Browsing by Subject "Gene Knockout Techniques"

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    Pten and Dicer1 loss in the mouse uterus causes poorly-differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma
    (Springer Nature, 2020-10) Wang, Xiyin; Wendel, Jillian R. H.; Emerson, Robert E.; Broaddus, Russell R.; Creighton, Chad J.; Rusch, Douglas B.; Buechlein, Aaron; DeMayo, Francesco J.; Lydon, John P.; Hawkins, Shannon M.; Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine
    Endometrial cancer remains the most common gynecological malignancy in the United States. While the loss of the tumor suppressor, PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog), is well studied in endometrial cancer, recent studies suggest that DICER1, the endoribonuclease responsible for miRNA genesis, also plays a significant role in endometrial adenocarcinoma. Conditional uterine deletion of Dicer1 and Pten in mice resulted in poorly differentiated endometrial adenocarcinomas, which expressed Napsin A and HNF1B (hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 homeobox B), markers of clear-cell adenocarcinoma. Adenocarcinomas were hormone-independent. Treatment with progesterone did not mitigate poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, nor did it affect adnexal metastasis. Transcriptomic analyses of DICER1 deleted uteri or Ishikawa cells revealed unique transcriptomic profiles and global miRNA downregulation. Computational integration of miRNA with mRNA targets revealed deregulated let-7 and miR-16 target genes, similar to published human DICER1-mutant endometrial cancers from TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas). Similar to human endometrial cancers, tumors exhibited dysregulation of ephrin-receptor signaling and transforming growth factor-beta signaling pathways. LIM kinase 2 (LIMK2), an essential molecule in p21 signal transduction, was significantly upregulated and represents a novel mechanism for hormone-independent pathogenesis of endometrial adenocarcinoma. This preclinical mouse model represents the first genetically engineered mouse model of poorly differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma.
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    Uhrf1 regulates active transcriptional marks at bivalent domains in pluripotent stem cells through Setd1a
    (Nature Publishing Group, 2018-07-03) Kim, Kun-Yong; Tanaka, Yoshiaki; Su, Juan; Cakir, Bilal; Xiang, Yangfei; Patterson, Benjamin; Ding, Junjun; Jung, Yong-Wook; Kim, Ji-Hyun; Hysolli, Eriona; Lee, Haelim; Dajani, Rana; Kim, Jonghwan; Zhong, Mei; Lee, Jeong-Heon; Skalnik, David; Lim, Jeong Mook; Sullivan, Gareth J.; Wang, Jianlong; Park, In-Hyun; Biology, School of Science
    Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) maintain pluripotency through unique epigenetic states. When ESCs commit to a specific lineage, epigenetic changes in histones and DNA accompany the transition to specialized cell types. Investigating how epigenetic regulation controls lineage specification is critical in order to generate the required cell types for clinical applications. Uhrf1 is a widely known hemi-methylated DNA-binding protein, playing a role in DNA methylation through the recruitment of Dnmt1 and in heterochromatin formation alongside G9a, Trim28, and HDACs. Although Uhrf1 is not essential in ESC self-renewal, it remains elusive how Uhrf1 regulates cell specification. Here we report that Uhrf1 forms a complex with the active trithorax group, the Setd1a/COMPASS complex, to maintain bivalent histone marks, particularly those associated with neuroectoderm and mesoderm specification. Overall, our data demonstrate that Uhrf1 safeguards proper differentiation via bivalent histone modifications.