BACKGROUND & AIMS: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory condition driven by loss of homeostasis between the mucosal immune system, the commensal gut microbiota, and the intestinal epithelium. Our overarching goal is to understand how these components of the intestinal ecosystem cooperate to control homeostasis and to identify novel signal transduction pathways that become dysregulated in IBD. METHODS: We have applied a multi-scale systems biology approach to a mouse model of chronic colitis. We combined quantitative measures of epithelial hyperplasia and immune infiltration with multivariate analysis of inter- and intra-cellular signaling molecules in order to generate a tissue level model of the inflamed disease state. We utilized the computational model to identify signaling pathways that were dysregulated in the context of colitis and then validated model predictions by measuring the effect of small molecule pathway inhibitors on colitis. RESULTS: Our data-driven computational model identified mTOR signaling as a potential driver of inflammation and mTOR inhibition reversed the molecular, immunological, and epithelial manifestations of colitis. Inhibition of Notch signaling, which induces epithelial differentiation, had the same effect, suggesting that the epithelial proliferation/differentiation state plays a key role in maintaining homeostasis of the colon. Confirming this, we found that colonic organoids grown ex vivo showed a similar relationship between proliferation and cytokine expression, even in the absence of gut bacteria and immune cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides a tissue-level systems biology perspective of murine colitis and suggests that mTOR plays a key role in regulating colonic homeostasis by controlling epithelial proliferation/differentiation state.
The colonic epithelium plays an active role in promoting colitis by shaping the tissue cytokine profile.
Specimen part
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Three-dimensional culture system identifies a new mode of cetuximab resistance and disease-relevant genes in colorectal cancer.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesIt is increasingly appreciated that properties of cultured epithelial cells differ dramatically in 2D compared to 3D, and the latter more faithfully recapitulates in vivo behavior. By studying a battery of human colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines in type-1 collagen, we have found that HCA-7 cells form colonies with two distinctive and persistent morphological and functional properties. We observed predominantly single-layered polarized cysts (cystic colonies, CC) and a smaller fraction displaying disorganized solid masses (spiky colonies, SC) that were highly invasive in vivo. Despite overall genomic similarity, CC and SC exhibited distinct and dynamic patterns of gene expression in 3D.
Three-dimensional culture system identifies a new mode of cetuximab resistance and disease-relevant genes in colorectal cancer.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesGene expression profiling of newborn lung tissue revealed few changes in compound FGFR3/FGFR4 deficient mice, consistent with their normal lung morphology at birth, suggesting the sequence of events leading to the phenotype initiates after birth in this model.
Fibroblast growth factor receptors control epithelial-mesenchymal interactions necessary for alveolar elastogenesis.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesHuman umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) formed capillary structures when co-cultured with normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs). HUVEC competence and NHDF supportiveness of cord formation were found to be highly cell-passage dependent with the early passage cells forming more angiogenic cord structures. We thus profiled gene expression in NHDFs with different passages to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the in vitro angiogenesis control.
Developing and applying a gene functional association network for anti-angiogenic kinase inhibitor activity assessment in an angiogenesis co-culture model.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesCD38 expression is an important prognostic marker in CLL with high levels of CD38 associated with shorter overall survival. In this study, we used gene expression profiling and protein analysis of highly purified cell-sorted CD38+ and CD38- chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells to elucidate a molecular basis for the association between CD38 expression and inferior clinical outcome. Paired CD38+ and CD38- CLL cells derived from the same patient were shown to be monoclonal by VH gene sequencing but despite this, CD38+ CLL cells possessed a distinct gene expression profile when compared with their CD38- sub-clones.
Highly purified CD38+ and CD38- sub-clones derived from the same chronic lymphocytic leukemia patient have distinct gene expression signatures despite their monoclonal origin.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesWe report the first RNA-Seq experiments profiling the effects of DEK loss in HNSCC. Our data also incorporates HPV+ and HPV- tumors to idenfity HPV-dependent and -independent gene signatures. Overall design: RNA-Seq of DEK-dependent gene signatures in HNSCC cell lines
IRAK1 is a novel DEK transcriptional target and is essential for head and neck cancer cell survival.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesProtein deficiency and intestinal parasite infection during pregnancy impair fetal growth through passage of signals from the maternal environment which signal impairment of fetal growth. The placenta is an important regulator of the transfer of these signals through differential expression of key placental genes. We used microarrays to examine placental gene expression responses to maternal protein deficiency (6% vs. 24% protein) and Heligmosomoides bakeri infection.
Expression of growth-related genes in the mouse placenta is influenced by interactions between intestinal nematode (Heligmosomoides bakeri) infection and dietary protein deficiency.
Specimen part
View SamplesBiomarkers of osteoarthritis (OA) that can accurately diagnose the disease at the earliest stage would significantly support efforts to develop treatments for prevention and early intervention. The different stages of disease progression are described by the complex pattern of transcriptional regulations. The dynamics in pattern alterations were monitored in each individual animal during the time-course of OA progression.
Blood Transcriptional Signatures for Disease Progression in a Rat Model of Osteoarthritis.
Treatment
View SamplesThe goal of the project was to isolate single miRNA-expressing cells labelled by GFP reporter genes under the control of endogenous miRNA promoters and analyze expression levels of miRNA target genes in these cells. GFP-positive miRNA-expressing cells and GFP-negative cells from the rest of the embryos were purified at the same developmental stage to the cellular resolution using fluorescent activated cell sorting (FACS). Focus was on regulation by miR-206 and miR-133 in the developing somites and miR-124 in the developing central nervous system. Comparison of wild-type embryos and those lacking miRNAs revealed predicted
Coherent but overlapping expression of microRNAs and their targets during vertebrate development.
No sample metadata fields
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