Nascent transcriptional profiling of CEM-C7 ALL cells treated with dexamethasone

The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a transcription factor that localizes to the nucleus and reuglates gene expression upon binding of a glucocorticoid ligand such as dexamethasone. We perform nascent transcriptional profiling of C7 ALL cells following treatment with dexamethasone to evaluate the immediate transcriptional effects of GR. We find 51 dynamic genes (46 activated, 5 repressed) after 1 hour treatment and 141 dynamic genes (70 activated and 71 repressed) after 4 hour treatment. We input RNA polymerase density in pause and gene body regions into a mathematical model designed to quantify rate changes of individual transcriptional steps. We find that dexamethasone treatment primarily activates genes by inducing pause release rate. Overall design: Nuclei of CEM-C7 ALL cells were harvested after treatment with dexamethasone or ethanol for 0, 1, or 4 hours