Project description:We investigate the role of Snf2l in ovaries by characterizing a mouse bearing an inactivating deletion on the ATPase domain of Snf2l (Ex6DEL). Snf2l mutant mice produce significantly fewer eggs than control mice when superovulated. Thus, gonadotropin stimulation leads to a significant deficit in secondary follicles and an increase in abnormal antral follicles. We profiled the expression of granulosa cells from Snf2l WT and Ex6DEL mice treated with pregnant mares' serum gonadotropin followed by human chorionic gonadotropin Granulosa cells from either Snf2l WT or Ex6DEL mice treated with PMSG followed by hCG were collected at 0h and 4h post-hCG. Each array includes granulosa cells pooled from 5 mice.
Project description:ISWI is an evolutionary conserved ATPase that catalyzes nucleosome remodeling in several different complexes. Two mammalian ISWI orthologs, SNF2H and SNF2L, have specialized functions despite their high similarity. Due to the lack of reagents the functions of SN2L in human cells had not been established. Newly established specific monoclonal antibodies and selective RNA interference protocols now enabled a comprehensive characterization of loss-of-function phenotypes in human cells. Contrasting earlier results obtained in the mouse model, we found SNF2L broadly expressed in primary human tissues. Depletion of SNF2L in HeLa cells led to enhanced proliferation, morphological alterations and increased migration. These phenomena were explained by transcriptome profiling, which identified SNF2L as a modulator of the Wnt signaling network. The cumulative effects of SNF2L depletion on gene expression portray the cell in a state of activated Wnt signaling characterized by increased proliferation and chemotactic locomotion. High levels of SNF2L expression in normal melanocytes contrast to undetectable expression in malignant melanoma. In summary, our data document an anti-correlation between SNF2L expression and several features characteristic of malignant cells. Total RNA samples from human HeLa cells. Transcript levels were analyzed after luciferase, SNF2H and SNF2L RNAi.
Project description:We investigate the role of Snf2l in ovaries by characterizing a mouse bearing an inactivating deletion on the ATPase domain of Snf2l (Ex6DEL). Snf2l mutant mice produce significantly fewer eggs than control mice when superovulated. Thus, gonadotropin stimulation leads to a significant deficit in secondary follicles and an increase in abnormal antral follicles. We profiled the expression of granulosa cells from Snf2l WT and Ex6DEL mice treated with pregnant mares' serum gonadotropin followed by human chorionic gonadotropin
Project description:ISWI is an evolutionary conserved ATPase that catalyzes nucleosome remodeling in several different complexes. Two mammalian ISWI orthologs, SNF2H and SNF2L, have specialized functions despite their high similarity. Due to the lack of reagents the functions of SN2L in human cells had not been established. Newly established specific monoclonal antibodies and selective RNA interference protocols now enabled a comprehensive characterization of loss-of-function phenotypes in human cells. Contrasting earlier results obtained in the mouse model, we found SNF2L broadly expressed in primary human tissues. Depletion of SNF2L in HeLa cells led to enhanced proliferation, morphological alterations and increased migration. These phenomena were explained by transcriptome profiling, which identified SNF2L as a modulator of the Wnt signaling network. The cumulative effects of SNF2L depletion on gene expression portray the cell in a state of activated Wnt signaling characterized by increased proliferation and chemotactic locomotion. High levels of SNF2L expression in normal melanocytes contrast to undetectable expression in malignant melanoma. In summary, our data document an anti-correlation between SNF2L expression and several features characteristic of malignant cells.
Project description:Oocytes and granulosa cells were collected after natural and superovulation in young (3 month-old) and old (12 month-old) mice while conserving pairing information between oocyte and granulosa cells from each cumulus-oocyte-complex (COC). This experimental design allows for the analysis of the effects of ageing and / or superovulation on the transcriptome of COCs. The naming convention for samples is as follows: [ovulation, NO/SO][age, 3M/12M][cell, OC/GC][COC number], meaning that NO12MOC01 and NO12MGC01 are from the same COC. Oocyte and granulosa cell samples were processed for full-length cytoplasmic RNA amplification using slightly modified SMART-seq2 protocol. After amplification of cDNA and library preparation, samples were sequenced on NextSeq 550 using Single-Ended 75bp High-Output kit.
