Loss of FOXC1 contributes to the corneal epithelial fate switch and pathogenesis
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ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE155773 | GEO | 2021/07/22
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:PURPOSE. Limbal stem/progenitor cells (LSC) continuously proliferate and differentiate to replenish the corneal epithelium and play a vital role in corneal function and normal vision. Previous study revealed that Paired box 6 (PAX6) is a master transcription factor involved in determining the fate of corneal epithelial cells (CEC). However, the molecular events downstream of PAX6 remain largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to clarify the regulation network of PAX6 in driving CEC differentiation. METHODS. An air-liquid culture system was used to differentiate LSC into mature CEC. Specific targeting PAX6 short-hairpin shRNAs were used to knock down PAX6 in LSC. RNA-seq was used to analyze shPAX6-transfected CEC and CEC differentiation-associated genes to identify the potential downstream targets of PAX6. RNA-seq analysis, quantitative real-time PCR, and immunofluorescence staining were performed to clarify the function of WNK lysine deficient protein kinase 2 (WNK2), a downstream target of PAX6, and its relationship with corneal diseases. RESULTS. WNK2 expression increased during CEC differentiation and decreased upon PAX6 depletion. The distribution of WNK2 was specifically limited to the central corneal epithelium and suprabasal layer of the limbus. Knockdown of WNK2 impaired the expression of CEC-specific markers (KRT12, ALDH3A1, and CLU), disrupted the corneal differentiation process, and activated the terms of keratinization, inflammation, and cell proliferation, consistent with PAX6-depleted CEC and published microbial keratitis. Thus, aberrant expression of WNK2 was linked to corneal ulcers. CONCLUSIONS. As a downstream target of PAX6, WNK2 plays an essential role in corneal epithelial cell differentiation and maintenance of corneal homeostasis.
2024-10-30 | GSE272034 | GEO
Project description:Integrity of the cornea, the most anterior part of the eye is indispensable for vision. 45 million individuals are bilaterally blind and another 135 millions have severely impaired vision in both eyes because of loss of corneal transparency; treatments range from local medications to corneal transplants and more recently to stem cell therapy. The corneal epithelium is a squamous epithelium that is constantly renewing with a vertical turnover of seven to fourteen days in many mammals3. Identification of slow cycling cells (label-retaining cells or LRCs) in the limbus of the mouse has led to the notion that the limbus is the niche for the stem cells responsible for the long-term renewal of the cornea4; hence, the corneal epithelium is supposedly renewed by cells generated at and migrating from the limbus, in striking opposition to other squamous epithelia in which each resident stem cell has in charge a limited area of epithelium. Here, we show that the corneal epithelium of the mouse can be serially transplanted, is self-maintained and contains oligopotent stem cells with the capacity to generate goblet cells if provided with a conjunctival environment. In addition, the entire ocular surface of the pig, including the cornea, contains oligopotent stem cells (holoclones) with the capacity to generate individual colonies of corneal and conjunctival cells; hence, the limbus is not the only niche for corneal stem cells and corneal renewal is not different from other squamous epithelia. Experiment Overall Design: Expression profile difference between keratinocyte clones from conjunctiva and cornea (3 individual clones in each group)
2008-10-25 | E-GEOD-12604 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Corneal epithelial stem cells reside in the limbus that is the transitional zone between the cornea and conjunctiva, and are essential to maintain the homeostasis of corneal epithelium. However, their characterization is poorly understood. Therefore, we constructed gene expression profiles of limbal epithelial SP and non-SP cell using RNA-sequencing. As a result, limbal epithelial SP cells have immature cell phenotypes with endothelial/mesenchymal cell markers, while limbal epithelial non-SP cells have epithelial progenitor cell markers.
2016-04-18 | GSE79620 | GEO
Project description:Integrity of the cornea, the most anterior part of the eye is indispensable for vision. 45 million individuals are bilaterally blind and another 135 millions have severely impaired vision in both eyes because of loss of corneal transparency; treatments range from local medications to corneal transplants and more recently to stem cell therapy. The corneal epithelium is a squamous epithelium that is constantly renewing with a vertical turnover of seven to fourteen days in many mammals3. Identification of slow cycling cells (label-retaining cells or LRCs) in the limbus of the mouse has led to the notion that the limbus is the niche for the stem cells responsible for the long-term renewal of the cornea4; hence, the corneal epithelium is supposedly renewed by cells generated at and migrating from the limbus, in striking opposition to other squamous epithelia in which each resident stem cell has in charge a limited area of epithelium. Here, we show that the corneal epithelium of the mouse can be serially transplanted, is self-maintained and contains oligopotent stem cells with the capacity to generate goblet cells if provided with a conjunctival environment. In addition, the entire ocular surface of the pig, including the cornea, contains oligopotent stem cells (holoclones) with the capacity to generate individual colonies of corneal and conjunctival cells; hence, the limbus is not the only niche for corneal stem cells and corneal renewal is not different from other squamous epithelia. Keywords: Cell type comparison
2008-08-29 | GSE12604 | GEO
Project description:We report downstream gene expression changes in stem cells of the adult mouse hair follicle upon conditional ablating of the transcription factor Forkhead Box C1 transcription factor (FOXC1). Hair follicles undergo cycles of rest (telogen; Tel) and regeneration (anagen; Ana). As such, we performed our analysis on these two different stages of hair follicles. mRNA-sequencing of WT vs. Foxc1-conditional or inducible KO (Foxc1-cKO or iKO) hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) purified from mouse dorsal back skin by flow-activated cell sorting (FACS).
