Biology subjects

Barter, M. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Barter, M. J..

6 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2023

miR-324 mediates bone homeostasis through the regulation of osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation and activity

microRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs which modulate the expression of other RNA molecules. One miRNA can target many transcripts, allowing each miRNA to play key roles in many biological pathways. miR-324 is a miRNA previously implicated in bone and cartilage maintenance, defects of which result in common age-related diseases, such as osteoporosis or osteoarthritis (OA). In global miR-324-null mice cartilage damage was increased in both surgically and ageing-induced OA, despite minimal changes to the cartilage transcriptome, with few predicted miR-324 targets dysregulated. However, micro-computed tomography and histology demonstrated that global miR- 324-null the mice had an increase in bone mineral density, trabecular thickness and cortical thickness, with many parameters increasing with age. The bone marrow of miR-324-null mice also had reduced lipid content while and in vivo TRAP staining revealed a decrease in osteoclasts, with histomorphometry demonstrating an increased rate of bone formation in miR-324-null mice. Ex vivo assays revealed that the high bone mass phenotype of the miR-324-null mice resulted from increased osteoblast activity and decreased osteoclastogenesis. RNA-seq and qRT-PCR followed by miR-324 target prediction and validation in osteoblasts, osteoclasts and bone marrow macrophages identified the osteoclast fusion regulator Pin1 as a miR-324 target in the osteoclast lineage and the master osteogenic regulator Runx2 as a target of miR-324-5p in osteoblasts, the in vitro overexpression of which recapitulated the increased osteogenesis and decreased adipogenesis phenotype observed in vivo. These data point to important roles of miR-324 in skeletal biology with altered bone homeostasis in miR-324-null mice potentially causal for the increased cartilage damage observed during OA and ageing. Elucidation of pathways regulated by miR-324 offer promise for the treatment of bone diseases such as osteoporosis.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Systems analysis of miR-199a/b-5p and multiple miR-199a/b-5p targets during chondrogenesis

Changes in chondrocyte gene expression can contribute to the development of osteoarthritis (OA), and so recognition of the regulative processes during chondrogenesis can lead to a better understanding of OA. microRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression in chondrocytes/OA and we have used a combined experimental, bioinformatic, and systems biology approach to explore the multiple miRNA-mRNA interactions that regulate chondrogenesis. A longitudinal chondrogenesis bioinformatic analysis identified paralogues miR-199a-5p and miR-199b-5p as pro-chondrogenic regulators. Experimental work demonstrated alteration of miR-199a-5p or miR-199b-5p expression led to significant inverse modulation of key chondrogenic genes and extracellular matrix production. miR-199a/b-5p targets FZD6, ITGA3 and CAV1 were identified by inhibition experiments and verified as direct targets by luciferase assay. The experimental work was used to generate and parameterize a multi-miRNA 14-day chondrogenesis kinetic model to be used as a repository for the experimental work and as a resource for further investigation of this system. This is the first multi-miRNA model of a chondrogenesis-based system, and highlights the complex relationships between regulatory miRNAs, and their target mRNAs.

systems biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Dynamic chromatin accessibility landscape changes following interleukin-1 stimulation

Genome-wide methods for examining chromatin modification provide detailed information on regulatory regions of the genome. Dynamic modifications of chromatin allow rapid access of the gene regulatory machinery to condensed genomic regions facilitating subsequent gene expression. Inflammatory cytokine stimulation of cells can cause rapid gene expression changes through direct signalling pathway-mediated transcription factor activation and regulatory element binding. Here we used the Assay for Transposase Accessible Chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) to assess regions of the genome that are differentially accessible following treatment of cells with interleukin-1 (IL-1). We identified 126,483 open chromatin regions, with 241 regions significantly differentially accessible following stimulation, with 64 and 177 more or less accessible, respectively. These differentially accessible regions predominantly correspond to regions of the genome marked as enhancers. Motif searching identified an overrepresentation of a number of transcription factors, most notably RelA in the regions becoming more accessible, with analysis of ChIP-seq data confirmed RelA binding to these regions. A significant correlation in differential chromatin accessibility and gene expression was also observed. Functionality in regulating gene expression was confirmed using CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing to delete regions for that became more accessible following stimulation in the genes MMP13, IKBKE and C1QTNF1. These same regions were also accessible for activation using a dCas9-transcriptional activator and showed enhancer activity in a cellular model. Together, these data describe and functionally validate a number of dynamically accessible chromatin regions involved in inflammatory signalling.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2020

microRNA-seq of cartilage reveals an over-abundance of miR-140-3p which contains functional isomiRs

MiR-140 is selectively expressed in cartilage. Deletion of the entire miR-140 locus in mice results in growth retardation and early-onset osteoarthritis-like pathology, however the relative contribution of miR-140-5p or miR-140-3p to the phenotype remains to be determined. An unbiased small RNA sequencing approach identified miR-140-3p as significantly more abundant (>10-fold) than miR-140-5p in human cartilage. Analysis of these data identified multiple miR-140-3p isomiRs differing from the miRBase annotation at both the 5 and 3 end, with >99% having one of two seed sequences (5 bases 2-8). Canonical (miR-140-3p.2) and shifted (miR-140-3p.1) seed isomiRs were overexpressed in chondrocytes and transcriptomics performed to identify targets. miR-140-3p.1 and miR-140-3p.2 significantly down-regulated 694 and 238 genes respectively, of which only 162 genes were commonly down-regulated. IsomiR targets were validated using 3 UTR luciferase assays. miR-140-3p.1 targets were enriched within up-regulated genes in rib chondrocytes of Mir140-null mice and within down-regulated genes during human chondrogenesis. Finally, through imputing the expression of miR-140 from the expression of the host gene WWP2 in 124 previously published datasets, an inverse correlation with miR-140-3p.1 predicted targets was identified. Together these data suggest the novel seed containing isomiR miR-140-3p.1 is more functional than original consensus miR-140-3p seed containing isomiR.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2019

