1
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Shang Y, Wang N, Wang H, An C, Sun W. Modeling X chromosome inactivation using t5iLA naive human pluripotent stem cells. BMC Biol 2024; 22:210. [PMID: 39294757 PMCID: PMC11411763 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01994-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is a critical epigenetic event for dosage compensation of X-linked genes in female mammals, ensuring developmental stability. A robust in vitro model is required for mimicking XCI during the early stages of embryonic development. This methodology article introduces an advanced framework for the in-depth study of XCI using human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). By focusing on the transition between naive and primed pluripotent states, we highlight the role of long non-coding RNA X-inactive specific transcript (XIST) and epigenetic alterations in mediating XCI. RESULTS Our methodology enables the distinction between naive and primed hESCs based on XIST expression and the activity of X-linked reporters, facilitating the investigation of XCI initiation and maintenance. Through detailed experimental procedures, we demonstrate the utility of our hESC lines in modeling the process of human XCI, including the establishment of conditions for random XCI induction and the analysis of X chromosome reactivation. METHODS The study outlines a comprehensive approach for characterizing the X chromosome status in hPSCs, employing dual fluorescent reporter hESC lines. These reporter lines enable real-time tracking of XCI dynamics through differentiation processes. We detailed protocols for the induction of X chromosome reactivation and inactivation, as well as the X status characterization methods including cultivation of hESCs, flow cytometric analysis, RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and transcriptome sequencing, providing a step-by-step guide for researchers to investigate XCI mechanisms in vitro. CONCLUSIONS This article provides a detailed, reproducible methodology for studying XCI mechanisms in vitro, employing hPSCs as a model system. It presents a significant advance in our ability to investigate XCI, offering potential applications in developmental biology, disease modeling, and regenerative medicine. By facilitating the study of XCI dynamics, this methodological framework paves the way for deeper understanding and manipulation of this fundamental biological process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudan Shang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Higher Education Joint Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Nannan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haoyi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Chenrui An
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Higher Education Joint Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Wen Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China.
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2
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Moore T. X centromeric drive may explain the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome and other conditions: Genomic structure of the human X chromosome pericentromeric region is consistent with meiotic drive associated with PCOS and other conditions. Bioessays 2024; 46:e2400056. [PMID: 39072829 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202400056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
X chromosome centromeric drive may explain the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome and contribute to oocyte aneuploidy, menopause, and other conditions. The mammalian X chromosome may be vulnerable to meiotic drive because of X inactivation in the female germline. The human X pericentromeric region contains genes potentially involved in meiotic mechanisms, including multiple SPIN1 and ZXDC paralogs. This is consistent with a multigenic drive system comprising differential modification of the active and inactive X chromosome centromeres in female primordial germ cells and preferential segregation of the previously inactivated X chromosome centromere to the polar body at meiosis I. The drive mechanism may explain differences in X chromosome regulation in the female germlines of the human and mouse and, based on the functions encoded by the genes in the region, the transmission of X pericentromeric genetic or epigenetic variants to progeny could contribute to preeclampsia, autism, and differences in sexual differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Moore
- School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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3
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Pavlinek A, Adhya D, Tsompanidis A, Warrier V, Vernon AC, Lancaster M, Mill J, Srivastava DP, Baron-Cohen S. Using Organoids to Model Sex Differences in the Human Brain. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 4:100343. [PMID: 39092139 PMCID: PMC11292257 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2024.100343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex differences are widespread during neurodevelopment and play a role in neuropsychiatric conditions such as autism, which is more prevalent in males than females. In humans, males have been shown to have larger brain volumes than females with development of the hippocampus and amygdala showing prominent sex differences. Mechanistically, sex steroids and sex chromosomes drive these differences in brain development, which seem to peak during prenatal and pubertal stages. Animal models have played a crucial role in understanding sex differences, but the study of human sex differences requires an experimental model that can recapitulate complex genetic traits. To fill this gap, human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived brain organoids are now being used to study how complex genetic traits influence prenatal brain development. For example, brain organoids from individuals with autism and individuals with X chromosome-linked Rett syndrome and fragile X syndrome have revealed prenatal differences in cell proliferation, a measure of brain volume differences, and excitatory-inhibitory imbalances. Brain organoids have also revealed increased neurogenesis of excitatory neurons due to androgens. However, despite growing interest in using brain organoids, several key challenges remain that affect its validity as a model system. In this review, we discuss how sex steroids and the sex chromosomes each contribute to sex differences in brain development. Then, we examine the role of X chromosome inactivation as a factor that drives sex differences. Finally, we discuss the combined challenges of modeling X chromosome inactivation and limitations of brain organoids that need to be taken into consideration when studying sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Pavlinek
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dwaipayan Adhya
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Alex Tsompanidis
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Varun Warrier
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony C. Vernon
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jonathan Mill
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Deepak P. Srivastava
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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4
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Cecalev D, Viçoso B, Galupa R. Compensation of gene dosage on the mammalian X. Development 2024; 151:dev202891. [PMID: 39140247 PMCID: PMC11361640 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202891] [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] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
Changes in gene dosage can have tremendous evolutionary potential (e.g. whole-genome duplications), but without compensatory mechanisms, they can also lead to gene dysregulation and pathologies. Sex chromosomes are a paradigmatic example of naturally occurring gene dosage differences and their compensation. In species with chromosome-based sex determination, individuals within the same population necessarily show 'natural' differences in gene dosage for the sex chromosomes. In this Review, we focus on the mammalian X chromosome and discuss recent new insights into the dosage-compensation mechanisms that evolved along with the emergence of sex chromosomes, namely X-inactivation and X-upregulation. We also discuss the evolution of the genetic loci and molecular players involved, as well as the regulatory diversity and potentially different requirements for dosage compensation across mammalian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Cecalev
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCD) Unit, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), University of Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 31062, Toulouse, France
| | - Beatriz Viçoso
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Am Campus 1, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
| | - Rafael Galupa
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCD) Unit, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), University of Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 31062, Toulouse, France
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5
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Dror I, Tan T, Plath K. A critical role for X-chromosome architecture in mammalian X-chromosome dosage compensation. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2024; 87:102235. [PMID: 39053028 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2024.102235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
To regulate gene expression, the macromolecular components of the mammalian interphase nucleus are spatially organized into a myriad of functional compartments. Over the past decade, increasingly sophisticated genomics, microscopy, and functional approaches have probed this organization in unprecedented detail. These investigations have linked chromatin-associated noncoding RNAs to specific nuclear compartments and uncovered mechanisms by which these RNAs establish such domains. In this review, we focus on the long non-coding RNA Xist and summarize new evidence demonstrating the significance of chromatin reconfiguration in creating the inactive X-chromosome compartment. Differences in chromatin compaction correlate with distinct levels of gene repression on the X-chromosome, potentially explaining how human XIST can induce chromosome-wide dampening and silencing of gene expression at different stages of human development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Dror
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Tiao Tan
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Kathrin Plath
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Molecular Biology Institute, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Brain Research Institute, Graduate Program in the Biosciences, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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6
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Alfeghaly C, Castel G, Cazottes E, Moscatelli M, Moinard E, Casanova M, Boni J, Mahadik K, Lammers J, Freour T, Chauviere L, Piqueras C, Boers R, Boers J, Gribnau J, David L, Ouimette JF, Rougeulle C. XIST dampens X chromosome activity in a SPEN-dependent manner during early human development. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024:10.1038/s41594-024-01325-3. [PMID: 38834912 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01325-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
XIST (X-inactive specific transcript) long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is responsible for X chromosome inactivation (XCI) in placental mammals, yet it accumulates on both X chromosomes in human female preimplantation embryos without triggering X chromosome silencing. The XACT (X-active coating transcript) lncRNA coaccumulates with XIST on active X chromosomes and may antagonize XIST function. Here, we used human embryonic stem cells in a naive state of pluripotency to assess the function of XIST and XACT in shaping the X chromosome chromatin and transcriptional landscapes during preimplantation development. We show that XIST triggers the deposition of polycomb-mediated repressive histone modifications and dampens the transcription of most X-linked genes in a SPEN-dependent manner, while XACT deficiency does not significantly affect XIST activity or X-linked gene expression. Our study demonstrates that XIST is functional before XCI, confirms the existence of a transient process of X chromosome dosage compensation and reveals that XCI and dampening rely on the same set of factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charbel Alfeghaly
- Epigenetics and Cell Fate, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Gaël Castel
- Epigenetics and Cell Fate, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Cazottes
- Epigenetics and Cell Fate, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | | | - Eva Moinard
- Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology (CR2TI), CHU Nantes, Inserm, Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| | - Miguel Casanova
- Epigenetics and Cell Fate, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Juliette Boni
- Epigenetics and Cell Fate, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Kasturi Mahadik
- Epigenetics and Cell Fate, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Jenna Lammers
- Service de Biologie de la Reproduction, CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| | - Thomas Freour
- Service de Biologie de la Reproduction, CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| | - Louis Chauviere
- Epigenetics and Cell Fate, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Carla Piqueras
- Epigenetics and Cell Fate, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Ruben Boers
- Department of Developmental Biology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Joachim Boers
- Department of Developmental Biology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Joost Gribnau
- Department of Developmental Biology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Laurent David
- Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology (CR2TI), CHU Nantes, Inserm, Nantes Université, Nantes, France
- BioCore, CNRS, CHU Nantes, Inserm, Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| | | | - Claire Rougeulle
- Epigenetics and Cell Fate, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France.
