While it is clear that T cell derived IFN has to act on tumor stroma cells for rejection of solid tumors, it is not clear which tumor stroma cells are targets. We studied how IFN affects gene expression in tumor blood vessels in vivo. To study the effect on endothelial cells, we either used a model of ectopic IFN (MCA313 tumors) or IFN-GFP fusion protein (J558L tumors) expression in tumors, or we used T cell derived IFN in large vascularized 16.113 tumours. Tumors were grown in mice that were expressing the IFN receptor ubiquitously (J558L tumors + IFN-GFP treatment and 16.113 tumors + T cell treatment) or in some experiments the IFN-receptor was expressed exclusively in endothelial cells (MCA313 tumor + IFN treatment).
Tumour ischaemia by interferon-γ resembles physiological blood vessel regression.
Sex, Specimen part, Time
View SamplesArp2/3 complex assembles branched actin filaments key to many cellular processes, but its organismal roles remain poorly understood. Here we employed conditional arpc4 knockout mice to study the function of the Arp2/3 complex in the epidermis.We found that depletion of the Arp2/3 complex by knockout of arpc4 results in skin abnormalities at birth that evolve into a severe psoriasis-like disease hallmarked by hyperactivation of transcription factor Nrf2. Knockout of arpc4 in cultured keratinocytes was sufficient to induce nuclear accumulation of Nrf2, upregulation of Nrf2-target genes and decreased filamentous actin levels. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of the Arp2/3 complex unmasked the role of branched actin filaments in Nrf2 regulation. Consistently, we unveiled that Nrf2 associates with the actin cytoskeleton in cells and binds to filamentous actin in vitro Finally, we discovered that Arpc4 is downregulated in both human and mouse psoriatic epidermis. Thus, the Arp2/3 complex affects keratinocytes'' shape and transcriptome through an actin-based cell-autonomous mechanism that influences epidermal morphogenesis and homeostasis. Overall design: Gene expression profile of wt and ARPC4 ko epidermis
Knockout of the Arp2/3 complex in epidermis causes a psoriasis-like disease hallmarked by hyperactivation of transcription factor Nrf2.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesArp2/3 complex assembles branched actin filaments key to many cellular processes, but its organismal roles remain poorly understood. Here we employed conditional arpc4 knockout mice to study the function of the Arp2/3 complex in the epidermis.We found that depletion of the Arp2/3 complex by knockout of arpc4 results in skin abnormalities at birth that evolve into a severe psoriasis-like disease hallmarked by hyperactivation of transcription factor Nrf2. Knockout of arpc4 in cultured keratinocytes was sufficient to induce nuclear accumulation of Nrf2, upregulation of Nrf2-target genes and decreased filamentous actin levels. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of the Arp2/3 complex unmasked the role of branched actin filaments in Nrf2 regulation. Consistently, we unveiled that Nrf2 associates with the actin cytoskeleton in cells and binds to filamentous actin in vitro Finally, we discovered that Arpc4 is downregulated in both human and mouse psoriatic epidermis. Thus, the Arp2/3 complex affects keratinocytes'' shape and transcriptome through an actin-based cell-autonomous mechanism that influences epidermal morphogenesis and homeostasis. Overall design: Gene expression profile of wt, ARPC4 ko and EGFP-Nrf2 expressing keratinocytes.
Knockout of the Arp2/3 complex in epidermis causes a psoriasis-like disease hallmarked by hyperactivation of transcription factor Nrf2.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View Samplessmall RNA libraries from total RNA isolated from young adult animals Overall design: Wild-type and rem-1 mutant animals were used for RNA isolation. Regular libraries were made using adaptor ligations at both ends. In addition, librraies were made from oxidised and TAP treated RNA.
Differential impact of the HEN1 homolog HENN-1 on 21U and 26G RNAs in the germline of Caenorhabditis elegans.
Cell line, Subject
View Samplessmall RNA libraries from wild-type and Hen1 mutant testes were made with either polyA tailing (VASAGFPHen1minus/plus) or adapter ligation (Hen1Testis and WTTestis) and sequenced on an Illumina GAII platform. Overall design: RNA was isolated from total testis tissue of both Hen1 wildtype and Hen1 mutant animals. After size selection from gel, the small RNA libraries wre made.
Hen1 is required for oocyte development and piRNA stability in zebrafish.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThe optimal T cell attributes for the adoptive immunotherapy of cancer and viral diseases are currently unclear. Recent adoptive transfer clinical trials using ex vivo expanded tumor infiltrating lymphocytes has provided evidence that differentiated effector T cells can mediate durable responses in selected cancer patients. The capacity of these transferred cells to persist in the host was found to strongly correlate with their clinical activity. Thus, there is significant interest in identifying intrinsic markers that define antigen specific effector T cells that can develop into long-lived memory cells rather than undergoing apoptosis after infusion in humans. We recently reported the long term persistence of ex vivo expanded tumor specific CD8+ T effector clones in refractory metastatic melanoma patients after adoptive T cell transfer. By utilizing these highly homogeneous clone populations, we sought to define the pre-infusion cellular and molecular attributes associated with their effector to memory transition. Comparative transcriptional profiling found the pre-infusion clone mRNA expression levels of the IL-7 receptor (IL-7Ra) and the proto-oncogene, c-myc, directly correlated with the level of clonal persistence after adoptive transfer in humans. The predictive value of these markers was further established by utilizing IL-7R protein, induced pSTAT5, and c-myc mRNA expression to prospectively identify human tumor specific effector clones that could engraft after controlled adoptive transfer into highly immunodeficient mice. These findings support that IL-7R and c-myc expression are valuable cell intrinsic markers that can predict the fate of effector CD8+ T cells after adoptive transfer.
