1
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Kinkade JA, Seetharam AS, Sachdev S, Bivens NJ, Phinney BS, Grigorean G, Roberts RM, Tuteja G, Rosenfeld CS. Extracellular vesicles from mouse trophoblast cells: Effects on neural progenitor cells and potential participants in the placenta-brain axis†. Biol Reprod 2024; 110:310-328. [PMID: 37883444 PMCID: PMC10873279 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioad146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The fetal brain of the mouse is thought to be dependent upon the placenta as a source of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) and other factors. How factors reach the developing brain remains uncertain but are postulated here to be part of the cargo carried by placental extracellular vesicles (EV). We have analyzed the protein, catecholamine, and small RNA content of EV from mouse trophoblast stem cells (TSC) and TSC differentiated into parietal trophoblast giant cells (pTGC), potential primary purveyors of 5-HT. Current studies examined how exposure of mouse neural progenitor cells (NPC) to EV from either TSC or pTGC affect their transcriptome profiles. The EV from trophoblast cells contained relatively high amounts of 5-HT, as well as dopamine and norepinephrine, but there were no significant differences between EV derived from pTGC and from TSC. Content of miRNA and small nucleolar (sno)RNA, however, did differ according to EV source, and snoRNA were upregulated in EV from pTGC. The primary inferred targets of the microRNA (miRNA) from both pTGC and TSC were mRNA enriched in the fetal brain. NPC readily internalized EV, leading to changes in their transcriptome profiles. Transcripts regulated were mainly ones enriched in neural tissues. The transcripts in EV-treated NPC that demonstrated a likely complementarity with miRNA in EV were mainly up- rather than downregulated, with functions linked to neuronal processes. Our results are consistent with placenta-derived EV providing direct support for fetal brain development and being an integral part of the placenta-brain axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Kinkade
- Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Arun S Seetharam
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Shrikesh Sachdev
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Nathan J Bivens
- Genomics Technology Core Facility, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Brett S Phinney
- Proteomics Core UC Davis Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Gabriela Grigorean
- Proteomics Core UC Davis Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - R Michael Roberts
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Geetu Tuteja
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Cheryl S Rosenfeld
- Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- MU Institute of Data Science and Informatics, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- Genetics Area Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- Thompson Center for Autism and Neurobehavioral Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
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2
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Varberg KM, Dominguez EM, Koseva B, Varberg JM, McNally RP, Moreno-Irusta A, Wesley ER, Iqbal K, Cheung WA, Schwendinger-Schreck C, Smail C, Okae H, Arima T, Lydic M, Holoch K, Marsh C, Soares MJ, Grundberg E. Extravillous trophoblast cell lineage development is associated with active remodeling of the chromatin landscape. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4826. [PMID: 37563143 PMCID: PMC10415281 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40424-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The extravillous trophoblast cell lineage is a key feature of placentation and successful pregnancy. Knowledge of transcriptional regulation driving extravillous trophoblast cell development is limited. Here, we map the transcriptome and epigenome landscape as well as chromatin interactions of human trophoblast stem cells and their transition into extravillous trophoblast cells. We show that integrating chromatin accessibility, long-range chromatin interactions, transcriptomic, and transcription factor binding motif enrichment enables identification of transcription factors and regulatory mechanisms critical for extravillous trophoblast cell development. We elucidate functional roles for TFAP2C, SNAI1, and EPAS1 in the regulation of extravillous trophoblast cell development. EPAS1 is identified as an upstream regulator of key extravillous trophoblast cell transcription factors, including ASCL2 and SNAI1 and together with its target genes, is linked to pregnancy loss and birth weight. Collectively, we reveal activation of a dynamic regulatory network and provide a framework for understanding extravillous trophoblast cell specification in trophoblast cell lineage development and human placentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaela M Varberg
- Institute for Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, 66160, USA.
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA.
| | - Esteban M Dominguez
- Institute for Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, 66160, USA
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Boryana Koseva
- Genomic Medicine Center, Children's Mercy Research Institute, Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA
| | - Joseph M Varberg
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, 64110, USA
| | - Ross P McNally
- Institute for Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, 66160, USA
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Ayelen Moreno-Irusta
- Institute for Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, 66160, USA
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Emily R Wesley
- Genomic Medicine Center, Children's Mercy Research Institute, Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA
| | - Khursheed Iqbal
- Institute for Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, 66160, USA
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Warren A Cheung
- Genomic Medicine Center, Children's Mercy Research Institute, Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA
| | - Carl Schwendinger-Schreck
- Genomic Medicine Center, Children's Mercy Research Institute, Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA
| | - Craig Smail
- Genomic Medicine Center, Children's Mercy Research Institute, Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA
| | - Hiroaki Okae
- Department of Informative Genetics, Environment and Genome Research Center, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan
- Department of Trophoblast Research, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, 2-2-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Takahiro Arima
- Department of Informative Genetics, Environment and Genome Research Center, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Michael Lydic
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Kristin Holoch
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Courtney Marsh
- Institute for Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, 66160, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Michael J Soares
- Institute for Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, 66160, USA.
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA.
- Center for Perinatal Research, Children's Mercy Research Institute, Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA.
| | - Elin Grundberg
- Institute for Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, 66160, USA.
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA.
- Genomic Medicine Center, Children's Mercy Research Institute, Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA.