2016-02-16 | E-GEOD-77256 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:The corneal epithelium is a stratified squamous epithelium that protects the eye from mechanical and toxic stress. In this system, cells are continually being sloughed off from the surface of the eye, and replenished by proliferation from corneal stem cells in the limbus, which migrate in and differentiate. During tissue development and homeostasis, distal regulatory regions called enhancers, which contain binding sites for numerous transcription factors, help to control and coordinate gene expression in a temporal and spatial specific manner. To identify enhancers in cornea epithelia, we performed ChIP-Seq with antibodies to the histone marks H3K4me3, H3K4me1, and H3K27ac in primary human corneal epithelial cells. Active enhancers were defined as having high levels of H3K4me1 and H3K27ac, and low levels of H3K4me3: 12,900 such regions were identified in the corneal epithelial cells. In combination with primary cell histone modification ChIP-Seq data from BROAD, 2946 active enhancer regions were identified that are unique to the corneal epithelial cells: 1551 of theses 2946 also overlie regions of high evolutionary constraint. Motif enrichment analysis of these regions has revealed binding sites for a number of transcription factors, highlighting their roles as key regulators of corneal epithelial development.
2017-06-01 | GSE43499 | GEO
Project description:The rapid and effective regeneration of corneal epithelial cells depends on limbal stem cells (LSCs). The LSCs of mouse can be subdivided into quiescent LSCs (located on the outer limbus, qLSCs) and active LSCs (located on the inner limbus, aLSCs). Here, we used single-cell RNA sequencing to decipher the transcriptional changes in qLSCs and aLSCs and their niche regulations during the corneal wound healing, and reconstructed the pseudotime trajectory and differentiation of LSCs. Our comparative study identified a transcription factor Creb5, expressed in LSCs, that was significantly upregulated after corneal epithelial injury, and the loss-of-function experiments revealed that silencing Creb5 delayed the corneal epithelial healing. Besides, we predicted a significant increase in the number of ligand-receptor pairs for intercellular communications during corneal epithelial wound healing, especially between immune cells and LSCs, implying the participation of various niche cells in limbal stem cell kinetics during corneal epithelial regeneration. Overall, our research reveals numerous findings on the behavior and functionality of LSCs during corneal wound healing, providing reference for the discovery of mechanisms and potential clinical interventions of ocular surface reconstruction.
2024-07-10 | GSE247392 | GEO
Project description:PAX6-related Aniridia is a sight-threatening disease due to progression of secondary glaucoma and aniridia associated keratopathy (AAK). Changes or loss of limbal epithelial progenitors causes the epithelial surfaces defects. We analyzed how PAX6 contribute to this with a two-step approach. 1) mRNA Sequencing of limbal epithelial cells isolated from controls and aniridia patients. 2) confirming the bioinformatical and literature-based result list on a siRNA based primary aniridia cell model (PAX6- knockdown). With this approach genes which are directly influenced by PAX6 should be distinguishable from genes secondary affected by AAK disease state. Therefore epithelial cells were isolated from the limbus region of two patients with aniridia and cultured in KSFM medium. Normal cells were obtained from limbus region of cadaveric control patients. For the siRNA based anridia cell model cells were transfected with lipofectamine and 5 nM siRNA against PAX6 or scrambled control. All cells were lysed to obtain DNA, RNA and protein. Reduction of PAX6 protein was controlled by Western Blot. Aniridia and Control Poly-A enriched RNA-librarys were subjected to Next Generation Sequencing. The differential analysis was a combination of quantification with RSEM and differential tests with edgeR. Gene lists were filtered by comparing to NCBI GEO Datasets, annotation with DAVID and manually annotation using literature search. For the resulting filtered gene list qPCR primer were ordered and postulated changes were verified with qPCR on siRNA based aniridia- cell model (Namely: TP63, ABCG2, ADH7, ALDH1A1, PITX1, DKK1, DSG1, K12, K3, K13, SPINK6, SPINK7, CTSV, SPERPINB1). We could identify genes which might be regulated by PAX6. We could show that SPINK7 mRNA coding for a protease inhibitor is downregulated in patients as well as in our primary aniridia cell model. ALDH1A1 and AHD7 mRNAs were reduced in limbal epithelial cells of aniridia patients (AN-LEC). Both transcripts were downregulated upon PAX6 knockdown in our cell model.Our siRNA-based aniridia cell model is a tool to proof identified PAX6 affected genes which might drive AAK pathogenesis. We could demonstrate, that this is the fact for transcripts coding for retinol converting enzymes. This provides evidence that PAX6 might drive corneal epithelial differentiation process by direct or indirect controlling retinoic acid signaling processes.
2018-10-24 | GSE113008 | GEO
Project description:PAX6, a paired box transcription factor, is necessary for eye development. However, how it regulates thecell identity of human corneal epithelial cells (CECs) is not well understood. We aimed to clarify thefunction of PAX6 in human CECs using gene knockout via the clustered regularly interspaced shortpalindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR associated protein 9 (Cas9) system. We designed guide RNAsfor different targets in PAX6. PAX6-depleted CECs maintained the epithelial morphology, but becamelarger. Global analyses using microarray revealed that down-regulated genes were primarily CEC-specificand included keratin 12, keratin 3, clusterin (CLU), aldehyde dehydrogenase 3 family member A1(ALDH3A1), angiopoietin-like 7 (ANGPTL7) and transketolase (TKT), while up-regulated genes wereprimarily epidermis-related and included keratin 10, keratin 1, involucrin (IVL), filaggrin (FLG). Thesefindings suggest that PAX6 maintains CEC identity by regulating differentiation.
2022-07-27 | GSE198924 | GEO
Project description:Loss of FOXC1 contributes to the corneal epithelial fate switch and pathogenesis
| PRJNA655547 | ENA