Human XIST Research Articles

Xist RNA binds select autosomal genes and depends on Repeat B to regulate their expression.

Xist, a pivotal player in X chromosome inactivation (XCI), has long been perceived as a cis-acting long noncoding RNA that binds exclusively to the inactive X chromosome (Xi). However, Xist's ability to diffuse under select circumstances has also been documented, leading us to suspect that Xist RNA may have targets and functions beyond the Xi. Here, using female mouse embryonic stem cells (ES) and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) as models, we demonstrate that Xist RNA indeed can localize beyond the Xi. However, its binding is limited to ~100 genes in cells undergoing XCI (ES cells) and in post-XCI cells (MEFs). The target genes are diverse in function but are unified by their active chromatin status. Xist binds discretely to promoters of target genes in neighborhoods relatively depleted for Polycomb marks, contrasting with the broad, Polycomb-enriched domains reported for human XIST RNA. We find that Xist binding is associated with down-modulation of autosomal gene expression. However, unlike on the Xi, Xist binding does not lead to full silencing and also does not spread beyond the target gene. Over-expressing Xist in transgenic ES cells similarly lead to autosomal gene suppression, while deleting Xist's Repeat B motif reduces autosomal binding and perturbs autosomal down-regulation. Furthermore, treating female ES cells with the Xist inhibitor, X1, leads to loss of autosomal suppression. Altogether, our findings reveal Xist targets ~100 genes beyond the Xi, identify Repeat B as a crucial domain for its in-trans function in mice, and indicate that autosomal targeting can be disrupted by the X1 small molecule inhibitor.

Early chromosome condensation by XIST builds A-repeat RNA density that facilitates gene silencing

XIST RNA triggers chromosome-wide gene silencing and condenses an active chromosome into a Barr body. Here, we use inducible human XIST to examine early steps in the process, showing that XIST modifies cytoarchitecture before widespread gene silencing. In just 2-4 h, barely visible transcripts populate the large "sparse zone" surrounding the smaller "dense zone"; importantly, density zones exhibit different chromatin impacts. Sparse transcripts immediately trigger immunofluorescence for H2AK119ub and CIZ1, a matrix protein. H3K27me3 appears hours later in the dense zone, which enlarges with chromosome condensation. Genes examined are silenced after compaction of the RNA/DNA territory. Insights into this come from the findings that the A-repeat alone can silence genes and rapidly, but only where dense RNA supports sustained histone deacetylation. We propose that sparse XIST RNA quickly impacts architectural elements to condense the largely non-coding chromosome, coalescing RNA density that facilitates an unstable, A-repeat-dependent step required for gene silencing.

Multiple distinct domains of human XIST are required to coordinate gene silencing and subsequent heterochromatin formation

BackgroundMammalian dosage compensation is achieved by the inactivation of one X chromosome in XX individuals. In eutheria this process is initiated early in development by the long non-coding RNA XIST. Studies of the initiation of silencing by XIST have focussed on mouse models, so the domains of XIST required to induce silencing in humans, and their relationship with domains required to establish heterochromatin remain to be determined.Methods We have previously established an inducible XIST cDNA in somatic cells and shown it can induce silencing and recruit heterochromatic features. We now assess a series of deletions across the transgene for the ability to induce silencing and integrate these results with time-course and chromatin-remodelling inhibitor treatments to follow the steps of XIST-induced silencing and heterochromatinization.Discussion We find that in addition to the previously reported necessity of the 5’ A repeat region for XIST-induced silencing, the 1 kb around the small F repeat region and a non-repetitive region at the 3’ end of the RNA are also required to silence genes. Silencing of genes up to 17 Mb from the XIST integration occurs within 2 days, while formation of a Cot-1 depleted domain is slower, and more dependent on the region encompassing Repeat F. The role of this region encompassing Repeat F in both the silencing of actively transcribed genes, the spread of H3K27me3 and the formation of a transcriptionally inert domain suggests a role in a pathway crucial for the spread of XIST across the chromatin to target distal regions of inactivation. Histone deacetylation requires only the A repeat region, with HDAC3 inhibition showing limited effect on silencing, but an impact on H3K27me3 recruitment, and as a result the recruitment of MacroH2A. Global HDAC inhibition impacted silencing in both a distance and dose-dependent fashion. The E repeat region was required for CIZ1 and H4K20me1 recruitment as well as H3K27me3; however, these appeared to act relatively independently. The H3K27me3 mark established by PRC2 integrated silencing and many of the heterochromatic features, while the PRC1 mark ubH2A appeared to be downstream of silencing in these human somatic cells.