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7
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Onfray C, Chevolleau S, Moinard E, Girard O, Mahadik K, Allsop R, Georgolopoulos G, Lavigne R, Renoult O, Aksoy I, Lemaitre E, Hulin P, Ouimette JF, Fréour T, Pecqueur C, Pineau C, Pasque V, Rougeulle C, David L. Unraveling hallmark suitability for staging pre- and post-implantation stem cell models. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114232. [PMID: 38761378 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The advent of novel 2D and 3D models for human development, including trophoblast stem cells and blastoids, has expanded opportunities for investigating early developmental events, gradually illuminating the enigmatic realm of human development. While these innovations have ushered in new prospects, it has become essential to establish well-defined benchmarks for the cell sources of these models. We aimed to propose a comprehensive characterization of pluripotent and trophoblastic stem cell models by employing a combination of transcriptomic, proteomic, epigenetic, and metabolic approaches. Our findings reveal that extended pluripotent stem cells share many characteristics with primed pluripotent stem cells, with the exception of metabolic activity. Furthermore, our research demonstrates that DNA hypomethylation and high metabolic activity define trophoblast stem cells. These results underscore the necessity of considering multiple hallmarks of pluripotency rather than relying on a single criterion. Multiplying hallmarks alleviate stage-matching bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constance Onfray
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CR2TI, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Simon Chevolleau
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CR2TI, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Eva Moinard
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CR2TI, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Océane Girard
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CR2TI, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Kasturi Mahadik
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Ryan Allsop
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Leuven Institute for Single Cell Omics and Leuven Stem Cell Institute, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Grigorios Georgolopoulos
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Leuven Institute for Single Cell Omics and Leuven Stem Cell Institute, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Régis Lavigne
- University Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, 35000 Rennes, France; University Rennes, CNRS, Inserm, Biosit UAR 3480 US_S 018, Protim Core Facility, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Ophélie Renoult
- Nantes Université, CNRS, Inserm, CRCI2NA, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Irene Aksoy
- University Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, 69500 Bron, France
| | - Elsa Lemaitre
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CNRS, BioCore, SFR Bonamy, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Philippe Hulin
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CNRS, BioCore, SFR Bonamy, 44000 Nantes, France
| | | | - Thomas Fréour
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CR2TI, 44000 Nantes, France; Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Dexeus University Hospital, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; CHU Nantes, Service de Biologie de la Reproduction, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Claire Pecqueur
- Nantes Université, CNRS, Inserm, CRCI2NA, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Charles Pineau
- University Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, 35000 Rennes, France; University Rennes, CNRS, Inserm, Biosit UAR 3480 US_S 018, Protim Core Facility, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Vincent Pasque
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Leuven Institute for Single Cell Omics and Leuven Stem Cell Institute, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Claire Rougeulle
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Laurent David
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CR2TI, 44000 Nantes, France; Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CNRS, BioCore, SFR Bonamy, 44000 Nantes, France.
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8
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Chen KG, Johnson KR, Park K, Maric D, Yang F, Liu WF, Fann YC, Mallon BS, Robey PG. Resistance to Naïve and Formative Pluripotency Conversion in RSeT Human Embryonic Stem Cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.16.580778. [PMID: 38410444 PMCID: PMC10896352 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.16.580778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
One of the most important properties of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) is related to their primed and naïve pluripotent states. Our previous meta-analysis indicates the existence of heterogeneous pluripotent states derived from diverse naïve protocols. In this study, we have characterized a commercial medium (RSeT)-based pluripotent state under various growth conditions. Notably, RSeT hESCs can circumvent hypoxic growth conditions as required by naïve hESCs, in which some RSeT cells (e.g., H1 cells) exhibit much lower single cell plating efficiency, having altered or much retarded cell growth under both normoxia and hypoxia. Evidently, hPSCs lack many transcriptomic hallmarks of naïve and formative pluripotency (a phase between naive and primed states). Integrative transcriptome analysis suggests our primed and RSeT hESCs are close to the early stage of post-implantation embryos, similar to the previously reported primary hESCs and early hESC cultures. Moreover, RSeT hESCs did not express naïve surface markers such as CD75, SUSD2, and CD130 at a significant level. Biochemically, RSeT hESCs exhibit a differential dependency of FGF2 and co-independency of both Janus kinase (JAK) and TGFβ signaling in a cell-line-specific manner. Thus, RSeT hESCs represent a previously unrecognized pluripotent state downstream of formative pluripotency. Our data suggest that human naïve pluripotent potentials may be restricted in RSeT medium. Hence, this study provides new insights into pluripotent state transitions in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kory R. Johnson
- Intramural IT and Bioinformatics Program, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Kyeyoon Park
- NIH Stem Cell Unit, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Dragan Maric
- Flow and Imaging Cytometry Core Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Forest Yang
- NIH Stem Cell Unit, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Wen Fang Liu
- NIH Stem Cell Unit, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Yang C. Fann
- Intramural IT and Bioinformatics Program, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | | | - Pamela G. Robey
- Skeletal Biology Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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9
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Du P, Wu J. Hallmarks of totipotent and pluripotent stem cell states. Cell Stem Cell 2024; 31:312-333. [PMID: 38382531 PMCID: PMC10939785 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2024.01.009] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Though totipotency and pluripotency are transient during early embryogenesis, they establish the foundation for the development of all mammals. Studying these in vivo has been challenging due to limited access and ethical constraints, particularly in humans. Recent progress has led to diverse culture adaptations of epiblast cells in vitro in the form of totipotent and pluripotent stem cells, which not only deepen our understanding of embryonic development but also serve as invaluable resources for animal reproduction and regenerative medicine. This review delves into the hallmarks of totipotent and pluripotent stem cells, shedding light on their key molecular and functional features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Du
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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10
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Li CJ, Chang CC, Tsai LK, Peng M, Lyu WN, Yu JF, Tsai MH, Sung LY. Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells from Bornean orangutans. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 11:1331584. [PMID: 38250322 PMCID: PMC10797036 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1331584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Orangutans, classified under the Pongo genus, are an endangered non-human primate (NHP) species. Derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) represents a promising avenue for conserving the genetic resources of these animals. Earlier studies focused on deriving orangutan iPSCs (o-iPSCs) from Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii). To date, no reports specifically target the other Critically Endangered species in the Pongo genus, the Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus). Methods: Using Sendai virus-mediated Yamanaka factor-based reprogramming of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to generate iPSCs (bo-iPSCs) from a female captive Bornean orangutan. In this study, we evaluate the colony morphology, pluripotent markers, X chromosome activation status, and transcriptomic profile of the bo-iPSCs to demonstrate the pluripotency of iPSCs from Bornean orangutans. Results: The bo-iPSCs were successfully derived from Bornean orangutans, using Sendai virus-mediated Yamanaka factor-based reprogramming of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. When a modified 4i/L/A (m4i/L/A) culture system was applied to activate the WNT signaling pathway in these bo-iPSCs, the derived cells (m-bo-iPSCs) manifested characteristics akin to human naive pluripotent stem cells, including high expression levels of KLF17, DNMT3L, and DPPA3/5, as well as the X chromosome reactivation. Comparative RNA-seq analysis positioned the m-bo-iPSCs between human naive and formative pluripotent states. Furthermore, the m-bo-iPSCs express differentiation capacity into all three germlines, evidenced by controlled in vitro embryoid body formation assay. Discussion: Our work establishes a novel approach to preserve the genetic diversity of endangered Bornean orangutans while offering insights into primate stem cell pluripotency. In the future, derivation of the primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLCs) from m-bo-iPSCs is needed to demonstrate the further specific application in species preservation and broaden the knowledge of primordial germ cell specification across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Jung Li
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Branch, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Chun Chang
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Li-Kuang Tsai
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Min Peng
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Ni Lyu
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jane-Fang Yu
- Conservation and Research Center, Taipei Zoo, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Mong-Hsun Tsai
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Li-Ying Sung
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Center for Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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11
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Dror I, Chitiashvili T, Tan SYX, Cano CT, Sahakyan A, Markaki Y, Chronis C, Collier AJ, Deng W, Liang G, Sun Y, Afasizheva A, Miller J, Xiao W, Black DL, Ding F, Plath K. XIST directly regulates X-linked and autosomal genes in naive human pluripotent cells. Cell 2024; 187:110-129.e31. [PMID: 38181737 PMCID: PMC10783549 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.11.033] [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: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
X chromosome inactivation (XCI) serves as a paradigm for RNA-mediated regulation of gene expression, wherein the long non-coding RNA XIST spreads across the X chromosome in cis to mediate gene silencing chromosome-wide. In female naive human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), XIST is in a dispersed configuration, and XCI does not occur, raising questions about XIST's function. We found that XIST spreads across the X chromosome and induces dampening of X-linked gene expression in naive hPSCs. Surprisingly, XIST also targets specific autosomal regions, where it induces repressive chromatin changes and gene expression dampening. Thereby, XIST equalizes X-linked gene dosage between male and female cells while inducing differences in autosomes. The dispersed Xist configuration and autosomal localization also occur transiently during XCI initiation in mouse PSCs. Together, our study identifies XIST as the regulator of X chromosome dampening, uncovers an evolutionarily conserved trans-acting role of XIST/Xist, and reveals a correlation between XIST/Xist dispersal and autosomal targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Dror
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Tsotne Chitiashvili
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Shawn Y X Tan
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Clara T Cano
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Anna Sahakyan
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yolanda Markaki
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Institute for Structural and Chemical Biology & Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Constantinos Chronis
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Amanda J Collier
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Weixian Deng
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Guohao Liang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Yu Sun
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Anna Afasizheva
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jarrett Miller
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Wen Xiao
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Douglas L Black
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Fangyuan Ding
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Kathrin Plath
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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12
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Zhang L, Sun H, Chen X. Long noncoding RNAs in human reproductive processes and diseases. Mol Reprod Dev 2024; 91:e23728. [PMID: 38282314 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23728] [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: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Infertility has become a global disease burden. Although assisted reproductive technologies are widely used, the assisted reproduction birth rate is no more than 30% worldwide. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of reproduction can provide new strategies to improve live birth rates and clinical outcomes of enhanced implantation. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to exert regulatory roles in various biological processes and diseases in many species. In this review, we especially focus on the role of lncRNAs in human reproduction. We summarize the function and mechanisms of lncRNAs in processes vital to reproduction, such as spermatogenesis and maturation, sperm motility and morphology, follicle development and maturation, embryo development and implantation. Then, we highlight the importance and diverse potential of lncRNAs as good diagnostic molecular biomarkers and therapeutic targets for infertility treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Hailong Sun
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Xiujuan Chen
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
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13
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Wilkinson AL, Zorzan I, Rugg-Gunn PJ. Epigenetic regulation of early human embryo development. Cell Stem Cell 2023; 30:1569-1584. [PMID: 37858333 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2023.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Studies of mammalian development have advanced our understanding of the genetic, epigenetic, and cellular processes that orchestrate embryogenesis and have uncovered new insights into the unique aspects of human embryogenesis. Recent studies have now produced the first epigenetic maps of early human embryogenesis, stimulating new ideas about epigenetic reprogramming, cell fate control, and the potential mechanisms underpinning developmental plasticity in human embryos. In this review, we discuss these new insights into the epigenetic regulation of early human development and the importance of these processes for safeguarding development. We also highlight unanswered questions and key challenges that remain to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Irene Zorzan
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Peter J Rugg-Gunn
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK; Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, UK.
