Early transcriptome profiling of microRNA-mediated neuronal reprogramming [RNA-seq timecourse]
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Neuronal microRNAs, miR-9/9* and miR-124 (miR-9/9*-124), exert reprogramming activities to direct cell-fate conversion of adult human fibroblasts to post-mitotic neurons and enable the generation of discrete neuronal subtypes with additional transcription factors. Previously, the molecular events underlying the neurogenic switch mediated by microRNAs during neuronal reprogramming were unknown. Here, we systematically dissected the neurogenic state induced by miR-9/9*-124 alone and reveal the surprising capability of miR-9/9*-124 in coordinately stimulating the reconfiguration of chromatin accessibilities, DNA methylation and transcriptome, leading to the generation of functionally excitable neurons, yet unbiased towards a particular subtype-lineage. We show that the microRNA-induced neuronal state enables additional transcription factors, ISL1 and LHX3, to selectively commit conversion to a highly homogenous population of human spinal cord motor neurons. Taken together, our study reveals a modular synergism between microRNAs and transcription factors that allows lineage-specific neuronal reprogramming, providing a platform for generating distinct subtypes of human neurons.
Project description:Neuronal microRNAs, miR-9/9* and miR-124 (miR-9/9*-124), exert reprogramming activities to direct cell-fate conversion of adult human fibroblasts to post-mitotic neurons and enable the generation of discrete neuronal subtypes with additional transcription factors. Previously, the molecular events underlying the neurogenic switch mediated by microRNAs during neuronal reprogramming were unknown. Here, we systematically dissected the neurogenic state induced by miR-9/9*-124 alone and reveal the surprising capability of miR-9/9*-124 in coordinately stimulating the reconfiguration of chromatin accessibilities, DNA methylation and transcriptome, leading to the generation of functionally excitable neurons, yet unbiased towards a particular subtype-lineage. We show that the microRNA-induced neuronal state enables additional transcription factors, ISL1 and LHX3, to selectively commit conversion to a highly homogenous population of human spinal cord motor neurons. Taken together, our study reveals a modular synergism between microRNAs and transcription factors that allows lineage-specific neuronal reprogramming, providing a platform for generating distinct subtypes of human neurons.
Project description:Neuronal microRNAs, miR-9/9* and miR-124 (miR-9/9*-124), exert reprogramming activities to direct cell-fate conversion of adult human fibroblasts to post-mitotic neurons and enable the generation of discrete neuronal subtypes with additional transcription factors. Previously, the molecular events underlying the neurogenic switch mediated by microRNAs during neuronal reprogramming were unknown. Here, we systematically dissected the neurogenic state induced by miR-9/9*-124 alone and reveal the surprising capability of miR-9/9*-124 in coordinately stimulating the reconfiguration of chromatin accessibilities, DNA methylation and transcriptome, leading to the generation of functionally excitable neurons, yet unbiased towards a particular subtype-lineage. We show that the microRNA-induced neuronal state enables additional transcription factors, ISL1 and LHX3, to selectively commit conversion to a highly homogenous population of human spinal cord motor neurons. Taken together, our study reveals a modular synergism between microRNAs and transcription factors that allows lineage-specific neuronal reprogramming, providing a platform for generating distinct subtypes of human neurons.
Project description:Neuronal microRNAs, miR-9/9* and miR-124 (miR-9/9*-124), exert reprogramming activities to direct cell-fate conversion of adult human fibroblasts to post-mitotic neurons and enable the generation of discrete neuronal subtypes with additional transcription factors. Previously, the molecular events underlying the neurogenic switch mediated by microRNAs during neuronal reprogramming were unknown. Here, we systematically dissected the neurogenic state induced by miR-9/9*-124 alone and reveal the surprising capability of miR-9/9*-124 in coordinately stimulating the reconfiguration of chromatin accessibilities, DNA methylation and transcriptome, leading to the generation of functionally excitable neurons, yet unbiased towards a particular subtype-lineage. We show that the microRNA-induced neuronal state enables additional transcription factors, ISL1 and LHX3, to selectively commit conversion to a highly homogenous population of human spinal cord motor neurons. Taken together, our study reveals a modular synergism between microRNAs and transcription factors that allows lineage-specific neuronal reprogramming, providing a platform for generating distinct subtypes of human neurons.
Project description:Neuronal microRNAs, miR-9/9* and miR-124 (miR-9/9*-124), exert reprogramming activities to direct cell-fate conversion of adult human fibroblasts to post-mitotic neurons and enable the generation of discrete neuronal subtypes with additional transcription factors. Previously, the molecular events underlying the neurogenic switch mediated by microRNAs during neuronal reprogramming were unknown. Here, we systematically dissected the neurogenic state induced by miR-9/9*-124 alone and reveal the surprising capability of miR-9/9*-124 in coordinately stimulating the reconfiguration of chromatin accessibilities, DNA methylation and transcriptome, leading to the generation of functionally excitable neurons, yet unbiased towards a particular subtype-lineage. We show that the microRNA-induced neuronal state enables additional transcription factors, ISL1 and LHX3, to selectively commit conversion to a highly homogenous population of human spinal cord motor neurons. Taken together, our study reveals a modular synergism between microRNAs and transcription factors that allows lineage-specific neuronal reprogramming, providing a platform for generating distinct subtypes of human neurons.
