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FOXA2 regulates a network of genes involved in critical functions of intestinal epithelia

ABSTRACT: Background and Aims: The forkhead box A (FOXA) family of pioneer transcription factors is critical for the development of many endoderm-derived tissues including the lung and the liver. Here we investigate the role of FOXA2 in regulating intestinal epithelial cell function. Methods: ChIP-seq was used to identify FOXA2 binding sites genome-wide. Targets of FOXA2 were validated using ChIP-qPCR and siRNA-mediated depletion of FOXA1/2 followed by RT-qPCR. A luciferase-based assay was used to measure intracellular cAMP after FOXA1/2 modulation.Results: Peaks of FOXA2 occupancy were frequent at loci contributing to gene ontology pathways of regulation of cell migration, cell motion, and plasma membrane function. Depletion of both FOXA1 and FOXA2 led to a significant reduction in the expression of multiple transmembrane proteins including ion transporters. One of the targets was the adenosine A2B receptor, and reduced receptor mRNA levels were associated with a functional decrease in intracellular cAMP. We also observed that 30% of FOXA2 binding sites contained a GATA motif and that FOXA1/A2 depletion reduced GATA-4, but not GATA-6 protein levels. Conclusions: These data show that FOXA2 plays a critical role in regulating intestinal epithelial cell function. FOXA2 depletion affects the expression of ion transporters and other transmembrane proteins, which form a network essential for maintaining normal ion and solute transport. Moreover, we show that the FOXA and GATA families of transcription factors may work cooperatively to regulate gene expression genome-wide.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE66218 | GEO | 2015/08/06

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA276146

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Converting epithelial into mesenchymal cells through epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) requires massive changes in gene expression. How this is brought about is currently not clear. Here we examined the impact of the EMT master regulator SNAIL1 on the FOXA family of transcription factors which are distinguished by their particular competence to induce chromatin reorganization for the activation of transcriptional enhancer elements. We show that the expression of SNAIL1 and FOXA genes is anti-correlated in transcriptomes of colorectal tumors and cell lines. In two cellular EMT models, ectopically expressed Snail1 downregulates FOXA factors and directly represses FOXA1. To elucidate how FOXA factors contribute to the control of epithelial gene expression, we determined by ChIP-seq data analysis FOXA chromosomal distribution in relation to chromatin structural features characterizing distinct states of transcriptional activity. This revealed a preferential localization of FOXA1 and FOXA2 to transcriptional enhancers at signature genes that distinguish epithelial from mesenchymal colon tumors. To validate the significance of this association, we investigated the impact of FOXA factors on structure and function of transcriptional enhancers at the epithelial genes CDH1, CDX2 and EPHB3. Expression of dominant negative FOXA2 led to chromatin condensation at these enhancer elements. Site- directed mutagenesis of FOXA binding sites in reporter gene constructs and by genome- editing in situ impaired enhancer activity and completely abolished the active chromatin state of the EPHB3 enhancer. Conversely, expression of FOXA factors in cells with inactive CDX2 and EPHB3 enhancers led to chromatin opening and de novo deposition of the H3K4me1 and H3K27ac marks. These findings establish the pioneer function of FOXA factors at enhancer regions of epithelial genes and demonstrate their essential role in maintaining enhancer structure and function. Thus, by repressing FOXA family members, Snail1 targets transcription factors at strategically important positions in gene-regulatory hierarchies which may facilitate transcriptional reprogramming during EMT.

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FOXA2 regulates a network of genes involved in critical functions of intestinal epithelia

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