Neural crest cells migrate extensively in vertebrate embryos to populate diverse derivatives including ganglia of the peripheral nervous system.
Molecular Events Controlling Cessation of Trunk Neural Crest Migration and Onset of Differentiation.
Specimen part
View SamplesRetinoic acid (RA) is a potent inducer of cell differentiation and plays an essential role in sex-specific germ cell development in the mammalian gonad. RA is essential for male gametogenesis and hence fertility. However, RA can also disrupt sexual cell fate in somatic cells of the testis, promoting transdifferentiation of male Sertoli cells to female granulosa-like cells when the male sexual regulator Dmrt1 is absent. The feminizing ability of RA in the somatic testis suggests that RA might normally play a role in somatic cell differentiation or cell fate maintenance in the ovary. To test for this possibility we disrupted RA signaling in somatic cells of the early fetal ovary using three genetic strategies and one pharmaceutical approach. We found that deleting all three RA receptors (RARs) in the XX somatic gonad at the time of sex determination did not significantly affect ovarian differentiation, follicle development, or female fertility. Transcriptome analysis of adult triple mutant ovaries revealed remarkably little effect on gene expression in the absence of somatic RAR function. Likewise, deletion of three RA synthesis enzymes (Aldha1-3) at the time of sex determination did not masculinize the ovary. A dominant-negative RAR transgene altered granulosa cell proliferation, likely due to interference with a non-RA signaling pathway, but did not affect granulosa cell specification or fertility. Finally, culture of fetal XX gonads with an RAR antagonist blocked germ cell meiotic initiation but did not disrupt sex-biased gene expression. We conclude that RA signaling, although crucial in the ovary for meiotic initiation, is not required for granulosa cell specification, differentiation, or reproductive function. Overall design: Ovaries from six week old mice with five replicates in each of two genotypes were analyzed by RNA-Seq
Retinoic acid signaling is dispensable for somatic development and function in the mammalian ovary.
Age, Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesScreening small molecules and drugs for activity to modulate alternative splicing, we found that amiloride, distinct from four other intracellular pH-affecting analogues, could normalize the splicing of BCL-X, HIPK3 and RON/MISTR1 transcripts in human hepatocellular carcinoma Huh-7 cells. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, our proteomic analyses of amiloride-treated cells detected hypo-phosphorylation of splicing factor SF2/ASF and also decreased levels of SRp20 and two un-identified SR proteins. We further observed decreased phosphorylation of AKT, ERK1/2 and PP1, while increased phosphorylation of p38 and JNK, suggesting that amiloride treatment down-regulated kinases and up-regulated phosphatases in the signal pathways known to affect the splicing factor protein phosphorylation. The amiloride effects of splicing factor protein hypo-phosphorylation andnormalizedoncogenic RNA splicing were both abrogated by pre-treatment with a PP1 inhibitor. We then performed global exon array analysis of Huh-7 cells treated with amiloride for 24 hours. Using gene array chips (Affymetrix GeneChip Human Exon 1.0 ST Array of >518000 exons of 42974 genes) for exon array analysis (set parameters of correlation coefficient 0.7, splicing index -1.585 , and log2 ratio -1.585), we found that amiloride influenced the splicing patterns of 551 genes involving at least 584 exons, which included 495 known protein-coding genes involving 526 exons, many of which play key roles in functional networks of ion transport, extracellular matrix, cytoskeletons and genome maintenance. Cellular functional analyses revealed subsequent invasion and migration defects, cell cycle disruption, cytokinesis impairment, and lethal DNA degradation in amiloride-treated Huh-7 cells. This study thus provides mechanistic underpinnings for exploiting small molecule modulation of abnormal RNA splicing for cancer therapeutics.
Small molecule amiloride modulates oncogenic RNA alternative splicing to devitalize human cancer cells.
Cell line
View SamplesPurpose: We have identified a new compound (1C8) that inhibits HIV-1 replication and that displays very low cellular toxicity. Here, we assess the molecular mechanisms of action of 1C8. Following transcription of the HIV-1 genome, its primary transcript is processed to produce dozens of distinct mRNAs through the alternative use of splice sites. Results: 1C8 decreases the activity of SRSF10, a cellular protein that controls the selection of splice sites in HIV-1 transcripts. 1C8 decreases the phosphorylation of SRSF10, and this change is associated with alterations in the interaction of SRSF10 with HIV-1 transcripts and factors that control splice site selection. Thus, 1C8 represents a novel compound with properties that are potentially useful for treating HIV-1 infection. Overall design: Examination of RNA-seq to investigate alternative splicing changes between control and 4 different concentrations of a drug that 1C8. 4 replicates were sequenced for each condition.
