Project description:Skeletal muscle atrophy is a debilitating condition that occurs with aging and disease but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Previous work determined that common transcriptional changes occur in muscle during atrophy induced by different stimuli. However, whether this holds true at the proteome level remains largely unexplored. Here, we find that, contrary to this earlier model, distinct atrophic stimuli (corticosteroids, cancer, and aging) induce largely different mRNA and protein changes during muscle atrophy in mice. Moreover, there is widespread transcriptome-proteome disconnect. Consequently, atrophy markers (atrogenes) identified in earlier microarray-based studies do not emerge from these proteomic surveys as the most relevantly associated with atrophy in all conditions. Rather, we identify proteins that are distinctly modulated by different types of atrophy (herein defined as “atroproteins”) such as the myokine CCN1/Cyr61, which regulates myofiber type switching during sarcopenia. Altogether, these integrated analyses indicate that different catabolic stimuli induce muscle atrophy via largely distinct mechanisms.
Project description:The proteasome maintains protein quality during aging and disease. Challenges to proteasome function can be compensated by local proteasome stress responses. However, whereas proteasome stress is also sensed systemically is unknown. In Drosophila , we find that proteasome stress in skeletal muscle non-autonomously promotes the degradation of proteasome substrates in distant tissues during aging. Several muscle-secreted factors (myokines) are upregulated by proteasomal stress via C/EBP transcription factors, including the amylase Amyrel, which increases the circulating levels of the disaccharide maltose. Muscle-specific Amyrel overexpression promotes the degradation of proteasome substrates in the aging brain and retina via the transcriptional induction of chaperones and proteases. Conversely, RNAi for maltose transporters worsens proteostasis and reduces the expression of Amyrel-induced genes in the brain. Moreover, maltose preserves protein quality in cell culture and human cortical brain organoids challenged by thermal stress. Thus, proteasome stress in skeletal muscle mounts a systemic adaptive response via amylase/maltose signaling.
Project description:The proteasome maintains protein quality during aging and disease. Challenges to proteasome function can be compensated by local proteasome stress responses. However, whereas proteasome stress is also sensed systemically is unknown. In Drosophila , we find that proteasome stress in skeletal muscle non-autonomously promotes the degradation of proteasome substrates in distant tissues during aging. Several muscle-secreted factors (myokines) are upregulated by proteasomal stress via C/EBP transcription factors, including the amylase Amyrel, which increases the circulating levels of the disaccharide maltose. Muscle-specific Amyrel overexpression promotes the degradation of proteasome substrates in the aging brain and retina via the transcriptional induction of chaperones and proteases. Conversely, RNAi for maltose transporters worsens proteostasis and reduces the expression of Amyrel-induced genes in the brain. Moreover, maltose preserves protein quality in cell culture and human cortical brain organoids challenged by thermal stress. Thus, proteasome stress in skeletal muscle mounts a systemic adaptive response via amylase/maltose signaling.
Project description:Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) exhibit considerable cell-intrinsic changes with age. Epigenetic alterations are one of the hallmarks of HSC aging, and profiling of DNA methylation and histone modifications has provided potential mechanisms that contribute to HSC aging. Chromatin accessibility reflects a comprehensive transcriptional network operating in cells; however, it has not yet been investigated in HSC aging. Here we performed an integrated analysis of aged HSCs on transcriptome, chromatin accessibilities, and histone modifications. Alterations in chromatin accessibility preferentially took place in HSCs with aging, the cells at the top of hematopoietic hierarchy, suggesting that the age-associated alterations in chromatin accessibility are memorized in HSCs and are inherited to downstream progenitor cells. However, most genes with differentially accessible regions (DARs) were not actively transcribed and kept poised for activation in aged HSCs. Motifs of ATF/CREB, STAT, and CNC family transcription factors were significantly enriched at DARs in aged HSCs. These transcription factors are activated in response to external stresses such as cytokine and inflammation signals and oxidative stresses, suggesting that the long-term exposure to such stress signals have changed chromatin accessibility in HSCs to augment responses by such trained HSCs to subsequent stimuli. In contrast, aged HSC-specific gene expression occurred mainly at gene loci with poised accessible regions but not DARs without accompanying drastic chromatin reorganization, suggesting that altered cell-extrinsic stimuli or signals from aged niche largely account for this process. Our findings provide key epigenetic molecular insights into HSC aging and serve as a reference for future analysis.
