RISC-mediated control of selected chromatin regulators stabilizes ground state pluripotency of mouse embryonic stem cells (RNAi). Mus musculus

We performed an integrated analysis of RNA and proteins at the transition between naïve ES cells and cells primed to differentiate. During this transition, mRNAs coding for chromatin regulators were specifically released from translational inhibition mediated by RNA-Induced Silencing Complex (RISC). This suggests that, prior to differentiation, the propensity of ES cells to change their epigenetic status is hampered by RNA interference. The expression of these chromatin regulators was reinstated following acute inactivation of RISC, and it correlated with loss of stemness markers and activation of early cell differentiation markers in treated ES cells. Overall design: We assayed the impact of the functional inhibition of chromatin regulators on cell priming inhibiting chromatin remodeling activities by either pharmacological or genetic interference.