BACKGROUND: Mammalian microRNAs (miR) regulate the expression of genes relevant for the development of adaptive and innate immunity against cancer. Since T cell dysfunction has previously been reported in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC; clear cell type), we aimed to analyse these immune cells for genetic and protein differences when compared to normal donor T cells freshly after isolation and 35 days after in vitro stimulation (IVS) with HLA-matched RCC tumor cells.
miR-29b and miR-198 overexpression in CD8+ T cells of renal cell carcinoma patients down-modulates JAK3 and MCL-1 leading to immune dysfunction.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Disease, Subject, Time
View SamplesEndometriosis is a complex pathological condition in which multiple components are involved in the disease development and clinical outcome. Endometriosis is mainly an inflammatory codition estrogen-dependent, with unknown pathogenesis, that is characterized by dissemination of edometrium tissue in ectopic position (ovary or pelvic peritoneum). Two main theories rise the pathologic onset: the presence of retrograde menstruation and celomic metaplasia in the pelvic peritoneum, that can occur for development defects. Endometriosis is related not only to genetic or immunological changes and to environmental pollution factors, as the endocrine interferents. The disease phenotype results from multiple events (genetics and enviromental), thus it is difficult to find a single gene as causative while is more probable that a gene network/s might involved in the onset and mantainement of the disease state. The peculiarity of endometriosis rely on the tissue speificity manteinance in the ectopic position, where it responds to the hormone stimuli as the tissue in the eutopic position.
Transcriptional profiling of endometriosis tissues identifies genes related to organogenesis defects.
Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage, Subject
View SamplesSpecific pathogen free wild-type C57Bl/6 male mice fed ketogenic diet (Bio-Serv AIN-76-A) for 4 weeks
Adaptation of myocardial substrate metabolism to a ketogenic nutrient environment.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesSeptic shock is the most severe complication of sepsis, associated with high mortality. The patient's response to supportive therapy is very heterogeneous and the underlying mechanisms are still elusive. In order to identify which are the actors (genes and pathways) that play a role in establishing the response, we investigate the whole blood transcriptome in septic shock patients with positive and negative responses to early supportive hemodynamic therapy, assessed by changes in SOFA scores within the first 48 hours from ICU admission. We pinpointed genes and pathways that are differently modulated and enriched respectively within 48hrs between responders and non-responders. Overall design: We analyzed 31 patients (17 Responders and 14 Not Responders to early therapy). For each patient, 2 samples were collected. In particular the first sample (T1) collected within 16 hours from ICU admission whereas the second (T2) collected within 48 hours from ICU admission. Experimental groups (Responders and Not Responders) are defined accordingly with SOFA scores improvements within 48 hours.
Identification of a transcriptome profile associated with improvement of organ function in septic shock patients after early supportive therapy.
Specimen part, Subject, Time
View SamplesFollowing androgen ablation therapy (AAT), the vast majority of prostate cancer patients develop treatment resistance with a median time of 18-24 months to disease progression. To identify molecular targets that aid in prostate cancer cell survival and contribute to the androgen independent phenotype, we evaluated changes in LNCaP cell gene expression during 12 months of androgen deprivation. At time points reflecting critical growth and phenotypic changes, we performed Affymetrix expression array analysis to examine the effects of androgen deprivation during the acute response, during the period of apparent quiescence, and during the emergence of highly proliferative, androgen-independent prostate cancer cells (LNCaP-AI). We discovered alterations in gene expression for a host of molecules associated with promoting prostate cancer cell growth and survival, regulating cell cycle progression, apoptosis and adrenal androgen metabolism, in addition to AR co-regulators and markers of neuroendocrine disease. These findings illustrate the complexity and unpredictable nature of cancer cell biology and contribute greatly to our understanding of how prostate cancer cells likely survive AAT. The value of this longitudinal approach lies in the ability to examine gene expression changes throughout the cellular response to androgen deprivation; it provides a more dynamic illustration of those genes which contribute to disease progression in addition to specific genes which constitute a malignant androgen-independent phenotype. In conclusion, it is of great importance that we employ new approaches, such as the one proposed here, to continue exploring the cellular mechanisms of therapy resistance and identify promising targets to improve cancer therapeutics.