Project description:Granulosa cells (GCs) are the most dynamically responsive cell lineage to encourage continuous folliculogenesis; however, developmental dynamics and interplay with downstream transcription circuitry remain unclear. Here, we unravel the redistribution of genome-wide chromatin areas that drive broad developmental-related transcriptomic alterations during follicular maturation in murine and porcine GCs. Distinct GC-activated accessibility regions (GAAs) at the ovulatory phase are responsible for augmenting flanking GC-involved developmental gene (GDG) expression, which are essential for transcriptional responses to developmental cues. Mechanistically, the transcription factor (TF) Fosl2 is strongly recruited to GAAs, facilitating chromatin accessibility state transition. Elevated GAA signals driven by Fosl2 loading induce a significant upregulation of adjacent GDG expression. Additionally, GC-specific Fosl2 deletion in mice perturbs GC cellularity, leading to subfertility related to reproductive aging. Together, we highlight a dynamic chromatin accessibility landscape during follicular maturation, revealing the indispensable Fosl2 function not only controls transcriptional activation via a reconfigured chromatin state, but also orchestrates intricate signaling pathways that are fundamental for ovulation and reproduction.
Project description:Granulosa cells (GCs) are the most dynamically responsive cell lineage to encourage continuous folliculogenesis; however, developmental dynamics and interplay with downstream transcription circuitry remain unclear. Here, we unravel the redistribution of genome-wide chromatin areas that drive broad developmental-related transcriptomic alterations during follicular maturation in murine and porcine GCs. Distinct GC-activated accessibility regions (GAAs) at the ovulatory phase are responsible for augmenting flanking GC-involved developmental gene (GDG) expression, which are essential for transcriptional responses to developmental cues. Mechanistically, the transcription factor (TF) Fosl2 is strongly recruited to GAAs, facilitating chromatin accessibility state transition. Elevated GAA signals driven by Fosl2 loading induce a significant upregulation of adjacent GDG expression. Additionally, GC-specific Fosl2 deletion in mice perturbs GC cellularity, leading to subfertility related to reproductive aging. Together, we highlight a dynamic chromatin accessibility landscape during follicular maturation, revealing the indispensable Fosl2 function not only controls transcriptional activation via a reconfigured chromatin state, but also orchestrates intricate signaling pathways that are fundamental for ovulation and reproduction.
Project description:Granulosa cells (GCs) are the most dynamically responsive cell lineage to encourage continuous folliculogenesis; however, developmental dynamics and interplay with downstream transcription circuitry remain unclear. Here, we unravel the redistribution of genome-wide chromatin areas that drive broad developmental-related transcriptomic alterations during follicular maturation in murine and porcine GCs. Distinct GC-activated accessibility regions (GAAs) at the ovulatory phase are responsible for augmenting flanking GC-involved developmental gene (GDG) expression, which are essential for transcriptional responses to developmental cues. Mechanistically, the transcription factor (TF) Fosl2 is strongly recruited to GAAs, facilitating chromatin accessibility state transition. Elevated GAA signals driven by Fosl2 loading induce a significant upregulation of adjacent GDG expression. Additionally, GC-specific Fosl2 deletion in mice perturbs GC cellularity, leading to subfertility related to reproductive aging. Together, we highlight a dynamic chromatin accessibility landscape during follicular maturation, revealing the indispensable Fosl2 function not only controls transcriptional activation via a reconfigured chromatin state, but also orchestrates intricate signaling pathways that are fundamental for ovulation and reproduction.