Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a complex multifactorial disease with at least 34 loci contributing to genetic susceptibility. To gain functional understanding of AMD genetics, we generated transcriptional profiles of retina from 453 individuals including both controls and cases at distinct stages of AMD. We integrated retinal transcriptomes, covering 13,662 protein-coding and 1,462 noncoding genes, with genotypes at over 9 million common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis of a tissue not included in Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) and other large datasets. Cis-eQTL analysis revealed 10,474 genes under genetic regulation, including 4,541 eQTLs detected only in the retina. We then integrated the AMD-genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data with eQTLs and ascertained target genes at six loci. Furthermore, using transcriptome wide association analysis (TWAS), we identified 23 additional AMD-associated genes, including RLBP1, HIC1 and PARP12. Our studies expand the genetic landscape of AMD leading to direct targets for biological evaluation and establish the Genotype-Retina Expression (GREx) database as a resource for post-GWAS interpretation of retina-associated traits including glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Overall design: Retinal samples from 523 aged post-mortem human subjects from a spectrum of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were RNA-seq profiled.
Improved Retinal Organoid Differentiation by Modulating Signaling Pathways Revealed by Comparative Transcriptome Analyses with Development In Vivo.
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View SamplesTo define molecular mechanisms underlying rod and cone differentiation, we generated H9 human embryonic stem cell line carrying a GFP reporter that is controlled by the promoter of cone-rod homeobox (CRX) gene, the first known marker of post-mitotic photoreceptor precursors. CRXp-GFP reporter in H9 line replicates endogenous CRX expression when induced to form self-organizing 3-D retina-like tissue. We define temporal transcriptome dynamics of developing photoreceptors during the establishment of cone and rod cell fate. Our studies provide an essential framework for delineating molecules and cellular pathways that guide human photoreceptor development and should assist in chemical screening and cell-based therapies of retinal degeneration. Overall design: Undifferentiated CRXp-GFP HP hES cells and 3D-neural retina were collected at days 37, 47, 67 and 90 and dissociated into single cells. Cells were sorted at 4°C and by FACSAria (Becton Dickinson). GFP+ and GFP- cells were separately collected. Total RNA was extracted by RNA purification kit (Norgen Biotek) and analyzed by 2100 Bioanalyzer (Agilent Technologies Genomics). High quality of total RNA (RIN: 7.7-9.2) was subjected to libraries construction using 40-60 ng of total RNA as input. Libraries were constructed using a stranded modification of the Illumina TruSeq mRNA (Brooks, et al. Meth Mol Biol 2012). Each library was single-end sequenced in an independent lane of a GAIIx at a length of 76 bases. Fastq files were generated from reads passing chastity filter.
Transcriptome Dynamics of Developing Photoreceptors in Three-Dimensional Retina Cultures Recapitulates Temporal Sequence of Human Cone and Rod Differentiation Revealing Cell Surface Markers and Gene Networks.
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View SamplesWe discuss the use of pluripotent stem cell lines carrying fluorescent reporters driven by retinal promoters to derive three-dimensional (3-D) retina in culture and how this system can be exploited for elucidating human retinal biology, creating disease models in a dish, and designing targeted drug screens for retinal and macular degeneration. Furthermore, we realize that stem cell investigations are labor-intensive and require extensive resources. To expedite scientific discovery by sharing of resources and to avoid duplication of efforts, we propose the formation of a Retinal Stem Cell Consortium. In the field of vision, such collaborative approaches have been enormously successful in elucidating genetic susceptibility associated with age-related macular degeneration. Overall design: CRX+ flow sorted cells from human retina derived organoids were collected at 6 time points during differentiation (day (D) 37, 48, 67, 90, 134, 220).
Treatment Paradigms for Retinal and Macular Diseases Using 3-D Retina Cultures Derived From Human Reporter Pluripotent Stem Cell Lines.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesMyocarditis is an inflammatory disease in the heart and is mainly caused by viral infections. Viral myocarditis has been proposed to be divided into three phases; the acute viral phase, the subacute immune phase, and the chronic cardiac remodeling phase. Although individualized therapy should be applied depending on the phase, no clinical or experimental studies have found biomarkers that distinguish between the three phases of myocarditis. Theilers murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) belongs to the genus Cardiovirus, and can cause myocarditis in susceptible mouse strains. Using this novel model for viral myocarditis induced with TMEV, we conducted multivariate analysis including echocardiography, serum troponin and viral RNA titration, and microarray for identifying the biomarker candidates that discriminate the three phases. Using C3H mice infected with TMEV on 4, 7, and 60 days post infection (p.i.), we conducted bioinformatics analyses, including principal component analysis (PCA) of microarray data, since our traditional cardiac and serum assays, including two-way comparison of microarray data, did not lead to the identification of a single biomarker. PCA separated heart samples clearly between the groups of 4, 7, and 60 days p.i. Representative genes contributing to the separation were as follows: 4 and 7 days p.i., innate immunity-related genes, such as Irf7, and Cxcl9; 7 and 60 days p.i., acquired immunity-related genes, such as Cd3g and H2-Aa; and cardiac remodeling-related genes, such as Mmp12 and Gpnmb. Here, sets of molecules, but not a single molecule, identified by the unsupervised PCA, were found to be useful as the phase-specific biomarkers.
