Inflammation has a causal role in many cancers. In prostate cancers, epidemiological data suggest a link between prostatitis and subsequent cancer development, but a proof for this concept in a tumor model has been lacking. A constitutively active version of the IkappaB kinase 2 (IKK2), the molecule activated by a plethora of inflammatory stimuli, was expressed specifically in the prostate epithelium. Signaling of the IKK2/NF-kappaB axis was insufficient for transformation of prostate tissue. However, while PTEN+/- epithelia exhibited intraepithelial neoplasias only recognizable by nuclear alterations, additional IKK2 activation led to an increase in tumor size and formation of cribriform structures and to a fiber increase in the fibroblastic stroma. This phenotype was coupled with inflammation in the prostate gland characterized by infiltration of granulocytes and macrophages. Molecular characterization of the tissues showed a specific loss of smooth muscle markers as well as expression of chemokines attracting immune cells. Isolation of epithelial and stromal cells showed differential chemokine expression by these cells. Correlation studies showed the inflammatory phenotype coupled to loss of smooth muscle in infiltrated glands, but maintenance of the phenotype in glands where inflammation had decreased. Despite the loss of the smooth muscle barrier, tumors were not invasive in a stable genetic background. Data mining revealed that smooth muscle markers are downregulated in human prostate cancers and literature data show that loss of these markers in primary tumors is associated with subsequent metastasis. Our data show that loss of smooth muscle and invasiveness of the tumor are not coupled. Thus, inflammation during early steps of tumorigenesis can lead to increased tumor size and a potential change in the subsequent metastatic potential, but the tumor requires an additional transformation to become a carcinoma.
Persistent inflammation leads to proliferative neoplasia and loss of smooth muscle cells in a prostate tumor model.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesWe expressed a constitutively active mutant of MEK5 (MEK5D) in human primary endothelial cells (EC) to study the transcriptional and functional responses to Erk5 activation under static conditions.
Erk5 activation elicits a vasoprotective endothelial phenotype via induction of Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4).
Cell line
View SamplesDuring development, thymocytes bearing a moderately self-reactive T cell receptor (TCR) can be selected to become regulatory T (Treg) cells. Several observations suggest that also in the periphery mature Treg cells continuously receive self-reactive TCR signals. However, the importance of this inherent autoreactivity for Treg cell biology remains poorly defined.
Continuous T cell receptor signals maintain a functional regulatory T cell pool.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe objective of this study was to compare the transcriptional repertoire of mature human neutrophils before and after GM-CSF treatment by using oligonucleotide microarrays.
RhoH/TTF negatively regulates leukotriene production in neutrophils.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe RNA-binding protein RC3H1 (also known as ROQUIN) promotes TNFalpha mRNA decay via a 3''UTR constitutive decay element (CDE). Here, we applied PAR-CLIP to human RC3H1 to identify about 3800 mRNA targets with more than 16000 binding sites. A large number of sites are distinct from the consensus CDE and revealed a structure-sequence motif with U-rich sequences embedded in hairpins. RC3H1 binds preferentially short-lived and DNA damage induced mRNAs, indicating a role of this RNA-binding protein in the posttranscriptional regulation of the DNA damage response. Intriguingly, RC3H1 affects expression of NF-kB pathway regulators such as IkBalpha and A20. RC3H1 uses roquin and Zn-finger domains to contact a binding site in the A20 3''UTR, demonstrating a not yet recognized mode of RC3H1 binding. Knockdown of RC3H1 resulted in increased A20 protein expression, thereby interfering with IkB kinase and NF-kB activities, demonstrating that RC3H1 can modulate the activity of the IKK/NF-kB pathway. Overall design: We measured global mRNA decay rates in mock and RC3H1/RC3H2-depleted HEK293 cells. Transcription was blocked by Actinomycin D zero, one or two hours before harvesting. Total RNA was isolated in two biological replicates and subjected to polyA selection followed by high-throughput sequencing.
RC3H1 post-transcriptionally regulates A20 mRNA and modulates the activity of the IKK/NF-κB pathway.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesHeirarchical development of B-cells involves the induction and supression of large sets of genes that provide the basis for differentiation and, ultimately, antibody production.
