The mucosa that lines the respiratory and gastrointestinal (GI) tracts is an important portal of entry for pathogens and provides the frontline of immune defense against HIV infection. Using the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) rhesus macaque model, we have performed a comparative analysis of host gene expression in the lung and GI mucosa in response to SIV infection and antiretroviral therapy.
Enhanced innate antiviral gene expression, IFN-α, and cytolytic responses are predictive of mucosal immune recovery during simian immunodeficiency virus infection.
Specimen part
View SamplesRecent genetic studies of ALS patients have identified several forms of ALS that are associated with mutations in RNA binding proteins. In animals or cultured cells, such defects broadly affect RNA metabolism. This raises the question of whether all forms of ALS have general effects on RNA metabolism. We tested this hypothesis in a mouse model of ALS that is transgenic for a human disease-causing mutation in the enzyme superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1). We analyzed RNA from laser-captured spinal cord motor neuron cell bodies of the mutant SOD1 strain, comparing the RNA profile with that from a corresponding wild-type SOD1 transgenic strain. We prepared the samples from animals that were presymptomatic, but which manifested abnormalities at the cellular level that are seen in ALS, including aggregation of the mutant protein in motor neuron cell bodies and defective morphology of neuromuscular junctions, the connections between neuron and muscle. We observed only minor changes in the level and splicing of RNA in the SOD1 mutant animals as compared with wild-type, suggesting that mutant SOD1 produces the toxic effects of ALS by a mechanism that does not involve global RNA disturbance. Overall design: RNA-Seq of laser microdissection of motor neuron bodies from two biological replicates each of SOD1 YFP (wildtype 592) and SOD1 G85R YFP (737) transgenic mice.
RNA-Seq profiling of spinal cord motor neurons from a presymptomatic SOD1 ALS mouse.
Age, Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesWe used the ileal loop model to assess the effects of enteric bacteria organisms on host gene expression in intestinal tissue independent of and following early SIV infection. SIV infection in the gut causes rapid and severe immune dysfunction and damage to the intestinal structure, this may alter the intimate interaction with lumenal organisms. This study was performed to determine whether early SIV infection, prior to the depletion of CD4+ T cells, can alter interaction of the host with pathogenic Salmonella serovar Typhimurium (ST) or commensal Lactobacillus plantarum (LP), and to further understand the earliest changes to the intestinal mucosa following SIV infection.
Early mucosal sensing of SIV infection by paneth cells induces IL-1β production and initiates gut epithelial disruption.
Specimen part
View SamplesWe used microarrays to detail the global gene expression changes in the ileum of SIV-infected and uninfected macaques following administration of L. plantarum.
PPARα-targeted mitochondrial bioenergetics mediate repair of intestinal barriers at the host-microbe intersection during SIV infection.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesThe robust and consistent expression of the CD13 cell surface marker on very early as well as differentiated myeloid hematopoietic cells has prompted numerous investigations seeking to define roles for CD13 in myeloid cells. To directly address the function of myeloid CD13 we created a CD13 null mouse and assessed the responses of purified primary macrophages or dendritic cells from wild type and CD13 null animals in cell assays and inflammatory disease models where CD13 has been previously implicated. We find that mice lacking CD13 develop normally with normal hematopoietic profiles. Moreover, in in vitro assays, CD13 appears to be largely dispensable for the aspects of phagocytosis, proliferation and antigen presentation that we tested, but may contribute to adhesion to endothelial cells. In vivo assessment of four inflammatory disease models showed that lack of CD13 has little effect on disease onset or progression. Nominal alterations in gene expression levels between CD13 wild type and null macrophages argue against compensatory mechanisms. Analysis of the dataset with Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software did not suggest that loss of CD13 resulted in a purturbation of any specific biological pathways, processes or networks. Therefore, while CD13 is highly expressed on myeloid cells and is a reliable marker of the myeloid lineage of both normal and leukemic cells, it is not a critical regulator of hematopoietic development, hemostasis or myeloid cell function.
