Severe asthma exacerbations in children requiring hospitalisation are typically associated with viral infection, and occur almost exclusively amongst atopics, but the significance of these comorbidities is unknown. We hypothesised that underlying interactions between immunoinflammatory pathways related to responses to aeroallergen and virus are involved, and that evidence of these interactions is detectable in circulating cells during exacerbations.
Interactions between innate antiviral and atopic immunoinflammatory pathways precipitate and sustain asthma exacerbations in children.
Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage
View SamplesNeuronal migration disorders such as lissencephaly and subcortical band heterotopia (SBH) are associated with epilepsy and intellectual disability. Doublecortin (DCX), LIS1 and alpha1-tubulin (TUBA1A), are mutated in these disorders, however corresponding mouse mutants do not show heterotopic neurons in the neocortex. On the other hand, the spontaneously arisen HeCo mouse mutant displays this phenotype. The study of this model reveals novel mechanisms of heterotopia formation. While, HeCo neurons migrate at the same speed as WT, abnormally distributed dividing progenitors were found throughout the cortical wall from E13. Through genetic studies we identified Eml1 as the mutant gene in HeCo mice. No full length transcripts of Eml1 were identified due to a retrotransposon insertion in an intron. Re-expression of Eml1, coding for a microtubule-associated protein, rescues the HeCo progenitor phenotype. We further show that EML1 is mutated in giant ribbon-like heterotopia in human. Our data link abnormal spindle orientations, ectopic progenitors and severe heterotopia in mouse and human.
Mutations in Eml1 lead to ectopic progenitors and neuronal heterotopia in mouse and human.
Specimen part
View SamplesWe used microarrays to determine the effect of prenatal nicotine exposure on gene expression profiles in the striatum of adolescent rats. We found a number of immediate early genes to be differentially expressed due to food-restriction.
Long-term effects of gestational nicotine exposure and food-restriction on gene expression in the striatum of adolescent rats.
Specimen part
View SamplesIn order to clarify the human response of re-epithelialization, we biopsied split-thickness skin graft donor site wounds immediately before and after harvesting, as well as during the healing process 3 and 7 days thereafter. Altogether 25 biopsies from 8 patients qualified for the study. All samples were analysed by genome-wide microarrays. Here we identified the genes associated with normal skin re-epithelialization on time-scale, and organized them by similarities according to their induction or suppression patterns during wound healing.
Human skin transcriptome during superficial cutaneous wound healing.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe circadian clock controls a wide variety of metabolic and homeostatic processes in a number of tissues, including the kidney. However, the role of the renal circadian clocks remains largely unknown. To address this question we performed transcriptomic analysis in mice with inducible and conditional ablation of the circadian clock system in the renal tubular cells (Bmal1lox/lox/Pax8-rtTA/LC1 mice). Deep sequencing of the renal transcriptome revealed significant changes in the expression of genes related to metabolic pathways and organic anion transport. In parallel, kidneys from Bmal1lox/lox/Pax8-rtTA/LC1 mice exhibited a significant decrease in the NAD+/NADH ratio suggesting an increased anaerobic glycolysis and/or decreased mitochondrial function. In-depth analysis of two selected pathways revealed (i) a significant increase in plasma urea levels correlating with increased renal arginase 2 (Arg2) activity, hyperargininemia and increase of the kidney arginine content; (ii) a significantly increased plasma creatinine concentration and reduced capacity of the kidney to secrete anionic drugs (furosemide), paralleled by a ~80% decrease in the expression levels of organic anion transporter OAT3 (SLC22a8). Collectively, these results indicate that the renal circadian clocks control a variety of metabolic/homeostatic processes at both the intra-renal and systemic levels and are involved in drug disposition. Overall design: Mice with a specific ablation of the Arntl gene encoding BMAL1 in the renal tubular cells were compared to wild-type littermate at ZT4 and ZT16 (ZT – Zeitgeber time units; ZT0 is the time of light on and ZT12 is the time of light off).
Nephron-Specific Deletion of Circadian Clock Gene Bmal1 Alters the Plasma and Renal Metabolome and Impairs Drug Disposition.
Specimen part, Subject, Time
View Samples