GATA-1 Promoter Research Articles

Development of enhancer-trapping and -detection vectors mediated by the Tol2 transposon in zebrafish.

Enhancers are key transcriptional drivers of gene expression. The identification of enhancers in the genome is central for understanding gene-expression programs. Although transposon-mediated enhancer trapping (ET) is a powerful approach to the identification of enhancers in zebrafish, its efficiency varies considerably. To improve the ET efficiency, we constructed Tol2-mediated ET vectors with a reporter gene (mCherry) expression box driven by four minimal promoters (Gata, Myc, Krt4 and Oct4), respectively. The ET efficiency and expression background were compared among the four promoters by zebrafish embryo injection at the one-cell stage. The results showed that the Gata minimal promoter yielded the lowest basic expression and the second-highest trapping efficiency (44.6% at 12 hpf (hour post-fertilization) and 23.1% at 72 hpf, n = 305 and n = 307). The Krt4 promoter had the highest trapping efficiency (64% at 12 hpf and 67.1% at 72 hpf, n = 302 and n = 301) and the strongest basic expression. To detect enhancer activity, chicken 5′HS4 double insulators were cloned into the two ET vectors with the Gata or Krt4 minimal promoter, flanking the mCherry expression box. The resulting detection vectors were injected into zebrafish embryos. mCherry expression driven by the Gata promoter (about 5%, n = 301) was decreased significantly compared with that observed for embryos injected with the ET vectors (23% at 72 hpf, n = 308). These results suggest that the insulators block the genome-position effects and that this vector is fit for enhancer-activity evaluation. To assess the compatibility between the enhancers and the minimal promoters, four enhancers (CNS1, Z48, Hand2 and Hs769) were cloned upstream of the Gata or Beta-globin minimal promoter in the enhancer-activity-detection vectors. The resulting recombinant vectors were assayed by zebrafish embryo injection. We found that Z48 and CNS1 responded to the Gata minimal promoter, and that Hand2 only responded to the Beta-globin minimal promoter. In contrast, Hs769 did not respond to either the Gata or Beta-globin minimal promoters. These results suggest the existence of compatibility between enhancers and minimal promoters. This study represents a systematic approach to the discovery of optional ET and enhancer-detection vectors. We are eager to provide a superior tool for understanding functional genomics.

Monozygotic twins with shared de novo GATA2 mutation but dissimilar phenotypes due to differential promoter methylation

A revised WHO classification of hematopoietic neoplasm introduced the new category ‘Myeloid Neoplasms with Germline Predisposition’, reflecting the growing importance of genetic testing for myeloid neoplasms. Here, we investigated monozygotic twins with the same de novo mutation in GATA2 but different phenotypes. The patient suffering a bleeding tendency was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and her monozygotic twin showed dysmegakaryopoietic features in the bone marrow. Targeted sequencing revealed the same germline mutation in GATA2, c.1192C > T, in both sisters and different somatic mutations in 14 genes between the sisters. The GATA2 mutation was absent in both parents, and their hemograms were normal. The methylation profile of the GATA2 promoter region was different between the twins, showing denser promoter methylation in the patient, correlated with MDS. Thus, we concluded that the twins had acquired a de novo GATA2 mutation but showed different phenotypes, possibly due to the critical role of epigenetic changes.

Identification of Novel Gata3 Distal Enhancers Active in Mouse Embryonic Lens.

Background: The tissue‐specific transcriptional programs during normal development require tight control by distal cis‐regulatory elements, such as enhancers, with specific DNA sequences recognized by transcription factors, coactivators, and chromatin remodeling enzymes. Gata3 is a sequence‐specific DNA‐binding transcription factor that regulates formation of multiple tissues and organs, including inner ear, lens, mammary gland, T‐cells, urogenital system, and thyroid gland. In the eye, Gata3 has a highly restricted expression domain in the posterior part of the lens vesicle; however, the underlying regulatory mechanisms are unknown. Results: Here we describe the identification of a novel bipartite Gata3 lens‐specific enhancer located ∼18 kb upstream from its transcriptional start site. We also found that a 5‐kb Gata3 promoter possesses low activity in the lens. The bipartite enhancer contains arrays of AP‐1, Ets‐, and Smad1/5‐binding sites as well as binding sites for lens‐associated DNA‐binding factors. Transient transfection studies of the promoter with the bipartite enhancer showed enhanced activation by BMP4 and FGF2. Conclusions: These studies identify a novel distal enhancer of Gata3 with high activity in lens and indicate that BMP and FGF signaling can up‐regulate expression of Gata3 in differentiating lens fiber cells through the identified Gata3 enhancer and promoter elements. Developmental Dynamics 247:1186–1198, 2018. © 2018 The Authors. Developmental Dynamics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Anatomists