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14
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Moyano Rodriguez Y, Borensztein M. X-chromosome inactivation: a historic topic that's still hot. Development 2023; 150:dev202072. [PMID: 37997921 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The last edition of the X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) meeting was held as an EMBO workshop in Berlin on 19-22 June 2023. The conference took place at the Harnack-haus in the Dahlem district, birthplace of the first modern research campus, where notable scientists such as Lise Meitner, Hans Krebs and, briefly, Albert Einstein conducted their research. This special edition, also accessible online, was organized by Rafael Galupa (Centre for Integrative Biology of Toulouse, France), Joost Gribnau (Erasmus MC Rotterdam, The Netherlands), Claire Rougeulle (Université Paris Cité/CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate Center, Paris, France), Edda Schulz (Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany) and James Turner (The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK). Originally scheduled for 2021, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Mary Lyon's hypothesis on X-chromosome inactivation in mammals and the 30th anniversary of XIST/Xist discovery, the meeting had to be postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven years after the latest XCI meeting in London, the enthusiasm and expectations of the community were at their highest, bringing together over 160 scientists from around the world to share and discuss their research. Eighty posters and more than 40 talks were presented at this event, in a collegial and collaborative atmosphere. A historical session and several breakout discussions were also organized, as well as the now traditional boat trip, all thanks to great organization. Here, we debrief readers on this fantastic conference.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maud Borensztein
- IGMM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, 34090 Montpellier, France
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15
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Kaufmann C, Wutz A. IndiSPENsable for X Chromosome Inactivation and Gene Silencing. EPIGENOMES 2023; 7:28. [PMID: 37987303 PMCID: PMC10660550 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes7040028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
For about 30 years, SPEN has been the subject of research in many different fields due to its variety of functions and its conservation throughout a wide spectrum of species, like worms, arthropods, and vertebrates. To date, 216 orthologues have been documented. SPEN had been studied for its role in gene regulation in the context of cell signaling, including the NOTCH or nuclear hormone receptor signaling pathways. More recently, SPEN has been identified as a major regulator of initiation of chromosome-wide gene silencing during X chromosome inactivation (XCI) in mammals, where its function remains to be fully understood. Dependent on the biological context, SPEN functions via mechanisms which include different domains. While some domains of SPEN are highly conserved in sequence and secondary structure, species-to-species differences exist that might lead to mechanistic differences. Initiation of XCI appears to be different between humans and mice, which raises additional questions about the extent of generalization of SPEN's function in XCI. In this review, we dissect the mechanism of SPEN in XCI. We discuss its subregions and domains, focusing on its role as a major regulator. We further highlight species-related research, specifically of mouse and human SPEN, with the aim to reveal and clarify potential species-to-species differences in SPEN's function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anton Wutz
- Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Department of Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Hönggerberg, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland;
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16
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Wits M, Becher C, de Man F, Sanchez-Duffhues G, Goumans MJ. Sex-biased TGFβ signalling in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Cardiovasc Res 2023; 119:2262-2277. [PMID: 37595264 PMCID: PMC10597641 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvad129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare cardiovascular disorder leading to pulmonary hypertension and, often fatal, right heart failure. Sex differences in PAH are evident, which primarily presents with a female predominance and increased male severity. Disturbed signalling of the transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) family and gene mutations in the bone morphogenetic protein receptor 2 (BMPR2) are risk factors for PAH development, but how sex-specific cues affect the TGFβ family signalling in PAH remains poorly understood. In this review, we aim to explore the sex bias in PAH by examining sex differences in the TGFβ signalling family through mechanistical and translational evidence. Sex hormones including oestrogens, progestogens, and androgens, can determine the expression of receptors (including BMPR2), ligands, and soluble antagonists within the TGFβ family in a tissue-specific manner. Furthermore, sex-related genetic processes, i.e. Y-chromosome expression and X-chromosome inactivation, can influence the TGFβ signalling family at multiple levels. Given the clinical and mechanistical similarities, we expect that the conclusions arising from this review may apply also to hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), a rare vascular disorder affecting the TGFβ signalling family pathway. In summary, we anticipate that investigating the TGFβ signalling family in a sex-specific manner will contribute to further understand the underlying processes leading to PAH and likely HHT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius Wits
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Clarissa Becher
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Frances de Man
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC) (Vrije Universiteit), 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gonzalo Sanchez-Duffhues
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
- Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology Research Center (CINN-CSIC), Health Research Institute of Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Marie-José Goumans
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
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17
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Khan SA, Theunissen TW. Modeling X-chromosome inactivation and reactivation during human development. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2023; 82:102096. [PMID: 37597506 PMCID: PMC10588740 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Stem-cell-based embryo models generate much excitement as they offer a window into an early phase of human development that has remained largely inaccessible to scientific investigation. An important epigenetic phenomenon during early embryogenesis is the epigenetic silencing of one of the two X chromosomes in female embryos, which ensures an equal output of X-linked gene expression between the sexes. X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) is thought to be established within the first three weeks of human development, although the inactive X-chromosome is reactivated in primordial germ cells (PGCs) that migrate to the embryonic gonads. Here, we summarize our current understanding of X-chromosome dynamics during human development and comment on the potential of recently established stem-cell-based models to reveal the underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shafqat A Khan
- Department of Developmental Biology and Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. https://twitter.com/@sakhan2019
| | - Thorold W Theunissen
- Department of Developmental Biology and Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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18
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Agostinho de Sousa J, Wong CW, Dunkel I, Owens T, Voigt P, Hodgson A, Baker D, Schulz EG, Reik W, Smith A, Rostovskaya M, von Meyenn F. Epigenetic dynamics during capacitation of naïve human pluripotent stem cells. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg1936. [PMID: 37774033 PMCID: PMC10541016 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg1936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are of fundamental relevance in regenerative medicine. Naïve hPSCs hold promise to overcome some of the limitations of conventional (primed) hPSCs, including recurrent epigenetic anomalies. Naïve-to-primed transition (capacitation) follows transcriptional dynamics of human embryonic epiblast and is necessary for somatic differentiation from naïve hPSCs. We found that capacitated hPSCs are transcriptionally closer to postimplantation epiblast than conventional hPSCs. This prompted us to comprehensively study epigenetic and related transcriptional changes during capacitation. Our results show that CpG islands, gene regulatory elements, and retrotransposons are hotspots of epigenetic dynamics during capacitation and indicate possible distinct roles of specific epigenetic modifications in gene expression control between naïve and primed hPSCs. Unexpectedly, PRC2 activity appeared to be dispensable for the capacitation. We find that capacitated hPSCs acquire an epigenetic state similar to conventional hPSCs. Significantly, however, the X chromosome erosion frequently observed in conventional female hPSCs is reversed by resetting and subsequent capacitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Agostinho de Sousa
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolic Epigenetics, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8603 Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Chee-Wai Wong
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolic Epigenetics, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8603 Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Ilona Dunkel
- Systems Epigenetics, Otto Warburg Laboratories, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Owens
- Epigenetics Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Philipp Voigt
- Epigenetics Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Adam Hodgson
- School of Biosciences, The Julia Garnham Centre, University of Sheffield, S10 2TN Sheffield, UK
| | - Duncan Baker
- Sheffield Diagnostic Genetics Services, Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, S5 7AU Sheffield, UK
| | - Edda G. Schulz
- Systems Epigenetics, Otto Warburg Laboratories, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Wolf Reik
- Epigenetics Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1QR, UK
- Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK
- Altos Labs Cambridge Institute of Science, Cambridge CB21 6GP, UK
| | - Austin Smith
- Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, EX4 4QD Exeter, UK
| | - Maria Rostovskaya
- Epigenetics Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Ferdinand von Meyenn
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolic Epigenetics, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8603 Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, SE1 9RT London, UK
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19
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Limouse C, Smith OK, Jukam D, Fryer KA, Greenleaf WJ, Straight AF. Global mapping of RNA-chromatin contacts reveals a proximity-dominated connectivity model for ncRNA-gene interactions. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6073. [PMID: 37770513 PMCID: PMC10539311 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41848-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are transcribed throughout the genome and provide regulatory inputs to gene expression through their interaction with chromatin. Yet, the genomic targets and functions of most ncRNAs are unknown. Here we use chromatin-associated RNA sequencing (ChAR-seq) to map the global network of ncRNA interactions with chromatin in human embryonic stem cells and the dynamic changes in interactions during differentiation into definitive endoderm. We uncover general principles governing the organization of the RNA-chromatin interactome, demonstrating that nearly all ncRNAs exclusively interact with genes in close three-dimensional proximity to their locus and provide a model predicting the interactome. We uncover RNAs that interact with many loci across the genome and unveil thousands of unannotated RNAs that dynamically interact with chromatin. By relating the dynamics of the interactome to changes in gene expression, we demonstrate that activation or repression of individual genes is unlikely to be controlled by a single ncRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Limouse
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Owen K Smith
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - David Jukam
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Kelsey A Fryer
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | | | - Aaron F Straight
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.
