scholarly journals RNA interactions with CTCF are essential for its proper function

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Saldaña-Meyer ◽  
Javier Rodriguez-Hernaez ◽  
Mayilaadumveettil Nishana ◽  
Karina Jácome-López ◽  
Elphege P. Nora ◽  
...  

SummaryThe function of the CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) in the organization of the genome has become an important area of investigation, but the mechanisms of how CTCF dynamically contributes to genome organization is not clear. We previously discovered that CTCF binds to large numbers of endogenous RNAs; promoting its oligomerization. Here we found that inhibition of transcription or interfering with CTCF ability to bind RNA through mutations of two of its 11 zinc fingers that are not involved with CTCF binding to its cognate site in vitro, zinc finger-1 (ZF1) or −10 (ZF10), disrupt CTCF association to chromatin. These mutations alter gene expression profiles as CTCF mutants lose their ability to promote local insulation. Our results highlight the importance of RNA as a structural component of the genome, in part by affecting the association of CTCF with chromatin and likely its interaction with other factors.Transcriptional inhibition disrupts CTCF binding to chromatinRNA-binding regions (RBR) in CTCF are found within ZF1 and ZF10Local insulation is markedly decreased in ZF1∆ and ZF10∆ mutant rescuesGene expression and chromatin organization are disrupted by RBR mutants

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Risa Okada ◽  
Shin-ichiro Fujita ◽  
Riku Suzuki ◽  
Takuto Hayashi ◽  
Hirona Tsubouchi ◽  
...  

AbstractSpaceflight causes a decrease in skeletal muscle mass and strength. We set two murine experimental groups in orbit for 35 days aboard the International Space Station, under artificial earth-gravity (artificial 1 g; AG) and microgravity (μg; MG), to investigate whether artificial 1 g exposure prevents muscle atrophy at the molecular level. Our main findings indicated that AG onboard environment prevented changes under microgravity in soleus muscle not only in muscle mass and fiber type composition but also in the alteration of gene expression profiles. In particular, transcriptome analysis suggested that AG condition could prevent the alterations of some atrophy-related genes. We further screened novel candidate genes to reveal the muscle atrophy mechanism from these gene expression profiles. We suggest the potential role of Cacng1 in the atrophy of myotubes using in vitro and in vivo gene transductions. This critical project may accelerate the elucidation of muscle atrophy mechanisms.


2005 ◽  
Vol 288 (6) ◽  
pp. C1211-C1221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven J. Pardo ◽  
Mamta J. Patel ◽  
Michelle C. Sykes ◽  
Manu O. Platt ◽  
Nolan L. Boyd ◽  
...  

Exposure to microgravity causes bone loss in humans, and the underlying mechanism is thought to be at least partially due to a decrease in bone formation by osteoblasts. In the present study, we examined the hypothesis that microgravity changes osteoblast gene expression profiles, resulting in bone loss. For this study, we developed an in vitro system that simulates microgravity using the Random Positioning Machine (RPM) to study the effects of microgravity on 2T3 preosteoblast cells grown in gas-permeable culture disks. Exposure of 2T3 cells to simulated microgravity using the RPM for up to 9 days significantly inhibited alkaline phosphatase activity, recapitulating a bone loss response that occurs in real microgravity conditions without altering cell proliferation and shape. Next, we performed DNA microarray analysis to determine the gene expression profile of 2T3 cells exposed to 3 days of simulated microgravity. Among 10,000 genes examined using the microarray, 88 were downregulated and 52 were upregulated significantly more than twofold using simulated microgravity compared with the static 1-g condition. We then verified the microarray data for some of the genes relevant in bone biology using real-time PCR assays and immunoblotting. We confirmed that microgravity downregulated levels of alkaline phosphatase, runt-related transcription factor 2, osteomodulin, and parathyroid hormone receptor 1 mRNA; upregulated cathepsin K mRNA; and did not significantly affect bone morphogenic protein 4 and cystatin C protein levels. The identification of gravisensitive genes provides useful insight that may lead to further hypotheses regarding their roles in not only microgravity-induced bone loss but also the general patient population with similar pathological conditions, such as osteoporosis.


