In mice, seminal fluid elicits an inflammation-like response in the female genital tract that activates immune adaptations to advance the likelihood of conception and pregnancy. Here we examined whether similar changes in leukocyte and cytokine parameters occur in the human cervix in response to the male partners seminal fluid. After a period of abstinence in proven-fertile women, duplicate sets of biopsies were taken from the ectocervix in the peri-ovulatory period and again 48 h later, 12 h after unprotected vaginal coitus, vaginal coitus with use of a condom, or no coitus. One pair of first biopsy and second biopsy RNA samples from each treatment group were reverse transcribed into cDNA and hybridized to Affymetrix Human Gene 1.0 ST arrays. A total of 713 probe sets were identified as differentially expressed (fold change >2) between first and second biopsies after unprotected coitus, with 436 genes upregulated and 277 genes downregulated. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed that gene pathways including inflammatory response, immune response, immune cell trafficking, cellular movement and antigen presentation were significantly affected by seminal fluid exposure. Amongst these were genes encoding several chemokines which target granulocytes, monocyte/macrophages, dendritic cells and lymphocytes, proinflammatory cytokines and regulators of cytokine synthesis, prostaglandin pathway gene including PTGS2; COX-2) and several matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Of these genes, no change or a substantially smaller change was seen between first and second biopsies obtained after coitus with condom use, or abstinence. An increase in CSF2, IL6, IL8 and IL1A expression was confirmed by qRT-PCR in larger sets of duplicate biopsies (n=6-7 per group). We conclude that seminal fluid introduced at intercourse elicits expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines which underpins the accompanying recruitment of macrophages, dendritic cells and memory T cells. The leukocyte and cytokine environment induced in the cervix by seminal fluid appears competent to initiate adaptations in the female immune response that promote fertility. This response is also relevant to transmission of sexually transmitted pathogens, and potentially susceptibility to cervical metaplasia.
Seminal fluid induces leukocyte recruitment and cytokine and chemokine mRNA expression in the human cervix after coitus.
Treatment
View SamplesIn this study we examined the influence of seminal plasma on gene expression in human Ect1 ectocervical epithelial cells, and the extent to which recombinant TGF3 elicits comparable changes. Ect1 cells were incubated with recombinant human TGF3 (5 ng/ml), 10% pooled human seminal plasma (v/v), or medium alone for 10h. RNA was reverse transcribed into cDNA and hybridized to Affymetrix GeneChip Human Genome U133 plus 2.0 microarrays (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA). Exposure of Ect1 cells to seminal plasma resulted in differential expression of a total of 3955 probe sets, identified using high stringency criteria with MAS 5.0 analysis. These corresponded to 1338 genes up-regulated and 1343 genes down-regulated by seminal plasma. TGF3 treatment of Ect1 cells resulted in differential expression of 884 probe sets, corresponding to 346 up-regulated genes and 229 down-regulated genes. The genes differentially regulated by seminal plasma included several genes associated with cytokinecytokine receptor interaction, TGF signalling, JAK/STAT signalling or VEGF signalling pathways, as specified by the KEGG database. Of 47 genes in these families, 17 (36.1%) were similarly regulated by both seminal plasma and TGF3. These data, together with additional experiments showing all three TGF isoforms can regulate inflammatory cytokine expression in Ect1 cells, identify TGF isoforms as key agents in seminal plasma that signal induction of pro-inflammatory cytokine synthesis in cervical cells.
TGF-β mediates proinflammatory seminal fluid signaling in human cervical epithelial cells.
Cell line, Treatment
View SamplesSummary:
HCaRG increases renal cell migration by a TGF-alpha autocrine loop mechanism.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesHEK293 cells were transfected with control plasmid (pcDNAI/Neo;Invitrogen) or with the plasmid encoding HCaRG. Stable transfectants were synchronized and grown in the presence of 10% FBS for 48 h. Total RNAs were purified with the mini RNeasy kit (Qiagen).
HCaRG increases renal cell migration by a TGF-alpha autocrine loop mechanism.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThe SCL and LMO1 oncogenic transcription factors reprogram thymocytes into self-renewing pre-leukemic stem cells (pre-LSCs). Here we report that SCL directly interacts with LMO1 to activate the transcription of a self-renewal program coordinated by LYL1.
