Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine that plays a major role in responding to injury or infection as well as immune response, inflammation, and hematopoiesis. High levels of circulating IL-6 are observed in many tumor types and are associated with poor outcomes. We show that knockdown of IL-6 or IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) inhibits IL-6 signaling and cell viability. In contrast, over-expression of IL-6 enhances tumor growth in vitro and in vivo, thereby supporting the role of IL-6 in tumorigenesis. We developed a human monoclonal antibody against human IL-6 (MEDI5117) that bears Fc mutations (YTE) to extend its half-life. We tested this antibody in several cancer cell lines that secrete high levels of IL-6, soluble IL-6R, and express gp130. High constitutive pSTAT3 (phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) activation is seen in several of these cell lines, suggesting autocrine growth stimulation by IL-6. Treating these cell lines with MEDI5117 effectively blocked phosphorylation of STAT3 and inhibited IL-6-induced cell proliferation. In vivo, MEDI5117 suppressed the growth of multiple cancer xenograft models and specifically modulated IL-6 signaling and downstream gene expression. Combining MEDI5117 with chemotherapy or gefitinib demonstrated significantly enhanced anti-tumor activities in vivo. Taken together, our data suggest that IL-6 signaling contributes to tumor growth, thereby supporting the development of MEDI5117 as a therapy to treat solid tumors.
A Novel IL6 Antibody Sensitizes Multiple Tumor Types to Chemotherapy Including Trastuzumab-Resistant Tumors.
Specimen part
View SamplesIt has been suggested that breast cancers are driven and maintained by a cellular subpopulation with stem cell properties. These breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) mediate metastasis and by virtue of their resistance to radiation and chemotherapy, contribute to relapse. Although several BCSC markers have been described, it is unclear whether these markers identify the same or independent BCSC populations.
Breast cancer stem cells transition between epithelial and mesenchymal states reflective of their normal counterparts.
Cell line
View SamplesIt has been suggested that breast cancers are driven and maintained by a cellular subpopulation with stem cell properties. These breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) mediate metastasis and by virtue of their resistance to radiation and chemotherapy, contribute to relapse. Although several BCSC markers have been described, it is unclear whether these markers identify the same or independent BCSC populations.
Breast cancer stem cells transition between epithelial and mesenchymal states reflective of their normal counterparts.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesEmerging evidence suggest that miRNAs play an essential role in self-renewal and differentiation of normal and malignant stem cells by regulating the expression of key stem cell regulatory genes. Here we demonstrate that mir-100 expression is related to cellular differentiation state with lowest expression in cells displaying stem cell markers. Utilizing a tetracycline inducible lentivirus driving mir-100 expression, we found that mir-100 overexpression decreased breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) and inhibited cancer cell proliferation in vitro and in mouse xenografts by targeting SMARCA5, SMARCD1 and BMPR2.
MicroRNA100 inhibits self-renewal of breast cancer stem-like cells and breast tumor development.
Cell line, Treatment
View SamplesThe recent interest in the role of bone marrow derived endothelial progenitor cells in the benefits of estrogen on cardiovascular health brought us to evaluate if estrogen could affect cardiac repair more broadly by regulating biological processes involved in the functional organization of the bone marrow stem cell niche.
Estrogen-induced gene expression in bone marrow c-kit+ stem cells and stromal cells: identification of specific biological processes involved in the functional organization of the stem cell niche.
Sex, Age
View SamplesThe atrioventricular (AV) node is a recurrent source of potentially life-threatening arrhythmias. Nevertheless, limited data are available on its developmental control or molecular phenotype. We used a novel AV node-specific reporter mouse to gain insight into the gene programs determining the formation and phenotype of the AV node. In the transgenic reporter, green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression was driven by 160 kbp of Tbx3 and flanking sequences. GFP was selectively expressed in the AV canal of embryos, and in the AV node of adults, while all other Tbx3+ conduction system components, including the AV bundle, were devoid of GFP expression. Fluorescent AV nodal (Tbx3BAC-Egfp) and complementary working (NppaBAC336-Egfp) myocardial cell populations of E10.5 embryos and E17.5 fetuses were purified using fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and their expression profiles were assessed by microarray analysis. We constructed a comprehensive list of sodium, calcium, and potassium channels specific for the nodal or working myocard. Furthermore, the data revealed that the AV node and the working myocardium phenotypes diverge during development, but that the functional gene classes characteristic for both compartments are maintained. Interestingly, the AV node-specific gene repertoire consisted of multiple neurotrophic factors not yet appreciated to play a role in nodal development. These data present the first genome-wide transcription profiles of the AV node during development, providing valuable information concerning its molecular identity.
