Project description:We report the application of bulk RNAseq assay in examining the dietary effect on mouse intestinal stem cell (ISC) subpopulation. Lgr5EGFPcreERT2 mice were fed with new western diet 1 (NWD1) or the control AIN76A diet for 3 or 12 months, to investigate differential dietary effect. To examine the reversibility of dietary effect, after 3 months of NWD1 feeding, the mice were switched to AIN feeding, and examined at 6 or 12 months old.
Project description:Perturbed intestinal epithelial homeostasis demonstrated as decreased Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells (Lgr5 ISCs) and increased secretory lineages were observed in our study where Lkb1 was specfically deleted in Lgr5 ISCs using Lgr5-EGFP-creERT2 (Tamoxifen) deletor. To gain mechanistic insight how Lkb1 maintains intestinal epithelial stem cell homeostasis, Lkb1 deficient ISCs (Lgr5-high cells) and progenitors (Lgr5-low cells) are isolated by flow cytometry and profiled by RNA sequencing to compare with controls (Lkb1 wild type ISCs and progenitors).
Project description:H3K79me2 ChIP-seq in mouse proximal intestinal Lgr5(hi) stem cells and villus cells Examination of H3K79me2 modifications between Lgr5(hi) stem cells and differentiated villus cells
Project description:Lgr5+ crypt base columnar cells, the operational intestinal stem cells (ISCs), are thought to be dispensable for small intestinal (SI) homeostasis. Using a novel Lgr5-2A-DTR (Diphtheria Toxin Receptor) model which ablates Lgr5+ cells with near-complete efficiency and retains endogenous levels of Lgr5 expression, we show that persistent depletion of Lgr5+ ISCs in fact compromises SI epithelial integrity and reduces epithelial turnover in vivo. In vitro, Lgr5-2A-DTR SI organoids are unable to establish or survive when Lgr5+ ISCs are continuously eliminated when DT is in the media. However, transient exposure to DT at the start of culture allows organoids to form, and the rate of outgrowth reduces with increasing length of DT presence. Our results indicate that intestinal homeostasis requires a constant pool of Lgr5+ ISCs, which is supplied by rapidly reprogrammed non-Lgr5+ crypt populations when pre-existing Lgr5+ ISCs are ablated.
Project description:We previously identified Dclk1, a tuft cell marker, marks tumor stem cells (TSCs) in mouse intestinal tumors. In this study, we have identified IL17RB as a cell surface marker distinctively expressed by Dclk1+ tuft-like tumor cells in mouse intestinal tumors. Using this tuft cell marker, we compared and analyzed the transcriptome of Lgr5-tuft marker-, Lgr5+tuft marker-, Lgr5-tuft marker+, and Lgr5+tuft marker+ tumor cells. These analyses revealed that tuft-like tumor cells in the intestinal tumors comprise two distinct subsets: highly differentiated tuft-like tumor cells (Lgr5-tuft marker+ cells) and tuft-like tumor cells with TCS potential (Lgr5+tuft marker+ cells).
Project description:The intestinal epithelium is continuously regenerated by highly proliferative Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells (ISCs). The existence of a population of quiescent ISCs has been suggested yet its identity and features remain controversial. Here we describe that the expression of the RNA-binding protein Mex3a labels a subpopulation of Lgr5+ cells that divide less frequently and contribute to regenerate all intestinal lineages with slow kinetics. Single cell transcriptomic analysis revealed two classes of Lgr5-high cells, one of them defined by the Mex3a-expression program and by low levels of proliferation genes. Lineage tracing experiments show that large fraction of Mex3a+ cell population is continuously recalled into the rapidly dividing self-renewing ISC pool in homeostatic conditions. Chemotherapy and radiation target preferentially rapidly dividing Lgr5+ cells but spare the Mex3a-high/Lgr5+ population, which helps sustain the renewal of the intestinal epithelium during treatment.
Project description:Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) residing in the crypts are critical for the continual self-renewal and rapid recovery of intestinal epithelium. The regulatory mechanism of ISCs is not fully understood. Here we report that CREPT, a recently identified tumor-promoting gene, is preferably expressed in the crypts, where the ISCs reside, but not in the villi. The Lgr5+ ISCs have much higher CREPT protein level than Lgr5- cells. To explore the function of CREPT in ISCs, we isolated WT and CREPT deleted Lgr5+ ISCs (Lgr5-CREPTKO) to perform Next generation sequencing.
