RNA-seq analysis on mTECs from Fezf2KO, AireKO and Chd4cKO mice
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ABSTRACT: To gain insights into the difference in transcriptional programs regulated by Fezf2, Aire and Chd4, we performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of mTECs from Fezf2-deficient, Aire-deficient and Chd4-deficient mice.
Project description:To integrate the epigenomic landscapes of chromatin accessibility regulated by Chd4 and Fezf2, we performed the assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) analysis of mTECs from wild type (WT), Chd4 cKO and Fezf2 cKO mTECs.
Project description:Fezf2 is highly and specifically expressed in mTECs in mouse thymus and Fezf2 deficiency (Fezf2 KO) in the thymus leads to autoimmunity. However, it is unclear how Fezf2 contributes to thymic gene expression. We collected WT and Fezf2 KO mTECs by FACS, and performed microarrays to determine genes regulated by Fezf2. mTECs were subjected to RNA extraction (from WT or Fezf2 KO mTECs) and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays.
Project description:Fezf2 is highly and specifically expressed in mTECs in mouse thymus and Fezf2 deficiency (Fezf2 KO) in the thymus leads to autoimmunity. However, it is unclear how Fezf2 contributes to thymic gene expression. We collected WT and Fezf2 KO mTECs by FACS, and performed microarrays to determine genes regulated by Fezf2.
Project description:To investigate the genome-wide binding pattern of Fezf2, we performed ChIP-seq analysis for Fezf2. ChIP-seq of transcription factor in mTECs is difficult because of small number of mTECs or difficulty in gaining ChIP grade antibodies. Then, we generated Fezf2-3Flag knock in mice and performed ChIP-seq analysis by using anti-Flag antibody.
Project description:Aire is an important transcription regulator that mediates a role in central tolerance via promoting the promiscuous expression of tissue-specific antigens in the thymus. Although several mouse models of Aire-deficiency have been described, none has analysed the phenotype induced by a mutation that emulates the common 13bp deletion in human APECED by disrupting the first PHD domain in exon 8. Aire-deficient mice with a corresponding mutation showed some disturbance of the medullary epithelial compartment, but at the phenotypic level their T cell compartment appeared relatively normal in the thymus and periphery. An increase in the number of activated T cells was evident, and autoantibodies against several organs were detected. At the histological level, lymphocytic infiltration of several organs indicated the development of autoimmunity, though symptoms were mild and quality of life for Aire-deficient mice appeared equivalent to wild-type littermates, with the exception of male infertility. Vbeta and CDR3 length analysis suggested that each Aire-deficient mouse developed it own polyclonal autoimmune repertoire. Finally, given the prevalence of candidiasis in APECED patients, we examined the control of infection with Candida albicans in Aire-deficient mice. No increase in disease susceptibility was found for either oral or systematic infection. These observations support the view that additional genetic and/or environmental factors contribute substantially to the overt nature of autoimmunity associated with Aire mutations, even for mutations identical to those found in humans with APECED. Keywords: Gene expression comparison between genotypes In this experiment there are 5 samples altogether which consist of two biological replicates of Aire knock-out mTECs and 3 biological replicates of wild type mTECs.
Project description:Medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) are essential for the establishment of self-tolerance in T cells. Promiscuous gene expression by a subpopulation of mTECs regulated by nuclear protein Aire contributes to the display of self-genomic products to newly generated T cells. Recent reports have highlighted additional self-antigen-displaying mTEC subpopulations; namely, Fezf2-expressing mTECs and a mosaic of self-mimetic mTECs including thymic tuft cells. In addition, a functionally different subset of mTECs produces chemokine CCL21 that attracts developing thymocytes to the medullary region. Here we report that CCL21+ mTECs and Aire+ mTECs non-redundantly cooperate to direct self-tolerance to prevent autoimmune pathology by optimizing the deletion of self-reactive T cells and the generation of regulatory T cells. We also detected a cooperation for self-tolerance between Aire and Fezf2, which unexpectedly regulates thymic tuft cells. Our results indicate an indispensable interplay among functionally diverse mTECs for the establishment of central self-tolerance.
Project description:Medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) are essential for the establishment of self-tolerance in T cells. Promiscuous gene expression by a subpopulation of mTECs regulated by nuclear protein Aire contributes to the display of self-genomic products to newly generated T cells. Recent reports have highlighted additional self-antigen-displaying mTEC subpopulations; namely, Fezf2-expressing mTECs and a mosaic of self-mimetic mTECs including thymic tuft cells. In addition, a functionally different subset of mTECs produces chemokine CCL21 that attracts developing thymocytes to the medullary region. Here we report that CCL21+ mTECs and Aire+ mTECs non-redundantly cooperate to direct self-tolerance to prevent autoimmune pathology by optimizing the deletion of self-reactive T cells and the generation of regulatory T cells. We also detected a cooperation for self-tolerance between Aire and Fezf2, which unexpectedly regulates thymic tuft cells. Our results indicate an indispensable interplay among functionally diverse mTECs for the establishment of central self-tolerance.
Project description:Medullary thymic epithelial cells play essential role for induction of central self-tolerance. This functional capacity is mediated through a phenomenon known as promiscuous gene expression (pGE) of various tissue-restricted antigen (TRA) genes. pGE was previously shown to be mediated by a single factor called the Autoimmune regulator (Aire), which is specically expressed by mTECs. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of deacetylase Sirtuin1, which is also highly expressed by mTECs, on mTEC gene expression profile and compare it with the impact of Aire. We used Affymetrix mouse 1ST arrays to analyze the impact of the Sirt1 gene on the gene expression profile of MHC-II high medullary thymic epithelial cells Mature MHC-II high mTECs were flow-sorted from thymi isolated from B6.Sirt1fl/fl, B6.Sirt1fl/flFoxn1-Cre and B6.Aire–/– 6weeks old mice. Typically, 3 mice were pooled to obtain 30-60 thousand sorted mTECs, which were then analyzed by gene expression profiling. Specifically, total RNA was extracted from ~30,000 pooled sorted cells using Trizol. Purified total RNA was then amplified using the MessageAmp RNA kit (Ambion). Biotinylated cRNA was then hybridized to Affymetrix Mouse Gene 1-ST arrays by the genomics core at the Weizmann Institute