Small RNA deep sequencing analysis was conducted on primary human fibroblasts infected with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). HCMV-encoded miRNAs accumulated to ~20% of the total smRNA population at late stages of infection, and our analysis led to improvements in viral miRNA annotations and identification of novel HCMV miRNAs. Through crosslinking and immunoprecipitation of Argonaute-bound RNAs from infected cells, followed by high-throughput sequencing (Ago CLIP-seq), we obtained direct evidence for incorporation of all HCMV miRNAs into the endogenous host silencing machinery. Additionally, significant upregulation was observed during infection for a host miRNA cluster containing miR-96, miR-182 and miR-183. We also identified novel non-miRNA forms of virus-derived smRNAs, revealing greater complexity within the smRNA population during HCMV infection. Overall design: High-throughput profiling of smRNAs, Ago1-, and Ago2-associated miRNAs from HCMV-infected fibroblast cells. Wild-type HCMV Towne (Genbank FJ616285.1) was used for these studies.
High-resolution profiling and analysis of viral and host small RNAs during human cytomegalovirus infection.
Specimen part, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesSmall subsets of B cells in the germinal center (GC) and in extrafollicular regions of lymph nodes express the activation marker CD30. Very little is known about the specific features of these cells and their relationship to the CD30-expressing Hodgkin and Reed/Sternberg (HRS) cells of Hodgkin lymphoma. Phenotypic and immunoglobulin V gene analyses revealed that CD30+ GC B lymphocytes represent typical GC B cells, and that CD30+ non-GC B cells are mostly post-GC B cells. However, despite these seemingly distinct identities, both CD30+ subsets share an unexpectedly large overlap in specific transcriptome patterns, and are strikingly different from bulk GC B cells and classical memory and plasma cells, respectively. A main common feature of these CD30+ B cells is a strong MYC signature. CD30+ GC B cells appear to represent the recently described MYC+ GC B cell subset of recirculating centrocytes at the stage of centroblast transition. CD30+ non-GC B cells rather represent highly activated and proliferating memory B cells, differentiating into plasma cells. Notably, CD30+ B cells were more similar in their transcriptome patterns to HRS cells than any other B cell subset investigated, suggesting that HRS cells may either derive from CD30+ B cells or acquired a similar activation signature. In comparison to CD30+ B cells and other lymphomas, HRS cells show a remarkable downregulation of genes regulating cell cycle, genomic stability and polyploidity, providing a potential explanation for the genomic instability and multinuclearity of HRS cells.
Human CD30+ B cells represent a unique subset related to Hodgkin lymphoma cells.
Specimen part
View SamplesGene expression profiles were compared between L-428 HRS cells transduced with shRNA against AP-1 transcription factor BATF3 and L-428 HRS cells transduced with a non-targeting shRNA as control.
An oncogenic axis of STAT-mediated BATF3 upregulation causing MYC activity in classical Hodgkin lymphoma and anaplastic large cell lymphoma.
Specimen part
View SamplesTranscriptional cofactors communicate regulatory cues from enhancers to promoters and are central effectors of transcription activation and gene expression, which is a hallmark of all multicellular organisms. However, the extent to which different cofactors display intrinsic specificity for distinct promoters is unclear. Testing intrinsic COF – core promoter (CP) compatibilities requires the systematic assessment of transcriptional activation for many CPs in the presence or absence of a given COF in an otherwise constant standardized reporter system. We therefore combined a plasmid-based high-throughput reporter assay, Self-Transcribing Active Core Promoter-sequencing (STAP-seq), with the specific recruitment of individual COFs to create a high-throughput activator bypass-like assay. Using this assay, we tested whether 5 different individually tethered human COFs (MED15, BRD4, EP300, MLL3 and EMSY) activate transcription from a selection of 12,000 candidate sequences encompassing different types of gene core promoters, enhancers and control sequences. In addition, we used the strong transcriptional activator P65 as a positive control and GFP as a negative control. We found that different COFs preferentially activate different CPs. For instance, MED15 prefers TATA-box containing CPs, while MLL3 preferentially activates CpG island promoters. The observed compatibilities between cofactors and promoters can explain how different enhancers specifically activate distinct sets of genes or alternative promoters within the same gene, and may underlie distinct transcriptional programs in human cells. Overall design: STAP-seq upon recruitment of individual transcriptional cofactor in HCT116 cells with 5 different cofactors and 2 controls, each in biological triplicate.
Transcriptional cofactors display specificity for distinct types of core promoters.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesWIN 18,446/RA treatment of neonatal male mice was used to synchronize spermatogenesis to 2-3 different stages of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium in the adult testis
Processive pulses of retinoic acid propel asynchronous and continuous murine sperm production.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesThe study is relevant to an understanding of the forces that lead to sex differences in the brain and other somatic tissues. Many neural and psychiatric diseases affect men and women differently, so the understanding of sex differences in brain function impacts on our understanding of why the male and female brain differ in their susceptibility to disease.
Sex bias and dosage compensation in the zebra finch versus chicken genomes: general and specialized patterns among birds.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThe study is relevant to an understanding of the forces that lead to sex differences in the brain. Many neural and psychiatric diseases affect men and women differently, so the understanding of sex differences in brain function impacts on our understanding of why the male and female brain differ in their susceptibility to disease.
Sex bias and dosage compensation in the zebra finch versus chicken genomes: general and specialized patterns among birds.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThe study is relevant to an understanding of the forces that lead to sex differences in the brain. Many neural and psychiatric diseases affect men and women differently, so the understanding of sex differences in brain function impacts on our understanding of why the male and female brain differ in their susceptibility to disease.
Sex bias and dosage compensation in the zebra finch versus chicken genomes: general and specialized patterns among birds.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesDevelopment of spider veins is caused by the remodeling of veins located in the upper dermis and promoted by risk factors such as obesity or pregnancy that chronically increase venous pressure. We have repeatedly shown that the pressure-induced increase in biomechanical wall stress is sufficient to evoke the formation of enlarged corkscrew-like superficial veins in mice. Subsequent experimental approaches revealed that interference with endothelial- and/or smooth muscle cell activation counteracts this remodeling process. Here, we investigate whether the herbal agent glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) is a suitable candidate for that purpose given its anti-proliferative as well as anti-oxidative properties.
Glycyrrhetinic Acid Antagonizes Pressure-Induced Venous Remodeling in Mice.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesChronic biomechanical stress elicits remodeling of the arterial wall and causes detrimental arterial stenosis and stiffening. In this context, molecular determinants controlling proliferation and stress responses of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) have been insufficiently studied. We identified the transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T-cells 5 (NFAT5) as crucial regulatory element of mechanical stress responses of VSMCs. The relevance of this observation for biomechanically induced arterial remodeling was investigated in mice upon SMC-specific knockdown of NFAT5. While blood pressure levels, vascular architecture and flow-induced collateral growth were not affected in these mice, both hypertension-mediated arterial thickening and muscularization of pulmonary arteries during pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) were impaired. In all models, a decrease in VSMC proliferation was observed indicating that NFAT5 controls activation of VSMCs in the remodeling arterial wall. Mechanistically, mechanoactivation of VSMCs promotes nuclear translocation NFTA5c upon its phosphorylation at Y143 and dephosphorylation at S1197. As evidenced by transcriptome studies, loss of NFAT5 in mechanoactivated VSMCs impairs expression of gene products controlling cell cycle and transcription/translation. These findings identify NFAT5 as molecular determinant of VSMC responses to biomechanical stress and arterial thickening.
NFAT5 Isoform C Controls Biomechanical Stress Responses of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.
Treatment
View Samples