Using 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 SamplesInhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) proteins constitute a conserved family of molecules which regulate both apoptosis and receptor signaling. They are often deregulated in cancer cells and represent potential targets for therapy. In our work, we investigated the effect of IAP inhibition in vivo to identify novel downstream genes expressed in an IAP-dependent manner that could contribute to cancer aggressiveness. To this end, immunocompromised mice engrafted subcutaneously with the triple negative breast cancer MDA-MB231 cell line were treated with SM83, a pan-IAP inhibitor developed by us, and tumor nodules were profiled for gene expression. Our work suggests that IAP-targeted therapy could contribute to EGFR inhibition and the reduction of its downstream mediators. This approach could be particularly effective in cells characterized by high levels of EGFR and Snai2, such as triple negative breast cancer.
cIAP1 regulates the EGFR/Snai2 axis in triple-negative breast cancer cells.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesThe innate immune system is the organisms first line of defense against pathogens. Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are responsible for sensing the presence of pathogen-associated molecules. The prototypic PRRs, the membrane-bound receptors of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) family, recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and initiate an innate immune response through signaling pathways that depend on the adaptor molecules MyD88 and TRIF. Deciphering the differences in the complex signaling events that lead to pathogen recognition and initiation of the correct response remains challenging. Here we report the discovery of temporal changes in the protein signaling components involved in innate immunity. Using an integrated strategy combining unbiased proteomics, transcriptomics and macrophage stimulations with three different PAMPs, we identified differences in signaling between individual TLRs and revealed specifics of pathway regulation at the protein level. In addition to forming macrophages and dendritic cells, monocytes in adult peripheral blood retain the ability to develop into osteoclasts, mature bone-resorbing cells. The extensive morphological and functional transformations that occur during osteoclast differentiation require substantial reprogramming of gene and protein expression. Here we employ -omic-scale technologies to examine in detail the molecular changes at discrete developmental stages in this process (precursor cells, intermediate osteoclasts, and multinuclear osteoclasts), quantitatively comparing their transcriptomes and proteomes.
Characterization of functional reprogramming during osteoclast development using quantitative proteomics and mRNA profiling.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesMaize transgenic event MON810, grown and commercialised worldwide, is the only cultivated GM event in EU. Maize MON810, variety DKC6575, and the corresponding near-isogenic Tietar were studied in different growing conditions, to assess their behaviour in response to drought. Profiling gene expression in water deficit regimes and in generalised water stress showed an up-regulation of different stress- responsive genes. A greater number of differentially expressed genes was observed in Tietar rather than in DKC6575, with genes belonging to transcription factor families and genes encoding HSPs, LEAs and detoxification enzymes. Since these genes have been from literature, indicated as typical of stress responses, their activation in Tietar rather than in DKC6575 may be reminiscent of a more efficient water stress response. DKC6575 was also analysed for the expression of the transgene CryIAb (encoding for the delta-endotoxin insecticidal protein) in water limiting conditions. In all the experiments the CryIAb transcript was not influenced by water stress, but expressed at a constant level. This suggests that though a different pattern of sensitivity to stress, the transgenic variety maintains the same expression level for the transgene.
Comparison of drought stress response and gene expression between a GM maize variety and a near-isogenic non-GM variety.
Specimen part
View SamplesWe recently mapped 605 chromosomal breakpoints in 61 ATL cases by spectral karyotyping and identified chromosome 14q11 as one of the most common chromosomal breakpoint regions. To map the precise location of chromosomal breakpoints at 14q11, we performed single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based comparative genomic hybridization on leukemia cells from acute-type ATL patients. The breakpoints accumulated frequently adjacent to the T cell receptor alpha/delta chain locus (TCR/) with chromosomal deletions at 14q11 and a recurrent 0.9 Mb interstitial deletion was identified at a region including part of the TCR/ locus. Because leukemia-associated genes are frequently located near the breakpoint cluster regions, we then analyzed the gene expression profiles of ATL cells and identified N-myc downstream regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) as one of the genes that are down-regulated in ATLL cells among the 25 genes mapped to the region adjacent to the recurrently deleted regions at 14q11.