SCL, LMO1 and Notch1 reprogram thymocytes into self-renewing cells.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
A unique H2A histone variant occupies the transcriptional start site of active genes.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesChromatin performs numerous functions during cellular differentiation, and therefore it must be capable of adopting a multitude of different structures. How these various structures are established is poorly understood, but we propose that specific histone H2A variants will have a key role in remodelling chromatin during differentiation. Structurally, we show here that the gain of just a single acidic amino acid residue has generated a new mouse H2A.Bbd-like histone variant, H2A.Lap1, and that when incorporated into nucleosomal arrays imparts on them unique biophysical properties that are distinct from arrays containing either H2A or human H2A.Bbd. Functionally, we identify H2A.Lap1 as a novel chromatin component of active genes that are expressed during spermatogenesis, and in combination with H2A.Z create a unique chromatin landscape at the start site of transcription. During round spermatid differentiation, H2A.Lap1 dramatically loads onto the inactive X chromosome enabling a subset of its genes to be transcriptionally activated.
A unique H2A histone variant occupies the transcriptional start site of active genes.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesBackground Alternative splicing (AS) is a central mechanism of genetic regulation which modifies the sequence of RNA transcripts in higher eukaryotes. AS has been shown to increase both the variability and diversity of the cellular proteome by changing the composition of resulting proteins through differential choice of exons to be included in mature mRNAs. Results In the present study, alterations to the global RNA splicing landscape of cellular genes upon viral infection were investigated through high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) studies using mammalian reovirus as a model. Our study provides the first comprehensive portrait of global changes in the RNA splicing signatures that occur in eukaryotic cells following infection with a human virus. We identify modifications in the AS patterns of 240 cellular transcripts frequently involved in the regulation of gene expression and RNA metabolism. A significant number of the modified transcripts are also encoded by genes with important roles in viral infection/immunity. These modifications are expected to alter the functions of many cellular proteins. Finally, we used RT-PCR analysis in order to experimentally validate differential modifications in alternative splicing patterns that were observed through RNA-seq studies. Conclusion The present study demonstrated that viral infection can extensively modify the splicing patterns of numerous cellular transcripts. These findings provide additional insights into the complexity of virus-host interactions as these splice variants expand proteome diversity and function during viral infection. Finally, these data open new avenues of research for a better understanding of post-transcriptional events during virus infection and possible new targets toward the development of antiviral agents. Overall design: mRNAs were isolated from L929 mouse cell line, 14 hours after infection with T3D-S Reovirus or T3D-S Mutant reovirus at a MOI of 50. Control cells were uninfected. The resulting libraries were multiplexed and paired-end sequenced using Illumina HiSeq. Gene expression and alternative splicing were caracterized using Bowtie and RSEM.
Global Profiling of the Cellular Alternative RNA Splicing Landscape during Virus-Host Interactions.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Histone H2A.Z inheritance during the cell cycle and its impact on promoter organization and dynamics.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesWhile it has been clearly established that well positioned H2A.Z-containing nucleosomes flank the nucleosome depleted region (NDR) at the transcriptional start site (TSS) of active mammalian genes 1,2, how this chromatin-based information is transmitted through the cell cycle is unknown. We show here that in trophoblast stem (TS) cells, the level of H2A.Z at promoters decreases during S phase coinciding with homotypic (H2A.Z/H2A.Z) nucleosomes flanking the TSS becoming heterotypic (H2A.Z/H2A). Surprisingly, these nucleosomes remain heterotypic at M phase. At the TSS, we identify an unstable heterotypic H2A.Z-containing nucleosome in G1 which, strikingly, is lost following DNA replication. These dynamic changes in H2A.Z at the TSS mirror a global expansion of the NDR at S and M which, unexpectedly, is unrelated to transcriptional activity. Coincident with the loss of H2A.Z at promoters, it is targeted to the centromere when mitosis begins.
Histone H2A.Z inheritance during the cell cycle and its impact on promoter organization and dynamics.
Specimen part, Cell line
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