Project description:Epigenetic modifications of the genome, including DNA methylation, histone methylation/acetylation and noncoding RNAs, have been reported to play a fundamental role in regulating immune response during the progression of atherosclerosis. SETDB2 is a member of the KMT1 family of lysine methyltransferases and members of this family typically methylate histone H3 Lys9 (H3K9), an epigenetic mark associated with gene silencing and previous studies have shown SETDB2 is involved in innate and adaptive immunity, the pro-inflammatory response and hepatic lipid metabolism. Here we report that the expression of SETDB2 is markedly upregulated in human and murine atherosclerotic lesions. The upregulation of SETDB2 is observed in pro-inflammatory M1, but not anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages (MΦ). Notably, we found that genetic deletion of SETDB2 in hematopoietic cells promotes vascular inflammation and enhances the progression of atherosclerosis in bone marrow transfer studies in LDLR knockout mice. Single cell RNA-Seq analysis in isolated CD45+ cells from atherosclerotic plaques from mice with SETDB2 deficient bone marrow revealed a significant increase in inflammatory macrophage population and enhanced expression of genes involved in inflammation, myeloid cell recruitment and lipid metabolism. Additionally, we found that loss of SETDB2 in hematopoietic cells is associated with macrophage accumulation in atherosclerotic lesions, macrophage proliferation and attenuated efferocytosis. Overall, these studies identify SETDB2 as an important inflammatory cell regulator that controls macrophage activation in atherosclerotic plaques.
Project description:Epigenetic modifications of the genome, including DNA methylation, histone methylation/acetylation, and noncoding RNAs, have been reported to play a fundamental role in regulating immune response during the progression of atherosclerosis. SETDB2 is a member of the KMT1 family of lysine methyltransferases, and members of this family typically methylate histone H3 Lys9 (H3K9), an epigenetic mark associated with gene silencing. Previous studies have shown that SETDB2 is involved in innate and adaptive immunity, the proinflammatory response, and hepatic lipid metabolism. Here, we report that expression of SETDB2 is markedly upregulated in human and murine atherosclerotic lesions. Upregulation of SETDB2 was observed in proinflammatory M1 but not antiinflammatory M2 macrophages. Notably, we found that genetic deletion of SETDB2 in hematopoietic cells promoted vascular inflammation and enhanced the progression of atherosclerosis in BM transfer studies in Ldlr-knockout mice. Single-cell RNA-Seq analysis in isolated CD45+ cells from atherosclerotic plaques from mice transplanted with SETDB2-deficient BM revealed a significant increase in monocyte population and enhanced expression of genes involved in inflammation and myeloid cell recruitment. Additionally, we found that loss of SETDB2 in hematopoietic cells was associated with macrophage accumulation in atherosclerotic lesions and attenuated efferocytosis. Overall, these studies identify SETDB2 as an important inflammatory cell regulator that controls macrophage activation in atherosclerotic plaques.
Project description:We investigated the function of CARMN lncRNA, located immediately upstream of the miRNAs miR-143 and miR-145, as critical regulator of vSMC phenotypes in vitro and the consequence of its loss during the development of atherosclerosis in vivo. We hypothesized that loss of CARMN is a primary event controlling the functional switch towards pro-atherogenic vSMC phenotypes and accelerates the development of the plaques in vivo.
