Myofibroblast is a specific type of mesenchymal cell characterized by synthesis of extracellular matrix and contractile activity. While it serves a beneficial function during tissue wound healing under physiological conditions, it can cause devastating damage to organs afflicted with fibrosis. Myofibroblasts are also present in tumor stroma and contribute actively to tumor growth and spreading. Chicken embryo dermal myofibroblasts (CEDM) represent a novel ex vivo model suitable for the analysis of myofibroblastic phenotype as they show strongly pronounced, uniform and self-sustained myofibroblastic phenotype that is stable in time. As myofibroblastic differentiation is controlled chiefly by TGF-beta signaling, the understanding of the differentiation program entails the determination of TGF-beta-regulated genes. To achieve such a goal, we performed oligonucleotide microarray analysis of CEDM cells treated with a selective TGFBR1 kinase inhibitor. Genes reported previously to be under the control of TGF-beta signaling in mammalian cells appeared among the affected genes also in CEDM cells and many so far unknown TGF-beta targets were revealed.
Molecular analysis of the TGF-beta controlled gene expression program in chicken embryo dermal myofibroblasts.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesEight healthy human subjects were enrolled in a 6-day simulated shift work protocol. Blood samples were collected during the two 24-hour measurement periods. Blood samples were collected every 4 hours during both measurement periods. Subjects entered the lab on Day 1. At the start of Day 2, the first 24-hour measurement period was started. Subjects slept according to their habitual sleep/wake schedule, followed by a 16-hour constant posture procedure. On days 3-6, the sleep period was delayed by 10 hours. Following the third night on this schedule, subjects underwent another 24-hour measurement period. During both measurement periods, 7 blood samples were collected and PBMCs were isolated. mRNA was extracted, labelled, and hybridized to microarrays.
Simulated night shift work induces circadian misalignment of the human peripheral blood mononuclear cell transcriptome.
Subject
View SamplesFibrotic diseases are a group of pathologies with high incidence and mortality. Despite extensive research efforts, efficient therapies are still not available. Understanding the molecular mechanisms driving the onset, progression and possible resolution of fibrosis is a prerequisite to the development of successful therapies. The central role of the TGF-beta pathway and myofibroblasts in the pathogenesis of fibrosis is now generally accepted. The possible mechanisms of myofibroblast elimination or dedifferentiation, on the other hand, are still almost uncharted territory. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is able to suppress myofibroblastic differentiation of mesenchymal cells, but the underlying mechanism has not been studied in detail. Here, we show that sustained expression of the transcription factor EGR4, which is inducible by bFGF, in primary chicken embryo dermal myofibroblasts results in suppression of the myofibroblastic phenotype, characterized by the loss of smooth muscle actin fibers and a substantial reduction in the production of extracellular matrix. Detailed analysis of the possible molecular mechanisms revealed FOXG1, BAMBI, NAB1, NAB2 and DUSP5 genes forming an EGR4 regulated network counteracting autocrine TGF-beta signaling.
Effective myofibroblast dedifferentiation by concomitant inhibition of TGF-β signaling and perturbation of MAPK signaling.
Specimen part
View SamplesWe performed RNA-seq analysis of WT and blmp-1(tm548) mutant L3 larvae to identify genes regulated by the zing-finger transcription factor BLMP-1. Overall design: We analyzed three WT and three blmp-1 mutant biological replicates
DRE-1/FBXO11-dependent degradation of BLMP-1/BLIMP-1 governs C. elegans developmental timing and maturation.
Cell line, Subject
View SamplesCirculating tumor cells (CTCs) play a fundamental role in cancer progression. However, in mice, limited blood volume and the rarity of CTCs in the bloodstream preclude longitudinal, in-depth studies of these cells using existing liquid biopsy techniques. Here, we present an optofluidic system that continuously collects fluorescently-labeled CTCs from a genetically-engineered mouse model for several hours per day over multiple days or weeks. The system is based on a microfluidic cell-sorting chip connected serially to an un-anesthetized mouse via an implanted arteriovenous shunt. Pneumatically-controlled microfluidic valves capture CTCs as they flow through the device and CTC-depleted blood is returned back to the mouse via the shunt. To demonstrate the utility of our system, we profile CTCs isolated longitudinally from animals over a four-day treatment with the BET inhibitor JQ1 using single-cell RNA-Seq (scRNA-Seq) and show that our approach eliminates potential biases driven by inter-mouse heterogeneity that can occur when CTCs are collected across different mice. The CTC isolation and sorting technology presented here provides a research tool to help reveal details of how CTCs change over time, allowing studies to credential changes in CTCs as biomarkers of drug response and facilitating future studies to understand the role of CTCs in metastasis. Overall design: Single-cell RNA-Sequencing of CTCs and primary tumors from a murine model of non-small cell-lung cancer
Optofluidic real-time cell sorter for longitudinal CTC studies in mouse models of cancer.
