Epigenetic modifier balances Mapk and Wnt signalling in differentiation of goblet and Paneth cells

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Differentiation and lineage specification are controlled by cooperation of growth factor signalling. The involvement of epigenetic regulators in lineage specification remains largely elusive. Here, we show that the histone methyltransferase Mll1 prevents intestinal progenitor cells from differentiation, whereas it is also involved in secretory lineage specification of Paneth and goblet cells. Using conditional mutagenesis in mice and intestinal organoids, we demonstrate that loss of Mll1 renders intestinal progenitor cells permissive for Wnt-driven secretory differentiation. However, Mll1-deficient crypt cells fail to segregate Paneth and goblet cell fates. Mll1 deficiency causes Paneth cell-determined crypt progenitors to exhibit goblet cell features by unleashing Mapk signalling, resulting in increased numbers of mixed Paneth/goblet cells. We show that loss of Mll1 abolishes the pro-proliferative effect of Mapk signalling in intestinal progenitor cells and promotes Mapk-induced goblet cell differentiation. Our data uncover Mll1 and its downstream targets Gata4/6 as a regulatory hub of Wnt and Mapk signalling in the control of lineage specification of intestinal secretory Paneth and goblet cells.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere202101187
Number of pages14
JournalLife science alliance
Volume5
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2022
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMedCentral PMC8807877
Scopus 85123666781
WOS 000746587400001
unpaywall 10.26508/lsa.202101187
ORCID /0000-0002-7481-0220/work/142247408
ORCID /0000-0002-4754-1707/work/142248074
ORCID /0000-0002-2531-5514/work/142248550

Keywords

Keywords

  • Animals, Cell Differentiation/genetics, Epigenesis, Genetic/genetics, Epigenomics/methods, Female, Goblet Cells/cytology, Humans, Intestinal Mucosa/metabolism, Intestines, MAP Kinase Signaling System/genetics, Male, Mice, Mice, Transgenic, Organoids/metabolism, Paneth Cells/cytology, Stem Cells/metabolism, Wnt Signaling Pathway/genetics