Project description:Homeostasis of self-renewing small intestinal crypts results from neutral competition between Lgr5 stem cells, small cycling cells located at crypt bottoms1, 2. Lgr5 stem cells are interspersed between terminally differentiated Paneth cells, that are known to produce bactericidal products such as lysozyme and cryptdins/defensins3. Single Lgr5-expressing stem cells can be cultured to form long-lived, self-organizing crypt-villus organoids in the absence of non-epithelial niche cells4. Here, we note a close physical association of Lgr5 stem cells with Paneth cells in vivo and in vitro. CD24+ Paneth cells express EGF, TGF?, Wnt3 and the Notch-ligand Dll4, all essential signals for stem cell maintenance in culture. Co-culturing of sorted stem cells with Paneth cells dramatically improves organoid formation. This Paneth cell requirement can be substituted by a pulse of exogenous Wnt. Genetic removal of Paneth cells in vivo results in the concomitant loss of Lgr5 stem cells. In colon crypts, CD24+ cells residing between Lgr5 stem cells may represent the Paneth cell equivalents. We conclude that Lgr5 stem cells compete for essential niche signals provided by a specialized daughter cell, the Paneth cell. We used intestinal cell fractions from Lgr5-EGFP-ires-CreERT2 mice, expressing GFP under the control of the Lgr5 promoter. RNA was isolated from two FACS sorted cell populations: stem cells were sorted based on high level of GFP expression (GFPhi) and Paneth cells were sorted based on high level of CD24 expression (CD24hi) and high side-scatter (SSChi). Differentially labelled cRNA from GFPhi and CD24hi/SSChi cells from two different sorts (each combining ten individual mice) were hybridized on 4X44K Agilent Whole Mouse Genome dual colour Microarrays (G4122F) in two dye swap experiments, resulting in four individual arrays.
Project description:Intestinal stem cells (ISC) encounter inflammatory insults in immune mediated gastro-intestinal (GI) diseases. It remains unknown whether, and how, they adapt, and if the adaptation leaves scars on the ISCs that affects their subsequent regeneration capacity. We investigated the consequences of inflammation on Lgr5+ISCs in well-defined clinically relevant models of gastro-intestinal acute graft-versus-host disease (GI GVHD). Utilizing single cell transcriptomics, organoid, metabolic, epigenomic and in vivo models we found that Lgr5+ISCs undergo metabolic changes that lead to accumulation of succinate, which reprograms its epigenome. We performed transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing (ATAC-seq) in sorted Lgr5+ISCs harvested from the BALB/c→B6-GFP-Lgr5 model of GVHD.
Project description:Background & Aims: Hierarchical organization of intestine relies on their stem cells by self-renew and producing committed progenitors. Although signals like Wnt are known to animate the continued renewal by maintaining intestinal stem cells (ISCs) activity, molecular mechanisms especially E3 ubiquitin ligases that modulate ISCs ‘stemness’ and supportive niche have not been well understood. Here, we investigated the role of Cullin 4B (Cul4b) in regulating ISC functions. Methods: We generated mice with intestinal epithelial-specific disruption of Cul4b (pVillin-cre; Cul4bfn/Y), inducible disruption of Cul4b (Lgr5-creERT2; Cul4bfn/Y, CAG-creERT2; Cul4bfn/Y) and their control (Cul4bfn/Y). Intestinal tissues were analyzed by histology, immunofluorescence, RNA sequencing and mass spectrum. Intestinal organoids deprived from mice with pVillin-Cre; Cul4bfn/Y, Lgr5-Cre; Cul4bfn/Y, Tg-Cul4b and their controls were used in assays to measure intestinal self-renewal, proliferation and differentiation. Wnt signaling and intestinal markers were analyzed by immunofluorescence and immunoblot assays. Differential proteins upon Cul4b ablation or Cul4b-interacting proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. Results: Cul4b specifically located at ISCs zone. Block of Cul4b impaired intestinal homeostasis maintenance by reduced self-renewal and proliferation. Transcriptome analysis revealed that Cul4b-null intestine lose ISC characterization and showed disturbed ISC niche. Mechanistically, reactivated Wnt pathway could recover intestinal dysfunction of Cul4b knockout mice. Analysis of differential total and ubiquitylated proteins uncovered the novel targeting substrate of Cullin-Ring ubiquitin ligase 4b (CRL4b), immunity-related GTPase family M member 1 (Irgm1) in intestine. Decreased Irgm1 rescued abnormally interferon signaling, overemphasized autophagy and downstream phosphate proteins in Cul4b knockout mice. Conclusion: We conclude that Cul4b is essential for ISC self-renewal and Paneth cell function by targeting Irgm1 and modulating Wnt signaling. Our results demonstrate that Cul4b is a novel ISC stemness and niche regulator.
Project description:Lgr5+ adult intestinal stem cells are highly proliferative throughout life. Single Lgr5+ stem cells can be cultured into 3D epithelial organoids containing all cell types at nearnormal ratios. Culture conditions to generate the main cell types have been established previously, but signals inducing the various types of enteroendocrine cells (EECs) have remained elusive. Here we generate quiescent Lgr5+ stem cells in vitro by inhibition of the EGF-receptor (EGFR) and mitogen-associated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways in organoids, a state that can be readily reversed. Quiescent Lgr5+ stem cells gain a distinct molecular signature, biased towards EEC differentiation. Indeed, combined inhibition of Wnt, Notch and MAPK pathways efficiently generates a diversity of EEC subtypes in vitro. Our observations uncouple Wnt-dependent stem cell maintenance from EGF-dependent proliferation and cell fate choice, and provide an in vitro approach for the study of the elusive EECs.