The tandem repeat modules of Xist lncRNA: a swiss army knife for the control of X-chromosome inactivation.

X-inactive-specific transcript (Xist) is a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) essential for X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) in female placental mammals. Thirty years after its discovery, it is still puzzling how this lncRNA triggers major structural and transcriptional changes leading to the stable silencing of an entire chromosome. Recently, a series of studies in mouse cells have uncovered domains of functional specialization within Xist mapping to conserved tandem repeat regions, known as Repeats A-to-F. These functional domains interact with various RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and fold into distinct RNA structures to execute specific tasks in a synergistic and coordinated manner during the inactivation process. This modular organization of Xist is mostly conserved in humans, but recent data point towards differences regarding functional specialization of the tandem repeats between the two species. In this review, we summarize the recent progress on understanding the role of Xist repetitive blocks and their involvement in the molecular mechanisms underlying XCI. We also discuss these findings in the light of the similarities and differences between mouse and human Xist.

Independent domains for recruitment of PRC1 and PRC2 by human XIST.

XIST establishes inactivation across its chromosome of origin, even when expressed from autosomal transgenes. To identify the regions of human XIST essential for recruiting heterochromatic marks we generated a series of overlapping deletions in an autosomal inducible XIST transgene present in 8p of the HT1080 male fibrosarcoma cell line. We examined the ability of each construct to enrich its unified XIST territory with the histone marks established by PRC1 and PRC2 as well as the heterochromatin factors MacroH2A and SMCHD1. Chromatin enrichment of ubH2A by PRC1 required four distinct regions of XIST, and these were completely distinct from the two domains crucial for enrichment of H3K27me3 by PRC2. Both the domains required, as well as the impact of PRC1 and PRC2 inhibitors, suggest that PRC1 is required for SMCHD1 while PRC2 function is necessary for MacroH2A recruitment, although incomplete overlap of regions implicates roles for additional factors. This cooperativity between factors contributes to the requirement for multiple separate domains being required for each feature examined. The independence of the PRC1/PRC2 pathways was observed when XIST was expressed both autosomally or from the X chromosome suggesting that these observations are not purely a result of the context in which XIST operates. Although independent domains were required for the PRC1 and PRC2 pathways overall all regions tested were important for some aspect of XIST functionality, demonstrating both modularity and cooperativity across the XIST lncRNA.

Analysis of RNA-protein networks with RNP-MaP defines functional hubs on RNA.

RNA-protein interaction networks govern many biological processes, but are difficult to examine comprehensively. We devised ribonucleoprotein networks analyzed by mutational profiling (RNP-MaP), a live-cell chemical probing strategy that maps cooperative interactions among multiple proteins bound to single RNA molecules at nucleotide resolution. RNP-MaP uses a heterobifunctional crosslinker to freeze interacting proteins in place on RNA, and then maps multiple bound proteins in single RNA strands by read-through reverse transcription and DNA sequencing. RNP-MaP revealed that RNase P and RMRP, two sequence-divergent but structurally related non-coding RNAs, share RNP networks and that network hubs define functional sites in these RNAs. RNP-MaP also identified protein interaction networks conserved between mouse and human XIST long non-coding RNAs and defined protein communities whose binding sites colocalize and form networks in functional regions of XIST. RNP-MaP enables discovery and efficient validation of functional protein interaction networks on long RNAs in living cells.

En bloc and segmental deletions of human XIST reveal X chromosome inactivation-involving RNA elements.

The XIST RNA is a non-coding RNA that induces X chromosome inactivation (XCI). Unlike the mouse Xist RNA, how the human XIST RNA controls XCI in female cells is less well characterized, and its functional motifs remain unclear. To systematically decipher the XCI-involving elements of XIST RNA, 11 smaller XIST segments, including repeats A, D and E; human-specific repeat elements; the promoter; and non-repetitive exons, as well as the entire XIST gene, were homozygously deleted in K562 cells using the Cas9 nuclease and paired guide RNAs at high efficiencies, followed by high-throughput RNA sequencing and RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization experiments. Clones containing en bloc and promoter deletions that consistently displayed no XIST RNAs and a global up-regulation of X-linked genes confirmed that the deletion of XIST reactivates the inactive X chromosome. Systematic analyses of segmental deletions delineated that exon 5 harboring the non-repeat element is important for X-inactivation maintenance, whereas exons 2, 3 and 4 as well as the other repeats in exon 1 are less important, a different situation from that of mouse Xist. This Cas9-assisted dissection of XIST allowed us to understand the unique functional domains within the human XIST RNA.

