Project description:Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) is a potent inhibitor of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) proliferation. However, the precise mechanism for this effect is unknown. Here, we have identified the transcription factor Gata2, previously described as an important regulator of HSC function, as an early and direct target gene for TGFβ-induced Smad signaling in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Interestingly, TGFβ-induced Gata2 upregulation is critical for subsequent transcriptional activation of the TGFβ signaling effector molecule p57 and resulting growth arrest of HSPCs. Importantly, both Gata2 and p57 are abundantly expressed in freshly isolated highly purified HSCs, demonstrating the relevance of this circuit in HSC regulation within the HSC niche. Our results connect key molecules involved in HSC self-renewal and reveal a functionally relevant network regulating proliferation of primitive hematopoietic cells. To identify early gene targets of TGFβ signaling in hematopoietic progenitor cells, we performed high-throughput gene expression profiling of a primitive murine hematopoietic cell line. One of the revealed target genes was the transcription factor Gata2, which became the base for the rest of the study.
Project description:Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) is a potent inhibitor of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) proliferation. However, the precise mechanism for this effect is unknown. Here, we have identified the transcription factor Gata2, previously described as an important regulator of HSC function, as an early and direct target gene for TGFβ-induced Smad signaling in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Interestingly, TGFβ-induced Gata2 upregulation is critical for subsequent transcriptional activation of the TGFβ signaling effector molecule p57 and resulting growth arrest of HSPCs. Importantly, both Gata2 and p57 are abundantly expressed in freshly isolated highly purified HSCs, demonstrating the relevance of this circuit in HSC regulation within the HSC niche. Our results connect key molecules involved in HSC self-renewal and reveal a functionally relevant network regulating proliferation of primitive hematopoietic cells. To identify TGFβ targets downstream of Gata2, we carried out a ChIP-Seq experiment on TGFβ-induced Lhx2 cells. Interestingly, there was a large overlap between the GATA2-bound genes and genes differentially expressed after 2h TGFβ induction.
Project description:Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) is a potent inhibitor of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) proliferation. However, the precise mechanism for this effect is unknown. Here, we have identified the transcription factor Gata2, previously described as an important regulator of HSC function, as an early and direct target gene for TGFβ-induced Smad signaling in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Interestingly, TGFβ-induced Gata2 upregulation is critical for subsequent transcriptional activation of the TGFβ signaling effector molecule p57 and resulting growth arrest of HSPCs. Importantly, both Gata2 and p57 are abundantly expressed in freshly isolated highly purified HSCs, demonstrating the relevance of this circuit in HSC regulation within the HSC niche. Our results connect key molecules involved in HSC self-renewal and reveal a functionally relevant network regulating proliferation of primitive hematopoietic cells. To identify early gene targets of TGFβ signaling in hematopoietic progenitor cells, we performed high-throughput gene expression profiling of a primitive murine hematopoietic cell line. One of the revealed target genes was the transcription factor Gata2, which became the base for the rest of the study. Three independent RNA harvests were separately analyzed. Untreated cells were used as controls to the 10ng/ml TGFb-treated cells.
Project description:Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) is a potent inhibitor of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) proliferation. However, the precise mechanism for this effect is unknown. Here, we have identified the transcription factor Gata2, previously described as an important regulator of HSC function, as an early and direct target gene for TGFβ-induced Smad signaling in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Interestingly, TGFβ-induced Gata2 upregulation is critical for subsequent transcriptional activation of the TGFβ signaling effector molecule p57 and resulting growth arrest of HSPCs. Importantly, both Gata2 and p57 are abundantly expressed in freshly isolated highly purified HSCs, demonstrating the relevance of this circuit in HSC regulation within the HSC niche. Our results connect key molecules involved in HSC self-renewal and reveal a functionally relevant network regulating proliferation of primitive hematopoietic cells. To identify TGFβ targets downstream of Gata2, we carried out a ChIP-Seq experiment on TGFβ-induced Lhx2 cells. Interestingly, there was a large overlap between the GATA2-bound genes and genes differentially expressed after 2h TGFβ induction. One sample of 1x10^8 cells (treated with 10 ng/ml TGFβ for 2h) was sequenced.
Project description:Deregulation of the transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) signaling pathway in epithelial ovarian cancer has been reported, but the precise mechanism underlying disrupted TGFβ signaling in the disease remains unclear. We performed chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq) to investigate genome-wide screening of TGFβ-induced SMAD4 binding in epithelial ovarian cancer. Following TGFβ stimulation of the A2780 epithelial ovarian cancer cell line, we identified 2,362 SMAD4 binding loci and 318 differentially expressed SMAD4 target genes. Comprehensive examination of SMAD4-bound loci, revealed four distinct binding patterns: 1) Basal; 2) Shift; 3) Stimulated Only; 4) Unstimulated Only. SMAD4-bound loci were primarily classified as either Stimulated only (74%) or Shift (25%), indicating that TGFβ-stimulation alters SMAD4 binding patterns in epithelial ovarian cancer cells compared to normal epithelial cells. Furthermore, based on gene regulatory network analysis, we determined that the TGFβ-induced SMAD4-dependent regulatory network was strikingly different in ovarian cancer compared to normal cells. Importantly, the TGFβ/SMAD4 target genes identified in the A2780 epithelial ovarian cancer cell line were predictive of patient survival, based on in silico mining of publically available patient data bases. In conclusion, our data highlight the utility of next generation sequencing technology to identify genome-wide SMAD4 target genes in epithelial ovarian cancer. The results link aberrant TGFβ/SMAD signaling to ovarian tumorigenesis. Furthermore, the identified SMAD4 binding loci, combined with gene expression profiling and in silico data mining of patient cohorts, may provide a powerful approach to determine potential gene signatures with biological and future translational research in ovarian and other cancers.
