The Transcript Profile Changes With Developmental Maturation of Fetal Lung Type 2 Cells: An Analysis of RNAseq Data (original) (raw)

Transcriptomic Analysis of Human Lung Development

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 2010

Rationale: Current understanding of the molecular regulation of lung development is limited and derives mostly from animal studies. Objectives: To define global patterns of gene expression during human lung development. Methods: Genome-wide expression profiling was used to measure the developing lung transcriptome in RNA samples derived from 38 normal human lung tissues at 53 to 154 days post conception. Principal component analysis was used to characterize global expression variation and to identify genes and bioontologic attributes contributing to these variations. Individual gene expression patterns were verified by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis. Measurements and Main Results: Gene expression analysis identified attributes not previously associated with lung development, such as chemokine-immunologic processes. Lung characteristics attributes (e.g., surfactant function) were observed at an earlier-than-anticipated age. We defined a 3,223 gene developing lung characteristic subtranscriptome capable of describing a majority of the process. In gene expression space, the samples formed a time-contiguous trajectory with transition points correlating with histological stages and suggesting the existence of novel molecular substages. Induction of surfactant gene expression characterized a pseudoglandular ''molecular phase'' transition. Individual gene expression patterns were independently validated. We predicted the age of independent human lung transcriptome profiles with a median absolute error of 5 days, supporting the validity of the data and modeling approach.

Transcriptional Programs Controlling Perinatal Lung Maturation

PLoS ONE, 2012

The timing of lung maturation is controlled precisely by complex genetic and cellular programs. Lung immaturity following preterm birth frequently results in Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) and Broncho-Pulmonary Dysplasia (BPD), which are leading causes of mortality and morbidity in preterm infants. Mechanisms synchronizing gestational length and lung maturation remain to be elucidated. In this study, we designed a genome-wide mRNA expression time-course study from E15.5 to Postnatal Day 0 (PN0) using lung RNAs from C57BL/6J (B6) and A/J mice that differ in gestational length by ,30 hr (B6,A/J). Comprehensive bioinformatics and functional genomics analyses were used to identify key regulators, bioprocesses and transcriptional networks controlling lung maturation. We identified both temporal and strain dependent gene expression patterns during lung maturation. For time dependent changes, cell adhesion, vasculature development, and lipid metabolism/transport were major bioprocesses induced during the saccular stage of lung development at E16.5-E17.5. CEBPA, PPARG, VEGFA, CAV1 and CDH1 were found to be key signaling and transcriptional regulators of these processes. Innate defense/immune responses were induced at later gestational ages (E18.5-20.5), STAT1, AP1, and EGFR being important regulators of these responses. Expression of RNAs associated with the cell cycle and chromatin assembly was repressed during prenatal lung maturation and was regulated by FOXM1, PLK1, chromobox, and high mobility group families of transcription factors. Strain dependent lung mRNA expression differences peaked at E18.5. At this time, mRNAs regulating surfactant and innate immunity were more abundantly expressed in lungs of B6 (short gestation) than in A/J (long gestation) mice, while expression of genes involved in chromatin assembly and histone modification were expressed at lower levels in B6 than in A/J mice. The present study systemically mapped key regulators, bioprocesses, and transcriptional networks controlling lung maturation, providing the basis for new therapeutic strategies to enhance lung function in preterm infants.

Single cell RNA analysis identifies cellular heterogeneity and adaptive responses of the lung at birth

Nature Communications

The respiratory system undergoes a diversity of structural, biochemical, and functional changes necessary for adaptation to air breathing at birth. To identify the heterogeneity of pulmonary cell types and dynamic changes in gene expression mediating adaptation to respiration, here we perform single cell RNA analyses of mouse lung on postnatal day 1. Using an iterative cell type identification strategy we unbiasedly identify the heterogeneity of murine pulmonary cell types. We identify distinct populations of epithelial, endothelial, mesenchymal, and immune cells, each containing distinct subpopulations. Furthermore we compare temporal changes in RNA expression patterns before and after birth to identify signaling pathways selectively activated in specific pulmonary cell types, including activation of cell stress and the unfolded protein response during perinatal adaptation of the lung. The present data provide a single cell view of the adaptation to air breathing after birth.

Lung Gene Expression Analysis (LGEA): an integrative web portal for comprehensive gene expression data analysis in lung development

Thorax, 2017

'LungGENS', our previously developed web tool for mapping single-cell gene expression in the developing lung, has been well received by the pulmonary research community. With continued support from the 'LungMAP' consortium, we extended the scope of the LungGENS database to accommodate transcriptomics data from pulmonary tissues and cells from human and mouse at different stages of lung development. Lung Gene Expression Analysis (LGEA) web portal is an extended version of LungGENS useful for the analysis, display and interpretation of gene expression patterns obtained from single cells, sorted cell populations and whole lung tissues.

Single cell transcriptomic profiling identifies molecular phenotypes of newborn human lung cells

RationaleWhile animal model studies have extensively defined mechanisms controlling cell diversity in the developing mammalian lung, the limited data available from late stage human lung development represents a significant knowledge gap. The NHLBI Molecular Atlas of Lung Development Program (LungMAP) seeks to fill this gap by creating a structural, cellular and molecular atlas of the human and mouse lung.MethodsSingle cell RNA sequencing generated transcriptional profiles of 5500 cells obtained from two one-day old human lungs (born at gestational ages of 39 and 31 weeks) from the LungMAP Human Tissue Core Biorepository at the University of Rochester. Frozen single cell isolates were captured, and library preparation was completed on the Chromium 10X system. Data was analyzed in Seurat, and cellular annotation was performed using the ToppGene functional analysis tool. Single cell sequence data from 32000 postnatal day 1, 3, 7 and 10 mouse lung (n = 2 at each time point) cells gener...

