Repression Of PU Research Articles

BCL11A promotes myeloid leukemogenesis by repressing PU.1 target genes

AbstractThe transcriptional repressor BCL11A is involved in hematological malignancies, B-cell development, and fetal-to-adult hemoglobin switching. However, the molecular mechanism by which it promotes the development of myeloid leukemia remains largely unknown. We find that Bcl11a cooperates with the pseudokinase Trib1 in the development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Bcl11a promotes the proliferation and engraftment of Trib1-expressing AML cells in vitro and in vivo. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing analysis showed that, upon DNA binding, Bcl11a is significantly associated with PU.1, an inducer of myeloid differentiation, and that Bcl11a represses several PU.1 target genes, such as Asb2, Clec5a, and Fcgr3. Asb2, as a Bcl11a target gene that modulates cytoskeleton and cell-cell interaction, plays a key role in Bcl11a-induced malignant progression. The repression of PU.1 target genes by Bcl11a is achieved by sequence-specific DNA-binding activity and recruitment of corepressors by Bcl11a. Suppression of the corepressor components HDAC and LSD1 reverses the repressive activity. Moreover, treatment of AML cells with the HDAC inhibitor pracinostat and the LSD1 inhibitor GSK2879552 resulted in growth inhibition in vitro and in vivo. High BCL11A expression is associated with worse prognosis in humans with AML. Blocking of BCL11A expression upregulates the expression of PU.1 target genes and inhibits the growth of HL-60 cells and their engraftment to the bone marrow, suggesting that BCL11A is involved in human myeloid malignancies via the suppression of PU.1 transcriptional activity.

Notch1 activation enhances proliferation via activation of cdc2 and delays differentiation of myeloid progenitors

Accumulating evidence indicates that the Notch signaling pathway has crucial roles in the control of fate decision and differentiation in numerous cell types. However, the role of Notch signaling in regulating proliferation and differentiation of myeloid progenitor cells remains controversial. To elucidate this issue, we modulated Notch activity through transducing a constitutively activated form of Notch1 and/or a dominant-negative form of MAML1 (DNMAML1) into myeloid progenitor 32D cells and assessed their effects on cell proliferation and differentiation. We found that Notch1 activation enhances proliferation and delays granulocytic differentiation of 32D cells. The enhanced proliferation due to activated Notch1 signaling was associated with upregulation of c-Myc, followed by decreased expression of p21 and p27, and increased cdc2 kinase activity, through a mechanism that was not blocked by DNMAML1. Conversely, Notch1 activation significantly delayed granulocytic differentiation and maintained a part of myeloid progenitor cells in an immature stage, and this Notch1-mediated effect was dependent on MAML. The Notch1-induced effects on mye myeloid cell proliferation and differentiation were likely mediated by induction of c-Myc and repression of PU.1, respectively. Thus, Notch1 signaling plays an important part in modulating proliferation and differentiation in MAML-independent and -dependent manners and promoting expansion of myeloid progenitors.

Erythroid Transcription Factor GATA-1 Binds and Represses PU.1 Gene – Candidate Mechanism Of Epigenetic Repression Of PU.1 and Inefficient Erythropoiesis In MDS

IntroductionMyelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is often manifested by anemia due to ineffective erythropoiesis. Upon transformation to MDS/AML the uniform population of leukemic blasts overgrow dysplastic bone marrow. Hematopoiesis is regulated by transcription factors GATA-1 and PU.1 that interact and mutually inhibit each other in progenitor cells to guide multilineage commitment and subsequent lineage differentiation. Expression of PU.1 is controlled by several transcription factors including PU.1 itself at distal URE enhancer. It has been well established that underexpression of PU.1 in progenitor cells leads to AML (Rosenbauer F et al. 2004). In addition, co-expression of PU.1 and GATA-1 in AML-erythroleukemia (EL) blasts prevents induction of differentiation programs regulated by these transcription factors. In our laboratory, we recently observed that MDS/AML erythroblasts display repressive histone modifications and methylation status of PU.1 gene that respond to 5-azacitidine leading to inhibited blast cell proliferation and stimulated myeloid differentiation (Curik N et al. 2012). Inhibition of transcriptional activity of PU.1 protein by GATA-1 has been reported (Nerlov C et al. 2000) however it is not known whether GATA-1 can inhibit PU.1 gene in human early erythroblasts directly. HypothesisGATA-1 inhibits PU.1 levels directly and modulates its transcriptional outcome in early erythroblasts. We also hypothesize that GATA-1-mediated repression of PU.1 transcription is delayed and this may play a role in ineffective erythropoiesis. Material and MethodsCell lines: MDS-derived OCI-M2 EL and other two human ELs (HEL, K562) and one murine EL (MEL); all co-expressing GATA-1 and PU.1. Patients: MDS patients (N=5) with rather advanced disease; MDS/AML (4) and RAEBI (1). Four received AZA; response: PR (2), SD (2) with HI. Median OS>24 Mo. For chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis either cell lines or CD19/CD3-depleted bone marrow cells were used. ResultsDirect association of GATA-1 with PU.1 gene was demonstrated in all three human ELs using ChIP. Occupancy of GATA-1 was detected upstream the PU.1 promoter and distally at GATA-1 binding sites or at PU.1 binding sites together with PU.1. Comparable data documenting occupancy of GATA-1 at PU.1 gene were observed also in MEL cells and in normal murine fetal erythroblasts using ChIP-sequencing. To test how GATA-1 regulates PU.1 expression we overexpressed GATA-1 in erythroblasts and tested expression of PU.1, histone H3 modification (near GATA-1 occupancy) and cell growth. We found that GATA-1 inhibited PU.1 expression, facilitated enrichment of repressive modifications at PU.1 gene (H3K9Me, H3K27Me) while depleted activation modifications (H3K9Ac, H3K4Me), and also inhibited cell growth. Next, we tested effects of GATA-1 knockdown using siRNA. Indeed, inhibition of GATA-1 expression in erythroblasts leads to increase in PU.1 level as well as of its targets (CEBPA, MAC1). Using Luciferase assay we confirmed that both endogenously produced PU.1 and GATA-1 are capable to stimulate exogenously inserted reporters. Next, we compared chromatin structure of PU.1 gene between data from ELs, normal controls and high risk MDS. Our data revealed that PU.1 gene in MDS is enriched with repressive modifications (H3K9Me, H3K27Me) while depleted with activation modifications (H3K9Ac, H3K4Me) suggesting defects in dynamic regulation of PU.1 expression in MDS. ConclusionOur data from ELs provide a) evidence of GATA-1-mediated repression of PU.1 gene in erythroblasts and that b) manipulation of GATA-1 affected PU.1 level in opposite direction. In high risk MDS, the chromatin structure of PU.1 gene displays accumulation of repressive epigenetic marks that are responsive to AZA. We think that during early erythroid differentiation GATA-1 binds and represses PU.1 gene, however this is not fully completed in MDS and therefore erythroid differentiation is not efficient. Grants: P301/12/P380, P305/12/1033, NT14174-3/2013, UNCE204021, FR-TI2/509, SVV-2013-266509, PRVOUK-P24/LF1/3 Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Knockdown of PU.1 AS lncRNA inhibits adipogenesis through enhancing PU.1 mRNA translation

PU.1 is an Ets family transcription factor involved in the myelo-lymphoid differentiation. We have previously demonstrated that PU.1 is also expressed in the adipocyte lineage. However, the expression levels of PU.1 mRNA and protein in preadipocytes do not match the levels in mature adipocytes. PU.1 mRNA level is higher in preadipocytes, whereas its protein is expressed in the adipocytes but not in the preadipocytes. The underlying mechanism remains elusive. Here, we find that miR-155 knockdown or overexpression has no effect on the levels of PU.1 mRNA and protein in preadipocytes or adipocytes. MiR-155 regulates adipogenesis not through PU.1, but via C/EBPβ which is another target of miR-155. We also checked the expression levels of PU.1 mRNA and antisense long non-coding RNA (AS lncRNA). Interestingly, compared with the level of PU.1 mRNA, the level of PU.1 AS lncRNA is much higher in preadipocytes, whereas it is opposite in the adipocytes. We further discover that PU.1 AS lncRNA binds to its mRNA forming an mRNA/AS lncRNA compound. The knockdown of PU.1 AS by siRNA inhibits adipogenesis and promotes PU.1 protein expression in both preadipocytes and adipocytes. Furthermore, the repression of PU.1 AS decreases the expression and secretion of adiponectin. We also find that the effect of retroviral-mediated PU.1 AS knockdown on adipogenesis is consistent with that of PU.1 AS knockdown by siRNA. Taken together, our results suggest that PU.1 AS lncRNA promotes adipogenesis through preventing PU.1 mRNA translation via binding to PU.1 mRNA to form mRNA/AS lncRNA duplex in preadipocytes.

Role of transcriptional corepressor ETO2 in erythroid cells

Transcriptional corepressor ETO2 is a component of a protein complex containing master regulators of hematopoiesis, including GATA-1, SCL/TAL1, LMO2, and LDB1. To elucidate the role of ETO2 during erythroid differentiation, including the effects of ETO2 on GATA-1 targets, we performed gene expression profiling using K562 cells overexpressed with ETO2. The analysis demonstrated that 667 and 598 genes were upregulated and downregulated (more than twofold), respectively, in ETO2-overexpressing cells. ETO2-repressed genes included those encoding prototypical erythroid proteins. To test what percentages of ETO2-repressed genes could be direct target genes of GATA-1 in K562 cells, we merged the microarray results with ChIP-seq profile (n=5,749), demonstrating that 23.1% of ETO2-repressed genes contained significant GATA-1 in their loci. However, there was no significant enrichment of PU.1 target genes among ETO2-repressed genes. Gene ontology analysis among ETO2-repressed genes revealed significant enrichment of genes related to "oxygen transporter," corresponding to globin genes. Quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation and ETO2 knockdown analyses confirmed that ETO2 directly regulates globin genes in K562 cells. Next, we evaluated the role of ETO2 in human primary erythroblasts, derived from cord blood CD34-positive cells. In an exvivo model of erythroid differentiation from CD34-positive cells, ETO2 protein level peaked at day 2-4 and almost diminished at the later stage of differentiation. Furthermore, short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown and retroviral vector-mediated overexpression of ETO2 in primary erythroblasts suggested that ETO2 significantly represses HBB, HBA, and ALAS2 expression. In summary, ETO2 regulates GATA-1 target genes critical for erythroid differentiation, and the decrease of ETO2 levels during erythroid differentiation would contribute to the activation of these targets.