2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 165
Author(s):  
X. S. Cui ◽  
X. Y. Li ◽  
T. Kim ◽  
N.-H. Kim

Trichostatin A (TSA) is an inhibitor of histone deacetylase and is able to alter gene expression patterns by interfering with the removal of acetyl groups from histones. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of TSA treatment on the development and gene expression patterns of mouse zygotes developing in vitro. The addition of 100 nm TSA to the culture medium did not affect the cleavage of mouse embryos (TSA treatment, 148/150 (99%) v. control, 107/107 (100%)); however, embryos that were treated with TSA arrested at the 2-cell stage (145/148, 98%). We estimated the number of nuclei in control and TSA-treated embryos by propidium iodide staining, taking into account the presence of any cells with two or more nuclei. At 62–63 h post-hCG stimulation, control zygotes had developed to the 4-cell stage and exhibited one nucleus in each blastomere, indicative of normal development. In contrast, we observed tetraploid nuclei in at least one blastomere in 20.8% (11/53) of the embryos that had been treated with TSA. At 28–29 h post-hCG stimulation (metaphase of the 1-cell stage), there was no difference in the mitotic index (as determined by analyzing the microtubule configuration) in the TSA group compared to the control group. At the 2-cell stage, however, we did not observe mitotic spindles and metaphase chromatin in embryos in the TSA treatment group compared to the controls. Interestingly, when embryos were cultured in TSA-free medium from 35 h post-hCG stimulation (S- or early G2-phase of the 2-cell stage) onward, almost all of them (47/50) developed to the blastocyst stage. In contrast, when embryos were cultured in TSA-free medium from 42 h post-hCG stimulation (middle G2-phase of the 2-cell stage) onward, they did not develop to the 4-cell stage. We used Illumina microarray technology to analyze the gene expression profiles in control and TSA-treated late 2-cell-stage embryos. Applied Biosystems Expression System software was used to extract assay signals and assay signal-to-noise ratio values from the microarray images. Our data showed that 897 genes were significantly (P < 0.05; 2-sample t-test) up- or down-regulated by TSA treatment compared to controls. Analysis using the PANTHER classification system (https://panther.appliedbiosystems.com) revealed that the 575 genes that were differentially expressed in the TSA group compared to the control were classified as being associated with putative biological processes or molecular function. Overall, in terms of putative biological processes, more nucleoside, nucleotide, and nucleic acid metabolism, protein metabolism and modification, signal transduction, developmental process, and cell cycle genes were differentially expressed between the TSA and control groups. In terms of putative molecular function, more nucleic acid-binding transcription factor and transferase genes were differentially expressed between the groups. The results collectively suggest that inhibition of histone acetylation in mouse embryos affects gene expression profiles at the time of zygotic genome activation, and this subsequently affects further development.


2006 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 379-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gisela Werle-Schneider ◽  
Andreas Wölfelschneider ◽  
Marie Charlotte von Brevern ◽  
Julia Scheel ◽  
Thorsten Storck ◽  
...  

Transcription profiling is used as an in vivo method for predicting the mode-of-action class of nongenotoxic carcinogens. To set up a reliable in vitro short-term test system DNA microarray technology was combined with rat liver slices. Seven compounds known to act as tumor promoters were selected, which included the enzyme inducers phenobarbital, α-hexachlorocyclohexane, and cyproterone acetate; the peroxisome proliferators WY-14,643, dehydroepiandrosterone, and ciprofibrate; and the hormone 17 α-ethinylestradiol. Rat liver slices were exposed to various concentrations of the compounds for 24 h. Toxicology-focused TOXaminer™ DNA microarrays containing approximately 1500 genes were used for generating gene expression profiles for each of the test compound. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that (i) gene expression profiles generated in rat liver slices in vitro were specific allowing classification of compounds with similar mode of action and (ii) expression profiles of rat liver slices exposed in vitro correlate with those induced after in vivo treatment (reported previously). Enzyme inducers and peroxisome proliferators formed two separate clusters, confirming that they act through different mechanisms. Expression profiles of the hormone 17 α-ethinylestradiol were not similar to any of the other compounds. In conclusion, gene expression profiles induced by compounds that act via similar mechanisms showed common effects on transcription upon treatment in vivo and in rat liver slices in vitro.