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3
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Vu HTH, Scott RL, Iqbal K, Soares MJ, Tuteja G. Core conserved transcriptional regulatory networks define the invasive trophoblast cell lineage. Development 2023; 150:dev201826. [PMID: 37417811 PMCID: PMC10445752 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
The invasive trophoblast cell lineages in rat and human share crucial responsibilities in establishing the uterine-placental interface of the hemochorial placenta. These observations have led to the rat becoming an especially useful animal model for studying hemochorial placentation. However, our understanding of similarities or differences between regulatory mechanisms governing rat and human invasive trophoblast cell populations is limited. In this study, we generated single-nucleus ATAC-seq data from gestation day 15.5 and 19.5 rat uterine-placental interface tissues, and integrated the data with single-cell RNA-seq data generated at the same stages. We determined the chromatin accessibility profiles of invasive trophoblast, natural killer, macrophage, endothelial and smooth muscle cells, and compared invasive trophoblast chromatin accessibility with extravillous trophoblast cell accessibility. In comparing chromatin accessibility profiles between species, we found similarities in patterns of gene regulation and groups of motifs enriched in accessible regions. Finally, we identified a conserved gene regulatory network in invasive trophoblast cells. Our data, findings and analysis will facilitate future studies investigating regulatory mechanisms essential for the invasive trophoblast cell lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ha T. H. Vu
- Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Interdepartmental Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Regan L. Scott
- Institute for Reproductive and Developmental Sciences and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Khursheed Iqbal
- Institute for Reproductive and Developmental Sciences and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Michael J. Soares
- Institute for Reproductive and Developmental Sciences and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
- Center for Perinatal Research, Children's Mercy Research Institute, Children's Mercy, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA
| | - Geetu Tuteja
- Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Interdepartmental Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
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4
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Vu HTH, Scott RL, Iqbal K, Soares MJ, Tuteja G. CORE CONSERVED TRANSCRIPTIONAL REGULATORY NETWORKS DEFINE THE INVASIVE TROPHOBLAST CELL LINEAGE. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.30.534962. [PMID: 37066272 PMCID: PMC10103937 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.30.534962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The invasive trophoblast cell lineage in rat and human share crucial responsibilities in establishing the uterine-placental interface of the hemochorial placenta. These observations have led to the rat becoming an especially useful animal model to study hemochorial placentation. However, our understanding of similarities or differences between regulatory mechanisms governing rat and human invasive trophoblast cell populations is limited. In this study, we generated single-nucleus (sn) ATAC-seq data from gestation day (gd) 15.5 and 19.5 rat uterine-placental interface tissues and integrated the data with single-cell RNA-seq data generated at the same stages. We determined the chromatin accessibility profiles of invasive trophoblast, natural killer, macrophage, endothelial, and smooth muscle cells, and compared invasive trophoblast chromatin accessibility to extravillous trophoblast (EVT) cell accessibility. In comparing chromatin accessibility profiles between species, we found similarities in patterns of gene regulation and groups of motifs enriched in accessible regions. Finally, we identified a conserved gene regulatory network in invasive trophoblast cells. Our data, findings and analysis will facilitate future studies investigating regulatory mechanisms essential for the invasive trophoblast cell lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ha T. H. Vu
- Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Interdepartmental Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
| | - Regan L. Scott
- Institute for Reproductive and Developmental Sciences and Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160
| | - Khursheed Iqbal
- Institute for Reproductive and Developmental Sciences and Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160
| | - Michael J. Soares
- Institute for Reproductive and Developmental Sciences and Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160
- Center for Perinatal Research, Children’s Mercy Research Institute, Children’s Mercy, Kansas City, MO, 64108
| | - Geetu Tuteja
- Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Interdepartmental Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
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5
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Vu HT, Kaur H, Kies KR, Starks RR, Tuteja G. Identifying novel regulators of placental development using time-series transcriptome data. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:6/2/e202201788. [PMID: 36622342 PMCID: PMC9748866 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The placenta serves as a connection between the mother and the fetus during pregnancy, providing the fetus with oxygen, nutrients, and growth hormones. However, the regulatory mechanisms and dynamic gene interaction networks underlying early placental development are understudied. Here, we generated RNA-sequencing data from mouse fetal placenta at embryonic days 7.5, 8.5, and 9.5 to identify genes with timepoint-specific expression, then inferred gene interaction networks to analyze highly connected network modules. We determined that timepoint-specific gene network modules were associated with distinct developmental processes, and with similar expression profiles to specific human placental cell populations. From each module, we identified hub genes and their direct neighboring genes, which were predicted to govern placental functions. We confirmed that four novel candidate regulators identified through our analyses regulate cell migration in the HTR-8/SVneo cell line. Overall, we predicted several novel regulators of placental development expressed in specific placental cell types using network analysis of bulk RNA-sequencing data. Our findings and analysis approaches will be valuable for future studies investigating the transcriptional landscape of early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ha Th Vu
- Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.,Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Haninder Kaur
- Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Kelby R Kies
- Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.,Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Rebekah R Starks
- Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.,Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Geetu Tuteja
- Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA .,Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
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6
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Yu W, Chakravarthi VP, Borosha S, Dilower I, Lee EB, Ratri A, Starks RR, Fields PE, Wolfe MW, Faruque MO, Tuteja G, Rumi MAK. Transcriptional regulation of Satb1 in mouse trophoblast stem cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:918235. [PMID: 36589740 PMCID: PMC9795202 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.918235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
