Migrating schistosomula are an important stage of the schistosome lifecycle and represent a key target for elimination of infection by natural and vaccine induced host immune responses. To gain a better understanding of how these parasites initiate a primary host immune response we have characterised the host lung response to migrating Schistosoma japonicum schistosomula using a combination of histochemistry, microarrays and quantitative cytokine analysis. Our data suggest that, during a S. japonicum infection, actively migrating schistosomula induce a Type-2 cytokine response in the lung that may support the subsequent development of a CD4+ T helper 2 (Th2) response against egg antigens. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that schistosomula and schistosome eggs are known to express important Th2-inducing antigens such as omega-1, peroxiredoxin, kappa-5 and IPSE/alpha1. The host lung response to migrating schistosomula was associated with increased numbers of macrophages and expression of markers for alternatively activated macrophages (AAM) in the lung. Activation of AAM in the lung and at the systemic level could lead to the modulation of the host immune response to favour parasite survival. Induction of these cells could also contribute to diminished inflammatory responses to, for example, allergy and asthma that are known to be associated with helminth infections. These data enhance our understanding of the mechanisms whereby schistosomes may evade the immune response and the mechanisms by which schistosome infection can help influence the host response following exposure to allergenic stimuli.
Migrating Schistosoma japonicum schistosomula induce an innate immune response and wound healing in the murine lung.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesHepatitis C Virus is a leading cause of chronic liver disease. The identification and characterisation of key host cellular factors that play a role in the HCV replication cycle is important for the understanding of disease pathogenesis and the identification of novel anti-viral therapeutic targets. Gene expression profiling of HCV infected Huh7 cells by microarray analysis was performed to identify host cellular genes that are transcriptionally regulated by infection. The expression of host genes involved in cellular defence mechanisms (apoptosis, proliferation and anti-oxidant responses), cellular metabolism (lipid and protein metabolism) and intracellular transport (vesicle trafficking and cytoskeleton regulation) was significantly altered by HCV infection. The gene expression patterns identified provide insight into the potential mechanisms that contribute to HCV associated pathogenesis. These include an increase in pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic signalling and a decrease in the anti-oxidant response pathways of the infected cell.
Gene expression profiling indicates the roles of host oxidative stress, apoptosis, lipid metabolism, and intracellular transport genes in the replication of hepatitis C virus.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesIn the developing embryo, haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) emerge from the aorta-gonad-mesonephros (AGM) region but the molecular regulation of this process is poorly understood. Recently, the progression from E9.5 to E10.5 and polarity along the dorso-ventral axis have been identified as clear demarcations of the supportive HSC niche. To identify novel secreted regulators of HSC maturation, we performed RNA-sequencing over these spatio-temporal transitions in the AGM region, and supportive OP9 cell line. Overall design: RNA-sequencing profiles of the aorta-gonad-mesonephros region from E9.5 embryos and E10.5 embryos sub-dissected into dorsal (AoD), ventral (AoV) and urogenital ridges (UGR) and pooled from between 15 and 34 embryos in three separate experiments.
A molecular roadmap of the AGM region reveals BMPER as a novel regulator of HSC maturation.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesIn the developing embryo, haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) emerge from the aorta-gonad-mesonephros (AGM) region but the molecular regulation of this process is poorly understood. Recently, the progression from E9.5 to E10.5 and polarity along the dorso-ventral axis have been identified as clear demarcations of the supportive HSC niche. To identify novel secreted regulators of HSC maturation, we performed RNA-sequencing over these spatio-temporal transitions in the AGM region, and supportive OP9 cell line. Overall design: RNA-sequencing profiles of OP9 cells grown in flat, submersed culture or reaggregate and cultured at the liquid-gas interface were compared.
A molecular roadmap of the AGM region reveals BMPER as a novel regulator of HSC maturation.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesThis study investigates the effects of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligands TCDD, PCB126 and PeCDF; the non-AhR ligand PCB153 and the binary mixture PCB126/PCB153 on hepatic gene expression in female sprague dawley rats. Rats were treated with toxicological equivalent doses of TCDD (100ng/kg), PeCDF (200ng/kg), PCB126 (1000ng/kg) and PCB153 (1000ug/kg) 5 days a week for 13 weeks.
Hepatic gene downregulation following acute and subchronic exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesThis study utilise the examination of normal gastro-intestinal tissues to determine a tissue specific signal for use in deriving the intestinal signature of intestinal metaplasias of the oesophagus. Normal oesophageal, colonic and duodenal tissue biopsies were taken after informed consent and RNA was extracted following histological examination of adjacent tissues for normal aperaing mucosa.
The characterization of an intestine-like genomic signature maintained during Barrett's-associated adenocarcinogenesis reveals an NR5A2-mediated promotion of cancer cell survival.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe TP53 transcription factor is frequently mutated at later stages of epithelial cancers, indicating a possible role in their invasion and metastasis. Importantly, in most cases rather than a simple loss of function p53 mutation, point mutations of p53 accumulate at the protein level and may have dominant negative functions. This study analyses gene expression differences between mice harbouring p53 mutation who do and do not develop metastasis.
