Project description:Immune-response gene 1 (IRG1) transcription is rapidly induced by pathogen infections and inflammatory conditions primarily in cells of myeloid lineage. Deletion of Irg1 in mice causes severe defects in response to bacterial and viral infection and rapid death. IRG1 encodes a mitochondrial metabolic enzyme, aconitate decarboxylase 1 (ACOD1), that catalyzes the decarboxylation of cis-aconitate, a tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediate, to produce the anti-inflammatory metabolite itaconic acid (ITA). ITA can inhibit SDH5, resulting in elevated levels of succinate and metabolic reprogramming, or alkylate protein cysteine residues to induce electrophilic stress response mediated by NRF2 and IκBζ. Here we show that ITA is an antagonist of α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) and a potent inhibitor of α-KG/Fe2+-dependent TET family of DNA dioxygenases. In vitro, ITA binds to TET2 and inhibits the catalytic activity of TET2 and, reciprocally, α-KG blocks ITA binding to and inhibition of TET2. In vivo, lipopolysaccharides (LPS) treatment, which induces IRG1 expression and causes the intracellular accumulation of ITA, inhibits TET activity in Irg1-WT, but not Irg1-KO macrophages. Moreover, TET2 is a major target of ITA function in suppressing LPS-induced genes. LPS stimulates p65 NF-κB/RelA to bind with and recruit TET2 to hydroxymethylate and activate the Nfkbiz gene, which encodes IκBζ. Our results thus identify a physiological metabolite inhibitor of TET enzymes and reveal a novel mechanism for the anti-inflammatory function of ITA through dampening TET2-mediated NF-κB signaling.
Project description:As one of the most induced genes in activated macrophages, immune-responsive gene 1 (IRG1) encodes a mitochondrial metabolic enzyme catalysing the production of itaconic acid (ITA). Although ITA has an anti-inflammatory property, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Here we show that ITA is a potent inhibitor of the TET-family DNA dioxygenases. ITA binds to the same site on TET2 as the co-substrate α-ketoglutarate, inhibiting TET2 catalytic activity. Lipopolysaccharide treatment, which induces Irg1 expression and ITA accumulation, inhibits Tet activity in macrophages. Transcriptome analysis reveals that TET2 is a major target of ITA in suppressing lipopolysaccharide-induced genes, including those regulated by the NF-κB and STAT signalling pathways. In vivo, ITA decreases the levels of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, reduces lipopolysaccharide-induced acute pulmonary oedema as well as lung and liver injury, and protects mice against lethal endotoxaemia, depending on the catalytic activity of Tet2. Our study thus identifies ITA as an immune modulatory metabolite that selectively inhibits TET enzymes to dampen the inflammatory responses.
Project description:Mammalian genomes are subjected to epigenetic modifications, including cytosine methylation by DNA methyltransferases (Dnmt) and further oxidation by Ten-eleven-translocation (Tet) family of dioxygenases. Cytosine methylation plays key roles in multiple processes such as genomic imprinting and X-chromosome inactivation. However, the functional significance of cytosine methylation and the further oxidation has remained undetermined in mouse embryogenesis. Here we show that global inactivation of all three Tet genes in mice led to consistent defects in gastrulation. The defects include reduced specification of the axial mesoderm and paraxial mesoderm, mimicking phenotypes in embryos with gain-of-function Nodal signaling, a cardinal cue for gastrulation. Introduction of a single mutant allele of Nodal in the Tet mutant background partially restored patterning, suggesting that hyperactive Nodal signaling is a leading cause for the gastrulation failure of Tet mutants. Increased Nodal signaling is likely due to diminished expression of the Lefty1 and Lefty2 genes, inhibitors of Nodal signaling. Moreover, reduction in the Lefty gene expression can be ascribed to elevated DNA methylation as both Lefty-Nodal signaling and normal morphogenesis are largely restored in Tet-deficient embryos when the Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b genes are disrupted. Additionally, specific inactivation of Tet by point mutations abolishing the dioxygenase activity causes similar molecular and gastrulation abnormalities. Taken together, our results show that Tet-mediated DNA oxidation modulates the Lefty-Nodal signaling by promoting demethylation of the shared target genes with Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b. These findings reveal a fundamental epigenetic mechanism featuring dynamic DNA methylation and demethylation and their role in the regulation of key signaling in body plan formation during early embryogenesis. Examine RNA expression and DNA methylation differences between Tet-null and wild type samples of mouse epiblast in E6.5.
