Global DNA Demethylation During Erythropoiesis: A Dissertation

In the mammalian genome, 5‟-CpG-3‟ dinucleotides are frequently methylated, correlating with transcriptional silencing. Genome-wide waves of demethylation are thought to occur only twice during development, in primordial germ cells and in the pre-implantation embryo. They are followed by de novo methylation, setting up a pattern that is inherited throughout development. No global methylation changes are thought to occur during further somatic development, although methylation does alter at gene-specific loci, contributing to tissue-specific patterns of gene expression. Here we studied DNA methylation in differentiating mouse erythroblasts in vivo using several approaches including genomic-scale, reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS). Surprisingly, demethylation at the erythroid-specific β-globin locus was coincident with a wave of global DNA demethylation at most genomic elements, including repetitive elements and genes silenced in erythropoiesis. Over 30% of total methylation is irreversibly lost during erythroid differentiation. Demethylation occurred through a passive mechanism, requiring the rapid DNA replication triggered with the onset of erythroid terminal differentiation. Global loss of DNA methylation was not associated with a global increase in transcription, as determined by GeneChip analysis. We propose that global demethylation is a consequence of cellular mechanisms required for the rapid demethylation and induction of β-globin and other erythroid genes. Our findings demonstrate that, contrary to previously held dogma, DNA demethylation can occur globally during somatic cell differentiation, providing a new experimental model for the study of global demethylation in development and disease

A Key Commitment Step in Erythropoiesis Is Synchronized with the Cell Cycle Clock through Mutual Inhibition between PU.1 and S-Phase Progression

During red blood cell development, differentiation and cell cycle progression are intimately and uniquely linked through interdependent mechanisms involving the erythroid transcriptional suppressor PU.1 and the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p57KIP2

Global DNA demethylation during mouse erythropoiesis in vivo

In the mammalian genome, 5\u27-CpG-3\u27 dinucleotides are frequently methylated, correlating with transcriptional silencing. Genome-wide demethylation is thought to occur only twice during development, in primordial germ cells and in the pre-implantation embryo. These demethylation events are followed by de novo methylation, setting up a pattern inherited throughout development and modified only at tissue-specific loci. We studied DNA methylation in differentiating mouse erythroblasts in vivo by using genomic-scale reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS). Demethylation at the erythroid-specific β-globin locus was coincident with global DNA demethylation at most genomic elements. Global demethylation was continuous throughout differentiation and required rapid DNA replication. Hence, DNA demethylation can occur globally during somatic cell differentiation, providing an experimental model for its study in development and disease

Integrin beta4 regulates SPARC protein to promote invasion

The alpha6beta4 integrin (referred to as beta4 integrin) is a receptor for laminins that promotes carcinoma invasion through its ability to regulate key signaling pathways and cytoskeletal dynamics. An analysis of published Affymetrix GeneChip data to detect downstream effectors involved in beta4-mediated invasion of breast carcinoma cells identified SPARC, or secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine. This glycoprotein has been shown to play an important role in matrix remodeling and invasion. Our analysis revealed that manipulation of beta4 integrin expression and signaling impacted SPARC expression and that SPARC facilitates beta4-mediated invasion. Expression of beta4 in beta4-deficient cells reduced the expression of a specific microRNA (miR-29a) that targets SPARC and impedes invasion. In cells that express endogenous beta4, miR-29a expression is low and beta4 ligation facilitates the translation of SPARC through a TOR-dependent mechanism. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that beta4 can regulate SPARC expression and that SPARC is an effector of beta4-mediated invasion. They also highlight a potential role for specific miRNAs in executing the functions of integrins

Effects of β4 integrin expression on microRNA patterns in breast cancer

Summary The integrin α6β4 is defined as an adhesion receptor for laminins. Referred to as ‘β4’, this integrin plays a key role in the progression of various carcinomas through its ability to orchestrate key signal transduction events and promote cell motility. To identify novel downstream effectors of β4 function in breast cancer, microRNAs (miRNAs) were examined because of their extensive links to tumorigenesis and their ability to regulate gene expression globally. Two breast carcinoma cell lines and a collection of invasive breast carcinomas with varying β4 expression were used to assess the effect of this integrin on miRNA expression. A novel miRNA microarray analysis termed quantitative Nuclease Protection Assay (qNPA) revealed that β4 expression can significantly alter miRNA expression and identified two miRNA families, miR-25/32/92abc/363/363-3p/367 and miR-99ab/100, that are consistently downregulated by expression of this integrin. Analysis of published Affymetrix GeneChip data identified 54 common targets of miR-92ab and miR-99ab/100 within the subset of β4-regulated mRNAs, revealing several genes known to be key components of β4-regulated signaling cascades and effectors of cell motility. Gene ontology classification identified an enrichment in genes associated with cell migration within this population. Finally, gene set enrichment analysis of all β4-regulated mRNAs revealed an enrichment in targets belonging to distinct miRNA families, including miR-92ab and others identified by our initial array analyses. The results obtained in this study provide the first example of an integrin globally impacting miRNA expression and provide evidence that select miRNA families collectively target genes important in executing β4-mediated cell motility

Chemical Inhibition of Histone Deacetylases 1 and 2 Induces Fetal Hemoglobin through Activation of GATA2.

Therapeutic intervention aimed at reactivation of fetal hemoglobin protein (HbF) is a promising approach for ameliorating sickle cell disease (SCD) and β-thalassemia. Previous studies showed genetic knockdown of histone deacetylase (HDAC) 1 or 2 is sufficient to induce HbF. Here we show that ACY-957, a selective chemical inhibitor of HDAC1 and 2 (HDAC1/2), elicits a dose and time dependent induction of γ-globin mRNA (HBG) and HbF in cultured primary cells derived from healthy individuals and sickle cell patients. Gene expression profiling of erythroid progenitors treated with ACY-957 identified global changes in gene expression that were significantly enriched in genes previously shown to be affected by HDAC1 or 2 knockdown. These genes included GATA2, which was induced greater than 3-fold. Lentiviral overexpression of GATA2 in primary erythroid progenitors increased HBG, and reduced adult β-globin mRNA (HBB). Furthermore, knockdown of GATA2 attenuated HBG induction by ACY-957. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and sequencing (ChIP-Seq) of primary erythroid progenitors demonstrated that HDAC1 and 2 occupancy was highly correlated throughout the GATA2 locus and that HDAC1/2 inhibition led to elevated histone acetylation at well-known GATA2 autoregulatory regions. The GATA2 protein itself also showed increased binding at these regions in response to ACY-957 treatment. These data show that chemical inhibition of HDAC1/2 induces HBG and suggest that this effect is mediated, at least in part, by histone acetylation-induced activation of the GATA2 gene