Project description:We found that overexpression of HOXC4 in mature adipocytes enhances thermogenesis. To investigate the binding sites of HOXC4 in the genome of brown adipocytes, we performed HOXC4 ChIP-seq experiments on differentiated primary brown adipocytes, which overexpressed HOXC4.
Project description:Here we have employed chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with deep sequencing to map and compare PPARM-NM-3 binding in in vitro differentiated primary mouse adipocytes isolated from epididymal, inguinal, and brown adipose tissues. While these PPARM-NM-3 binding profiles are overall similar, there are clear depot-selective binding sites. Most PPARM-NM-3 binding sites previously mapped in 3T3-L1 adipocytes can also be detected in primary adipocytes, but there are a large number of PPARM-NM-3 binding sites that are specific to the primary cells, and these tend to be located in closed chromatin regions in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The depot-selective binding of PPARM-NM-3 is associated with highly depot-specific gene expression. This indicates that PPARM-NM-3 plays a role in the induction of genes characteristic of different adipocyte lineages and that preadipocytes from different depots are differentially preprogrammed to permit PPARM-NM-3 lineage-specific recruitment even when differentiated in vitro. Examination of PPARM-NM-3 binding in in vitro differentiatied adipocytes isolated from three different adipose depots.
Project description:Here we have employed chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with deep sequencing to map and compare PPARγ binding in in vitro differentiated primary mouse adipocytes isolated from epididymal, inguinal, and brown adipose tissues. While these PPARγ binding profiles are overall similar, there are clear depot-selective binding sites. Most PPARγ binding sites previously mapped in 3T3-L1 adipocytes can also be detected in primary adipocytes, but there are a large number of PPARγ binding sites that are specific to the primary cells, and these tend to be located in closed chromatin regions in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The depot-selective binding of PPARγ is associated with highly depot-specific gene expression. This indicates that PPARγ plays a role in the induction of genes characteristic of different adipocyte lineages and that preadipocytes from different depots are differentially preprogrammed to permit PPARγ lineage-specific recruitment even when differentiated in vitro.
Project description:We have identified several nucleotide motifs (caug, cgggag=S2) that promote exosome sorting of miRNA in different cell types including brown adipocytes. In order to identify which proteins might recognize and bind to these motifs, we have performed co-precipitations of proteins binding biotinylated forms of miRNAs containing the aforementioned motifs or none - using streptavidin beads incubated with brown adipocytes cell lysates. We have included two types of controls: negative poly-A control and a scramble miRNA.
Project description:Aberrant expression of HOXC6 and HOXC4 is commonly detected in prostate cancer. The high expression of these transcription factors is associated with aggressive prostate cancer and can predict cancer recurrence after treatment. Thus, HOXC4 and HOXC6 are clinically relevant biomarkers of aggressive prostate cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms by which these HOXC genes contribute to prostate cancer is not yet understood. To begin to address the role of HOXC4 and HOXC6 in prostate cancer, we performed RNA-seq analyses before and after siRNA-mediated knockdown of HOXC4 and/or HOXC6 and also performed ChIP-seq to identify genomic binding sites for both of these transcription factors. Our studies demonstrate that HOXC4 and HOXC6 co-localize with HOXB13, FOXA1 and AR, three transcription factors previously shown to contribute to the development of prostate cancer. We suggest that the aberrantly upregulated HOXC4 and HOXC6 proteins may compete with HOXB13 for binding sites, thus altering the prostate transcriptome. This competition model may be applicable to many different human cancers that display increased expression of a HOX transcription factor.
Project description:The adipose organ, including white and brown adipose tissues, is an important player in systemic energy homeostasis, storing excess energy in form of lipids while releasing energy upon various energy demands. Recent studies have demonstrated that white and brown adipocytes also function as endocrine cells and regulate systemic metabolism by secreting factors that act locally and systemically. However, a comparative proteomic analysis of secreted factors from white and brown adipocytes and their responsiveness to adrenergic stimulation has not been reported yet. Therefore, we studied and compared the secretome of white and brown adipocytes, with and without norepinephrine (NE) stimulation. Our results reveal that in the absence of NE, carbohydrate metabolism-regulating proteins are preferably secreted from white adipocytes, while brown adipocytes predominantly secrete integrin signaling proteins. Upon NE stimulation, white adipocytes secrete more proteins involved in lipid metabolism, while brown adipocytes secrete more proteins with specific anti-inflammatory properties. In conclusion, our study provides a comprehensive catalogue of novel adipokine candidates secreted from white and brown adipocytes with many of them responsive to NE.
Project description:We have identified a population of adipocytes in fat tissue that arise from bone marrow-derived progenitor cells. We used microarrays to compare the global gene expression patterns of the bone marrow progenitor-derived adipocytes as well as conventional white and brown adipocytes to evaluate the relationship between these adipocyte subpopulations. Gonadal fat tissue (for white adipocytes) and intrascapular fat tissue (for brown adipocytes) was digested with collagenase and adipocytes were recovered by centrifugation/flotation. Bone marrow derived adipocytes were isolated from the adipocyte fraction of gonadal fat tissue from mice receiving bone marrow tranplants from donors expressing either green fluorescent protein (GFP) or beta-galactosidase (LacZ) by flow cytometry.
Project description:We use ChIP-seq to discover the genome-wide sites of acetylation of lysine 56 of the histone H3 (H3K56), which is a target of three histone modifying enzymes with known roles in diabetes and insulin resistance, in human adipocytes derived from mesenchymal stem cells. Surprisingly, we find that a very large fraction of genes show some level of acetylation on H3K56, but the highest levels of acetylation are associated with genes previously reported to be involved in type 2 diabetes. Using computational methods, we propose that the transcription factor E2F4 may be involved in recruiting histone modifying enzymes to these sites. We confirm this prediction by measuring the binding of E2F4 using ChIP-seq. We also examine the binding of two other proteins using ChIP-Seq: HSF-1 and C/EBPM-NM-1M-BM- . HSF-1 is a master regulator of stress responses, and is a target of the same histone modifiers as H3K56. We find a high degree of overlap between HSF-1 binding and H3K56 acetylation even in cells that are not stressed. By contrast, C/EBPM-NM-1M-BM- , which is not known to be modified by these enzymes, shows much less overlap with the sites of H3K56 acetylation. Our results represent the first mapping of the regulatory code of human adipocytes. Examination of H3K56 acetylation sites and E2F4,C/EBPM-NM-1 and HSF-1 binding sites in human adipocytes.
Project description:We have identified a population of adipocytes in fat tissue that arise from bone marrow-derived progenitor cells. We used microarrays to compare the global gene expression patterns of the bone marrow progenitor-derived adipocytes as well as conventional white and brown adipocytes to evaluate the relationship between these adipocyte subpopulations.
Project description:Cre recombinase activity was induced in differentiating brown adipocytes from CreERT2 Sykflox/flox mice in vitro, which resulted in a partial loss of Syk protein in mature brown adipocytes. Such cells were viable, morphologically normal and displayed largely normal gene expression as indicated by mRNA sequencing and qPCR analysis, suggesting that Syk is not required for survival and gene expression of terminally differentiated brown adipocytes. mRNA sequencing of Syk depleted brown adipocytes treated with 0.1 microM isoproterenol for 6 h showed that 2460 genes were not induced or suppressed upon stimulation. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed a great enrichment for genes essential for mitochondrial respiration and biogenesis, for genes associated with and required for adipogenesis, as well as for genes responsive to various stimuli in adipocytes among genes highly ranked by reduced fold changes in response to isoproterenol in the Syk deficient brown adipocytes.