Project description:Mammalian genomes are subjected to epigenetic modifications, including cytosine methylation by DNA methyltransferases (Dnmt) and further oxidation by Ten-eleven-translocation (Tet) family of dioxygenases. Cytosine methylation plays key roles in multiple processes such as genomic imprinting and X-chromosome inactivation. However, the functional significance of cytosine methylation and the further oxidation has remained undetermined in mouse embryogenesis. Here we show that global inactivation of all three Tet genes in mice led to consistent defects in gastrulation. The defects include reduced specification of the axial mesoderm and paraxial mesoderm, mimicking phenotypes in embryos with gain-of-function Nodal signaling, a cardinal cue for gastrulation. Introduction of a single mutant allele of Nodal in the Tet mutant background partially restored patterning, suggesting that hyperactive Nodal signaling is a leading cause for the gastrulation failure of Tet mutants. Increased Nodal signaling is likely due to diminished expression of the Lefty1 and Lefty2 genes, inhibitors of Nodal signaling. Moreover, reduction in the Lefty gene expression can be ascribed to elevated DNA methylation as both Lefty-Nodal signaling and normal morphogenesis are largely restored in Tet-deficient embryos when the Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b genes are disrupted. Additionally, specific inactivation of Tet by point mutations abolishing the dioxygenase activity causes similar molecular and gastrulation abnormalities. Taken together, our results show that Tet-mediated DNA oxidation modulates the Lefty-Nodal signaling by promoting demethylation of the shared target genes with Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b. These findings reveal a fundamental epigenetic mechanism featuring dynamic DNA methylation and demethylation and their role in the regulation of key signaling in body plan formation during early embryogenesis.
Project description:Liver-specific ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenases 2 and 3 (Tet2 plus Tet3)-deficient hepatitis B virus (HBV) transgenic mice fail to support viral biosynthesis. The levels of viral transcription and replication intermediates are dramatically reduced. Hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) is only observed in a very limited number of pericentral hepatocytes in a pattern that is similar to glutamate-ammonia ligase (Glul), a -catenin target gene. HBV transcript abundance in Tet-deficient mice resembles that observed in wild-type neonatal mice. Furthermore, the RNA levels of several -catenin target genes including Glul, Lhpp, Notun, Oat, Slc1a2 and Tbx3, in Tet-deficient mice was also similar to that observed in wild-type neonatal mice. As HBV transcription is regulated by -catenin, these finding support the suggestion that neonatal Tet-deficiency might limit -catenin target gene expression, limiting viral biosynthesis. Additionally, HBV transgene DNA displays increased 5-methylcytosine (5mC) frequency at CpG sequences consistent with neonatal Tet-deficiency being responsible for decreased developmental viral DNA demethylation mediated by 5mC oxidation to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), a process that might be responsible for the reduction in cellular -catenin target gene expression and viral transcription and replication.
Project description:The TET family of dioxygenases catalyze conversion of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), but their involvement in establishing normal 5mC patterns during mammalian development and their contributions to aberrant control of 5mC during cellular transformation remains largely unknown. We depleted TET1, TET2, and TET3 by siRNA in a pluripotent embryonic carcinoma cell model and examined the impact on genome-wide 5mC and 5hmC patterns. TET1 depletion yielded widespread reduction of 5hmC, while depletion of TET2 and TET3 reduced 5hmC at a subset of TET1 targets suggesting functional co-dependence. TET2 or TET3-depletion also caused increased 5hmC, suggesting they play a major role in 5hmC removal. All TETs prevent hypermethylation throughout the genome, a finding dramatically illustrated in CpG island shores, where TET depletion resulted in prolific hypermethylation. Surprisingly, TETs also promote methylation, as hypomethylation was associated with 5hmC reduction. TET function was highly specific to chromatin environment: 5hmC maintenance by all TETs occurred at polycomb-marked chromatin and genes expressed at moderate levels; 5hmC removal by TET2 is associated with highly transcribed genes enriched for H3K4me3 and H3K36me3. Importantly, genes prone to hypermethylation in cancer become depleted of 5hmC with TET deficiency, suggesting the TETs normally promote 5hmC at these loci, and all three TETs are required for 5hmC enrichment at enhancers, a condition necessary for expression of adjacent genes. These results provide novel insight into the division of labor among TET proteins and reveal an important connection of TET activity with chromatin landscape and gene expression. Affymetrix gene expression Human ST1.0 microarray of NCCIT human embryonic carcinoma cells (4 samples in duplicate).
