OCT4-mediated inflammation induces cell reprogramming at the origin of cardiac valve development and calcification.

Farrar, Emily J; Hiriart, Emilye; Mahmut, Ablajan; Jagla, Bernd; Peal, David S; Milan, David J; Butcher, Jonathan T; Puceat, Michel · Sci Adv · 2021

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Cell plasticity plays a key role in embryos by maintaining the differentiation potential of progenitors. Whether postnatal somatic cells revert to an embryonic-like naïve state regaining plasticity and redifferentiate into a cell type leading to a disease remains intriguing. Using genetic lineage tracing and single-cell RNA sequencing, we reveal that Oct4 is induced by nuclear factor κB (NFκB) at embyronic day 9.5 in a subset of mouse endocardial cells originating from the anterior heart forming field at the onset of endocardial-to-mesenchymal transition. These cells acquired a chondro-osteogenic fate. OCT4 in adult valvular aortic cells leads to calcification of mouse and human valves. These calcifying cells originate from the Oct4 embryonic lineage. Genetic deletion of <i>Pou5f1 (Pit-Oct-Unc</i>, OCT4) in the endocardial cell lineage prevents aortic stenosis and calcification of <i>ApoE</i><sup>−/−</sup> mouse valve. We established previously unidentified self-cell reprogramming NFκB- and OCT4-mediated inflammatory pathway triggering a dose-dependent mechanism of valve calcification.