The reduced folate carrier (RFC1) is an integral membrane protein and facilitative anion exchanger that mediates delivery of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate into mammalian cells. Adequate maternal-fetal transport of folate is necessary for normal embryogenesis. Targeted inactivation of the murine RFC1 gene results in post-implantation embryo lethality, but daily folic acid supplementation of pregnant dams prolongs survival of homozygous embryos until mid-gestation. At E10.5 RFC1-/- embryos are developmentally delayed relative to wildtype littermates, have multiple malformations, including neural tube defects, and die due to failure of chorioallantoic fusion. The mesoderm is sparse and disorganized, and there is a marked absence of erythrocytes in yolk sac blood islands. Affymetrix microarray analysis and quantitative RT-PCR validation of the relative gene expression profiles in E9.5 RFC1-/- vs. RFC1+/+ embryos indicates a dramatic downregulation of multiple genes involved in erythropoiesis, and upregulation of several genes that form the cubilin-megalin multiligand endocytic receptor complex. Megalin protein expression disappears from the visceral yolk sac of RFC1-/- embryos, and cubilin protein is widely misexpressed. Inactivation of RFC1 impacts the expression of several ligands and interacting proteins in the cubilin-amnionless-megalin complex that are involved in the maternal-fetal transport of folate, vitamin B12, and other nutrients, lipids and morphogens required for normal embryogenesis.
Microarray analysis of E9.5 reduced folate carrier (RFC1; Slc19a1) knockout embryos reveals altered expression of genes in the cubilin-megalin multiligand endocytic receptor complex.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesTargeting immunomodulatory pathways has ushered a new era in lung cancer therapy. Further progress requires deeper insights into the nature and dynamics of immune cells in the lung cancer micro-environment. Dendritic cells (DCs) represent a heterogenous and highly plastic immune cell system with a central role in controlling immune responses. The intratumoral infiltration and activation status of DCs emerge as clinically relevant parameters in lung cancer. In this study we used an orthotopic preclinical model of lung cancer to interrogate the transcriptome of lung tumor-infiltrating DCs and extract novel biologically and clinically relevant information. Lung tumor-infiltrating leukocytes expressing generic DC markers were found to predominantly consist of CD11b+ cells which, compared to peritumoral lung DC counterparts, strongly over-express the T cell inhibitory molecule PD-L1 and acquire classic markers of tumor-supporting macrophages (TAM) on their surface. Transcriptome analysis of these CD11b+ tumor-infiltrating DCs (TIDCs) indicates impaired anti-tumoral immunogenicity, confirms the skewing towards TAM-related features, and indicates exposure to a hypoxic environment. In paralled, TIDCs display a specific micro-RNA signature dominated by the prototypical lung cancer oncomir miR-31. Hypoxia was found to drive intrinsic miR-31 expression in CD11b+DCs. Conditioned medium of mir-31-overexpressing CD11b+DCs induces pro-invasive lung cancer cell shape changes and is enriched with the pro-metastatic factors S100A8 and S100A9. Finally, analysis of TCGA datasets reveals that the TIDC-associated miRNA signature has a negative prognostic impact in non-small cell lung cancer. Together, these data suggest a novel mechanism through which lung cancer co-opts the plasticity of the DC system to support tumoral progression. Targeting immunomodulatory pathways has ushered a new era in lung cancer therapy. Further progress requires deeper insights into the nature and dynamics of immune cells in the lung cancer micro-environment. Dendritic cells (DCs) represent a heterogenous and highly plastic immune cell system with a central role in controlling immune responses. The intratumoral infiltration and activation status of DCs emerge as clinically relevant parameters in lung cancer. In this study we used an orthotopic preclinical model of lung cancer to interrogate the transcriptome of lung tumor-infiltrating DCs and extract novel biologically and clinically relevant information. Lung tumor-infiltrating leukocytes expressing generic DC markers were found to predominantly consist of CD11b+ cells which, compared to peritumoral lung DC counterparts, strongly over-express the T cell inhibitory molecule PD-L1 and acquire classic markers of tumor-supporting macrophages (TAM) on their surface. Transcriptome analysis of these CD11b+ tumor-infiltrating DCs (TIDCs) indicates impaired anti-tumoral immunogenicity, confirms the skewing towards TAM-related features, and indicates exposure to a hypoxic environment. In paralled, TIDCs display a specific micro-RNA signature dominated by the prototypical lung cancer oncomir miR-31. Hypoxia was found to drive intrinsic miR-31 expression in CD11b+DCs. Conditioned medium of mir-31-overexpressing CD11b+DCs induces pro-invasive lung cancer cell shape changes and is enriched with the pro-metastatic factors S100A8 and S100A9. Finally, analysis of TCGA datasets reveals that the TIDC-associated miRNA signature has a negative prognostic impact in non-small cell lung cancer. Together, these data suggest a novel mechanism through which lung cancer co-opts the plasticity of the DC system to support tumoral progression.
