Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common form of liver disease and a leading cause of liver transplantation in the United Sates. Hedgehog (Hh) signaling has been implicated in liver lipid metabolism and the early stages of NAFLD; however, its precise role remains unclear. We examined the prevalence of NAFLD in patients with overt or microform holoprosencephaly (HPE), a disorder associated with germline mutations disrupting Hh signaling. To test the hypothesis that Hh signaling attenuation predisposes to liver steatosis, we subjected Gli2 heterozygous null (Gli2+/-) mice to two unique dietary models of fatty liver. Compared to the general population, the prevalence of NAFLD was significantly higher in the HPE cohort independent of obesity, especially among younger individuals. Gli2 heterozygosity caused increased weight gain and liver steatosis on a high fat diet, and increased liver steatosis in the absence of weight gain on a methionine and choline deficient diet. Increased liver steatosis in Gli2+/- mice was associated with decreased expression of pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory genes and increased expression of PPAR, a potent anti-fibrogenic and anti-inflammatory regulator. In addition, tumor suppressors p53 and p16INK4 were found to be downregulated in the Gli2+/- mice. Our results indicate that germline mutations affecting Hh signaling predispose to NAFLD with reduced or absent fibrosis, and might increase the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Human germline hedgehog pathway mutations predispose to fatty liver.
Specimen part
View SamplesG9a is an H3K9m2 methyltransferase, which is critical in controlling gene suppression and DNA methylation. We used microarray analysis to identify the target genes that are regulated by G9a in MDA-MB231 cells, in which E-cadherin is silenced.
G9a interacts with Snail and is critical for Snail-mediated E-cadherin repression in human breast cancer.
Specimen part, Cell line, Treatment
View SamplesBesides the established selection criteria based on embryo morphology and blastomere number, new parameters for embryo viability are needed to improve the clinical outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and more particular of elective single embryo transfer (eSET). The aim of the study was to analyse genome-wide whether the embryo viability was reflected by the expression of genes in the oocyte surrounding cumulus cells. Early cleavage (EC) was chosen as a parameter for embryo viability.
Differential gene expression in cumulus cells as a prognostic indicator of embryo viability: a microarray analysis.
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View SamplesGene expression changes in the heart of MCH3-KO mouse (HDAC3 f/f, Muscle Creatine Kinase-Cre) versus control WT mouse (HDAC3 f/f).
Diet-induced lethality due to deletion of the Hdac3 gene in heart and skeletal muscle.
Specimen part
View SamplesGrowth in dense stands induces shade avoidance responses. Early responses to neighbors seem to be assoctaed with touch, not light signalling.
Plant neighbor detection through touching leaf tips precedes phytochrome signals.
Specimen part
View SamplesIn dense stands,the earliest neighbor response is induced by touching,leading to shade avoidance. During light competion the R:FR distribution is not homogenous, leading to local differences in light quality (R:FR) within the same leaf. Hyponasty is induced by FR-signaling in the lamina tip, which then induces local cell growth in the petiole base. Likewise, local touching of the leaf tip induces a similar phenoype.
Neighbor detection at the leaf tip adaptively regulates upward leaf movement through spatial auxin dynamics.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Evidence for Alteration of Gene Regulatory Networks through MicroRNAs of the HIV-infected brain: novel analysis of retrospective cases.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesMajor depressive disorder (MDD) is a clinically defined entity with little understanding as to the underlying pathological substrate. Biologically, MDD is characterized by disruption of neurotransmitters, especially serotonin and noradrenaline, which are the main targets of antidepressants. We previously demonstrated significant reduction of glial cell number in the cingulate and dorsolateral prefrontal cortical regions. Unfortunately, individuals living with HIV still have very high rates of MDD, despite the fact that mortality rates have fallen sharply with effective antiretroviral treatment. It is possible that in this treatment era, living with chronic HIV infection may result in long-term neuropathological changes that predispose to MDD. For example, it is known that HIV is associated with a range of inflammatory pathologies, neuronal loss, and dendrite-synaptic damage. In HIV, these neurodegenerative changes have been linked to neurocognitive impairments, however it is also possible that these changes potentiate MDD.
