アブストラクト
| Date | Feb 1, 2019 |
| Speaker |
Ryuichiro Nakato, Assistant Professor, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo |
| Title | Comprehensive epigenome characterization reveals the diverse transcriptional heterogeneity across human vascular endothelial cells |
| Abstract | Endothelial cells (ECs) comprise the innermost layer throughout the entire vasculature. Their phenotypes, physiological functions and gene expression patterns are initially regulated by developmental signals and extracellular stimuli. Although the diverse phenotypes of ECs from different organs have been clinically reported (e.g., differed outcome between artery and veins in coronary bypass graft surgery), the underlying molecular mechanisms that contribute the heterogeneity across EC types are still unclear. As a part of International Human Epigenome Consortium (IHEC) project, we collected histone modification and gene expression data to profile and characterize the epigenomic landscape of ECs including artery, vein and endocardial cells. To avoid the batch effect and individual differences among samples, we developed a computational pipeline for comparative epigenome analysis, combined with chromatin interaction data. Using this pipeline, we identified 42,622 enhancer sites, among which 19,197 sites are EC-specific. Epigenome-based clustering of EC types was consistent with anatomical proximity, especially between heart and non-heart EC cells. We also found several candidate genes contributing this heterogeneity across EC types. This study provides a valuable resource for understanding the human cardiovascular system and associated diseases. |