Masazumi Nishimoto

The Gene for the Embryonic Stem Cell Coactivator UTF1 Carries a Regulatory Element Which Selectively Interacts with a Complex Composed of Oct-3/4 and Sox-2

ABSTRACT UTF1 is a transcriptional coactivator which has recently been isolated and found to be expressed mainly in pluripotent embryonic stem (ES) cells (A. Okuda, A. Fukushima, M. Nishimoto, et al., EMBO J. 17:2019–2032, 1998). To gain insight into the regulatory network of gene expression in ES cells, we have characterized the regulatory elements governing UTF1 gene expression. The results indicate that the UTF1 gene is one of the target genes of an embryonic octamer binding transcription factor, Oct-3/4. UTF1 expression is, like the FGF-4 gene, regulated by the synergistic action of Oct-3/4 and another embryonic factor, Sox-2, implying that the requirement for Sox-2 by Oct-3/4 is not limited to the FGF-4 enhancer but is rather a general mechanism of activation for Oct-3/4. Our biochemical analyses, however, also reveal one distinct difference between these two regulatory elements: unlike the FGF-4 enhancer, the UTF1 regulatory element can, by its one-base difference from the canonical octamer-binding sequence, selectively recruit the complex comprising Oct-3/4 and Sox-2 and preclude the binding of the transcriptionally inactive complex containing Oct-1 or Oct-6. Furthermore, our analyses reveal that these properties are dictated by the unique ability of the Oct-3/4 POU-homeodomain that recognizes a variant of the Octamer motif in the UTF1 regulatory element.

UTF1, a novel transcriptional coactivator expressed in pluripotent embryonic stem cells and extra-embryonic cells.

We have obtained a novel transcriptional cofactor, termed undifferentiated embryonic cell transcription factor 1 (UTF1), from F9 embryonic carcinoma (EC) cells. This protein is expressed in EC and embryonic stem cells, as well as in germ line tissues, but could not be detected in any of the other adult mouse tissues tested. Furthermore, when EC cells are induced to differentiate, UTF1 expression is rapidly extinguished. In normal mouse embryos, UTF1 mRNA is present in the inner cell mass, the primitive ectoderm and the extra‐embryonic tissues. During the primitive streak stage, the induction of mesodermal cells is accompanied by the down‐regulation of UTF1 in the primitive ectoderm. However, its expression is maintained for up to 13.5 days post‐coitum in the extra‐embryonic tissue. Functionally, UTF1 boosts the level of transcription of the adenovirus E2A promoter. However, unlike the pluripotent cell‐specific E1A‐like activity, which requires the E2F sites of the E2A promoter for increased transcriptional activation, UTF1‐mediated activation is dependent on the upstream ATF site of this promoter. This result indicates that UTF1 is not a major component of the E1A‐like activity present in pluripotent embryonic cells. Further analyses revealed that UTF1 interacts not only with the activation domain of ATF‐2, but also with the TFIID complex in vivo. Thus, UTF1 displays many of the hallmark characteristics expected for a tissue‐specific transcriptional coactivator that works in early embryogenesis.

Oct-3/4 Maintains the Proliferative Embryonic Stem Cell State via Specific Binding to a Variant Octamer Sequence in the Regulatory Region of the UTF1 Locus

ABSTRACT The POU transcription factor Oct-3/4 has been shown to be critical for maintaining embryonic stem (ES) cell character. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its function remain elusive. We have previously shown that among the POU transcription factor family of proteins, Oct-3/4 alone is able to bind to the regulatory region of the UTF1 gene bearing a variant octamer sequence together with Sox-2. Here, we demonstrate using Oct-3/4-Oct-6 chimeras that there is a precise correlation between the ability of proteins to form a complex on the UTF1 enhancer with Sox-2 and the ability to maintain the stem cell state in ES cells. Different chimeric proteins show differential abilities to form a Sox-2-containing complex on the UTF1 regulatory region, with a decrease in efficiency of the complex formation accompanied by a decrease in the level of UTF1 expression and the rate of cell proliferation. Overexpression of UTF1 in these slow-growing cells was able to restore their proliferation rate to wild-type levels. Moreover, UTF1 was also observed to have an effect on teratoma formation. These results suggest a molecular pathway by which Oct-3/4 induces rapid proliferation and tumorigenic properties of ES cells through activation of the UTF1 gene.

Consequence of the loss of Sox2 in the developing brain of the mouse

The transcription factor Sox2 is expressed at high levels in neural stem and progenitor cells. Here, we inactivated Sox2 specifically in the developing brain by using Cre–loxP system. Although mutant animals did not survive after birth, analysis of late gestation embryos revealed that loss of Sox2 causes enlargement of the lateral ventricles and a decrease in the number of neurosphere‐forming cells. However, although their neurogenic potential is attenuated, Sox2‐deficient neural stem cells retain their multipotency and self‐renewal capacity. We found that expression level of Sox3 is elevated in Sox2 null developing brain, probably mitigating the effects of loss of Sox2.

The Sox-2 Regulatory Regions Display Their Activities in Two Distinct Types of Multipotent Stem Cells

ABSTRACT The Sox-2 gene is expressed in embryonic stem (ES) cells and neural stem cells. Two transcription enhancer regions, Sox-2 regulatory region 1 (SRR1) and SRR2, were described previously based on their activities in ES cells. Here, we demonstrate that these regulatory regions also exert their activities in neural stem cells. Moreover, our data reveal that, as in ES cells, both SRR1 and SRR2 show their activities rather specifically in multipotent neural stem or progenitor cells but cease to function in differentiated cells, such as postmitotic neurons. Systematic deletion and mutation analyses showed that the same or at least overlapping DNA elements of SRR2 are involved in its activity in both ES and neural stem or progenitor cells. Thus, SRR2 is the first example of an enhancer in which a single regulatory core sequence is involved in multipotent-state-specific expression in two different stem cells, i.e., ES and neural stem cells.

