The vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF) is involved in various physiological processes such as angiogenesis or wound healing but is also crucial in pathological events such as tumor growth. Thus, clinical anti-VEGF treatments have been developed which could already prove to have enormous beneficial effects for cancer patients. In this article we describe the first VEGF-derived CD8+ T-cell epitope. The natural HLA ligand SRFGGAVVR was identified by differential mass spectrometry in two primary renal cell carcinomas (RCC) and was significantly over-presented on both tumor tissues. SRFGGAVVR is derived from a cryptic translated region of VEGF presumably by initiation of translation at the non-classical start codon CUG499. SRFGGAVVR specific T-cells were generated in vitro using peptide loaded dendritic cells or artificial antigen presenting cells. They were identified by HLA tetramer analysis after in vitro stimulation. SRFGGAVVR specific CD8+ T-cells were fully functional T-effector cells, which were able to secrete IFN-gamma upon stimulation and killed tumor cells in vitro. Additionally, we have quantitatively analyzed VEGF mRNA and protein levels in RCC tumor and normal tissue samples by gene chip analysis, qRT-PCR, in situ hybridization, and bead based immuno assay. In the future, T-cells directed against VEGF as a tumor associated antigen may represent a possible way of combining peptide-based anti-VEGF immunotherapy with already existent anti-VEGF cancer therapies.
A cryptic vascular endothelial growth factor T-cell epitope: identification and characterization by mass spectrometry and T-cell assays.
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View SamplesABSTRACT: The human growth hormone (hGH) minigene is frequently used in the derivation of transgenic mouse lines to enhance transgene expression. Although this minigene is present in the transgenes as a secondcistron, and thus not thought to be expressed, we found that three commonly used lines, Pdx1-CreLate, RIP-Cre, and MIP-GFP, each expressed significant amounts of hGH in pancreatic islets. Locally secreted hGH binds to prolactin receptors on cells, activates STAT5 signaling, and induces pregnancy-like changes in gene expression, thereby augmenting pancreatic cell mass and insulin content. In addition, islets of Pdx1-CreLate mice have lower GLUT2 expression and reduced glucose-induced insulin release and are protected against the cell toxin streptozotocin. These findings may be important when interpreting results obtained when these and other hGH minigene-containing transgenic mice are used.
Impaired islet function in commonly used transgenic mouse lines due to human growth hormone minigene expression.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe goal of this study was to gain insight into the molecular heterogeneity of capillary endothelial cells derived from different organs by microarray profiling of freshly isolated cells and identify transcription factors that may determine the specific gene expression profile of endothelial cells from different tissues. The study focused on heart endothelial cells and presents a validated signature of 31 genes that are highly enriched in heart endothelial cells. Within this signature 5 transcription factors were identified and the optimal combination of these transcription factors was determined for specification of the heart endothelial fingerprint.
Meox2/Tcf15 heterodimers program the heart capillary endothelium for cardiac fatty acid uptake.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesAssessment of mRNA expression changes in the B-lymphoblastoid cell line Awells after 6 h and 24 h of starvation-induced autophagy
Autophagy promotes MHC class II presentation of peptides from intracellular source proteins.
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View SamplesType II testicular germ cell cancers (GCC) are the most frequently diagnosed tumors in young men (20 - 40 years) and are classified as seminoma or non-seminoma. GCCs are commonly treated by orchiectomy and chemo- or radiotherapy. However, a subset of metastatic non-seminomas display only incomplete remission or relapse and require novel treatment options. Recent studies have shown effective application of the small-molecule inhibitor JQ1 in tumor therapy, which interferes with the function of bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET)-proteins. Here, we demonstrate that upon JQ1 doses 250 nM GCC cell lines and Sertoli cells display compromised survival and induction of cell cycle arrest. JQ1 treated GCC cell lines display upregulation of genes indicative for DNA damage and a cellular stress response. Additionally, downregulation of pluripotency factors and induction of mesodermal differentiation was detected. GCCs xenografted in vivo showed a reduction in tumor size, proliferation and angiogenesis when subjected to JQ1 treatment. The combination of JQ1 and the histone deacetylase inhibitor romidepsin further enhanced the apoptotic effect in vitro and in vivo. Thus, we propose that JQ1 alone, or in combination with romidepsin may serve as a novel therapeutic option for GCCs.
The bromodomain inhibitor JQ1 triggers growth arrest and apoptosis in testicular germ cell tumours in vitro and in vivo.
Specimen part, Cell line, Time
View SamplesMaintenance and maturation of primordial germ cells is controlled by complex genetic and epigenetic cascades, and disturbances in this network lead to either infertility or malignant aberration. Transcription factor Tcfap2c / TFAP2C has been described to be essential for primordial germ cell maintenance and to be upregulated in several human germ cell cancers. Using global gene expression profiling, we identified genes deregulated upon loss of Tcfap2c in primordial germ cell-like cells. We show that loss of Tcfap2c affects many aspects of the genetic network regulating germ cell biology, such as downregulation maturation markers and induction of markers indicative of somatic differentiation, cell cycle, epigenetic remodeling, and pluripotency associated genes. Chromatin-immunoprecipitation analyses demonstrated binding of Tcfap2c to regulatory regions of deregulated genes (Sfrp1, Dmrt1, Nanos3, c-Kit, Cdk6, Cdkn1a, Fgf4, Klf4, Dnmt3b and Dnmt3l) suggesting that these genes are direct transcriptional targets of Tcfap2c in primordial germ cells. Since Tcfap2c deficient primordial germ cell like cells display cancer related deregulations in epigenetic remodeling, cell cycle and pluripotency control, the Tcfap2c-knockout allele was bred onto 129S2/Sv genetic background. There, mice heterozygous for Tcfap2c develop germ cell cancer with high incidence. Precursor lesions can be observed as early as E16.5 in developing testes displaying persisting expression of pluripotency markers. We further demonstrate, that mice with a heterozygous deletion of the Tcfap2c target gene Nanos3 are also prone to develop teratoma. These data highlight Tcfap2c as a critical and dose-sensitive regulator of germ cell fate.
Transcription factor TFAP2C regulates major programs required for murine fetal germ cell maintenance and haploinsufficiency predisposes to teratomas in male mice.
Specimen part
View SamplesTranscriptomes of differentiated cells of the conditionally immortalized mouse podocyte cell line SVI (Schiwek et al., Kidney Int. 66: 91-101, 2004) were determined as described in Warsow et al. (Kidney Int. 84: 104-115, 2013) after application of mechanical stress (Endlich et al., J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 12: 413-422, 2001) as compared to control conditions.
Mechanical stress enhances CD9 expression in cultured podocytes.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesJoMa1 cells are pluripotent precursor cells, derived from the neural crest of mice transgenic for tamoxifen-inducible c-Myc. Following transfection with a cDNA encoding for MYCN, cells become immortlized even in the absence of tamoxifen.
MYCN and ALKF1174L are sufficient to drive neuroblastoma development from neural crest progenitor cells.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesAnalysis of TH17 cells redirected with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) expressing various signaling domains (including CD28, 4-1BB and ICOS) after surrogate antigen stimulation.
ICOS-based chimeric antigen receptors program bipolar TH17/TH1 cells.
Specimen part, Time
View SamplesThe protease activity of the paracaspase MALT1 plays an important role in antigen receptor-mediated lymphocyte activation by controlling the activity of the transcription factor NF-kB and is thus essential for the expression of inflammatory target genes.
MALT1 Protease Activity Controls the Expression of Inflammatory Genes in Keratinocytes upon Zymosan Stimulation.
Treatment
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