Gene silencing and a novel monoallelic expression pattern in distinct CD177 neutrophil subsets

J Exp Med. 2017 Jul 3;214(7):2089-2101. doi: 10.1084/jem.20161093. Epub 2017 May 30.

Abstract

CD177 presents antigens in allo- and autoimmune diseases on the neutrophil surface. Individuals can be either CD177-deficient or harbor distinct CD177neg and CD177pos neutrophil subsets. We studied mechanisms controlling subset-restricted CD177 expression in bimodal individuals. CD177pos, but not CD177neg neutrophils, produced CD177 protein and mRNA. Haplotype analysis indicated a unique monoallelic CD177 expression pattern, where the offspring stably transcribed either the maternal or paternal allele. Hematopoietic stem cells expressed both CD177 alleles and silenced one copy during neutrophil differentiation. ChIP and reporter assays in HeLa cells with monoallelic CD177 expression showed that methylation reduced reporter activity, whereas demethylation caused biallelic CD177 expression. HeLa cell transfection with c-Jun and c-Fos increased CD177 mRNA. Importantly, CD177pos human neutrophils, but not CD177neg neutrophils, showed a euchromatic CD177 promoter, unmethylated CpGs, and c-Jun and c-Fos binding. We describe epigenetic mechanisms explaining the two distinct CD177 neutrophil subsets and a novel monoallelic CD177 expression pattern that does not follow classical random monoallelic expression or imprinting.

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Differentiation / genetics
  • CpG Islands / genetics
  • DNA Methylation
  • Fetal Blood / cytology
  • Fetal Blood / metabolism
  • GPI-Linked Proteins / genetics
  • GPI-Linked Proteins / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Profiling / methods*
  • Gene Silencing*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Isoantigens / genetics*
  • Isoantigens / metabolism
  • Neutrophils / metabolism*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / genetics*
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Transcription Factor AP-1 / genetics
  • Transcription Factor AP-1 / metabolism

Substances

  • CD177 protein, human
  • GPI-Linked Proteins
  • Isoantigens
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • Transcription Factor AP-1