Targeting the LOX/hypoxia axis reverses many of the features that make pancreatic cancer deadly: inhibition of LOX abrogates metastasis and enhances drug efficacy.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesWe performed microarray analysis to derive gene signatures down-stream of soluble CD40 ligand stimulation in human naive B cells. Nave B cells were purified from healthy donor PBMC using negative selection beads (Miltenyi) and cultured with sCD40L at 2.5ug/ml for 6hr before microarray analysis. In the same study, cells were also harvested at day 5 post-stimulation to confirm sCD40L-induced B cell activation and proliferation. FACS analysis confirmed soluble CD40L induced up-regulation of CD86 and CD69 at 24hr. B cell proliferation was measured at day 4 post-stimulation by EdU incorporation.
CD40L-Dependent Pathway Is Active at Various Stages of Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Progression.
Specimen part, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesWe performed microarray analysis of sCD40L-stimulated iDC to derive a signature of CD40 activation. Human monocytes from normal healthy donors were differentiated to iDCs with GM-CSF and IL4. FACS analysis demonstrated the immature status of these cells, illustrated by low expression of CD80, CD40, and CD86. We confirmed that sCD40L induces the maturation of DCs, characterized by higher expression of CD80, HLA-DR, CD86, CD83 and CD40 and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines at 24hr post-stimulation. Cells were harvested at 1, 3 and 24hr post-stimulation for microarray analysis.
CD40L-Dependent Pathway Is Active at Various Stages of Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Progression.
Specimen part, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesMicroRNAs (miRNAs) are single-stranded non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate target gene expression through mRNA cleavage or translational repression. There is mounting evidence that they play critical roles in heart disease. The expression of known miRNAs in the heart has been studied at length by microarray and quantitative PCR but it is becoming evident that microRNA isoforms (isomiRs) are potentially physiologically important. It is well known that left ventricular (patho)physiology is influenced by transmural heterogeneity of cardiomyocyte phenotype, and this likely reflects underlying heterogeneity of gene expression. Given the significant role of miRNAs in regulating gene expression, knowledge of how the miRNA profile varies across the ventricular wall will be crucial to better understand the mechanisms governing transmural physiological heterogeneity. To determinine miRNA/isomiR expression profiles in the rat heart we investigated tissue from different locations across the left ventricular wall using deep sequencing. We detected significant quantities of 145 known rat miRNAs and 68 potential novel orthologs of known miRNAs, in mature, mature* and isomiR formation. Many isomiRs were detected at a higher frequency than their canonical sequence in miRBase and have different predicted targets. The most common miR-133a isomiR was more effective at targeting a construct containing a sequence from the gelsolin gene than was canonical miR-133a, as determined by dual-fluorescence assay. We identified a novel rat miR-1 homolog from a second miR-1 gene; and a novel rat miRNA similar to miR-676. We also cloned and sequenced the rat miR-486 gene which is not in miRBase (v18). Signalling pathways predicted to be targeted by the most highly detected miRNAs include Ubiquitin-mediated Proteolysis, Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase, Regulation of Actin Cytoskeleton, Wnt signalling, Calcium Signalling, Gap junctions and Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy. Most miRNAs are not expressed in a gradient across the ventricular wall, with exceptions including miR-10b, miR-21, miR-99b and miR-486. Overall design: The hearts of 3 male 8 month old Sprague-Dawley rats were rapidly extracted after euthanasia with sodium pentobarbital. A section of the free wall of the left ventricle was dissected into epicardium, mid-myocardium and endocardium by cutting approximately 1 mm from the epicardial and endocardial surfaces. Small RNA was extracted (miRNeasy Kit; Qiagen, Crawley UK), quantified (Nanodrop; Thermo Scientific) and quality assessed for degradation (RNA Nano Chip, Bioanalyser 2100; Aligent Technologies, Wokingham UK; only samples with a RNA integrity no. (RIN) =8 were carried forward) and retention of small RNA (Small RNA Chip, Bioanalyser 2100). Small RNA was preferentially ligated with adapters, reverse transcribed into cDNA and amplified with 9 individually tagged primer indices (TruSeq Small RNA Sample Preparation Kit; Illumina, Little Chesterford, UK) and a library of small RNA created for each sample. After gel purification the cDNA products were again analysed on the bioanalyser using a High Sensitivity DNA Chip and assessed for the presence and concentration of the peak corresponding to ligated and tagged miRNA (approximately 147nt). Only samples with suitable RIN values exhibiting good retention of small RNA species were used for library preparation. After pooling, the samples were sequenced by TrinSeq (Trinity Genome Sequencing Lab & Neuropsychiatric Genetics Group, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland (http://www.medicine.tcd.ie/sequencing); using TruSeq SR Cluster Kit v5 (Illumina) and the resultant data trimmed and aligned to miRBase v18 (CLC Genomics Workbench v4.0; CLC bio, Swansea UK).
Distinctive profile of IsomiR expression and novel microRNAs in rat heart left ventricle.
No sample metadata fields
View Samples