Project description:Neuronal microRNAs miR-9/9* and miR-124 (miR-9/9*-124) direct cell-fate conversion of adult human fibroblasts to post-mitotic neurons and work in concert with additional transcription factors to enable the generation of discrete neuronal subtypes. Previously, the molecular events underlying the neurogenic switch mediated by microRNAs during neuronal reprogramming were unknown. Here, we systematically dissected the neurogenic state induced by miR-9/9*-124 alone. We found that miR-9/9*-124 surprisingly stimulate reconfiguration of chromatin accessibility, DNA methylation and mRNA levels, leading to the generation of functionally excitable neurons that are not yet biased towards a particular subtype-lineage. Further subtype identity can be programmed through additional transcription factors. As such, we show ISL1 and LHX3 selectively commit conversion to a highly homogenous population of human spinal cord motor neurons. Taken together, our study reveals a modular synergism between microRNAs and transcription factors that allows lineage-specific neuronal reprogramming, providing a platform for generating distinct subtypes of human neurons.
Project description:Neurogenic microRNAs 9/9* and 124 (miR-9/9*-124) drive the direct reprogramming of human fibroblasts into neurons with the initiation of the fate erasure of fibroblasts. However, whether the miR-9/9*-124 fate erasure logic extends to neuronal conversion of other somatic cell types remains unknown. Here, we uncover that miR-9/9*-124 induce neuronal conversion of multiple cell types: dura fibroblasts, astrocytes, smooth muscle cells, and pericytes. We reveal the cell type-specific and pan-somatic gene network erasure induced by miR-9/9*-124, including cell cycle, morphology, and proteostasis gene networks. Leveraging these pan-somatic gene networks, we predict upstream regulators that may antagonize somatic fate erasure. Among the predicted regulators, we identify TP53 (p53) whose inhibition is sufficient to enhance neuronal conversion even in post-mitotic cells. This study extends miR-9/9*-124 reprogramming to alternate somatic cells, reveals the pan-somatic gene network fate erasure logic of miR-9/9*-124, and shows a neurogenic role for p53-inhibition in the miR-9/9*-124-signaling cascade.
Project description:Neurogenic microRNAs 9/9* and 124 (miR-9/9*-124) drive the direct reprogramming of human fibroblasts into neurons with the initiation of the fate erasure of fibroblasts. However, whether the miR-9/9*-124 fate erasure logic extends to neuronal conversion of other somatic cell types remains unknown. Here, we uncover that miR-9/9*-124 induce neuronal conversion of multiple cell types: dura fibroblasts, astrocytes, smooth muscle cells, and pericytes. We reveal the cell type-specific and pan-somatic gene network erasure induced by miR-9/9*-124, including cell cycle, morphology, and proteostasis gene networks. Leveraging these pan-somatic gene networks, we predict upstream regulators that may antagonize somatic fate erasure. Among the predicted regulators, we identify TP53 (p53) whose inhibition is sufficient to enhance neuronal conversion even in post-mitotic cells. This study extends miR-9/9*-124 reprogramming to alternate somatic cells, reveals the pan-somatic gene network fate erasure logic of miR-9/9*-124, and shows a neurogenic role for p53-inhibition in the miR-9/9*-124-signaling cascade.
Project description:Neurogenic microRNAs 9/9* and 124 (miR-9/9*-124) drive the direct reprogramming of human fibroblasts into neurons with the initiation of the fate erasure of fibroblasts. However, whether the miR-9/9*-124 fate erasure logic extends to neuronal conversion of other somatic cell types remains unknown. Here, we uncover that miR-9/9*-124 induce neuronal conversion of multiple cell types: dura fibroblasts, astrocytes, smooth muscle cells, and pericytes. We reveal the cell type-specific and pan-somatic gene network erasure induced by miR-9/9*-124, including cell cycle, morphology, and proteostasis gene networks. Leveraging these pan-somatic gene networks, we predict upstream regulators that may antagonize somatic fate erasure. Among the predicted regulators, we identify TP53 (p53) whose inhibition is sufficient to enhance neuronal conversion even in post-mitotic cells. This study extends miR-9/9*-124 reprogramming to alternate somatic cells, reveals the pan-somatic gene network fate erasure logic of miR-9/9*-124, and shows a neurogenic role for p53-inhibition in the miR-9/9*-124-signaling cascade.
Project description:Neurogenic microRNAs 9/9* and 124 (miR-9/9*-124) drive the direct reprogramming of human fibroblasts into neurons with the initiation of the fate erasure of fibroblasts. However, whether the miR-9/9*-124 fate erasure logic extends to neuronal conversion of other somatic cell types remains unknown. Here, we uncover that miR-9/9*-124 induce neuronal conversion of multiple cell types: dura fibroblasts, astrocytes, smooth muscle cells, and pericytes. We reveal the cell type-specific and pan-somatic gene network erasure induced by miR-9/9*-124, including cell cycle, morphology, and proteostasis gene networks. Leveraging these pan-somatic gene networks, we predict upstream regulators that may antagonize somatic fate erasure. Among the predicted regulators, we identify TP53 (p53) whose inhibition is sufficient to enhance neuronal conversion even in post-mitotic cells. This study extends miR-9/9*-124 reprogramming to alternate somatic cells, reveals the pan-somatic gene network fate erasure logic of miR-9/9*-124, and shows a neurogenic role for p53-inhibition in the miR-9/9*-124-signaling cascade.
Project description:Neuron-enriched microRNAs (miRNAs), miR-9/9* and miR-124 (miR-9/9*-124), direct cell fate switching of human fibroblasts to neurons when ectopically expressed by repressing anti-neurogenic genes. How these miRNAs function after the onset of the transcriptome switch to a neuronal fate remains unclear. Here, we identified direct targets of miRNAs by Argonaute (AGO) HITS-CLIP as reprogramming cells activate the neuronal program and reveal the role of miR-124 that directly promotes the expression of its target genes associated with neuronal development and function.