ESRG is critical to maintain the cell survival and self-renewal/pluripotency of hPSCs by collaborating with MCM2 to suppress p53 pathway
Summary
The mechanisms of self-renewal and pluripotency maintenance of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have not been fully elucidated, especially for the role of those poorly characterized long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). ESRG is a lncRNA highly expressed in hPSCs, and its functional roles are being extensively explored in the field. Here, we identified that the transcription of ESRG can be directly regulated by OCT4, a key self-renewal factor in hPSCs. Knockdown of ESRG induces hPSC differentiation, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. ESRG binds to MCM2, a replication-licensing factor, to sustain its steady-state level and nuclear location, safeguarding error-free DNA replication. Further study showed that ESRG knockdown leads to MCM2 abnormalities, resulting in DNA damage and activation of the p53 pathway, ultimately impairs hPSC self-renewal and pluripotency, and induces cell apoptosis. In summary, our study suggests that ESRG, as a novel target of OCT4, plays an essential role in maintaining the cell survival and self-renewal/pluripotency of hPSCs in collaboration with MCM2 to suppress p53 signaling. These findings provide critical insights into the mechanisms underlying the maintenance of self-renewal and pluripotency in hPSCs by lncRNAs. © The author(s).
| Authors | Li S, Liu H, Liu W, Shi N, Zhao M, Wanggou S, Luo W, Wang L, Zhu B, Zuo X, Xie W, Zhao C, Zhou Y, Luo L, Gao X, Jiang X, Ren C |
|---|---|
| Journal | International journal of biological sciences |
| Publication Date | 2023;19(3):916-935 |
| PubMed | 36778110 |
| PubMed Central | PMC9909993 |
| DOI | 10.7150/ijbs.79095 |