The transcriptome of lung tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells reveals a tumor-supporting phenotype and a microRNA signature with negative impact on clinical outcome.
Specimen part
View SamplesHypocalcemic vitamin D analogs are appealing molecules to exploit the immunomodulatory actions of active vitamin D in vivo. The functional modulation of dendritic cells is regarded as the key mechanism underlying their ability to regulate T cell responses. In contrast, the direct actions of vitamin D and structural analogs on T lymphocytes remain less well characterized.
The vitamin D analog, TX527, promotes a human CD4+CD25highCD127low regulatory T cell profile and induces a migratory signature specific for homing to sites of inflammation.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesEnterocytes assemble dietary lipids into chylomicron particles that are taken up by intestinal lacteal vessels and peripheral tissues. Although chylomicrons are known to assemble in part within membrane secretory pathways, the modifications required for efficient vascular uptake are unknown. We report that the transcription factor Pleomorphic adenoma gene-like 2 (PLAGL2) is essential for this aspect of dietary lipid metabolism. PlagL2-/- mice die from post-natal wasting owing to failure of fat absorption. Lipids modified in the absence of PlagL2 exit from enterocytes but fail to enter interstitial lacteal vessels. Dysregulation of enterocyte genes closely linked to intracellular membrane transport identified candidate regulators of critical steps in chylomicron assembly. PlagL2 thus regulates essential and poorly understood aspects of dietary lipid absorption and its deficiency represents an authentic animal model with implications for amelioration of obesity or the metabolic syndrome.
Loss of the PlagL2 transcription factor affects lacteal uptake of chylomicrons.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesHigh-density lipoproteins (HDLs) protect pancreatic cells against apoptosis. This property might be related to the increased risk to develop diabetes in patients with low HDL blood levels. However, the mechanisms by which HDLs protect cells are poorly characterized. Here we use a transcriptomic approach to identify genes differentially modulated by HDLs in cells subjected to apoptotic stimuli.
Involvement of 4E-BP1 in the protection induced by HDLs on pancreatic beta-cells.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesChemokines have been suggested to play a role during development of left ventricular failure, but little is known about their role during right ventricular (RV) remodeling and dysfunction. The first aim of this study was to identify chemokines which are regulated during RV pressure overload. We then hypothesized that these chemokines regulate SLRPs (small leucine-rich proteoglycans)
Chemokines regulate small leucine-rich proteoglycans in the extracellular matrix of the pressure-overloaded right ventricle.
