in primary murine neuroepithelial progenitors, recapitulating characteristic disease phenotypes and molecular features. Moreover, Atrx deficiency induced widespread shifts in chromatin accessibility, histone composition, and gene transcription at vacant Atrx binding sites distributed across the genome. Finally, target genes mediating Atrx-deficient phenotypes in vitro exhibited similarly selective misexpression in ATRX-mutant human glioma tissues and cell lines. These findings demonstrate that, in appropriate physiological contexts, ATRX deficiency and its epigenomic sequelae are sufficient to induce disease-defining oncogenic phenotypes.
Project description:The chromatin regulator ATRX is inactivated in large subsets of adult and pediatric glioma. Whether and how ATRX deficiency promotes oncogenesis by epigenomic dysregulation remains unclear. We found that Atrx loss, especially when coupled with Tp53 inactivation, promoted cell motility and modulated differentiation state in primary murine neuroepithelial progenitors, recapitulating characteristic disease phenotypes and molecular features. Moreover, Atrx deficiency induced widespread shifts in chromatin accessibility, histone composition, and gene transcription at vacant Atrx binding sites distributed across the genome. Finally, target genes mediating Atrx-deficient phenotypes in vitro exhibited similarly selective misexpression in ATRX-mutant human glioma tissues and cell lines. These findings demonstrate that, in appropriate physiological contexts, ATRX deficiency and its epigenomic sequelae are sufficient to induce disease-defining oncogenic phenotypes.
Project description:Stimulating the innate immune system has been explored as a therapeutic option for the treatment of gliomas. Inactivating mutations in ATRX, a defining molecular alteration in IDH-mutant astrocytomas, have been implicated in dysfunctional immune signaling. However, little is known about the interplay between ATRX loss and IDH mutation on innate immunity. To explore this biology, we generated ATRX knockout glioma models in the presence and absence of the IDH1R132H mutation. ATRX-deficient glioma cells were sensitive to dsRNA-based innate immune agonism and exhibited impaired lethality and increased T-cell infiltration in vivo. However, the presence of IDH1R132H dampened baseline expression of key innate immune genes and cytokines in a manner restored by genetic and pharmacological IDH1R132H inhibition. IDH1R132H co-expression did not interfere with the ATRX KO-mediated sensitivity to dsRNA. Thus, ATRX loss primes cells for recognition of dsRNA, while IDH1R132H reversibly masks this priming. This work reveals innate immunity as a therapeutic vulnerability of astrocytoma.
Project description:Methylation profiling of SF188 paediatric high grade glioma cell line isogenic clones carrying CRISR/Cas9 frameshift deletions in ATRX
Project description:Stimulating the innate immune system has been explored as a therapeutic option for the treatment of gliomas. Inactivating mutations in ATRX, a defining molecular alteration in IDH-mutant astrocytomas, have been implicated in dysfunctional immune signaling. However, little is known about the interplay between ATRX loss and IDH mutation on innate immunity. To explore this biology, we generated ATRX knockout glioma models in the presence and absence of the IDH1R132H mutation. ATRX-deficient glioma cells were sensitive to dsRNA-based innate immune agonism and exhibited impaired lethality and increased T-cell infiltration in vivo. However, the presence of IDH1R132H dampened baseline expression of key innate immune genes and cytokines in a manner restored by genetic and pharmacological IDH1R132H inhibition. IDH1R132H co-expression did not interfere with the ATRX KO-mediated sensitivity to dsRNA. Thus, ATRX loss primes cells for recognition of dsRNA, while IDH1R132H reversibly masks this priming. This work reveals innate immunity as a therapeutic vulnerability of astrocytoma.