SATB homeobox proteins are important regulators of developmental gene expression. Among the stem cell lineages that emerge during early embryonic development, trophoblast stem (TS) cells exhibit robust SATB expression. Both SATB1 and SATB2 act to maintain the trophoblast stem-state. However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate TS-specific Satb expression are not yet known. We identified Satb1 variant 2 as the predominant transcript in trophoblasts. Histone marks, and RNA polymerase II occupancy in TS cells indicated an active state of the promoter. A novel cis-regulatory region with active histone marks was identified ∼21 kbp upstream of the variant 2 promoter. CRISPR/Cas9 mediated disruption of this sequence decreased Satb1 expression in TS cells and chromosome conformation capture analysis confirmed looping of this distant regulatory region into the proximal promoter. Scanning position weight matrices across the enhancer predicted two ELF5 binding sites in close proximity to SATB1 sites, which were confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation. Knockdown of ELF5 downregulated Satb1 expression in TS cells and overexpression of ELF5 increased the enhancer-reporter activity. Interestingly, ELF5 interacts with SATB1 in TS cells, and the enhancer activity was upregulated following SATB overexpression. Our findings indicate that trophoblast-specific Satb1 expression is regulated by long-range chromatin looping of an enhancer that interacts with ELF5 and SATB proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - V. Praveen Chakravarthi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Shaon Borosha
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Iman Dilower
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Eun Bee Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Anamika Ratri
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Rebekah R. Starks
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Patrick E. Fields
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Michael W. Wolfe
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - M. Omar Faruque
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Geetu Tuteja
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - M. A. Karim Rumi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States,*Correspondence: M. A. Karim Rumi,
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7
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Starks RR, Kaur H, Tuteja G. Mapping cis-regulatory elements in the midgestation mouse placenta. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22331. [PMID: 34785717 PMCID: PMC8595355 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01664-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The placenta is a temporary organ that provides the developing fetus with nutrients, oxygen, and protection in utero. Defects in its development, which may be caused by misregulated gene expression, can lead to devastating outcomes for the mother and fetus. In mouse, placental defects during midgestation commonly lead to embryonic lethality. However, the regulatory mechanisms controlling expression of genes during this period have not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, we generated and analyzed ChIP-seq data for multiple histone modifications known to mark cis-regulatory regions. We annotated active and poised promoters and enhancers, as well as regions generally associated with repressed gene expression. We found that poised promoters were associated with neuronal development genes, while active promoters were largely associated with housekeeping genes. Active and poised enhancers were associated with placental development genes, though only active enhancers were associated with genes that have placenta-specific expression. Motif analysis within active enhancers identified a large network of transcription factors, including those that have not been previously studied in the placenta and are candidates for future studies. The data generated and genomic regions annotated provide researchers with a foundation for future studies, aimed at understanding how specific genes in the midgestation mouse placenta are regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah R Starks
- Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.,Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Haninder Kaur
- Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Geetu Tuteja
- Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA. .,Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.
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Mao J, Kinkade JA, Bivens NJ, Roberts RM, Rosenfeld CS. Placental Changes in the serotonin transporter (Slc6a4) knockout mouse suggest a role for serotonin in controlling nutrient acquisition. Placenta 2021; 115:158-168. [PMID: 34649169 PMCID: PMC8585720 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2021.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The mouse placenta accumulates and possibly produces serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) in parietal trophoblast giant cells (pTGC) located at the interface between the placenta and maternal deciduum. However, the roles of 5-HT in placental function are unclear. This lack of information is unfortunate, given that selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors are commonly used to combat depression in pregnant women. The high affinity 5-HT transporter SLC6A4 (also known as SERT) is the target of such drugs and likely controls much of 5-HT uptake into pTGC and other placental cells. We hypothesized that ablation of the Slc6a4 gene would result in morphological changes correlated with placental gene expression changes, especially for those involved in nutrient acquisition and metabolism, and thereby, provide insights into 5-HT placental function. METHODS Placentas were collected at embryonic age (E) 12.5 from Slc6a4 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) conceptuses. Histological analyses, RNAseq, qPCR, and integrative correlation analyses were performed. RESULTS Slc6a4 KO placentas had a considerable increased pTGC to spongiotrophoblast area ratio relative to WT placentas and significantly elevated expression of genes associated with intestinal functions, including nutrient sensing, uptake, and catabolism, and blood clotting. Integrative correlation analyses revealed upregulation of many of these genes was correlated with pTGC layer expansion. One other key gene was dopa decarboxylase (Ddc), which catalyzes conversion of L-5-hydroxytryptophan to 5-HT. DISCUSSION Our studies possibly suggest a new paradigm relating to how 5-HT operates in the placenta, namely as a factor regulating metabolic functions and blood coagulation. We further suggest that pTGC might be functional analogs of enterochromaffin 5-HT-positive cells of the intestinal mucosa, which regulate similar activities within the gut. Further work, including proteomics and metabolomic studies, are needed to buttress our hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiude Mao
- Christopher S Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA; Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA.
| | - Jessica A Kinkade
- Christopher S Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA; Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Nathan J Bivens
- Genomics Technology Core, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - R Michael Roberts
- Christopher S Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA; Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA; Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Cheryl S Rosenfeld
- Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA; MU Institute for Data Science and Informatics, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA; Thompson Center for Autism and Neurobehavioral Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA; Genetics Area Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA.
