Red2Flpe-SCON: A Versatile, Multicolor Strategy for Generating Mosaic Conditional Knockout Mice
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Image-based lineage tracing enables tissue turnover kinetics and lineage potentials of different adult cell populations to be investigated. Previously, we reported a genetic mouse model system, Red2Onco, which ectopically expressed mutated oncogenes together with red fluorescent proteins (RFP). This system enabled the expansion kinetics and neighboring effects of oncogenic clones to be dissected. We now report Red2Flpe-SCON: a new mosaic knockout system that uses multicolor reporters to label both mutant and wild-type cells. We have developed the Red2Flpe mouse line for red clone-specific Flpe expression, as well as the FRT-based SCON (Short Conditional IntrON) method to facilitate tunable conditional mosaic knockouts in mice. We used the Red2Flpe-SCON method to study Sox2 mutant clonal analysis in the esophageal epithelium of adult mice which revealed that the stem cell gene, Sox2, is not essential for adult stem cell maintenance itself, but rather for stem cell proliferation and differentiation.
Project description:Drosophila mosaic eye-antennal discs from the listed genotypes generated using the MARCM system were dissected from 3rd instar larvae at day 5 after egg deposition. 20 pairs of discs for the Abrupt and scrib- + Abrupt samples and 50 pairs from FRT control, NACT scrib- +/- BskDN and RasACT scrib- +/- BskDN were used to prepare RNA. Samples were prepared in triplicate, and the RNA isolated using TRIZOL, before being column purified (Qiagen). Probes were hybridized to GeneChip Drosophila 2.0 Genome Arrays (Affymetrix). To compare the expression profile of Abrupt when overexpressed in the eye-antennal discs with tumours formed by Abrupt overexpression in scrib- clones, and to reveal JNK responsive genes in RasV12 (RasACT) scrib- versus NotchICD (NACT) scrib- eye-antennal mosaic discs
Project description:Drosophila mosaic eye-antennal discs from the listed genotypes generated using the MARCM system were dissected from 3rd instar larvae at day 5 after egg deposition. 20 pairs of discs for the Abrupt and scrib- + Abrupt samples and 50 pairs from FRT control, NACT scrib- +/- BskDN and RasACT scrib- +/- BskDN were used to prepare RNA. Samples were prepared in triplicate, and the RNA isolated using TRIZOL, before being column purified (Qiagen). Probes were hybridized to GeneChip Drosophila 2.0 Genome Arrays (Affymetrix).
Project description:Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been reported in various cancers including skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The molecular mechanisms regulating tumour initiation and stemness are still poorly characterized. Here, we found that Sox2, a transcription factor expressed in various types of embryonic and adult stem cells (SCs), was the most upregulated transcription factor in CSCs of squamous skin tumours. Sox2 is absent in normal epidermis and begins to be expressed in the vast majority of mouse and human pre-neoplastic skin tumours and continues to be expressed in a heterogeneous manner in invasive mouse and human SCCs. In contrast to other SCCs, in which Sox2 is frequently genetically amplified, the expression of Sox2 in mouse and human skin SCCs is transcriptionally regulated. Conditional deletion of Sox2 in the mouse epidermis dramatically decreases skin tumour formation following chemical induced carcinogenesis. Using Sox2-GFP knockin mice, we showed that Sox2 expressing cells in invasive SCC are greatly enriched in tumour propagating cells (TPCs) that further increase upon serial transplantations. Lineage ablation of Sox2 expressing cells within primary benign and malignant SCCs leads to tumour regression, consistent with the critical role of Sox2 expressing cells in tumour maintenance. Conditional Sox2 deletion in pre-existing skin papilloma and SCC leads to their regression and decreases their ability to be propagated upon transplantation into immunodeficient mice, supporting the essential role of Sox2 in regulating CSC functions. Transcriptional profiling of Sox2-GFP expressing CSC and upon Sox2 deletion uncovered a gene network regulated by Sox2 in primary tumour cells in vivo. Chromatin immunoprecipitation identified several direct Sox2 target genes controlling tumour stemness, survival, proliferation, adhesion, invasion, and paraneoplastic syndrome. Altogether, our study demonstrates that Sox2, by marking and regulating the functions of skin tumour initiating cells and CSCs, establishes a continuum between tumour initiation and progression in primary skin tumours. We used microarrays to profile Sox2-GFP expressing CSC to uncover a gene network regulated by Sox2 in primary tumour cells in vivo. Two different biological replicates from SOX2-GFP+ and SOX2-GFP- TECs (control) from 2 different SCC from 2 different mice were analysed. Total RNA was analysed using Mouse whole genome 430 2.0 array from Affymetrix.
