Review
Physiology
Christopher T. Breunig, Anna Koeferle, Andrea M. Neuner, Maximilian F. Wiesbeck, Valentin Baumann, Stefan H. Stricker
Summary: Despite knowing the potential genes that influence cell states, historical methods restricting manipulation of gene expression outside endogenous chromatin context have hindered understanding of how cells organize, interpret, and protect cellular programs. New methodological innovations are now providing opportunities to target and manipulate genomic and epigenomic loci for better understanding and manipulation of cellular states.
PHYSIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Quanah J. Hudson, Kazem Ashjaei, Alexandra Perricos, Lorenz Kuessel, Heinrich Husslein, Rene Wenzl, Iveta Yotova
REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES
(2020)
Review
Neurosciences
Stefan H. Stricker, Magdalena Goetz
Summary: The vulnerability of the mammalian brain lies in its limited ability to generate new neurons after maturation, but the direct conversion of non-neuronal cells to neurons offers a promising avenue for brain repair. Understanding the identity and chromatin hallmarks of induced neurons is crucial to avoid adverse effects and novel tools for manipulating specific epigenetic marks hold potential for erasing aberrant epigenetic memory and advancing therapeutic approaches for brain repair.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Gianluca L. Russo, Giovanna Sonsalla, Poornemaa Natarajan, Christopher T. Breunig, Giorgia Bulli, Juliane Merl-Pham, Sabine Schmitt, Jessica Giehrl-Schwab, Florian Giesert, Martin Jastroch, Hans Zischka, Wolfgang Wurst, Stefan H. Stricker, Stefanie M. Hauck, Giacomo Masserdotti, Magdalena Goetz
Summary: Astrocyte-to-neuron conversion is a promising avenue for neuronal replacement therapy, with mitochondrial proteins playing a crucial role in the process. Early activation of genes encoding mitochondrial proteins significantly improves conversion efficiency, particularly for neuron-enriched antioxidant proteins.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Florian M. Pauler, Quanah J. Hudson, Susanne Laukoter, Simon Hippenmeyer
Summary: Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic mechanism that involves parental allele-specific expression of genes and plays important roles in development and biological processes. Recent studies in mice have identified cell type-specific imprinted gene expression, and the use of inducible uniparental chromosome disomy system and Mosaic Analysis with Double Markers allows for in-depth analysis of the functional consequences of genomic imprinting. These tools have revealed new insights into the function of imprinted genes and specific phenotypes related to perturbed imprinted expression in the mouse neocortex.
NEUROCHEMISTRY INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Stefan H. Stricker, Benedikt Berninger, Magdalena Goetz
CURRENT OPINION IN GENETICS & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Iveta Yotova, Quanah J. Hudson, Florian M. Pauler, Katharina Proestling, Isabella Haslinger, Lorenz Kuessel, Alexandra Perricos, Heinrich Husslein, Rene Wenzl
Summary: LINC01133 is upregulated in endometriosis and may affect pathogenesis through cellular proliferation and migration pathways.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mirjam A. Beck, Heinz Fischer, Lisa M. Grabner, Tamara Groffics, Mircea Winter, Simone Tangermann, Tina Meischel, Barbara Zaussinger-Haas, Patrick Wagner, Carina Fischer, Christina Folie, Julia Arand, Christian Schoefer, Bernard Ramsahoye, Sabine Lagger, Georg Machat, Gregor Eisenwort, Stephanie Schneider, Alexandra Podhornik, Michael Kothmayer, Ursula Reichart, Martin Gloesmann, Ido Tamir, Michael Mildner, Raheleh Sheibani-Tezerji, Lukas Kenner, Peter Petzelbauer, Gerda Egger, Maria Sibilia, Andrea Ablasser, Christian Seiser
Summary: DNA methylation is crucial in biological processes and the absence of DNMT1 disrupts epidermal structure and homeostasis, triggering a massive innate immune response. DNA hypomethylation in keratinocytes leads to transposon derepression, causing inflammation.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Quanah J. Hudson, Katharina Proestling, Alexandra Perricos, Lorenz Kuessel, Heinrich Husslein, Rene Wenzl, Iveta Yotova
