Human dendritic cells were exposed to LPS, in the absence and presence of adenosine receptor 3 inhibitor Overall design: 4 donors, 4 experimental conditions. VUF concentration used was 5 µM, LPS was 500 ng/ml. Exposure times were 6 hours
TLR-Induced IL-12 and CCL2 Production by Myeloid Cells Is Dependent on Adenosine A<sub>3</sub> Receptor-Mediated Signaling.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesWhile blood transcriptional profiling has improved diagnosis and understanding of disease pathogenesis of adult tuberculosis (TB), no studies applying gene expression profiling of children with TB have been described so far. In this study, we have compared whole blood gene expression in childhood TB patients, as well as in healthy latently infected (LTBI) and uninfected (HC) children in a cohort of Warao Amerindians in the Delta Amacuro in Venezuela. We identified a 116-gene signature set by means of random forest analysis that showed an average prediction error of 11% for TB vs. LTBI and for TB vs. LTBI vs. HC in our dataset. Furthermore, a minimal set of only 9 genes showed a significant predictive value for all previously published adult studies using whole blood gene expression, with average prediction errors between 17% and 23%. Additionally, a minimal gene set of 42 genes with a comparable predictive value to the 116-gene set in both our dataset and the previously published literature cohorts for the comparsion of TB vs. LTBI vs. HC was identified. In order to identify a robust representative gene set that would hold stand among different ethnic populations, we selected ten genes that were highly discriminative between TB, LTBI and HC in all literature datasets as well as in our dataset. Functional annotation of these ten genes highlights a possible role for genes involved in calcium signaling and calcium metabolism as biomarkers for active TB. These ten genes were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in an additional cohort of 54 Warao Amerindian children with LTBI, HC and non-TB pneumonia. Decision tree analysis indicated that five of the ten genes were sufficient to diagnose 78% of the TB cases correctly with 100% specificity. We conclude that our data justify the further exploration of our signature set as biomarkers to diagnose childhood TB. Furthermore, as the identification of different biomarkers in ethnically distinct cohorts is apparent, it is important to cross-validate newly identified markers in all available cohorts.
A predictive signature gene set for discriminating active from latent tuberculosis in Warao Amerindian children.
Sex, Age
View SamplesThe intercalated disc of cardiac myocytes is emerging as a crucial structure in the heart. Loss of intercalated disc proteins like N-cadherin causes lethal cardiac abnormalities, mutations in intercalated disc proteins cause human cardiomyopathy. A comprehensive screen for novel mechanisms in failing hearts demonstrated that expression of the lysosomal integral membrane protein-2 (LIMP-2) is increased in cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure in both rat and human myocardium. Complete loss of LIMP-2 in genetically engineered mice did not affect cardiac development; however these LIMP-2 null mice failed to mount a hypertrophic response to increased blood pressure but developed cardiomyopathy. Disturbed cadherin localization in these hearts suggested that LIMP-2 has important functions outside lysosomes. Indeed, we also find LIMP-2 in the intercalated disc, where it associates with cadherin. RNAi-mediated knockdown of LIMP-2 decreases the binding of phosphorylated b-catenin to cadherin, while overexpression of LIMP-2 has the opposite effect. Taken together, our data show that lysosomal integrated membrane protein-2 is crucial to mount the adaptive hypertrophic response to cardiac loading. We demonstrate a novel role for LIMP-2 as an important mediator of the intercalated disc.
