Current preclinical models in tumor biology are limited in their ability to recapitulate relevant (patho-) physiological processes, including autophagy. Three-dimensional (3D) growth cultures have frequently been proposed to overcome the lack of correlation between two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cell cultures and human tumors in preclinical drug testing. Besides 3D growth, it is also advantageous to simulate shear stress, compound flux and removal of metabolites, e.g. via bioreactor systems, through which culture medium is constantly pumped at a flow rate reflecting physiological conditions. Here, we show that both Staticic 3D growth and 3D growth within a bioreactor system modulate key hallmarks of cancer cells, including proliferation and cell death as well as macroautophagy, a recycling pathway often activated by highly proliferative tumors to cope with metabolic stress. The autophagy-related gene expression profiles of 2D- and 3D-grown cells are substantially different, with the 3D-grown cells exhibiting an expression profile closely resembling the (patho-) physiological Statice of a tumor. Underscoring the importance of this pathway, autophagy-controlling transcription factors, such as TFEB and FOXO3, are upregulated in tumors, and 3D-grown cells have increased expression compared with cells grown in 2D conditions. Three-dimensional cultures depleted of the autophagy mediators BECN1, ATG5 or ATG7 or the transcription factor FOXO3, are more sensitive to cytotoxic treatment. Accordingly, combining cytotoxic treatment with compounds affecting late autophagic flux, such as chloroquine, renders the 3D-grown cells more susceptible to therapy and increases intracellular doxorubicin concentration to the level of 2D-grown cells. Altogether, 3D cultures are a valuable tool to study drug response of tumor cells, as these models recapitulate (patho-) physiologically relevant pathways, such as autophagy.
Three-dimensional tumor cell growth stimulates autophagic flux and recapitulates chemotherapy resistance.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesFull Title: Transition from Compensated Hypertrophy to Systolic Heart Failure in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat: Structure, Function, and Transcript Analysis
Transition from compensated hypertrophy to systolic heart failure in the spontaneously hypertensive rat: Structure, function, and transcript analysis.
Specimen part
View SamplesUpon fertilisation, the highly differentiated gametes reprogram to a totipotent state to initiate a new developmental programme. Approximately half of the mammalian genome is composed of repetitive elements, including retrotransposons, some of which are transcriptionally activated after fertilisation. It is generally assumed that retrotransposons become activated as a side-effect of the large chromatin remodelling underlying the epigenetic reprogramming of the gametes. Here, we have used a targeted epigenomic approach to address whether specific families of retrotransposons play a direct role in chromatin organisation and developmental progression after fertilisation. Using this approach, we demonstrate that precocious silencing of LINE-1 reduces chromatin accessibility, while their prolonged activation prevents gradual chromatin compaction, natural to developmental progression. Preventing LINE-1 activation and interfering with their silencing results in a reduced developmental rate independently of the coding nature of the LINE-1 transcript, suggesting that LINE-1 functions primarily at the chromatin level. Our data suggest that activation of LINE-1 regulates global chromatin accessibility at the beginning of development and indicate that activation of retrotransposons is an integral part of the developmental programme. Overall design: RNAseq was done on pooled injected embryos(4-5) as indicated in methods.
LINE-1 activation after fertilization regulates global chromatin accessibility in the early mouse embryo.
Specimen part, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesAlthough it is increasingly accepted that some paternal environmental conditions can influence phenotypes in future generations, it generally remains unclear whether the phenotypes induced in offspring represent specific responses to particular aspects of the paternal exposure history, or whether they represent a more generic response to paternal “quality of life”. To establish a paternal effect model based on a known ligand-receptor interaction and thereby enable pharmacological interrogation of the specificity of the offspring response, we explored the effects of paternal nicotine administration on offspring phenotype in mouse. We show that chronic paternal exposure to nicotine prior to reproduction induced a broad protective response to multiple xenobiotics in the next generation. This effect manifested as increased survival following an injection of toxic levels of either nicotine or of cocaine, was specific to male offspring, and was only observed after offspring were first acclimated to sublethal doses of nicotine or cocaine. Mechanistically, the reprogrammed state was characterized by enhanced clearance of nicotine in drug-acclimated animals, accompanied by hepatic upregulation of genes involved in xenobiotic metabolism. Surprisingly, this protective effect could also be induced by paternal exposure to a nicotinic receptor antagonist as well as to nicotine, suggesting that paternal xenobiotic exposure, rather than nicotinic receptor signaling, is likely to be responsible for programming of offspring drug resistance. Taken together, our data show that paternal drug exposure can induce a protective phenotype in offspring by enhancing metabolic tolerance to xenobiotics in the environment. Overall design: Hepatocytes were isolated from 8 week-old male F1 animals from control (TA) and nicotine-exposed (NIC) fathers, and allowed to adhere to the bottom of the well for three hours. Nonadherent cells were then removed, and fresh culture medium was then added. Cells were harvested at different time points in Trizol, and total RNA was extracted. Strand specific libraries were prepared from all samples, and sequenced on Illumina NextSeq500.
Paternal nicotine exposure alters hepatic xenobiotic metabolism in offspring.
Sex, Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View Samples5 strains of rat, WKY, spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) and 3 reciprocal congenic strains (WconSA, SconSA and SISA) were used to generate expression data across the genome using the Affymetrix rat genome chip set comprising the 230 A and 230 B chips. 5 animals from each strain were used. Expression data was determined for 2 ages: 6 week and 24 week with whole kidney RNA.
