Project description:Unbalanced and growth promoting cell fate dynamics that follow p53 loss, and the inability of canonical p53 functions to restrict clonal expansion, suggest the existence of a non-canonical p53 transcriptional program that controls key cell fate regulators. We hypothesized that these cell fate genes are among the shared targets of p53WT and p533KR.
Project description:How progenitor cells regulate quiescence and differentiation is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that the tumor suppressor p53 regulates both proliferation and differentiation of club progenitor cells in the airway epithelium. We show that p53 loss decreases ciliated cell differentiation and increases the proliferative capacity of club progenitors, increasing epithelial cell density. p53 deficient progenitors generated a pseudostratified epithelium containing basal-like cells in vitro and contained an increased proportion of BASCs in vivo, suggesting that p53 suppresses multipotency during homeostasis. Conversely, an additional copy of p53 decreases proliferation and increases ciliated cell differentiation. Using single cell RNA-Seq, we expose heterogeneity within airway epithelial progenitor cells and found that cell cycle regulators, particularly p21, are altered following p53 loss. Together, these findings reveal an essential role for p53 in regulating progenitor cell behavior, which has broad implications in understanding both stem cell and cancer biology
Project description:Total RNA was extracted from the basal epidermis derived from UVB-irradiated P2.5 normal (Mc1r+/Mc1r+; Kit+/Kit+), Mc1r-mutant (Mc1re/Mc1re) and Kit-mutant (Kit/W-v/Kit/W-v) mice. Biological replicates (cy5) were labelled and co-hybridized with a reference RNA sample (cy3) to a 35K mouse cDNA microarray. A reference experiement design type is where all samples are compared to a common reference. Keywords: reference_design
Project description:The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor, Rb, is implicated in luminal-B and basal-like breast carcinomas, yet its effect on mammary gland development and causal role in breast cancer subtypes remain undefined. Here we show that conditional deletion of Rb in mouse mammary epithelium led to expansion of the stem/progenitor cells and to focal acinar hyperplasia with squamous metaplasia. These uniform lesions progressed into histologically diverse, transplantable mammary adenocarcinomas and adenosquamous carcinomas with features of luminal-B or basal-like carcinomas. A subset of basal-like but none of the luminal-B tumors expressed mutant p53. These results demonstrate a causative role for Rb in the etiology of breast cancer subtypes and implicate p53 status as a determinant of tumor phenotype after Rb loss. Keywords: reference x sample Will be updated soon
Project description:p53 limits the self-renewing ability of a variety of stem cells. Here, contrary to its classical role in restraining cell proliferation, we demonstrate a divergent function of p53 in maintenance of self-renewal of the nephron progenitor population in the embryonic mouse kidney. p53-null nephron progenitor cells (NPC) exhibit progressive loss of the self-renewing progenitor niche in the cap mesenchyme, identified by Cited1 and Six2 expression, and loss of cap integrity. Nephron endowment is regulated by NPC availability and their differentiation to nephrons. Quantitatively, the Six2p53-/- cap has 30% fewer Six2GFP+ cells. While the apoptotic index is unchanged the proliferation index is significantly lower, in accordance with cell cycle analysis data showing less mutant Six2p53-/-;GFP+ cells in S and G2/M phases in comparison to Six2p53+/+;GFP+ cells. The mutant kidneys also show nephron deficit and decreased Fgf8 expression. To investigate the underlying changes in gene expression in the cap mesenchyme that contribute to the Six2p53-/- phenotype, we utilized RNA-Seq for transcriptome comparison. Top biological processes affected by p53 loss are development and morphogenesis, cell adhesion/migration, cell survival and metabolism. Cells from the mutant CM showed increased cellular ROS levels as well as deregulated expression of energy metabolism and mitochondrial genes suggesting metabolic dysfunction. Adhesion defects are visualized by decreased immunostaining of adhesion marker NCAM, and may possibly contribute to the differentiation defect as well. Altogether our data suggest a novel role for p53 in enabling self-renewal of the NPC and preservation of the progenitor niche, and thus regulating nephron endowment. mRNA profiles of wild-type (WT) and conditional p53 knockout (KO) of Six2+ mouse nephron progenitor cells (NPC) at embryonic day 15.5
Project description:While aneuploidy is found in more than 90% of solid tumors, it is unclear whether aneuploidy is the cause or the consequence of tumorigenesis. Different mouse models deficient in centrosomal or spindle checkpoint proteins that induce aneuploidy show either a promotion or a decrease in tumorigenesis depending on the tissues and the types of oncogenic stimuli. To investigate the effects of aneuploidy in skin development and tumorigenesis, we used Plk4 over-expression (Plk4OE) during epidermal development to assess centrosome amplification and aneuploidy. We found that PLK4OE in the developing epidermis induced centrosome amplification and multipolar divisions, consequently led to p53 stabilization and apoptosis of epidermal progenitors. This delayed epidermal stratification and induced lethal skin barrier defect in 50% of the mice. Plk4 transgene expression was shutdown postnatally in the surviving mice and PLK4OE mice never developed spontaneous skin tumors. Concomitant Plk4OE and P53 deletion (PLK4OE/p53cKO) rescued the defects in differentiation and stratification. Unexpectedly, p53 deletion did not rescue the apoptosis or eventual elimination of the cells overexpressing PLK4 and presenting multiple centrosomes. Remarkably, the short term presence of cells with supernumerary centrosomes postnatally was sufficient to generate aneuploidy and triggered spontaneous skin cancers with complete penetrance. These results reveal for the first time that aneuploidy induced by centrosome amplification, even if transient, can trigger tumorigenesis.
Project description:We sought to understand the differences between the basal and suprabasal layers of normal human skin epidermis. Comparison of transcriptomes among basal epidermis, suprabasal epidermis, whole epidermis, and reticular dermis
Project description:The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor, Rb, is implicated in luminal-B and basal-like breast carcinomas, yet its effect on mammary gland development and causal role in breast cancer subtypes remain undefined. Here we show that conditional deletion of Rb in mouse mammary epithelium led to expansion of the stem/progenitor cells and to focal acinar hyperplasia with squamous metaplasia. These uniform lesions progressed into histologically diverse, transplantable mammary adenocarcinomas and adenosquamous carcinomas with features of luminal-B or basal-like carcinomas. A subset of basal-like but none of the luminal-B tumors expressed mutant p53. These results demonstrate a causative role for Rb in the etiology of breast cancer subtypes and implicate p53 status as a determinant of tumor phenotype after Rb loss. Keywords: reference x sample