Project description:Estrogen and progesterone are important regulators of human endometrial differentiation. These steroid hormones act, at least in part, through their nucelar receptors. Role of estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) during human endometrial differentiation is still unclear. We used microarray analysis to detail the gene expression regulated by ESR1 during differentiation of human endometrial stromal cells.
Project description:Endometrial estrogen receptor-α (ESR1) is indispensable for epithelial and stromal proliferation and differentiation during decidualization, yet the gene targets of estradiol (E2) / ESR1 in human stromal cells and associated mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we characterized global E2-ESR1‒dependent transcriptomic changes and ESR1 recruitment to chromatin. Human endometrial stromal cells were isolated from 4 premenopausal women for primary cell culture. Genome-wide RNA expression by RNA-sequencing was compared in endometrial stromal cells with or without siRNA knockdown of ESR1 in the presence or absence of E2 (n=2). Genome-wide recruitment of ESR1 to chromatin was assessed by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing using an antibody against ESR1 was performed to examine binding to target genes (n=1).
Project description:Endometrial estrogen receptor-α (ESR1) is indispensable for epithelial and stromal proliferation and differentiation during decidualization, yet the gene targets of estradiol (E2) / ESR1 in human stromal cells and associated mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we characterized global E2-ESR1‒dependent transcriptomic changes and ESR1 recruitment to chromatin. Human endometrial stromal cells were isolated from 4 premenopausal women for primary cell culture. Genome-wide RNA expression by RNA-sequencing was compared in endometrial stromal cells with or without siRNA knockdown of ESR1 in the presence or absence of E2 (n=2). Genome-wide recruitment of ESR1 to chromatin was assessed by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing using an antibody against ESR1 was performed to examine binding to target genes (n=1).
Project description:Postnatal development of the uterus involves specification of undifferentiated epithelium into uterine-type epithelium. That specification is regulated by stromal-epithelial interactions as well as intrinsic cell-specific transcription factors and gene regulatory networks. This study utilized mouse genetic models of Esr1 deletion, endometrial epithelial organoids (EEO), and organoid-stromal co-cultures to decipher the role of Esr1 in uterine epithelial development. Organoids derived from wild-type (WT) mice developed a normal single layer of columnar epithelium. In contrast, EEO from Esr1 null mice developed a multilayered stratified squamous type of epithelium with basal cells. Co-culturing Esr1 null epithelium with WT uterine stromal fibroblasts inhibited basal cell development. Of note, estrogen treatment of EEO-stromal co-cultures and Esr1 conditional knockout mice increased basal epithelial cell markers. Collectively, these findings suggest that Esr1 regulates uterine epithelium lineage plasticity and homeostasis and loss of ESR1 promotes altered luminal-to-basal differentiation driven by ESR1-mediated paracrine factors from the stroma.
Project description:Endometriosis is an inflammatory disease and bone marrow-derived cells are abundant in endometriotic lesions and in the peritoneal fluid of women with the disease. This study tested the hypothesis that reciprocal communication occurs between macrophages and cultured human endometrial stromal cells and that this communication contributes to the pathology of endometriosis. Changes in gene expression elicited by exposure to factors secreted by the opposing cell type were measured by DNA microarray to test this hypothesis. 716 named genes were differentially expressed in cultured endometrial stromal cells in response to factors secreted by macrophages. Genes that were up-regulated included IL8/CXCL8, MMP3, phospholamban, CYR61/CCN1, CTGF/CCN2, tenascin C, and NNMT, whereas integrin alpha 6 was down-regulated. In contrast, 15 named genes were differentially expressed in macrophages in response to factors secreted by cultured endometrial stromal cells. The data document reciprocal communication between macrophages and endometrial stromal cells and suggest that interaction with macrophages stimulates the expression of genes in endometrial stromal cells that contribute to migration, adhesion, invasion, neovascularization and mitosis of endometrial cells that may support the establishment of endometriosis.
Project description:Estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) mutations have been identified in hormone therapy resistant breast cancer and primary endometrial cancer. Analyses in breast cancer suggests that mutant ESR1 exhibits estrogen independent activity. In endometrial cancer, ESR1 mutations are associated with worse outcomes and less obesity, however experimental investigation of these mutations has not been performed. Using a unique CRISPR/Cas9 strategy, we introduced the D538G mutation, a common endometrial cancer mutation that alters the ligand binding domain of ESR1, while epitope tagging the endogenous locus. We discovered estrogen-independent mutant ESR1 genomic binding that is significantly altered from wildtype ESR1. The D538G mutation impacted expression, including a large set of non-estrogen regulated genes, and chromatin accessibility, with most affected loci bound by mutant ESR1. Mutant ESR1 is unique from constitutive ESR1 activity as mutant-specific changes are not recapitulated with prolonged estrogen exposure. Overall, D538G mutant ESR1 confers estrogen-independent activity while causing additional regulatory changes in endometrial cancer cells that are distinct from breast cancer cells.