Project description:Histone H3 lysine 9 tri-methyltransferases (H3K9me3) are related to transcriptional gene silencing. Although SETDB2 has H3K9me3 activity, it is unknown whether SETDB2 is linking to carcinogenesis. Here, we studied alterations and functions of SETDB2 in gastric cancers (GCs). In human clinical samples, overexpression of SETDB2 protein was observed in 30 of 72 (41.7%) primary GC tissues compared with their normal counterparts, and significantly associated with poor prognosis of the patients (P<0.05). SETDB2 protein was significantly detected in late stage of GCs. Moreover, SETDB2 protein was strongly expressed in four (30.8%) of 13 GC cell lines, and knockdown of SETDB2 led to decrease the cell proliferation, migration and invasion. According to the microarray analysis on a GC cell line after knockdown of SETDB2, the expression of WWOX and CADM1 tumor suppressor genes was significantly up-regulated. ChIP analysis showed that the H3K9me3 levels at the promoter regions of WWOX and CADM1 genes were closely regulated by the SETDB2 in GC cells. We also found that SETDB2 bound to the promoter regions after SETDB2 overexpression. Our data suggest that SETDB2 is associated with transcriptional repression of WWOX and CADM1, through H3K9me3, and hence overexpression of SETDB2 may contribute to gastric progression. Transfection of SETDB2 siRNA into MKN74 cells were performed by electroporation. After 48hrs, cells were harvested. Total RNA was used for cDNA microarray.
Project description:Histone H3 lysine 9 tri-methyltransferases (H3K9me3) are related to transcriptional gene silencing. Although SETDB2 has H3K9me3 activity, it is unknown whether SETDB2 is linking to carcinogenesis. Here, we studied alterations and functions of SETDB2 in gastric cancers (GCs). In human clinical samples, overexpression of SETDB2 protein was observed in 30 of 72 (41.7%) primary GC tissues compared with their normal counterparts, and significantly associated with poor prognosis of the patients (P<0.05). SETDB2 protein was significantly detected in late stage of GCs. Moreover, SETDB2 protein was strongly expressed in four (30.8%) of 13 GC cell lines, and knockdown of SETDB2 led to decrease the cell proliferation, migration and invasion. According to the microarray analysis on a GC cell line after knockdown of SETDB2, the expression of WWOX and CADM1 tumor suppressor genes was significantly up-regulated. ChIP analysis showed that the H3K9me3 levels at the promoter regions of WWOX and CADM1 genes were closely regulated by the SETDB2 in GC cells. We also found that SETDB2 bound to the promoter regions after SETDB2 overexpression. Our data suggest that SETDB2 is associated with transcriptional repression of WWOX and CADM1, through H3K9me3, and hence overexpression of SETDB2 may contribute to gastric progression.
Project description:Lysine specific methyltransferase 2D (Kmt2d) catalyzes the mono-methylation of histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4me1) and plays a critical role in regulatory T cell generation via modulating Foxp3 gene expression. We utilized ChIPseq, RNAseq, and scRNAseq to show the role of Kmt2d in naive CD8+ T cell generation and survival.
Project description:BackgroundDNA methylation plays a key role in establishing cell type-specific gene expression profiles and patterns in atherosclerosis. The underlying mechanism remains unclear. Previous studies have shown that DNA methyltransferase 3b (DNMT3b) may play an important role in atherosclerosis. This study aimed to establish the regulatory role of DNMT3b in the development of atherosclerosis.MethodsWe constructed a viral vector carrying Dnmt3b shRNA to transduce ApoE-/- mice. Meanwhile, healthy human peripheral blood Treg cells were treated with inhibitor of DNMT3b (AZA and EGCG) or transduced with DNMT3b shRNA.ResultsIt showed that Dnmt3b silencing attenuated atherosclerosis, including decreased lesion size and macrophage content and increased collagen and smooth muscle cells content in ApoE-/- mice. To further investigate the possible mechanisms, combined with previous studies by our group, we showed that Foxp3-TSDR methylation level was significantly reduced Foxp3 expression and peripheral blood Treg levels were significantly increased by Dnmt3b shRNA vector transduction in animals committed to western diet for 12 and 18 weeks. Consistently, inhibition of DNMT3b (AZA and EGCG) decreased the expression levels of DNMT3b, which can increase the expression levels of FOXP3, and increase the levels of TGF-β and IL-10 and decrease the levels of IL-β and IFN-γ. After transduction with DNMT3b shRNA, the effect was more obvious.ConclusionsDNMT3b accelerated atherosclerosis, and may be associated with FOXP3 hypermethylation status in regulatory T cells.