title: Epigenetic characterization of hematopoietic stem cell differentiation using miniChIP and bisulfite sequencing analysis.
abstract: Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) produce all blood cell lineages by virtue of their capacity to self-renew and differentiate into progenitors with decreasing cellular potential. Recent studies suggest that epigenetic mechanisms play an important role in controlling stem cell potency and cell fate decisions. To investigate this hypothesis in HSC, we have modified the conventional chromatin immunoprecipitation assay allowing for the analysis of 50,000 prospectively purified stem and progenitor cells. Together with bisulfite sequencing analysis, we found that methylated H3K4 and AcH3 and unmethylated CpG dinucleotides colocalize across defined regulatory regions of lineage-affiliated genes in HSC. These active epigenetic histone modifications either accumulated or were replaced by increased DNA methylation and H3K27 trimethylation in committed progenitors consistent with gene expression. We also observed bivalent histone modifications at a lymphoid-affiliated gene in HSC and downstream transit-amplifying progenitors. Together, these data support a model in which epigenetic modifications serve as an important mechanism to control HSC multipotency.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Departments of Pathology and Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. joattema@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Joanne L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Attema
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Papathanasiou
authors.forename: E Camilla
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Forsberg
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Stephen T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Smale
authors.forename: Irving L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Weissman
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D019070:Cell Lineage; D047369:Chromatin Immunoprecipitation / Q000379:methods*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods*; D013447:Sulfites / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D013447:Sulfites