Impact of flanking chromosomal sequences on localization and silencing by the human non-coding RNA XIST.

BackgroundX-chromosome inactivation is a striking example of epigenetic silencing in which expression of the long non-coding RNA XIST initiates the heterochromatinization and silencing of one of the pair of X chromosomes in mammalian females. To understand how the RNA can establish silencing across millions of basepairs of DNA we have modelled the process by inducing expression of XIST from nine different locations in human HT1080 cells.ResultsLocalization of XIST, depletion of Cot-1 RNA, perinuclear localization, and ubiquitination of H2A occurs at all sites examined, while recruitment of H3K9me3 was not observed. Recruitment of the heterochromatic features SMCHD1, macroH2A, H3K27me3, and H4K20me1 occurs independently of each other in an integration site-dependent manner. Silencing of flanking reporter genes occurs at all sites, but the spread of silencing to flanking endogenous human genes is variable in extent of silencing as well as extent of spread, with silencing able to skip regions. The spread of H3K27me3 and loss of H3K27ac correlates with the pre-existing levels of the modifications, and overall the extent of silencing correlates with the ability to recruit additional heterochromatic features.ConclusionsThe non-coding RNA XIST functions as a cis-acting silencer when expressed from nine different locations throughout the genome. A hierarchy among the features of heterochromatin reveals the importance of interaction with the local chromatin neighborhood for optimal spread of silencing, as well as the independent yet cooperative nature of the establishment of heterochromatin by the non-coding XIST RNA.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-015-0774-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Differentially methylated CpG island within human XIST mediates alternative P2 transcription and YY1 binding.

BackgroundX-chromosome inactivation silences one X chromosome in females to achieve dosage compensation with the single X chromosome in males. While most genes are silenced on the inactive X chromosome, the gene for the long non-coding RNA XIST is silenced on the active X chromosome and expressed from the inactive X chromosome with which the XIST RNA associates, triggering silencing of the chromosome. In mouse, an alternative Xist promoter, P2 is also the site of YY1 binding, which has been shown to serve as a tether between the Xist RNA and the DNA of the chromosome. In humans there are many differences from the initial events of mouse Xist activation, including absence of a functional antisense regulator Tsix, and absence of strictly paternal inactivation in extraembryonic tissues, prompting us to examine regulatory regions for the human XIST gene.ResultsWe demonstrate that the female-specific DNase hypersensitivity site within XIST is specific to the inactive X chromosome and correlates with transcription from an internal P2 promoter. P2 is located within a CpG island that is differentially methylated between males and females and overlaps conserved YY1 binding sites that are only bound on the inactive X chromosome where the sites are unmethylated. However, YY1 binding is insufficient to drive P2 expression or establish the DHS, which may require a development-specific factor. Furthermore, reduction of YY1 reduces XIST transcription in addition to causing delocalization of XIST.ConclusionsThe differentially methylated DNase hypersensitive site within XIST marks the location of an alternative promoter, P2, that generates a transcript of unknown function as it lacks the A repeats that are critical for silencing. In addition, this region binds YY1 on the unmethylated inactive X chromosome, and depletion of YY1 untethers the XIST RNA as well as decreasing transcription of XIST.

XIST-induced silencing of flanking genes is achieved by additive action of repeat a monomers in human somatic cells

