CD4+ T cell differentiation into multiple T helper lineages is critical for optimal adaptive immune responses. This report identified a novel intrinsic mechanism by which PD-1 signaling imparted regulatory phenotype to FoxP3+ Th1 cells (denoted as Tbet+iTregPDL1 cells) and iTregs. Tbet+iTregPDL1 cells were capable of preventing inflammation in murine models of experimental colitis and experimental graft versus host disease. PDL-1 binding to PD-1 imparted regulatory function to Tbet+iTregPDL1 cells and iTregs by specifically downregulating an endolysosomal protease asparaginyl endopeptidase (AEP)
PD-1 Inhibitory Receptor Downregulates Asparaginyl Endopeptidase and Maintains Foxp3 Transcription Factor Stability in Induced Regulatory T Cells.
Specimen part
View SamplesBMP4 is down-regulated in metastatic human and murine mammary tumours. Here we determined the effect of ectopic mouse Bmp4 re-expression on global gene expression patterns in orthotopic primary mammary tumours in syngeneic Balb/c mice.
BMP4 inhibits breast cancer metastasis by blocking myeloid-derived suppressor cell activity.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesA subset of our SLNs would be upregulated by Nutlin-3 and down-regulated by 5-FU and that this differential regulation could potentially explain how cell fate choice is determined
ATM and MET kinases are synthetic lethal with nongenotoxic activation of p53.
Cell line, Treatment
View SamplesUnderstanding the nature of the various glucose-derived signals for insulin secretion (both triggering and amplifying) is essential for gaining insight into the functional failure of the beta-cells in diabetes and the development of drugs for correcting this problem. The beta-cells uniquely couple changes in cellular metabolism to electrical activity and thus insulin release. In mice, beta-cell specific deletion of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor protein leads to the activation of a HIF transcription program that includes genes involved in glycolysis, suppression of mitochondrial activity and lactate production. This reprogramming of cellular metabolism results in abnormal insulin secretion properties.
PVHL is a regulator of glucose metabolism and insulin secretion in pancreatic beta cells.
Sex, Age
View SamplesSensitive versus Resistant patient-derived colorectal cancer tumor xenografts with PIK3CA mutant against saracatinib (AZD0530)
Common PIK3CA mutants and a novel 3' UTR mutation are associated with increased sensitivity to saracatinib.
Specimen part
View SamplesA complex interplay between ethylene, ETP1/ETP2 F-box proteins, and degradation of EIN2 is essential for triggering ethylene responses in plants.
Interplay between ethylene, ETP1/ETP2 F-box proteins, and degradation of EIN2 triggers ethylene responses in Arabidopsis.
Age, Treatment
View SamplesChronic low dose inorganic arsenic (iAs) exposure leads to changes in gene expression and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transformation. During this transformation, cells adopt a fibroblast-like phenotype accompanied by profound gene expression changes. While many mechanisms have been implicated in this transformation, studies that focus on the role of epigenetic alterations in this process are just emerging. DNA methylation controls gene expression in physiologic and pathologic states. Several studies show alterations in DNA methylation patterns in iAs-mediated pathogenesis, but these studies focused on single genes. We present a comprehensive genome-wide DNA methylation analysis using methyl-sequencing to measure changes between normal and iAs-transformed cells. Additionally, these differential methylation changes correlated positively with changes in gene expression and alternative splicing. Interestingly, most of these differentially methylated genes function in cell adhesion and communication pathways. To gain insight into how genomic DNA methylation patterns are regulated iAs-mediated carcinogenesis, we show that iAs probably targets CTCF binding at the promoter of DNA methyltransferases, regulating their expression. These findings reveal how transcription factor binding regulates DNA methyltransferase to reprogram the methylome in response to an environmental toxin.
Genome-wide DNA methylation reprogramming in response to inorganic arsenic links inhibition of CTCF binding, DNMT expression and cellular transformation.
Specimen part, Cell line, Treatment
View SamplesBoth cigarette smoking and obesity have been implicated in increased risk of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC); however, there are limited data regarding the molecular mechanisms that underlie these associations. We used a multi-stage design to identify and validate specific molecular targets that are associated with smoking or obesity-related ccRCC.
ANKS1B is a smoking-related molecular alteration in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesThe molecular regulation of zygotic genome activation (ZGA) in mammals remains poorly understood. Primed mouse embryonic stem cells contain a rare subset of “2C-like” cells that are epigenetically and transcriptionally similar to the two cell embryo and thus represent an ideal system for studying ZGA transcription regulation. Recently, the transcription factor Dux, expressed exclusively in the minor wave of ZGA, was described to activate many downstream ZGA transcripts. However, it remains unknown what upstream maternal factors initiate ZGA either in a Dux dependent or independent manner. Here we performed a candidate-based overexpression screen, identifying, amongst others, Developmental Pluripotency Associated 2 (Dppa2) and 4 (Dppa4) as positive regulators of 2C-like cells and ZGA transcription. In the germ line, promoter DNA demethylation coincides with upregulation of Dppa2 and Dppa4 which remain expressed until E7.5 when their promoters are remethylated. Furthermore, Dppa2 and Dppa4 are also expressed during iPSC reprogramming at the time 2C-like ZGA transcription transiently peaks. Through a combination of overexpression, knockdown, knockout and rescue experiments, together with transcriptional analyses, we show that Dppa2 and Dppa4 directly regulate the 2C-like cell population and associated transcripts, including Dux and the Zscan4 cluster. Importantly, we tease apart the molecular hierarchy in which the 2C-like transcriptional program is initiated and stabilised. Dppa2 and Dppa4 require Dux to initiate 2C-like ZGA transcription, suggesting they act upstream by directly regulating Dux. Supporting this, ChIP-seq analysis revealed Dppa2 and Dppa4 bind to the Dux promoter and gene body and drive its expression. Zscan4c is also able to induce 2C-like cells in wild type cells, but, in contrast to Dux, can no longer do so in Dppa2/4 double knockout cells, suggesting it may act to stabilise rather than drive the transcriptional network. Our findings suggest a model in which Dppa2/4 binding to the Dux promoter leads to Dux upregulation and activation of the 2C-like transcriptional program which is subsequently reinforced by Zscan4c. Overall design: RNA sequencing of screen hits (3 biological replicates of GFP+ and GFP- sorted cells for each of 12 candidates).
Dppa2 and Dppa4 directly regulate the Dux-driven zygotic transcriptional program.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesThe liver circadian clock is reprogrammed by nutritional challenge through the rewiring of specific transcriptional pathways. As the gut microbiota is tightly connected to host metabolism, whose coordination is governed by the circadian clock, we explored whether gut microbes influence circadian homeostasis and how they distally control the peripheral clock in the liver. Using fecal transplant procedures we reveal that, in response to high fat diet, the gut microbiota drives PPAR-mediated activation of newly oscillatory transcriptional programs in the liver. Moreover, antibiotics treatment prevents PPAR-driven transcription in the liver, underscoring the essential role of gut microbes in clock reprogramming and hepatic circadian homeostasis. Thus, a specific molecular signature characterizes the influence of the gut microbiome in the liver, leading to the transcriptional rewiring of hepatic metabolism.
Gut microbiota directs PPARγ-driven reprogramming of the liver circadian clock by nutritional challenge.
Specimen part
View Samples