Puberty unmasks or accelerates nephropathies, including the nephropathy of diabetes mellitus (DM). A number of cellular systems implicated in the kidney disease of DM interweave, forming an interdependent functional web. We performed focused microarray analysis to test the hypothesis that one or more genes in the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-) signaling system would be differentially regulated in male rats depending on the age of onset of DM.
Prepubertal onset of diabetes prevents expression of renal cortical connective tissue growth factor.
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View SamplesNaïve human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) can be derived from primed hESCs or directly from blastocysts, but their X-chromosome state has remained unresolved. We found that the inactive X-chromosome (Xi) of primed hESCs was reactivated in naïve culture conditions. Similar to cells of the blastocyst, resulting naive cells exhibited two active X-chromosomes with XIST expression and chromosome-wide transcriptional dampening, and initiated XIST-mediated X-inactivation upon differentiation. Both establishment and exit from the naïve state (differentiation) happened via an XIST-negative XaXa intermediate. Together, these findings identify a cell culture system for functionally exploring the two X-chromosome dosage compensation processes in early human development: X-dampening and X-inactivation. Furthermore, the naïve state reset Xi abnormalities of primed hESCs, providing cells better suited for downstream applications. However, naïve hESCs displayed differences to the embryo because XIST expression was predominantly mono-allelic instead of bi-allelic, and X-inactivation was non-random, indicating the need for further culture improvement. Overall design: Differentiated naïve human embryonic stem cells and naïve human embryonic stem cells at different passages (Exp1 for late passage, Exp2 for early passage) were subjected to single cell RNA sequencing by the Fluidigm C1 Single-Cell Auto Prep System.
Human Naive Pluripotent Stem Cells Model X Chromosome Dampening and X Inactivation.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesExtracellular senile plaques of amyloid beta (Abeta) are a pathological hallmark in brain of patients with Alzheimer`s Disease (AD). Abeta is generated by the amyloidogenic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). Concomitant to Abeta load, AD brain is characterized by an increase in protein level and activity of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). ACE inhibitors are a widely used class of drugs with established benefits for patients with cardiovascular disease. However, the role of ACE and ACE inhibition in the development of Abeta plaques and the process of AD-related neurodegeneration is not clear since ACE was reported to degrade Abeta. To investigate the effect of ACE inhibition on AD-related pathomechanisms, we used Tg2576 mice with neuron-specific expression of APPSwe as AD model. From 12 months of age, substantial Abeta plaque load accumulates in the hippocampus of Tg2576 mice as a brain region, which is highly vulnerable to AD-related neurodegeneration. The effect of central ACE inhibition was studied by treatment of 12 month-old Tg2576 mice for six months with the brain penetrating ACE inhibitor captopril. At an age of 18 months, hippocampal gene expression profiling was performed of captopril-treated Tg2576 mice relative to untreated 18 month-old Tg2576 controls with high Abeta plaque load. As an additional control, we used 12 month-old Tg2576 mice with low Abeta plaque load. Whole genome microarray gene expression profiling revealed gene expression changes induced by the brain-penetrating ACE inhibitor captopril, which could reflect the neuro-regenerative potential of central ACE inhibition.
ACE inhibition with captopril retards the development of signs of neurodegeneration in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesFemale human ESC-lines can carry active X-chromosomes (Xa) or an XIST-RNA-coated inactive X-chromosome (XiXIST+). Additionally, many ESC lines have abnormal X-chromosomeinactivation (XCI)-states where the Xi no longer expresses XIST-RNA and has transcriptionally active regions (eroded Xi=Xe). The fate of each XCI-state upon differentiation is unclear because individual lines often contain a mixture of XCI-states. Here, we established homogeneous XiXa, XeXa, and XaXa ESC-lines. Employing RNA-FISH, RNA-sequencing and DNA methylation analyses, we found that these lines were unable to initiate XIST-expression and X-chromosome-wide silencing upon differentiation indicating that the ESC XCI-state is maintained in differentiated cells. Consequently, differentiated XeXa and XaXa cells displayed higher levels of X-linked gene-expression than XiXa cells. Although global transcriptional compensation between X-chromosomes and autosomes is not required for female ESC-differentiation, the degree of X-chromosome-silencing influences differentiation efficiencies. Our data suggest that the XiXIST+Xa state is inherent to human ESCs and that all other XCI-states, including XaXa, are abnormal and arise during ESC-derivation or maintenance. Overall design: RNA-seq was used to measure the expression state of X-linked and autosomal genes in undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells with different X-chromosome states and their differentiated cells.
