Open AccessIFITM1 suppresses expression of human endogenous retroviruses in human embryonic stem cells
Author(s) -
Fu Yudong,
Zhou Zhongcheng,
Wang Hua,
Gong Peng,
Guo Renpeng,
Wang Jinmiao,
Lu Xinyi,
Qi Feng,
Liu Lin
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
febs open bio
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.718
H-Index - 31
ISSN - 2211-5463
DOI - 10.1002/2211-5463.12246
Subject(s) - biology , embryonic stem cell , microbiology and biotechnology , telomerase , hek 293 cells , epigenetics , telomere , stem cell , endogeny , histone , transmembrane protein , endogenous retrovirus , cell culture , genetics , gene , biochemistry , genome , receptor
Interferon‐induced transmembrane protein 1 ( IFITM 1), a member of the IFITM protein family, is a component of a multimeric complex involved in the transduction of antiproliferation and cell adhesion signals. IFITM 1 is thought to play a role in antiproliferation and immune surveillance, and has been shown to restrict infection by numerous viruses. It is highly expressed in human embryonic stem cells ( hESC s) but its role in hESC s remains to be elucidated. In this study, knockout of IFITM 1 mediated by CRISPR /Cas9 in hESC s did not affect self‐renewal, pluripotency, telomerase activity or telomeres. However expression of human endogenous retroviruses ( HERV s) was higher than in wild‐type hESC s, and there was also a reduced level of trimethylation of histone H3 on lysine 9 at HERV loci. These data show that IFITM 1 suppresses HERV s in hESC s by regulating epigenetic modifications.