Maintaining cell fate relies on robust mechanisms that prevent the differentiation of specified cells into other cell types. This is especially critical during embryogenesis, when extensive cell proliferation, patterning and migration events take place. Here we show that vertebrate primordial germ cells (PGCs) are protected from reprogramming into other cell types by the RNA-binding protein Dead end (Dnd). PGCs knocked down for Dnd lose their characteristic morphology and adopt that of various somatic cell types. Concomitantly, they gain a gene expression profile reflecting differentiation into cells of different germ layers, in a process that we could direct by expression of specific cell-fate determinants. Importantly, we visualized these events within live zebrafish embryos, which provide temporal information regarding cell reprogramming. Our results shed light on the mechanisms controlling germ cell fate maintenance and are relevant for the formation of teratoma, a tumor class composed of cells from more than one germ layer. Overall design: Transcriptome profiling of 13hpf sorted germ cells of zebrafish embryos injected with either control or dead end Morpholino
The Vertebrate Protein Dead End Maintains Primordial Germ Cell Fate by Inhibiting Somatic Differentiation.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesComparison of normal neuroblasts with malignant neuroblastomas (low- and high-stage)
Human fetal neuroblast and neuroblastoma transcriptome analysis confirms neuroblast origin and highlights neuroblastoma candidate genes.
Sex, Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage, Subject
View SamplesLong intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) are emerging as integral components of signaling pathways in various cancer types. In neuroblastoma, only a handful of lincRNAs are known as upstream regulators or downstream effectors of oncogenes. Here, we exploit RNA sequencing data of primary neuroblastoma tumors, neuroblast precursor cells, neuroblastoma cell lines and various cellular perturbation model systems to define the neuroblastoma lincRNome and map lincRNAs up- and downstream of neuroblastoma driver genes MYCN, ALK and PHOX2B. Each of these driver genes controls the expression of a particular subset of lincRNAs, several of which are associated with poor survival and are differentially expressed in neuroblastoma tumors compared to neuroblasts. By integrating RNA sequencing data from both primary tumor tissue and cancer cell lines, we demonstrate that several of these lincRNAs are expressed in stromal cells. Deconvolution of primary tumor gene expression data revealed a strong association between stromal cell composition and driver gene status, resulting in differential expression of these lincRNAs. We also explored lincRNAs that putatively act upstream of neuroblastoma driver genes, either as presumed modulators of driver gene activity, or as modulators of effectors regulating driver gene expression. This analysis revealed strong associations between the neuroblastoma lincRNAs MIAT and MEG3 and MYCN and PHOX2B activity or expression. Together, our results provide a comprehensive catalogue of the neuroblastoma lincRNome, highlighting lincRNAs up- and downstream of key neuroblastoma driver genes. This catalogue forms a solid basis for further functional validation of candidate neuroblastoma lincRNAs. Overall design: CLB-GA was transduced with control or inducible shPHOX2B. The cells were treated with doxycycline for 5 days.
Integrative analysis identifies lincRNAs up- and downstream of neuroblastoma driver genes.
Cell line, Treatment, Subject
View Samples