BackgroundThe establishment of facultative heterochromatin by X-chromosome inactivation requires the long non-coding RNA XIST/Xist. However, the molecular mechanism by which the RNA achieves chromosome-wide gene silencing remains unknown. Mouse Xist has been shown to have redundant domains for cis-localization, and requires a series of well-conserved tandem ‘A’ repeats for silencing. We previously described a human inducible XIST transgene that is capable of cis-localization and suppressing a downstream reporter gene in somatic cells, and have now leveraged these cells to dissect the sequences critical for XIST-dependent gene silencing in humans.ResultsWe demonstrated that expression of the inducible full-length XIST cDNA was able to suppress expression of two nearby reporter genes as well as endogenous genes up to 3 MB from the integration site. An inducible construct containing the repeat A region of XIST alone could silence the flanking reporter genes but not the more distal endogenous genes. Reporter gene silencing could also be accomplished by a synthetic construct consisting of nine copies of a consensus repeat A sequence, consistent with previous studies in mice. Progressively shorter constructs showed a linear relationship between the repeat number and the silencing capacity of the RNA. Constructs containing only two repeat A units were still able to partially silence the reporter genes and could thus be used for site-directed mutagenesis to demonstrate that sequences within the two palindromic cores of the repeat are essential for silencing, and that it is likely the first palindrome sequence folds to form a hairpin, consistent with compensatory mutations observed in eutherian sequences.ConclusionsSilencing of adjacent reporter genes can be effected by as little as 94 bp of XIST, including two ‘monomers’ of the A repeat. This region includes a pair of essential palindromic sequences that are evolutionarily well-conserved and the first of these is likely to form an intra-repeat hairpin structure. Additional sequences are required for the spread of silencing to endogenous genes on the chromosome.

Structure of a human Xist RNA A-repeat AUCG tetraloop hairpin essential for X-inactivation

Structure of a human Xist RNA A-repeat AUCG tetraloop hairpin essential for X-inactivation

Identification of regulatory elements flanking human XIST reveals species differences

BackgroundThe transcriptional silencing of one X chromosome in eutherians requires transcription of the long non-coding RNA gene, XIST. Many regulatory elements have been identified downstream of the mouse Xist gene, including the antisense Tsix gene. However, these elements do not show sequence conservation with humans, and the human TSIX gene shows critical differences from the mouse. Thus we have undertaken an unbiased identification of regulatory elements both downstream and upstream of the human XIST gene using DNase I hypersensitivity mapping.ResultsDownstream of XIST a single DNase I hypersensitive site was identified in a mouse undifferentiated ES cell line containing an integration of the human XIC region. This site was not observed in somatic cells. Upstream of XIST, the distance to the flanking JPX gene is expanded in humans relative to mice, and we observe a hypersensitive site 65 kb upstream of XIST, in addition to hypersensitive sites near the XIST promoter. This -65 region has bi-directional promoter activity and shows sequence conservation in non-rodent eutheria.ConclusionsThe lack of regulatory elements corresponding to human TSIX lends further support to the argument that TSIX is not a regulator of XIST in humans. The upstream hypersensitive sites we identify show sequence conservation with other eutheria, but not with mice. Therefore the regulation of XIST seems to be different between mice and man, and regulatory sequences upstream of XIST may be important regulators of XIST in non-rodent eutheria instead of Tsix which is critical for Xist regulation in rodents.

AURKB-mediated effects on chromatin regulate binding versus release of XIST RNA to the inactive chromosome

How XIST RNA strictly localizes across the inactive X chromosome is unknown; however, prophase release of human XIST RNA provides a clue. Tests of inhibitors that mimic mitotic chromatin modifications implicated an indirect role of PP1 (protein phosphatase 1), potentially via its interphase repression of Aurora B kinase (AURKB), which phosphorylates H3 and chromosomal proteins at prophase. RNA interference to AURKB causes mitotic retention of XIST RNA, unlike other mitotic or broad kinase inhibitors. Thus, AURKB plays an unexpected role in regulating RNA binding to heterochromatin, independent of mechanics of mitosis. H3 phosphorylation (H3ph) was shown to precede XIST RNA release, whereas results exclude H1ph involvement. Of numerous Xi chromatin (chromosomal protein) hallmarks, ubiquitination closely follows XIST RNA retention or release. Surprisingly, H3S10ph staining (but not H3S28ph) is excluded from Xi and is potentially linked to ubiquitination. Results suggest a model of multiple distinct anchor points for XIST RNA. This study advances understanding of RNA chromosome binding and the roles of AURKB and demonstrates a novel approach to manipulate and study XIST RNA.