Gene expression profiling of the forming atrioventricular node using a novel tbx3-based node-specific transgenic reporter.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesCanonical Wnt signaling controls proliferation and differentiation of osteogenic progenitor cells, and tumor-derived secretion of the Wnt antagonist Dickkopf-1 (Dkk1) is correlated with osteolyses and metastasis in many bone malignancies. However, the role of Dkk1 in the oncogenesis of primary osteosarcoma (OS) remains unexplored. Here, we over-expressed Dkk1 in the OS cell line MOS-J. Contrary to expectations, Dkk1 had autocrine effects on MOSJ cells in that it increased proliferation and resistance to metabolic stress in vitro. In vivo, Dkk1 expressing MOS-J cells formed larger and more destructive tumors than controls. These effects were attributed in part to up-regulation of the stress response enzyme and cancer stem cell marker aldehyde-dehydrogenase-1 (ALDH1) through Jun-N-terminal kinase signaling. This is the first report linking Dkk1 to tumor stress resistance, further supporting the targeting of Dkk1 not only to prevent and treat osteolytic bone lesions but also to reduce numbers of stress-resistant tumor cells.
An unexpected role for a Wnt-inhibitor: Dickkopf-1 triggers a novel cancer survival mechanism through modulation of aldehyde-dehydrogenase-1 activity.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesDiffuse infiltrating gliomas are the most common primary brain malignancy found in adults, and Glioblastoma multiforme, the highest grade glioma, is associated with a median survival of 7 months. Transcriptional profiling has been applied to 85 gliomas from 74 patients to elucidate glioma biology, prognosticate survival, and define tumor sub-classes. These studies reveal that transcriptional profiling of gliomas is more accurate at predicting survival than traditional pathologic grading, and that gliomas characteristically express coordinately regulated genes of one of four molecular signatures: neurogenesis, synaptic transmission, mitotic, or extra-cellular matrix. Elucidation of these survival associated molecular signatures will aid in tumor prognostication and define targets for future directed therapy.
Gene expression profiling of gliomas strongly predicts survival.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Disease stage
View SamplesMigrated from 1.6 id: 1015897590491013 GEDP id: 760 In current clinical practice, histology-based grading of diffuse infiltrative gliomas is the best predictor of patient survival time. Yet histology provides little insight into the underlying biology of gliomas and is limited in its ability to identify and guide new molecularly targeted therapies. We have performed large-scale gene expression analysis using the Affymetrix HG U133 oligonucleotide arrays on 85 diffuse infiltrating gliomas of all histologic types to assess whether a gene expression-based, histology-independent classifier is predictive of survival and to determine whether gene expression signatures provide insight into the biology of gliomas. We found that gene expression-based grouping of tumors is a more powerful survival predictor than histologic grade or age. The poor prognosis samples could be grouped into three different poor prognosis groups, each with distinct molecular signatures. We further describe a list of 44 genes whose expression patterns reliably classify gliomas into previously unrecognized biological and prognostic groups: these genes are outstanding candidates for use in histology-independent classification of high-grade gliomas. The ability of the large scale and 44 gene set expression signatures to group tumors into strong survival groups was validated with an additional external and independent data set from another institution composed of 50 additional gliomas. This demonstrates that large-scale gene expression analysis and subset analysis of gliomas reveals unrecognized heterogeneity of tumors and is efficient at selecting prognosis-related gene expression differences which are able to be applied across institutions.
Gene expression profiling of gliomas strongly predicts survival.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage
View SamplesA LysM Receptor-like Kinase Mediates Chitin Perception and Fungal Resistance in Arabidopsis
A LysM receptor-like kinase plays a critical role in chitin signaling and fungal resistance in Arabidopsis.
No sample metadata fields
View Samples