Histone ChIP-Seq identifies differential enhancer usage during chondrogenesis as critical for defining cell-type specificity

Epigenetic mechanisms are known to regulate gene expression during chondrogenesis. In this study, we have characterised the epigenome during in vitro differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) into chondrocytes. Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by next-generation sequencing (ChIP-seq) was used to assess a range of N-terminal post-transcriptional modifications (marks) to histone H3 lysines (H3K4me3, H3K4me1, H3K27ac, H3K27me3 and H3K36me3) in both hMSCs and differentiated chondrocytes. Chromatin states were characterised using histone ChIP-seq and cis-regulatory elements were identified in chondrocytes. Chondrocyte enhancers were associated with chondrogenesis related gene ontology (GO) terms. In silico analysis and integration of DNA methylation data with chondrogenesis chromatin states revealed that enhancers marked by histone marks H3K4me1 and H3K27ac were de-methylated during in vitro chondrogenesis. Similarity analysis between hMSC and chondrocyte chromatin states defined in this study with epigenomes of cell-types defined by the Roadmap Epigenomics project revealed that enhancers are more distinct between cell-types compared to other chromatin states. Motif analysis revealed that the transcription factor SOX9 is enriched in chondrocyte enhancers. Luciferase reporter assays confirmed that chondrocyte enhancers characterised in this study exhibited enhancer activity which may be modulated by inducing DNA methylation and SOX9 overexpression. Altogether, these integrated data illustrate the cross-talk between different epigenetic mechanisms during chondrocyte differentiation.\n\nSummaryHuman mesenchymal stem cells are able to differentiate into chondrocytes, the cell type found in cartilage, making them an accessible system to study gene regulation during this process. Epigenetic mechanisms such as histone modifications and DNA methylation together with transcription factor binding play a role in activating and repressing gene expression. In this study, we investigated the genome-wide histone modification changes during chondrocyte differentiation. Integration of this data with DNA methylation and SOX9 transcription factor ChIP-seq revealed epigenetic changes at gene enhancer elements. Regions of the genome that transition from non-enhancers to enhancers in chondrocytes are enriched for SOX9 transcription factor binding sites. Luciferase reporter assays revealed that enhancer activity may be modulated by manipulating DNA methylation and SOX9 expression. This study has defined important regulatory elements in chondrocytes which could serve as targets for future mechanistic studies.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2019

DNA hypomethylation during MSC chondrogenesis occurs predominantly at enhancer regions

SummaryRegulation of transcription occurs in a cell type specific manner by epigenetic mechanisms including DNA methylation and histone modifications. Methylation changes during stem cell differentiation may play a key role in lineage specification. We sought to characterise DNA methylation changes during chondrogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in order to further our understanding of epigenetic regulation in chondrocytes. The consequences of which has potential to improve cartilage generation for tissue engineering purposes and also to provide context for observed methylation changes in cartilage diseases such as osteoarthritis. We identified significant DNA hypomethylation during chondrogenesis including changes at many key cartilage gene loci. Importantly characterisation of significant CpG loci indicated their predominant localisation to enhancer regions. Comparison with adult cartilage and other tissue methylation profiles identified chondrocyte-specific regulatory regions. Taken together we have associated methylation at many CpGs with the chondrocyte phenotype.\n\nAbstractRegulation of transcription is determined in a cell type specific manner by epigenetic mechanisms including DNA methylation and histone modifications. Methylation changes during stem cell differentiation may play a role in lineage specification. Multipotent mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation into chondrocytes not only serves as a model for chondrocyte development but also provides an important source of cartilage for tissue engineering purposes. We sought to characterise DNA methylation changes during chondrogenesis to further understanding of epigenetic regulation but to also provide context for the changes identified during disease.\n\nDNA cytosine methylation changes during human MSC differentiation into chondrocytes were measured by Infinium 450K methylation array. Methylation changes at gene loci were contrasted with gene expression changes. Chromatin states of significant methylation loci were interpreted by intersection with chondrogenesis histone modification ChlP-seq data. Chondrogenic and cartilage specific hypomethylation was utilised in order to identify a chondrocyte methylome. Articular cartilage and tissue panel DNA methylation was compared and alterations during osteoarthritis cartilage disease classified.\n\nSignificant DNA hypomethylation was identified following chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs including changes at many key cartilage gene loci. Highly upregulated genes during chondrogenesis were more likely to exhibit a reduction in DNA methylation. Characterisation of significant CpG loci indicated their predominant localisation in CpG poor regions which importantly are most likely to correspond to enhancer regions. Methylation level at certain CpGs following chondrogenesis corresponds to the level found in adult cartilage.\n\nTaken together, considerable demethylation changes to the epigenetic landscape occur during MSC chondrogenesis especially at sites marked by enhancer modifications. Comparison with other tissues, including healthy and OA cartilage, associates CpGs to the chondrocyte phenotype and provides context for changes in disease.

genomics↗