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Lactate Activates Germline and Cleavage Embryo Genes in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
1Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
Cells
|February 15, 2022
Summary
Lactate supplementation activates germline and early embryo genes in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs). This metabolic regulation enhances gene expression by increasing histone lactylation, expanding the ESC transcriptional network.
Area of Science:
- Epigenetics
- Metabolic regulation of gene expression
- Embryonic stem cell biology
Background:
- Lactate's role in histone lactylation and M1 macrophage polarization is established.
- Lactate enhances somatic cell reprogramming by promoting histone lactylation of pluripotency genes.
- The function of lactate in embryonic stem cell (ESC) fate control is largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function of lactate in controlling cell fate in mouse ESCs.
- To determine the effect of lactate supplementation on gene expression in ESCs.
Main Methods:
- Supplementation of mouse ESCs with lactate.
- Analysis of gene expression, focusing on germline and cleavage embryo genes.
- Chromatin immunoprecipitation to assess histone lactylation, specifically H3K18 lactylation.
Main Results:
- Lactate supplementation activated germline genes in mouse ESCs.
- Global upregulation of cleavage embryo genes, including Zscan4 family members, was observed.
- Lactate stimulated H3K18 lactylation on germline and cleavage embryo genes, promoting transcriptional elongation.
Conclusions:
- Lactate plays a role in regulating cell fate in ESCs.
- Lactate supplementation expands the transcriptional network in mouse ESCs through epigenetic modifications.