Longitudinal analysis of androgen deprivation of prostate cancer cells identifies pathways to androgen independence.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesmiRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that inhibit translation and promote mRNA decay. The levels of mature miRNAs are the result of different rates of transcription, processing, and turnover. The non-canonical polymerase Gld2 has been implicated in the stabilization of miR-122 possibly by catalyzing 3’ monoadenylation, however, there is little evidence that this relationship is one of cause and effect. Here, we biochemically characterize Gld2 involvement in miRNA monoadenylation and its effect on miRNA stability. We find that Gld2 directly monoadenylates and stabilizes specific miRNA populations in human fibroblasts and that sensitivity to monoadenylation-induced stability depends on nucleotides in the miRNA 3‘ end. These results establish a novel mechanism of miRNA stability and resulting post-transcriptional gene regulation. Overall design: Sequencing of miRNAs to assess amount and 3'' end monoadenylation state upon Gld2 knock-down.
Specific miRNA stabilization by Gld2-catalyzed monoadenylation.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesINTRODUCTION. Fixation with formalin, a widely adopted procedure to preserve tissue samples, leads to extensive degradation of nucleic acids and thereby compromises procedures like microarray-based gene expression profiling. We hypothesized that RNA fragmentation is caused by activation of RNAses during the interval between formalin penetration and tissue fixation. To prevent RNAse activation, a series of tissue samples were kept under-vacuum at 4C until fixation and then fixed at 4C, for 24 hours, in formalin followed by 4 hours in ethanol 95%.
Formalin fixation at low temperature better preserves nucleic acid integrity.
Specimen part
View SamplesAdult stem cells support tissue homeostasis and repair throughout the life of an individual. However, numerous intrinsic and extrinsic changes occur with age that result in altered stem cell behavior and reduced tissue maintenance and regeneration. In the Drosophila testis, stem cells surround and contact the apical hub, a cluster of somatic cells that express the self-renewal factor Unpaired (Upd), which activates the JAK-STAT pathway in adjacent stem cells. However, aging results in a dramatic decrease in upd expression, with a concomitant loss of germline stem cells (GSCs). Here we present genetic and biochemical data to demonstrate that IGF-II mRNA binding protein (Imp) counteracts endogenous small interfering RNAs to stabilize upd RNA and contribute to maintenance of the niche. However, Imp expression decreases in hub cells of older males, similar to upd, which is due to targeting of Imp by the heterochronic microRNA let-7. Therefore, in the absence of Imp, upd mRNA becomes unprotected and susceptible to degradation. Understanding the mechanistic basis for aging-related changes in stem cell behavior will lead to the development of strategies to treat age-onset diseases and facilitate stem cell based therapies in older individuals. Overall design: Examination of small RNA levels in testes from young (1day old) and aged (30days old) males of Drosophila melanogaster by deep sequencing (using Illumina GAII).
The let-7-Imp axis regulates ageing of the Drosophila testis stem-cell niche.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesUsing a hitherto uncharacterized knockout mouse model of Notch 3, a Notch signaling receptor paralogue highly expressed in vascular SMCs, we uncover a striking susceptibility to ischemic stroke upon challenge. Cellular and molecular analyses of vascular SMCs derived from these animals associate Notch 3 activity to the expression of specific gene targets, whereas genetic rescue experiments unambiguously link Notch 3 function in vessels to the ischemic phenotype.
Notch signaling functions in retinal pericyte survival.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesNotch activation is instrumental in the development of most T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cases, yet Notch mutations alone are not sufficient to recapitulate the full human disease in animal models. We here found that Notch1 activation at the fetal liver (FL) stage expanded the hematopoietic progenitor population and conferred it transplantable leukemic-initiating capacity. However, leukemogenesis and leukemic-initiating cell capacity induced by Notch1 was critically dependent on the levels of ß-Catenin in both FL and adult bone marrow contexts. In addition, inhibition of ß-Catenin compromised survival and proliferation of human T-ALL cell lines carrying activated Notch1. By transcriptome analyses, we identified the MYC pathway as a crucial element downstream of ß-Catenin in these T-ALL cells and demonstrate that the MYC 3'' enhancer required ß-Catenin and Notch1 recruitment to induce transcription. Finally, PKF115-584 treatment prevented and partially reverted leukemogenesis induced by active Notch1. Overall design: Four T-ALL cell lines (RPMI8402, HPB-ALL, Jurkat, CCRF-CEM) were treated with DMSO (control) or PKF115-584 (310nM) for 3hrs. Gene expression changes were measured with Cufflinks comparing the 4 control with the 4 treated samples.
β-Catenin is required for T-cell leukemia initiation and MYC transcription downstream of Notch1.
No sample metadata fields
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