Altered phosphatidylcholine (PC) metabolism in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) can provide choline-based imaging approaches as powerful tools to improve diagnosis and identify new therapeutic targets. Biochemical, protein and mRNA expression analyses demonstrated that the increase in the major choline-containing metabolite phosphocholine (PCho) in EOC compared with normal and non-tumoral immortalized counterparts (EONT) mainly rely upon: 1) ChoK activation, consistent with higher protein content and increased ChoKalpha mRNA expression levels; 2) PC-plc activation, consistent with higher, previously reported, protein expression. More limited and variable sources of PCho could derive, in some EOC cells, from activation of Phospholipase D or GPC-pd. Phospholipase A2 activity and isoforms expression levels were lower or unchanged in EOC compared with EONT cells. Increased ChoKalpha mRNA, as well as ChoK and PC-plc protein expression, were also detected in surgical specimens isolated from EOC patients. Overall, we demonstrated that the elevated PCho pool detected in EOC cells primarily resulted from the upregulation/activation of ChoK and PC-plc involved in the biosynthetic and in a degradative pathway of the PC-cycle, respectively.
Activation of phosphatidylcholine cycle enzymes in human epithelial ovarian cancer cells.
Age, Specimen part, Disease stage, Cell line
View SamplesOur previous studies have shown that C/EBP plays a critical role in human endometrial stromal decidualization. In order to identify the molecular pathways regulated by C/EBP during decidualization, we performed gene expression profiling using RNA isolated from normal and C/EBP-deficient human endometrial stromal cells. The microarray results revealed that several key regulators of stromal differentiation, such as BMP2, Wnt4, IL-11R and STAT3, operate downstream of C/EBP during decidualization. Further studies revealed that STAT3 is a direct target of C/EBP and plays an important role in cytokine signal during the decidualization process. Gene expression profiling, using STAT3-deficient HESCs, showed an extensive overlap of pathways downstream of STAT3 and C/EBP during stromal cell differentiation.
Regulation of human endometrial stromal proliferation and differentiation by C/EBPβ involves cyclin E-cdk2 and STAT3.
Specimen part
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Ulipristal blocks ovulation by inhibiting progesterone receptor-dependent pathways intrinsic to the ovary.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesUlipristal acetate (UPA), also referred to as VA/CDB-2914, is a new and promising emergency contraceptive. It is a selective progesterone receptor modulator (SPRM) that has been approved in Europe and the USA for emergency contraception.
Ulipristal blocks ovulation by inhibiting progesterone receptor-dependent pathways intrinsic to the ovary.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesPrevious studies have shown that PR is a critical regulator of ovulation. The PR-null mice (PRKO) failed to ovulate due to a failure in the rupture of the preovulatory follicles.
Ulipristal blocks ovulation by inhibiting progesterone receptor-dependent pathways intrinsic to the ovary.
Specimen part
View SamplesWe studied the changes that occur in gene transcription during seasonal senescence in Populus trichocarpa pioneer leaves and fine roots. Plant senescence is a strictly regulated physiological process that allows relocating of valuable nutrients from senescent tissues before death. It might be induced by internal or external factors and among them, phytohormones play an undoubtedly significant role. Senescence was extensively studied in leaves, but the aging of other ephemeral organs, located underground, and its drivers are still poorly understood. We focused on collective results to fill in the knowledge gap about senescence of fine, absorptive roots and leaves in order to check if there are universal mechanisms involved during plant organ senescence. Transcriptional profiling was conducted with the use of microarrays to identify genes involved in developmental PCD. Samples were collected three times during a growth season. The first collection was considered as a control and was collected in early summer (July 7–15) when leaves and the root system were fully developed and functional. The second group of leaf and root samples were harvested in early autumn (October 1–7) when chlorophyll levels in leaves had decreased by approximately 40% and when fine roots had changed in color from white to brown. The third group of samples were harvested in the middle of autumn (November 2–9) when chlorophyll levels in leaves decreased by approximately 65% and fine roots were dark brown or black color. Our results reveal the important role of phytohormones in regulating the senescence of both studied organs. The transcriptomic analyses showed significant changes in gene expression that are associated with phytohormones, especially with ABA and jasmonates. We conclude that phytohormonal regulation of senescence in roots and leaves is organ-specific. In roots, phytohormones are involved indirectly in regulation of senescence by increasing tolerance for cold or resistance for pathogens, whereas such correlation was not observed in leaves.
Allies or Enemies: The Role of Reactive Oxygen Species in Developmental Processes of Black Cottonwood (<i>Populus trichocarpa</i>).
Specimen part
View Samplesgene expression at 6h of differentiation of Human endometrial stromal cell expressing either or both of PRA and PRB
Roles of progesterone receptor A and B isoforms during human endometrial decidualization.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesEstrogen and progesterone are important regulators of human endometrial differentiation. These steroid hormones act, at least in part, through their nucelar receptors. Role of estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) during human endometrial differentiation is still unclear.
Roles of Estrogen Receptor-α and the Coactivator MED1 During Human Endometrial Decidualization.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe etiology of ovarian cancer is poorly understood, mainly due to the lack of an appropriate experimental model for studying the onset and progression of this disease. We have created a mouse model termed ERalpha d/d in which a conditional deletion of estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) gene occurred in the anterior pituitary, but ERalpha expression remained intact in the hypothalamus and the ovary. The loss of negative-feedback regulation by estrogen (E) at the level of the pituitary led to elevated production of luteinizing hormone (LH) by this tissue. Hyperstimulation of ovarian cells by LH resulted in increased steroidogenesis, leading to high circulating levels of progesterone, testosterone and E. The ERalpha d/d mice exhibited formation of palpable ovarian epithelial tumors starting at 5 months of age, and by 12 months, most mice carrying these tumors died. Besides proliferating epithelial cells, these tumors also contained an expanded population of stromal cells, which express P450 aromatase suggesting that these cells acquired the ability to synthesize E. In ERalpha d/d mice, in response to the E produced by the stromal cells, the ERalpha signaling is accentuated in the ovarian epithelial cells, triggering increased ERalpha-dependent gene expression, abnormal cell proliferation, and tumorigenesis. The ERalpha d/d animal model of ovarian epithelial tumorigenesis will serve as a powerful tool for exploring the involvement of E-dependent signaling pathways in the etiology of ovarian cancer.
Dysregulated estrogen receptor signaling in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis leads to ovarian epithelial tumorigenesis in mice.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesPlacenta development involves complex molecular and cellular interactions between the maternal endometrium and the developing embryo, however, it is not clear what are the precise mechanisms regulating this maternal-fetal crosstalk. Using genetic and cell biological approaches, we have demonstrated that Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1), a maternal factor expressed in decidual cells and is markedly elevated in mouse decidua on days 7 and 8 of gestation, regulates the secretory pathways that mediate stromal-endothelial and stromal-trophoblast crosstalk within a narrow temporal window during placenta development.
Rac1 Regulates Endometrial Secretory Function to Control Placental Development.
Specimen part
View Samples