A Werner syndrome stem cell model unveils heterochromatin alterations as a driver of human aging
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ABSTRACT: Our data throw light upon the effect of WRN deficiency on gene expression and epigenomic modification, which indicates aging-associated changes from both genomic and epigenomic level.
Project description:Our data throw light upon the effect of WRN deficiency on gene expression and epigenomic modification, which indicates aging-associated changes from both genomic and epigenomic level. It was compared between WRN+/+ and WRN-/- in hESCs and hMSCs that the gene expression landscapes and epigenetic modifications(H3K4me3, H3K27me3, H3K9me3 and 5-methylcytosine).
Project description:Werner syndrome (WS) is a premature aging disorder caused by WRN protein deficiency. Here, we report on the generation of a human WS model in human embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Differentiation of WRN-null ESCs to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) recapitulates features of premature cellular aging, a global loss of H3K9me3, and changes in heterochromatin architecture. We show that WRN associates with heterochromatin proteins SUV39H1 and HP1? and nuclear lamina-heterochromatin anchoring protein LAP2?. Targeted knock-in of catalytically inactive SUV39H1 in wild-type MSCs recapitulates accelerated cellular senescence, resembling WRN-deficient MSCs. Moreover, decrease in WRN and heterochromatin marks are detected in MSCs from older individuals. Our observations uncover a role for WRN in maintaining heterochromatin stability and highlight heterochromatin disorganization as a potential determinant of human aging.
Project description:Metabolic dysfunction is a primary feature of Werner syndrome (WS), a human premature aging disease caused by mutations in the gene encoding the Werner (WRN) DNA helicase. WS patients exhibit severe metabolic phenotypes, but the underlying mechanisms are not understood, and whether the metabolic deficit can be targeted for therapeutic intervention has not been determined. Here we report impaired mitophagy and depletion of NAD+, a fundamental ubiquitous molecule, in WS patient samples and WS invertebrate models. WRN regulates transcription of a key NAD+ biosynthetic enzyme nicotinamide nucleotide adenylyltransferase 1 (NMNAT1). NAD+ repletion restores NAD+ metabolic profiles and improves mitochondrial quality through DCT-1 and ULK-1-dependent mitophagy. At the organismal level, NAD+ repletion remarkably extends lifespan and delays accelerated aging, including stem cell dysfunction, in C. elegans and Drosophila melanogaster models of WS. Our findings suggest that accelerated aging in WRN syndrome is mediated by impaired mitochondrial function and mitophagy, and that bolstering cellular NAD+ levels counteracts WS phenotypes.
Project description:Metabolic dysfunction is a primary feature of the premature aging Werner syndrome (WS), a heritable human disease caused by mutations in the gene encoding the DNA helicase Werner (WRN). However, the relationship between WRN mutation and its severe metabolic phenotypes is unclear. Here we report mitochondrial dysfunction and depletion of NAD+, a fundamental ubiquitous cofactor, in WS patient samples and WS animal models. NAD+ repletion restores NAD+ metabolic profiles and improves mitochondrial quality through DCT-1 and ULK-1-dependent mitophagy. At the organismal level, NAD+ repletion remarkably delays accelerated aging, including stem cell dysfunction in both C. elegans and Drosophila models of WS. Mechanistically, WRN physically binds to a key NAD+ biosynthetic enzyme nicotinamide nucleotide adenylyltransferase 1 (NMNAT1) and facilitates its NAD+ production. Our findings reveal an unprecedented anti-aging mechanism of WRN that integrates its new function of NAD+ synthesis to coordinate mitochondrial maintenance and energy expenditure, and suggest therapeutic potential.
Project description:Metabolic dysfunction is one of the main symptoms of Werner syndrome (WS); however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report that loss of WRN accelerates adipogenesis at an early stage both in vitro (stem cells) and in vivo (zebrafish). Moreover, WRN depletion causes a transient upregulation of late-stage of adipocyte-specific genes at an early stage.
Project description:Werner syndrome (WS) is a premature aging disorder characterized by chromosomal instability and cancer predisposition. Mutations in WRN are responsible for the disease and cause telomere dysfunction, resulting in accelerated aging. In the present study, we describe the effects of long-term culture on WS iPSCs, which acquired and maintained infinite proliferative potential for self-renewal over 2 years. After long-term cultures, WS iPSCs exhibited stable undifferentiated states and differentiation capacity, and premature upregulation of senescence-associated genes in WS cells was completely suppressed in WS iPSCs despite WRN deficiency. We used microarrays to examine whether global gene expression profile of WS iPSCs is similar to that of normal iPSCs and human ESCs, as well as premature senescence phenotype is suppressed by reprogramming.