Modulation of the splicing regulatory function of SRSF10 by a novel compound that impairs HIV-1 replication.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Effect of Human Genetic Variability on Gene Expression in Dorsal Root Ganglia and Association with Pain Phenotypes.
Specimen part
View SamplesSingle nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) can affect mRNA gene expression, in a tissue-specific manner. In this work we survey association of SNP alleles with mRNA gene expression in human dorsal root ganglions (DRG) to gain insights into pathophysiology of pain phenotypes.
Effect of Human Genetic Variability on Gene Expression in Dorsal Root Ganglia and Association with Pain Phenotypes.
Specimen part
View SamplesSingle nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) can affect mRNA gene expression, in a tissue-specific manner. In this work we survey association of SNP alleles with mRNA gene expression in human dorsal root ganglions (DRG) to gain insights into pathophysiology of pain phenotypes.
Effect of Human Genetic Variability on Gene Expression in Dorsal Root Ganglia and Association with Pain Phenotypes.
Specimen part
View SamplesPurpose: We performed a time-course single-cell RNA-seq of the somatic cells of the XX mouse gonads to study the cell population heterogeneity and the genetic program during their differentiation. Methods: We collected gonads from NR5A1-eGFP transgenic embryos at six embryonic stages: E10.5, E11.5, E12.5, E13.5, E16.5 and P6. Methods: Cells were capture with the C1 autoprep system and cDNA sequenced with Illumina HiSeq 2000. Results: One cell population was detected at E10.5 and give rise to both Granulosa and steroidogenic precursor cells. A precursor cell population remains undifferentiated at P6 and are likely to be theca cell precursors. Conclusion: Our study is, to date, the most granular transcriptomic study of the developing mouse ovary and provide a more complete model of somatic cell differentiation during female sex determination. Overall design: 663 cells were collected in total. 71 cells at E10.5, 106 cells at E11.5, 164 cells at E12.5, 106 cells at E13.5, 95 cells at E16.5, and 121 at P6. We performed two independent captures for each embryonic stage to reach a reasonable number of cells except for E10.5 where we capture enough cells in one experiment.
Dissecting Cell Lineage Specification and Sex Fate Determination in Gonadal Somatic Cells Using Single-Cell Transcriptomics.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesAlternative splicing is a mechanism for increasing the protein variety of a limited number of genes. Studies have shown that aberrant regulations of the alternative splicing of apoptotic gene transcripts may contribute to the development of cancer. In this study, we isolated 4ß-Hydroxywithanolide E (4bHWE) from the traditional herb Physalis peruviana, and analyzed its biological effects in cancer cells. The results demonstrated that 4bHWE modulates the alternative splicing of apoptotic genes (e.g., HIPK3, SMAC/DIABLO, and SURVIVIN), changes the expression level of splicing factors (e.g., hnRNP C1/C2, ASF/SF2, SRp20, and SRp55), and induces histone tail posttranslational modifications (e.g., H3K27me1, H3K27me2, H3K36me3, and H3K79me1). Pretreatment with okadaic acid to inhibit protein phosphatase-1 could partly relieve the effects of 4bHWE on the alternative splicing of HIPK3 and SMAC/DIABLO transcripts, as well as on the dephosphorylation of ASF/SF2. Genome-wide detection of alternative splicing further indicated that several other apoptosis-related genes are also regulated by 4bHWE, including APAF1, CARP-1, and RIPK1. Moreover, we extended our study to apoptosis-associated molecules, detecting an increasing level of CASPASE-3 activity and cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase in 4bHWE-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, in vivo experiments showed that the treatment of tumor-bearing mice with 4bHWE resulted in a marked decrease of tumor size and weight. Taken together, this study is the first to show that 4bHWE affects alternative splicing through the modulations of splicing factors, providing a novel view of the antitumor mechanism of 4bHWE. Overall design: Examination of the global genes with altered alternative splicing in 4bHWE-treated Huh-7 cells.
4β-Hydroxywithanolide E Modulates Alternative Splicing of Apoptotic Genes in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Huh-7 Cells.
Specimen part, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesPurpose: There is growing evidence that interaction between stromal and tumor cells is pivotal in breast cancer progression and response to therapy. Since the pioneer work of Allinen et al. suggested that during breast cancer progression striking changes occur in CD10+ stromal cells, we aimed to better characterize this cell population and its clinical relevance.
Characterization and clinical evaluation of CD10+ stroma cells in the breast cancer microenvironment.
Specimen part, Disease stage
View Samples