Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 20, 2025
14:55
Isolation of Human Endometrial Stromal Cells for In Vitro Decidualization
Published on: September 1, 2018
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Transposable Elements Continuously Remodel the Regulatory Landscape, Transcriptome, and Function of Decidual Stromal
Katelyn Mika1, Vincent J Lynch2
1Department of Human Genetics, The University of Chicago, 920 East 58th Street, CLSC 319C, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
Genome Biology and Evolution
|November 24, 2022
Summary
Transposable elements (TEs) significantly shaped the gene expression of decidual stromal cells (DSCs), influencing pregnancy evolution. These TEs provided crucial regulatory elements, with their enhancer functions revealed after initial repression.
Area of Science:
- Genomics
- Evolutionary Biology
- Reproductive Biology
Background:
- Gene expression evolution is fundamental to biological character development and divergence.
- Previous research indicated transposable elements (TEs) likely influenced gene expression changes in decidual stromal cells (DSCs), impacting pregnancy evolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of TEs in remodeling the transcriptome and regulatory landscape of DSCs.
- To understand how TE-derived regulatory elements contribute to progesterone responsiveness and DSC function.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of two major TE waves impacting DSC transcriptomes.
- Testing the regulatory functions of 89 TE consensus sequences.
- Investigating TE regulatory potential using histone deacetylase inhibitor treatment.
Main Results:
- Two large TE waves remodeled primate DSC transcriptomes and regulatory elements.
- Genes near TE-derived elements are highly progesterone responsive and essential for DSC function.
- Most tested TEs initially acted as repressors, but latent enhancer functions were unmasked by inhibitor treatment.
Conclusions:
- TEs have played a critical role in the evolution and function of primate DSCs.
- A two-step model suggests TEs initially repress, then later provide enhancers after losing repressor function.
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