Project description:Werner syndrome (WS) is a rare disorder characterized by the premature onset of a number of age-related diseases. The gene responsible for WS is believed to be involved in different aspects of transcription, replication, and/or DNA repair. The poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) enzyme is also involved in DNA repair and is known to affect transcription of several genes. In this study, we examined the expression profile of cells lacking the normal function of either or both enzymes. All mutant cells exhibited altered expression of genes normally responding to oxidative stress. Interestingly, more than 58% of misregulated genes identified in double mutant cells were not altered in cells with either the Wrn or PARP-1 mutation alone. Consequently, the impact on gene expression profile when both Wrn and PARP-1 are mutated was greater than a simple addition of individual mutant genotype. In addition, double mutant cultured cells showed major misregulation of genes involved in apoptosis, cell cycle control, embryonic development, metabolism, and signal transduction. More importantly, in vivo analyses of double mutant mice have confirmed the increased apoptosis and the developmental defects in embryos as well as the major increase in intracellular phosphorylation and oxidative DNA damage in adult tissues. They also exhibited a progressive increase in oxidative stress with age. Thus, a major result of this study is that changes in expression of several genes and physiological functions identified in vitro were confirmed in mouse embryonic and adult tissues. Experiment Overall Design: Microarray analyses were performed on cell cultures at the second passage (10 population doublings). For each genotype, asynchronously dividing cells derived from three healthy 15.5 day embryos from one litter were pooled at the second passage and cytoplasmic RNA was extracted. Cytoplasmic RNA was used in these experiments to avoid contamination with heterogeneous nuclear RNA and genomic DNA. (Note that DNAse treatment was also applied to all samples). This pool of RNA was labeled sample number 1 for each genotype. Pooling of embryonic cells was performed to minimize the effect of inter-individual biological differences. A second pool of embryonic cells was also created from a separate dam (second litter) for each genotype (called samples number 2). This strategy allowed obtaining samples in duplicate for each genotype. The cRNA from wild type cells were synthesized with Cy-5 labeled nucleotides and cRNAs from Wrn mutant, PARP-1 null, and PARP-1 null/Wrn mutant cells were synthesized with Cy-3 labeled nucleotides. Hybridization was performed on Mouse Agilent 60-mer Oligo Microarray chips by mixing wild type labeled cRNA (baseline expression levels) with either Wrn mutant, PARP-1 null, or PARP-1 null/Wrn mutant cRNA. Hybridization experiments were done in duplicates.
Project description:WS iPSC (iWS780) is a WRN-null iPSC line derived from AG00780 fibroblast. This iPSC line showed normal 46,XY karyotype. iWS780 was gene-edited by CRIPSR/Cas9 to correct the WRN point mutation. Two clones (C21 & C24) were characterized and showed expression of wild-type WRN protein after gene editing. The iPSC lines (isogenic) were subsequently differentiated into mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). RNA-seq was performed on these MSC.
Project description:Individuals suffering from Werner syndrome (WS) exhibit many clinical signs of accelerated aging. While the underlying constitutional mutation leads to accelerated rates of DNA damage, it is not yet known whether WS is also associated with an increased epigenetic age according to a DNA methylation based biomarker of aging (the "Epigenetic Clock"). Using whole blood methylation data from 18 WS cases and 18 age matched controls, we find that WS is associated with increased extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (p=0.0072) and intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (p=0.04), the latter of which is independent of age-related changes in the composition of peripheral blood cells. A multivariate model analysis reveals that WS is associated with an increase in DNA methylation age (on average 6.4 years, p=0.011) even after adjusting for chronological age, gender, and blood cell counts. Further, WS might be associated with a reduction in naïve CD8+ T cells (p=0.025) according to imputed measures of blood cell counts. Overall, this study shows that WS is associated with an increased epigenetic age of blood cells which is independent of changes in blood cell composition. The extent to which this alteration is a cause or effect of WS disease phenotypes remains unknown.
Project description:Werner syndrome is a progeroid disorder caused by mutations in a protein (Wrn) containing both a DNA exonuclease and DNA helicase domain. In this study, we identified proteins that exhibit abundance differences in the serum and liver tissue of wild type and Wrn mutant mice at four and ten months of age using a label-free Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) approach. Although Wrn mutant mice exhibited fatty liver by the age of ten months, gene ontology analysis on differentially expressed proteins revealed sexual dimorphism. Alterations only in specific immunoglobulin molecules were common biomarkers in the fatty liver and serum of both Wrn mutant females and males with age.