Project description:The TET family of dioxygenases catalyze conversion of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), but their involvement in establishing normal 5mC patterns during mammalian development and their contributions to aberrant control of 5mC during cellular transformation remains largely unknown. We depleted TET1, TET2, and TET3 by siRNA in a pluripotent embryonic carcinoma cell model and examined the impact on genome-wide 5mC and 5hmC patterns. TET1 depletion yielded widespread reduction of 5hmC, while depletion of TET2 and TET3 reduced 5hmC at a subset of TET1 targets suggesting functional co-dependence. TET2 or TET3-depletion also caused increased 5hmC, suggesting they play a major role in 5hmC removal. All TETs prevent hypermethylation throughout the genome, a finding dramatically illustrated in CpG island shores, where TET depletion resulted in prolific hypermethylation. Surprisingly, TETs also promote methylation, as hypomethylation was associated with 5hmC reduction. TET function was highly specific to chromatin environment: 5hmC maintenance by all TETs occurred at polycomb-marked chromatin and genes expressed at moderate levels; 5hmC removal by TET2 is associated with highly transcribed genes enriched for H3K4me3 and H3K36me3. Importantly, genes prone to hypermethylation in cancer become depleted of 5hmC with TET deficiency, suggesting the TETs normally promote 5hmC at these loci, and all three TETs are required for 5hmC enrichment at enhancers, a condition necessary for expression of adjacent genes. These results provide novel insight into the division of labor among TET proteins and reveal an important connection of TET activity with chromatin landscape and gene expression. Methylation and hydroxymethylation profiling by affinity-based high throughput sequencing
Project description:The TET family of dioxygenases catalyze conversion of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), but their involvement in establishing normal 5mC patterns during mammalian development and their contributions to aberrant control of 5mC during cellular transformation remains largely unknown. We depleted TET1, TET2, and TET3 by siRNA in a pluripotent embryonic carcinoma cell model and examined the impact on genome-wide 5mC and 5hmC patterns. TET1 depletion yielded widespread reduction of 5hmC, while depletion of TET2 and TET3 reduced 5hmC at a subset of TET1 targets suggesting functional co-dependence. TET2 or TET3-depletion also caused increased 5hmC, suggesting they play a major role in 5hmC removal. All TETs prevent hypermethylation throughout the genome, a finding dramatically illustrated in CpG island shores, where TET depletion resulted in prolific hypermethylation. Surprisingly, TETs also promote methylation, as hypomethylation was associated with 5hmC reduction. TET function was highly specific to chromatin environment: 5hmC maintenance by all TETs occurred at polycomb-marked chromatin and genes expressed at moderate levels; 5hmC removal by TET2 is associated with highly transcribed genes enriched for H3K4me3 and H3K36me3. Importantly, genes prone to hypermethylation in cancer become depleted of 5hmC with TET deficiency, suggesting the TETs normally promote 5hmC at these loci, and all three TETs are required for 5hmC enrichment at enhancers, a condition necessary for expression of adjacent genes. These results provide novel insight into the division of labor among TET proteins and reveal an important connection of TET activity with chromatin landscape and gene expression.
Project description:The TET family of dioxygenases catalyze conversion of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), but their involvement in establishing normal 5mC patterns during mammalian development and their contributions to aberrant control of 5mC during cellular transformation remains largely unknown. We depleted TET1, TET2, and TET3 by siRNA in a pluripotent embryonic carcinoma cell model and examined the impact on genome-wide 5mC and 5hmC patterns. TET1 depletion yielded widespread reduction of 5hmC, while depletion of TET2 and TET3 reduced 5hmC at a subset of TET1 targets suggesting functional co-dependence. TET2 or TET3-depletion also caused increased 5hmC, suggesting they play a major role in 5hmC removal. All TETs prevent hypermethylation throughout the genome, a finding dramatically illustrated in CpG island shores, where TET depletion resulted in prolific hypermethylation. Surprisingly, TETs also promote methylation, as hypomethylation was associated with 5hmC reduction. TET function was highly specific to chromatin environment: 5hmC maintenance by all TETs occurred at polycomb-marked chromatin and genes expressed at moderate levels; 5hmC removal by TET2 is associated with highly transcribed genes enriched for H3K4me3 and H3K36me3. Importantly, genes prone to hypermethylation in cancer become depleted of 5hmC with TET deficiency, suggesting the TETs normally promote 5hmC at these loci, and all three TETs are required for 5hmC enrichment at enhancers, a condition necessary for expression of adjacent genes. These results provide novel insight into the division of labor among TET proteins and reveal an important connection of TET activity with chromatin landscape and gene expression.
Project description:Remodeling of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle is a metabolic adaptation mechanism accompanying inflammatory macrophage activation. During this process, endogenous metabolites can adopt regulatory roles that govern specific aspects of inflammatory response, as recently shown for succinate, which regulates the downstream pro-inflammatory IL-1β-HIF1a axis. Itaconate is one of the most highly induced metabolites in activated macrophages, yet its functional significance remains unknown. Here, we show that itaconate modulates macrophage metabolism and effector functions via its effect on succinate dehydrogenase, by inhibiting conversion of succinate to fumarate. Through this action, itaconate exerts anti-inflammatory effects when administered in vitro and in vivo during macrophage activation and ischemia-reperfusion injury. Using newly generated Irg1-/- mice, which lack the ability to produce itaconate, we show that endogenous itaconate regulates succinate levels and function, changes in mitochondrial respiration, and inflammatory cytokine production during macrophage activation. These studies highlight itaconate as a major physiological regulator of the global metabolic rewiring and effector functions of inflammatory macrophages. Experiment 1: mature WT BMDM were treated for 12h with 0.25 mM dimethyl itaconate (DI) or vehicle (Unst) and then stimulated with LPS (E. coli 0111:B4; 100 ng/ml, 4h) (DI+LPS; LPS); Experiment 2: mature Irg1-/- BMDM were stimulated with LPS (E. coli 0111:B4; 100 ng/ml) and murine recombinant IFNg (50 ng/ml) for 24h.