Integration of transcriptomic and proteomic data identifies biological functions in cell populations from human infant lung

American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology

Systems biology uses computational approaches to integrate diverse data types to understand cell and organ behavior. Data derived from complementary technologies, for example transcriptomic and proteomic analyses, are providing new insights into development and disease. We compared mRNA and protein profiles from purified endothelial, epithelial, immune, and mesenchymal cells from normal human infant lung tissue. Signatures for each cell type were identified and compared at both mRNA and protein levels. Cell specific biological processes and pathways were predicted by analysis of concordant and discordant RNA-protein pairs. Cell clustering and gene set enrichment comparisons identified shared versus unique processes associated with transcriptomic and/or proteomic data. Clear cell-cell correlations between mRNA and protein data were obtained from each cell type. Approximately 40% of RNA-protein pairs were coherently expressed. While the correlation between RNA and their protein produc...

Reconstructing lineage hierarchies of the distal lung epithelium using single-cell RNA-seq

Nature, 2014

The mammalian lung is a highly branched network, in which the distal regions of the bronchial tree transform during development into a densely packed honeycomb of alveolar air sacs that mediate gas exchange. Although this transformation has been studied by marker expression analysis and fate-mapping, the mechanisms that control the progression of lung progenitors along distinct lineages into mature alveolar cell types remain obscure, in part due to the limited number of lineage markers 1-3 and the effects of ensemble averaging in conventional transcriptome analysis experiments on cell populations 1-5. We used microfluidic single cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on 198 individual cells at 4 different stages encompassing alveolar differentiation to measure the transcriptional states which define the developmental and cellular hierarchy of the distal mouse lung epithelium. We empirically classified cells into distinct groups using an unbiased genome-wide approach that did not require a priori knowledge of the underlying cell types or prior purification of cell populations. The results confirmed the basic outlines of the classical model of epithelial cell type diversity in the distal lung and led to the discovery of many novel cell type markers and transcriptional regulators that discriminate between the different populations. We reconstructed the molecular steps during maturation of bipotential progenitors along both alveolar lineages and elucidated the full lifecycle of the alveolar type 2 cell lineage. This single cell genomics approach is applicable to any developing or mature tissue to robustly Users may view, print, copy, and download text and data-mine the content in such documents, for the purposes of academic research, subject always to the full Conditions of use:

A human fetal lung cell atlas uncovers proximal-distal gradients of differentiation and key regulators of epithelial fates

2022

We present a multiomic cell atlas of human lung development that combines single cell RNA and ATAC sequencing, high throughput spatial transcriptomics and single cell imaging. Coupling single cell methods with spatial analysis has allowed a comprehensive cellular survey of the epithelial, mesenchymal, endothelial and erythrocyte/leukocyte compartments from 5-22 post conception weeks. We identify new cell states in all compartments. These include developmental-specific secretory progenitors and a new subtype of neuroendocrine cell related to human small cell lung cancer. Our datasets are available through our web interface (https://lungcellatlas.org). Finally, to illustrate its general utility, we use our cell atlas to generate predictions about cell-cell signalling and transcription factor hierarchies which we test using organoid models.HighlightsSpatiotemporal atlas of human lung development from 5-22 post conception weeks identifies 144 cell types/states.Tracking the developmental...

Time-resolved transcriptomic profiling of the developing rabbit’s lungs: impact of premature birth and implications for modelling bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Respiratory Research

Background Premature birth, perinatal inflammation, and life-saving therapies such as postnatal oxygen and mechanical ventilation are strongly associated with the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD); these risk factors, alone or combined, cause lung inflammation and alter programmed molecular patterns of normal lung development. The current knowledge on the molecular regulation of lung development mainly derives from mechanistic studies conducted in newborn rodents exposed to postnatal hyperoxia, which have been proven useful but have some limitations. Methods Here, we used the rabbit model of BPD as a cost-effective alternative model that mirrors human lung development and, in addition, enables investigating the impact of premature birth per se on the pathophysiology of BPD without further perinatal insults (e.g., hyperoxia, LPS-induced inflammation). First, we characterized the rabbit’s normal lung development along the distinct stages (i.e., pseudoglandular, canalicul...

Age, Sexual Dimorphism and Disease Associations in the Developing Human Fetal Lung Transcriptome

American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology, 2015

The fetal origins of disease hypothesis suggests that variations in the course of prenatal lung development may affect lifelong pulmonary function growth, decline and pathobiology. Many studies support the existence of differences in the developing lung trajectory in males and females, and sex specific differences in the prevalence of chronic lung diseases such as asthma and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). To investigate the early developing fetal lung for transcriptomic correlates of post conception age (maturity) and sex, and their associations with chronic lung diseases. We analyzed whole lung transcriptome profiles of 61 females and 78 males at 54-127 days post conception (dpc) from non-smoking mothers using unsupervised principal component analysis and supervised linear regression models. We identified dominant transcriptomic correlates for post conception age and sex with corresponding gene sets that were enriched for developing lung structural and functional ontologies. We ...