The cancer-risk associated rs6983267 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and the accompanying long non-coding RNA CCAT2 in the highly amplified 8q24.21 region has been implicated in cancer predisposition, though causality has not been established. Here, using allele-specific CCAT2 transgenic mice, we demonstrate that CCAT2 overexpression leads to spontaneous myeloid malignancies. CCAT2 is overexpressed in bone marrow and peripheral blood of myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms (MDS/MPN) patients. CCAT2 induces global deregulation of gene expression by downregulating EZH2 in vitro and in vivo in an allele-specific manner. We also identified a novel disease-specific RNA mutation (named DNA-to-RNA allelic imbalance, DRAI) at the SNP locus in MDS/MPN patients and CCAT2-transgenic mice. The RNA transcribed from the SNP locus in malignant hematopoietic cells have different allelic composition from the corresponding genomic DNA, a phenomenon rarely observed in normal cells. Our findings provide fundamental insights into the functional role of rs6983267 SNP and CCAT2 in myeloid malignancies.
Cancer-associated rs6983267 SNP and its accompanying long noncoding RNA <i>CCAT2</i> induce myeloid malignancies via unique SNP-specific RNA mutations.
Specimen part
View SamplesHuman and mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are derived from blastocyst stage embryos but have very different biological properties, and molecular analyses suggest that the pluripotent state of human ESCs isolated so far corresponds to that of mouse derived epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs). Here we rewire the identity of conventional human ESCs into a more immature state that extensively shares defining features with pluripotent mouse ESCs. This was achieved by exogenous induction of Oct4, Klf4 and Klf2 factors combined with LIF and inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK) pathway. Forskolin, a protein kinase A pathway agonist that induces Klf4 and Klf2 expression, can transiently substitute for the requirement for ectopib transgene expression. In contrast to conventional human ESCs, these epigenetically converted cells have growth properties, an X chromosome activation state (XaXa), a gene expression profile, and signaling pathway dependence that are highly similar to that of mouse ESCs. Finally, the same growth conditions allow the derivation of human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells with similar properties as mouse iPS cells. The generation of nave human ESCs will allow the molecular dissection of a previously undefined pluripotent state in humans, and may open up new opportunities for patient-specific, disease-relevant research.
Human embryonic stem cells with biological and epigenetic characteristics similar to those of mouse ESCs.
Specimen part
View SamplesMicroglia-like cells and neural cells were generated from several hES and hIPS lines. As subset was characterized by RNA seq and compared to expression profiles of published primary and induced samples. ABSTRACT: Microglia, the only lifelong resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), are highly specialized macrophages which have been recognized to play a crucial role in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD). However, in contrast to other cell types of the human CNS, bona fide microglia have not yet been derived from cultured human pluripotent stem cells. Here we establish a robust and efficient protocol for the rapid production of microglia-like cells from human embryonic stem (ES) and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells that uses defined serum-free culture conditions. These in vitro pluripotent stem cell-derived microglia-like cells (termed pMGLs) faithfully recapitulate the expected ontogeny and characteristics of their in vivo counterparts and resemble primary fetal human and mouse microglia. We generated these cells from multiple disease-specific cell lines, and find that pMGLs derived from MeCP2 mutant hES cells are smaller than their isogenic controls. We further describe a culture platform to study integration and live behavior of pMGLs in organotypic 3D-cultures. This modular differentiation system allows the study of microglia in highly defined conditions, as they mature in response to developmentally relevant cues, and provides a framework to study the long-term interaction of microglia residing in a tissue-like environment. Overall design: Individual donors/genetic backgrounds. Dataset inlcudes 4 differentiated neural progenitor biological replicates (NPC1-4), 2 primary fetal microglia samples as reference, 5 induced microglia samples grown in basal medium (pMGL1-5), 3 induced microglia samples grown in neural conditioned medium (pMGL1-3+NCM)
Efficient derivation of microglia-like cells from human pluripotent stem cells.
Subject
View SamplesFragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common genetic form of intellectual disability in male, is caused by silencing of the FMR1 gene by hypermethylation of the CGG expansion mutation in the 5'UTR region of FMR1 in FXS patients. Here, we applied recently developed DNA methylation editing tools to reverse this hypermethylation event. Targeted demethylation of the CGG expansion by dCas9-Tet1/sgRNA switched the heterochromatin status of the upstream FMR1 promoter to an active chromatin state restoring a persistent expression of FMR1 in FXS iPSCs. Neurons derived from methylation edited FXS iPSCs rescued the electrophysiological abnormalities and restored a wild-type phenotype upon the mutant neurons. FMR1 expression in edited neurons was maintained in vivo after engrafting into the mouse brain. Finally, demethylation of the CGG repeats in post-mitotic FXS neurons also reactivated FMR1. Our data establish demethylation of the CGG expansion is sufficient for FMR1 reactivation, suggesting potential therapeutic strategies for FXS. Overall design: RNA-seq of FXS iPSC and neurons derived from FXS iPSC infected with lentiviruses expressing dCas9-Tet1-P2A-tBFP (dC-T) and a mCherry-expressing sgRNA targeting CGG repeats.