The Sox2 Regulatory Region 2 Functions as a Neural Stem Cell-specific Enhancer in the Telencephalon

Sox2 is expressed at high levels in neuroepithelial stem cells and persists in neural stem/progenitor cells throughout adulthood. We showed previously that the Sox2 regulatory region 2 (SRR2) drives strong expression in these cells. Here we generated transgenic mouse strains with the β-geo reporter gene under the control of the SRR2 in order to examine the spatiotemporal function of this regulatory region. We show that the SRR2 functions specifically in neural stem/progenitor cells. However, unlike Nestin 2nd intronic enhancer, the SRR2 shows strong regional specificity functioning only in restricted areas of the telencephalon but not in any other portions of the central nervous system such as the spinal cord. We also show by in vitro clonogenic assay that at least some of these SRR2-functioning cells possess the hallmark properties of neural stem cells. In adult brains, we could detect strong β-geo expression in the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle and along the rostral migrating stream where actively dividing cells reside. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays reveal interactions of POU and Sox factors with SRR2 in neural stem/progenitor cells. Our data also suggest that the specific recruitment of these proteins to the SRR2 in the telencephalon defines the spatiotemporal activity of the enhancer in the developing nervous system.

Indefinite Self-Renewal of ESCs through Myc/Max Transcriptional Complex-Independent Mechanisms

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can self-renew indefinitely under the governance of ESC-specific transcriptional circuitries in which each transcriptional factor regulates distinct or overlapping sets of genes with other factors. c-Myc is a key player that is crucially involved in maintaining the undifferentiated state and the self-renewal of ESCs. However, the mechanism by which c-Myc helps preserve the ESC status is still poorly understood. Here we addressed this question by performing loss-of-function studies with the Max gene, which encodes the best-characterized partner protein for all Myc family proteins. Although Myc/Max complexes are widely regarded as crucial regulators of the ESC status, our data revealed that ESCs do not absolutely require these complexes in certain contexts and that this requirement is restricted to empirical ESC culture conditions without a MAPK inhibitor.

Putative "stemness" gene Jam-B is not required for maintenance of stem cell state in embryonic, neural, or hematopoietic stem cells

ABSTRACT Many genes have been identified that are specifically expressed in multiple types of stem cells in their undifferentiated state. It is generally assumed that at least some of these putative “stemness” genes are involved in maintaining properties that are common to all stem cells. We compared gene expression profiles between undifferentiated and differentiated embryonic stem cells (ESCs) using DNA microarrays. We identified several genes with much greater signal in undifferentiated ESCs than in their differentiated derivatives, among them the putative stemness gene encoding junctional adhesion molecule B (Jam-B gene). However, in spite of the specific expression in undifferentiated ESCs, Jam-B mutant ESCs had normal morphology and pluripotency. Furthermore, Jam-B homozygous mutant mice are fertile and have no overt developmental defects. Moreover, we found that neural and hematopoietic stem cells recovered from Jam-B mutant mice are not impaired in their ability to self-renew and differentiate. These results demonstrate that Jam-B is dispensable for normal mouse development and stem cell identity in embryonic, neural, and hematopoietic stem cells.

Differential requirement for nucleostemin in embryonic stem cell and neural stem cell viability.

Stem cells have the remarkable ability to self‐renew and to generate multiple cell types. Nucleostemin is one of proteins that are enriched in many types of stem cells. Targeted deletion of nucleostemin in the mouse results in developmental arrest at the implantation stage, indicating that nucleostemin is crucial for early embryogenesis. However, the molecular basis of nucleostemin function in early mouse embryos remains largely unknown, and the role of nucleostemin in tissue stem cells has not been examined by gene targeting analyses due to the early embryonic lethality of nucleostemin null animals. To address these questions, we generated inducible nucleostemin null embryonic stem (ES) cells in which both alleles of nucleostemin are disrupted, but nucleostemin cDNA under the control of a tetracycline‐responsive transcriptional activator is introduced into the Rosa26 locus. We show that loss of nucleostemin results in reduced cell proliferation and increased apoptosis in both ES cells and ES cell‐derived neural stem/progenitor cells. The reduction in cell viability is much more profound in ES cells than in neural stem/progenitor cells, an effect that is mediated at least in part by increased induction and accumulation of p53 and/or activated caspase‐3 in ES cells than in neural stem/progenitor cells. Stem Cells 2009;27:1066–1076

Loss of MAX results in meiotic entry in mouse embryonic and germline stem cells

Meiosis is a unique process that allows the generation of reproductive cells. It remains largely unknown how meiosis is initiated in germ cells and why non-germline cells do not undergo meiosis. We previously demonstrated that knockdown of Max expression, a gene encoding a partner of MYC family proteins, strongly activates expression of germ cell-related genes in ESCs. Here we find that complete ablation of Max expression in ESCs results in profound cytological changes reminiscent of cells undergoing meiotic cell division. Furthermore, our analyses uncovers that Max expression is transiently attenuated in germ cells undergoing meiosis in vivo and its forced reduction induces meiosis-like cytological changes in cultured germline stem cells. Mechanistically, Max depletion alterations are, in part, due to impairment of the function of an atypical PRC1 complex (PRC1.6), in which MAX is one of the components. Our data highlight MAX as a new regulator of meiotic onset.