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9
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Rosenfeld CS. Placental serotonin signaling, pregnancy outcomes, and regulation of fetal brain development†. Biol Reprod 2021; 102:532-538. [PMID: 31711155 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioz204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The placenta is a transient organ but essential for the survival of all mammalian species by allowing for the exchanges of gasses, nutrients, and waste between maternal and fetal placenta. In rodents and humans with a hemochorial placenta, fetal placenta cells are susceptible to pharmaceutical agents and other compounds, as they are bathed directly in maternal blood. The placenta of mice and humans produce high concentrations of serotonin (5-HT) that can induce autocrine and paracrine effects within this organ. Placental 5-HT is the primary source of this neurotransmitter for fetal brain development. Increasing number of pregnant women at risk of depression are being treated with selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that bind to serotonin transporters (SERT), which prevents 5-HT binding and cellular internalization, allowing for accumulation of extracellular 5-HT available to bind to 5-HT(2A) receptor (5-HT(2A)R). In vitro and in vivo findings with SSRI or pharmacological blockage of the 5-HT(2A)R reveal disruptions of 5-HT signaling within the placenta can affect cell proliferation, division, and invasion. In SERT knockout mice, numerous apoptotic trophoblast cells are observed, as well as extensive pathological changes within the junctional zone. Collective data suggest a fine equilibrium in 5-HT signaling is essential for maintaining normal placental structure and function. Deficiencies in placental 5-HT may also result in neurobehavioral abnormalities. Evidence supporting 5-HT production and signaling within the placenta will be reviewed. We will consider whether placental hyposerotonemia or hyperserotonemia results in similar pathophysiological changes in the placenta and other organs. Lastly, open ended questions and future directions will be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl S Rosenfeld
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO USA.,Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO USA.,MU Informatics Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO USA.,Thompson Center for Autism and Neurobehavioral Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO USA.,Genetics Area Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO USA
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10
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ELF3 activated by a superenhancer and an autoregulatory feedback loop is required for high-level HLA-C expression on extravillous trophoblasts. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2025512118. [PMID: 33622787 PMCID: PMC7936349 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2025512118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
HLA-C arose during evolution of pregnancy in the great apes 10 to 15 million years ago. It has a dual function on placental extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) as it contributes to both tolerance and immunity at the maternal-fetal interface. The mode of its regulation is of considerable interest in connection with the biology of pregnancy and pregnancy abnormalities. First-trimester primary EVTs in which HLA-C is highly expressed, as well as JEG3, an EVT model cell line, were employed. Single-cell RNA-seq data and quantitative PCR identified high expression of the transcription factor ELF3 in those cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-PCR confirmed that both ELF3 and MED1 bound to the proximal HLA-C promoter region. However, binding of RFX5 to this region was absent or severely reduced, and the adjacent HLA-B locus remained closed. Expression of HLA-C was inhibited by ELF3 small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and by wrenchnolol treatment. Wrenchnolol is a cell-permeable synthetic organic molecule that mimics ELF3 and is relatively specific for binding to ELF3's coactivator, MED23, as our data also showed in JEG3. Moreover, the ELF3 gene is regulated by a superenhancer that spans more than 5 Mb, identified by assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq), as well as by its sensitivity to (+)-JQ1 (inhibitor of BRD4). ELF3 bound to its own promoter, thus creating an autoregulatory feedback loop that establishes expression of ELF3 and HLA-C in trophoblasts. Wrenchnolol blocked binding of MED23 to ELF3, thus disrupting the positive-feedback loop that drives ELF3 expression, with down-regulation of HLA-C expression as a consequence.
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11
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Yiu JHC, Cheung SWM, Cai J, Chan KS, Chen J, Cheong LY, Chau HT, Xu A, Li RHW, Woo CW. TLR5 Supports Development of Placental Labyrinthine Zone in Mice. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:711253. [PMID: 34395439 PMCID: PMC8356041 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.711253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Toll plays an important role in innate immunity and embryonic development in lower-ranked animals, but in mammals, the homolog toll-like receptors (TLR) are reported to facilitate postnatal development of immunity only. Here, we discovered a role of TLR5 in placental development. Tlr5 was highly transcribed during the placenta-forming and functional phases. TLR5 deletion led to a smaller placental labyrinthine zone and lower embryo weight, and the smaller size of embryo was overcorrected, resulting in a higher postnatal body weight. Examination of TLR5-deficient conceptus revealed a decrease in nuclear cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB), mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and insulin growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1R) abundances in the placenta-forming phase. Non-flagellin-based TLR5 ligands were detected in serum of female mice and the overexpression of TLR5 alone was sufficient to induce CREB nuclear translocation and mTOR transcriptional activation in trophoblasts. Taken together, we uncovered the participation of TLR5 in the early placental formation in mice, unveiling a role of TLR in embryonic development in higher-ranked animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jensen H C Yiu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Samson W M Cheung