Acetylation of H3K4, H3K9, and H3K27 mediated by p300 regulates the expression of GATA4 in cardiocytes

GATA4 is a particularly important cardiogenic transcription factor and serves as a potent driver of cardiogenesis. Recent progress in the field has made it clear that histone acetylation can influence gene expression through changing the structure of chromatin. Our previous research had revealed that hypo-acetylation could repress gata4 expression in cardiocytes, however the underlying mechanism by which this occurred was still unclear. To reveal the mechanism of histone acetylation involved in the regulation of gata4 transcription, we concentrated on P300, one of the important histone acetyltransferase associated with cardiogenesis. We found that P300 participated in gata4 expression through regulating histone acetylation in embryonic mouse hearts. RNAi-mediated downregulation of P300 modulated the global acetylation of H3 and the acetylation of H3K4, H3K9, and H3K27 in gata4 and Tbx5 promoters. Interestingly, there was an obvious inhibition of gata4 transcription, whereas Tbx5 was not influenced. Furthermore, SGC-CBP30, the selective inhibitor of the bromodomain in CBP/P300, downregulated gata4 transcription by repressing the acetylation of H3K4, H3K9, and H3K27 in the gata4 promoters. Taken together, our results identified that acetylation of H3K4, H3K9, and H3K27 mediated by P300 plays an important role in regulation of gata4 expression in cardiogenesis.

Gata3 hypermethylation and Foxp3 hypomethylation are associated with sustained protection and bystander effect following epicutaneous immunotherapy in peanut-sensitized mice.

BackgroundEpicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT) is a promising method for treating food allergies. In animal models, EPIT induces sustained unresponsiveness and prevents further sensitization mediated by Tregs. Here, we elucidate the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect of EPIT, by characterizing the kinetics of DNA methylation changes in sorted cells from spleen and blood and by evaluating its persistence and bystander effect compared to oral immunotherapy (OIT).Methods BALB/c mice orally sensitized to peanut proteins (PPE) were treated by EPIT using a PPE‐patch or by PPE‐OIT. Another set of peanut‐sensitized mice treated by EPIT or OIT were sacrificed following a protocol of sensitization to OVA. DNA methylation was analyzed during immunotherapy and 8 weeks after the end of treatment in sorted cells from spleen and blood by pyrosequencing. Humoral and cellular responses were measured during and after immunotherapy.ResultsAnalyses showed a significant hypermethylation of the Gata3 promoter detectable only in Th2 cells for EPIT from the 4th week and a significant hypomethylation of the Foxp3 promoter in CD62L+ Tregs, which was sustained only for EPIT. In addition, mice treated with EPIT were protected from subsequent sensitization and maintained the epigenetic signature characteristic for EPIT.ConclusionsOur study demonstrates that EPIT leads to a unique and stable epigenetic signature in specific T‐cell compartments with downregulation of Th2 key regulators and upregulation of Treg transcription factors, likely explaining the sustainability of protection and the observed bystander effect.

Restoration of GATA4 expression impedes breast cancer progression by transcriptional repression of ReLA and inhibition of NF-κB signaling.

There are increasing reports of aberrant expression of GATA4, correlated with oncogenesis and malignant progression in some solid tumors, but whether GATA4 functions as an oncogenic driver or a tumor suppressor in carcinogenesis remains controversial. Because the role and mechanism of GATA4 in breast cancer (BrCa) remain poorly understood, we focused on the expression of GATA4 in BrCa cell lines and tissues and its mechanism in breast oncogenesis. Semiquantitative real-timepolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), quantitative RT-PCR, Western blot analysis, and immunohistochemistry were used to detect expression of GATA4 in BrCa cell lines and adjacent breast tissues. Methylation statuses of the GATA4 promoter were studied using methylation-specific PCR in BrCa cell lines.The effects of GATA4 on proliferation, invasion, and cell cycle were also analyzed. Compared with adjacent breast tissue, GATA4 expression in BrCa tissue and cell lines was obviously lower and low expression levels of GATA4 predicted poor outcome. Methylation of GATA4 occurred in almost all of BrCa cell lines . GATA4 overexpression decreased viability, invasion, migration, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of MB-231 and BT549 cells, and markedly induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Exogenous expression GATA4 accompanied a significant alteration of MMP2, MMP3, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin expression and induction of the caspase-8 pathway. Moreover, GATA4 could directly repress RelA (p65) transcription, reduce the nuclear phosphorylation-p65 and upregulate inhibitor kappa B expression. Altogether, GATA4 plays a tumor-suppressive role via repression of NF-κB signaling in BrCa cells. Our findings suggest that GATA4 is a potential prognostic biomarker and gene therapeutic target for human BrCa.