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 3372-3372
Author(s):  
Ashish R. Kumar ◽  
Robert K. Slany ◽  
Jay L. Hess ◽  
John H. Kersey

Expression profiling has become an important tool for understanding gene deregulation in MLL-fusion leukemias. However, the results of gene profiling experiments are difficult to interpret when applied to leukemia cells because (i) leukemias arise in cells that differ greatly in their gene expression profiles, and (ii) leukemias most often require secondary genetic events in addition to the MLL fusion gene. Two principal model systems have been used to understand the direct effects of MLL-fusion genes. Knock-in models have the advantage of the fusion gene being under control of the physiologic promoter. On the other hand, conditional expression systems offer the ability to conduct short term experiments, permitting the analysis of direct effects on downstream genes. In the present combined-analysis, we used the Affymetrix U74Av2 oligonucleotide microarray to evaluate the effects of the MLL-fusion gene in vivo and in vitro respectively using two closely related MLL fusion genes - MLL-AF9 for knock-in and MLL-ENL for conditional expression. In the MLL-AF9 study, we compared gene expression profiles of bone marrow cells from MLL-AF9 knock-in mice (C57Bl/6, MLL-AF9+/−) to those of age-matched wild type mice (Kumar et. al. 2004, Blood). We used a t-test (p<0.05) to selected genes that showed significant changes in expression levels. In the MLL-ENL study, we transformed murine primary hematopoietic cells with a conditional MLL-ENL vector (MLL-ENL fused to the modified ligand-binding domain of the estrogen receptor) such that the fusion protein was active only in the presence of tamoxifen. We then studied the downstream effects of the fusion protein by comparing gene expression profiles of the cells in the presence and absence of tamoxifen. We used a pair-wise comparison analysis to select genes that showed a change in expression level of 1.5 fold or greater in at least two of three experiments (Zeisig et. al. 2004, Mol. Cell Biol.). Those genes that were up-regulated in both datasets were then compiled together. This list included Hoxa7, Hoxa9 and Meis1. The results for these 3 genes were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR in both the MLL-AF9-knock-in and the MLL-ENL-conditional-expression systems. The remaining candidate genes in the common up-regulated gene set (not yet tested by quantitative RT-PCR) include protein kinases (Bmx, Mapk3, Prkcabp, Acvrl1, Cask), RAS-associated proteins (Rab7, Rab3b), signal transduction proteins (Notch1, Eat2, Shd, Fpr1), cell membrane proteins (Igsf4), chaperones (Hsp70.2), transcription factors (Isgf3g), proteins with unknown functions (Olfm1, Flot1), and hypothetical proteins. The results of the combined analysis demonstrate that these over-expressions are (i) a direct and sustained effect of the MLL-fusion protein, (ii) are independent of secondary events that might be involved in leukemogensis, and (iii) are independent of the two partner genes that participate in these fusions. The over-expression of a few genes in both the -in vitro and in vivo experimental systems makes these molecules very interesting for further studies, to understand the biology of MLL-fusion leukemias and for development of new therapeutic strategies.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 3471-3471
Author(s):  
Brian Balgobind ◽  
C. Michel Zwaan ◽  
Susan T.C.J.M. Arentsen-Peters ◽  
Dirk Reinhardt ◽  
Ursula Creutzig ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 3471 Poster Board III-359 One important cytogenetic subgroup of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by translocations of chromosome 11q23, which accounts for 15 to 20% of all cases with an evaluable chromosome analysis. In most of these cases, the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene is involved. More than 50 fusion translocation partners of the MLL gene have been identified and outcome differs by translocation partner, suggesting differences in the biological background. So far these biological differences have not been unravelled. Therefore, we investigated the gene expression profiles of MLL-rearranged subgroups in pediatric AML in order to discover and identify the role of differentially expressed genes. Affymetrix Human Genome U133 plus 2.0 microarrays were used to generate gene expression profiles of 257 pediatric AML cases, which included 21 pediatric AML cases with t(9;11)(p22;q23) and 33 with other MLL-rearrangements. With these profiles, we were able to identify a specific gene expression signature for t(9;11)(p22;q23) using an empirical Bayes linear regression model (Bioconductor package: Limma). This signature was mainly determined by overexpression of the BRE (brain and reproductive organ-expressed) gene. The mean average VSN normalized expression for BRE in the t(9;11)(p22;q23) subgroup was 3.7-fold higher compared with that in other MLL-rearranged cases (p<0.001). Validation by RQ-PCR confirmed this higher expression in t(9;11)(p22;q23) cases (p<0.001). In addition, we confirmed that overexpression of BRE was predominantly found in t(9;11)(p22;q23) in an independent gene expression profile cohort (Ross et al, Blood 2002). Remarkably, MLL-rearranged cases with a BRE expression higher than the mean expression showed a significant better 3 year disease free survival than MLL-rearranged cases with a lower expression (80±13% vs. 30±10%, p=0.02). Previously, overexpression of BRE has been described in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) (Chang et al., Oncogene 2008) and an anti-apoptotic effect was described. We transfected BRE in the monomac-1 cell line, which harbors a t(9;11)(p22;q23). We did not find a proliferative advantage for BRE overexpression using a BrDU-assay nor changes in drug sensitivity, indicating that the anti-apoptotic effect as described for HCC in vivo could not be confirmed in vitro in AML. In conclusion, overexpression of the BRE gene is predominantly involved in pediatric MLL-rearranged AML with t(9;11)(p22;q23). Moreover, high expression of BRE showed a favorable prognosis. We did not find any influence of BRE expression on cell proliferation or apoptosis in vitro. This indicates that further studies involving the role of the MLL-fusion protein on BRE transcription are necessary to unravel the leukemogenic role in pediatric AML. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (5_suppl) ◽  
pp. 126-126
Author(s):  
James Lin Chen ◽  
Kristen Otto ◽  
Donald Vander Griend

