Continuous contact with self-major histocompatibility complex ligands is essential for the survival of naive CD4 T cells. We have previously shown that the resulting tonic TCR signaling also influences their fate upon activation by increasing their ability to differentiate into induced regulatory T cells. To decipher the molecular mechanisms governing this process, microarray data comparing highly (Ly-6C-) and lowly (Ly-6C+) Self-reactive naive CD4 T cells were obtained.
Calcium-mediated shaping of naive CD4 T-cell phenotype and function.
Specimen part
View SamplesAims: To map histone modifications with unprecedented resolution both globally and locus-specifically, and to link modification patterns to gene expression. Materials & methods: Using correlations between quantitative mass spectrometry and chromatin immunoprecipitation/microarray analyses, we have mapped histone post-translational modifications in fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe). Results: Acetylations at lysine 9, 18 and 27 of histone H3 give the best positive correlations with gene expression in this organism. Using clustering analysis and gene ontology search tools, we identified promoter histone modification patterns that characterize several classes of gene function. For example, gene promoters of genes involved in cytokinesis have high H3K36me2 and low H3K4me2, whereas the converse pattern is found ar promoters of gene involved in positive regulation of the cell cycle. We detected acetylation of H4 preferentially at lysine 16 followed by lysine 12, 8 and 5. Our analysis shows that this H4 acetylation bias in the coding regions is dependent upon gene length and linked to gene expression. Our analysis also reveals a role for H3K36 methylation at gene promoters where it functions in a crosstalk between the histone methyltransferase Set2KMT3 and the histone deacetylase Clr6, which removes H3K27ac leading to repression of transcription. Conclusion: Histone modification patterns could be linked to gene expression in fission yeast.
Genome-wide mapping of histone modifications and mass spectrometry reveal H4 acetylation bias and H3K36 methylation at gene promoters in fission yeast.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesCD3-positive T cells were negatively isolated from 10 SLE patients and 9 healthy controls without SLE. All of the SLE samples and control samples were compared with one another to identify baseline differences in expression due to the disease. Next, T cell preparations from 4 of the control subjects were stimulated with either Nitric Oxide (NOC-18) 600 uM for 24hr or stimulated through CD3/CD28 for 24hr to determine which genes were responsive to these signaling mechanisms. Here, we show that activity of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which is a sensor of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, is increased in SLE T cells. Activation of mTOR was inducible by NO, a key trigger of MHP which in turn enhanced the expression of HRES-1/Rab4, a small GTPase that regulates recycling of surface receptors through early endosomes. Expression of HRES-1/Rab4 was increased in SLE T cells and, in accordance with its dominant impact on the endocytic recycling of CD4, it was inversely correlated with diminished CD4 expression. HRES-1/Rab4 over-expression was also inversely correlated with diminished TCR protein levels. Combined with follow up studies, these results suggest that activation of mTOR causes the loss of TCR in lupus T cells through HRES-1/Rab4-dependent lysosomal degradation.
Activation of mammalian target of rapamycin controls the loss of TCRzeta in lupus T cells through HRES-1/Rab4-regulated lysosomal degradation.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesSnail1 transcriptional factor is essential for triggering epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and inducing tumor cell invasion. We report here that Snail1 plays also a key role in tumor associated fibroblasts since is necessary for enhancement by these cells on epithelial cells tumor invasion. Snail1 expression in fibroblast requires signals derived from tumor cells such as TGF-b; reciprocally, in fibroblasts Snail1 organizes a complex program that favors collective invasion of epithelial cells at least in part by the secretion of diffusible signaling molecules, such as prostaglandin E2. The capability of human or murine tumor-derived cancer associated fibroblasts to promote tumor invasion is associated to Snail1 expression and obliterated by Snail1 depletion. In vivo experiments show that tumor cells co-transplanted with Snail1 depleted fibroblasts show lower invasion than those xenografted with control fibroblasts. Finally Snail1 depletion in mice prevents the formation of breast tumors and decreased their invasion. Therefore, these results demonstrate that the role of Snail1 in tumor invasion is not limited to its effect in EMT but dependent on its expression in stromal fibroblasts where it orchestrates its activation and the crosstalk with epithelial cells.
Snail1-Dependent Activation of Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Controls Epithelial Tumor Cell Invasion and Metastasis.
