Project description:Interleukin (IL)-13 is a signature cytokine of type 2 inflammation important for the pathogenesis of various diseases, including allergic diseases. Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 6 is a critical transcriptional factor for the IL-13 signals; however, it remains unknown how expression of the IL-13-induced genes is differentiated by the transcriptional machineries. In this study, we identified IL-13-induced transcriptional factors in lung fibroblasts using DNA microarrays in which SOX11 was included. Knockdown of SOX11 down-regulated expression of periostin and CCL26, both of which are known to be downstream molecules of IL-13, whereas enforced expression of SOX11 together with IL-13 stimulation enhanced expression of periostin. Moreover, we found that in DNA microarrays combining IL-13 induction and SOX11 knockdown there exist both SOX11-dependent and -independent molecules in IL-13-inducible molecules. In the former, many inflammation-related and fibrosis-related molecules, including periostin and CCL26, are involved. These results suggest that SOX11 acts as a trans-acting transcriptional factor downstream of STAT6 and that in lung fibroblasts the IL-13 signals are hierarchically controlled by STAT6 and SOX11.
Project description:To identify candidates for trans-acting factors for IL-13–induced genes in lung fibroblasts, we searched transcriptional factors among IL-13–inducible molecules in lung fibroblasts
Project description:Allergic asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease driven by the cytokine interleukin-13 (IL-13). Although IL-13 signals through the canonical JAK1/TYK2/STAT6 pathway, our understanding of the totality of IL-13-induced signaling intermediates is incomplete. To address this, we performed an unbiased phospho-proteomic analysis of IL-13-stimulated A549 human airway epithelial cells. IL-13 stimulation led to differential phosphorylation at 145 unique serine/threonine residues across 97 proteins involved in diverse cellular processes. These processes included RNA splicing, cytoskeletal remodeling, GTPase activity, and focal adhesion complex formation. Network analysis identified SRC, a non-receptor tyrosine kinase, as a potential upstream regulator of IL-13-induced changes in phosphorylation. Kinetic molecular approaches confirmed that SRC is rapidly activated following IL-13 stimulation, prior to activation of the canonical IL-13 signaling intermediate STAT6 in both human and mouse lung fibroblasts. Pharmacological inhibition of SRC reduced IL-13–induced STAT6 phosphorylation and downstream gene expression in vitro. In vivo, SRC antagonism attenuated IL-13–induced airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) without significantly affecting inflammatory cell infiltration or gene expression in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. These findings identify SRC as a novel and selective mediator of IL-13–driven airway responses and suggest that targeting SRC may offer therapeutic benefit in allergic asthma.
Project description:IL-4/STAT6-regulated transcriptome and proteome were compared in primary B cells isolated from wild-type and STAT6-deficient mice. B cells were purified from the spleen and stimulated in vitro with anti-CD40 and LPS or anti-IgM-F(ab)2 in the presence or absence of IL-4. Transcriptome analysis was performed with oligonucleotide microarrays. Global relative quantification of proteins was achieved by gel-enhanced label-free liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis revealed that IL-4-induced changes of the transcriptome were almost completely dependent on STAT6. In contrast, the quantitative proteome analysis revealed that the expression of many IL-4-regulated proteins changes even in the absence of STAT6. The top 75 proteins with changes in abundance levels induced by IL-4 in a STAT6-dependent manner were also found to be regulated at the transcriptional level. Most of these proteins were not previously known to be regulated by STAT6 in B cells. We confirmed the MS-based quantitative proteome data by flow cytometric and Western blot analysis of selected proteins. This study provides a framework for further functional characterization of STAT6-regulated proteins in B cells that might be involved in germinal center formation and class switch recombination.
Project description:SOX11 pioneer transcription factor is aberrantly expressed, it has an oncogenic role and its overexpression associates with worse prognosis in patients with mantle cell lymphomas (MCL). Using a proximity labeling (BioID2)/Mass Spectrometry-based proteomic strategyies, we identified SMARCA4, the central catalytic subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex, as one of the most significant SOX11-specific interacting proteins. SMARCA4 expression is directly regulated by SOX11, and its upregulation is associated with worse overall survival in patients with MCL, independently of other high-risk factors. Integration of global DNA-binding and transcriptomic profiles revealed that SOX11 and SMARCA4 share 60% specific peaks, predominantly in promoter regions. Disruption of SOX11:SMARCA4 interaction via SOX11 knockout or SMARCA4 PROTAC-degradation significantly reduced co-occupancy and co-targeted gene expression, including key BCR signaling pathway components. Our results suggest that SOX11:SMARCA4 complex binds to common regulatory sequences enabling the accession to chromatin and transcriptomic regulation of key oncogenic pathways for the development of MCL pathogenesis.
Project description:The neural transcription factor SOX11 is overexpressed in aggressive lymphoid neoplasms mainly in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). We have recently demonstrated SOX11 tumorigenic potential in vivo by showing a significant reduction on tumor growth of SOX11-knockdown MCL cells in xenograft experiments, confirming the clinical observations that SOX11 may play an important role in the aggressive behavior of MCL (Vegliante et al., 2013). However, the specific mechanisms regulated by SOX11 that promote the oncogenic and rapid tumor growth of aggressive MCL still remain to be elucidated. To further characterize the potential oncogenic mechanisms regulated by SOX11 in MCL, we have analyzed the GEP derived from the xenograft SOX11-positive and knockdown xenograft derived tumors. Differential gene expression between SOX11-positive Z138 and SOX11-negative Z138 MCL cell lines xenotransplanted in SCID mices derived tumors.