Specimen part, Subject, Time
View SamplesA model of tumor metastasis based on v-src transformed immortalized cell lines was developed. The model consists of highly metastatic PR9692 cell line and a derived clone PR9692-E9 which has lost the metastatic abilities. Introduction of exogenous EGR1 gene into the non-metastasizing PR9692-E9 cells completely restores the metastatic potential. Revealed changes in gene expression provide insight into the molecular mechanisms contolling metastatic behavior of sarcoma cells.
The transcription factor EGR1 regulates metastatic potential of v-src transformed sarcoma cells.
Cell line
View SamplesSREBF-1c is a transcription factor regulating fatty acid biosynthesis. We have charaterized the impact of the abcence of SREBF-1c on the development of peripheral neuropathy
Lack of sterol regulatory element binding factor-1c imposes glial Fatty Acid utilization leading to peripheral neuropathy.
Age
View SamplesSamples 1-4 report RNA-seq transcriptome profiling of the L-Proline- (L-Pro) and bFgf/ActivinA- (F/A) derived mCherry+/eGFP+ (yellow) ESC population, using the Illumina HiSeq platform. Whole-genome expression revealed that more than 1000 genes were significantly deregulated in L-Pro- and F/A-induced cells compared to control (mCherry+/eGFP- red cells) and the two population shared up to 75% of deregulated genes with the same deregulation trend. Specifically, the pluripotency-associated genes were downregulated either at similar level (Nanog, Klf2, Klf4 and Gbx2) or at lower levels (up to 10 times) (Dppa 2, 3, 4, 5a, Rex1, Esrrb) in F/A- compared to L-Pro-treated cells. Interestingly, mesendodermal-related genes (e.g. Brachyury, Cer1, Dkk1, Eomes, Foxa2, and Sox17) were induced in both conditions but at significant higher levels in F/A- compared to L-Pro-treated cells. The transcriptome analysis of mCherry+/eGFP+ (yellow) cells supported the idea that L-Pro mimics F/A in inducing a naïve to primed transition, and suggested that it exerted a milder (weaker) effect. Samples 5-14 report RNA-seq transcriptome profiling of the mir-290_mCherry/mir-302_eGFP dual reporter ESCs (DRESCs) bulk culture, grown in FBS/LIF ± VitaminC (VitC) and L-Proline (L-Pro) and compared them to the standard naive/2i and primed/bFgf/ActivinA-EpiSCs (F/A), using the Illumina HiSeq platform. Whole-genome expression identified around 7900 deregulated genes in the different conditions, (fold change=2 and pvalue<0.05). Principal component analysis (PCA) placed VitC between 2i and untreated control, and L-Pro between control and F/A. Accordingly, a set of pluripotency-associated genes was expressed at higher level in 2i and VitC conditions, while downregulated in L-Pro and F/A, compared to control. Conversely, priming markers were downregulated in 2i and VitC and upregulated in L-Pro and F/A compared to control The transcriptome analysis supported that VitC- and L-Pro captured alternative pluripotency states that can be likely placed between naïve/2i and primed/F/A states. Overall design: RNA-seq profiling of ESCs grown in FBS/LIF ± VitC, 2i, L-Pro or F/A, using the Illumina HiSeq platform
Vitamin C and l-Proline Antagonistic Effects Capture Alternative States in the Pluripotency Continuum.
Cell line, Subject
View SamplesStudy on differential gene expression and splicing between wildtype and clock mutants. This study is part of a comparative analysis of the role of Protein Methyltransferase 5 in the regulation of transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes simultaneously in Arabidopsis and Drosophila.
A methyl transferase links the circadian clock to the regulation of alternative splicing.
Specimen part
View SamplesIn this report, we describe a successful protocol for isolating and expression-profiling live fluorescent- protein-labelled neurons from zebrafish embryos. As a proof-of-principle for this method, we FAC-sorted and RNA-profiled GFP-labelled spinal CiA interneurons and compared the expression profile of these cells to those of post-mitotic spinal neurons in general and to all trunk cells. We show that RNA of sufficient quality and quantity to uncover both expected and novel transcription profiles via Affymetrix microarray analysis can be extracted from 5,700 to 20,000 FAC-sorted cells. As part of this study, we also further confirm the genetic homology of mammalian and zebrafish V1 interneurons, by demonstrating that zebrafish V1 cells (CiAs) express genes that encode for the transcription factors Lhx1a and Lhx5. This protocol for dissociating, sorting and RNA-profiling neurons from organogenesis-stage zebrafish embryos should also be applicable to other developing organs and tissues and potentially other model organisms.
RNA profiling of FAC-sorted neurons from the developing zebrafish spinal cord.
Age, Specimen part
View Samples