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jieling Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kam-Suen Chan
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lai Yee Cheong
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hau-Tak Chau
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Aimin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Raymond H W Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Connie W Woo
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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12
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Lee BK, Kim J. Integrating High-Throughput Approaches and in vitro Human Trophoblast Models to Decipher Mechanisms Underlying Early Human Placenta Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:673065. [PMID: 34150768 PMCID: PMC8206641 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.673065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The placenta is a temporary but pivotal organ for human pregnancy. It consists of multiple specialized trophoblast cell types originating from the trophectoderm of the blastocyst stage of the embryo. While impaired trophoblast differentiation results in pregnancy disorders affecting both mother and fetus, the molecular mechanisms underlying early human placenta development have been poorly understood, partially due to the limited access to developing human placentas and the lack of suitable human in vitro trophoblast models. Recent success in establishing human trophoblast stem cells and other human in vitro trophoblast models with their differentiation protocols into more specialized cell types, such as syncytiotrophoblast and extravillous trophoblast, has provided a tremendous opportunity to understand early human placenta development. Unfortunately, while high-throughput research methods and omics tools have addressed numerous molecular-level questions in various research fields, these tools have not been widely applied to the above-mentioned human trophoblast models. This review aims to provide an overview of various omics approaches that can be utilized in the study of human in vitro placenta models by exemplifying some important lessons obtained from omics studies of mouse model systems and introducing recently available human in vitro trophoblast model systems. We also highlight some key unknown questions that might be addressed by such techniques. Integrating high-throughput omics approaches and human in vitro model systems will facilitate our understanding of molecular-level regulatory mechanisms underlying early human placenta development as well as placenta-associated complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bum-Kyu Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cancer Research Center, University at Albany-State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, United States
| | - Jonghwan Kim
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
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13
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Starks RR, Abu Alhasan R, Kaur H, Pennington KA, Schulz LC, Tuteja G. Transcription Factor PLAGL1 Is Associated with Angiogenic Gene Expression in the Placenta. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21218317. [PMID: 33171905 PMCID: PMC7664191 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
During pregnancy, the placenta is important for transporting nutrients and waste between the maternal and fetal blood supply, secreting hormones, and serving as a protective barrier. To better understand placental development, we must understand how placental gene expression is regulated. We used RNA-seq data and ChIP-seq data for the enhancer associated mark, H3k27ac, to study gene regulation in the mouse placenta at embryonic day (e) 9.5, when the placenta is developing a complex network of blood vessels. We identified several upregulated transcription factors with enriched binding sites in e9.5-specific enhancers. The most enriched transcription factor, PLAGL1 had a predicted motif in 233 regions that were significantly associated with vasculature development and response to insulin stimulus genes. We then performed several experiments using mouse placenta and a human trophoblast cell line to understand the role of PLAGL1 in placental development. In the mouse placenta, Plagl1 is expressed in endothelial cells of the labyrinth layer and is differentially expressed in placentas from mice with gestational diabetes compared to placentas from control mice in a sex-specific manner. In human trophoblast cells, siRNA knockdown significantly decreased expression of genes associated with placental vasculature development terms. In a tube assay, decreased PLAGL1 expression led to reduced cord formation. These results suggest that Plagl1 regulates overlapping gene networks in placental trophoblast and endothelial cells, and may play a critical role in placental development in normal and complicated pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah R. Starks
- Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; (R.R.S.); (R.A.A.); (H.K.)
