Background: The ability to predict the spatial frequency of relapses in multiple sclerosis (MS) would enable treating physicians to decide when to intervene more aggressively and to plan clinical trials more accurately. Methods: In the current study our objective was to determine if subsets of genes can predict the time to the next acute relapse in patients with MS. Data-mining and predictive modeling tools were utilized to analyze a gene-expression dataset of 94 non-treated patients; 62 patients with definite MS and 32 patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). The dataset included the expression levels of 10,594 genes and annotated sequences corresponding to 22,215 gene-transcripts that appear in the microarray. Results: We designed a two stage predictor. The first stage predictor was based on the expression level of 10 genes, and predicted the time to next relapse with a resolution of 500 days (error rate 0.079, p< 0.001). If the predicted relapse was to occur in less than 500 days, a second stage predictor based on an additional different set of 9 genes was used, resulting in a prediction with a resolution of 50 days as to the timing of the next relapse. The error rate of this predictor was 2.3 fold lower than the error rate of random predictions (error rate = 0.35, p<0.001). The predictors were further evaluated and found effective not only in untreated patients but were also valid for MS patients which subsequently received immunomodulatory treatments after the initial testing (the error rate of the first level predictor was < 0.18 with p<0.001 for all the patient groups). Conclusions: We conclude that gene expression analysis is a valuable tool that can be used in clinical practice to predict future MS disease activity. Similar approach can be also useful for dealing with other autoimmune diseases that characterized by relapsing-remitting nature
Prediction of acute multiple sclerosis relapses by transcription levels of peripheral blood cells.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage
View SamplesInterferon (IFN) beta-1a is an approved treatment for relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and has been examined for use in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). However, no information regarding blood transcriptional changes induced by IFN treatment in SPMS patients is available.
Transcriptional response to interferon beta-1a treatment in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.
Sex, Age, Treatment
View SamplesMolecular mechanisms that influence susceptibility to multiple sclerosis are poorly understood. We conducted a gene expression study in healthy subjects that subsequently developed the disease. Gene expression profiles (HG U133A and A2, Affymetrix, 22,215 transcripts) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were analyzed in 9 healthy subjects (mean age 19.8+1.1 years) up to 9 years (mean 5.11.2 years) before onset of MS (MS to be, MS2b), 11 age-, gender-, and origin-matched subjects that remained MS-free (MSf), and 31 clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) patients. Most informative genes (p<0.05) and significant biological processes were compared. 1051 genes (611 up-regulated, 440 down-regulated) were significantly different between MS2b and MSf subjects. MS2b signature was characterized by down-regulation of the nuclear receptor (NR) family genes including NR subfamily 4 group A member1 (NR4A1, p=0.01), member 3 (NR4A3, p=0.01), NR subfamily 2 group F member 2 (NR2F1, p=0.03) and vitamin D receptor (VDR, p=0.02), all known to be involved in T-cell regulation by apoptosis. Comparison between MS2b and CIS operating networks demonstrated evolution of the altered NR dependent apoptosis regulation. Decreased NR4A1 expression was verified at the mRNA and protein level in an independent cohort of 20 relapsing-remitting MS patients. The identified MS trait is associated with suppressed transcription of NR networks that leads to altered apoptosis of activated T cells and the development of clinical disease. MS2b subjects have already an ongoing process that eventually will lead to clinical disease and our finding are of importance as they suggest the possibility of early detection and prevention of MS.
Microarray analysis identifies altered regulation of nuclear receptor family members in the pre-disease state of multiple sclerosis.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage
View SamplesOptic neuritis (ON) is a common manifestation of multiple sclerosis (MS); it appears as the presenting symptom in about 25% of MS patients and occurs in 3070% of patients with MS during the course of their illness
The role of B cells in the early onset of the first demyelinating event of acute optic neuritis.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Topology of the human and mouse m6A RNA methylomes revealed by m6A-seq.