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20
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Patterson B, Yang B, Tanaka Y, Kim KY, Cakir B, Xiang Y, Kim J, Wang S, Park IH. Female naïve human pluripotent stem cells carry X chromosomes with Xa-like and Xi-like folding conformations. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf2245. [PMID: 37540754 PMCID: PMC10403202 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf2245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) genomics shows immense promise for studying X chromosome inactivation (XCI) by interrogating changes to the X chromosomes' 3D states. Here, we sought to characterize the 3D state of the X chromosome in naïve and primed human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). Using chromatin tracing, we analyzed X chromosome folding conformations in these cells with megabase genomic resolution. X chromosomes in female naïve hPSCs exhibit folding conformations similar to the active X chromosome (Xa) and the inactive X chromosome (Xi) in somatic cells. However, naïve X chromosomes do not exhibit the chromatin compaction typically associated with these somatic X chromosome states. In H7 naïve human embryonic stem cells, XIST accumulation observed on damaged X chromosomes demonstrates the potential for naïve hPSCs to activate XCI-related mechanisms. Overall, our findings provide insight into the X chromosome status of naïve hPSCs with a single-chromosome resolution and are critical in understanding the unique epigenetic regulation in early embryonic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Patterson
- Department of Genetics, Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Bing Yang
- Department of Genetics, and Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Yoshiaki Tanaka
- Department of Genetics, Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Kun-Yong Kim
- Department of Genetics, Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Bilal Cakir
- Department of Genetics, Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Yangfei Xiang
- Department of Genetics, Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Jonghun Kim
- Department of Genetics, Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Siyuan Wang
- Department of Genetics, and Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - In-Hyun Park
- Department of Genetics, Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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21
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Liu Z, Guo T, Yin Z, Zeng Y, Liu H, Yin H. Functional inference of long non-coding RNAs through exploration of highly conserved regions. Front Genet 2023; 14:1177259. [PMID: 37260771 PMCID: PMC10229068 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1177259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are generally less functionally characterized or less annotated, evolve more rapidly than mRNAs and substantially possess fewer sequence conservation patterns than protein-coding genes across divergent species. People assume that the functional inference could be conducted on the evolutionarily conserved long non-coding RNAs as they are most likely to be functional. In the past decades, substantial progress has been made in discussions on the evolutionary conservation of non-coding genomic regions from multiple perspectives. However, understanding their conservation and the functions associated with sequence conservation in relation to further corresponding phenotypic variability or disorders still remains incomplete. Results: Accordingly, we determined a highly conserved region (HCR) to verify the sequence conservation among long non-coding RNAs and systematically profiled homologous long non-coding RNA clusters in humans and mice based on the detection of highly conserved regions. Moreover, according to homolog clustering, we explored the potential function inference via highly conserved regions on representative long non-coding RNAs. On lncRNA XACT, we investigated the potential functional competence between XACT and lncRNA XIST by recruiting miRNA-29a, regulating the downstream target genes. In addition, on lncRNA LINC00461, we examined the interaction relationship between LINC00461 and SND1. This interaction or association may be perturbed during the progression of glioma. In addition, we have constructed a website with user-friendly web interfaces for searching, analyzing, and downloading to present the homologous clusters of humans and mice. Conclusion: Collectively, homolog clustering via the highly conserved region definition and detection on long non-coding RNAs, as well as the functional explorations on representative sequences in our research, would provide new evidence for the potential function of long non-coding RNAs. Our results on the remarkable roles of long non-coding RNAs would presumably provide a new theoretical basis and candidate diagnostic indicators for tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongpeng Liu
- Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical Bioresources, College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Tianbin Guo
- Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical Bioresources, College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Zhuoda Yin
- TJ-YZ School of Network Science, Haikou University of Economics, Haikou, China
| | - Yanluo Zeng
- Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical Bioresources, College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Haiwen Liu
- Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical Bioresources, College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Hongyan Yin
- Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical Bioresources, College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou, China
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22
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Gong Y, Bai B, Sun N, Ci B, Shao H, Zhang T, Yao H, Zhang Y, Niu Y, Liu L, Zhao H, Wu H, Zhang L, Wang T, Li S, Wei Y, Yu Y, Ribeiro Orsi AE, Liu B, Ji W, Wu J, Chen Y, Tan T. Ex utero monkey embryogenesis from blastocyst to early organogenesis. Cell 2023; 186:2092-2110.e23. [PMID: 37172563 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The third and fourth weeks of gestation in primates are marked by several developmental milestones, including gastrulation and the formation of organ primordia. However, our understanding of this period is limited due to restricted access to in vivo embryos. To address this gap, we developed an embedded 3D culture system that allows for the extended ex utero culture of cynomolgus monkey embryos for up to 25 days post-fertilization. Morphological, histological, and single-cell RNA-sequencing analyses demonstrate that ex utero cultured monkey embryos largely recapitulated key events of in vivo development. With this platform, we were able to delineate lineage trajectories and genetic programs involved in neural induction, lateral plate mesoderm differentiation, yolk sac hematopoiesis, primitive gut, and primordial germ-cell-like cell development in monkeys. Our embedded 3D culture system provides a robust and reproducible platform for growing monkey embryos from blastocysts to early organogenesis and studying primate embryogenesis ex utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yandong Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Senior Department of Hematology, Fifth Medical Center, Medical Innovation Research Department, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Bing Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Nianqin Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Baiquan Ci
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Honglian Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Hui Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Youyue Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Yuyu Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Lizhong Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Hu Zhao
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Hao Wu
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650504, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Tianxiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Shangang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Yulei Wei
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Yang Yu
- Reproductive Medical Center and Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Ana Elisa Ribeiro Orsi
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Bing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Senior Department of Hematology, Fifth Medical Center, Medical Innovation Research Department, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100071, China.
| | - Weizhi Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China.
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
| | - Yongchang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China.
| | - Tao Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China.
