BMPER: a novel adipose progenitor marker and adipogenic modulator
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ABSTRACT: We used single cell sequencing to identify sex and diet-specific differences in visceral adipose progenitor cells (APCs) and to discover new APC markers and adipogenic modulators. We identified the major clusters that were previously identified by other studies both in humans and mice with the notable difference being in the mesothelial cluster, which was more abundant in humans than mice. We found that diet/obesity resulted in minor differences in the proportions of major clusters in humans but increased immune cells in male mice with high fat feeding. Most importantly, we identified BMPER as a novel marker of APCs both in humans and mice and revealed its pro-adipogenic property.
Project description:Background: BMPER, an orthologue of Drosophila melanogaster crossveinless-2, is a secreted factor that regulates BMP activity in endothelial cell precursors and during early cardiomyocyte differentiation. Although previously described in the heart, the role of Bmper in cardiac development and function remained unknown. Methods: BMPER deficient hearts were phenotyped histologically and functionally using echocardiography and Doppler analysis. Since BMPER -/- mice die perinatally, BMPER +/- mice were then challenged to pressure overload induced cardiac hypertrophy and hind limb ischemia to determine changes in angiogensis and regulation of cardiomyocyte size. Results: We identified for the first time the cardiac phenotype associated with BMPER haploinsufficiency. BMPER mRNA and protein are present in the heart during cardiac development through at least E14.5 but is lost by E18.5. BMPER +/- ventricles are thinner and less compact than sibling wild-type hearts. In the adult, BMPER +/- hearts present with decreased anterior and posterior wall thickness, decreased cardiomyocyte size, and an increase in cardiac vessel density. Despite these changes, BMPER +/- mice respond to pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy challenge largely to the same extent as wild-type mice. Conclusion: BMPER appears to play a role in regulating both vessel density and cardiac development in vivo; however, BMPER haploinsufficiency does not result in marked effects on cardiac function or adaptation to pressure overload hypertrophy. Unpaired, two-condition experiment, wild-type vs BMPER+/- adult hearts. Biological replicates: 4 per condition.
Project description:Background: BMPER, an orthologue of Drosophila melanogaster crossveinless-2, is a secreted factor that regulates BMP activity in endothelial cell precursors and during early cardiomyocyte differentiation. Although previously described in the heart, the role of Bmper in cardiac development and function remained unknown. Methods: BMPER deficient hearts were phenotyped histologically and functionally using echocardiography and Doppler analysis. Since BMPER -/- mice die perinatally, BMPER +/- mice were then challenged to pressure overload induced cardiac hypertrophy and hind limb ischemia to determine changes in angiogensis and regulation of cardiomyocyte size. Results: We identified for the first time the cardiac phenotype associated with BMPER haploinsufficiency. BMPER mRNA and protein are present in the heart during cardiac development through at least E14.5 but is lost by E18.5. BMPER +/- ventricles are thinner and less compact than sibling wild-type hearts. In the adult, BMPER +/- hearts present with decreased anterior and posterior wall thickness, decreased cardiomyocyte size, and an increase in cardiac vessel density. Despite these changes, BMPER +/- mice respond to pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy challenge largely to the same extent as wild-type mice. Conclusion: BMPER appears to play a role in regulating both vessel density and cardiac development in vivo; however, BMPER haploinsufficiency does not result in marked effects on cardiac function or adaptation to pressure overload hypertrophy.
Project description:Vascular remodeling to match arterial diameter to tissue metabolic requirements commonly fails in ischemic disease. Endothelial cells (EC) sense fluid shear stress (FSS) from blood flow to maintain FSS within a narrow range in healthy vessels. Higher FSS induces vessel outward remodeling to return FSS to physiological levels, but mechanisms are poorly understood. We previously reported that Smad1/5 is maximally activated at physiological FSS and suppressed at higher flow. The Smad1/5 pathway opposes activation of Akt, suggesting that inhibiting Smad1/5 may be required for outward remodeling. Here, we report that suppression of Smad1/5 at high FSS is mediated by elevated KLF2, which induces the BMP pathway inhibitor BMPER, which suppresses Smad1/5 and de-inhibits Akt. In a mouse arteriovenous fistula (AVF) model, high FSS induces arterial outward remodeling coincident with elevated BMPER expression and Smad1/5 inactivation. Endothelial BMPER deletion impaired blood flow recovery and vascular remodeling in the AVF and a hindlimb ischemia (HLI) model, with the latter reversed by BMP9/10 blocking antibodies (bAbs). In both STZ-induced type 1 and HFD-induced type 2 diabetic mice that show poor recovery from HLI, BMP9/10 bAbs improved outcomes. Thus, suppression of Smad1/5 is required for high FSS-mediated outward remodeling and is a potential therapeutic approach for ischemic disease.