126 Background: Identifying aberrant activity of developmental pathways in prostate cancer provides therapeutic opportunities. To this end, despite a shared embryonic origin and similarities to prostate cancer in histology and androgen dependence, seminal vesicle cancer is exceptionally rare. Genomic pathway analyses of their critical developmental differences may reveal uncharacterized oncogenic pathways. Previous attempts to do so have used whole tissue preparations. We hypothesized that careful gene profiling of pure primary epithelial cultures from normal prostate and seminal vesicles would reduce confounding noise during analysis and provide more robust pathway prioritization. Methods: Paired normal prostate and seminal vesicle epithelium cultures were created from three de-identified patients. Derived gene expression profiles were grouped into cancer biomodules using a protein-protein network algorithm to analyze their relationship to known oncogenes. Each resultant biomodule was assayed for its prognostic ability in independent Kaplan-Meier analyses of prostate cancer patients for time to recurrence and overall survival. Protein products from prioritized biomodule genes were then evaluated in vitro. Results: Gene expression profiling and protein network prioritization resulted in three cancer biomodules. Survival analysis revealed that the embryonic developmental biomodule centered on homeobox genes Meis1, Meis2 and Pbx1 to have clinical import. This homeobox biomodule detected a survival difference in a set of active surveillance patients (n=172, p=0.05) and identified men who were more likely to recur biochemically post-prostatectomy (n=78, p=0.02). We analyzed in vitro protein expression of Meis1, Meis2, Pbx1 and confirmed decreased gene expression in independent datasets of prostate cancer versus normal tissue. Conclusions: The Meis1/Meis2/Pbx1 biomodule may explain key differences in seminal vesicle and normal prostate epithelium development. In contrast to other cancers, Meis1, Meis2, and Pbx1 may play a tumor suppressor role in prostate cancer. Thus deregulation of this biomodule may be critical in prostate cancer oncogenesis.


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