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The lncRNA GATA6-AS epigenetically regulates endothelial gene expression via interaction with LOXL2.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesImpaired or excessive growth of endothelial cells contributes to several diseases. However, the functional involvement of regulatory long non-coding RNAs in these processes is not well defined. Here we show that the long non-coding antisense transcript of GATA6 (GATA6-AS) interacts with the epigenetic regulator LOXL2 to regulates endothelial gene expression via changes in histone methylation. Using RNA deep sequencing, we find that GATA6-AS is up-regulated in endothelial cells during hypoxia. Silencing of GATA6-AS diminishes TGF-2-induced endothelial-mesenchymal transition in vitro and promotes formation of blood vessels in mice. We identify LOXL2, known to remove activating H3K4me3 chromatin marks, as a GATA6-AS-associated protein, and reveal a set of angiogenesis-related genes that are inversely regulated by LOXL2 and GATA6-AS silencing. As GATA6-AS silencing reduces H3K4me3 methylation of two of these genes, periostin and cyclooxygenase-2, we conclude that GATA6-AS acts as negative regulator of nuclear LOXL2 function.
The lncRNA GATA6-AS epigenetically regulates endothelial gene expression via interaction with LOXL2.
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View SamplesImpaired or excessive growth of endothelial cells contributes to several diseases. However, the functional involvement of regulatory long non-coding RNAs in these processes is not well defined. Here we show that the long non-coding antisense transcript of GATA6 (GATA6-AS) interacts with the epigenetic regulator LOXL2 to regulates endothelial gene expression via changes in histone methylation. Using RNA deep sequencing, we find that GATA6-AS is up-regulated in endothelial cells during hypoxia. Silencing of GATA6-AS diminishes TGF-2-induced endothelial-mesenchymal transition in vitro and promotes formation of blood vessels in mice. We identify LOXL2, known to remove activating H3K4me3 chromatin marks, as a GATA6-AS-associated protein, and reveal a set of angiogenesis-related genes that are inversely regulated by LOXL2 and GATA6-AS silencing. As GATA6-AS silencing reduces H3K4me3 methylation of two of these genes, periostin and cyclooxygenase-2, we conclude that GATA6-AS acts as negative regulator of nuclear LOXL2 function.
The lncRNA GATA6-AS epigenetically regulates endothelial gene expression via interaction with LOXL2.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesAdenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing, which is catalyzed by a family of adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR) enzymes, is important in the epitranscriptomic regulation of RNA metabolism. However, the role of A-to-I RNA editing in vascular disease is unknown. Here we show that cathepsin S mRNA (CTSS), which encodes a cysteine protease associated with angiogenesis and atherosclerosis, is highly edited in human endothelial cells. The 3' untranslated region (3' UTR) of the CTSS transcript contains two inverted repeats, the AluJo and AluSx+ regions, which form a long stem–loop structure that is recognized by ADAR1 as a substrate for editing. RNA editing enables the recruitment of the stabilizing RNA-binding protein human antigen R (HuR; encoded by ELAVL1) to the 3' UTR of the CTSS transcript, thereby controlling CTSS mRNA stability and expression. In endothelial cells, ADAR1 overexpression or treatment of cells with hypoxia or with the inflammatory cytokines interferon-? and tumor-necrosis-factor-a induces CTSS RNA editing and consequently increases cathepsin S expression. ADAR1 levels and the extent of CTSS RNA editing are associated with changes in cathepsin S levels in patients with atherosclerotic vascular diseases, including subclinical atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, aortic aneurysms and advanced carotid atherosclerotic disease. These results reveal a previously unrecognized role of RNA editing in gene expression in human atherosclerotic vascular diseases. Overall design: 1) Evaluation of transcriptome expression and RNA editing sites (A-to-G and T-to-C nucleotide mismatches) in poly(A) RNA-seq data derived from endothelial cell transcriptome after ADAR1 or ADAR2 knockdown (n=2 biological replicates per condition, total n=8 biological samples). 2) Evaluation of transcriptome expression and RNA editing sites (A-to-G and T-to-C nucleotide mismatches) in total-RNA-seq data derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (n=12 total biological samples; n=4 replicates per condition). 3) Evaluation of transcriptome expression and RNA editing sites (A-to-G and T-to-C nucleotide mismatches) in total-RNA-seq data derived from endothelial cell transcriptome under basal and hypoxic conditions (n=2 biological replicates per condition, total n=4 biological samples). 4) Evaluation of RNA editing sites (A-to-G and T-to-C nucleotide mismatches) in total RNA-seq data derived from endothelial cell transcriptome under basal and hypoxic conditions after ADAR1 knockdown (n=3 replicates per condition, total n=12 biological samples). 5) HuR iCLIP RNA-sequencing data derived from HUVEC HuR iCLIP after ADAR1 knockdown (scrambled control and siADAR1, n=1 per condition, total n=2 biological samples).
Adenosine-to-inosine RNA editing controls cathepsin S expression in atherosclerosis by enabling HuR-mediated post-transcriptional regulation.
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View SamplesLong non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) contribute to (patho)physiological processes in the heart. Aging is the major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and cardiomyocyte apoptosis is an underlying cause for age-related cardiac dysfunction. RNA sequencing of cardiomyocytes from young and aged mouse hearts revealed several aging-regulated lncRNAs. An siRNA screen for caspase activity identified the aging-regulated lncRNA Sarrah (ENSMUST00000140003) as anti-apoptotic, which we confirmed in human cells (human SARRAH is annotated as OXCT1-AS1). Importantly, human engineered heart tissue showed impaired contractile force development upon SARRAH knockdown compared with controls. Computational prediction of RNA-DNA triple helix formation showed that SARRAH may directly bind the promoters of genes downregulated after SARRAH silencing, which mainly consist of cell survival genes. Indeed, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy confirmed RNA-DNA triple helix formation and cardiomyocytes lacking the triple helix-forming domain of Sarrah showed an increase in apoptosis. One of the key direct SARRAH targets is NRF2, an anti-oxidant transcription factor. Restoration of NRF2 levels after SARRAH silencing partially rescues the reduction in cell viability. RNA affinity purification mass spectrometry analysis identified CRIP2 as main protein interaction partner. Furthermore, SARRAH associates with acetyltransferase p300 and acetylated histone H3K27. Finally, Sarrah was also profoundly downregulated after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in mice. Adeno-associated virus-mediated overexpression of Sarrah in mice showed better recovery of cardiac contractile function after AMI compared to control mice, as measured by echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging, consistent with a decrease in cardiomyocyte cell death and an increase in endothelial cell proliferation. In summary, we identified the anti-apoptotic evolutionary conserved lncRNA Sarrah, which is downregulated by aging, as a pivotal regulator of cardiomyocyte survival. Sarrah overexpression has beneficial effects on AMI recovery highlighting it as a potential therapeutic approach against heart failure.
Aging-regulated anti-apoptotic long non-coding RNA Sarrah augments recovery from acute myocardial infarction.
Specimen part
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