The ERG gene belongs to the ETS family of transcription factors and has been found involved in atypical chromosomal rearrangements in several cancers. To gain insight into the oncogenic activity of ERG, we compared the gene expression profile of NIH-3T3 cells stably expressing the coding regions of the three main ERG oncogenic fusions: TMPRSS2/ERG (tERG), EWS/ERG and FUS/ERG,. We found that all the three ERG fusions significantly up-regulate PIM-1 expression in the NIH-3T3 cell line. PIM-1 is a serine/threonine kinase frequently over-expressed in cancers of haematological and epithelial origin. We show here that tERG expression induces PIM-1 in the non-malignant prostate cell line RWPE-1, strengthening the relation between tERG and PIM-1 up-regulation in the initial stages of prostate carcinogenesis. Silencing of tERG reversed PIM-1 induction. A significant association between ERG and PIM-1 expression in clinical prostate carcinoma specimens was found, suggesting that such a mechanism may be relevant in vivo. Chromatin Immunoprecipitation experiments showed that tERG directly binds to PIM-1 promoter in the RWPE-1 prostate cell line, suggesting that tERG could be a direct regulator of PIM-1 expression. The up-regulation of PIM-1 induced by tERG over-expression significantly modified CyclinB1 levels and increased the percentage of aneuploid cells in the RWPE-1 cell line after 24hrs of taxane-based treatment. Here we provide the first evidence for an ERG-mediated PIM-1 up-regulation in prostate cells in vitro and in vivo, suggesting a direct effect of ERG transcriptional activity in the alteration of genetic stability.
ERG deregulation induces PIM1 over-expression and aneuploidy in prostate epithelial cells.
Cell line
View SamplesPositioned nucleosomes limit the access of proteins to DNA and implement regulatory features encoded in eukaryotic genomes. Here we generated the first genome-wide nucleosome positioning map for Schizosaccharomyces pombe and annotated transcription start and termination sites genome-wide. Using this resource we found surprising differences compared to the nucleosome organization in the distantly related yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae [the cerevisiae data has been published by others (PMID: 17873876) and the raw data is deposited at ArrayExpress(E-MEXP-1172)]. DNA sequence guides nucleosome positioning differently, e.g., poly(dA:dT) elements are not enriched in S. pombe nucleosome-depleted regions (NDRs). Regular nucleosomal arrays emanate more asymmetrically, i.e., mainly co-directionally with transcription, from promoter NDRs, but promoters harbouring the histone variant H2A.Z show regular arrays also upstream. Regular nucleosome phasing in S. pombe has a very short repeat length of 154 base pairs, and requires a remodeler, Mit1, conserved in humans but not found in S. cerevisiae. Nucleosome positioning mechanisms are evidently not universal but evolutionarily plastic.
Schizosaccharomyces pombe genome-wide nucleosome mapping reveals positioning mechanisms distinct from those of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesCytolytic activity by CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) is a powerful tactic in the elimination of intracellular pathogens and tumor cells. The destructive capacity of CTL is progressively dampened during chronic infection - yet the environmental cues and molecular pathways controlling immune exhaustion remain unclear. We find CTL immunity is regulated by the central transcriptional response to hypoxia, mediated by the von-Hippel-Lindau/Hypoxia-Inducible-Factor (VHL/HIF) pathway. Deletion of VHL, the primary negative regulator of HIF, leads to lethal CTL-mediated immunopathology during chronic infection, and VHL-deficient CTL display enhanced control of persistent viral infection and neoplastic growth. We find HIF and oxygen influence expression of pivotal CTL transcription, effector and costimulatory-inhibitory molecules, which is relevant to strategies to promote viral and tumor clearance.
Hypoxia-inducible factors enhance the effector responses of CD8(+) T cells to persistent antigen.
Specimen part, Time
View SamplesmRNA expression profiling of pancreatic cancer, comparing adjacent normal tissue, patient tumour and first generation patient derived xenograft tumours
Establishment and Characterisation by Expression Microarray of Patient-Derived Xenograft Panel of Human Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Patients.
Specimen part
View SamplesB-methylthiolation of the Escherichia coli Ribosomal Protein S12 Regulates Anaerobic Gene Expression.
A proteomic and transcriptomic approach reveals new insight into beta-methylthiolation of Escherichia coli ribosomal protein S12.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesOsteoarthritis (OA) of the hand is a common disease resulting in pain and impaired function. The pathogenesis of hand OA (HOA) is elusive and models to study it have not been described so far. Culture of chondrocytes is a model to study the development of cartilage degeneration, which is a hallmark of OA and well established in OA of the knee and hip. In the current study we investigated the feasibility human chondrocyte culture derived from proximal interphalangeal (PIP) finger joints of dissecting room cadavers. Index and middle fingers without signs of osteoarthritis were obtained from 30 cadavers using two different protocols. Hyaline cartilage from both articulating surfaces of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint was harvested and digested in collagenase. Cultured chondrocytes were monitored for contamination, viability, and expression of chondrocyte specific genes. Chondrocytes derived from knee joints of the cadavers were cultured under identical conditions. Gene expression comparing chondrocytes from PIP and knee joints was carried out using Affymetrix GeneChip Human 2.0 ST arrays. The resulting differentially expressed genes were validated by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry.Chondrocytes harvested up to 101 hours after death of the donors were viable. mRNA expression of collagen 2A1, aggrecan and Sox9 was significantly higher in chondrocytes as compared to cultured fibroblasts. Comparison of gene expression by chondrocytes from PIP and knee joints yielded 528 differentially expressed genes. Chondrocytes from the same joint region had a higher grade of similarity than chondrocytes of the same individual. These results were validated using real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry.We demonstrate for the first time a reliable method for culture of chondrocytes derived from PIP joints. PIP chondrocytes show a specific gene expression pattern and could be used as tool to study cartilage degeneration in HOA.
Chondrocyte cultures from human proximal interphalangeal finger joints.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Success and failure in human spermatogenesis as revealed by teratozoospermic RNAs.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesNormal human spermatogenesis concludes with the formation of large numbers of morphologically well developed spermatozoa. While transcriptionally quiescent these cells carry an RNA payload that reflects the final spermiogenic phase of transcription. We report here the spermatozoal transcript profiles characteristic of normally fertile individuals and infertile males suffering from a consistent and severe teratozoospermia in which under 4% of spermatozoa are morphologically normal. RNA was extracted from the purified sperm cells of ejaculate and hybridized to Affymetrix U133 (v2) Microarrays.
Success and failure in human spermatogenesis as revealed by teratozoospermic RNAs.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesTotal RNA was isolated from proliferating and senescent IMR90 cells to compare gene-expression to the changes in nucleolus-association in proliferating and senescent IMR90 cells.
Nucleolus association of chromosomal domains is largely maintained in cellular senescence despite massive nuclear reorganisation.
Specimen part
View SamplesWe studied differences in gene expression between Populus P35S::EBB1 lines and control, affecting plant growth and differentiation, and dormancy. We used microarrays to detail the global program of gene expression underlying morphological and developmental changes driven by overexpression of the EBB1 gene.
EARLY BUD-BREAK 1 (EBB1) is a regulator of release from seasonal dormancy in poplar trees.
Specimen part
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