Kato Yasuko, Alavattam Kris G, Sin Ho-Su, Meetei Amom Ruhikanta, Pang Qishen, Andreassen Paul R, Namekawa Satoshi H
Division of Reproductive Sciences, Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 4929, USA.
Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA and Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 4929, USA.
Hum Mol Genet. 2015 Sep 15;24(18):5234-49. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddv244. Epub 2015 Jun 29.
Fanconi anemia (FA) is a recessive X-linked and autosomal genetic disease associated with bone marrow failure and increased cancer, as well as severe germline defects such as hypogonadism and germ cell depletion. Although deficiencies in FA factors are commonly associated with germ cell defects, it remains unknown whether the FA pathway is involved in unique epigenetic events in germ cells. In this study, we generated Fancb mutant mice, the first mouse model of X-linked FA, and identified a novel function of the FA pathway in epigenetic regulation during mammalian gametogenesis. Fancb mutant mice were infertile and exhibited primordial germ cell (PGC) defects during embryogenesis. Further, Fancb mutation resulted in the reduction of undifferentiated spermatogonia in spermatogenesis, suggesting that FANCB regulates the maintenance of undifferentiated spermatogonia. Additionally, based on functional studies, we dissected the pathway in which FANCB functions during meiosis. The localization of FANCB on sex chromosomes is dependent on MDC1, a binding partner of H2AX phosphorylated at serine 139 (γH2AX), which initiates chromosome-wide silencing. Also, FANCB is required for FANCD2 localization during meiosis, suggesting that the role of FANCB in the activation of the FA pathway is common to both meiosis and somatic DNA damage responses. H3K9me2, a silent epigenetic mark, was decreased on sex chromosomes, whereas H3K9me3 was increased on sex chromosomes in Fancb mutant spermatocytes. Taken together, these results indicate that FANCB functions at critical stages of germ cell development and reveal a novel function of the FA pathway in the regulation of H3K9 methylation in the germline.
范可尼贫血(FA)是一种隐性X连锁和常染色体遗传病,与骨髓衰竭、癌症风险增加以及严重的生殖系缺陷(如性腺功能减退和生殖细胞耗竭)相关。尽管FA因子的缺陷通常与生殖细胞缺陷有关,但FA通路是否参与生殖细胞中独特的表观遗传事件仍不清楚。在本研究中,我们构建了Fancb突变小鼠,这是首个X连锁FA的小鼠模型,并确定了FA通路在哺乳动物配子发生过程中表观遗传调控的新功能。Fancb突变小鼠不育,在胚胎发育过程中表现出原始生殖细胞(PGC)缺陷。此外,Fancb突变导致精子发生过程中未分化精原细胞减少,表明FANCB调节未分化精原细胞的维持。此外,基于功能研究,我们剖析了FANCB在减数分裂过程中发挥作用的途径。FANCB在性染色体上的定位依赖于MDC1,MDC1是丝氨酸139磷酸化的H2AX(γH2AX)的结合伴侣,它启动全染色体沉默。此外,减数分裂过程中FANCD2的定位需要FANCB,这表明FANCB在激活FA通路中的作用在减数分裂和体细胞DNA损伤反应中是共同的。沉默的表观遗传标记H3K9me2在性染色体上减少,而Fancb突变精子细胞的性染色体上H3K9me3增加。综上所述,这些结果表明FANCB在生殖细胞发育的关键阶段发挥作用,并揭示了FA通路在生殖系中H3K9甲基化调控中的新功能。