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Deng L, Pollmeier L, Bednarz R, Cao C, Laurette P, Wirth L, Mamazhakypov A, Bode C, Hein L, Gilsbach R, Lother A. Atlas of cardiac endothelial cell enhancer elements linking the mineralocorticoid receptor to pathological gene expression. Sci Adv 2024; 10:eadj5101. [PMID: 38446896 PMCID: PMC10917356 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj5101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Endothelial cells play crucial roles in physiology and are increasingly recognized as therapeutic targets in cardiovascular disease. Here, we analyzed the regulatory landscape of cardiac endothelial cells by assessing chromatin accessibility, histone modifications, and 3D chromatin organization and confirmed the functional relevance of enhancer-promoter interactions by CRISPRi-mediated enhancer silencing. We used this dataset to explore mechanisms of transcriptional regulation in cardiovascular disease and compared six different experimental models of heart failure, hypertension, or diabetes. Enhancers that regulate gene expression in diseased endothelial cells were enriched with binding sites for a distinct set of transcription factors, including the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), a known drug target in heart failure and hypertension. For proof of concept, we applied endothelial cell-specific MR deletion in mice to confirm MR-dependent gene expression and predicted direct MR target genes. Overall, we have compiled here a comprehensive atlas of cardiac endothelial cell enhancer elements that provides insight into the role of transcription factors in cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Deng
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), Cardiovascular Research Track, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Luisa Pollmeier
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Rebecca Bednarz
- Institute of Experimental Cardiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- DZHK (German Center of Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Can Cao
- Institute of Experimental Cardiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- DZHK (German Center of Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patrick Laurette
- Institute of Experimental Cardiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- DZHK (German Center of Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Luisa Wirth
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Argen Mamazhakypov
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christine Bode
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lutz Hein
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- BIOSS Centre for Biological Signaling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Gilsbach
- Institute of Experimental Cardiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- DZHK (German Center of Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Achim Lother
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Medical Intensive Care, Medical Center–University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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