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Rabab Abu Alhasan
- Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; (R.R.S.); (R.A.A.); (H.K.)
| | - Haninder Kaur
- Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; (R.R.S.); (R.A.A.); (H.K.)
| | | | - Laura C. Schulz
- Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health, University of Missouri, Columba, MO 65212, USA;
| | - Geetu Tuteja
- Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; (R.R.S.); (R.A.A.); (H.K.)
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Correspondence:
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14
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PlacentaCellEnrich: A tool to characterize gene sets using placenta cell-specific gene enrichment analysis. Placenta 2020; 103:164-171. [PMID: 33137644 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2020.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell RNA-Sequencing (scRNA-Seq) has improved our understanding of individual cell types in the human placenta. However, placental scRNA-Seq data is not readily accessible when trying to understand how expression patterns in model systems correspond to those from first trimester human placenta. Therefore, we developed PlacentaCellEnrich, a tool that takes a gene set as input, and then reports if the input set is enriched for genes with placenta cell-specific expression patterns, based on human placenta scRNA-Seq data. The PlacentaCellEnrich tool is freely available at https://placentacellenrich.gdcb.iastate.edu/ for non-profit academic use under the MIT license.
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15
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Mao J, Jain A, Denslow ND, Nouri MZ, Chen S, Wang T, Zhu N, Koh J, Sarma SJ, Sumner BW, Lei Z, Sumner LW, Bivens NJ, Roberts RM, Tuteja G, Rosenfeld CS. Bisphenol A and bisphenol S disruptions of the mouse placenta and potential effects on the placenta-brain axis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:4642-4652. [PMID: 32071231 PMCID: PMC7060676 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1919563117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Placental trophoblast cells are potentially at risk from circulating endocrine-disrupting chemicals, such as bisphenol A (BPA). To understand how BPA and the reputedly more inert bisphenol S (BPS) affect the placenta, C57BL6J mouse dams were fed 200 μg/kg body weight BPA or BPS daily for 2 wk and then bred. They continued to receive these chemicals until embryonic day 12.5, whereupon placental samples were collected and compared with unexposed controls. BPA and BPS altered the expression of an identical set of 13 genes. Both exposures led to a decrease in the area occupied by spongiotrophoblast relative to trophoblast giant cells (GCs) within the junctional zone, markedly reduced placental serotonin (5-HT) concentrations, and lowered 5-HT GC immunoreactivity. Concentrations of dopamine and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, the main metabolite of serotonin, were increased. GC dopamine immunoreactivity was increased in BPA- and BPS-exposed placentas. A strong positive correlation between 5-HT+ GCs and reductions in spongiotrophoblast to GC area suggests that this neurotransmitter is essential for maintaining cells within the junctional zone. In contrast, a negative correlation existed between dopamine+ GCs and reductions in spongiotrophoblast to GC area ratio. These outcomes lead to the following conclusions. First, BPS exposure causes almost identical placental effects as BPA. Second, a major target of BPA/BPS is either spongiotrophoblast or GCs within the junctional zone. Third, imbalances in neurotransmitter-positive GCs and an observed decrease in docosahexaenoic acid and estradiol, also occurring in response to BPA/BPS exposure, likely affect the placental-brain axis of the developing mouse fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiude Mao
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
- Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
| | - Ashish Jain
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
- Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
| | - Nancy D Denslow
- Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
- Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Mohammad-Zaman Nouri
- Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
- Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Sixue Chen
- Department of Biology, Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610
- Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Facility, Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610
| | - Tingting Wang
- Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Facility, Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610
| | - Ning Zhu
- Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Facility, Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610
| | - Jin Koh
- Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Facility, Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610
| | - Saurav J Sarma
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
- University of Missouri Metabolomics Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
| | - Barbara W Sumner
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
- University of Missouri Metabolomics Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
| | - Zhentian Lei
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
- University of Missouri Metabolomics Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
- Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
| | - Lloyd W Sumner
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
- University of Missouri Metabolomics Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
- Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
| | - Nathan J Bivens
- DNA Core Facility, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
| | - R Michael Roberts
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211;
- Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
- Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
| | - Geetu Tuteja
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011;
- Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
| | - Cheryl S Rosenfeld
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211;
- Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
- Thompson Center for Autism and Neurobehavioral Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
- University of Missouri Informatics Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
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16
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Rosenfeld CS. The placenta-brain-axis. J Neurosci Res 2020; 99:271-283. [PMID: 32108381 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 01/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
All mammalian species depend on the placenta, a transient organ, for exchange of gases, nutrients, and waste between the mother and conceptus. Besides serving as a conduit for such exchanges, the placenta produces hormones and other factors that influence maternal physiology and fetal development. To meet all of these adaptations, the placenta has evolved to become the most structurally diverse organ within all mammalian taxa. However, commonalities exist as to how placental responses promote survival against in utero threats and can alter the trajectory of fetal development, in particular the brain. Increasing evidence suggests that reactions of the placenta to various in utero stressors may lead to long-standing health outcomes, otherwise considered developmental origin of health and disease effects. Besides transferring nutrients and gases, the placenta produces neurotransmitters, including serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine/epinephrine, that may circulate and influence brain development. Neurobehavioral disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders, likely trace their origins back to placental disturbances. This intimate relationship between the placenta and brain has led to coinage of the term, the placenta-brain-axis. This axis will be the focus herein, including how conceptus sex might influence it, and technologies employed to parse out the effects of placental-specific transcript expression changes on later neurobehavioral disorders. Ultimately, the placenta might provide a historical record of in utero threats the fetus confronted and a roadmap to understand how placenta responses to such encounters impacts the placental-brain-axis. Improved early diagnostic and preventative approaches may thereby be designed to mitigate such placental disruptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl S Rosenfeld
- Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,MU Informatics Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Thompson Center for Autism and Neurobehavioral Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Genetics Area Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
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17
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Super-enhancer-guided mapping of regulatory networks controlling mouse trophoblast stem cells. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4749. [PMID: 31628347 PMCID: PMC6802173 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12720-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Trophectoderm (TE) lineage development is pivotal for proper implantation, placentation, and healthy pregnancy. However, only a few TE-specific transcription factors (TFs) have been systematically characterized, hindering our understanding of the process. To elucidate regulatory mechanisms underlying TE development, here we map super-enhancers (SEs) in trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) as a model. We find both prominent TE-specific master TFs (Cdx2, Gata3, and Tead4), and >150 TFs that had not been previously implicated in TE lineage, that are SE-associated. Mapping targets of 27 SE-predicted TFs reveals a highly intertwined transcriptional regulatory circuitry. Intriguingly, SE-predicted TFs show 4 distinct expression patterns with dynamic alterations of their targets during TSC differentiation. Furthermore, depletion of a subset of TFs results in dysregulation of the markers for specialized cell types in placenta, suggesting a role during TE differentiation. Collectively, we characterize an expanded TE-specific regulatory network, providing a framework for understanding TE lineage development and placentation. Trophectoderm lineage development is essential for implantation, placentation, and healthy pregnancy. Here the authors map super-enhancers (SEs) in trophoblast stem cells and find both TE-specific master regulators and 150 previous uncharacterised transcription factors that are SE-associated, providing insight into trophectoderm-specific regulatory networks.
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18
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Transcription Factors That Govern Development and Disease: An Achilles Heel in Cancer. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10100794. [PMID: 31614829 PMCID: PMC6826716 DOI: 10.3390/genes10100794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2019] [Revised: 10/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Development requires the careful orchestration of several biological events in order to create any structure and, eventually, to build an entire organism. On the other hand, the fate transformation of terminally differentiated cells is a consequence of erroneous development, and ultimately leads to cancer. In this review, we elaborate how development and cancer share several biological processes, including molecular controls. Transcription factors (TF) are at the helm of both these processes, among many others, and are evolutionarily conserved, ranging from yeast to humans. Here, we discuss four families of TFs that play a pivotal role and have been studied extensively in both embryonic development and cancer—high mobility group box (HMG), GATA, paired box (PAX) and basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) in the context of their role in development, cancer, and their conservation across several species. Finally, we review TFs as possible therapeutic targets for cancer and reflect on the importance of natural resistance against cancer in certain organisms, yielding knowledge regarding TF function and cancer biology.