Sex, Specimen part, Disease
View SamplesSignal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is altered in several epithelial cancers and represents a potential therapeutic target. Here, STAT3 expression, activity and cellular functions were examined in two main histotypes of esophageal carcinomas. In situ, immunohistochemistry for STAT3 and STAT3-Tyr705 phosphorylation (P-STAT3) in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCC) and Barretts adenocarcinomas (BAC) revealed similar STAT3 expression in ESCCs and BACs, but preferentially activated P-STAT3 in ESCCs. In vitro, strong STAT3 activation was seen by EGF-stimulation in OE21 (ESCC) cells, whilst OE33 (BAC) cells showed constitutive weak STAT3 activation. STAT3 knockdown significantly reduced cell proliferation of OE21 and OE33 cells and reduced cell migration in OE33, but not in OE21 cells. Transcriptome analysis identified STAT3-knockdown associated down-regulation of cell cycle processes and the selective down-regulation of cyclins and cyclin dependent kinaes associated genes in both OE21 and OE33 cells. Moreover, the transcriptome response showed changes in cell migration/invasion related genes that correlated with the associated phenotype measurements. This study demonstrates the importance of STAT3 expression and activation in esophageal carcinomas, whereby the extent differs between ESCCs and BACs. STAT3 knockdown significantly reduces cell proliferation in both types of esophageal cancer cells and inhibits migration in BAC cells. Thus, STAT3 may be further exploited as potential novel therapeutic target for esophageal cancers.
STAT3 expression, activity and functional consequences of STAT3 inhibition in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas and Barrett's adenocarcinomas.
Cell line, Treatment
View SamplesInflammatory mechanisms have been suggested to play a role in the development of heart failure (HF), but a role for chemokines is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of the chemokine CXCL13 and its receptor CXCR5 in cardiac pathophysiology leading to HF
Lack of chemokine signaling through CXCR5 causes increased mortality, ventricular dilatation and deranged matrix during cardiac pressure overload.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesProstate cancer is the most common male cancer and androgen receptor (AR) is the major driver of the disease. Here we show that Enoyl-CoA delta isomerase 2 (ECI2) is a novel AR-target that promotes prostate cancer cell survival. Increased ECI2 expression predicts mortality in prostate cancer patients (p=0.0086). ECI2 encodes for an enzyme involved in lipid metabolism, and we use multiple metabolite profiling platforms and RNA-seq to show that inhibition of ECI2 expression leads to decreased glucose utilization, accumulation of fatty acids and down-regulation of cell cycle related genes. In normal cells, decrease in fatty acid degradation is compensated by increased consumption of glucose, and here we demonstrate that prostate cancer cells are not able to respond to decreased fatty acid degradation. Instead, prostate cancer cells activate incomplete autophagy, which is followed by activation of the cell death response. Finally, we identified a clinically approved compound, perhexiline, which inhibits fatty acid degradation, and replicates the major findings for ECI2 knockdown. This work shows that prostate cancer cells require lipid degradation for survival and identifies a small molecule inhibitor with therapeutic potential. Overall design: Two biological replicates for prostate cancer cell line (LNCaP) and cell line representing normal prostate epithelium (RWPE-1), transfected with scrambled siRNA or two different siRNAs targeting ECI2. RNA was extracted and used for RNA-sequencing. The processed files provided are compressed folders containing multiple output files from CuffDiff runs estimating differentially expressed transcripts between the indicated ECI2 siRNA treated cells versus cells treated with Scrambled siRNAs.
Lipid degradation promotes prostate cancer cell survival.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesWe report a highly-penetrant form of obesity, initially observed in 31 heterozygous carriers of a 593kb or larger deletion at 16p11.2 from amongst subjects ascertained for cognitive deficits. Nineteen similar deletions were identified from GWAS data in 16053 individuals from 8 European cohorts; such deletions was absent from healthy non-obese controls and accounted for 0.7% of our morbid obesity cases (p = 6.4x10-8, OR = 43). These findings highlight a promising strategy for identifying missing heritability in obesity and other complex traits, in which insights from rare extreme cases can be used to elucidate the basis for more common phenotypes.
A new highly penetrant form of obesity due to deletions on chromosome 16p11.2.
Specimen part, Disease
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