Genome-Wide Profiling of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ in Primary Epididymal, Inguinal, and Brown Adipocytes Reveals Depot-Selective Binding Correlated with Gene Expression

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is a master regulator of adipocyte differentiation and function. We and others have previously mapped PPARγ binding at a genome-wide level in murine and human adipocyte cell lines and in primary human adipocytes. However, little is known about how binding patterns of PPARγ differ between brown and white adipocytes and among different types of white adipocytes. Here we have employed chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with deep sequencing to map and compare PPARγ binding in in vitro differentiated primary mouse adipocytes isolated from epididymal, inguinal, and brown adipose tissues. While these PPARγ binding profiles are overall similar, there are clear depot-selective binding sites. Most PPARγ binding sites previously mapped in 3T3-L1 adipocytes can also be detected in primary adipocytes, but there are a large number of PPARγ binding sites that are specific to the primary cells, and these tend to be located in closed chromatin regions in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The depot-selective binding of PPARγ is associated with highly depot-specific gene expression. This indicates that PPARγ plays a role in the induction of genes characteristic of different adipocyte lineages and that preadipocytes from different depots are differentially preprogrammed to permit PPARγ lineage-specific recruitment even when differentiated in vitro.     

Brain Region–Specific Alterations in the Gene Expression of Cytokines,Immune Cell Markers and Cholinergic System Components during Peripheral Endotoxin–Induced Inflammation

Inflammatory conditions characterized by excessive peripheral immune responses are associated with diverse alterations in brain function, and brain-derived neural pathways regulate peripheral inflammation. Important aspects of this bidirectional peripheral immune–brain communication, including the impact of peripheral inflammation on brain region–specific cytokine responses, and brain cholinergic signaling (which plays a role in controlling peripheral cytokine levels), remain unclear. To provide insight, we studied gene expression of cytokines, immune cell markers and brain cholinergic system components in the cortex, cerebellum, brainstem, hippocampus, hypothalamus, striatum and thalamus in mice after an intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharide injection. Endotoxemia was accompanied by elevated serum levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and other cytokines and brain region–specific increases in Il1b (the highest increase, relative to basal level, was in cortex; the lowest increase was in cerebellum) and Il6 (highest increase in cerebellum; lowest increase in striatum) mRNA expression. Gene expression of brain Gfap (astrocyte marker) was also differentially increased. However, Iba1 (microglia marker) mRNA expression was decreased in the cortex, hippocampus and other brain regions in parallel with morphological changes, indicating microglia activation. Brain choline acetyltransferase (Chat ) mRNA expression was decreased in the striatum, acetylcholinesterase (Ache) mRNA expression was decreased in the cortex and increased in the hippocampus, and M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (Chrm1) mRNA expression was decreased in the cortex and the brainstem. These results reveal a previously unrecognized regional specificity in brain immunoregulatory and cholinergic system gene expression in the context of peripheral inflammation and are of interest for designing future antiinflammatory approaches.     

The tail that wags the dog: p12, the smallest subunit of DNA polymerase δ, is degraded by ubiquitin ligases in response to DNA damage and during cell cycle progression

DNA polymerase δ (Pol δ) is a key enzyme in eukaryotic DNA replication. Human Pol δ is a heterotetramer whose p12 subunit is degraded in response to DNA damage, leading to the in vivo conversion of Pol δ4 to Pol δ3. Two E3 ubiquitin ligases, RNF8 and CRL4^Cdt2, participate in the DNA damage-induced degradation of p12. We discuss how these E3 ligases integrate the formation of Pol δ3 and ubiquitinated PCNA for DNA repair processes. CRL4^Cdt2 partially degrades p12 during normal cell cycle progression, thereby generating Pol δ3 during S phase. This novel finding extends the current view of the role of Pol δ3 in DNA repair and leads to the hypothesis that it participates in DNA replication. The coordinated regulation of licensing factors and Pol δ3 by CRL4^Cdt2 now opens new avenues for control of DNA replication. A parallel study of Pol δ4 and Pol δ3 in Okazaki fragment processing provides evidence for a role of Pol δ3 in DNA replication. We discuss several new perspectives of the role of the 2 forms of Pol δ in DNA replication and repair, as well the significance of the integration of p12 regulation in DNA repair and cell cycle progression.     

Expression of the p12 subunit of human DNA polymerase δ (Pol δ), CDK inhibitor p21WAF1, Cdt1, cyclin A,PCNA and Ki-67 in relation to DNA replication in individual cells

We recently reported that the p12 subunit of human DNA polymerase δ (Pol δ4) is degraded by CRL4^Cdt2 which regulates the licensing factor Cdt1 and p21^WAF1 during the G₁ to S transition. Presently, we performed multiparameter laser scanning cytometric analyses of changes in levels of p12, Cdt1 and p21^WAF1, detected immunocytochemically in individual cells, vis-à-vis the initiation and completion of DNA replication. The latter was assessed by pulse-labeling A549 cells with the DNA precursor ethynyl-2′-deoxyribose (EdU). The loss of p12 preceded the initiation of DNA replication and essentially all cells incorporating EdU were p12 negative. Completion of DNA replication and transition to G₂ phase coincided with the re-appearance and rapid rise of p12 levels. Similar to p12 a decline of p21^WAF1 and Cdt1 was seen at the end of G₁ phase and all DNA replicating cells were p21^WAF1 and Cdt1 negative. The loss of p21^WAF1 preceded that of Cdt1 and p12 and the disappearance of the latter coincided with the onset of DNA replication. Loss of p12 leads to conversion of Pol δ4 to its trimeric form, Pol δ3, so that the results provide strong support to the notion that Pol δ3 is engaged in DNA replication during unperturbed progression through the S phase of cell cycle. Also assessed was a correlation between EdU incorporation, likely reflecting the rate of DNA replication in individual cells, and the level of expression of positive biomarkers of replication cyclin A, PCNA and Ki-67 in these cells. Of interest was the observation of stronger correlation between EdU incorporation and expression of PCNA (r = 0.73) than expression of cyclin A (r = 0.47) or Ki-67 (r = 0.47).