Project description:Adipocyte progenitor cells (APCs) provide the reservoir of regenerative cells to produce new adipocytes, although their identity in humans remains elusive. Using FACS analysis, gene expression profiling and metabolic and proteomic analyses, we identified three APCs subtypes in human white adipose tissues. The APC subtypes are molecularly distinct but possess similar proliferative and adipogenic capacities. Adipocytes derived from APCs with high CD34 expression exhibit exceedingly high rates of lipid flux compared with APCs with low or no CD34 expression, while adipocytes produced from CD34- APCs display beige-like adipocyte properties and a unique endocrine profile. APCs were more abundant in gluteofemoral compared with abdominal subcutaneous and omental adipose tissues, and the distribution of APC subtypes varies between depots and in patients with type 2 diabetes. These findings provide a mechanistic explanation for the heterogeneity of human white adipose tissue and a potential basis for dysregulated adipocyte function in type 2 diabetes.
Project description:Neovascularization is required in high-grade glioma (HGG). The objective of this study was to explore neovascularization-related genes and their corresponding MRI biomarkers during the early-growth stage of HGG. Tumor tissues from 30 HGG patients underwent perfusion MRI scanning prior to surgery were used to establish orthotopic xenograft models, pathologically analyze the tumor vasculature and perform transcriptome sequencing. The cases were divided into two groups based on whether the xenograft was successfully established. Microvascular density and BMPER, CXCL10 and HOXA9 expression of surgical specimens in the xenograft-forming group was significantly elevated and the microvascular diameter was significantly reduced, In vitro inhibition of BMPER, CXCL10 or HOXA9 in the glioma stem cell significantly suppressed its tube formation abilities. The in vivo experiment showed that BMPER was highly expressed in the early tumor growth phase (20 days), CXCL10 and HOXA9 expression was elevated with tumor progress, and spatially associated with tumor vasculature.
Project description:Obesity has tremendous impact on the health systems. Its epigenetic bases are unclear. MacroH2A1 is a variant of histone H2A, present in two alternatively exonspliced isoforms macroH2A1.1 and macroH2A1.2, regulating cell plasticity and proliferation, during pluripotency and tumorigenesis. Their role in adipose tissue plasticity is unknown. Here we show evidence that macroH2A1.1 protein levels in the visceral adipose tissue of obese humans positively correlate with BMI, while macroH2A1.2 is nearly absent. We thus introduced a constitutive GFP-tagged transgene for macroH2A1.2 in mice and we characterized their metabolic health upon being fed a standard chow diet or a high fat diet. Despite unchanged food intake, these mice exhibit lower adipose mass and improved glucose metabolism both under a chow and an obesogenic diet. In the latter regimen, transgenic mice display smaller pancreatic islets and significantly less inflammation. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses demonstrated that association of macroH2A1.2 promoter occupancy of key adipogenic genes with their transcripts was gene specific. MacroH2A1.2 overexpression markedly inhibited adipogenesis, while overexpression of macroH2A1.1 had opposite effects. MacroH2A1.2 is an unprecedented chromatin component powerfully promoting metabolic health by modulating anti-adipogenic transcriptional networks in the differentiating adipose tissue. Strategies aiming at enhancing macroH2A1.2 expression might counteract excessive adiposity in humans.
Project description:The energy-burning capability of beige adipose tissue is a potential therapeutic tool for reducing obesity and metabolic disease, but this capacity is decreased by aging. Here, we evaluate the impact of aging on the profile and activity of adipogenic precursor cells (APCs) through single cell gene expression analysis of inguinal white adipose tissue of young and aged mice through in response to cold exposure.
Project description:Portal mesenchymal cells represent a very small amount of cells. They are tightly bound to the bile duct and portal vascular structures, relying on basement membranes. In the present study, we set up a specific procedure to isolate portal mesenchymal cells, for scRNAseq analysis. We identified 16 distinct cell clusters, including fibroblasts (5 clusters), vascular smooth muscle cells (VSCMs, 5 clusters), endothelial cells (4 clusters), HSCs (1 cluster) and mesothelial cells (1 cluster).
Project description:The average fat (adipose tissue) mass in adults increases dramatically with age, and older people often suffer from visceral obesity and related adverse metabolic disorders. Unfortunately, how aging leads to adipose accumulation is poorly understood. It is known that fat cell (adipocyte) turnover is very low in young mice, similar to that in young humans. Single-cell RNA sequencing analyses reveal that aging globally remodels APCs. Herein, we identify a novel, age-specific committed APC population as CP-A cells, existing both in mice and humans, with a global activation of proliferation and adipogenesis pathways. CP-A cells display high proliferation and adipogenesis activity, both in vivo and in vitro. M1 macrophages may regulate the remodeling of APCs and the generation of CP-A cells during aging.