We found the PRC2 component EZH2 to be upregulated by the pathognomonic fusion oncogene EWS-FLI1 in Ewing tumors and mesenchymal stem cells (Richter GH et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009;106:5324-9). Downregulation of EZH2 by RNA interference in Ewing tumor cell lines suppressed oncogenic transformation in vitro and in vivo. These data suggest that EZH2 might play a central role in Ewing Tumor pathology.
Epigenetic maintenance of stemness and malignancy in peripheral neuroectodermal tumors by EZH2.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesEwing sarcoma, an osteolytic malignancy that mainly affects children and young adults, is characterized
DKK2 mediates osteolysis, invasiveness, and metastatic spread in Ewing sarcoma.
Cell line
View SamplesCommon ALL (cALL) is the most frequent entity of childhood ALL and carries an early pre-B cell phenotype. Expression patterns of 25 pediatric cALL samples were analyzed by use of high-density DNA microarrays HG-U133A.
MondoA is highly overexpressed in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells and modulates their metabolism, differentiation and survival.
Specimen part
View SamplesAcute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood cancer. To identify novel candidates for targeted treatment of childhood ALL, we performed a comprehensive transcriptome analysis yielding a set of genes specifically overexpressed in ALL. Among them we identified MondoA - a transcription factor regulating glycolysis in response to glucose availability. Here, we confirm that MondoA is highly overexpressed ALL, whereas the MondoA paralog, MondoB, is not expressed. Expression studies revealed that MondoA is not regulated by glucose availability in leukemia cells, but by the presence of lactate. An in silico MondoA promoter analysis identified two methylation-prone CpG-islands and four conserved binding sites for runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1). In fact, MondoA and RUNX1 are significantly coexpressed in leukemia and experimental blockage of DNA methylation leads to a further induction of MondoA. In addition, using microarray profiling, gene-set enrichment analysis and RNA interference we provide for the first time evidence that MondoA expression not only increases glucose catabolism, but also maintains a more immature ALL phenotype, which is associated with enhanced survival and clonogenicity of leukemia cells. These data hint to an important contribution of MondoA to leukemia aggressiveness validating MondoA as an attractive candidate for targeted treatment of ALL.
MondoA is highly overexpressed in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells and modulates their metabolism, differentiation and survival.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesEwing Tumors (ET) are highly malignant tumors, localized in bone or soft tissue and are molecularly defined by ews/ets translocations. We identified histone methyl-transferase Enhancer of Zeste, Drosophila, Homolog 2 (EZH2) to be increased in ET. EZH2s suppressive activity maintains stemness in normal and malignant cells. Here we found EZH2 to be upregulated by the pathognomonic fusion oncogene EWS-FLI1 in ET and mesenchymal stem cells. Downregulation of EZH2 by RNA interference in ET suppressed oncogenic transformation by inhibiting clonogenicity in vitro. Similarly, tumor development and metastasis in immunodeficient Rag2-/-C-/- mice was suppressed. EZH2-mediated gene silencing was shown to be dependent on histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity. Subsequent microarray analysis of EZH2 knock down, HDAC-inhibitor treatment and confirmation in independent assays revealed an undifferentiated phenotype maintained by EZH2 in ET. Downregulation of EZH2 decreased histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) at target loci. EZH2 regulated stemness genes such as nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR) as well as genes involved in neuroectodermal differentiation (EMP1, EPHB2, GFAP, GAP43). These data suggest that EZH2 might play a central role in Ewing Tumor pathology shaping the oncogenicity and stem cell phenotype of this tumor presumably by epigenetic regulation.
EZH2 is a mediator of EWS/FLI1 driven tumor growth and metastasis blocking endothelial and neuro-ectodermal differentiation.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesBackground
Expression quantitative trait loci mapping identifies new genetic models of glutathione S-transferase variation.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesContext: In many cancers, specific subpopulations of cells appear to be uniquely capable of initiating and maintaining tumors. The strongest support for this cancer stem cell model comes from transplantation assays in immune-deficient mice indicating that human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is organized as a cellular hierarchy driven by self-renewing leukemia stem cells (LSC). This model has significant implications for the development of novel therapies, but its clinical significance remains unclear.
Association of a leukemic stem cell gene expression signature with clinical outcomes in acute myeloid leukemia.
Disease, Disease stage, Subject
View SamplesTrichomes are specialised epidermal cells that generally play a role in reducing transpiration and act as a deterrent to herbivory. In a screen of activation tagged Populus tremula x P. alba 717-1B4 trees, we identified a mutant line, fuzzy, with increased foliar trichome density. This mutant also had a 35% increase in growth rate and a 200% increase in the rate of photosynthesis as compared to wild-type poplar. The fuzzy mutant had significant resistance to feeding by larvae of the white spotted tussock moth (Orgyia leucostigma), a generalist insect pest of poplar trees. The fuzzy phenotype is attributable to activation tagging and increased expression of the gene encoding PtaMYB186, which is related to Arabidopsis thaliana MYB106, a known regulator of trichome initiation. The fuzzy phenotype can be recapitulated by overexpressing PtaMYB186 in poplar. PtaMYB186 overexpression results in reconfiguration of the poplar transcriptome, with changes in the transcript abundance of suites of genes that are related to trichome differentiation. It is notable that this gene responsible for trichome development also altered traits related to growth rate and pest resistance, suggesting that non-intuitive facets of plant development might be useful targets for plant improvement.
Endogenous overexpression of Populus MYB186 increases trichome density, improves insect pest resistance, and impacts plant growth.
Specimen part
View SamplesBoth the mechanism of action and the factors determining the behavioral response to antidepressants are unknown. It has been shown that antidepressant treatment promotes the proliferation and survival of hippocampal neurons via enhanced serotonergic signaling, but it is still unclear whether hippocampal neurogenesis is responsible for the behavioral response to antidepressants. Furthermore, a large subpopulation of patients fails to respond to antidepressant treatment due to presumed underlying genetic factors. In the present study, we have used the phenotypic and genotypic variability of inbred mouse strains to show that there is a genetic component to both the behavioral and neurogenic effects of chronic fluoxetine treatment, and that this antidepressant induces an increase in hippocampal cell proliferation only in the strains that also show a positive behavioral response to treatment. The behavioral and neurogenic responses are associated with an upregulation of genes known to promote neuronal proliferation and survival. These results suggest that inherent genetic predisposition to increased serotonin-induced neurogenesis is a determinant of antidepressant efficacy.
Genetic regulation of behavioral and neuronal responses to fluoxetine.
Sex, Treatment
View Samples5''-complete cDNA sequencing on ribosome-depleted total RNA from the human K562 cell line. Provides high-quality, genome-wide single-base resolution profiling of transcription start sites and their expression levels. Overall design: This dataset represents a whole-genome, single-base resolution profiling of transcription start site (TSS) expression in the human K562 cell line. These profiles were established using RAMPAGE, a high-throughput, high-accuracy 5''-complete cDNA sequencing method implemented on the Illumina platform. The data was analyzed using custom scripts and algorithms that are all available upon request.
High-fidelity promoter profiling reveals widespread alternative promoter usage and transposon-driven developmental gene expression.
Cell line, Subject
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