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23
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LaSalle JM. Epigenomic signatures reveal mechanistic clues and predictive markers for autism spectrum disorder. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:1890-1901. [PMID: 36650278 PMCID: PMC10560404 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01917-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comprises a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with a commonality in deficits in social communication and language combined with repetitive behaviors and interests. The etiology of ASD is heterogeneous, as several hundred genes have been implicated as well as multiple in utero environmental exposures. Over the past two decades, epigenetic investigations, including DNA methylation, have emerged as a novel way to capture the complex interface of multivariate ASD etiologies. More recently, epigenome-wide association studies using human brain and surrogate accessible tissues have revealed some convergent genes that are epigenetically altered in ASD, many of which overlap with known genetic risk factors. Unlike transcriptomes, epigenomic signatures defined by DNA methylation from surrogate tissues such as placenta and cord blood can reflect past differences in fetal brain gene transcription, transcription factor binding, and chromatin. For example, the discovery of NHIP (neuronal hypoxia inducible, placenta associated) through an epigenome-wide association in placenta, identified a common genetic risk for ASD that was modified by prenatal vitamin use. While epigenomic signatures are distinct between different genetic syndromic causes of ASD, bivalent chromatin and some convergent gene pathways are consistently epigenetically altered in both syndromic and idiopathic ASD, as well as some environmental exposures. Together, these epigenomic signatures hold promising clues towards improved early prediction and prevention of ASD as well genes and gene pathways to target for pharmacological interventions. Future advancements in single cell and multi-omic technologies, machine learning, as well as non-invasive screening of epigenomic signatures during pregnancy or newborn periods are expected to continue to impact the translatability of the recent discoveries in epigenomics to precision public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine M LaSalle
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Perinatal Origins of Disparities Center, MIND Institute, Genome Center, Environmental Health Sciences Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
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24
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Mattimoe T, Payer B. The compleX balancing act of controlling X-chromosome dosage and how it impacts mammalian germline development. Biochem J 2023; 480:521-537. [PMID: 37096944 PMCID: PMC10212525 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20220450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
In female mammals, the two X chromosomes are subject to epigenetic gene regulation in order to balance X-linked gene dosage with autosomes and in relation to males, which have one X and one Y chromosome. This is achieved by an intricate interplay of several processes; X-chromosome inactivation and reactivation elicit global epigenetic regulation of expression from one X chromosome in a stage-specific manner, whilst the process of X-chromosome upregulation responds to this by fine-tuning transcription levels of the second X. The germline is unique in its function of transmitting both the genetic and epigenetic information from one generation to the next, and remodelling of the X chromosome is one of the key steps in setting the stage for successful development. Here, we provide an overview of the complex dynamics of X-chromosome dosage control during embryonic and germ cell development, and aim to decipher its potential role for normal germline competency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Mattimoe
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Carrer Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bernhard Payer
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Carrer Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
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25
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Sakata Y, Zhang H, Sugiyama A, Motosugi N, Kimura H, Okamura Y, Fukuda A. Nanosheet coating improves stability of human pluripotent stem cell culture on glass substrates. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 650:55-61. [PMID: 36773340 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.01.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
High-resolution imaging analysis using various types of cells is an essential tool for dissecting cell functions. Generally, obtaining such images requires the cells to be cultured on glass substrates; however, it often results in the unstable status of cells. In this study, we report that coating the glass substrate using nanosheet composed of hydrophobic polystyrene, with Matrigel, significantly improves the viability of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). Moreover, the nanosheet coating does not affect the transcriptome status of hPSC and enables researchers to perform the high-resolution imaging assay. These results indicate that the nanosheet coating is beneficial to the cells vulnerable to glass substrate culture. Using the nanosheet coating, we revealed that the spreading status of lnc RNA XIST, essential for X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) in female cells, in the nuclei significantly differs in each hPSC line. Taken together, our study provides a novel method to investigate biological questions using high-resolution imaging techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Sakata
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Division of Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hong Zhang
- Micro/Nano Technology Center, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, Japan; School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Akiko Sugiyama
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Division of Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Nami Motosugi
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Division of Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kimura
- Micro/Nano Technology Center, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, Japan; Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yosuke Okamura
- Micro/Nano Technology Center, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, Japan; Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Engineering, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, Japan.
| | - Atsushi Fukuda
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Division of Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan; The Institute of Medical Sciences, Tokai University, Isehara, Japan; Micro/Nano Technology Center, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, Japan; Center for Regenerative Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan.
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26
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Rosspopoff O, Cazottes E, Huret C, Loda A, Collier A, Casanova M, Rugg-Gunn P, Heard E, Ouimette JF, Rougeulle C. Species-specific regulation of XIST by the JPX/FTX orthologs. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:2177-2194. [PMID: 36727460 PMCID: PMC10018341 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is an essential process, yet it initiates with remarkable diversity in various mammalian species. XIST, the main trigger of XCI, is controlled in the mouse by an interplay of lncRNA genes (LRGs), some of which evolved concomitantly to XIST and have orthologues across all placental mammals. Here, we addressed the functional conservation of human orthologues of two such LRGs, FTX and JPX. By combining analysis of single-cell RNA-seq data from early human embryogenesis with various functional assays in matched human and mouse pluripotent stem- or differentiated post-XCI cells, we demonstrate major functional differences for these orthologues between species, independently of primary sequence conservation. While the function of FTX is not conserved in humans, JPX stands as a major regulator of XIST expression in both species. However, we show that different entities of JPX control the production of XIST at various steps depending on the species. Altogether, our study highlights the functional versatility of LRGs across evolution, and reveals that functional conservation of orthologous LRGs may involve diversified mechanisms of action. These findings represent a striking example of how the evolvability of LRGs can provide adaptative flexibility to constrained gene regulatory networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Rosspopoff
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Cazottes
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Christophe Huret
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Agnese Loda
- Directors' research, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Amanda J Collier
- Epigenetics Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
- Wellcome Trust – Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Miguel Casanova
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Peter J Rugg-Gunn
- Epigenetics Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
- Wellcome Trust – Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Edith Heard
- Directors' research, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
- Collège de France, Paris, France
| | | | - Claire Rougeulle
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, F-75013 Paris, France
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27
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Pierson Smela MD, Kramme CC, Fortuna PRJ, Adams JL, Su R, Dong E, Kobayashi M, Brixi G, Kavirayuni VS, Tysinger E, Kohman RE, Shioda T, Chatterjee P, Church GM. Directed differentiation of human iPSCs to functional ovarian granulosa-like cells via transcription factor overexpression. eLife 2023; 12:e83291. [PMID: 36803359 PMCID: PMC9943069 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
An in vitro model of human ovarian follicles would greatly benefit the study of female reproduction. Ovarian development requires the combination of germ cells and several types of somatic cells. Among these, granulosa cells play a key role in follicle formation and support for oogenesis. Whereas efficient protocols exist for generating human primordial germ cell-like cells (hPGCLCs) from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), a method of generating granulosa cells has been elusive. Here, we report that simultaneous overexpression of two transcription factors (TFs) can direct the differentiation of hiPSCs to granulosa-like cells. We elucidate the regulatory effects of several granulosa-related TFs and establish that overexpression of NR5A1 and either RUNX1 or RUNX2 is sufficient to generate granulosa-like cells. Our granulosa-like cells have transcriptomes similar to human fetal ovarian cells and recapitulate key ovarian phenotypes including follicle formation and steroidogenesis. When aggregated with hPGCLCs, our cells form ovary-like organoids (ovaroids) and support hPGCLC development from the premigratory to the gonadal stage as measured by induction of DAZL expression. This model system will provide unique opportunities for studying human ovarian biology and may enable the development of therapies for female reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merrick D Pierson Smela
- Wyss Institute, Harvard UniversityBostonUnited States
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Christian C Kramme
- Wyss Institute, Harvard UniversityBostonUnited States
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Patrick RJ Fortuna
- Wyss Institute, Harvard UniversityBostonUnited States
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Jessica L Adams
- Wyss Institute, Harvard UniversityBostonUnited States
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Rui Su
- Wyss Institute, Harvard UniversityBostonUnited States
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Edward Dong
- Wyss Institute, Harvard UniversityBostonUnited States
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Mutsumi Kobayashi
- Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Cancer Research, Harvard Medical SchoolCharlestownUnited States
| | - Garyk Brixi
- Wyss Institute, Harvard UniversityBostonUnited States
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Department of Computer Science, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
| | - Venkata Srikar Kavirayuni
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Department of Computer Science, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
| | - Emma Tysinger
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Department of Computer Science, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
| | - Richie E Kohman
- Wyss Institute, Harvard UniversityBostonUnited States
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Toshi Shioda
- Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Cancer Research, Harvard Medical SchoolCharlestownUnited States
| | - Pranam Chatterjee
- Wyss Institute, Harvard UniversityBostonUnited States
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Department of Computer Science, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
| | - George M Church
- Wyss Institute, Harvard UniversityBostonUnited States
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
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28
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The Exciting Realities and Possibilities of iPS-Derived Cardiomyocytes. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:bioengineering10020237. [PMID: 36829731 PMCID: PMC9952364 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10020237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have become a prevalent topic after their discovery, advertised as an ethical alternative to embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Due to their ability to differentiate into several kinds of cells, including cardiomyocytes, researchers quickly realized the potential for differentiated cardiomyocytes to be used in the treatment of heart failure, a research area with few alternatives. This paper discusses the differentiation process for human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and the possible applications of said cells while answering some questions regarding ethical issues.
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29
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Resetting histone modifications during human prenatal germline development. Cell Discov 2023; 9:14. [PMID: 36737434 PMCID: PMC9898496 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-023-00519-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Histone modifications play critical roles in regulating gene expression and present dynamic changes during early embryo development. However, how they are reprogrammed during human prenatal germline development has not yet been elucidated. Here, we map the genome-wide profiles of three key histone modifications in human primordial germ cells (hPGCs) from weeks 8 to 23 of gestation for the first time by performing ULI-NChIP-seq. Notably, H3K4me3 exhibits a canonical promoter-enriched pattern, though with relatively lower enrichment, and is positively correlated with gene expression in globally hypomethylated hPGCs. In addition, H3K27me3 presents very low enrichment but plays an important role in not only dynamically governing specific bivalent promoters but also impeding complete X chromosome reactivation in female hPGCs. Given the activation effects of both global DNA demethylation and H3K4me3 signals, repressive H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 marks are jointly responsible for the paradoxical regulation of demethylation-resistant regions in hPGCs. Collectively, our results provide a unique roadmap of three core histone modifications during hPGC development, which helps to elucidate the architecture of germ cell reprogramming in an extremely hypomethylated DNA environment.