Inducible XIST-dependent X-chromosome inactivation in human somatic cells is reversible

During embryogenesis, the XIST RNA is expressed from and localizes to one X chromosome in females and induces chromosome-wide silencing. Although many changes to inactive X heterochromatin are known, the functional relationships between different modifications are not well understood, and studies of the initiation of X-inactivation have been largely confined to mouse. We now present a model system for human XIST RNA function in which induction of an XIST cDNA in somatic cells results in localized XIST RNA and transcriptional silencing. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and immunohistochemistry shows that this silencing need only be accompanied by a subset of heterochromatic marks and that these can differ between integration sites. Surprisingly, silencing is XIST-dependent, remaining reversible over extended periods. Deletion analysis demonstrates that the first exon of human XIST is sufficient for both transcript localization and the induction of silencing and that, unlike the situation in mice, the conserved repeat region is essential for both functions. In addition to providing mechanistic insights into chromosome regulation and formation of facultative heterochromatin, this work provides a tractable model system for the study of chromosome silencing and suggests key differences from mouse embryonic X-inactivation.

The region homologous to the X-chromosome inactivation centre has been disrupted in marsupial and monotreme mammals

Marsupial, as well as eutherian, mammals are subject to X chromosome inactivation in the somatic cells of females, although the phenotype and the molecular mechanism differ in important respects. Monotreme mammals appear to subscribe at least to a form of dosage compensation of X-borne genes. An important question is whether inactivation in these non-eutherian mammals involves co-ordination by a control locus homologous to the XIST gene and neighbouring genes, which play a key regulatory role in human and mouse X inactivation. We mapped BACs containing several orthologues of protein-coding genes that flank human and mouse XIST and genes that lie in the homologous region in chicken and frog. We found that these genes map to two distant locations on the opossum X, and also to different locations on a platypus autosome. We failed to find any trace of an XIST orthologue in any marsupial or monotreme or on any flanking BAC, confirming the conclusion from recent work that non-eutherian mammals lack XIST. We propose the region homologous to the human and mouse X-inactivation centre expanded in early mammals, and this unstable region was disrupted independently in marsupial and monotreme lineages. In the eutherian lineage, inserted and existing sequences provided the starting material for the non-translated RNAs of the X-inactivation centre, including XIST.

Familial cases of point mutations in the XIST promoter reveal a correlation between CTCF binding and pre-emptive choices of X chromosome inactivation

The choice mechanisms that determine the future inactive X chromosome in somatic cells of female mammals involve the regulated expression of the XIST gene. A familial C(-43)G mutation in the XIST promoter results in skewing of X chromosome inactivation (XCI) towards the inactive X chromosome of heterozygous females, whereas a C(-43)A mutation found primarily in the active X chromosome results in the opposite skewing pattern. Both mutations point to the existence of a factor that might be responsible for the skewed patterns. Here we identify this factor as CTCF, a conserved protein with a 11 Zn-finger (ZF) domain that can mediate multiple sequence-specificity and interactions between DNA-bound CTCF molecules. We show that mouse and human Xist/XIST promoters contain one homologous CTCF-binding sequence with the matching dG-contacts, which in the human XIST include the -43 position within the DNase I footprint of CTCF. While the C(-43)A mutation abrogates CTCF binding, the C(-43)G mutation results in a dramatic increase in CTCF-binding efficiency by altering ZF-usage mode required for recognition of the altered dG-contacts of the mutant site. Thus, the skewing effect of the two -43C mutations correlates with their effects on CTCF binding. Finally, CTCF interacts with the XIST/Xist promoter only in female human and mouse cells. The interpretation that this reflected a preferential interaction with the promoter of the active Xist allele was confirmed in mouse fetal placenta. These observations are in keeping with the possibility that the choice of X chromosome inactivation reflects stabilization of a higher order chromatin conformation impinging on the CTCF-XIST promoter complex.

The Human Xist Gene Promoter Prevents Silencing of an Integrated Reporter Gene.