Project description:The transcription factor GATA2 plays a major role in the generation and maintenance of the hematopoietic system. In humans, heterozygous germline mutations in GATA2 often lead to a loss of function of one allele, causing GATA2 haploinsufficiency. In mice, Gata2 has an essential regulatory function in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) generation and maintenance. However, whereas Gata2-null mice are lethal at embryonic day (E) 10.53, Gata2 heterozygous (Gata2+/-) mice survive to adulthood with normal blood values. However, mouse models thus emerged as a useful source to identify the function of GATA2 in HSC generation and fitness, they leave the mechanisms causing the different aspects of GATA2 deficiency syndrome largely undiscovered. Zebrafish have the advantage of having two GATA2 orthologues; Gata2a and Gata2b. Gata2a is expressed predominantly in the vasculature and is required for programming of the hemogenic endothelium. Gata2b is expressed in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) and homozygous deletion (gata2b-/-) redirects HSPCs differentiation bias, thus mimicking one of the GATA2 haploinsufficiency phenotypes found in patients. But patients carry heterozygous rather than homozygous GATA2 mutations, we specifically focused on how heterozygous Gata2b mutations could be mechanistically linked to erythro-myelodysplasia, a major clinical hallmark of GATA2 patients. To investigate the mechanisms of heterozygous GATA2 mutation caused GATA2 deficiency syndrome, we created a heterozygous gata2b mutation zebrafish model and sorted the entire progenitor and HSPC population including the lymphoid population from kidney marrow (KM) of WT and mutated zebrafish based on the scatter profile of flow cytometry for single-cell RNA (scRNA) sequencing.
Project description:The transcription factor GATA2 plays a major role in the generation and maintenance of the hematopoietic system. In humans, heterozygous germline mutations in GATA2 often lead to a loss of function of one allele, causing GATA2 haploinsufficiency. In mice, Gata2 has an essential regulatory function in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) generation and maintenance. However, whereas Gata2-null mice are lethal at embryonic day (E) 10.53, Gata2 heterozygous (Gata2+/-) mice survive to adulthood with normal blood values. However, mouse models thus emerged as a useful source to identify the function of GATA2 in HSC generation and fitness, they leave the mechanisms causing the different aspects of GATA2 deficiency syndrome largely undiscovered. Zebrafish have the advantage of having two GATA2 orthologues; Gata2a and Gata2b. Gata2a is expressed predominantly in the vasculature and is required for programming of the hemogenic endothelium. Gata2b is expressed in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) and homozygous deletion (gata2b-/-) redirects HSPCs differentiation bias, thus mimicking one of the GATA2 haploinsufficiency phenotypes found in patients. But patients carry heterozygous rather than homozygous GATA2 mutations, we specifically focused on how heterozygous Gata2b mutations could be mechanistically linked to erythro-myelodysplasia, a major clinical hallmark of GATA2 patients. To investigate the mechanisms of heterozygous GATA2 mutation caused GATA2 deficiency syndrome, we created a heterozygous gata2b mutation zebrafish model and sorted the entire progenitor and HSPC population including the lymphoid population from kidney marrow (KM) of WT and mutated zebrafish based on the scatter profile of flow cytometry for single-nucleus ATAC (snATAC) sequencing.
Project description:In vertebrates, GATA2 is a master regulator of hematopoiesis and is expressed throughout embryo development and in adult life. Although the essential role of GATA2 in mouse hematopoiesis is well established, its involvement during early human hematopoietic development is not clear. By combining time-controlled overexpression of GATA2 with genetic knockout experiments, we found that GATA2, at the mesoderm specification stage, promotes the generation of hemogenic endothelial progenitors and their further differentiation to hematopoietic progenitor cells, and negatively regulates cardiac differentiation. Surprisingly, genome-wide transcriptional and chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed that GATA2 bound preferentially to regulatory regions, and repressed the expression of cardiac development-related genes. By contrast, genes important for hematopoietic differentiation were upregulated by GATA2 in a mostly indirect manner. Collectively, our data reveal a hitherto unrecognized role of GATA2 as repressor of cardiac fates, and highlight the importance of coordinating the specification and repression of alternative cell fates.