Project description:Accumulation of fatty bone marrow (FBM) is one of the key age related changes possibly influencing the blood system. While a link between obesity and cancer evolution has been reported it remains unknown whether FBM can modify the evolution of the early stages of leukemia and clonal hematopoiesis (CH). To address this question, we established different FBM mouse models in immunodeficient mice in whom we can study both mouse and human cells. We focused our studies on two FBM models: 1) after sublethal irradiation; 2) after castration; and in both we used an adipogenesis inhibitor as a control (PPARγ inhibitor). We transplanted both human and mice hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) carrying DNMT3A mutations into immunodeficient mice with FBM. A significant increase in self-renewal was found when DNMT3AMut-HSCs were exposed to FBM. To better understand the mechanisms of the FBM-CH interaction, we performed single cell RNA-sequencing on HSPCs after FBM exposure in vivo. A 6-10 fold increase in DNMT3AMut-HSCs was observed under FBM conditions in comparison to normal bone marrow. Mutated HSCs from mice exposed to FBM exhibited an activated inflammatory signaling (IL-6 and IFNγ). Cytokine analysis of BM fluid and BM derived adipocytes grown in vitro demonstrated increased IL-6 levels under FBM conditions. Anti-IL-6 neutralizing antibodies significantly reduced the selective advantage of mice derived DNMT3AMut-HSCs exposed to FBM. Overall, paracrine FBM inflammatory signals promote DNMT3A-driven clonal hematopoiesis, which can be inhibited by blocking the IL-6 receptor.
Project description:Accumulation of fatty bone marrow (FBM) is one of the key age related changes possibly influencing the blood system. While a link between obesity and cancer evolution has been reported it remains unknown whether FBM can modify the evolution of the early stages of leukemia and clonal hematopoiesis (CH). To address this question, we established different FBM mouse models in immunodeficient mice in whom we can study both mouse and human cells. We focused our studies on two FBM models: 1) after sublethal irradiation; 2) after castration; and in both we used an adipogenesis inhibitor as a control (PPARγ inhibitor). We transplanted both human and mice hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) carrying DNMT3A mutations into immunodeficient mice with FBM. A significant increase in self-renewal was found when DNMT3AMut-HSCs were exposed to FBM. To better understand the mechanisms of the FBM-CH interaction, we performed single cell RNA-sequencing on HSPCs after FBM exposure in vivo. A 6-10 fold increase in DNMT3AMut-HSCs was observed under FBM conditions in comparison to normal bone marrow. Mutated HSCs from mice exposed to FBM exhibited an activated inflammatory signaling (IL-6 and IFNγ). Cytokine analysis of BM fluid and BM derived adipocytes grown in vitro demonstrated increased IL-6 levels under FBM conditions. Anti-IL-6 neutralizing antibodies significantly reduced the selective advantage of mice derived DNMT3AMut-HSCs exposed to FBM. Overall, paracrine FBM inflammatory signals promote DNMT3A-driven clonal hematopoiesis, which can be inhibited by blocking the IL-6 receptor.
Project description:Accumulation of fatty bone marrow (FBM) is one of the key age related changes possibly influencing the blood system. While a link between obesity and cancer evolution has been reported it remains unknown whether FBM can modify the evolution of the early stages of leukemia and clonal hematopoiesis (CH). To address this question, we established different FBM mouse models in immunodeficient mice in whom we can study both mouse and human cells. We focused our studies on two FBM models: 1) after sublethal irradiation; 2) after castration; and in both we used an adipogenesis inhibitor as a control (PPARγ inhibitor). We transplanted both human and mice hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) carrying DNMT3A mutations into immunodeficient mice with FBM. A significant increase in self-renewal was found when DNMT3AMut-HSCs were exposed to FBM. To better understand the mechanisms of the FBM-CH interaction, we performed single cell RNA-sequencing on HSPCs after FBM exposure in vivo. A 6-10 fold increase in DNMT3AMut-HSCs was observed under FBM conditions in comparison to normal bone marrow. Mutated HSCs from mice exposed to FBM exhibited an activated inflammatory signaling (IL-6 and IFNγ). Cytokine analysis of BM fluid and BM derived adipocytes grown in vitro demonstrated increased IL-6 levels under FBM conditions. Anti-IL-6 neutralizing antibodies significantly reduced the selective advantage of mice derived DNMT3AMut-HSCs exposed to FBM. Overall, paracrine FBM inflammatory signals promote DNMT3A-driven clonal hematopoiesis, which can be inhibited by blocking the IL-6 receptor.
