Fibroblast growth factor 21 (Fgf21) has emerged as a potential plasma marker to diagnose non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). To study the molecular processes underlying the association of plasma Fgf21 with NAFLD, we explored the liver transcriptome data of a mild NAFLD model of aging C57BL/6J mice at 12, 24, and 28 months of age. The plasma Fgf21 level significantly correlated with intrahepatic triglyceride content. At the molecular level, elevated plasma Fgf21 levels were associated with dysregulated metabolic and cancer-related pathways. The up-regulated Fgf21 levels in NAFLD were implied to be a protective response against the NAFLD-induced adverse effects, e.g. lipotoxicity, oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress. An in vivo PPARalpha challenge demonstrated the dysregulation of PPARalpha signalling in the presence of NAFLD, which resulted in a stochastically increasing hepatic expression of Fgf21. Notably, elevated plasma Fgf21 was associated with declining expression of Klb, Fgf21s crucial co-receptor, which suggests a resistance to Fgf21. Therefore, although liver fat accumulation is a benign stage of NAFLD, the elevated plasma Fgf21 likely indicated vulnerability to metabolic stressors that may contribute towards progression to end-stage NAFLD. In conclusion, plasma levels of Fgf21 reflect liver fat accumulation and dysregulation of metabolic pathways in the liver.
Fibroblast growth factor 21 reflects liver fat accumulation and dysregulation of signalling pathways in the liver of C57BL/6J mice.
Sex, Age
View SamplesRed blood cells (RBCs) mature within a specialized niche (the erythroblastic island (EI)), which consists of a central macrophage surrounded by differentiating erythroblasts. Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell derived macrophages (iPSC-DMs) enhance proliferation and terminal maturation of Umbilical Cord Blood (UCB) CD34+ derived erythroid cells and iPSC derived erythroid cells. These effects are further increased when an inducible KLF1-ERT2 fusion protein is activated in iPSC-DMs. To assess the mechanism of action, we sought to compare the transcriptome of iPSC-DMs with and without KLF1 activation. For this, we used an inducible IPSC line (iKLF1.2) in which upon tamoxifen addition, the KLF1 transcription factor is translocated to nucleus and consequently KLF1 downstream targets are expressed. The identification and characterisation of could identify factors involved in erythroid maturation and thus helpful to improve current protocols to manufacture RBCs in vitro. Overall design: iKLF1.2 iPSCs were differentiated to macrophages and then split into 2 groups, one was treated with tamoxifen for the last 4 days of culture to activate KLF1. The other group was not treated with tamoxifen. Four biologically independent differentiation experiments were carried out and so 8 samples were generated: 4 samples of untreated iKLF1.2 iPSCs-derived macrophages and 4 samples of tamoxifen treated iKLF1.2 iPSC-derived macrophages. Total RNA was extracted from each sample and RNA integrity was of a high enough quality for library preparation, as all RIN values were above 9 for every sample.
Genetic programming of macrophages generates an in vitro model for the human erythroid island niche.
Specimen part, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesThe p53 protein is a cell-autonomous tumor suppressor that restricts malignant transformation by triggering cell cycle exit or apoptosis. p53 also promotes cellular senescence, a program that triggers a stable cell cycle arrest and can modify the tissue microenvironment through its effect on cell membrane and secretory proteins. Here we show that specific ablation of p53 in hepatic stellate cells, which undergo a process of proliferation and senescence in the fibrogenic response to liver damage, enhances liver cirrhosis, reduces survival and increases the malignant transformation of adjacent epithelial cells into hepatocellular carcinoma. This p53-dependent senescence program involves the release of secreted proteins which skew macrophages into a tumor-inhibiting M1-state that can eliminate senescent stellate cells. In contrast, p53-deficient stellate cells secrete factors that promote M2 polarization, which is pro-tumorigenic. Our study reveals that p53 can exert a non-cell-autonomous tumor suppressor response and suggests that this occurs, in part, by its ability to influence macrophage polarization.
Non-cell-autonomous tumor suppression by p53.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesLung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death. Genome sequencing of lung tumors from patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma has identified SMAD4 to be frequently mutated. Here we used a novel mouse model to determine the molecular mechanisms regulated by loss of Smad4 which lead to lung cancer progression. Mice with ablation of Pten and Smad4 in airway epithelium developed metastatic adenosquamous tumors. Comparative transcriptomic and in vivo cistromic analyses determined that loss of PTEN and SMAD4 resulted in activation of the ELF3 and the ErbB2 pathway due to decreased ERRFI1s expression, a negative regulator of ERBB2 in mice and human cells. The combinatorial inhibition of ErbB2 and Akt signaling attenuated tumor progression and cell invasion, respectively. Expression profiles analysis of human lung tumors substantiated the importance of the ErbB2/Akt/ELF3 signaling pathway as both prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic drug targets for treating lung cancer.