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19
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Anderson SK. Molecular evolution of elements controlling HLA-C expression: Adaptation to a role as a killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor ligand regulating natural killer cell function. HLA 2019; 92:271-278. [PMID: 30232844 DOI: 10.1111/tan.13396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The regulatory elements controlling the transcription of the HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-C genes have been extensively studied and compared. However, few studies have considered regulatory differences in the HLA genes from the perspective of their role as ligands for the killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) family of HLA receptors expressed by natural killer (NK) cells. HLA-C is the most recently evolved gene, and there is considerable evidence pointing to its emergence as a specialized KIR ligand playing a major role in the missing-self recognition system of NK cells. Here I evaluate gene-specific differences in regulatory elements of the HLA genes, showing alterations that are consistent with the adaptation of HLA-C to a role in NK cell regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen K Anderson
- Basic Science Program, Cancer and Inflammation Program, Frederick National Laboratory sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland
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20
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Abdulghani M, Song G, Kaur H, Walley JW, Tuteja G. Comparative Analysis of the Transcriptome and Proteome during Mouse Placental Development. J Proteome Res 2019; 18:2088-2099. [PMID: 30986076 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.8b00970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The condition of the placenta is a determinant of the short- and long-term health of the mother and the fetus. However, critical processes occurring in early placental development, such as trophoblast invasion and establishment of placental metabolism, remain poorly understood. To gain a better understanding of the genes involved in regulating these processes, we utilized a multiomics approach, incorporating transcriptome, proteome, and phosphoproteome data generated from mouse placental tissue collected at two critical developmental time points. We found that incorporating information from both the transcriptome and proteome identifies genes associated with time point-specific biological processes, unlike using the proteome alone. We further inferred genes upregulated on the basis of the proteome data but not the transcriptome data at each time point, leading us to identify 27 genes that we predict to have a role in trophoblast migration or placental metabolism. Finally, using the phosphoproteome data set, we discovered novel phosphosites that may play crucial roles in the regulation of placental transcription factors. By generating the largest proteome and phosphoproteome data sets in the developing placenta, and integrating transcriptome analysis, we uncovered novel aspects of placental gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majd Abdulghani
- Interdepartmental Genetics and Genomics , Iowa State University , Ames , Iowa 50011-1079 , United States.,Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology , Iowa State University , Ames , Iowa 50011-1079 , United States
| | - Gaoyuan Song
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology , Iowa State University , Ames , Iowa 50011-1079 , United States
| | - Haninder Kaur
- Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology , Iowa State University , Ames , Iowa 50011-1079 , United States
| | - Justin W Walley
- Interdepartmental Genetics and Genomics , Iowa State University , Ames , Iowa 50011-1079 , United States.,Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology , Iowa State University , Ames , Iowa 50011-1079 , United States
| | - Geetu Tuteja
- Interdepartmental Genetics and Genomics , Iowa State University , Ames , Iowa 50011-1079 , United States.,Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology , Iowa State University , Ames , Iowa 50011-1079 , United States
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21
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Han K, Ren R, Cao J, Zhao S, Yu M. Genome-Wide Identification of Histone Modifications Involved in Placental Development in Pigs. Front Genet 2019; 10:277. [PMID: 30984246 PMCID: PMC6449610 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of placental folds is a critical event affecting placental function in pigs because it can increase surface area for improvement in capillary density as gestation advances. However, the molecular mechanisms of the event are not well defined. Histone modifications have important roles in gene regulation. To investigate their effects on regulation of genes controlling porcine placental development, RNA-seq and ChIP-seq of porcine placental tissues from gestational days 50 (establishment stage of placental folds) and 95 (expanding stage of placental folds) were carried out in this study. The differentially expressed genes were identified and of which the down- and up-regulated genes are related to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and angiogenesis, respectively. In addition, we mapped the genome-wide profiles of histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) and histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac), which are associated with transcriptional activation. A number of differential modification regions between the 2 gestational stages were identified and majority of them are those with increased signals of H3K4me3 (14,576 out of 16,931). Furthermore, we observed that the increase of H3K4me3 is significantly correlated with the elevated expression levels of the neighboring genes, and notably, these genes were enriched in pathways related to blood vessel formation and microvascular permeability. Taken together, the findings suggest important roles of histone modifications on placental remolding in response to developmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Han
- Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ruimin Ren
- Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jianhua Cao
- Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuhong Zhao
- Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mei Yu
- Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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Starks RR, Biswas A, Jain A, Tuteja G. Combined analysis of dissimilar promoter accessibility and gene expression profiles identifies tissue-specific genes and actively repressed networks. Epigenetics Chromatin 2019; 12:16. [PMID: 30795793 PMCID: PMC6385419 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-019-0260-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The assay for transposase-accessible chromatin (ATAC-seq) is a powerful method to examine chromatin accessibility. While many studies have reported a positive correlation between gene expression and promoter accessibility, few have investigated the genes that deviate from this trend. In this study, we aimed to understand the relationship between gene expression and promoter accessibility in multiple cell types while also identifying gene regulatory networks in the placenta, an understudied organ that is critical for a successful pregnancy. RESULTS We started by assaying the open chromatin landscape in the mid-gestation placenta, when the fetal vasculature has started developing. After incorporating transcriptomic data generated in the placenta at the same time point, we grouped genes based on their expression levels and ATAC-seq promoter coverage. We found that the genes with the strongest correlation (high expression and high coverage) are likely involved in housekeeping functions, whereas tissue-specific genes were highly expressed and had only medium-low coverage. We also predicted that genes with medium-low expression and high promoter coverage were actively repressed. Within this group, we extracted a protein-protein interaction network enriched for neuronal functions, likely preventing the cells from adopting a neuronal fate. We further confirmed that a repressive histone mark is bound to the promoters of genes in this network. Finally, we ran our pipeline using ATAC-seq and RNA-seq data generated in ten additional cell types. We again found that genes with the strongest correlation are enriched for housekeeping functions and that genes with medium-low promoter coverage and high expression are more likely to be tissue-specific. These results demonstrate that only two data types, both of which require relatively low starting material to generate and are becoming more commonly available, can be integrated to understand multiple aspects of gene regulation. CONCLUSIONS Within the placenta, we identified an active placenta-specific gene network as well as a repressed neuronal network. Beyond the placenta, we demonstrate that ATAC-seq data and RNA-seq data can be integrated to identify tissue-specific genes and actively repressed gene networks in multiple cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah R Starks
- Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.,Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Anilisa Biswas
- Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.,Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Ashish Jain
- Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.,Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Geetu Tuteja
- Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA. .,Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA. .,Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.