Project description:Two major factors contributing to reduced fertility is use of exogenous hormones and old age. In previous experiments, we used mouse model to study transcriptional and cell-cell communication changes upon superovulation and ageing in female reproductive cells - oocytes (OC) - and somatic cells - granulosa (GC) - surrounding them. Here, we use granulosa cell samples from human patients undergoing in vitro fertilization to test how aged hormonally stimulated cell transcriptional profiles correspond to ones in mice. Total RNA was extracted from granulosa cell samples, collected during IVF procedures, using TRIzol. Further, RNA was cleaned from DNA with DNA-free™ DNA Removal Kit. ~1 µg of RNA was used to construct libraries with Truseq Stranded mRNA kit and barcoded with IDT for Illumina-TruSeq DNA and RNA UD Indexes. Samples were sequenced on Nextseq200 (Illumina) with 100bp paired-end sequencing.
Project description:Objective: To study the role of estrogen receptor beta in follicle development and maturation and in the response to gonadotropin stimulation aiming at superovulation. Animals: Healthy wild-type and estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) knockout female mice aged 4 weeks, 7 weeks, and 6 months. analysis. Main Outcomes: Oocyte yield after superovulation, transcriptomic profiling of cumulus cells and oocytes and immunohistochemical analyses. Results: Superovulation of ERβ knockout (Esr2-KO) mice results in reduced oocyte yield at 6-months of age compared to wild-type (WT) mice. RNA-seq analysis of cumulus cells from superovulated WT and Esr2-KO mice identified genes and pathways associated with among others adhesion, proliferation, Wnt-signaling, and placed ERβ in bipotential granulosa cell cluster. Loss of ERβ increased expression of the other estrogen receptors Esr1 and Gper1. Conclusion: Our results show that ERβ has an important role in regulating ovulation in response to exogenous gonadotropins in 6-month-old mice, but not in younger mice. Our transcriptomic and immunohistochemical observations suggest a dysregulation of the granulosa cell communication and lack of tight coordination between granulosa cell replication and antrum expansion. A significant upregulation of other estrogen receptors supports a compensatory mechanism sustaining fertility during younger age in Esr2-KO mice.
Project description:ISWI-family nucleosome remodeling enzymes need the histone H4 N-terminal tail to mobilize nucleosomes. Here we mapped the H4-tail binding pocket of ISWI. Surprisingly the binding site was adjacent to but not overlapping with the docking site of an auto-regulatory motif, AutoN, in the N-terminal region (NTR) of ISWI, indicating that AutoN does not act as a simple pseudosubstrate as suggested previously. Rather, AutoN cooperated with a hitherto uncharacterized motif, termed AcidicN, to confer H4-tail sensitivity and discriminate between DNA and nucleosomes. A third motif in the NTR, ppHSA, was functionally required in vivo and provided structural stability by clamping the NTR to Lobe 2 of the ATPase domain. This configuration is reminiscent of Chd1 even though Chd1 contains an unrelated NTR. Our results shed light on the intricate structural and functional regulation of ISWI by the NTR and uncover surprising parallels with Chd1. Elife. 2017 Jan 21;6. pii: e21477. doi: 10.7554/eLife.21477. [Epub ahead of print]
Project description:Sleep disruptions are among the most commonly-reported symptoms across neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), but mechanisms linking brain development to normal sleep are largely unknown. From a Drosophila screen of human NDD-associated risk genes, we identified the chromatin remodeler Imitation SWItch/SNF (ISWI) to be required for adult fly sleep. To better understand the mechanisms by which ISWI regulates sleep, we performed RNA-Seq analysis on mid-3rd instar larval central nervous systems (central brain + ventral nerve cord) in the setting of pan-neuronal ISWI knockdown (elav-GAL4>UAS-ISWI RNAi) compared to controls (elav-GAL4;+). We chose mid-3rd instar because temporal mapping revealed ISWI knockdown during this pre-adult developmental stage led to adult fly sleep deficits.