Project description:Different GFP+ cell population were isolated from Tg(fli1:EGFP) zebrafish embryos. Novel roles of epigenetic modifiers in endothelial differentiation were identified.
Project description:Purpose:To gain a deeper insight into how PRDM16 regulates neuron-vascular communication for angiogenesis, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed to analyze the genome-wide changes by PRDM16 deletion at E15. Methods: Total RNA was extracted from E15 telencephalic tissue of Prdm16cKO and Prdm16fl/fl mice. Then total RNA was quality controlled and quantified using an Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer. After converting to cDNA and building library, high-throughput sequencing was performed using the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform in Annoroad Genomics. Results: Approximately approximately one thousand transcripts showed differential expression between the Prdm16fl/fl and Prdm16cKO brain cortex, with a fold change ≥1.5 and p value <0.05. Gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that the down-regulated genes were enriched in the terms related to neurogenesis, blood vessel development and secretion by cells. Up-regulated genes showed a significant enrichment of terms involved in negative regulation of cell communication and negative regulation of angiogenesis. These results reflected the importance of PRDM16 in cortical development. Conclusions: We conclude that RNA-seq based transcriptome characterization would provide a framework for understanding how Prdm16 gene contribute to brain cortical development.
Project description:Gene expression profile from brown adipose tissues of Prdm16 knockout and wile type mice. Prdm16 is a transcription factor that regulates the thermogenic gene program in brown and beige adipocytes. However, whether Prdm16 is required for the development or physiological function of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in vivo has been unclear. By analyzing mice that selectively lacked Prdm16 in the brown adipose lineage, we found that Prdm16 was dispensable for embryonic BAT development. Brown adipose tissues were collected from Prdm16 knockout and wiletype mice with 4 biological replicates per condition. Experiment was done in two separate batch for 6-week-old and 11-month-old. Extracted RNA was hybridized to Agilent two-color arrays.
Project description:Lmo2 is an oncogenic transcription factor that is a frequent target of chromosomal abnormalities in this T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). In transgenic mouse models, overexpression of Lmo2 causes thymocyte self-renewal leading to T-cell leukemia with long latency. However, the requirement of Lmo2 for maintenance of overt leukemia is poorly understood. We found that Lyl1, a critical cofactor for Lmo2-induced leukemia, is frequently lost in cell lines derived from Lmo2-transgenic mice, raising the possibility that Lmo2 function is dispensable at this stage. To study this, we developed a Tetracycline-repressible knock-in mouse model (Vav-TRE-Lmo2), which expresses Lmo2 throughout the haematopoietic system. This led to specific effects on T-cell development and the development of T-cell leukemia with long latency, preceded by the presence of self-renewing T-cells in the thymus. Repression of Lmo2 overcame the Lmo2-induced thymocyte developmental block at the preleukemic stage and led to elimination of Lmo2-induced thymocyte self-renewal in vivo. In contrast, Lmo2 function was dispensable for the majority of overt Lmo2-induced T-cell leukemias as well as leukemia-derived cell lines, implying an evolution of oncogene addiction in the majority of T-cell leukemias. Lmo2-dependence in T-ALL was associated with an immature gene expression profile, but could not be predicted by immunophenotype or assessment of Notch pathway activation. Thus, Lmo2 can give rise to both Lmo2-depenent and –independent T-cell leukemias. The Vav-TRE-Lmo2 model should be useful to determine the molecular features associated with Lmo2-dependence, as well as the critical components of the Lmo2-induced self-renewal pathways in T-ALL.
Project description:Ewing sarcoma (EWS) is a malignant pediatric bone cancer. Most Ewing sarcomas are driven by EWS-FLI1 oncogenic transcription factor that plays roles in transcriptional regulation, DNA damage response, cell cycle checkpoint control, and alternative splicing. USP1, a deubiquitylase which regulates DNA damage and replication stress responses, is overexpressed at both the mRNA and protein levels in EWS cell lines compared to human mesenchymal stem cells, the EWS cell of origin. The functional significance of high USP1 expression in Ewing sarcoma is not known. Here, we identify USP1 as a transcriptional target of EWS-FLI1 and a key regulator of EWS cell survival. We show that EWS-FLI1 knockdown decreases USP1 mRNA and protein levels. ChIP and ChIP-seq analyses show EWS-FLI1 occupancy on the USP1 promoter. Importantly, USP1 knockdown or inhibition arrests EWS cell growth and induces cell death by apoptosis. We observe destabilization of Survivin (also known as BIRC5 or IAP4) and activation of caspases-3 and -7 following USP1 knockdown or inhibition in the absence of external DNA damage stimuli. Notably, EWS cells display hypersensitivity to combinatorial treatment of doxorubicin or etoposide, EWS standard of care drugs, and USP1 inhibitor compared to single agents alone. Together, our study demonstrates that USP1 is regulated by EWS-FLI1, the USP1-Survivin axis promotes EWS cell survival, and USP1 inhibition sensitizes EWS cells to standard of care chemotherapy.
Project description:Mutation of the PRDM16 gene causes human dilated and noncompaction cardiomyopathy. The PRDM16 protein is a transcriptional regulator that affects cardiac development via Tbx5 and Hand1, thus regulating myocardial structure. The biallelic inactivation of Prdm16 induces severe cardiac dysfunction with postnatal lethality and hypertrophy in mice. The early pathological events that occur upon Prdm16 inactivation have not been explored. This study performed in-depth pathophysiological and molecular analyses of male and female Prdm16csp1/wt mice that carry systemic, monoallelic Prdm16 gene inactivation. We systematically assessed early molecular changes through transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. Kinetic modelling of cardiac metabolism was performed in silico with CARDIOKIN.
Project description:Prdm16 is a transcription factor that drives a complete program of brown adipocyte differentiation, but the mechanism by which Prdm16 activates gene transcription remains unknown. Utilizing ChIP-seq teqhnique, we found that Prdm16 binds to chromatin at/near many brown fat-selective genes in BAT. Interestingly, Prdm16-deficiency dramatically reduced the binding of Med1 to Prdm16-target sites. Indeed, Prdm16 binds and recruits Med1 to BAT-enriched genes and the loss of Prdm16 caused a fundamental change in chromatin architecture at key BAT-selective genes and also reduced transcirptional activity. Moreover, Prdm16, through its interaction with Med1, defines and regulates the activity of super-enhancers that drive the expression of cell identity genes. Together, these data demonstrate that Prdm16 drives gene transcription by recruiting Med1 to control chromatin architecture and super-enhancers. Brown adipose tissues were collected from Prdm16 knockout and wiletype 9-month-old mice and ChIP-seq was performed for Prdm16, PolII, Med1, and H3K27ac.
Project description:Group 1 -- WT or PRDM16-KO ex vivo murine MLL-AF9 cells, and PRDM16-KO AF9 cells overexpressing either f-PRDM16 or s-PRDM16. Group 2 -- WT or total PRDM16-KO murine HSCs isolated from adult BM. Group 3 -- WT or total PRDM16-KO murine HSCs isolated from fetal liver. Group 4 -- WT or f-PRDM16-KO murine HSCs (expressing s-PRDM16 only) isolated from fetal liver.