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23
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Johnson JK, Wright PW, Li H, Anderson SK. Identification of trophoblast-specific elements in the HLA-C core promoter. HLA 2018; 92:288-297. [PMID: 30270560 DOI: 10.1111/tan.13404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
There are several aspects of HLA-C gene expression that distinguish it from the HLA-A and HLA-B genes. First, HLA-C is expressed by extravillous trophoblasts, whereas HLA-A and HLA-B are not. Second, its cell-surface expression is much lower, which has been linked to changes in transcription and efficiency of peptide loading and export. Third, HLA-C possesses a NK cell-specific promoter and a complex alternative splicing system that regulates expression during NK cell development. In this study, we investigate the contribution of the HLA-C core promoter to trophoblast-specific expression. Analysis of transcription start sites showed the presence of a trophoblast-associated start site and additional upstream TATA and CCAAT-box elements in the HLA-C promoter, suggesting the presence of an overlapping trophoblast-specific promoter. A comparison of in vitro promoter activity showed that the HLA-C promoter was more active in trophoblast cell lines than either the HLA-A or HLA-B promoters. Enhanced trophoblast activity was mapped to the central enhanceosome region of the promoter, and mutational analysis identified changes in the RFX-binding region that generated a trophoblast-specific enhancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna K Johnson
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland.,University of Minnesota Medical Scientist Training Program, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Paul W Wright
- Basic Science Program, Cancer and Inflammation Program, Frederick National Lab Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Hongchuan Li
- Basic Science Program, Cancer and Inflammation Program, Frederick National Lab Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Stephen K Anderson
- Basic Science Program, Cancer and Inflammation Program, Frederick National Lab Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland
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24
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Genome-wide identification of enhancer elements in the placenta. Placenta 2018; 79:72-77. [PMID: 30268337 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2018.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Normal placental development is essential for a healthy pregnancy, and is contingent upon tight spatiotemporal regulation of gene expression. One level of transcriptional control is via enhancer elements in the genome. Enhancers are distal cis-regulatory elements that can impact gene expression regardless of their position or orientation. The study of enhancers in the placenta is usually focused on one or two at a time, and the simultaneous identification of all enhancers has been limited. However, such a holistic approach is necessary if we are to gain a systems-level understanding of gene expression regulation in the placenta. Here, we review current methods for genome-scale enhancer identification, as well as studies that have applied those techniques in the placenta, with the aim of guiding future research.
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25
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Paauw ND, Lely AT, Joles JA, Franx A, Nikkels PG, Mokry M, van Rijn BB. H3K27 acetylation and gene expression analysis reveals differences in placental chromatin activity in fetal growth restriction. Clin Epigenetics 2018; 10:85. [PMID: 29983832 PMCID: PMC6020235 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-018-0508-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Posttranslational modification of histone tails such as histone 3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) is tightly coupled to epigenetic regulation of gene expression. To explore whether this is involved in placenta pathology, we probed genome-wide H3K27ac occupancy by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) in healthy placentas and placentas from pathological pregnancies with fetal growth restriction (FGR). Furthermore, we related specific acetylation profiles of FGR placentas to gene expression changes. Results Analysis of H3K27ac occupancy in FGR compared to healthy placentas showed 970 differentially acetylated regions distributed throughout the genome. Principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering revealed complete segregation of the FGR and control group. Next, we identified 569 upregulated genes and 521 downregulated genes in FGR placentas by RNA sequencing. Differential gene transcription largely corresponded to expected direction based on H3K27ac status. Pathway analysis on upregulated transcripts originating from hyperacetylated sites revealed genes related to the HIF-1-alpha transcription factor network and several other genes with known involvement in placental pathology (LEP, FLT1, HK2, ENG, FOS). Downregulated transcripts in the vicinity of hypoacetylated sites were related to the immune system and growth hormone receptor signaling. Additionally, we found enrichment of 141 transcription factor binding motifs within differentially acetylated regions. Of the corresponding transcription factors, four were upregulated, SP1, ARNT2, HEY2, and VDR, and two downregulated, FOSL and NR4A1. Conclusion We demonstrate a key role for genome-wide alterations in H3K27ac in FGR placentas corresponding with changes in transcription profiles of regions relevant to placental function. Future studies on the role of H3K27ac in FGR and placental-fetal development may help to identify novel targets for therapy of this currently incurable disease. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13148-018-0508-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- N D Paauw
- 1Department of Obstetrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital Birth Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.,6Division Woman and Baby, University Medical Center Utrecht, Postbus 85090, 3508 AB Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - A T Lely
- 1Department of Obstetrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital Birth Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - J A Joles
- 2Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - A Franx
- 1Department of Obstetrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital Birth Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - P G Nikkels
- 3Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - M Mokry
- 4Division of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - B B van Rijn
- 1Department of Obstetrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital Birth Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.,5Academic Unit of Human Development and Health, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.,6Division Woman and Baby, University Medical Center Utrecht, Postbus 85090, 3508 AB Utrecht, the Netherlands
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26
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Jain A, Ezashi T, Roberts RM, Tuteja G. Deciphering transcriptional regulation in human embryonic stem cells specified towards a trophoblast fate. Sci Rep 2017; 7:17257. [PMID: 29222466 PMCID: PMC5722916 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17614-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Differentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESC) continue to provide a model for studying early trophoblast cells (TB), but many questions have been raised regarding their true identity. Therefore, we carried out a global and unbiased analysis on previously published transcriptomic profiles for hESC differentiated to TB by means of bone morphogenetic protein-4 and inhibitors of activin A and fibroblast growth factor-2 signaling (BAP treatment). Our results confirm that BAP treated hESC (ESCd) lack a mesoderm signature and are a subtype of placental cells unlike those present at term. ESCd display a high level of expression of genes implicated in migration and invasion compared to commonly used, immortalized TB cell lines and primary cells from term placenta. Co-expression network analysis also identified gene modules involved in cell migration and adhesion, processes that are likely critical during the beginning stages of placentation. Finally, protein-protein interaction analysis predicted several additional genes that may play important roles in early stages of placental development. Together, our analyses provide novel insights into the transcriptional programs that are active in ESCd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Jain
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.,Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Toshihiko Ezashi
- Division of Animal Sciences, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - R Michael Roberts
- Division of Animal Sciences, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Geetu Tuteja
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA. .,Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
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