RERE deficiency leads to decreased expression of GATA4 and the development of ventricular septal defects.

ABSTRACTDeletions of chromosome 1p36 are associated with a high incidence of congenital heart defects (CHDs). The arginine-glutamic acid dipeptide repeats gene (RERE) is located in a critical region for CHD on chromosome 1p36 and encodes a cardiac-expressed nuclear receptor co-regulator. Mutations affecting RERE cause atrial and ventricular septal defects (VSDs) in humans, and RERE-deficient mice also develop VSDs. During cardiac development, mesenchymal cells destined to form part of the atrioventricular (AV) septum are generated when endocardial cells in the AV canal undergo epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and migrate into the space between the endocardium and the myocardium. These newly generated mesenchymal cells then proliferate to fill the developing AV endocardial cushions. Here, we demonstrate that RERE-deficient mouse embryos have reduced numbers of mesenchymal cells in their AV endocardial cushions owing to decreased levels of EMT and mesenchymal cell proliferation. In the endocardium, RERE colocalizes with GATA4, a transcription factor required for normal levels of EMT and mesenchymal cell proliferation. Using a combination of in vivo and in vitro studies, we show that Rere and Gata4 interact genetically in the development of CHDs, RERE positively regulates transcription from the Gata4 promoter and GATA4 levels are reduced in the AV canals of RERE-deficient embryos. Tissue-specific ablation of Rere in the endocardium leads to hypocellularity of the AV endocardial cushions, defective EMT and VSDs, but does not result in decreased GATA4 expression. We conclude that RERE functions in the AV canal to positively regulate the expression of GATA4, and that deficiency of RERE leads to the development of VSDs through its effects on EMT and mesenchymal cell proliferation. However, the cell-autonomous role of RERE in promoting EMT in the endocardium must be mediated by its effects on the expression of proteins other than GATA4.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.

GATA6 phosphorylation by Erk1/2 propels exit from pluripotency and commitment to primitive endoderm

The transcription factor GATA6 and the Fgf/Ras/MAPK signaling pathway are essential for the development of the primitive endoderm (PrE), one of the two lineages derived from the pluripotent inner cell mass (ICM) of mammalian blastocysts. A mutant mouse line in which Gata6-coding exons are replaced with H2BGFP (histone H2B Green Fluorescence Protein fusion protein) was developed to monitor Gata6 promoter activity. In the Gata6-H2BGFP heterozygous blastocysts, the ICM cells that initially had uniform GFP fluorescence signal at E3.5 diverged into two populations by the 64-cell stage, either as the GFP-high PrE or the GFP-low epiblasts (Epi). However in the GATA6-null blastocysts, the originally moderate GFP expression subsided in all ICM cells, indicating that the GATA6 protein is required to maintain its own promoter activity during PrE linage commitment. In embryonic stem cells, expressed GATA6 was shown to bind and activate the Gata6 promoter in PrE differentiation. Mutations of a conserved serine residue (S264) for Erk1/2 phosphorylation in GATA6 protein drastically impacted its ability to activate its own promoter. We conclude that phosphorylation of GATA6 by Erk1/2 compels exit from pluripotent state, and the phosphorylation propels a GATA6 positive feedback regulatory circuit to compel PrE differentiation. Our findings resolve the longstanding question on the dual requirements of GATA6 and Ras/MAPK pathway for PrE commitment of the pluripotent ICM.