TanshinoneIIA ameliorates inflammatory microenvironment of colon cancer cells via repression of microRNA-155

TanshinoneIIA, an active component derived from a traditional Chinese medicine, has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effect. However, the mechanisms underlying the interaction between anti-inflammation and anti-cancer of TanshinoneIIA remain elusive. In the present study, a cell model of inflammation between macrophages and colon cancer cells was used. The results showed that TanshinoneIIA inhibited the proliferation of inflammation-related colon cancer cells HCT116 and HT-29 by decreasing the production of inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6), which generated by macrophage RAW264.7 cell line. We identified Phosphatidylinositol-3, 4, 5-trisphosphate 5-phosphatase 1 (SHIP1) was a bona fide target of miR-155. TanshinoneIIA restored the down-regulated level of SHIP1 protein after lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulation in RAW264.7 cells. MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) was up-regulated in macrophages, possibly due to the concomitant increase of PU.1, a transcriptional activator of miR-155, accounting for decreased SHIP1. Treatment with TanshinoneIIA prevented increased PU.1 and hence increased miR-155, whereas aspirin could not. These findings support that the interruption of signal conduction between activated macrophages and colon cancer cells could be considered as a new therapeutic strategy and miR-155 could be a potential target for the prevention of inflammation-related cancer.

Cell-Type-Specific Activation and Repression of PU.1 by a Complex of Discrete, Functionally Specialized cis-Regulatory Elements

The transcription factor PU.1 is critical for multiple hematopoietic lineages, but different leukocyte types require strictly distinct patterns of PU.1 regulation. PU.1 is required early for T-cell lineage development but then must be repressed by a stage-specific mechanism correlated with commitment. Other lineages require steady, low expression or upregulation. Until now, only the promoter plus a distal upstream regulatory element (URE) could be invoked to explain nearly all Sfpi1 (PU.1) activation and repression, including bifunctional effects of Runx1. However, the URE is dispensable for most Sfpi1 downregulation in early T cells, and we show that it retains enhancer activity in immature T-lineage cells even where endogenous Sfpi1 is repressed. We now present evidence for another complex of conserved noncoding elements that mediate discrete, cell-type-specific regulatory features of Sfpi1, including a myeloid cell-specific activating element and a separate, pro-T-cell-specific silencer element. These elements yield opposite, cell-type-specific responses to Runx1. T-cell-specific repression requires Runx1 acting through multiple nonconsensus sites in the silencer core. These newly characterized sites recruit Runx1 binding in early T cells in vivo and define a functionally specific scaffold for dose-dependent, Runx-mediated repression.

Precise developmental regulation of Ets family transcription factors during specification and commitment to the T cell lineage.

Ets family transcription factors control the expression of a large number of genes in hematopoietic cells. Here we show strikingly precise differential expression of a subset of these genes marking critical, early stages of mouse lymphocyte cell-type specification. Initially, the Ets family member factor Erg was identified during an arrayed cDNA library screen for genes encoding transcription factors expressed specifically during T cell lineage commitment. Multiparameter fluorescence-activated cell sorting for over a dozen cell surface markers was used to isolate 18 distinct primary-cell populations representing discrete T cell and B cell developmental stages, pluripotent lymphoid precursors, immature NK-like cells and myeloid hematopoietic cells. These populations were monitored for mRNA expression of the Erg, Ets-1, Ets-2, Fli-1, Tel, Elf-1, GABPalpha, PU.1 and Spi-B genes. The earliest stages in T cell differentiation show particularly dynamic Ets family gene regulation, with sharp transitions in expression correlating with specification and commitment events. Ets, Spi-B and PU.1 are expressed in these stages but not by later T-lineage cells. Erg is induced during T-lineage specification and then silenced permanently, after commitment, at the beta-selection checkpoint. Spi-B is transiently upregulated during commitment and then silenced at the same stage as Erg. T-lineage commitment itself is marked by repression of PU.1, a factor that regulates B-cell and myeloid genes. These results show that the set of Ets factors mobilized during T-lineage specification and commitment is different from the set that maintains T cell gene expression during thymocyte repertoire selection and in all classes of mature T cells.