Signatures of murine B-cell development implicate Yy1 as a regulator of the germinal center-specific program.
Specimen part
View SamplesBackground: Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in childhood. The vast majority of stage M patients present with disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in the bone marrow (BM). Although these cells represent a major obstacle in the treatment of neuroblastoma patients, their transcriptomic profile was not intensively analyzed so far. Results: RNA-Seq of stage M primary tumors, enriched BM-derived DTCs and the corresponding non-tumor mononuclear cells (MNCs) revealed that DTCs largely retained the gene expression signature of tumors. However, we identified 322 genes that were differentially expressed (q < 0.001, |log2FC|>2). Particularly genes encoded by mitochondrial DNA were highly up-regulated in DTCs, whereas e.g. genes involved in angiogenesis were down-regulated. Furthermore, 224 genes were highly expressed in DTCs and only slightly, if at all, in MNCs (q < 8x10-75 log2FC > 6). Interestingly, we found that the gene expression profiles of diagnostic DTCs largely resembled those of relapse DTCs with only 113 differentially expressed genes under relaxed cut-offs (q < 0.01, |log2FC| > 0.5). Notably, relapse DTCs showed a positional enrichment of 31 down-regulated genes encoded by chromosome 19, including five tumor suppressor genes (SIRT6, PUMA, STK11, CADM4 and GLTSCR2). Conclusion: This first RNA-Seq analysis of DTCs from neuroblastoma patients revealed their unique expression profile in comparison to the corresponding MNCs and tumor samples, and, interestingly, also expression differences between diagnostic and relapse DTCs preferentially affecting chromosome 19. As these alterations might be associated with treatment failure and disease relapse, they should be considered for further functional studies. Overall design: Tumor (n=16), bone marrow-derived disseminated tumor cells (n=42) and corresponding bone marrow-derived non-tumor cells (n=28) of stage M neuroblastoma patients were used for RNA-Seq
Neuroblastoma cells undergo transcriptomic alterations upon dissemination into the bone marrow and subsequent tumor progression.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesWe have generated transgenic mice with tetracycline-regulated conditional expression of a constitutively active allele of FoxO3 under the control of the forebrain-specific CaMKIIa promoter. In adult animals, there was a reduction of brain weight by 30% and an almost complete loss of the dorsal dentate gyrus with normal cortical layering. Interestingly, the adult mice showed motor hyperactivity and a selective loss of long-term memory with normal spatial learning. We observed enhanced apoptosis starting from day E10.5. Performing microarray expression analyses and Q-PCR validation with E12.5 forebrain RNA, we observed an over-representation of thalamic markers and an under-representation of cortical markers in transgenic as compared to control animals. Immunohistochemical data show a loss of progenitors in the lateral ventricles. Up-regulation of Pik3ip1 as a target gene of FoxO3 could be responsible for the observed increase in apoptosis. The obtained forebrain expression signature is reminiscent of a Pax6 knockdown phenotype showing that expression of this FoxO3 allele during development affected neural progenitor survival and overall brain development. Conclusion: Neural progenitors are vulnerable to constitutively active FoxO3-induced apoptosis.
Expression of constitutively active FoxO3 in murine forebrain leads to a loss of neural progenitors.
Specimen part
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Protein kinase c-β-dependent activation of NF-κB in stromal cells is indispensable for the survival of chronic lymphocytic leukemia B cells in vivo.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesTumor cell survival critically depends on heterotypic communication with benign cells in the microenvironment. Here we describe a novel survival signaling pathway activated in stromal cells by contact to B-cells from chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients. The expression of PKC-II and the subsequent activation of NF-B in bone marrow stromal cells is a prerequisite to support the survival of malignant B-cells. PKC- knockout mice are insusceptible to CLL-transplantations, underscoring the in vivo significance of the PKC-II- NF-B signaling pathway in the tumor microenvironment. Upregulated stromal PKC-II in biopsies from CLL, breast- and pancreatic- cancer patients suggest that this pathway may commonly be activated in a variety of malignancies.
Protein kinase c-β-dependent activation of NF-κB in stromal cells is indispensable for the survival of chronic lymphocytic leukemia B cells in vivo.
Specimen part
View Samples