Project description:Wnt signals control three functions of intestinal crypts: maintenance of Lgr5 stem cells, proliferation of transit-amplifying daughters and formation of Paneth cells. Here, we study how the Wnt effector β-catenin/Tcf4 cooperates with the Wnt-activated transcription factor Ascl2 to control a stem cell transcription program. DNA elements that are co-occupied and synergistically regulated by Ascl2 and Tcf4 specifically map to stem cell genes. In vitro, Tcf4-/- mini-guts are rescued by Ascl2 expression, while Ascl2-/- organoids are rescued by Wnt signaling. A direct auto-activatory loop leads to an on/off expression pattern of Ascl2 with a threshold that depends on the previous state. Wnt/R-spondin1 activates this loop. This mechanism interprets Wnt levels in crypts and translates this continuous signal into a discrete Ascl2 âonâ or âoffâ decision. In turn Ascl2, together with β-catenin/Tcf, activates stem cell genes. Thus, Ascl2 forms a transcriptional 'stemness switch' that is both Wnt-responsive and Wnt-dependent Examination of Tcf4, B-catenin and Ascl2 DNA occupancy in murine intestinal organoids and human colorectal cancer cell lines *** Original raw files unavailable due to loss during backup ***
Project description:Gene inactivation of the orphan G protein-coupled receptor Lgr4, a paralog of the epithelial stem cell marker Lgr5, results in 50% decrease of epithelial cell proliferation and 80% reduction in terminal differentiation of Paneth cells in postnatal mouse intestinal crypts. When cultured ex vivo, Lgr4-deficient crypts or progenitors, but not Lgr5-deficient progenitors, die rapidly with dramatic downregulation of stem cell markers and Wnt target genes, including Lgr5. Partial rescue of this phenotype is achieved by LiCl addition to the culture medium, but not by Wnt agonists. Our results identify Lgr4 as a permissive factor of the Wnt pathway in the intestine and, as such, as a potential target for intestinal cancer therapy. Microarray hybridization was performed on LGR4 KO intestinal crypts at day 0, day 0.5 and day 1 versus wild-type crypts. The effects of LiCl treatment on LGR4 KO crypts at day1 versus control cells were investigated. After amplification and labelling, sample pairs were hybridized onto Mouse Exonic Evidence Based Oligonucleotide (MEEBO) arrays containing on average 38784 mouse 70mer oligonucleotide probes (Stanford University, US). Hybridizations were replicated with dye swap.
Project description:Mutations in APC or β-catenin that cause aberrant activation of Wnt signaling are responsible for the initiation of colorectal tumor development. LGR5 is specifically expressed in stem cells of the intestine, stomach and hair follicle, and plays essential roles in maintaining tissue homeostasis. LGR5-positive stem cells have been shown to be responsible for the intestinal adenoma initiated by some mutations in APC . Furthermore, it has recently been reported that Lgr5, which is associated with the Frizzled/Lrp Wnt receptor complex, interacts with R-spondins and thereby activates Wnt signaling. However, the function of LGR5 in colorectal tumorigenesis has been unclear. Here we show that LGR5 is required for the tumorigenicity of colorectal cancer cells. We also show that the transcription factor GATA6 directly enhances the expression of LGR5. DLD1 cells were infected with a lentivirus expressing an shRNA targeting GATA6 or LGR5.
Project description:We isolated and selected intestinal adenoma organoids from Lgr5-EGFP-IRES-CreER; Apcflox/flox mice and added tamoxifen to induce the deletion of the Apc gene in the intestinal stem cells. Gene expressions on day7 and day20 after the addition of tamoxifen were compared, representing two stages with different colorectal cancer stem cell content. Total RNA obtained from Lgr5-EGFP-IRES-CreER; Apcflox/flox organoids were compared 7 days and 20 days after the addition of tamoxifen, cultured without the Wnt-agonist R-Spondin1.
Project description:Gene inactivation of the orphan G protein-coupled receptor Lgr4, a paralog of the epithelial stem cell marker Lgr5, results in 50% decrease of epithelial cell proliferation and 80% reduction in terminal differentiation of Paneth cells in postnatal mouse intestinal crypts. When cultured ex vivo, Lgr4-deficient crypts or progenitors, but not Lgr5-deficient progenitors, die rapidly with dramatic downregulation of stem cell markers and Wnt target genes, including Lgr5. Partial rescue of this phenotype is achieved by LiCl addition to the culture medium, but not by Wnt agonists. Our results identify Lgr4 as a permissive factor of the Wnt pathway in the intestine and, as such, as a potential target for intestinal cancer therapy.
Project description:Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells (ISCs) play crucial roles in maintenance of the intestinal epithelium renewal and regeneration after injury. The mechanism underlying the interplay between Wnt and BMP signaling is not fully understood. Here we report that Bcl11b, which is downregulated by BMP signaling, enhances Wnt signaling to maintain Lgr5+ ISCs and promote the regeneration of the intestinal epithelium following damage. Conditional inactivation of the Bcl11b gene leads to a significant decrease of Lgr5+ ISCs in both mouse intestinal crypts and cultured organoids. Mechanistically, BMP suppresses the expression of Bcl11b, which can positively regulate Wnt target genes by inhibiting the function of the Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylase (NuRD) complex and facilitating the β-catenin-TCF4 interaction. Bcl11b can also promote intestinal epithelium repair after injuries elicited by both irradiation and DSS-induced inflammation. Furthermore, Bcl11b deletion prevents proliferation and tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer cells. Together, our findings suggest that BMP balances Wnt signaling via Bcl11b to delicately regulate the homeostasis and regeneration of the intestinal epithelium.