Project description:Both fatty bone marrow (FBM) and somatic mutations in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), also termed clonal hematopoiesis (CH) accumulate with human aging. However it remains unclear whether FBM can modify the evolution of CH. To address this question, we herein present the interaction between CH and FBM in two preclinical male mouse models: after sub-lethal irradiation or after castration. An adipogenesis inhibitor (PPARγ inhibitor) is used in both models as a control. A significant increase in self-renewal can be detected in both human and rodent DNMT3AMut-HSCs when exposed to FBM. DNMT3AMut-HSCs derived from older mice interacting with FBM have even higher self-renewal in comparison to DNMT3AMut-HSCs derived from younger mice. Single cell RNA-sequencing on rodent HSCs after exposing them to FBM reveal a 6-10 fold increase in DNMT3AMut-HSCs and an activated inflammatory signaling. Cytokine analysis of BM fluid and BM derived adipocytes grown in vitro demonstrates an increased IL-6 levels under FBM conditions. Anti-IL-6 neutralizing antibodies significantly reduce the selective advantage of DNMT3AMut-HSCs exposed to FBM. Overall, paracrine FBM inflammatory signals promote DNMT3A-driven clonal hematopoiesis, which can be inhibited by blocking the IL-6 pathway.
Project description:Ki-67 molecular functions and properties have remained quite obscure for a long time, despite its importance as a major proliferation marker in clinic. Only recently it has been shown that Ki-67 has a major role in the formation of the mitotic chromosome periphery compartment, and it is a protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) binding protein. Understanding Ki-67 functions at different stages of the cell cycle has been so far hindered by the fact that the different phenotypes observed in cells upon Ki-67 depletion could be the outcome of secondary effects. Here, by using Auxin-inducible-degron (AID) system, we show that Ki-67 degradation at the G1/S boundary causes the disassembly of the replication machinery and leads to DNA damage. This triggers the interferon response and causes replication delay. Our results support the model whereby Ki-67 contributes to replication forks protection, and it is important for timely DNA replication and genome maintenance.
Project description:Hematopoietic mutations in epigenetic regulators like DNA methyltransferase 3 alpha (DNMT3A) drive clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) and are associated with adverse prognosis in patients with heart failure (HF). The interactions between CHIP-mutated cells and other cardiac cell types remain unknown. Here, we identify fibroblasts as potential interaction partners of CHIP-mutated monocytes using combined transcriptomic data from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of HF patients with and without CHIP and cardiac tissue. We demonstrate that DNMT3A inactivation augments macrophage-to-cardiac fibroblasts interactions and induces cardiac fibrosis in mice and humans. Mechanistically, DNMT3A inactivation increases the release of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like growth factor (HB-EGF) to activate cardiac fibroblasts. These findings not only identify a novel pathway of DNMT3A CHIP-driver mutation-induced instigation and progression of HF, but may also provide a rationale for the development of new anti-fibrotic strategies.
Project description:Antigen Ki-67 is a nuclear protein expressed in proliferating mammalian cells. It is widely used in cancer histopathology but its functions remain unclear. Here, we show that Ki-67 controls heterochromatin organisation. Altering Ki-67 expression levels did not significantly affect cell proliferation in vivo. Ki-67 mutant mice developed normally and cells lacking Ki-67 proliferated efficiently. Conversely, upregulation of Ki-67 expression in differentiated tissues did not inhibit cell cycle arrest. Ki-67 interactors included proteins involved in nucleolar processes and chromatin regulators. Ki-67 depletion disrupted nucleologenesis but did not inhibit pre-rRNA processing. In contrast, it altered gene expression. Ki-67 silencing also had wide-ranging effects on chromatin organisation, disrupting heterochromatin compaction and long-range genomic interactions. Trimethylation of histone H3K9 and H4K20 at heterochromatin was strongly reduced. Overexpression of human or Xenopus Ki-67 induced ectopic heterochromatin formation. Altogether, our results suggest that Ki-67 expression in proliferating cells spatially organises heterochromatin, thereby controlling gene expression.