Tumor-Specific Effector CD8+ T Cells That Can Establish Immunological Memory in Humans after Adoptive Transfer Are Marked by Expression of IL7 Receptor and c-myc.
Specimen part
View SamplesVisceral leishmaniasis (VL), caused by Leishmania spp protozoan parasites, can provoke overwhelming and protracted epidemics, with high casefatality rates. Despite extensive efforts towards the development of an effective prophylactic vaccine, no promising vaccine is available yet for humans. Multi-epitope peptide based vaccine development is manifesting as the new era of vaccination strategies against VL. Aim of the study was the design of chimeric peptides from immunogenic L. infantum proteins for encapsulation in PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) alone or in combination with MPLA adjuvant, or in PLGA NPs surface modified with an octapeptide mimicking TNF-alpha for DCs targeting, in order to construct a peptide-based nanovaccine. The in vitro evaluation of the above nanoformulations was performed in DCs isolated from HLA-A2.1 transgenic mice. Characterization of DCs transcriptional responses to these vaccine candidates via microarrays could improve our understanding of their mechanisms of action on DCs' functional differentiation and the type of adaptive immunity subsequently induced.
A Poly(Lactic-<i>co</i>-Glycolic) Acid Nanovaccine Based on Chimeric Peptides from Different <i>Leishmania infantum</i> Proteins Induces Dendritic Cells Maturation and Promotes Peptide-Specific IFNγ-Producing CD8<sup>+</sup> T Cells Essential for the Protection against Experimental Visceral Leishmaniasis.
Specimen part
View SamplesVisceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania donovani and L. infantum is a potentially fatal disease. To date there are no registered vaccines for disease prevention despite the fact that several vaccines are in preclinical development. Thus, new strategies are needed to improve vaccine efficacy based on a better understanding of the mechanisms mediating protective immunity and mechanisms of host immune responses subversion by immunopathogenic components of Leishmania. In the present study, determination of the immune mechanisms related to infection or protective immune responses against VL using an experimental nanovaccine as a vaccine model was conducted through microarray analysis.
Transcriptome Analysis Identifies Immune Markers Related to Visceral Leishmaniasis Establishment in the Experimental Model of BALB/c Mice.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesAdoptive immunotherapy using ex vivo expanded tumor reactive lymphocytes can mediate durable cancer regression in selected melanoma patients. Analyses of these trials have associated the in vivo engraftment ability of the transferred cells with their anti-tumor efficacy. Thus, there is significant clinical interest in the prospective isolation of tumor specific T cells that can reliably persist after transfer. Animal studies have suggested that central memory CD8+ T cells (TCM) have divergent capabilities including effector differentiation to target antigen and stem cell-like self renewal that enable long term survival after adoptive transfer. In this study, we sought to isolate human melanoma specific TCM to define their in vivo fate and function after autologous therapeutic transfer to metastatic patients. To facilitate the high throughput identification of these rare cells from patients, we report that TCM have a defined stoichiometric production of IL-2 and IFN-g mRNA after antigen stimulation. Melanoma specific T cells screened for high relative IL-2 production possessed a TCM phenotype and superior in vitro proliferative capacity compared to cells with low IL-2 production. To investigate in vivo effector function and self renewal capability, melanoma specific TCM underwent in vitro expansion and differentiation into lytic effector clones and then were adoptively transferred back into their hosts. These clones targeted skin melanocytes in all five patients and persisted long term and reacquired parental TCM attributes in four patients after transfer. These findings demonstrate the favorable engraftment fitness for human TCM-derived clones, but further efforts to improve their anti-tumor efficacy are still necessary.
The stoichiometric production of IL-2 and IFN-γ mRNA defines memory T cells that can self-renew after adoptive transfer in humans.
Specimen part
View SamplesTo assess pathologic complete response (pCR), clinical response, feasibility, safety, and potential predictors of response to preoperative trastuzumab plus vinorelbine in patients with operable, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: 48 patients received preoperative trastuzumab and vinorelbine weekly for 12 weeks. Single and multigene biomarker studies were done in an attempt to identify predictors of response. RESULTS: 8 of 40 (20%) patients achieved pCR (95% confidence interval, 9-36%). Of 9 additional patients recruited for protocol-defined toxicity analysis, 8 were evaluable; 42 of 48 (88%) patients had clinical response (16 patients, clinical complete response; 26 patients, clinical partial response). T(1) tumors more frequently exhibited clinical complete response (P = 0.05) and showed a trend to exhibit pCR (P = 0.07). 5 (13%) patients experienced grade 1 cardiac dysfunction during preoperative treatment. Neither HER2 nor estrogen receptor status changed significantly after exposure to trastuzumab and vinorelbine. RNA profiling identified three top-level clusters by unsupervised analysis. Tumors with extremes of response [pCR (n = 3) versus nonresponse (n = 3)] fell into separate groups by hierarchical clustering. No predictive genes were identified in pCR tumors. Nonresponding tumors were more likely to be T(4) stage (P = 0.02) and express basal markers (P < 0.00001), growth factors, and growth factor receptors. Insulin-like growth factor-I receptor membrane expression was associated with a lower response rate (50% vs 97%; P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative trastuzumab plus vinorelbine is active and well tolerated in patients with HER2-positive, operable, stage II/III breast cancer. HER2-overexpressing tumors with a basal-like phenotype, or with expression of insulin-like growth factor-I receptor and other proteins involved in growth factor pathways, are more likely to be resistant to this regimen.
Predictors of resistance to preoperative trastuzumab and vinorelbine for HER2-positive early breast cancer.
Sex, Specimen part, Disease
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