Project description:Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been reported in various cancers including skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The molecular mechanisms regulating tumour initiation and stemness are still poorly characterized. Here, we found that Sox2, a transcription factor expressed in various types of embryonic and adult stem cells (SCs), was the most upregulated transcription factor in CSCs of squamous skin tumours. Sox2 is absent in normal epidermis and begins to be expressed in the vast majority of mouse and human pre-neoplastic skin tumours and continues to be expressed in a heterogeneous manner in invasive mouse and human SCCs. In contrast to other SCCs, in which Sox2 is frequently genetically amplified, the expression of Sox2 in mouse and human skin SCCs is transcriptionally regulated. Conditional deletion of Sox2 in the mouse epidermis dramatically decreases skin tumour formation following chemical induced carcinogenesis. Using Sox2-GFP knockin mice, we showed that Sox2 expressing cells in invasive SCC are greatly enriched in tumour propagating cells (TPCs) that further increase upon serial transplantations. Lineage ablation of Sox2 expressing cells within primary benign and malignant SCCs leads to tumour regression, consistent with the critical role of Sox2 expressing cells in tumour maintenance. Conditional Sox2 deletion in pre-existing skin papilloma and SCC leads to their regression and decreases their ability to be propagated upon transplantation into immunodeficient mice, supporting the essential role of Sox2 in regulating CSC functions. Transcriptional profiling of Sox2-GFP expressing CSC and upon Sox2 deletion uncovered a gene network regulated by Sox2 in primary tumour cells in vivo. Chromatin immunoprecipitation identified several direct Sox2 target genes controlling tumour stemness, survival, proliferation, adhesion, invasion, and paraneoplastic syndrome. Altogether, our study demonstrates that Sox2, by marking and regulating the functions of skin tumour initiating cells and CSCs, establishes a continuum between tumour initiation and progression in primary skin tumours. We used microarrays to profile tumour epithelial cells upon Sox2 deletion to uncover a gene network regulated by Sox2 in primary tumour cells in vivo. Microarray analysis was performed on FACS isolated Epcam+ a6+ TECs from 3 different biological experiments following TAM administration to K14CREER:SOX2fl/fl and control mice. Total RNA was analysed using Mouse whole genome 430 2.0 array from Affymetrix.
Project description:miRNA profiling of human H9-derived neural stem cells (H9-NSCs) comparing control human adult dermal fibroblasts (hDFs), SOX2-transduced human induced neural stem cells (hDF-iNSC (SOX2)), SOX2/HMGA2-transduced human induced neural stem cells (hDF-iNSC (SOX2/HMGA2)). Goal was to determine the global miRNA expression between the groups.
Project description:miRNA profiling of human H9-derived neural stem cells (H9-NSCs) comparing control human adult dermal fibroblasts (hDFs), SOX2-transduced human induced neural stem cells (hDF-iNSC (SOX2)), SOX2/HMGA2-transduced human induced neural stem cells (hDF-iNSC (SOX2/HMGA2)). Goal was to determine the global miRNA expression between the groups. H9-NSC vs hDF vs hDF-iNSC(SOX2) vs hDF-iNSC(SOX2/HMGA2)
Project description:The female reproductive tract (FRT) is vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections and therefore a well-tuned immune surveillance system is crucial for maintaining a healthy FRT. However, our understanding of the factors that impact viral infection of the FRT and the host response are not well understood. In this work, we investigate the role of a hormonally regulated type I interferon, IFN epsilon, in control of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection of the FRT. We demonstrate that IFN epsilon has anti-ZIKV properties using a combination of IFN epsilon KO mice, blockade of endogenous IFN epsilon by neutralising Abs and rescue of IFN epsilon KO mice by recombinant IFN epsilon administered directly to the FRT.
Project description:Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been reported in various cancers including skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The molecular mechanisms regulating tumour initiation and stemness are still poorly characterized. Here, we found that Sox2, a transcription factor expressed in various types of embryonic and adult stem cells (SCs), was the most upregulated transcription factor in CSCs of squamous skin tumours. Sox2 is absent in normal epidermis and begins to be expressed in the vast majority of mouse and human pre-neoplastic skin tumours and continues to be expressed in a heterogeneous manner in invasive mouse and human SCCs. In contrast to other SCCs, in which Sox2 is frequently genetically amplified, the expression of Sox2 in mouse and human skin SCCs is transcriptionally regulated. Conditional deletion of Sox2 in the mouse epidermis dramatically decreases skin tumour formation following chemical induced carcinogenesis. Using Sox2-GFP knockin mice, we showed that Sox2 expressing cells in invasive SCC are greatly enriched in tumour propagating cells (TPCs) that further increase upon serial transplantations. Lineage ablation of Sox2 expressing cells within primary benign and malignant SCCs leads to tumour regression, consistent with the critical role of Sox2 expressing cells in tumour maintenance. Conditional Sox2 deletion in pre-existing skin papilloma and SCC leads to their regression and decreases their ability to be propagated upon transplantation into immunodeficient mice, supporting the essential role of Sox2 in regulating CSC functions. Transcriptional profiling of Sox2-GFP expressing CSC and upon Sox2 deletion uncovered a gene network regulated by Sox2 in primary tumour cells in vivo. Chromatin immunoprecipitation identified several direct Sox2 target genes controlling tumour stemness, survival, proliferation, adhesion, invasion, and paraneoplastic syndrome. Altogether, our study demonstrates that Sox2, by marking and regulating the functions of skin tumour initiating cells and CSCs, establishes a continuum between tumour initiation and progression in primary skin tumours. We used microarrays to profile tumour epithelial cells upon Sox2 deletion to uncover a gene network regulated by Sox2 in primary tumour cells in vivo.