Lysosomal integral membrane protein 2 is a novel component of the cardiac intercalated disc and vital for load-induced cardiac myocyte hypertrophy.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesRecent studies have demonstrated that upon encountering a pathogenic stimulus, robust metabolic rewiring of immune cells occurs. A switch away from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis, even in the presence of sufficient amounts of oxygen (akin the Warburg effect), is typically observed in activated innate and adaptive immune cells and is thought to accommodate adequate inflammatory responses. However, whether the Warburg effect is a general phenomenon applicable in human monocytes exposed to different pathogenic stimuli is unknown. Our results using human monocytes from healthy donors demonstrate that the Warburg effect only holds true for TLR4 activated cells. Although activation of other TLRs leads to an increase in glycolysis, no reduction or even an enhancement in oxidative phosphorylation is observed. Moreover, specific metabolic rewiring occurs in TLR4 vs. TLR2 stimulated cells characterized by altered gene expression profiles of pathways related to metabolism, changes in spare respiratory capacity of the cells and differential regulation of mitochondrial enzyme activity. Similarly, results from ex vivo and in vivo studies demonstrate metabolic rewiring of immune cells that is highly dependent on the type of pathogenic stimulus. Although the Warburg effect is observed in human monocytes after TLR4 activation, we propose that this typical metabolic response is not applicable to other inflammatory signalling routes including TLR2 in human monocytes. Instead, each pathogenic stimulus and subsequently activated inflammatory signalling cascade induces specific metabolic rewiring of the immune cell to accommodate an appropriate response.
Microbial stimulation of different Toll-like receptor signalling pathways induces diverse metabolic programmes in human monocytes.
Specimen part, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesPeroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR) is a key regulator of hepatic fat oxidation that serves as an energy source during starvation. Vanin-1 has been described as a putative PPAR target gene in liver, but its function in hepatic lipid metabolism is unknown. We investigated the regulation of vanin-1, and total vanin activity, by PPAR in mice and humans. Furthermore, the function of vanin-1 in the development of hepatic steatosis in response to starvation was examined in Vnn1 deficient mice, and in rats treated with an inhibitor of vanin activity. Liver microarray analyses reveals that Vnn1 is the most prominently regulated gene after modulation of PPAR activity. In addition, activation of mouse PPAR regulates hepatic- and plasma vanin activity. In humans, consistent with regulation by PPAR, plasma vanin activity increases in all subjects after prolonged fasting, as well as after treatment with the PPAR agonist fenofibrate. In mice, absence of vanin-1 exacerbates the fasting-induced increase in hepatic triglyceride levels. Similarly, inhibition of vanin activity in rats induces accumulation of hepatic triglycerides upon fasting. Microarray analysis reveal that the absence of vanin-1 associates with gene sets involved in liver steatosis, and reduces pathways involved in oxidative stress and inflammation. We show that hepatic vanin-1 is under extremely sensitive regulation by PPAR and that plasma vanin activity could serve as a readout of changes in PPAR activity in human subjects. In addition, our data propose a role for vanin-1 in regulation of hepatic TG levels during fasting.
PPAR-alpha dependent regulation of vanin-1 mediates hepatic lipid metabolism.
Sex, Specimen part, Time
View SamplesObesity induces macrophages to drive inflammation in adipose tissue, a crucial step towards the development of type 2 diabetes. The tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediate succinate is released from cells under metabolic stress and has recently emerged as a metabolic signal induced by proinflammatory stimuli. We therefore investigated whether succinate receptor 1 (SUCNR1) could play a role in the development of adipose tissue inflammation and type 2 diabetes. Succinate levels were determined in human plasma samples from individuals with type 2 diabetes and non-diabetic participants. Succinate release from adipose tissue explants was studied. Sucnr1 -/- and wild-type (WT) littermate mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) or low-fat diet (LFD) for 16 weeks. Serum metabolic variables, adipose tissue inflammation, macrophage migration and glucose tolerance were determined. We show that hypoxia and hyperglycaemia independently drive the release of succinate from mouse adipose tissue (17-fold and up to 18-fold, respectively) and that plasma levels of succinate were higher in participants with type 2 diabetes compared with non-diabetic individuals (+53%; p < 0.01). Sucnr1 -/- mice had significantly reduced numbers of macrophages (0.56 0.07 vs 0.92 0.15 F4/80 cells/adipocytes, p < 0.05) and crown-like structures (0.06 0.02 vs 0.14 0.02, CLS/adipocytes p < 0.01) in adipose tissue and significantly improved glucose tolerance (p < 0.001) compared with WT mice fed an HFD, despite similarly increased body weights. Consistently, macrophages from Sucnr1 -/- mice showed reduced chemotaxis towards medium collected from apoptotic and hypoxic adipocytes (-59%; p < 0.05). Our results reveal that activation of SUCNR1 in macrophages is important for both infiltration and inflammation of adipose tissue in obesity, and suggest that SUCNR1 is a promising therapeutic target in obesity-induced type 2 diabetes.