GATA-1 Deacetylation and Interaction with HDAC1 Is Critical for GATA-1 Mediated Gene Transcription

The transcription factor GATA-1 is an essential factor for globin gene transcrption and is required for erythroid and megakaryocytic cell differentiation and maturation. GATA-1 can be acetylated by p300/CBP, and the acetylation modulates GATA-1 chromatin binding activity. However, it is not clear whether GATA-1 acetylation can be reversed by a deacetylase. It is showed that GATA-1 can indirectly interact with histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) associated NURD corepressor complexes through binding to FOG-1. However, we found that the NURD complex does not deacetylate GATA-1. We discovered that GATA-1 can directly interact with HDAC1 in a FOG-1 independent manner. The interaction results in deacetylation of GATA-1. We have identified two arginine sites within GATA-1 that are important for the interaction with HDAC1. The arginine to alanine mutation on these sites (2RA) blocks the interaction of HDAC1, but doesn't affect its DNA binding in vitro. Importantly, the mutation does not affect the interaction with FOG-1, indicating that GATA-1 direct interaction and indirect association via FOG-1 with HDAC1 are separate events. To further understand the role of the HDAC1-GATA-1 direct interaction in gene transcription and erythropoiesis, we introduced the 2RA mutant of GATA-1 fused with estrogen receptor ligand binding domains into G1E cells, a GATA-1-null erythroid progenitor cell line. Interestingly, upon estradiol induction, GATA-1 2RA does not promote b-globin gene transcription and erythroid differentiation of G1E cells, although GATA-1 2RA is highly acetylated. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay (ChIP) shows that GATA-1 2RA binds poorly to HS3 and β-globin promoter. Similar binding defect is also detected on GATA-1 promoter, indicating defective GATA-1 recruitment on chromatin. Interestingly, HDAC1 binding to these regions are also significantly reduced, suggesting HDAC1-GATA-1 interaction may be important for GATA-1 deacetylation, as well as stabilizing GATA-1 binding. In order to investigate the effect of GATA-1 2RA in vivo, we generated a GATA-1 2RA knock in mice. The knock in mice are viable but suffered from anemia and thrombocytopenia. β-globin expression reduced at least 50% in knock in mice compare to wild type litter mate. To further identify and compare gene expression profiles regulated by HDAC1 direct or indirect associated GATA-1 during erythroid differentiation, we performed RNA sequencing assays to study the effects of GATA-1 2RA in gene expression in comparison with wild type GATA-1 or GATA-1-V205M (a mutation abolished binding with FOG-1). Expression of GATA-1 2RA largely affects gene expression profile in both GATA-1 activated and repressed genes compared to cells expressing wild type GATA-1. The gene expression pattern in 2RA cells also is largely different from cells expressing GATA-1 V205M, indicating the direct and indirect interaction with HDAC1 may mediate differential functions. Our results indicate that HDAC1 is required for GATA-1 recruitment and GATA-1 mediated transcription regulation. Thus, this study unveils a novel regulation of GATA-1 by its direct interaction with HDAC1. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Fetal Inactivation of the Nuclear Interacting SET Domain Protein 1 Impairs Terminal Erythroid Maturation and Results in Acute Erythroleukemia in Mice