Project description:Estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) mutations have been identified in hormone therapy resistant breast cancer and primary endometrial cancer. Analyses in breast cancer suggests that mutant ESR1 exhibits estrogen independent activity. In endometrial cancer, ESR1 mutations are associated with worse outcomes and less obesity, however experimental investigation of these mutations has not been performed. Using a unique CRISPR/Cas9 strategy, we introduced the D538G mutation, a common endometrial cancer mutation that alters the ligand binding domain of ESR1, while epitope tagging the endogenous locus. We discovered estrogen-independent mutant ESR1 genomic binding that is significantly altered from wildtype ESR1. The D538G mutation impacted expression, including a large set of non-estrogen regulated genes, and chromatin accessibility, with most affected loci bound by mutant ESR1. Mutant ESR1 is unique from constitutive ESR1 activity as mutant-specific changes are not recapitulated with prolonged estrogen exposure. Overall, D538G mutant ESR1 confers estrogen-independent activity while causing additional regulatory changes in endometrial cancer cells that are distinct from breast cancer cells.
Project description:Estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) mutations have been identified in hormone therapy resistant breast cancer and primary endometrial cancer. Analyses in breast cancer suggests that mutant ESR1 exhibits estrogen independent activity. In endometrial cancer, ESR1 mutations are associated with worse outcomes and less obesity, however experimental investigation of these mutations has not been performed. Using a unique CRISPR/Cas9 strategy, we introduced the D538G mutation, a common endometrial cancer mutation that alters the ligand binding domain of ESR1, while epitope tagging the endogenous locus. We discovered estrogen-independent mutant ESR1 genomic binding that is significantly altered from wildtype ESR1. The D538G mutation impacted expression, including a large set of non-estrogen regulated genes, and chromatin accessibility, with most affected loci bound by mutant ESR1. Mutant ESR1 is unique from constitutive ESR1 activity as mutant-specific changes are not recapitulated with prolonged estrogen exposure. Overall, D538G mutant ESR1 confers estrogen-independent activity while causing additional regulatory changes in endometrial cancer cells that are distinct from breast cancer cells.
Project description:Our previous studies have shown that C/EBPβ plays a critical role in human endometrial stromal decidualization. In order to identify the molecular pathways regulated by C/EBPβ during decidualization, we performed gene expression profiling using RNA isolated from normal and C/EBPβ-deficient human endometrial stromal cells. The microarray results revealed that several key regulators of stromal differentiation, such as BMP2, Wnt4, IL-11Rα and STAT3, operate downstream of C/EBPβ during decidualization. Further studies revealed that STAT3 is a direct target of C/EBPβ and plays an important role in cytokine signal during the decidualization process. Gene expression profiling, using STAT3-deficient HESCs, showed an extensive overlap of pathways downstream of STAT3 and C/EBPβ during stromal cell differentiation.
Project description:Our previous studies have shown that C/EBPM-NM-2 plays a critical role in human endometrial stromal decidualization. In order to identify the molecular pathways regulated by C/EBPM-NM-2 during decidualization, we performed gene expression profiling using RNA isolated from normal and C/EBPM-NM-2-deficient human endometrial stromal cells. The microarray results revealed that several key regulators of stromal differentiation, such as BMP2, Wnt4, IL-11RM-NM-1 and STAT3, operate downstream of C/EBPM-NM-2 during decidualization. Further studies revealed that STAT3 is a direct target of C/EBPM-NM-2 and plays an important role in cytokine signal during the decidualization process. Gene expression profiling, using STAT3-deficient HESCs, showed an extensive overlap of pathways downstream of STAT3 and C/EBPM-NM-2 during stromal cell differentiation. We employed a siRNA strategy to suppress C/EBPM-NM-2 or STAT3 mRNA expression in HESCs and then performed microarray analysis to identify its downstream target genes. Further, using a similar strategy, we focused on STAT3, a C/EBPM-NM-2 target gene, and identified the commone pathways downstream of both C/EBPM-NM-2 and STAT3.