Project description:To further investigate the transcription cofactor of Smad3 that regulated the transcription of PRDM16, we conducted DNA pull-down assay. we treated HK-2 cells with TGF-β and extracted the nuclear proteins. And the nuclear proteins were incubated with streptavidin magnetic beads, and biotin-labeled DNA probes which bound to the promoter of PRDM16 specifically. After repeatedly washing, the pull-down proteins were analyzed by LC-MS/MS proteomics.
Project description:Endothelial to mesenchymal transition is a possible source of myofibroblasts, which play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of fibrosis. EndMT participate in tissue fibrotic processes in various organs. TGF-β family growth factors are involved in the initiation of EndMT. This process plays a crucial role n the pathogenesis of various fibrotic diseases.
Project description:Enhancers, through the combinatorial action of transcription factors (TFs), dictate both the spatial specificity and the levels of gene expression, and their aberrations can result in diseases. While HMX1 downstream enhancer is associated to ear malformations, the mechanisms underlying bilateral constricted ear (BCE) remain unclear. Here, we identify a copy number variation (CNV) containing three enhancers—collectively termed the positional identity hierarchical enhancer cluster (PI-HEC)—that drives BCE by coordinately regulating HMX1 expression. Each enhancer exhibits distinct activity-location-structure features, and the dominant enhancer with high mobility group (HMG)-box and homeodomain TF motifs modulating its activity and specificity, respectively. Mouse models demonstrate that neural crest-derived fibroblasts with aberrant Hmx1 expression in the basal pinna, along with ectopic distal pinna expression, disrupt outer ear development, affecting cartilage, muscle, and epidermis. Our findings elucidate mammalian ear morphogenesis and underscore the complexity of synergistic regulation among enhancers and between enhancers and transcription factors.
Project description:The human hepatic stellate cell line LX2 was treated with 8 Gy X-ray irradiation and/or 2ng/ml recombinant human TGF-β1. The iTRAQ-based high throughput quantitative proteomic approach was used to obtain a comprehensive view of the protein ensembles affected by irradiation and/or TGF-β1 treatment on LX2. This study provides clues for further investigation of the mechanisms behind radiation-induced liver fibrosis.
Project description:Through their functional diversification, CD4+ T cells play key roles in both driving and constraining immune-mediated pathology. Transcription factors are critical in the generation and maintenance of cellular diversity and negative regulators antagonistic to alternate fates often act in conjunction with positive regulators to stabilize lineage specification1. Polymorphisms within the locus encoding a transcription factor BACH2 are associated with diverse immune-mediated diseases including asthma2, multiple sclerosis3, Crohn¹s disease4-5, coeliac disease6, vitiligo7 and type 1 diabetes8. A role for Bach2 in maintaining immune homeostasis, however, has not been established. Here, we define Bach2 as a broad regulator of immune activation that stabilizes immunoregulatory capacity while repressing the differentiation programmes of multiple effector lineages in CD4+ T cells. Bach2 was required for efficient formation of regulatory (Treg) cells and consequently for suppression of lethal inflammation in a manner that was Treg cell dependent. Assessment of the genome-wide function of Bach2, however, revealed that it represses genes associated with effector cell differentiation. Consequently, its absence during Treg polarization resulted in inappropriate diversion to effector lineages. In addition, Bach2 constrained full effector differentiation within Th1, Th2 and Th17 cell lineages. These findings identify Bach2 as a key regulator of CD4+ T-cell differentiation that prevents inflammatory disease by controlling the balance between tolerance and immunity. The role of Bach2t to regulate immune homeostasis was investigated by mapping DNA binding profiles of Bach2 in iTreg condition. The function of Bach2 was also evaluated by comparing transcriptome in WT and Bach2-deficient iTreg cells and further comparison was done with transcriptome in naive, Th1, Th2, and Th17 conditions.
Project description:RORγt is a transcription factor required for T helper 17 (Th17) cell development. We identified three RORγt-specific inhibitors that suppress Th17 cell responses including Th17 cell-mediated autoimmune disease. We systemically characterized RORγt binding data in the presence and absence of drug with corresponding whole-transcriptome sequencing for wild-type and RORγt-deficient cells. RORγt is central in a densely interconnected regulatory network, acting both as a direct activator of genes important for Th17 cell differentiation and as a direct repressor of genes from other T-cell lineages. The three inhibitors identified here reversed both of these modes of action, but to varying extents and through distinct mechanisms. Whereas one inhibitor displaced RORγt from its target-loci, the two more potent inhibitors affected transcription predominantly without removing DNA-binding. Our work illustrates the power of a system-scale analysis of transcriptional regulation to characterize potential therapeutic compounds that inhibit pathogenic Th17 cells and suppress autoimmunity. DNA binding of RORγt in WT Th17 cells and under chemical perturbations of RORγt; Additional data is included for epitope-tagged exogenous RORγt in EL4 cells (a murine lymphoma cell line)
Project description:These data show that the genes that distinguish myofibroblasts from fibroblasts are myriad, and that some genes not traditionally associated with myofibroblast differentiation may serve as novel therapeutic targets for fibrosing disorders. Gene expression levels were assessed from total RNA on the Affymetrix U219 microarray. Here, we use transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), which has recently been shown to reverse myofibroblast differentiation, to investigate the transcriptomic changes that occur during TGF-β1-induced differentiation and PGE2-induced de-differentiation of myofibroblasts.
Project description:Accumulating evidence suggests that DEAD-box proteins are essential in RNA metabolism and play pivotal roles in cancer progression. However, the mechanisms underlying how DDX24 drives hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that DDX24 was an oncogene and identified DDX24 promoted HCC development via interacting with NCL.