The nuclear receptor binding SET domain protein 1 (NSD1) histone (H3K36) methyltransferase is target of recurrent genetic alterations in human hematological malignancies and certain solid cancers. To study its role in normal hematopoiesis, we inactivated the Nsd1 gene in the blood forming system of the mouse. Vav1-iCre mediated cleavage of floxed exon 5 resulted in almost complete loss of Nsd1 expression at the mRNA and protein level. After a latency of 7-17 weeks, all Vav1-iCre;Nsd1fl/fl mice developed signs of disease, whereas heterozygous littermates expressed normal Nsd1 levels and remained healthy. Symptomatic mice presented anemia, reticulocytosis and thrombocytopenia with presence of erythroblasts on peripheral blood smears. Diseased mice had significant splenomegaly and infiltration of erythroblasts in spleen, liver and lung. Bone marrow (BM) transplantation from symptomatic mice was able to fully propagate the disease in wild type recipients, alone or in competition with normal cells. The majority of the BM and spleen cells of diseased mice expressed modest levels of the transferrin receptor (CD71dim) and variable amounts of c-Kit and FcγR-II/III, but no TER119, CD34, B220 or Sca-1. The cells formed abnormal BFU-like dense reddish and partially hemoglobinized colonies in erythropoietin (EPO) containing methylcellulose that could be replated up to 4 rounds. In Vav1-iCre;Nsd1fl/fl fetal livers, we also observed accumulation of abnormal erythroid progenitors, deficient for Nsd1, suggesting a prenatal origin of the phenotype. RNA sequencing of lineage marker-negative, Sca1+, c-Kit+ (LSK) cells revealed aberrant regulation of genes associated with/functioning in erythroid differentiation. Indeed, in vitro differentiation of Vav1-iCre;Nsd1fl/fl erythroblasts was significantly impaired. Retroviral expression of Nsd1 was able to partially rescue the erythroid differentiation block. Interestingly, Vav1-iCre;Nsd1fl/fl erythroblasts constitutively expressed significantly increased protein levels of the erythroid master transcriptional regulator GATA1 independent whether they were expanded as immature cells or induced for terminal maturation. Impaired terminal maturation of Vav1-iCre;Nsd1fl/fl erythroblasts was associated with reduced transactivation of GATA1 positively-regulated targets (HbbA, HbbB, Gpa, Bcl2l1, p21), while expression of GATA1-repressed target genes (Gata2, c-kit, Spi1) was not affected. Strikingly, exogenous expression of Gata1 was able to overcome the differentiation block of Vav1-iCre;Nsd1fl/fl erythroblasts depending on the integrity of the N- and C-zinc fingers, as seen in colony forming assays and liquid cultures. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) revealed that binding of GATA1 to HbbA1 locus and to a lesser extent to regulatory elements in the Gata1 promoter region (G1-HE site) was impaired in Vav1-iCre;Nsd1fl/fl erythroblasts, but restored upon overexpression of exogenous Gata1 . However, we found no significant changes of global H3K36me1 and H3K36me2 marks in wild type and Vav1-iCre;Nsd1fl/fl erythroblasts. In addition, published ChIP-seq data revealed no enrichment for H3K36me1/2 marks near critical GATA1 binding sites in HbbA1 or Gata1 suggesting that NSD1 most likely regulates GATA1 activity by direct modification or by interfering with GATA1 interacting partners necessary for efficient transactivation of critical mediators of terminal erythroid maturation. Taken together, our work unraveled NSD1 as a critical regulator of terminal erythroid differentiation. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

The KMT1A-GATA3-STAT3 Circuit Is a Novel Self-Renewal Signaling of Human Bladder Cancer Stem Cells.

Purpose: Bladder cancer is one of the most common urinary malignancies worldwide characterized by a high rate of recurrence and no targeted therapy method. Bladder cancer stem cells (BCSCs) play a crucial role in tumor initiation, metastasis, and drug resistance. However, the regulatory signaling and self-renewal mechanisms of BCSCs remain largely unknown. Here, we identified a novel signal, the KMT1A-GATA3-STAT3 circuit, which promoted the self-renewal and tumorigenicity of human BCSCs.Experimental Design: In a discovery step, human BCSCs and bladder cancer non-stem cells (BCNSCs) isolated from primary bladder cancer samples #1 and #2, and the bladder cancer cell line EJ were analyzed by transcriptome microarray. In a validation step, 10 paired bladder cancer and normal tissues, different tumor cell lines, the public microarray datasets of human bladder cancer, and The Cancer Genome Atlas database were applied for the verification of gene expression.Results: KMT1A was highly expressed and responsible for the increase of tri-methylating lysine 9 of histone H3 (H3K9me3) modification in BCSCs compared with either BCNSCs or normal bladder tissue. GATA3 bound to the -1710∼-1530 region of STAT3 promoter and repressed its transcription. H3K9me3 modification on the -1351∼-1172bp region of the GATA3 promoter mediated by KMT1A repressed the transcription of GATA3 and upregulated the expression of STAT3. In addition, the activated STAT3 triggered self-renewal of BCSCs. Furthermore, depletion of KMT1A or STAT3 abrogated the formation of BCSC tumorspheres and xenograft tumors.Conclusions: KMT1A positively regulated the self-renewal and tumorigenicity of human BCSCs via KMT1A-GATA3-STAT3 circuit, in which KMT1A could be a promising target for bladder cancer therapy. Clin Cancer Res; 23(21); 6673-85. ©2017 AACR.

Functional analyses of the interaction of chicken interleukin 23 subunit p19 with IL-12 subunit p40 to form the IL-23 complex

