Abstract
Background LncRNAs are tissue-specific and emerge as important regulators of various biological processes and as disease biomarkers. HOTAIR is a well-established pro-oncogenic lncRNA which has been attributed a variety of functions in cancer and native contexts. However, a lack of an exhaustive, cell type-specific annotation questions whether HOTAIR functions are supported by the expression of multiple isoforms.
Results Using a capture long-read sequencing approach, we characterize HOTAIR isoforms expressed in human primary adipose stem cells. We identify a highly cell type-specific HOTAIR isoform and uncover a shift in the HOTAIR isoform balance at differentiation onset. Composition of the HOTAIR isoform pool is regulated by distinct promoter usage and is under control of hormonal and nutrient-sensing pathways.
Conclusion Our results highlight the complexity and cell type-specificity of HOTAIR isoforms and open perspectives on functional implications of these variants and their balance to key cellular processes.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Footnotes
Evdokiia Potolitsyna: evdokiia.potolitsyna{at}medisin.uio.no, Sarah Hazell Pickering: s.h.pickering{at}medisin.uio.no, Ave Tooming-Klunderud: ave.tooming-klunderud{at}ibv.uio.no, Philippe Collas: philc{at}medisin.uio.no, Nolwenn Briand: nolwenn.briand{at}medisin.uio.no
Abbreviations
- ASCs
- adipose stem cells
- ChIP
- chromatin immunoprecipitation
- GSAT
- gluteofemoral subcutaneous adipose tissue
- HOTAIR
- HOX Transcript Antisense RNA
- LncRNA
- long non-coding RNA
- PRC2
- polycomb repressor complex 2