Rescue of Fragile X Syndrome Neurons by DNA Methylation Editing of the FMR1 Gene.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesRNA-seq of bone marrow CD34+ cells of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) patients to identify at the molecular pathways involved in primary resistance to AZA therapy. Overall design: RNA-seq of bone marrow CD34+ cells of MDS and CMML patients at pre-treatment and after 6 cycles of AZA treatment to identify at the molecular pathways involved in resistance to AZA therapy.
Integrative Genomics Identifies the Molecular Basis of Resistance to Azacitidine Therapy in Myelodysplastic Syndromes.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesInnate immune responses must be regulated in the intestine to prevent excessive inflammation. Here, using gene reporter mice, we show that a subset of mouse colonic macrophages constitutively produced the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. In mice infected with Citrobacter rodentium, which is considered similar to enteropathogenic Escherichia coli infection in humans, macrophage IL-10 was required to prevent intestinal pathology and to promote survival. The synthesis of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-23 was significantly increased in infected mice with a myeloid cell specific deletion of IL-10 and the addition of IL-10 reduced in vitro IL-23 production by intestinal macrophages. Furthermore, blockade of IL-23 led to reduced morbidity and mortality in the context of macrophage IL-10 deficiency. Transcriptome analysis indicated that the reporter positive and negative colonic macrophage subsets were highly similar, but the reporter positive cells differed for the expression of CD163, an IL-10 target gene, suggesting an autocrine IL-10 signal, and when obtained from infected mice, they had reduced IL-23p19 mRNA. Interestingly, only transfer of the reporter positive cells could rescue IL-10 deficient infected mice. Therefore, these data indicate a pivotal role for a subset of intestinal macrophages that constitutively produces IL-10, perhaps acting in part in autocrine fashion, in controlling excessive innate immune activation, regulation of IL-23 production, and prevention of tissue damage after an acute bacterial infection in the intestine.
IL-10-producing intestinal macrophages prevent excessive antibacterial innate immunity by limiting IL-23 synthesis.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesZFHX4 and CHD4 suppression independently shift tumor initiating cells out of a stem like state and toward a differentiated morphology.
ZFHX4 interacts with the NuRD core member CHD4 and regulates the glioblastoma tumor-initiating cell state.
Cell line
View SamplesPatients relapsing with FLT3-ITD mutant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) have a one-year-survival below 20%. We observed that sorafenib increased IL-15 production by FLT3-ITD+-leukemia cells, which synergized with the allogeneic CD8+T-cell response, leading to long-term survival in murine and humanized FLT3-ITD+AML models. Using IL-15 deficiency in recipient tissues or leukemia cells, IL-15 production upon sorafenib-treatment could be attributed to leukemia cells. Sorafenib treatment-related IL-15 production caused an increase in CD8+CD107a+IFN-+ T-cells with features of longevity (Bcl-2high/reduced PD-1-levels), which eradicated leukemia in secondary recipients. Mechanistically, sorafenib reduced ATF4 expression, thereby blocking negative regulation of IRF7-activation, which enhances IL-15 transcription. Consistent with the mouse data, IL-15 and pIRF7 levels increased in leukemic blasts of FLT3-ITD+AML patients upon sorafenib treatment. Analysis of 130 patients with FLT3-ITD-mutant AML relapsing after allo-HCT showed the highest complete remission-rate and median overall-survival-rate in the sorafenib/donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) group compared to all other groups (chemotherapy, chemotherapy/DLI, sorafenib alone). Our findings indicate that the synergism of DLI and sorafenib is mediated via reduced ATF4 expression, causing activation of the pIRF7/IL-15-axis in leukemia cells. The sorafenib/DLI strategy therefore has the potential for an immune-mediated cure of FLT3-ITD-mutant AML- relapse, an otherwise fatal complication after allo-HCT.
Sorafenib promotes graft-versus-leukemia activity in mice and humans through IL-15 production in FLT3-ITD-mutant leukemia cells.
Specimen part, Treatment, Time
View Samples