This study represents the first description of the cloning of chicken IL-23p19 (ChIL-23α) and the function of the IL-23 complex in birds. Multiple alignment of ChIL-23α with other known IL-23α amino acid sequences revealed regions of amino acid conservation. The homologies of ChIL-23α, IL-12p35, and similar mammalian subunits ranged between 26% and 42%. ChIL-23α consisted of four exons and three introns; similar to those in humans and mice, and limited conservation of synteny between the human and chicken genomes was observed. Using bioinformatics tools, we identified the NF-κB, C/EBPα-β, c-Jun, c-Rel, AP-1, GATA-1, and ER promoter sites in ChIL-23α. Moreover, IL-23α mRNA was more highly expressed than IL-12p40 and IL-12p35 mRNA in several organs of chickens infected with Salmonella. In addition, ChIL-23 complex are associated with IL-23R, IL-12Rβ1 receptors; activate the JAK2/TYK2, STAT1/3, SOCS1 genes, and induced proinflammatory cytokines in immune cells. Collectively, these results indicate that ChIL-23 is a member of the IL-12 family, has proinflammatory properties related to IL-23R and IL-12Rβ1 receptor expression, and activates the JAK/STAT signaling pathway that results in the interaction of ChIL-23α with ChIL-12p40 to form the novel ChIL-23 complex. Our results provide novel insights into the regulation of immunity, inflammation, and immunopathology.

Twist1 regulates embryonic hematopoietic differentiation through binding to Myb and Gata2 promoter regions.

Mechanisms underlying differentiation of embryonic hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) remain unclear. In mouse, intra-aortic clusters (IACs) form in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros region and acquire HSPC potential after 9.5 days postcoitum (dpc). In this study we demonstrate that Twist1 is highly expressed in c-Kit+CD31+CD34+ IACs, which are equivalent to embryonic HSPCs, compared with adult HSPCs. Progenitor activities of colony-forming unit (CFU) of granulocytes and macrophages, CFU of macrophages, burst-forming unit of erythroid, and B lymphopoiesis were impaired in IACs of Twist1-/- relative to wild-type embryos. Microarray analysis and real-time polymerase chain reaction showed downregulated expression of Myb and Gata2 transcripts in Twist1-/- IACs. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and promoter binding assays indicated that Twist1 directly binds the Myb and Gata2 promoters in 10.5-dpc IACs. We conclude that Twist1 is a novel transcriptional regulator of HSPC differentiation through direct binding to promoter regions of key regulators of the process.

DNA methylation of Th2 lineage determination genes at birth is associated with allergic outcomes in childhood.

There is now increasing evidence that asthma and atopy originate in part in utero, with disease risk being associated with the altered epigenetic regulation of genes. To determine the relationship between variations in DNA methylation at birth and the development of allergic disease, we examined the methylation status of CpG loci within the promoter regions of Th1/2 lineage commitment genes (GATA3, IL-4, IL-4R, STAT4 and TBET) in umbilical cord DNA at birth in a cohort of infants from the Southampton Women's Survey (n=696) who were later assessed for asthma, atopic eczema and atopy. We found that higher methylation of GATA3 CpGs -2211/-2209 at birth was associated with a reduced risk of asthma at ages 3 (median ratio [median methylation in asthma group/median methylation in non-asthma group]=0.74, P=.006) and 6-7 (median ratio 0.90, P=.048) years. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the GATA3 CpG loci associated with later risk of asthma lie within a NF-κB binding site and that methylation here blocks transcription factor binding to the GATA3 promoter in the human Jurkat T-cell line. Associations between umbilical cord methylation of CpG loci within IL-4R with atopic eczema at 12months (median ratio 1.02, P=.028), and TBET with atopy (median ratio 0.98, P=.017) at 6-7years of age were also observed. Our findings provide further evidence of a developmental contribution to the risk of later allergic disorders and suggest that involvement of epigenetic mechanisms in childhood asthma is already demonstrable at birth.

GATA2 regulates the erythropoietin receptor in t(12;21) ALL.

The t(12;21) (p13;q22) chromosomal translocation resulting in the ETV6/RUNX1 fusion gene is the most frequent structural cytogenetic abnormality in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The erythropoietin receptor (EPOR), usually associated with erythroid progenitor cells, is highly expressed in ETV6/RUNX1 positive cases compared to other B-lineage ALL subtypes. Gene expression analysis of a microarray database and direct quantitative analysis of patient samples revealed strong correlation between EPOR and GATA2 expression in ALL, and higher expression of GATA2 in t(12;21) patients. The mechanism of EPOR regulation was mainly investigated using two B-ALL cell lines: REH, which harbor and express the ETV6/RUNX1 fusion gene; and NALM-6, which do not. Expression of EPOR was increased in REH cells compared to NALM-6 cells. Moreover, of the six GATA family members only GATA2 was differentially expressed with substantially higher levels present in REH cells. GATA2 was shown to bind to the EPOR 5'-UTR in REH, but did not bind in NALM-6 cells. Overexpression of GATA2 led to an increase in EPOR expression in REH cells only, indicating that GATA2 regulates EPOR but is dependent on the cellular context. Both EPOR and GATA2 are hypomethylated and associated with increased mRNA expression in REH compared to NALM-6 cells. Decitabine treatment effectively reduced methylation of CpG sites in the GATA2 promoter leading to increased GATA2 expression in both cell lines. Although Decitabine also reduced an already low level of methylation of the EPOR in NALM-6 cells there was no increase in EPOR expression. Furthermore, EPOR and GATA2 are regulated post-transcriptionally by miR-362 and miR-650, respectively. Overall our data show that EPOR expression in t(12;21) B-ALL cells, is regulated by GATA2 and is mediated through epigenetic, transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms, contingent upon the genetic subtype of the disease.