Specimen part
View SamplesBoth a lack of biomarkers and relatively ineffective treatments constitute impediments to management of lupus nephritis (LN). Here we used gene expression microarrays to contrast the transcriptomic profiles of active SLE patients with and without LN to identify potential biomarkers for LN. RNA isolated from whole peripheral blood of active SLE patients was used for transcriptomic profiling and the data analyzed by linear modeling, with corrections for multiple testing. Results were validated in a second cohort of SLE patients, using NanoString technology. The majority of genes demonstrating altered mRNA abundance between patients with and without LN were neutrophil-related. Findings in the validation cohort confirmed this observation and showed that the levels of gene expression in renal remission were similar to active patients without LN. In secondary analyses, gene expression correlated with disease activity, hematuria and proteinuria, but not renal biopsy changes. As expression levels of the individual genes correlated strongly with each other, a composite neutrophil score was generated by summing all levels before examining additional correlations. There was a modest correlation between the neutrophil score and the blood neutrophil count, which was largely driven by the dose of steroids and not the proportion of low density and/or activated neutrophils. Analysis of longitudinal data revealed no correlation between baseline neutrophil score or changes over the first year of follow-up with subsequent renal flare or treatment outcomes, respectively. The findings argue that although the neutrophil score is associated with LN, its clinical utility as a biomarker may be limited.
Identification of a neutrophil-related gene expression signature that is enriched in adult systemic lupus erythematosus patients with active nephritis: Clinical/pathologic associations and etiologic mechanisms.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage
View SamplesTumor growth and metastasis is controlled by paracrine signaling between cells of the tumor microenvironment and malignant cells. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), are functionally important components of the tumor microenvironment. Although some steps involved in the cross-talk between these cells are known, there is still a lot that is not clear. Thus, the addition of, the consideration of microenvironment in the development of the disease, to the clinical and pathological procedures (currently admitted as the consistent value cancer treatments) could lay the foundations for the development of new treatment strategies to control the disease.
Functional heterogeneity of cancer-associated fibroblasts from human colon tumors shows specific prognostic gene expression signature.
Specimen part
View SamplesPathogen-associated molecular patterns decisively influence antiviral immune responses, whereas the contribution of endogenous signals of tissue damage, also known as damage-associated molecular patterns or alarmins, remains ill-defined. We show that interleukin-33 (IL-33), an alarmin released from necrotic cells, is necessary for potent CD8+ T cell (CTL) responses to replicating, prototypic RNA and DNA viruses in mice. IL-33 signaled through its receptor on activated CTLs, enhanced clonal expansion in a MyD88-dependent, CTL-intrinsic fashion, determined polyfunctional effector cell differentiation and was necessary for virus control. Moreover, recombinant IL-33 augmented vaccine-induced CTL responses. Radio-resistant cells of the splenic T cell zone produced IL-33, and efficient CTL responses required IL-33 from radio-resistant cells but not from hematopoietic cells. Thus, alarmin release by radio-resistant cells orchestrates protective antiviral CTL responses.
The alarmin interleukin-33 drives protective antiviral CD8⁺ T cell responses.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe initiation of the mucosal immune response in Peyers patch (PP) relies on the sampling, processing and efficient presentation of foreign antigens by dendritic cells (DC). PP DC encompass five subsets, among which CD11b+ conventional DC (cDC) and LysoDC have distinct progenitors and functions but share many cell surface markers. This has previously led to confusion between these two subsets. In addition, another PP DC subset, termed double-negative (DN), remains poorly characterized. Here, we have studied the genetic relatedness of the different subsets of PP cDC at steady state and under TLR7 ligand stimulation. We also provide the transcriptional profiles of subepithelial TIM-4- and interfollicular TIM-4+ macrophages.
Distribution, location, and transcriptional profile of Peyer's patch conventional DC subsets at steady state and under TLR7 ligand stimulation.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesParkinsons Disease is a multi-system, disabling progressive neurodegenerative condition. Clinical progression is highly heterogeneous and, thus far, there are not available biomarkers to accurately predict the rate of disease progression. Thus, identifying molecular signatures that allow discriminating between different progression rates might significantly assist the therapeutic strategy, and enable improved outcomes in clinical trials.
Gene Expression Differences in Peripheral Blood of Parkinson's Disease Patients with Distinct Progression Profiles.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesSpinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is one of the polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases, which are caused by a CAG repeat expansion within the coding region of the associated genes.
Genes and pathways affected by CAG-repeat RNA-based toxicity in Drosophila.
Sex, Specimen part
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