Summary: Studies have shown that lncRNAs play an important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, with SNPs and genome-wide transcriptomic studies confirming this.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Rosario Sanchez-Gonzalez, Christina Koupourtidou, Tjasa Lepko, Alessandro Zambusi, Klara Tereza Novoselc, Tamara Durovic, Sven Aschenbroich, Veronika Schwarz, Christopher T. Breunig, Hans Straka, Hagen B. Huttner, Martin Irmler, Johannes Beckers, Wolfgang Wurst, Andreas Zwergal, Tamas Schauer, Tobias Straub, Tim Czopka, Dietrich Truembach, Magdalena Goetz, Stefan H. Stricker, Jovica Ninkovic
Summary: The influx of cerebrospinal fluid after brain injury simultaneously activates toll-like receptor 2 (Tlr2) and chemokine receptor 3 (Cxcr3) pathways, leading to increased OPC proliferation and exacerbated glial reactivity. Interference with these pathways alleviated reactive gliosis, increased new neuron recruitment, and improved tissue restoration after injury.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Henrieta Papuchova, Paulina A. Latos
Summary: The placenta is crucial for the development of the embryo and the success of pregnancy. It serves as a site for exchange between the mother and the embryo, has immune functions, and acts as an important endocrine organ. Specialized trophoblast cell types, including syncytiotrophoblast and extravillous trophoblast, are responsible for these diverse functions of the placenta. Transcription factors play a vital role in regulating the emergence, specialization, and identity of these cells, and their coordinated actions determine the specific characteristics of each cell type. This article provides an overview of transcription factors involved in the development and function of human trophoblast and discusses their similarities and differences to their counterparts in mice. The establishment of human in vitro models combined with -omics approaches has greatly advanced our understanding of the human trophoblast field.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sandra Haider, Andreas Ian Lackner, Bianca Dietrich, Victoria Kunihs, Peter Haslinger, Gudrun Meinhardt, Theresa Maxian, Leila Saleh, Christian Fiala, Juergen Pollheimer, Paulina A. Latos, Martin Knoefler
Summary: Comparative gene expression analysis revealed the importance of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) signaling in the development of extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs), particularly in the differentiation of placental EVTs into decidual EVTs.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bob A. Hersbach, David S. Fischer, Giacomo Masserdotti, Deeksha, Karolina Mojzisova, Thomas Waltzhoeni, Diego Rodriguez-Terrones, Matthias Heinig, Fabian J. Theis, Magdalena Goetz, Stefan H. Stricker
Summary: Collide-seq, a single-cell protocol, has shed light on the basic principles of fate erasure and cell identity conflict resolution in direct reprogramming. It revealed the lack of a common mechanism for the loss of fibroblast-specific gene expression and showed that the abrupt transcriptional changes in converting cells occur when critical levels of reprogramming factors are reached. The study also demonstrated that reprogramming factors can disturb cell identity programs independent of their ability to bind their target genes.
MOLECULAR SYSTEMS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexandra Perricos, Katharina Proestling, Heinrich Husslein, Lorenz Kuessel, Quanah J. Hudson, Rene Wenzl, Iveta Yotova
Summary: The study found that hsa-mir-135a is significantly overexpressed in the saliva and plasma of women with endometriosis, suggesting its potential as a noninvasive biomarker for the disease. Further validation studies are needed to assess its clinical value.
Correction
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Gianluca L. Russo, Giovanna Sonsalla, Poornemaa Natarajan, Christopher T. Breunig, Giorgia Bulli, Juliane Merl-Pham, Sabine Schmitt, Jessica Giehrl-Schwab, Florian Giesert, Martin Jastroch, Hans Zischka, Wolfgang Wurst, Stefan H. Stricker, Stefanie M. Hauck, Giacomo Masserdotti, Magdalena Goetz