Abstract 2563: LSD1 maintains differentiation and survival of mammary luminal cells and suppresses invasion of luminal breast cancer cells via GATA3

Abstract LSD1 (also known as KDM1A) is a histone demethylase that has been shown to play both oncogenic and tumor suppressor roles in breast cancer. However, the exact context under which it functions as a tumor suppressor or oncoprotein remains largely elusive. To address this, we characterized its role in normal mammary epithelial cells (MECs) and found MEC-specific ablation of Lsd1 largely phenocopied that of Gata3, which encodes a master regulatory transcription factor for luminal MECs. In the luminal lineage, LSD1-loss led to reduction in both mature ductal and alveolar luminal subpopulations. In human luminal breast cancer cells, we found LSD1 interacts with GATA3 and their common target genes are highly related to breast cancer. In particular, we found LSD1 might be recruited by GATA3 to the GATA3 promoter region, to positively regulate GATA3 expression via demethylation of H3K9me2. Knockdown of LSD1 led to increased invasion of luminal breast cancer cells, in part via downregulation of GATA3 and multiple cell junction genes (e.g., CDH1, VCL, CTNNA1), as well as upregulation of mammary stem/progenitor cell genes (e.g., ELF5, ITGB1). However, LSD1 knockdown also led to reduced proliferation of luminal breast cancer cells, in part via downregulation of RBBP4 (encoding a Histone-binding protein) and upregulation of CDKN1A (encoding p21). Collectively, our data suggest that LSD1 is required for maintaining luminal MEC differentiation and survival and for suppressing luminal breast cancer cell invasion, in part via GATA3. As inhibitors of LSD1 are currently under clinical trials (e.g., in leukemia), our data suggest that although treatment of luminal breast cancer by the LSD1 inhibitor may lead to reduced tumor cell proliferation (and thus tumor shrinkage), the treatment may also lead to increased invasion of surviving breast cancer cells. Thus, our study is expected to have important implications for developing better epigenetic therapy in an individualized, context-dependent fashion. Citation Format: Xin Hu, Dongxi Xiang, Luwei Tao, Ying Xie, Yue Jin, Yidi Guo, Luca Pinello, Guo-Cheng Yuan, Zhe Li. LSD1 maintains differentiation and survival of mammary luminal cells and suppresses invasion of luminal breast cancer cells via GATA3 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2563. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2563

Study on Hydroxyurea Response in Hemoglobinopathies Patients Using Genetic Markers and Liquid Erythroid Cultures.

Increased expression of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) may ameliorate the clinical course of hemoglobinopathies. Hydroxyurea (HU) is the only inducer approved for the treatment of these diseases able to stimulate HbF production but patients’ response is highly variable indicating the utility of the identification of pharmacogenomic biomarkers in order to predict pharmacological treatment efficacy. To date few studies to evaluate the role of genetic determinants in HU response have been conducted showing contradictory results. In this study we analyzed BCL11A, GATA-1, KLF-1 genes and γ-globin promoter in 60 alleles from 30 hemoglobinopathies patients under HU treatment to assess the role of these markers in HU response. We did not find any association between these genetic determinants and HU response. Before treatment started, the same patients were analyzed in vitro using liquid erythroid cultures in a test able to predict their response to HU. The results of our analysis confirm the absence of pharmacogenomic biomarker associated to HU response indicating that, the quantification of γ-globin mRNA fold increase remains the only method able to predict in vivo patients response to the drug.

Aberrant JAK/STAT Signaling Suppresses TFF1 and TFF2 through Epigenetic Silencing of GATA6 in Gastric Cancer.

