Project description:To examine the effects of phosphorylated JUN-mediated enhancers activation on gene expression, we conducted RNA-seq analysis in JUN wildtype (WT) or JUN inactive mutant (JUN AA) overexpressed MRC5 cells. The expression levels of genes associated with JUN-activated enhancers are significantly upregulated in JUN WT cells rather than in JUN AA cells. To quantify the effects of JUN inactivation on gene expression, we also performed RNA-seq analysis in JNKi-treated induced CAFs (iCAFs). We observed that JNKi significantly reduced expression levels of JUN-activated enhancers-associated genes.
Project description:To further dissect whether and how activated JUN reconfigures the chromatin landscape, we performed Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-seq analyses for H3K4me1 and H3K27ac. Based on the significant increase of H3K27ac levels at H3K4me1+ sites, we identified 3,017 JUN-activated enhancers in JUN WT cells. In contrast, JUN AA fails to significantly induce H3K27ac accumulation at these regions. Their enrichment levels at JUN-activated enhancers were significantly decreased after JNKi treatment. Besides, these enhancers are directly driven by JUN, especially phosphorylated JUN.
Project description:Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is an intractable disorder with a poor prognosis. Although lung fibroblasts play central roles in PF, their key regulatory molecules remain unclear. We performed transcriptome analysis of lung fibroblasts from bleomycin- and silica-treated murine lungs and identified 55 hub transcription factors highly connected to gene modules differentially expressed in PF. To elucidate whether fibroblast-specific intervention against the hub transcription factor Srebf1 modulates pathogenic activation of lung fibroblasts in vivo, we intratracheally-transferred active form of Srebf1-overexpressed fibroblasts into bleomycin-treated lungs and performed global transcriptome analysis.
Project description:Lung fibroblasts play a pivotal role in pulmonary fibrosis, a devastating lung diseases, by producing extracellular matrix. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) suppress a lot of genes posttranscriptionally, but the dynamics and the role of miRNAs in activated lung fibroblasts in fibrotic lung has been poorly understood. We found miR-19a, 19b and 20a subcluster expression increased in activated lung fibroblasts as the fibrosis progression. To elucidate whether fibroblast-specific intervention against miR-19a, 19b and 20a subcluster modulates pathogenic activation of lung fibroblasts in vivo, we intratracheally-transferred the subcluster-overexpressed fibroblasts into bleomycin-treated lungs and performed global transcriptome analysis.
Project description:Hypertrophic skin scarring following dermal injury causes extreme pain and psychological trauma for patients. Unfortuately, we do not have effective treatments to prevent or reverse skin scarring. Using RNA and ATAC sequencing of mouse and human fibroblasts, we show that JUN expressing fibroblasts are responsible for skin scarring by regulating CD36 expression. In summary, we show that CD36 antagonism by represent a therapeutic target to overcome JUN hypertrophic skin scarring.
Project description:The somatic cell fate can be converted to tumor or pluripotent ones by ectopic expression of transcription factors in vitro and in vivo. Many oncogenic transcription factors are known to mediate both fates as they share similar proliferative and metabolic properties. Paradoxically, we found c-Jun as the first oncogene that appears to specify a somatic fate, oppose the pluripotent one and impede reprogramming. We performed a series of high through out sequencing to understand the way cJun works. To understand how c-Jun drives mESCs differentiating, we obtained c-Jun TetOn mESCs, and performed RNAseq 36h later with dox inducing or not . To understand why c-Jun blocks reprogramming while c-JunDN and Jdp2 can replace Oct4, we overexpressed these factors with KSM during reprogramming and performed RNAseq 3 Days after virus transfection. Moreover, to extend understand how these factors regulate gene expression, we also overexpressed these factors in MEF and performed RNAseq. Further more, to understand how cJun regulates cell fates and gene expression, we overexpressed c-Jun in mouse ESC and performed ChIP-seq. Also, we performed c-JunDN ChIP-seq during somatic cells reprogramming on day 3, to explore the binding sites of c-JunDN.
Project description:We found that JUN expression is increased in many human fibrotic diseases and that systemic induction of Jun in mice resulted in development of fibrosis of multiple organs. To identify the changes in chromatin accessibility associated with JUN, we worked with primary human fibrotic lung fibroblasts that have normal or Knock-out levels of JUN expression and performed ATAC-seq analysis in both of them. Meanwhile we also modified primary human normal lung fibroblasts with or without JUN over-expression induction, then processed ATAC-seq and ChIP-seq analysis.