Bioinformatics multivariate analysis determined a set of phase-specific biomarker candidates in a novel mouse model for viral myocarditis.
Sex, Specimen part, Time
View SamplesPersistent microglia activation is associated with the production and secretion of various pro-inflammatory genes, cytokines and chemokines, which may initiate or amplify neurodegenerative diseases. A novel synthetic histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27) demethylases JMJD3 inhibitor, GSK-J4, was proven to exert immunosuppressive activities in macrophages. However, a genome-wide search for GSK-J4 molecular targets has not been undertaken in microglia. To study the immuno-modulatory effects of GSK-J4 on a transcriptomic level, triplicate RNA sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR analyses were performed with resting, GSK-J4, LPS and LPS+GSK-J4 challenged primary microglial (PM) and BV-2 microglial cells. Among the annotated genes, transcriptional sequencing of microglia that were treated with GSKJ4 revealed a selective effect on LPS induced gene expression in which the induction of cytokines/chemokines, interferon-stimulated genes, and prominent (transcription factors) TFs as well as previously unidentified genes that are important in inflammation was suppressed. Furthermore, we show that GSK-J4 controls important inflammatory genes targets by modulating STAT1, IRF7, and H3K27me3 level at their promoter site. These unprecedented results demonstrate the histone demethylases inhibitor GSK-J4 could have therapeutic applications for neuroinflammatory diseases. Overall design: Examination of the effects LPS on GSKJ4-treated PM microglial cells, were generated by deep sequencing on an Illumina HiSeq 2000 (101 cycles PE lane).
RNA sequencing reveals resistance of TLR4 ligand-activated microglial cells to inflammation mediated by the selective jumonji H3K27 demethylase inhibitor.
Specimen part, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesUsing RNA-seq, we report that jumonji H3K27 demethylase inhibitor, GSK-J4, exerts potent anti-inflammatory effects on LPS-stimulated BV-2 microglial cells. Overall design: Examination of effects of LPS-stimulated BV2 cells with or without GSKJ4 treatment, were generated by deep sequencing on an Illumina HiSeq 2000(101 cycles PE lane).
Transcriptome sequencing reveals that LPS-triggered transcriptional responses in established microglia BV2 cell lines are poorly representative of primary microglia.
Specimen part, Cell line, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesUsing RNA-seq, we report here that primary microglia (PM) cells have a distinct transcriptomic signature and express a unique cluster of transcripts in response to 2hrs or 4 hrs with LPS. Overall design: Examination of effects of LPS-stimulated PM microglial cells, were generated by deep sequencing on an Illumina HiSeq 2000(101 cycles PE lane).
Transcriptome sequencing reveals that LPS-triggered transcriptional responses in established microglia BV2 cell lines are poorly representative of primary microglia.
Specimen part, Treatment, 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 SamplesSnt2 is a yeast chromatin-interacting protein whose function has not been well characterized, that was recently shown to associate with Ecm5 and the Rpd3 deacetylase. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq), we show that in response to H2O2, Snt2 and Ecm5 colocalize to promoters of genes involved in various aspects of the environmental stress response. By integrating these ChIP-seq results with expression analysis, we identify a key set of target genes that require Snt2 for proper expression after H2O2 stress. Finally, by mapping Snt2 and Ecm5 localization before and after rapamycin treatment, we identify a subset of H2O2-specific Snt2 and Ecm5 target promoters that are also targeted in response to rapamycin. Our results establish a function for Snt2 in regulating transcriptional changes in response to oxidative stress, and suggest Snt2 may have a role in additional stress pathways. Overall design: RNA-seq analysis to look at gene expression levels in wild-type, snt2 deletion, or ecm5 deletion strains before or 0.5 hours after treatment with H2O2 (final concentration 0.4 mM). This sequencing was done on biological triplicate samples.
The yeast Snt2 protein coordinates the transcriptional response to hydrogen peroxide-mediated oxidative stress.
Subject
View SamplesEicosanoids are potent regulators of gene expression of inflammatory cells. Pro- (leukotrienes B4 and C4) and anti-indflammatory (lipoxins A4 and B4) eicosanoids have been described in the literature but the detailed impact of these lipid mediators on the gene expression pattern of monocytic cells has not been studied in detail. We cultured the permanent monocytic cell line MonoMac 6 for 12 h in the absence (solvent control) and presence of these eicosanoids and quantified the differential gene expression patterns using the microarray technology.
Gene expression alterations of human peripheral blood monocytes induced by medium-term treatment with the TH2-cytokines interleukin-4 and -13.
No sample metadata fields
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