Differential gene expression in preimplantation embryos has been documented, but few focused studies have been done to compare differential expression in human embryos after embryonic genome activation and specifically how they relate to blastocyst development. We hypothesized that blastocyst stage embryos would differentially express genes in pathways important in cell division, mobilization, and processes important in embryo implantation including endometrial apposition, adhesion, and invasion. We analyzed gene expression in 6 preimplantation human embryos.
Differentially expressed genes in preimplantation human embryos: potential candidate genes for blastocyst formation and implantation.
Specimen part
View SamplesPurpose: The goal of this study is to identify host genes whose expression is perturbed in primary CD4+ T cells by histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors (HDACi) SAHA and RMD, which have different potencies and specificities for various HDACs. The study aims to evaluate the effects of SAHA and RMD that may promote or inhibit reactivation of HIV provirus out of latency. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected from 4 HIV-seronegative donors. CD4+ T cells were isolated and utilized to generate an in vitro model of latent HIV infection (model developed in the Spina laboratory and previously described in Spina et al., 2013). Mock-infected cells were cultured in parallel to evaluate effects of SAHA and RMD that may be dependent on the exposure of cells to virus. Following generation of the model, cells were treated with SAHA, RMD or their solvent dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for 24 hours. Mock-infected cells were treated in parallel. The experiment had 4 biological replicates, 6 conditions for each, for a total of 24 samples. ERCC spikes (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.) were added to cell lysates based on cell number in each sample (10 ul of 1:800 dilution per million cells). Mix 1 was used for DMSO- and mix 2 for SAHA- and RMD-treated cells. After all samples were collected, RNA was extracted and subjected to deep sequencing by Expression Analysis, Inc. Sequence reads that passed quality filters were mapped using Tophat (human genome) or Bowtie (ERCC spikes and HIV) and counted using HTSeq. ERCC spikes with the same concentration in mixes 1 and 2 were utilized to remove unwanted technical variation. Any human gene which did not achieve at least 1 count per million reads in at least 4 samples or any ERCC that did not achieve at least 5 reads in at least 4 samples was discarded. Differential gene expression analysis was performed using library EdgeR in Bioconductor R. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) HIV-1 Human Interaction Database was then searched for genes that have been implicated in controlling HIV latency. EdgeR output was used to extract expression information of the genes of interest from the NCBI database to identify genes implicated in HIV latency that were modulated by SAHA and RMD. The resulting lists were manually curated to verify relevance to HIV latency, using the Description column of the NCBI database, as well as available PubMed references. Results: Using a custom built data analysis pipeline, ~100 million reads per sample were mapped to the human genome (build hg38). After applying filtering criteria, 16058 human transcripts, 19 ERCC spikes transcripts, and HIV NL4-3 transcripts were identified with the Tophat/Bowtie and HTSeq workflow. Differential expression analysis was performed between SAHA or RMD-treated and DMSO-treated cells. In addition, differential modulation of gene expression by SAHA and RMD in the model of HIV latency and mock-infected cells was assessed using EdgeR. In mock-infected cells, SAHA upregulated 3,971 genes and downregulated 2,940 genes; RMD upregulated 5,068 genes and downregulated 4,050 genes. In the model of HIV latency, SAHA upregulated 3,498 genes and downregulated 2,904 genes; RMD upregulated 5,116 genes and downregulated 4,053 genes (FDR < 0.05). SAHA modulated 6, and RMD 11 genes differentially between mock-infected cells and the model of HIV latency. Following search of the NCBI HIV-1 Human Interaction Database, 27 genes upregulated and 29 downregulated in common between SAHA and RMD were found to be relevant to regulation of HIV latency; 31 were up- and 32 downregulated by RMD only; and 6 were up- and 2 were downregulated by SAHA only. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that SAHA and RMD, which have different potencies and specificities for HDACs, modulate a set of overlapping genes implicated in regulation of HIV latency. Some of these genes may be explored as additional host targets for improving the outcomes of “shock and kill” strategies. Overall design: Transcriptomic profiling of the in vitro model of HIV latency and mock-infected cells treated with SAHA, RMD or the solvent DMSO (N=4 donors) by deep sequencing at Expression Analysis, Inc.
Long non-coding RNAs and latent HIV - A search for novel targets for latency reversal.
Specimen part, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesFNDC4 is a novel secreted factor sharing high homology with the exercise-associated myokine irisin (FNDC5). Here we report that Fndc4 is robustly upregulated in various mouse models of inflammation as well as in human inflammatory conditions. Specifically, subjects with inflammatory bowel disease show increased FNDC4 levels locally at inflamed sites of the intestine. Interestingly, administration of recombinant FNDC4 during colitis development in mice resulted in markedly reduced disease severity compared to mice injected with a control protein. Conversely, mice that lacked Fndc4 showed increased colitis severity. Analysis of binding of FNDC4 to different immune cell types revealed strong and specific binding to macrophages and monocytes. FNDC4 treatment of bone marrow-derived macrophages in vitro resulted in reduced phagocytosis, improved survival and reduced pro-inflammatory chemokine expression. Hence, treatment with FNDC4 resulted in a state of dampened macrophage activity, while enhancing their survival. Thus, we have characterized a novel factor with direct therapeutic potential in inflammatory bowel disease and possibly other inflammatory diseases.
FNDC4 acts as an anti-inflammatory factor on macrophages and improves colitis in mice.
Sex, Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesBackground: The selective absorption of nutrients and other food constituents in the small intestine is mediated by a group of transport proteins and metabolic enzymes, often collectively called intestinal barrier proteins. An important receptor that mediates the effects of dietary lipids on gene expression is the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR), which is abundantly expressed in enterocytes. In this study we examined the effects of acute nutritional activation of PPAR on expression of genes encoding intestinal barrier proteins. To this end we used triacylglycerols composed of identical fatty acids in combination with gene expression profiling in wild-type and PPAR-null mice. Treatment with the synthetic PPAR agonist WY14643 served as reference.