Evidence for Alteration of Gene Regulatory Networks through MicroRNAs of the HIV-infected brain: novel analysis of retrospective cases.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesMammalian transcriptomes display complex circadian rhythms with multiple phases of gene expression that cannot be accounted for by current models of the molecular clock. We have determined the underlyingmechanisms by measuring nascent RNA transcription around the clock in mouse liver. Unbiased examination of eRNAs that cluster in specific circadian phasesidentified functional enhancers driven by distinct transcription factors (TFs). We further identify on a global scale the components of the TF cistromes that function to orchestrate circadian gene expression. Integrated genomicanalysesalso revealed novel mechanisms by which a single circadian factor controls opposing transcriptional phases. These findings shed new light on the diversity and specificity of TF function in the generation of multiple phases of circadian gene transcription in a mammalian organ.
Circadian enhancers coordinate multiple phases of rhythmic gene transcription in vivo.
Sex, Time
View SamplesAcinar cells make up the majority of all cells in the pancreas, yet the source of new acinar cells during homeostasis remains unknown. Using multicolor lineage-tracing and organoid-formation assays, we identified the presence of a progenitor-like acinar cell subpopulation. These cells have long-term self-renewal capacity, albeit in a unipotent fashion. We further demonstrate that binuclear acinar cells are terminally differentiated acinar cells. Transcriptome analysis of single acinar cells revealed the existence of a minor population of cells expressing progenitor markers. Interestingly, a gain of the identified markers accompanied by a transient gain of proliferation was observed following chemically induced pancreatitis. Altogether, our study identifies a functionally and molecularly distinct acinar subpopulation and thus transforms our understanding of the acinar cell compartment as a pool of equipotent secretory cells. Overall design: The single-cell RNA-seq library preparation protocol was based on the SMART seq2 protocol (Picelli et al., 2014) with following modifications. Acinar cells were isolated as described in the section Acinar Cell Isolation and Culture and resuspended in DPBS without Ca2+ and Mg2+ (PAN-Biotech). Cells were collected in a volume of 0.5 µL and transferred to a reaction tube containing 4 µL of 6 M guanidine-HCl (Sigma-Aldrich), 0.1% (v/v) Triton X-100 (Sigma-Aldrich) and 1% (v/v) 2-mercaptoethanol (?Sigma-Aldrich). The tube was immediately transferred into liquid nitrogen and kept there for the duration of cell collection. Next, 2.2× RNA SPRI beads (Beckman Coulter) were added directly to the lysis buffer and incubated for 5 min at room temperature. The beads were washed twice with 70% ethanol. Air-dried beads were resuspended in a solution containing 2 µL of H20, 1 µL of oligo(dT) primer, and 1 µL of dNTP Mix (primer and nucleotides used as in Picelli et al., 2014). Twenty-four cells contained ERCC Spike-In RNAs (1:10,000; Mix2, Ambion) Mix in addition to primer and nucleotides. Beads were incubated for 3 min at 72°C, and reverse transcription and PCR (19 cycles) were performed as described by Picelli et al. (2014). PCR product was cleaned up using 0.8× DNA SPRI beads (Beckman Coulter), and air-dried beads were resuspended in 15 µL of H2O. The quality of cDNA library was assessed for each cell on a high-sensitivity DNA Bioanalyzer chip. Subsequent steps (tagmentation, amplification, multiplexing) were done as previously described (Llorens-Bobadilla et al., 2015). The DKFZ Genomics and Proteomics Core Facility conducted sequencing on an Illumina HiSeq2000 sequencer (paired-end 100 bp).
Single-Cell Analysis Uncovers Clonal Acinar Cell Heterogeneity in the Adult Pancreas.
Sex, Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
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