Loss of NDRG2 expression activates PI3K-AKT signalling via PTEN phosphorylation in ATLL and other cancers.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe innate immune system is the organisms first line of defense against pathogens. Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are responsible for sensing the presence of pathogen-associated molecules. The prototypic PRRs, the membrane-bound receptors of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) family, recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and initiate an innate immune response through signaling pathways that depend on the adaptor molecules MyD88 and TRIF. Deciphering the differences in the complex signaling events that lead to pathogen recognition and initiation of the correct response remains challenging. Here we report the discovery of temporal changes in the protein signaling components involved in innate immunity. Using an integrated strategy combining unbiased proteomics, transcriptomics and macrophage stimulations with three different PAMPs, we identified differences in signaling between individual TLRs and revealed specifics of pathway regulation at the protein level.
Proteome and Secretome Analysis Reveals Differential Post-transcriptional Regulation of Toll-like Receptor Responses.
Specimen part, Cell line
View Samplesp63 mutations have been associated with several human hereditary disorders characterized by ectodermal dysplasia such as EEC syndrome, ADULT syndrome and AEC syndrome . The location and functional effects of the mutations that underlie these syndromes reveal a striking genotype-phenotype correlation. Unlike EEC and ADULT that result from missense mutations in the DNA-binding domain of p63, AEC is solely caused by missense mutations in the SAM domain of p63. We report a study on the TAp63a isoform, the first to be expressed during development of the embryonic epithelia, and on its naturally occurring Q540L mutant derived from an AEC patient. To assess the effects of the Q540L mutation, we generated stable cell lines expressing TAp63a wt, DeltaNp63 alpha or the TAp63 alpha-Q540L mutant protein and used them to systematically compare the cell growth regulatory activity of the mutant and wt p63 proteins and to generate, by microarray analysis, a comprehensive profile of differential gene expression. We found that the Q540L substitution impairs the transcriptional activity of TAp63a and causes misregulation of genes involved in the control of cell growth and epidermal differentiation.
The Hay Wells syndrome-derived TAp63alphaQ540L mutant has impaired transcriptional and cell growth regulatory activity.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesExamine the possible pro-inflammatory gene effects of alloantibody and complement on endothelial cells
Alloantibody and complement promote T cell-mediated cardiac allograft vasculopathy through noncanonical nuclear factor-κB signaling in endothelial cells.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesOchratoxin A gene expression profiling in liver and kidney, with time points of exposure from 7 days to 12 motnhs
A toxicogenomics approach to identify new plausible epigenetic mechanisms of ochratoxin a carcinogenicity in rat.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesPhotoreceptor disorders are collectively known as retinal degeneration (RD), and include retinitis pigmentosa (RP), cone-rod dystrophy and age related macular degeneration (AMD). These disorders are largely genetic in origin; individual mutations in any one of >200 genes cause RD, making mutation specific therapies prohibitively expensive. A better treatment plan, particularly for late stage disease, may involve stem cell transplants into the photoreceptor or ganglion cell layers of the retina. Stem cells from young mouse retinas can be transplanted, and can form photoreceptors in adult retinas. These cells can be grown in tissue culture, but can no longer form photoreceptors. We have used microarrays to investigate differences in gene expression between cultured retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) that have lost photoreceptor potential, postnatal day 1 (pn1) retinas and the postnatal day 5 (pn5) retinas that contain transplantable photoreceptors. We have also compared FACS sorted Rho-eGFP expressing rod photoreceptors from pn5 retinas with Rho-eGFP negative cells from the same retinas. We have identified over 300 genes upregulated in rod photoreceptor development in multiple comparisons, 37 of which have been previously identified as causative of retinal disease when mutated. It is anticipated that this research should bring us closer to growing photoreceptors in culture and therefore better treatments for RD. This dataset is also a resource for those seeking to identify novel retinopathy genes in RD patients.
Gene expression changes during retinal development and rod specification.
No sample metadata fields
View Samples