PPARalpha-mediated effects of dietary lipids on intestinal barrier gene expression.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesIdentification of potential tumor suppressor genes using the GINI strategy in Mantle Cell Lymphoma cell lines
Inactivation of RB1 in mantle-cell lymphoma detected by nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathway inhibition and microarray analysis.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesWe studied the effect of dietary fat type, varying in polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio's (P/S) on development of metabolic syndrome. C57Bl/6J mice were fed purified high-fat diets (45E% fat) containing palm oil (HF-PO; P/S 0.4), olive oil (HF-OO; P/S 1.1) or safflower oil (HF-SO; P/S 7.8) for 8 weeks. A low-fat palm oil diet (LF-PO; 10E% fat) was used as a reference. Additionally, we analyzed diet-induced changes in gut microbiota composition and mucosal gene expression. The HF-PO diet induced a higher body weight gain and liver triglyceride content compared to the HF-OO, HF-SO or LF-PO diet. In the intestine, the HF-PO diet reduced microbial diversity and increased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Although this fits a typical obesity profile, our data clearly indicate that an overflow of the HF-PO diet to the distal intestine, rather than obesity itself, is the main trigger for these gut microbiota changes. A HF-PO diet-induced elevation of lipid metabolism-related genes in the distal small intestine confirmed the overflow of palm oil to the distal intestine. Some of these lipid metabolism-related genes were previously already associated with the metabolic syndrome. In conclusion, our data indicate that saturated fat (HF-PO) has a more stimulatory effect on weight gain and hepatic lipid accumulation than unsaturated fat (HF-OO and HF-SO). The overflow of fat to the distal intestine on the HF-PO diet induced changes in gut microbiota composition and mucosal gene expression. We speculate that both are directly or indirectly contributive to the saturated fat-induced development of obesity and hepatic steatosis.
Saturated fat stimulates obesity and hepatic steatosis and affects gut microbiota composition by an enhanced overflow of dietary fat to the distal intestine.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesBRAF(V600E) mutant melanomas treated with inhibitors of the BRAF and MEK kinases almost invariably develop resistance, which is frequently caused by reactivation of the Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathway. To identify novel treatment options for such patients, we searched for acquired vulnerabilities of MAPK inhibitor-resistant melanomas. We find that resistance to BRAF+MEK inhibitors is associated with increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Subsequent treatment with the histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) vorinostat represses SLC7A11 that leads to a lethal increase in the already elevated levels of ROS in drug-resistant cells, thereby causing selective apoptotic death of only the drug resistant tumor cells. Consistently, treatment of BRAF inhibitor-resistant melanoma with HDACi in mice results in a dramatic tumor regression. In a study in patients with advanced BRAF+MEK inhibitor resistant melanoma, we find that HDACi can selectively ablate drug-resistant tumor cells, providing clinical proof of concept for the novel therapy identified here. Overall design: one replicate of RNA Seq data A375, A375R, A375DR vorinostat treated and patient samples pre- post- vorinostat treatment
An Acquired Vulnerability of Drug-Resistant Melanoma with Therapeutic Potential.
Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage, Cell line, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesThe goal of this study is to compare gene expression profiles in quiescent RPE1 hTert cells treated with microtubule-stabilizing (paclitaxel) and microtubule-destabilizing poisons (combretastatin A4) Overall design: RPE 1 hTert cells were grown to full confluency, and maintained as such for 5 days to induce quiescence. Quiescent cells were treated with microtubule poisons combretastatin A4 and paclitaxel for 6 or 24 hours. Total RNA was collected and purified using the PureLink RNA Mini Kit (Invitrogen, Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA). RNA concentration and quality were determined using NanoDrop and Bioanalyzer respectively, and 500 ng of purified RNA was used as input for the Illumina TruSeq Stranded mRNA Library Prep Kit (Illumina, USA). Barcoded libraries were pooled and quantitated using KAPA, and single-end sequenced on an Illumina NextSeq (Illumina, USA). RNA-seq reads were mapped using STAR (version 2.1.0j) and processed using HTSeq-count (version 0.6.1). GRCh38 reference genome and transcript annotations were used for gene mapping; Entrez Gene identifiers and org.Hs.eg.db database were used for genome wide annotation. Differential gene expression and statistical analysis were performed using edgeR package. Genes with >50 reads per million and a fold change significantly different from zero in Wilcoxon signed-rank test (p< 0.05), were marked as differentially expressed genes, based on three biological replicates.
Tubulin mRNA stability is sensitive to change in microtubule dynamics caused by multiple physiological and toxic cues.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesCD8+ T cells are pre-programmed for cytotoxic differentiation. However, a subset of effector CD8+ T cells (Tc17) produce IL-17 and fail to express cytotoxic genes. Here, we show that the transcription factors directing IL-17 production inhibit cytotoxicity despite persistent Runx3 expression. Cytotoxic gene repression did not require the transcription factor Thpok. We further show that STAT3 restrained cytotoxic gene expression in CD8+ T cells and that RORgt represses cytotoxic genes by inhibiting the functions but not the expression of the cytotoxic transcription factors T-bet and Eomesodermin. Thus, the transcriptional circuitry directing IL-17 expression inhibits cytotoxic functions.
A STAT3-dependent transcriptional circuitry inhibits cytotoxic gene expression in T cells.
Specimen part
View SamplesStudied gene regulation in bronchial smooth muscle cells following vitamin D stimulation.
1alpha,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3 stimulation of bronchial smooth muscle cells induces autocrine, contractility, and remodeling processes.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Race
View Samples