Aberrant Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling is crucial to the development of gastric cancer. In this study, we examined the role of STAT3 in the expression and methylation of its targets in gastric cancer patients. Results from RNA sequencing identified an inverse correlation between the expression of STAT3 and GATA6 in 23 pairs of gastric cancer patient samples. We discovered that the expression of GATA6 is epigenetically silenced through promoter methylation in gastric cancer cell lines. Interestingly, the inhibition of STAT3 using a novel STAT3 inhibitor restored the expression of GATA6 and its targets, trefoil factors 1 and 2 (TFF1/2). Moreover, disruption of STAT3 binding to GATA6 promoter by small hairpin RNA restored GATA6 expression in AGS cells. A clinically significant correlation was also observed between the expression of GATA6 and TFF1/2 among tissue samples from 60 gastric cancer patients. Finally, bisulfite pyrosequencing revealed GATA6 methylation in 65% (39/60) of the patients, and those with higher GATA6 methylation tended to have shorter overall survival. In conclusion, we demonstrated that aberrant JAK/STAT signaling suppresses TFF1/2 partially through the epigenetic silencing of GATA6. Therapeutic intervention of STAT3 in reversing the epigenetic status of GATA6 could benefit the treatment of gastric cancer and is worthy of further investigation.

Esrrb directly binds to Gata6 promoter and regulates its expression with Dax1 and Ncoa3

Estrogen-related receptor beta (Esrrb) is expressed in embryonic stem (ES) cells and is involved in self-renewal ability and pluripotency. Previously, we found that Dax1 is associated with Esrrb and represses its transcriptional activity. Further, the disruption of the Dax1–Esrrb interaction increases the expression of the extra-embryonic endoderm marker Gata6 in ES cells. Here, we investigated the influences of Esrrb and Dax1 on Gata6 expression. Esrrb overexpression in ES cells induced endogenous Gata6 mRNA and Gata6 promoter activity. In addition, the Gata6 promoter was found to contain the Esrrb recognition motifs ERRE1 and ERRE2, and the latter was the responsive element of Esrrb. Associations between ERRE2 and Esrrb were then confirmed by biotin DNA pulldown and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Subsequently, we showed that Esrrb activity at the Gata6 promoter was repressed by Dax1, and although Dax1 did not bind to ERRE2, it was associated with Esrrb, which directly binds to ERRE2. In addition, the transcriptional activity of Esrrb was enhanced by nuclear receptor co-activator 3 (Ncoa3), which has recently been shown to be a binding partner of Esrrb. Finally, we showed that Dax1 was associated with Ncoa3 and repressed its transcriptional activity. Taken together, the present study indicates that the Gata6 promoter is activated by Esrrb in association with Ncoa3, and Dax1 inhibited activities of Esrrb and Ncoa3, resulting maintenance of the undifferentiated status of ES cells.

GATA2 regulates dendritic cell differentiation

AbstractDendritic cells (DCs) are critical immune response regulators; however, the mechanism of DC differentiation is not fully understood. Heterozygous germ line GATA2 mutations induce GATA2-deficiency syndrome, characterized by monocytopenia, a predisposition to myelodysplasia/acute myeloid leukemia, and a profoundly reduced DC population, which is associated with increased susceptibility to viral infections, impaired phagocytosis, and decreased cytokine production. To define the role of GATA2 in DC differentiation and function, we studied Gata2 conditional knockout and haploinsufficient mice. Gata2 conditional deficiency significantly reduced the DC count, whereas Gata2 haploinsufficiency did not affect this population. GATA2 was required for the in vitro generation of DCs from Lin−Sca-1+Kit+ cells, common myeloid-restricted progenitors, and common dendritic cell precursors, but not common lymphoid-restricted progenitors or granulocyte-macrophage progenitors, suggesting that GATA2 functions in the myeloid pathway of DC differentiation. Moreover, expression profiling demonstrated reduced expression of myeloid-related genes, including mafb, and increased expression of T-lymphocyte–related genes, including Gata3 and Tcf7, in Gata2-deficient DC progenitors. In addition, GATA2 was found to bind an enhancer element 190-kb downstream region of Gata3, and a reporter assay exhibited significantly reduced luciferase activity after adding this enhancer region to the Gata3 promoter, which was recovered by GATA sequence deletion within Gata3 +190. These results suggest that GATA2 plays an important role in cell-fate specification toward the myeloid vs T-lymphocyte lineage by regulating lineage-specific transcription factors in DC progenitors, thereby contributing to DC differentiation.