Positive intergenic feedback circuitry, involving EBF1 and FOXO1, orchestrates B-cell fate

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Dec 18;109(51):21028-33. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1211427109. Epub 2012 Dec 4.

Abstract

Recent studies have identified a number of transcriptional regulators, including E2A, early B-cell factor 1 (EBF1), FOXO1, and paired box gene 5 (PAX5), that promote early B-cell development. However, how this ensemble of regulators mechanistically promotes B-cell fate remains poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that B-cell development in FOXO1-deficient mice is arrested in the common lymphoid progenitor (CLP) LY6D(+) cell stage. We demonstrate that this phenotype closely resembles the arrest in B-cell development observed in EBF1-deficient mice. Consistent with these observations, we find that the transcription signatures of FOXO1- and EBF1-deficient LY6D(+) progenitors are strikingly similar, indicating a common set of target genes. Furthermore, we found that depletion of EBF1 expression in LY6D(+) CLPs severely affects FOXO1 mRNA abundance, whereas depletion of FOXO1 activity in LY6D(+) CLPs ablates EBF1 transcript levels. We generated a global regulatory network from EBF1 and FOXO1 genome-wide transcription factor occupancy and transcription signatures derived from EBF1- and FOXO1-deficient CLPs. This analysis reveals that EBF1 and FOXO1 act in a positive feedback circuitry to promote and stabilize specification to the B-cell lineage.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Cell Lineage
  • Cell Separation
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic
  • Feedback, Physiological
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Forkhead Box Protein O1
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Luciferases / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Models, Biological
  • Models, Genetic
  • Trans-Activators / physiology*
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Ebf1 protein, mouse
  • Forkhead Box Protein O1
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Foxo1 protein, mouse
  • Trans-Activators
  • Luciferases

Associated data

  • GEO/GSE41931