CD13 is dispensable for normal hematopoiesis and myeloid cell functions in the mouse.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe normally virulent type-I RH parasite is rendered avirulent when lacking ROP5. The avirulent phenotype is a consequence of interaction with the host innate immune system. We sought to understand if ROP5 alters host gene expression in order to escape host defenses. We saw no gene expression differences between host cells infected with wt (RHku80) or RHku80rop5 parasites. We have included uninfected HFF samples that were harvested in parallel with the infected samples.
The polymorphic pseudokinase ROP5 controls virulence in Toxoplasma gondii by regulating the active kinase ROP18.
Specimen part
View SamplesBackground: The ability of an organism to repair damages to DNA is inextricably linked to aging and cancer. We have characterized and compared the transcriptome of C. elegans mutants deficient in DNA base excision repair, nucleotide excision repair or both to elucidate the transcriptional changes incurred by the reduction of these repair pathways.
A two-tiered compensatory response to loss of DNA repair modulates aging and stress response pathways.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesDuring adipocyte differentiation, significant alternative splicing changes occur in association with the adipogenic process. However, little is known about roles played by splicing factors in this process. We observed that mice deficient for the splicing factor SRSF10 exhibit severely impaired development of subcutaneous white adipose tissue as a result of defects in adipogenic differentiation. To identify splicing events responsible for this, RNA-seq analysis was performed using embryonic fibroblast cells. Several SRSF10-affected splicing events that are implicated in adipogenesis have been identified. Skipping of lipin1 exon 7 is controlled by SRSF10-regulated cis-element located in the constitutive exon 8. The activity of this element depends on the binding of SRSF10 and correlates with the relative abundance of lipin1a mRNA. A series of experiments demonstrated that SRSF10 controls the production of lipin1a and thus promotes adipocyte differentiation. Indeed, lipin1a expression could rescue SRSF10-mediated adipogenic defects. Taken together, our results identify SRSF10 as an essential regulator for adipocyte differentiation and also provide new insights into splicing control by SRSF10 in lipin1 pre-mRNA splicing. Overall design: RNA-seq for wide type (WT) and SRSF10-deficient (KO) mouse MEF cells
SRSF10 regulates alternative splicing and is required for adipocyte differentiation.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThe glucocorticoid receptor overexpression in early life is sufficient to alter gene expression patterns for the rest of the animal's life.
Early-life forebrain glucocorticoid receptor overexpression increases anxiety behavior and cocaine sensitization.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesThe nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been used extensively to study responses to DNA damage. In contrast, little is known about DNA repair in this organism. C. elegans is unusual in that it encodes few DNA glycosylases and the uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) encoded by the ung-1 gene is the only known UDG. C. elegans could therefore become a valuable model organism for studies of the genetic interaction networks involving base excision repair (BER). As a first step towards characterization of BER in C. elegans, we show that the UNG-1 protein is an active uracil-DNA glycosylase. We demonstrate that an ung-1 mutant has reduced ability to repair uracil-containing DNA but that an alternative Ugi-inhibited activity is present in ung-1 nuclear extracts. Finally, we demonstrate that ung-1 mutants show altered levels of apoptotic cell corpses formed in response to DNA damaging agents. Increased apoptosis in the ung-1 mutant in response to ionizing radiation (IR) suggests that UNG-1 contributes to repair of IR-induced DNA base damage in vivo. Following treatment with paraquat however, the apoptotic corpse-formation was reduced. Gene expression profiling suggests that this phenotype is a consequence of compensatory transcriptomic shifts that modulate oxidative stress responses in the mutant and not an effect of reduced DNA damage signaling.
Loss of Caenorhabditis elegans UNG-1 uracil-DNA glycosylase affects apoptosis in response to DNA damaging agents.
No sample metadata fields
View Samples