Project description:Among the features that distinguish type 1 innate lymphoid cells (ILC1s) from NK cells is a gene signature indicative of TGFb-family cytokine imprinting. To assess the impact of TGFb family cytokines on ILC1 differentation, we examined SMAD4- a transcription factor that facilitates the signaling pathway common to all TGFb family cytokines-was specifically ablated in ILCs and NK cells. While SMAD4 deficiency did not affect ILC1 differentation, NK cells paradoxically aquired an ILC1-like gene signature and were incapable of controlling tumor metastasis and viral infection. We used microarray to compare the transcriptional differences between human blood NK cells. NK cells from a patient with a deleterious SMAD4 mutation or control NK cells were cultured overnight with either IL-2 alone or TGFb1 and IL-2.
Project description:Among the features that distinguish type 1 innate lymphoid cells (ILC1s) from NK cells is a gene signature indicative of TGFb-family cytokine imprinting. To assess the impact of TGFb family cytokines on ILC1 differentation, we examined SMAD4- a transcription factor that facilitates the signaling pathway common to all TGFb family cytokines-was specifically ablated in ILCs and NK cells. While SMAD4 deficiency did not affect ILC1 differentation, NK cells paradoxically aquired an ILC1-like gene signature and were incapable of controlling tumor metastasis and viral infection. We used microarray to define the transcriptional differences between splenic NK cells from WT and SMAD4F/F x Ncr1-Cre mice.
Project description:TGFb is a pleiotropic cytokine which can exert its regulatory effects on differentiation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and alter their cell fate. Canonical TGFb signaling inhibits the formation of KLRG1+ effector cells and circulating memory cells while inducing the formation of resident memory cells. However, SMAD4 functions contradictory to TGFb where it is required for the formation of KLRG1+ effector cells and circulating memroy cells and actively inhibit the formation of resident memory cells. Using, RNA-Sequencing we identified that Smad4 alters the gene expression profile of pathogen-specific CTLs after intranasal infection with Listeria monocytogenes expressing chicken ovalbumin.
Project description:The TGFb signaling pathway is a critical regulator of developmental processes and disease. We developed a system to measure TGFb signaling dynamics by monitoring the localization of Smad4. We performed an unbiased genome-wide RNAi screen to identify genes involved in ligand-dependent Smad4 nuclear translocation
Project description:BMP (bone morphogenetic protein) signaling plays essential roles in the regulation of early tooth development. It is well acknowledged that with binding of extracellular BMP ligands to the type I and type II transmembrane serine/threonine kinase receptor complexes when triggering of the BMP canonical signaling pathway, receptor activated Smad1/5/8 in cytoplasm bind to Smad4, the central mediator of the canonical BMP signaling pathway, to form transfer complexes for entering the nucleus and regulating target gene expression. However, our recent studies reveal the functional operation of a novel BMP mediated signaling pathway named as the atypical BMP canonical signaling pathway in mouse developing tooth, which is Smad1/5/8 dependent but Smad4 independent. In the current study, we investigated whether this atypical BMP canonical signaling is conserved in human odontogenesis. We showed that pSmad1/5/8 is required for expression of MSX1, a well-defined BMP signaling target gene, in human dental mesenchyme, but the typical BMP canonical signaling is indeed not operating in the early human developing tooth, as assessed by the absence of pSMAD1/5/8-SMAD4 complexes in the dental mesenchyme and expression of MSX1 and translocation of pSMAD1/5/8 induced by BMP4 protein is SMAD4-independent in dental mesenchymal cells. Moreover, RNA-Seq data sets comparing the transcriptome profiles of human dental mesenchymal cells with and without SMAD4 knockdown by siRNA displays unchanged expression profiles of pSMAD1/5/8 downstream target genes, further affirming the functional operation of the atypical canonical BMP signaling pathway in a manner of SMAD1/5/8-dependent but SMAD4-independent in the dental mesenchyme during early odontogenesis.
Project description:CUT&RUN LoV-U was performed against SMAD4 using two different antibodies in M170117 human melanoma cells under 4 conditions: Control (DMSO), TGFb, MEKi and TGFb + MEKi (Both).
Project description:Group 1 innate lymphoid cells (ILC1s) are cytotoxic and interferon gamma-producing lymphocytes lacking antigen-specific receptors, which include ILC1s and natural killer (NK) cells. In mice, ILC1s differ from NK cells, as they develop independently of the NK-specifying transcription factor EOMES, while requiring the repressor ZFP683 (ZNF683 in humans) for tissue residency. Here we identify highly variable ILC1 subtypes across tissues through investigation of human ILC1 diversity by single-cell RNA sequencing and flow cytometry. The intestinal epithelium contained abundant mature EOMES− ILC1s expressing PRDM1 rather than ZNF683, alongside a few immature TCF7+PRDM1− ILC1s. Other tissues harbored NK cells expressing ZNF683 and EOMES transcripts; however, EOMES protein content was variable. These ZNF683+ NK cells are tissue-imprinted NK cells phenotypically resembling ILC1s. The tissue ILC1-NK spectrum also encompassed conventional NK cells and NK cells distinguished by PTGDS expression. These findings establish a foundation for evaluating phenotypic and functional changes within the NK-ILC1 spectrum in diseases.
Project description:The development of innate lymphoid cell (ILC) transcription factor reporter mice has shown a previously unexpected complexity in ILC haematopoiesis. Using novel polychromic mice to achieve higher phenotypic resolution we have characterised bone marrow progenitors that are committed to the group 1 ILC lineage. These common ILC1/NK progenitors, which we call ‘aceNKPs’, are defined as lineage–Id2+IL-7Ra+CD25–a4b7–NKG2A/C/E+Bcl11b–. In vitro, aceNKPs differentiate into group 1 ILCs, including NK-like cells that express Eomes without the requirement for IL-15, and produce IFN-g and perforin upon IL-15 stimulation. Following reconstitution of Rag2–/–Il2rg–/– hosts, aceNKPs give rise to a spectrum of mature ILC1/NK cells (regardless of their tissue location) that cannot be clearly segregated into the traditional ILC1 and NK subsets, suggesting that group 1 ILCs constitute a dynamic continuum of ILCs that can develop from a common progenitor. In addition, aceNKP-derived ILC1/NK cells effectively ameliorate tumour burden in a model of lung metastasis where they acquired a cytotoxic NK cell phenotype. Our results identify the primary ILC1/NK progenitor that lacks ILC2 or ILC3 potential and is strictly committed to ILC1/NK cell production irrespective of tissue homing.