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30
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Burgaud M, Bretin B, Reignier A, De Vos J, David L. [New models to study human embryonic development]. Med Sci (Paris) 2023; 39:129-136. [PMID: 36799747 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2023018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Since 2021, assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are available to infertile couples, but also to single women and female couples. The process of in vitro fertilization (IVF) has allowed to cross the threshold of 5 million births worldwide, between 1978 and 2013. However, the failure rate per each IVF cycle is estimated to be around 75%. Therefore, there is a need to better understand human embryonic development in order to improve the success rate of IVF. Study models have evolved significantly in recent years: development of embryo culture, sequencing of the transcriptome of individualized cells, discovery of culture conditions for naive pluripotent stem cells and generation of blastoids. Here, we review these recent advances in human embryo modeling that establish a new knowledge base for improving ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Burgaud
- Nantes université, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CR2TI, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Betty Bretin
- Nantes université, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CR2TI, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Arnaud Reignier
- Nantes université, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CR2TI, F-44000 Nantes, France - CHU Nantes, Service de biologie de la reproduction, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - John De Vos
- IRMB, Univ Montpellier, Inserm, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Laurent David
- Nantes université, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CR2TI, F-44000 Nantes, France - Nantes université, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CNRS, BioCore, F-44000 Nantes, France
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31
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Interaction between Long Noncoding RNAs and Syncytin-1/Syncytin-2 Genes and Transcripts: How Noncoding RNAs May Affect Pregnancy in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032259. [PMID: 36768581 PMCID: PMC9917164 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) often suffer from obstetric complications not necessarily associated with the antiphospholipid syndrome. These events may potentially result from the reduced placental synthesis of the fusogenic proteins syncytin-1 and syncytin-2, observed in women with pregnancy-related disorders. SLE patients have an aberrant noncoding (nc)RNA signature that may in turn dysregulate the expression of syncytin-1 and syncytin-2 during placentation. The aim of this research is to computationally evaluate and characterize the interaction between syncytin-1 and syncytin-2 genes and human ncRNAs and to discuss the potential implications for SLE pregnancy adverse outcomes. METHODS The FASTA sequences of the syncytin-1 and syncytin-2 genes were used as inputs to the Ensembl.org library to find any alignments with human ncRNA genes and their transcripts, which were characterized for their tissue expression, regulatory activity on adjacent genes, biological pathways, and potential association with human disease. RESULTS BLASTN analysis revealed a total of 100 hits with human long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) for the syncytin-1 and syncytin-2 genes, with median alignment scores of 151 and 66.7, respectively. Only lncRNAs TP53TG1, TTTY14, and ENSG00000273328 were reported to be expressed in placental tissue. Dysregulated expression of lncRNAs TP53TG1, LINC01239, and LINC01320 found in this analysis has previously been described in SLE patients as well as in women with a high-risk pregnancy. In addition, some of the genes adjacent to lncRNAs aligned with syncytin-1 or syncytin-2 in a regulatory region might increase the risk of pregnancy complications or SLE. CONCLUSIONS This is the first computational study showing alignments between syncytin-1 and syncytin-2 genes and human lncRNAs. Whether this mechanism affects syncytiotrophoblast morphogenesis in SLE females is unknown and requires further investigation.
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32
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Goissis MD, Cibelli JB. Early Cell Specification in Mammalian Fertilized and Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Embryos. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2647:59-81. [PMID: 37041329 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3064-8_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Early cell specification in mammalian preimplantation embryos is an intricate cellular process that leads to coordinated spatial and temporal expression of specific genes. Proper segregation into the first two cell lineages, the inner cell mass (ICM) and the trophectoderm (TE), is imperative for developing the embryo proper and the placenta, respectively. Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) allows the formation of a blastocyst containing both ICM and TE from a differentiated cell nucleus, which means that this differentiated genome must be reprogrammed to a totipotent state. Although blastocysts can be generated efficiently through SCNT, the full-term development of SCNT embryos is impaired mostly due to placental defects. In this review, we examine the early cell fate decisions in fertilized embryos and compare them to observations in SCNT-derived embryos, in order to understand if these processes are affected by SCNT and could be responsible for the low success of reproductive cloning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo D Goissis
- Department of Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Jose B Cibelli
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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33
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Paloviita P, Vuoristo S. The non-coding genome in early human development - Recent advancements. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 131:4-13. [PMID: 35177347 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Not that long ago, the human genome was discovered to be mainly non-coding, that is comprised of DNA sequences that do not code for proteins. The initial paradigm that non-coding is also non-functional was soon overturned and today the work to uncover the functions of non-coding DNA and RNA in human early embryogenesis has commenced. Early human development is characterized by large-scale changes in genomic activity and the transcriptome that are partly driven by the coordinated activation and repression of repetitive DNA elements scattered across the genome. Here we provide examples of recent novel discoveries of non-coding DNA and RNA interactions and mechanisms that ensure accurate non-coding activity during human maternal-to-zygotic transition and lineage segregation. These include studies on small and long non-coding RNAs, transposable element regulation, and RNA tailing in human oocytes and early embryos. High-throughput approaches to dissect the non-coding regulatory networks governing early human development are a foundation for functional studies of specific genomic elements and molecules that has only begun and will provide a wider understanding of early human embryogenesis and causes of infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauliina Paloviita
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sanna Vuoristo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
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Li G, Duan JE. Dosage compensation: A new player in X chromosome upregulation. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R1030-R1032. [PMID: 36283351 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.09.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Dosage balance between sex chromosomes and autosomes can be achieved through diverse mechanisms across vertebrates and invertebrates. A new study discovers a key player that contributes to X chromosome upregulation (XCU) during early mouse development and associates the dysregulation of XCU with human bile duct cancer pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangsheng Li
- Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Jingyue Ellie Duan
- Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.
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Heskett MB, Vouzas AE, Smith LG, Yates PA, Boniface C, Bouhassira EE, Spellman PT, Gilbert DM, Thayer MJ. Epigenetic control of chromosome-associated lncRNA genes essential for replication and stability. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6301. [PMID: 36273230 PMCID: PMC9588035 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34099-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
ASARs are long noncoding RNA genes that control replication timing of entire human chromosomes in cis. The three known ASAR genes are located on human chromosomes 6 and 15, and are essential for chromosome integrity. To identify ASARs on all human chromosomes we utilize a set of distinctive ASAR characteristics that allow for the identification of hundreds of autosomal loci with epigenetically controlled, allele-restricted behavior in expression and replication timing of coding and noncoding genes, and is distinct from genomic imprinting. Disruption of noncoding RNA genes at five of five tested loci result in chromosome-wide delayed replication and chromosomal instability, validating their ASAR activity. In addition to the three known essential cis-acting chromosomal loci, origins, centromeres, and telomeres, we propose that all mammalian chromosomes also contain "Inactivation/Stability Centers" that display allele-restricted epigenetic regulation of protein coding and noncoding ASAR genes that are essential for replication and stability of each chromosome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael B Heskett
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Athanasios E Vouzas
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Leslie G Smith
- Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Phillip A Yates
- Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Christopher Boniface
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Knight Cancer Institute Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Eric E Bouhassira
- Department of Cell Biology and Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Paul T Spellman
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Knight Cancer Institute Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - David M Gilbert
- San Diego Biomedical Research Institute, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Mathew J Thayer
- Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
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Zhao C, Biondic S, Vandal K, Björklund ÅK, Hagemann-Jensen M, Sommer TM, Canizo J, Clark S, Raymond P, Zenklusen DR, Rivron N, Reik W, Petropoulos S. Single-cell multi-omics of human preimplantation embryos shows susceptibility to glucocorticoids. Genome Res 2022; 32:1627-1641. [PMID: 35948369 PMCID: PMC9528977 DOI: 10.1101/gr.276665.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The preconceptual, intrauterine, and early life environments can have a profound and long-lasting impact on the developmental trajectories and health outcomes of the offspring. Given the relatively low success rates of assisted reproductive technologies (ART; ∼25%), additives and adjuvants, such as glucocorticoids, are used to improve the success rate. Considering the dynamic developmental events that occur during this window, these exposures may alter blastocyst formation at a molecular level, and as such, affect not only the viability of the embryo and the ability of the blastocyst to implant, but also the developmental trajectory of the first three cell lineages, ultimately influencing the physiology of the embryo. In this study, we present a comprehensive single-cell transcriptome, methylome, and small RNA atlas in the day 7 human embryo. We show that, despite no change in morphology and developmental features, preimplantation glucocorticoid exposure reprograms the molecular profile of the trophectoderm (TE) lineage, and these changes are associated with an altered metabolic and inflammatory response. Our data also suggest that glucocorticoids can precociously mature the TE sublineages, supported by the presence of extravillous trophoblast markers in the polar sublineage and presence of X Chromosome dosage compensation. Further, we have elucidated that epigenetic regulation-DNA methylation and microRNAs (miRNAs)-likely underlies the transcriptional changes observed. This study suggests that exposures to exogenous compounds during preimplantation may unintentionally reprogram the human embryo, possibly leading to suboptimal development and longer-term health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Zhao
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Institutet, 14186 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Savana Biondic
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Axe Immunopathologie, H2X 0A9 Montréal, Canada
- Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, H3T 1J4 Montréal, Canada
| | - Katherine Vandal
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Axe Immunopathologie, H2X 0A9 Montréal, Canada
- Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, H3T 1J4 Montréal, Canada
| | - Åsa K Björklund
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, SE-752 37 Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Theresa Maria Sommer
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jesica Canizo
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Axe Immunopathologie, H2X 0A9 Montréal, Canada
- Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, H3T 1J4 Montréal, Canada
| | - Stephen Clark
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Pascal Raymond
- Département de Biochimie et Médecine Moléculaire, Université de Montréal, H3T 1J4 Montréal, Canada
| | - Daniel R Zenklusen
- Département de Biochimie et Médecine Moléculaire, Université de Montréal, H3T 1J4 Montréal, Canada
| | - Nicolas Rivron
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolf Reik
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge CB10 1RQ, United Kingdom
- Center for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie Petropoulos
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Institutet, 14186 Stockholm, Sweden
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Axe Immunopathologie, H2X 0A9 Montréal, Canada
- Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, H3T 1J4 Montréal, Canada
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Werner JM, Ballouz S, Hover J, Gillis J. Variability of cross-tissue X-chromosome inactivation characterizes timing of human embryonic lineage specification events. Dev Cell 2022; 57:1995-2008.e5. [PMID: 35914524 PMCID: PMC9398941 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) is a random, permanent, and developmentally early epigenetic event that occurs during mammalian embryogenesis. We harness these features to investigate characteristics of early lineage specification events during human development. We initially assess the consistency of X-inactivation and establish a robust set of XCI-escape genes. By analyzing variance in XCI ratios across tissues and individuals, we find that XCI is shared across all tissues, suggesting that XCI is completed in the epiblast (in at least 6-16 cells) prior to specification of the germ layers. Additionally, we exploit tissue-specific variability to characterize the number of cells present during tissue-lineage commitment, ranging from approximately 20 cells in liver and whole blood tissues to 80 cells in brain tissues. By investigating the variability of XCI ratios using adult tissue, we characterize embryonic features of human XCI and lineage specification that are otherwise difficult to ascertain experimentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Werner