Epigenetic silencing and position dependent expression are long-standing problems which continue to limit the development of gene replacement therapy. As a strategy to overcome this problem we have tested the ability of the human XIST (X inactivation-specific transcript) gene promoter to overcome epigenetic silencing. The XIST gene is one of a relatively small number of genes which are expressed from the inactive X chromosome. The product of this gene is an untranslated structural RNA which coats the X chromosome destined for inactivation prior to H3 Lys 9 hypoacetylation, H3 Lys 9 methylation, CpG island methylation and the subsequent silencing of most of the genes on the chromosome. Continued expression of the XIST gene in this highly repressive environment is required to maintain the chromosome in an inactive state. The region of the proximal promoter of the XIST gene on the inactive X chromosome has been shown to retain an active chromatin structure. Based on these findings we hypothesized that the XIST gene promoter would be able to resist the epigenetic changes which lead to transgene silencing. To test this idea, we subcloned a minimal XIST promoter upstream of an enhanced GFP reporter gene in a pUC-based plasmid which also contained a neomycin resistance gene. The same plasmid, with a CMV promoter, served as a control vector. The plasmids were electroporated into mouse erythroleukemia (MEL) cells and then grown in media containing G418. The MEL cell line was chosen because genes transferred into these cells are frequently silenced and because it is often used as a first screen for vectors with potential for use in therapeutic gene transfer to erythroid cells. Individual colonies were selected and G418 removed. After expansion of the clones, flow cytometry was used to determine the percentage of cells in each clonal population which were expressing GFP as determined by comparison to the untransduced MEL cell line. Silencing typically involves a gradual decrease in the proportion of cells expressing the integrated transgene. Statistical analyses of results were performed using the t-test. 16 XIST and 13 CMV clones were available for analysis at the start of the experiment (time 0). 11/13 CMV clones and 12/16 XIST clones initially expressed GFP. Of the clones which were expressing GFP, the average percentages of positive cells were higher for those with the XIST promoter (63% vs. 41%, p= 0.015). Expression was reanalyzed after 6 weeks of culture in the absence of G418 selection. At this time point, the average percentage of GFP expressing cells was much higher for the XIST clones (57% vs. 19%, p=0.00008) and when analyzed for silencing, XIST clones were expressing at an average of 90% of their time 0 levels vs. 46% for the CMV clones (p=.0008). These results indicate that the XIST promoter is resistant to silencing in our model system and is a candidate for further development and mechanistic studies.

Beyond sense: the role of antisense RNA in controlling Xist expression.

The Xist RNA is a critical component of X inactivation, and Tsix is a non-coding antisense RNA to the Xist gene. We review the data from mouse that demonstrates that Tsix serves to regulate Xist expression. TSIX antisense transcripts have also been detected in humans, but without a manipulatable system to study the inactivation process in humans it remains unknown whether these antisense transcripts are functional in regulating human XIST. After a review of the differences between the human and mouse antisense, we discuss how the question of whether or not the human TSIX is functional impacts models of Tsix function.

The cell biology of a novel chromosomal RNA: chromosome painting by XIST/Xist RNA initiates a remodeling cascade.

X chromosome inactivation begins when a novel chromosomal RNA (cRNA) from the imprinted mouse Xist or human XIST locus coats or "paints" one X chromosome in cis and initiates a cascade of chromosome remodeling events. Molecular cytological studies have proven invaluable for understanding the distinctive cellular behavior of this singular RNA involved in chromosome structure and regulation. While the detailed mechanism of XIST/Xist (X-inactivation Specific Transcript) RNA function remains largely unknown, recent advances provide new insights into the complex cellular factors which impact the RNA's localization to the chromosome, as well as the early events of chromosome remodeling that follow painting by Xist RNA. Because chromatin changes can be directly visualized on a silenced chromosome, X chromosome inactivation provides an advantageous model to investigate genome-wide heterochromatin formation and maintenance, with wide-ranging implications for normal cells and disease.

Characterization of expression at the human XIST locus in somatic, embryonal carcinoma, and transgenic cell lines

X inactivation requires XIST, a functional RNA that is expressed exclusively from, and localizes to, the inactive X in female somatic cells. In mouse, low-level unstable transcription of Xist is observed prior to the time of inactivation, and an antisense transcript, Tsix, is a critical regulator of early Xist expression. To examine the presence and impact of an antisense transcript in humans we have characterized the extent of sense and antisense transcription in human somatic, transgenic, and embryonal carcinoma (EC) cell lines. Downstream antisense expression at the human XIST locus was not detected in somatic cells, but was detected in the EC line N-Tera2D1 and in somatic cells with an ectopic XIST locus. Presence of the antisense did not disrupt the stability or localization of the sense transcript. We have also identified additional sense transcripts in EC and female somatic cells and demonstrate that the 5′ flanking JPX/ENOX gene is expressed from both the active and the inactive X chromosome in somatic cell hybrids, delimiting the extent of inactive X-specific transcriptional control in somatic cells. These analyses reveal similarities to and differences from the murine Xist and Tsix transcripts and generate a complex picture of developmentally regulated transcription through the region.