SUCNR1-mediated chemotaxis of macrophages aggravates obesity-induced inflammation and diabetes.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesCytokines of the IL-1 family are important modulators of obesity-induced inflammation and the development of systemic insulin resistance. Here, we report that IL-37, a newly-described antiinflammatory member of the IL-1 family, affects obesity-induced inflammation and insulin resistance. IL-37 transgenic mice (IL-37tg) did not develop an obese phenotype in response to a high-fat diet (HFD). Unlike WT mice, IL-37tg mice exhibited reduced numbers of adipose tissue macrophages and preserved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity after 16 weeks of HFD. A short-term HFD intervention revealed that the IL-37-mediated improvement in glucose tolerance is independent of bodyweight. IL-37tg mice manifested a beneficial metabolic profile with higher circulating levels of the anti-inflammatory adipokine adiponectin. In vitro treatment of differentiating adipocytes with recombinant IL-37 reduced adipogenesis. The beneficial effects of recombinant IL-37 involved activation of AMPK signaling. In humans, steady-state IL-37 adipose tissue mRNA levels were positively correlated with insulin sensitivity, lower adipose tissue levels of leptin and a lower inflammatory status of the adipose tissue. These findings reveal IL-37 as an important anti-inflammatory modulator during obesity-induced inflammation and insulin resistance in both mice and humans and suggest that IL-37 is a potential target for the treatment of obesity-induced insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
IL-37 protects against obesity-induced inflammation and insulin resistance.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesAfter an acclimatization period with increasing temperature (from 27 to 35째C; ~1째C increment/day), adult zebrafish males were exposed to 35째C for 14 days and injected with the cytostatic agent busulfan (single intraperitoneal injection after 7 days at 35째C; 40 mg/Kg). Then, fish were placed back to normal water temperature and testis samples collected at different time points. Morphological analysis of testicular samples showed maximum germ cell depletion 10 days post busulfan injection (i.e. 10 dpi) and the recovery of endogenous spermatogenesis ~14 dpi. Total RNA was isolated from (1) testes of untreated adult control zebrafish, (2) germ cell-depleted, and (3) testis tissue at the beginning of the recovery period, and selected samples were used for library preparation Overall design: 15 samples in total were analyzed: 5 biological replicates from control testis samples, 5 biological replicates from depleted testis samples and 5 biological replicates from recovering testis samples
Endocrine and local signaling interact to regulate spermatogenesis in zebrafish: follicle-stimulating hormone, retinoic acid and androgens.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesRNA was isolated from bronchial brushings obtained from current and former smokers with and without COPD. mRNA expression was profiled using Affymetrix Human Gene 1.0 ST Arrays.
A dynamic bronchial airway gene expression signature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung function impairment.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesBacterial lipopolysaccharide(LPS) dramatically activates macrophages. So far, dozen of papers indicated that many proinflammatory molecules are transcriptionaly regulated during response. Despite of this,translational regulation is not fully elucidated especially in a comprehensive fashion. In this series, we investigated expression profiles of translation active (polysome) inactive (free mRNP) mRNAs of a typical mouse macrophage cell line, J774.1. Moreover, we also measured total cellular RNA level as a reference.
Genome-wide identification and characterization of transcripts translationally regulated by bacterial lipopolysaccharide in macrophage-like J774.1 cells.
Specimen part
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