The study of embryonic stem cells is in the spotlight in many laboratories that study the structure and function of chromatin and epigenetic processes. The key properties of embryonic stem cells are their capacity for self-renewal and their pluripotency. Pluripotent stem cells are able to differentiate into the cells of all three germ layers, and because of this property they represent a promising therapeutic tool in the treatment of diseases such as Parkinson's disease and diabetes, or in the healing of lesions after heart attack. As the basic nuclear unit, chromatin is responsible for the regulation of the functional status of cells, including pluripotency and differentiation. Therefore, in this review we discuss the functional changes in chromatin during differentiation and the correlation between epigenetics events and the differentiation potential of embryonic stem cells. In particular we focus on post-translational histone modification, DNA methylation and the heterochromatin protein HP1 and its unique function in mouse and human embryonic stem cells.

• Klíčová slova
• Chromatin, Differentiation, Embryonic stem cells, Epigenetics, Nucleus, Pluripotency,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) maintain their pluripotency through high expression of pluripotency-related genes. Here, we show that differing levels of Oct4, Nanog, and c-myc proteins among the individual cells of mouse ESC (mESC) colonies and fluctuations in these levels do not disturb mESC pluripotency. Cells with strong expression of Oct4 had low levels of Nanog and c-myc proteins and vice versa. In addition, cells with high levels of Nanog tended to occupy interior regions of mESC colonies. In contrast, peripherally positioned cells within colonies had dense H3K27-trimethylation, especially at the nuclear periphery. We also observed distinct levels of endogenous and exogenous Oct4 in particular cell cycle phases. The highest levels of Oct4 occurred in G2 phase, which correlated with the pKi-67 nuclear pattern. Moreover, the Oct4 protein resided on mitotic chromosomes. We suggest that there must be an endogenous mechanism that prevents the induction of spontaneous differentiation, despite fluctuations in protein levels within an mESC colony. Based on the results presented here, it is likely that cells within a colony support each other in the maintenance of pluripotency.

• MeSH
• antigen Ki-67 metabolismus   MeSH
• buněčná diferenciace * MeSH
• buněčné jádro genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• embryonální kmenové buňky cytologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• epigeneze genetická MeSH
• FRAP MeSH
• G2 fáze MeSH
• histony metabolismus   MeSH
• homeodoménové proteiny genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• konfokální mikroskopie MeSH
• kultivované buňky MeSH
• lysin metabolismus   MeSH
• metylace MeSH
• myši MeSH
• nanog MeSH
• nika kmenových buněk MeSH
• oktamerní transkripční faktor 3 genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• pluripotentní kmenové buňky cytologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• protoonkogenní proteiny c-myc genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• western blotting MeSH
• zelené fluorescenční proteiny genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antigen Ki-67 MeSH
• histony MeSH
• homeodoménové proteiny MeSH
• lysin MeSH
• Myc protein, mouse MeSH Prohlížeč
• Nanog protein, mouse MeSH Prohlížeč
• nanog MeSH
• oktamerní transkripční faktor 3 MeSH
• protoonkogenní proteiny c-myc MeSH
• zelené fluorescenční proteiny MeSH

BACKGROUND: Oct4 is a specific marker of embryonic stem cell (ESC) pluripotency. However, little is known regarding how Oct4 responds to DNA damage. Here, we investigated whether Oct4 recognizes damaged chromatin in mouse ESCs stably expressing GFP-Oct4. These experiments should contribute to the knowledge of how ESC genomic integrity is maintained, which is crucial for potential application of human ESCs in regenerative medicine. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used time-lapse confocal microscopy, microirradiation by UV laser (355 nm), induction of DNA lesions by specific agents, and GFP technology to study the Oct4 response to DNA damage. We found that Oct4 accumulates in UV-damaged regions immediately after irradiation in an adenosine triphosphate-dependent manner. Intriguingly, this event was not accompanied by pronounced Nanog and c-MYC recruitment to the UV-damaged sites. The accumulation of Oct4 to UV-damaged chromatin occurred simultaneously with H3K9 deacetylation and H2AX phosphorylation (γH2AX). Moreover, we observed an ESC-specific nuclear distribution of γH2AX after interference to cellular processes, including histone acetylation, transcription, and cell metabolism. Inhibition of histone deacetylases mostly prevented pronounced Oct4 accumulation at UV-irradiated chromatin. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our studies demonstrate pluripotency-specific events that accompany DNA damage responses. Here, we discuss how ESCs might respond to DNA damage caused by genotoxic injury that might lead to unwanted genomic instability.

• MeSH
• 53BP1 MeSH
• adenosintrifosfát metabolismus   MeSH
• buněčné jádro metabolismus   MeSH
• chromatin metabolismus   MeSH
• chromozomální proteiny, nehistonové metabolismus   MeSH
• DNA vazebné proteiny metabolismus   MeSH
• embryonální kmenové buňky cytologie   MeSH
• fibroblasty metabolismus   MeSH
• fosforylace MeSH
• genetická transkripce MeSH
• histony chemie   MeSH
• kinetika MeSH
• myši MeSH
• oktamerní transkripční faktor 3 metabolismus   MeSH
• poškození DNA MeSH
• regenerativní lékařství metody   MeSH
• regulace genové exprese * MeSH
• ultrafialové záření MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• 53BP1 MeSH
• adenosintrifosfát MeSH
• chromatin MeSH
• chromozomální proteiny, nehistonové MeSH
• DNA vazebné proteiny MeSH
• histony MeSH
• oktamerní transkripční faktor 3 MeSH
• Pou5f1 protein, mouse MeSH Prohlížeč
• Trp53bp1 protein, mouse MeSH Prohlížeč