Genetic dissection of a blood pressure quantitative trait locus on rat chromosome 1 and gene expression analysis identifies SPON1 as a novel candidate hypertension gene.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesThe edible mushroom Agaricus blazei Murill has immunomodulating and antiproliferative effects. In a clinical study 33 patients with multiple myeloma were randomized to receive treatment with Agaricus (16 patients) or placebo (17 patients) in addition to chemotherapy.
Immunomodulatory effects of the Agaricus blazei Murrill-based mushroom extract AndoSan in patients with multiple myeloma undergoing high dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation: a randomized, double blinded clinical study.
Specimen part, Treatment, Subject, Time
View SamplesCytokine-induced signal transduction is executed by natural biological switches, which among many others control immune related processes. To construct a biological device, that simulates cytokine signaling, we utilized nanobodies to generate synthetic cytokine receptors (SyCyR). High affinity GFP- and mCherry-nanobodies were selected and extracellularly fused to trans-membrane and intracellular domains of IL-23 cytokine receptors. Soluble homo- and heterodimeric GFP:mCherry fusion proteins served as SyCyR ligands. Heterodimeric GFP-mCherry and homodimeric GFP fusion proteins efficiently phenocopied IL-23 signal transduction, respectively, as demonstrated by STAT3-, ERK- and Akt-activation, SOCS3 expression and transcriptome profiling. Interestingly, the homodimeric GFP fusion protein induced IL-23 receptor homo-dimerization and activation of IL-23-like signal transduction
Synthetic cytokine receptors transmit biological signals using artificial ligands.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesLasting B-cell persistence depends on survival signals that are transduced by cell surface receptors. Here, we describe a novel biological mechanism essential for survival and homeostasis of normal peripheral mature B cells and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells, regulated by the heparin-binding cytokine, midkine (MK), and its proteoglycan receptor, the receptor-type tyrosine phosphatase zeta (RPTP). We demonstrate that MK initiates a signaling cascade leading to B cell survival, by binding to RPTP. In mice lacking PTPRZ, the proportion and number of the mature B cell population is reduced. Our results emphasize a unique and critical function for MK signaling in the previously described MIF/CD74 induced survival pathway. Stimulation of CD74 with MIF leads to c-Met activation, resulting in elevation of MK expression in both normal mouse splenic B and CLL cells. Our results indicate that MK and RPTP are important regulators of the B cell repertoire. These findings could pave the way towards understanding the mechanisms shaping B cell survival, and suggest novel therapeutic strategies based on the blockade of the midkine/RPTP-dependent survival pathway.
The cytokine midkine and its receptor RPTPζ regulate B cell survival in a pathway induced by CD74.
Age
View SamplesChronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by the accumulation of CD5+ B lymphocytes in peripheral blood, lymphoid organs and BM. The main feature of the disease is accumulation of the malignant cells due to decreased apoptosis. CD84 belongs to the Signaling Lymphocyte Activating Molecule (SLAM) family of immunoreceptors, and has an unknown function in CLL cells. Here, we show that the expression of CD84 is significantly elevated from the early stages of the disease, and is regulated by macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and its receptor, CD74. Activation of cell surface CD84 initiates a signaling cascade that enhances CLL cell survival. Both immune-mediated neutralization or blockade of CD84 induce cell death in vitro and in vivo. In addition, analysis of samples derived from an on-going clinical trial, in which human subjects were treated with humanized anti-CD74 milatuzumab shows a decrease in CD84 mRNA levels milatuzumab-treated cells. This downregulation was correlated with reduction of Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 message. Thus, our data show that overexpression of CD84 in CLL is an important survival mechanism that appears to be an early event in the pathogenesis of the disease. These findings suggest novel therapeutic strategies based on the blockade of this CD84-dependent survival pathway.
CD84 is a survival receptor for CLL cells.
Disease
View SamplesCalcineurin/NFAT/IL-2 signaling pathway is activated in dendritic cells (DC) upon encounter of glucan, the main component of the fungal cell wall, raising the question about the role of NFAT-regulated genes in DC biology in vivo. To directly assess the function of IL-2 secreted by DC, we analyzed mice lacking of IL-2 in the DC lineage, CD4-expressing cells and with complete deletion of IL-2 in the germ line in a mouse model of pulmonary fungal infection. Here we found that specifically the loss of IL-2 in DC resulted in increased mice mortality upon the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus challenge and expansion of Th17 cells in the lung. We demonstrated that only CD103+DC were able to release IL-2 in acute phase of pulmonary Aspergillosis through the Ca2+-Calcineurin-NFAT signaling. We also found that NFAT mediates IL-23 transcription in lung DC, where IL-2 results essential in restraining the priming of a pathogenic infiltrating IL-17+Sca1+CD90+CD4+ cell with stem cell like properties. Thus, IL-2 and IL-23 secreted by DC in the lung have an antagonistic relationship on the Th17 differentiation program with IL-2 inducing T cell differentiation and IL-23 inducing a stem cell like molecular signature to Th17 cells upon Aspergillus challenge. DC-Il2-/- then confer the Th17 stemness, releasing IL-23 in response to the fungus contributing to the development of a Th17 cell effector population, particularly pathogenic in infection.
CD103(+) Dendritic Cells Control Th17 Cell Function in the Lung.
Cell line, Treatment
View Samples