Tbx3, a member of the T-box family, plays important roles in development, stem cells, nuclear reprogramming and cancer. Loss of Tbx3 induces differentiation in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). However, we show that mESCs exist in an alternate stable pluripotent state in the absence of Tbx3. In-depth transcriptome analysis of this mESC state reveals Dppa3 as a direct downstream target of Tbx3. Also Tbx3 facilitates the cell fate transition from pluripotent cells to mesoderm progenitors by directly repressing Wnt pathway members required for differentiation. Wnt signaling regulates differentiation of mESCs into mesoderm progenitors and helps maintain a nave pluripotent state. We show that Tbx3, a downstream target of Wnt signaling, fine-tunes these divergent roles of Wnt signaling in mESCs. In conclusion, we identify a signaling-TF axis that controls the exit of mESCs from a self-renewing pluripotent state towards mesoderm differentiation. SOURCE: Avinash Waghray (avinash.waghray@gmail.com) -  Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Pluto Bioinformatics

GSE60066: Tbx3 controls Dppa3 levels to regulate exit from pluripotency towards mesodermal lineage