- The Stanley Institute for Cognitive Genomics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Sara Ballouz
- The Stanley Institute for Cognitive Genomics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA; Garvan-Weizmann Centre for Cellular Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - John Hover
- The Stanley Institute for Cognitive Genomics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Jesse Gillis
- The Stanley Institute for Cognitive Genomics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA; Physiology Department and Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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D'Ignazio L, Jacomini RS, Qamar B, Benjamin KJM, Arora R, Sawada T, Evans TA, Diffenderfer KE, Pankonin AR, Hendriks WT, Hyde TM, Kleinman JE, Weinberger DR, Bragg DC, Paquola ACM, Erwin JA. Variation in TAF1 expression in female carrier induced pluripotent stem cells and human brain ontogeny has implications for adult neostriatum vulnerability in X-linked Dystonia Parkinsonism. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0129-22.2022. [PMID: 35868859 PMCID: PMC9428949 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0129-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
X-linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism (XDP) is an inherited, X-linked, adult-onset movement disorder characterized by degeneration in the neostriatum. No therapeutics alter disease progression. The mechanisms underlying regional differences in degeneration and adult onset are unknown. Developing therapeutics requires a deeper understanding of how XDP-relevant features vary in health and disease. XDP is possibly due, in part, to a partial loss of TAF1 function. A disease-specific SINE-VNTR-Alu (SVA) retrotransposon insertion occurs within intron 32 of TAF1, a subunit of TFIID involved in transcription initiation. While all XDP males are usually clinically affected, females are heterozygous carriers generally not manifesting the full syndrome. As a resource for disease modeling, we characterized eight iPSC lines from three XDP female carrier individuals for X chromosome inactivation status and identified clonal lines that express either the wild-type X or XDP haplotype. Furthermore, we characterized XDP-relevant transcript expression in neurotypical humans, and found that SVA-F expression decreases after 30 years of age in the brain and that TAF1 is decreased in most female samples. Uniquely in the caudate nucleus, TAF1 expression is not sexually dimorphic and decreased after adolescence. These findings indicate that regional-, age- and sex-specific mechanisms regulate TAF1, highlighting the importance of disease-relevant models and postmortem tissue. We propose that the decreased TAF1 expression in the adult caudate may synergize with the XDP-specific partial loss of TAF1 function in patients, thereby passing a minimum threshold of TAF1 function, and triggering degeneration in the neostriatum.Significance StatementXDP is an inherited, X-linked, adult-onset movement disorder characterized by degeneration in the neostriatum. No therapeutics alter disease progression. Developing therapeutics requires a deeper understanding of how XDP-relevant features vary in health and disease. XDP is possibly due to a partial loss of TAF1 function. While all XDP males are usually affected, females are heterozygous carriers generally not manifesting the full syndrome. As a resource for disease modeling, we characterized eight stem cell lines from XDP female carrier individuals. Furthermore, we found that, uniquely in the caudate nucleus, TAF1 expression decreases after adolescence in healthy humans. We hypothesize that the decrease of TAF1 after adolescence in human caudate, in general, may underlie the vulnerability of the adult neostriatum in XDP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura D'Ignazio
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ricardo S Jacomini
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Bareera Qamar
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Kynon J M Benjamin
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ria Arora
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Biology, Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Tomoyo Sawada
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Taylor A Evans
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | | | - Aimee R Pankonin
- Stem Cell Core, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - William T Hendriks
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- The Collaborative Center for X-linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Thomas M Hyde
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Joel E Kleinman
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Daniel R Weinberger
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - D Cristopher Bragg
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- The Collaborative Center for X-linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Apua C M Paquola
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jennifer A Erwin
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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39
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Dossin F, Heard E. The Molecular and Nuclear Dynamics of X-Chromosome Inactivation. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2022; 14:a040196. [PMID: 34312245 PMCID: PMC9121902 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a040196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In female eutherian mammals, dosage compensation of X-linked gene expression is achieved during development through transcriptional silencing of one of the two X chromosomes. Following X chromosome inactivation (XCI), the inactive X chromosome remains faithfully silenced throughout somatic cell divisions. XCI is dependent on Xist, a long noncoding RNA that coats and silences the X chromosome from which it is transcribed. Xist coating triggers a cascade of chromosome-wide changes occurring at the levels of transcription, chromatin composition, chromosome structure, and spatial organization within the nucleus. XCI has emerged as a paradigm for the study of such crucial nuclear processes and the dissection of their functional interplay. In the past decade, the advent of tools to characterize and perturb these processes have provided an unprecedented understanding into their roles during XCI. The mechanisms orchestrating the initiation of XCI as well as its maintenance are thus being unraveled, although many questions still remain. Here, we introduce key aspects of the XCI process and review the recent discoveries about its molecular basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Dossin
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Director's Unit, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Edith Heard
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Director's Unit, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
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40
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Cloutier M, Kumar S, Buttigieg E, Keller L, Lee B, Williams A, Mojica-Perez S, Erliandri I, Rocha AMD, Cadigan K, Smith GD, Kalantry S. Preventing erosion of X-chromosome inactivation in human embryonic stem cells. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2516. [PMID: 35523820 PMCID: PMC9076865 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30259-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
X-chromosome inactivation is a paradigm of epigenetic transcriptional regulation. Female human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) often undergo erosion of X-inactivation upon prolonged culture. Here, we investigate the sources of X-inactivation instability by deriving new primed pluripotent hESC lines. We find that culture media composition dramatically influenced the expression of XIST lncRNA, a key regulator of X-inactivation. hESCs cultured in a defined xenofree medium stably maintained XIST RNA expression and coating, whereas hESCs cultured in the widely used mTeSR1 medium lost XIST RNA expression. We pinpointed lithium chloride in mTeSR1 as a cause of XIST RNA loss. The addition of lithium chloride or inhibitors of GSK-3 proteins that are targeted by lithium to the defined hESC culture medium impeded XIST RNA expression. GSK-3 inhibition in differentiating female mouse embryonic stem cells and epiblast stem cells also resulted in a loss of XIST RNA expression. Together, these data may reconcile observed variations in X-inactivation in hESCs and inform the faithful culture of pluripotent stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa Cloutier
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Surinder Kumar
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Emily Buttigieg
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Laura Keller
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Urology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Brandon Lee
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Aaron Williams
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Sandra Mojica-Perez
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Urology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Indri Erliandri
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Urology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Andre Monteiro Da Rocha
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Urology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine & Cardiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Kenneth Cadigan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Gary D Smith
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Urology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Sundeep Kalantry
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
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Collier AJ, Bendall A, Fabian C, Malcolm AA, Tilgner K, Semprich CI, Wojdyla K, Nisi PS, Kishore K, Roamio Franklin VN, Mirshekar-Syahkal B, D’Santos C, Plath K, Yusa K, Rugg-Gunn PJ. Genome-wide screening identifies Polycomb repressive complex 1.3 as an essential regulator of human naïve pluripotent cell reprogramming. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabk0013. [PMID: 35333572 PMCID: PMC8956265 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abk0013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Uncovering the mechanisms that establish naïve pluripotency in humans is crucial for the future applications of pluripotent stem cells including the production of human blastoids. However, the regulatory pathways that control the establishment of naïve pluripotency by reprogramming are largely unknown. Here, we use genome-wide screening to identify essential regulators as well as major impediments of human primed to naïve pluripotent stem cell reprogramming. We discover that factors essential for cell state change do not typically undergo changes at the level of gene expression but rather are repurposed with new functions. Mechanistically, we establish that the variant Polycomb complex PRC1.3 and PRDM14 jointly repress developmental and gene regulatory factors to ensure naïve cell reprogramming. In addition, small-molecule inhibitors of reprogramming impediments improve naïve cell reprogramming beyond current methods. Collectively, this work defines the principles controlling the establishment of human naïve pluripotency and also provides new insights into mechanisms that destabilize and reconfigure cell identity during cell state transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J. Collier
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Adam Bendall
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Andrew A. Malcolm
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome–MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Katarzyna Tilgner
- Stem Cell Genetics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | | | - Kamal Kishore
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | - Clive D’Santos
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kathrin Plath
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kosuke Yusa
- Stem Cell Genetics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
- Stem Cell Genetics, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Peter J. Rugg-Gunn
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome–MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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42
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LaSalle JM. X Chromosome Inactivation Timing is Not e XACT: Implications for Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Genet 2022; 13:864848. [PMID: 35356429 PMCID: PMC8959653 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.864848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The etiology of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is complex, involving different combinations of genetic and environmental factors. My lab's approach has been to investigate DNA methylation as a tractable genome-wide modification at the interface of these complex interactions, reflecting past and future events in the molecular pathogenesis of ASD. Since X-linked genes were enriched in DNA methylation differences discovered from cord blood from newborns later diagnosed with ASD, this has prompted me to review and revisit the recent advancements in the field of X chromosome inactivation (XCI), particularly in humans and other primates. In this Perspective, I compare XCI mechanisms in different mammalian species, including the finding of the noncoding transcript XACT associated with X chromosome erosion in human pluripotent stem cells and recent findings from non-human primate post-implantation embryos. I focus on the experimentally challenging peri- and post-implantation stages of human development when the timing of XCI is prolonged and imprecise in humans. Collectively, this research has raised some important unanswered questions involving biased sex ratios in human births and the male bias in the incidence of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine M. LaSalle
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Perinatal Origins of Disparities Center, MIND Institute, Genome Center, Environmental Health Sciences Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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Mechanisms of Choice in X-Chromosome Inactivation. Cells 2022; 11:cells11030535. [PMID: 35159344 PMCID: PMC8833938 DOI: 10.3390/cells11030535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Early in development, placental and marsupial mammals harbouring at least two X chromosomes per nucleus are faced with a choice that affects the rest of their lives: which of those X chromosomes to transcriptionally inactivate. This choice underlies phenotypical diversity in the composition of tissues and organs and in their response to the environment, and can determine whether an individual will be healthy or affected by an X-linked disease. Here, we review our current understanding of the process of choice during X-chromosome inactivation and its implications, focusing on the strategies evolved by different mammalian lineages and on the known and unknown molecular mechanisms and players involved.
