Project description:Our understanding of cell fate decisions in hematopoietic stem cells is incomplete. Here, we show that the transcription factor Helios is highly expressed in murine hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), where it is required to suppress the separation of the platelet/megakaryocyte lineage from the HSPC pool. Helios acts mainly in quiescent cells, where it directly represses the megakaryocyte gene expression program in cells as early as the stem cell stage. Helios binding promotes chromatin compaction, notably at the regulatory regions of platelet-specific genes recognized by the Gata2 and Runx1 transcriptional activators, implicated in megakaryocyte priming. Helios null HSPCs are biased toward the megakaryocyte lineage at the expense of the lymphoid and partially resemble cells of aging animals. We propose that Helios acts as a guardian of HSPC pluripotency by continuously repressing the megakaryocyte fate, which in turn allows downstream lymphoid priming to take place. These results highlight the importance of negative and positive priming events in lineage commitment.
Project description:We use scRNA-seq to analyze HSPC and microenvironmental cells in embryonic mouse bone marrow. The embryonic cells are compared with corresponding cells from Bmx-CreER Wls mice. conditional knockout mice, in which artery derived Wnt secretion is blocked.
Project description:Energy metabolism and extracellular matrix function are closely connected to orchestrate and maintain tissue organization, but the crosstalk is poorly understood. Here, we used scRNA-seq analysis to uncover the importance of respiration for extracellular matrix homeostasis in mature cartilage. Genetic inhibition of respiration in cartilage results in the expansion of a central area of 1-month-old mouse femur head cartilage showing disorganized chondrocytes and increased deposition of extracellular matrix material. scRNA-seq analysis identified a cluster-specific decrease in mitochondrial DNA-encoded respiratory chain genes and a unique regulation of extracellular matrix-related genes in nonarticular chondrocyte clusters. These changes were associated with alterations in extracellular matrix composition, a shift in the collagen/non-collagen protein content and an increase of collagen crosslinking and ECM stiffness. The results demonstrate, based on findings of the scRNA-seq analysis, that respiration is a key factor contributing to ECM integrity and mechanostability in cartilage and presumably also in many other tissues.
Project description:ETS Variant 6 (ETV6) encodes an essential transcriptional repressor abundantly expressed in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), where it is required for adult hematopoiesis. Heterozygous pathogenic germline ETV6 variants are associated with Thrombocytopenia 5 (T5), a poorly-understood genetic condition predisposing to thrombocytopenia and hematologic malignancies. To elucidate how germline ETV6 variants impact the HSPC compartment and contribute to disease, we generated a knock-in mouse harboring an Etv6R355X loss-of-function variant, which represents the mouse equivalent to the T5-associated variant ETV6R359X. All HSPC subpopulations are present in the bone marrow (BM) of Etv6R355X/+ mice under homeostatic conditions; however, these animals exhibit subtle shifts in the proportions and/or numbers of specific progenitor subtypes. To examine whether the Etv6R355X/+ mutation impacts HSPC function, we carried out serial competitive transplantation and observed that Etv6R355X/+ lineagesca1+cKit+ (LSK) cells exhibit significantly impaired reconstitution, with near complete failure to repopulate irradiated-recipients by the tertiary transplant. Mechanistic studies incorporating CUT&RUN, ATAC-Seq and Hi-C identify ETV6 binding at inflammatory gene loci, including those within the TNF pathway in Etv6+/+ HSPCs, the mouse BM-progenitor derived HPC5 cell line, and G-CSF-mobilized human CD34+ cells. Further, single-cell RNA sequencing of mouse LSK cells isolated six-weeks post-competitive transplantation reveals upregulation of inflammatory gene pathways. Corroborating these findings, we observe significantly increased production of TNF by Etv6R355X/+ versus Etv6+/+ HSPCs post-transplantation. From these studies, we conclude that ETV6 represses inflammatory response genes within HSPCs under conditions of hematopoietic stress, and that this mechanism may be critical to sustain HSPC function.