Open AccessRCOR2 Is a Subunit of the LSD1 Complex That Regulates ESC Property and Substitutes for SOX2 in Reprogramming Somatic Cells to Pluripotency
Author(s) -
Yang Peng,
Wang Yixuan,
Chen Jiayu,
Li Hong,
Kang Lan,
Zhang Yu,
Chen She,
Zhu Bing,
Gao Shaorong
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
stem cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.159
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1549-4918
pISSN - 1066-5099
DOI - 10.1002/stem.634
Subject(s) - reprogramming , biology , somatic cell , sox2 , induced pluripotent stem cell , ectopic expression , klf4 , microbiology and biotechnology , gene knockdown , demethylase , embryonic stem cell , cellular differentiation , epigenetics , cell , genetics , cell culture , gene
Histone demethylase LSD1 can form complex with different Rcor family corepressors in different cell types. It remains unknown if cell‐specific Rcor proteins function specifically in distinct cell types. Here, we report that Rcor2 is predominantly expressed in ESCs and forms a complex with LSD1 and facilitates its nucleosomal demethylation activity. Knockdown of Rcor2 in ESCs inhibited ESC proliferation and severely impaired the pluripotency. Moreover, knockdown of Rcor2 greatly impaired the formation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. In contrast, ectopic expression of Rcor2 in somatic cells together with Oct4, Sox2, and Klf4 promoted the formation of iPS cells. Most interestingly, ectopic expression of Rcor2 in both mouse and human somatic cells effectively substituted the requirement for exogenous Sox2 expression in somatic cell reprogramming. STEM CELLS 2011;