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Long Noncoding RNA Mediated Regulation in Human Embryogenesis, Pluripotency, and Reproduction. Stem Cells Int 2022; 2022:8051717. [PMID: 35103065 PMCID: PMC8800634 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8051717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), a class of noncoding RNAs with more than 200 bp in length, are produced by pervasive transcription in mammalian genomes and regulate gene expression through various action mechanisms. Accumulating data indicate that lncRNAs mediate essential biological functions in human development, including early embryogenesis, induction of pluripotency, and germ cell development. Comprehensive analysis of sequencing data highlights that lncRNAs are expressed in a stage-specific and human/primate-specific pattern during early human development. They contribute to cell fate determination through interacting with almost all classes of cellular biomolecules, including proteins, DNA, mRNAs, and microRNAs. Furthermore, the expression of a few of lncRNAs is highly associated with the pathogenesis and progression of many reproductive diseases, suggesting that they could serve as candidate biomarkers for diagnosis or novel targets for treatment. Here, we review research on lncRNAs and their roles in embryogenesis, pluripotency, and reproduction. We aim to identify the underlying molecular mechanisms essential for human development and provide novel insight into the causes and treatments of human reproductive diseases.
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45
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Gene regulation in time and space during X-chromosome inactivation. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2022; 23:231-249. [PMID: 35013589 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-021-00438-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) is the epigenetic mechanism that ensures X-linked dosage compensation between cells of females (XX karyotype) and males (XY). XCI is essential for female embryos to survive through development and requires the accurate spatiotemporal regulation of many different factors to achieve remarkable chromosome-wide gene silencing. As a result of XCI, the active and inactive X chromosomes are functionally and structurally different, with the inactive X chromosome undergoing a major conformational reorganization within the nucleus. In this Review, we discuss the multiple layers of genetic and epigenetic regulation that underlie initiation of XCI during development and then maintain it throughout life, in light of the most recent findings in this rapidly advancing field. We discuss exciting new insights into the regulation of X inactive-specific transcript (XIST), the trigger and master regulator of XCI, and into the mechanisms and dynamics that underlie the silencing of nearly all X-linked genes. Finally, given the increasing interest in understanding the impact of chromosome organization on gene regulation, we provide an overview of the factors that are thought to reshape the 3D structure of the inactive X chromosome and of the relevance of such structural changes for XCI establishment and maintenance.
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46
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Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells exist in naïve and primed states that recapitulate the distinct molecular and cellular properties of pre- and post-implantation epiblast cells, respectively. Naïve pluripotent stem cells can be captured directly from blastocysts but, more commonly, the cells are reprogrammed from primed cells in a process called "resetting". Several methods to achieve resetting have been described. Chemical resetting of primed cells to a naïve pluripotent state is one such method and has come to the forefront as a simple, efficient, and transgene-free method to induce naïve pluripotency. The process involves the transient application of a histone deacetylase inhibitor to initiate resetting, followed by the emergence of nascent naïve pluripotent stem cells in supportive conditions, and finally the stabilization and expansion of naïve pluripotent stem cell cultures. Here, a detailed protocol is provided for chemical resetting starting from plating primed cells until a stable culture of naïve pluripotent stem cells is established.
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47
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Mahadik K, Rougeulle C. Study of X Chromosome Activity Status in Human Naive Pluripotent Stem Cells Using RNA-FISH. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2416:239-255. [PMID: 34870840 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1908-7_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
X chromosome activity is a defining attribute of naive pluripotency, with naive pluripotency being a rare context in which both X chromosomes of females are active. RNA-fluorescence in situ hybridization (RNA-FISH) is a powerful tool to determine the transcriptional status of specific genes with allelic and single-cell resolution and has been widely used in the context of X chromosome inactivation, the process ensuring dosage compensation for X-linked genes between sexes in mammals. RNA-FISH using genomic or intronic probes allows the detection of newly synthesized transcripts at the site of transcription. This technique is invaluable for appreciating the putative heterogeneity in the expression profiles within cell populations. RNA-FISH has the added advantage of allowing the visualization of gene transcription in a spatial perspective. Here, we provide a detailed protocol describing the application of RNA-FISH to detect nascent X-linked transcripts in female naive human embryonic stem cells to assess their X chromosome status, along with another complementary technique, DNA-FISH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasturi Mahadik
- Université de Paris, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, CNRS, F-75006, Paris, France
| | - Claire Rougeulle
- Université de Paris, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, CNRS, F-75006, Paris, France.
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48
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Onfray C, Tan JP, Kilens S, Liu X, Polo J, David L. Induction of Human Naïve Pluripotent Stem Cells from Somatic Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2416:39-51. [PMID: 34870829 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1908-7_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Generating patient-specific stem cells representing the onset of development has become possible since the discovery of somatic cell reprogramming into induced pluripotent stem cells. However, human pluripotent stem cells are generally cultured in a primed pluripotent state: they are poised for differentiation and represent a stage of development corresponding to post-implantation epiblast. Here, we describe a protocol to reprogram human fibroblasts into naive pluripotent stem cells by overexpressing the transcription factors OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC using Sendai viruses. The resulting cells represent an earlier stage of development that corresponds to pre-implantation epiblast. We also discuss validation methods for human naive pluripotent stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constance Onfray
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, F-44000 Nantes, France, Nantes, France
| | - Jia Ping Tan
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Stéphanie Kilens
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, F-44000 Nantes, France, Nantes, France
| | - Xiaodong Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Jose Polo
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
| | - Laurent David
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, F-44000 Nantes, France, Nantes, France.
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, SFR Santé, FED 4203, INSERM UMS 016, CNRS UMS 3556, F-44000 Nantes, France, Nantes, France.
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49
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Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Edith Heard
- Director's Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claire Rougeulle
- Department of Epigenetics and Cell Fate, Université de Paris, CNRS, F-75006 Paris, France
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50
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Okamoto I, Nakamura T, Sasaki K, Yabuta Y, Iwatani C, Tsuchiya H, Nakamura SI, Ema M, Yamamoto T, Saitou M. The X chromosome dosage compensation program during the development of cynomolgus monkeys. Science 2021; 374:eabd8887. [PMID: 34793202 DOI: 10.1126/science.abd8887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikuhiro Okamoto
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Tomonori Nakamura
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.,Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Kotaro Sasaki
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Yabuta
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Chizuru Iwatani
- Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta-Tsukinowa-cho, Otsu, Shiga 520-2192, Japan
| | - Hideaki Tsuchiya
- Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta-Tsukinowa-cho, Otsu, Shiga 520-2192, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichiro Nakamura
- Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta-Tsukinowa-cho, Otsu, Shiga 520-2192, Japan
| | - Masatsugu Ema
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.,Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta-Tsukinowa-cho, Otsu, Shiga 520-2192, Japan
| | - Takuya Yamamoto
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.,Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.,AMED-CREST, AMED, 1-7-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan.,Medical-Risk Avoidance Based on iPS Cells Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP), Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Mitinori Saitou
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.,Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
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