Specimen part, Cell line, Treatment
View SamplesDS children have a 500-fold increased risk for developing acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL). Around 10% of DS newborns have a transient myeloproliferative disorder (TMD) that resolves spontaneously. Somatic mutations acquired during fetal hematopoiesis in the GATA1 transcription factor are detected in megakaryoblasts from all the DS TMDs or AMKLs. GATA1 is an X chromosome transcription factor essential for the development of multiple hematopoietic lineages. Loss of GATA1 results in embryonic lethality due to severe anemia. The GATA1 mutations result in the expression of a shorter isoform, GATA1s. Replacement of GATA1 with GATA1s causes transient proliferation of immature fetal megakaryocytic progenitors. The Hsa21 ETS transcription factor, ERG, is expressed in megakaryocytes and erythrocytes and is involved in several types of cancer. Mutation in GATA1 gene leading to expression of the short isoform (GATA1s) that occurs on the background of trisomy 21 is regarded as one of the driving forces for megakaryocytic expansion observed in DS fetal livers. ERG, which is located on chromosome 21, is considered one of the leading candidates to cooperate with GATA1 mutation in the generation of DS AMKL. To study the in vivo cooperation between ERG and GATA1 isoforms, we crossed the ERG transgenic mice with the GATA1s Knock-in mice (GATA null background). We found that males expressing both ERG and the short isoform of GATA1(GATA1s) died in uterus between embryonic days E121/2 and E141/2.We studied erythropoiesis and megakaryopoiesis in fetal livers from the different genotypes generated from our cross.
No associated publication
Sex
View SamplesSpontaneous neural repair from endogenous neural stem cells (NSCs) occurs in response to central nervous system (CNS) injuries or diseases to only a limited extent from endogenous NSCs niches. Uncovering the mechanisms that control neural repair and can be further manipulated to promote towards oligodendrocyte progenitors cells (OPCs) and myelinating oligodendrocytes is a major objective.
Prickle1 as positive regulator of oligodendrocyte differentiation.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Time
View SamplesThe insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-IR) and androgen (AR) receptors are important players in prostate cancer biology. Functional interactions between the IGF-I and androgen signaling pathways seem to have crucial roles in the progression of prostate cancer from early (benign) to advanced (metastatic) stages. DNA methylation is a major epigenetic alteration affecting gene expression. Hypermethylation of tumor suppressor promoters is a frequent event in human cancer, leading to inactivation and repression of specific genes. The aim of the present study was to identify the entire set of methylated genes (methylome) in a cellular model that replicates prostate cancer progression.
Global methylation analysis identifies PITX2 as an upstream regulator of the androgen receptor and IGF-I receptor genes in prostate cancer.
Cell line, Treatment, Time
View SamplesRecently, a frequent chromosomal aberration fusing Androgen regulated TMPRSS2 promoter and the ERG gene (T/ERG) was discovered in prostate cancer. Several studies demonstrated cooperation between the T/ERG and other defective pathways in cancer progression however, the biological mechanism by which the T/ERG operates is yet to be determined. Using immortalized prostate epithelial cells (EP) model we were able to show that EP with the combination of androgen receptor(AR) and T/ERG(EP-AR T/ERG cell line) demonstrate an Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) manifested by a mesenchyme-like morphological appearance and behavior.
TMPRSS2/ERG promotes epithelial to mesenchymal transition through the ZEB1/ZEB2 axis in a prostate cancer model.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesThe Ets transcription factor, ERG, plays a central role in definitive hematopoiesis and its overexpression in acute myeloid leukemia is associated with a stem cell signature and bad prognosis. However, little is known about the underlying mechanism by which ERG causes leukemia. Therefore we sought to identify ERG targets that participate in development of leukemia by integration of expression arrays and Chromatin immunoprecipitation.
Genome-scale expression and transcription factor binding profiles reveal therapeutic targets in transgenic ERG myeloid leukemia.
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