ErbB2 Pathway Activation upon Smad4 Loss Promotes Lung Tumor Growth and Metastasis.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesLung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death in both men and women in the United States. Recently, Smad4 was discovered to be common somatic alteration in human squamous cell lung cancer. Our goal was to delineate the role of Smad4 in lung cancer. We have shown for the first time that the ablation of Pten and Smad4 in the murine airway epithelium harbors a metastatic proximal adeno-squamous lung cancer.
ErbB2 Pathway Activation upon Smad4 Loss Promotes Lung Tumor Growth and Metastasis.
Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage
View SamplesRecent efforts have uncovered immense transcriptional and ontogenetic diversity among tissue-resident macrophages, each with their own transcriptional profile endowing the cell with its tissue-specific functions. However, it is currently unknown whether the origins of different macrophage populations may affect their roles in malignancy. Given potential artifacts associated with irradiation-based lineage tracing, it remains unclear if bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) are even present in tumors of the brain, a tissue where there is no homeostatic involvement of peripherally-derived myeloid cells. Here, we employed multiple models of murine brain malignancy and genetic lineage tracing models to demonstrate that BMDM are indeed abundant in primary and metastatic brain tumors. Transcriptional profiling of tumor-associated BMDM and resident microglia showed that these cells acquire substantially different gene expression profiles. Our data suggest that transcriptional networks in each cell population are associated with tumor-mediated education, yet are also influenced by chromatin landscapes established before tumor initiation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that microglia specifically repress Itga4 (CD49D), enabling its utility as a discriminatory marker between brain-resident microglia and peripherally-derived macrophages in both primary and metastatic disease in mouse and human. Overall design: Tumor associated microglia and macrophages were isolated from mouse glioma tumors. Samples are provided as matched microglia and macrophages from 3 tumors.
Macrophage Ontogeny Underlies Differences in Tumor-Specific Education in Brain Malignancies.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesWe show that NRF2 activation drives hepatocellular carcinoma development in vivo. Moreover, NRF2 undergoes glucose dependent modification called glycation and requires the de-glycating enzyme FN3K to maintain NRF2' oncogenic functions. Overall design: Gene expression analysis in MYC-driven murine HCC with and without NRF2 activation. NRF2 is activated by targeting its negative regulators Keap1 or Cul3 or targeting NRF2 ETGE motif by sgRNA/Cas9 editing.
The Oncogenic Action of NRF2 Depends on De-glycation by Fructosamine-3-Kinase.
Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage, Subject
View SamplesGlioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor in adults, can be divided into several molecular subtypes including proneural GBM. Most clinical strategies aimed at directly targeting glioma cells in these tumors have failed. A promising alternative is to target stromal cells in the brain microenvironment, such as tumor-associated microglia and macrophages (TAMs). Macrophages are dependent upon colony stimulating factor (CSF)-1 for differentiation and survival; therefore, we used an inhibitor of its receptor, CSF-1R, to target macrophages in a mouse proneural GBM model. CSF-1R inhibition dramatically increased survival in mice and regressed established GBMs. Tumor cell apoptosis was significantly increased, and proliferation and tumor grade markedly decreased. Surprisingly, TAMs were not depleted in tumors treated with the CSF-1R inhibitor. Instead, analysis of gene expression in TAMs isolated from treated tumors revealed a decrease in alternatively activated/ M2 macrophage markers, consistent with impaired tumor-promoting functions. These gene signatures were also associated with better survival specifically in the proneural subtype of patient gliomas. Collectively, these results establish macrophages as valid therapeutic targets in proneural gliomas, and highlight the clinical potential for CSF-1R inhibitors in GBM.
CSF-1R inhibition alters macrophage polarization and blocks glioma progression.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesHep3B and Huh7 cells pre-treated with XL413 for 10 days to induce senescence prior to sertraline treatment for 24 hours. For RNA sequencing, the library was prepared using TruSeq RNA sample prep kit according to the manufacturer's protocol (Illumina). Gene set enrichment analysis was performed using gene set enrichment analysis software. Overall design: RNA seq data of Hep3B-control, Hep3B-sertraline, Hep3B-XL413, Hep3B-XL413-sertraline, Huh7-control, Huh7-sertraline, Huh7-XL413, Huh7-XL413-sertraline cells, to check gene expression signatures
Inducing and exploiting vulnerabilities for the treatment of liver cancer.
Specimen part, Cell line, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesPurpose: to check senescence gene expression signature in XL413 treated liver cancer cells. Methods: Hep3B and Huh7 cells are treated with XL413 for 4 days. For RNA sequencing, the library was prepared using TruSeq RNA sample prep kit according to the manufacturer's protocol (Illumina). Gene set enrichment analysis was performed using gene set enrichment analysis software. The FRIDMAN_SENESCENCE_UP gene set was used to assess the enrichment of senescence-associated genes in the XL413-treated versus control cells. Overall design: RNA seq data of Hep3B-control, Hep3B-XL413, Huh7-control, and Huh7-XL413 cells, to check senescence gene expression signature
Inducing and exploiting vulnerabilities for the treatment of liver cancer.
Specimen part, Cell line, Treatment, Subject
View Samples