Human Embryonic Stem Cells Do Not Change Their X Inactivation Status during Differentiation.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesFibrotic diseases have significant health impact and have been associated with differentiation of the resident fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. In particular, stiffened extracellular matrix and TGF-1 in fibrotic lesions have been shown to promote pathogenic myofibroblast activation and progression of fibrosis in various tissues. To better understand the roles of mechanical and chemical cues on myofibroblast differentiation and how they may crosstalk, we cultured primary valvular interstitial cells (VICs) isolated from porcine aortic valves and studied how traditional TCPS culture, which presents a non-physiologically stiff environment, and TGF-1 affect native VIC phenotypes.
Hydrogels preserve native phenotypes of valvular fibroblasts through an elasticity-regulated PI3K/AKT pathway.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesDuring systemic inflammation, different neutrophil subsets are mobilized to the blood circulation. These neutrophil subsets can be distinguished from normal circulating neutrophils (CD16bright/CD62Lbright) based on either an immature CD16dim/CD62Lbright or a CD16bright/CD62Ldim phenotype. Interestingly, the latter neutrophil subset is known to suppress lymphocyte proliferation ex vivo, but the underlying mechanism is largely unknown.
IFN-γ-stimulated neutrophils suppress lymphocyte proliferation through expression of PD-L1.
Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage, Treatment
View SamplesHuman embryonic stem cells (hESC) display substantial heterogeneity in gene expression, implying the existence of discrete substates within the stem cell compartment. To determine whether these substates impact fate decisions of hESC we used a GFP reporter line to investigate the properties of fractions of putative undifferentiated cells defined by their differential expression of the endoderm transcription factor, GATA6, together with the hESC surface marker, SSEA3. By single cell cloning, we confirmed that substates characterized by expression of GATA6 and SSEA3 include pluripotent stem cells capable of long term self-renewal. When clonal stem cell colonies were formed from GATA6-positive and GATA6-negative cells, more of those derived from GATA6-positive cells contained spontaneously differentiated endoderm cells than similar colonies derived from the GATA6-negative cells. We characterized these discrete cellular states using single cell transcriptomic analysis, identifying a potential role for SOX17 in the establishment of the endoderm biased stem cell state. Overall design: Examination of 4 different cell substates within one human embryonic stem cell line as determine by the expression status of GATA6 and SSEA3
Identification and Single-Cell Functional Characterization of an Endodermally Biased Pluripotent Substate in Human Embryonic Stem Cells.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesGene expression profiling of human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells was performed to determine the effect of high and low glucose on gene expression. Microarrays were used to identify distinct classes of genes up-regulated in HEK293 cells during cultivation for 7 days in medium with physiological (low) glucose compared to high glucose.
Calreticulin enhances B2 bradykinin receptor maturation and heterodimerization.
Cell line
View SamplesES cells differentiated in the presence of the Wnt inhibitor DKK1 fail to express the transcription factor Snail and undergo EMT or mesoderm differentiation. We generated an ES cell line, A2.snail, that induced Snail expression upon addition of doxycycline addition.
Snail promotes the cell-autonomous generation of Flk1(+) endothelial cells through the repression of the microRNA-200 family.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesThe mammary gland is a highly dynamic organ that mainly develops during puberty. Based on morphology and proliferation analysis, mammary stem cells (MaSCs) are thought to be close to or reside in the terminal end buds (TEBs) during pubertal development. However, exclusive stem cell markers are lacking, and therefore the true identity of MaSCs, including their location, multiplicity, dynamics and fate during branching morphogenesis, has yet to be defined. To gain more insights into the molecular identity and heterogeneity of the MaSC pool, we performed single cell transcriptome sequencing of mammary epithelial cells micro-dissected from ducts and TEBs during puberty. These data show that the behaviour of MaSCs cannot be directly linked to a single expression profile. Instead, morphogenesis of the mammary epithelium relies upon a heterogeneous population of MaSCs that functions long-term as a single equipotent pool of stem cells. Overall design: Ducts and terminal end buds were micro-dissected from the 4th and the 5th murine mammary gland at 5 weeks-of-age, dissociated into single cells, and FACS sorted. Single-cell transcriptomics was performed on live cells using an automated version of CEL-seq2 on live, FACS sorted cells. The StemID algorithm was used to identify clusters of cells corresponding to basal and luminal cells types derived from ducts and terminal end buds.
Identity and dynamics of mammary stem cells during branching morphogenesis.
Cell line, Subject
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