The mechanisms that ensure developmental progression in the early human embryo remain largely unknown. Here, we show that the family of long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE1) transposons prevents the reversion of naive human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to 8-cell-like cells (8CLCs). LINE1 RNA contributes to maintenance of H3K27me3 levels, particularly at chromosome 19 (Chr19). Chr19 is enriched for key 8C regulators, H3K27me3, and genes derepressed upon LINE1 knockdown or PRC2 inhibition. Moreover, Chr19 is strongly associated with the nucleolus in hESCs but less in 8CLCs. Direct inhibition of PRC2 activity induces the 8C program and leads to a relocalization of Chr19 away from the nucleolus. LINE1 KD or PRC2 inhibition induces nucleolar stress, and disruption of nucleolar architecture is sufficient to de-repress the 8C program. These results indicate that LINE1 RNA and PRC2 maintain H3K27me3-mediated gene repression and 3D nuclear organization to prevent developmental reversion of hESCs.
Keywords: 8-cell-like cells; H3K27me3; LINE1; chromosome 19; human embryonic stem cells; nuclear compartmentalization; nucleolus; polycomb repressive complex 2.
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