Biology subjects

Alvarez, N. S.

Publications and source records attributed to Alvarez, N. S..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

PROSTATE CELL HETEROGENEITY AND CXCL17 UPREGULATION IN MOUSE STEROID HORMONE IMBALANCE

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a prevalent age-related condition often characterized by debilitating urinary symptoms. Its etiology is believed to stem from hormonal imbalance, particularly an elevated estradiol-to-testosterone ratio and chronic inflammation. Our previous studies using a mouse steroid hormone imbalance model identified a specific increase in macrophages that migrate and accumulate in the prostate lumen where they differentiate into lipid-laden foam cells in mice implanted with testosterone and estradiol pellets, but not in sham animals. The current study focused on further characterizing the cellular heterogeneity of the prostate in this model as well as identifying the specific transcriptomic signature of the recruited foam cells. Moreover, we aimed to identify the epithelia-derived signals that drive macrophage infiltration and luminal translocation. Male C57BL/6J mice were implanted with slow-release testosterone and estradiol pellets (T+E2) and harvested the ventral prostates two weeks later for scRNA-seq analysis, or performed sham surgery. We identified Ear2+ and Cd72+ macrophages that were elevated in response to steroid hormone imbalance, whereas a Mrc1+ resident macrophage population did not change. In addition, an Spp1+ foam cell cluster was almost exclusively found in T+E2 mice. Further markers of foam cells were also identified, including Gpnmb and Trem2, and GPNMB was confirmed as a novel histological marker with immunohistochemistry. Foam cells were also shown to express known pathological factors Vegf, Tgfb1, Ccl6, Cxcl16 and Mmp12. Intriguingly, a screen for chemokines identified the upregulation of epithelial-derived Cxcl17, a known monocyte attractant, in T+E2 prostates suggesting that it might be responsible for the elevated macrophage number as well as their translocation to the lumen. Our study identified macrophage subsets that respond to steroid hormone imbalance as well as further confirmed a potential pathological role of luminal foam cells in the prostate. These results underscore a pathological role of the identified prostate foam cells and suggests CXCL17-mediated macrophage migration as a critical initiating event.

pathology↗

bioRxiv2020

Loss of Cnot6l impairs inosine RNA modifications in mouse oocytes

Mammalian oocytes must degrade maternal transcripts through a process called translational mRNA decay, in which maternal mRNA undergoes translational activation, followed by deadenylation and mRNA decay. Once a transcript is translationally activated, it becomes deadenylated by the CCR4-NOT complex. Knockout of Cnot6l, a deadenylase within the CCR4-NOT complex, results in mRNA decay defects during MI entry. Knockout of Btg4, an adaptor protein of the CCR4-NOT complex, results in mRNA decay defects following fertilization. Therefore, mechanisms controlling mRNA turnover have significant impacts on oocyte competence and early embryonic development. Post-transcriptional inosine RNA modifications can impact mRNA stability, possibly through a translation mechanism. Here, we assessed inosine RNA modifications in oocytes from Cnot6l-/- and Btg4-/- mice, which display stabilization of mRNA and over-translation of the stabilized transcripts. If inosine modifications have a role in modulating RNA stability, we hypothesize that in these mutant backgrounds, we would observe changes or a disruption in inosine mRNA modifications. To test this, we used a computational approach to identify inosine RNA modifications in total and polysomal RNA-seq data during meiotic maturation (GV, MI, and MII stages). We observed pronounced depletion of inosine mRNA modifications in oocytes from Cnot6l-/-, but not in Btg4-/- mice. Additionally, analysis of ribosome-associated RNA revealed clearance of inosine modified mRNA. These observations suggest a novel mechanism of mRNA clearance during oocyte maturation, in which inosine-containing transcripts decay in an independent, but parallel mechanism to CCR4-NOT deadenylation.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Differential expression of transposable elements in stem cell lineages of the preimplantation embryo

Approximately half of the human genome is comprised of transposable elements (TEs), which are genetic elements capable of amplifying themselves within the genome. Throughout the course of human life, TEs are expressed in germ cells, the preimplantation embryo, and the placenta but silenced elsewhere. However, the functions of TEs during embryonic development are poorly understood. Trophoblast stem (TS), embryonic stem (ES), and extraembryonic endoderm stem (XEN) cells are cell lineages derived from the preimplantation embryo and known to have different TE silencing mechanisms. Thus, it is likely distinct TEs are expressed in each lineage and that proteins coded by these TEs have lineage-specific functions. The purpose of this research was to determine which TEs are expressed in each of these stem cell lineages and to compare expression levels between lineages. Each lineages transcriptome was analyzed by quantifying TE expression in RNA-sequencing data from mouse stem cells. Expression data were then used for differential expression analyses performed between the cell types. It was found that certain families of TEs are distinctly expressed in certain lineages, suggesting expression of these families may be involved in the differentiation and development of each lineage, the understanding of which can lead to improved stem cell therapies and capacity to study human embryonic development.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2019

Epigenetic regulation of DNA repair mediated by the histone methyltransferase DOT1L

In eukaryotic cells, the homology-directed repair (HDR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathways are required for the repair of DNA double strand breaks (DSB). The high-fidelity HDR pathway is particularly important for maintenance of genomic stability. In mammals, histone post-translational modifications and histone variant exchange into nucleosomes at sites of DSB generate an open chromatin state necessary for repair to take place. However, the specific contributions of histone modifications to histone variant exchange at DSB sites and the influence of these changes on the DNA repair process and genome stability are incompletely understood. Here we show that Dot1L-catalyzed methylation of H3 histone on lysine 79 (H3K79) is required for efficient HDR of DSB. In cells with DNA DSB either lacking Dot1L or expressing a methylation-dead Dot1L, there is altered kinetics of DNA repair factor recruitment, markedly decreased H2A.Z incorporation at DSB sites, and a specific and profound reduction in HDR, which results in significant genomic instability. These findings demonstrate a new role for Dot1L, identifying it as a critical regulator of the DNA repair process and a steward of genomic integrity.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2018

ADAR1 A-to-I RNA alters codon usage

BackgroundFully grown mammalian oocytes and eggs are transcriptionally quiescent, and therefore have a unique RNA environment in which cellular processes depend on post-transcriptional regulation. RNA editing of adenosines into inosines (A-to-I) by adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs) is a common post-transcriptional gene regulatory mechanism, yet it has not been systematically studied in oocytes.\n\nResultsA genome-wide RNA editing analysis of transcriptionally active growing oocytes from postnatal day 12 (PND12) mice, fully grown germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes, and transcriptionally quiescent metaphase II (MII) eggs indicates an abundant amount of A-to-I editing of mRNA transcripts. Editing of mRNA was greatest in GV oocyte and MII eggs compared to the PND12 immature oocytes, this was consistent with ADAR1 levels within these cells. Compared to somatic tissues, oocytes exhibited a different pattern of RNA editing, with a high proportion of RNA edits occurring in the coding regions. These edits resulted in nucleotide substitutions that were enriched at the third nucleotide of the codon (wobble position). Codon usage can affect mRNA stability and translation efficiency.\n\nConclusionsRNA editing in mouse oocytes is distinct from RNA editing in somatic cells due to increased frequencies of coding sequence RNA edits. We provide evidence in support of a previously unreported phenomenon of selective ADAR1 editing of the codon wobble position. Editing of the wobble position has the potential to fine tune post-transcriptional gene regulation through altering codon usage. This important observation advances our current understanding of RNA editing in mammalian cells.

developmental biology↗