Type 1 diabetes is a multigenic disease caused by T-cell mediated destruction of the insulin producing -cells. Although conventional (targeted) approaches of identifying causative genes have advanced our knowledge of this disease, many questions remain unanswered. Using a whole molecular systems study, we unraveled the genes/molecular pathways that are altered in CD4 T-cells from young NOD mice prior to insulitis (lymphocytic infiltration into the pancreas). Many of the CD4 T-cell altered genes lie within known diabetes susceptibility regions (Idd), including several genes in the diabetes resistance region Idd13 and two genes (Khdrbs1 and Ptp4a2) in the CD4 T-cell diabetogenic activity region Idd9/11. Alterations involved apoptosis/cell proliferation and metabolic pathways (predominant at 2 weeks), inflammation and cell signaling/activation (predominant at 3 weeks), and innate and adaptive immune responses (predominant at 4 weeks). We identified several factors that may regulate these abnormalities: IRF-1, HNF4A, TP53, BCL2L1 (lies within Idd13), IFNG, IL4, IL15, and prostaglandin E2, which were common to all 3 ages; AR and IL6 to 2 and 4 weeks; and Interferon (IFN-I) and IRF-7 to 3 and 4 weeks. Others were unique to the various ages (e. g. MYC, JUN, and APP to 2 weeks; TNF, TGFB1, NFKB, ERK, and p38MAPK to 3 weeks; and IL12 and STAT4 to 4 weeks). Our data suggest that diabetes resistance genes in Idd13 and Idd9/11, and BCL2L1, IL6-AR and IFNG-IRF-1-IFN-I/IRF-7-IL12 pathways play an important role in CD4 T-cells in the early pathogenesis of autoimmune diabetes. Thus, the alternative approach of investigation at the molecular systems level has captured new information, which combined with validation studies, offers the opportunity to test hypotheses on the role played by the genes/molecular pathways identified in this study, to understand better the mechanisms of autoimmune diabetes in CD4 T-cells, and to develop new therapeutic strategies for the disease.
Molecular pathway alterations in CD4 T-cells of nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice in the preinsulitis phase of autoimmune diabetes.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesIslet leukocytic infiltration (insulitis) is first obvious at around 4 weeks of age in the NOD mouse a model for human type 1 diabetes (T1DM). The molecular events leading to insulitis are poorly understood. Since TIDM is caused by numerous genes, we hypothesized that multiple molecular pathways are altered and interact to initiate this disease.
Molecular phenotyping of immune cells from young NOD mice reveals abnormal metabolic pathways in the early induction phase of autoimmune diabetes.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesStatins, the 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl (HMG)-CoA reductase inhibitors, are widely prescribed for treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Although statins are generally well tolerated, up to ten percent of patients taking statins experience muscle related adverse events. Myalgia, defined as muscle pain without elevated creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) levels, is the most frequent reason for discontinuation of statin therapy. The mechanisms underlying statin-associated myalgia are not clearly understood. To elucidate changes in gene expression associated with statin-induced myalgia, we compared profiles of gene expression in the biopsied skeletal muscle from statin-intolerant patients undergoing statin re-challenge versus those of statin-tolerant controls. A robust separation of statin-intolerant and statin-tolerant cohorts was revealed by Principal Component Analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). To identify putative gene expression and metabolic pathways that may be perturbed in skeletal muscles of statin intolerant patients, we subjected DEGs to Ingenuity Pathways (IPA) and DAVID (Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery) analyses. The most prominent pathways altered by statins included cellular stress, apoptosis, senescence and DNA repair (TP53, BARD1, Mre11 and RAD51); activation of pro-inflammatory immune response (CXCL12, CST5, POU2F1); protein catabolism, cholesterol biosynthesis, protein prenylation and RAS-GTPase activation (FDFT1, LSS, TP53, UBD, ATF2, H-ras). Based on these data we tentatively conclude that persistent myalgia in response to statins may emanate from cellular stress underpinned by mechanisms of post-inflammatory repair and regeneration. We also posit that this subset of individuals are genetically predisposed to eliciting altered statin metabolism and/or increased end-organ susceptibility that lead to a range of statin-induced myopathies. This mechanistic scenario further bolstered by the discovery that a number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (e.g., SLCO1B1, SLCO2B1 and RYR2) associated with statin myopathy were observed with increased frequency among statin-intolerant study subjects.
Patients experiencing statin-induced myalgia exhibit a unique program of skeletal muscle gene expression following statin re-challenge.
Specimen part
View SamplesFNDC4 is a novel secreted factor sharing high homology with the exercise-associated myokine irisin (FNDC5). Here we report that Fndc4 is robustly upregulated in various mouse models of inflammation as well as in human inflammatory conditions. Specifically, subjects with inflammatory bowel disease show increased FNDC4 levels locally at inflamed sites of the intestine. Interestingly, administration of recombinant FNDC4 during colitis development in mice resulted in markedly reduced disease severity compared to mice injected with a control protein. Conversely, mice that lacked Fndc4 showed increased colitis severity. Analysis of binding of FNDC4 to different immune cell types revealed strong and specific binding to macrophages and monocytes. FNDC4 treatment of bone marrow-derived macrophages in vitro resulted in reduced phagocytosis, improved survival and reduced pro-inflammatory chemokine expression. Hence, treatment with FNDC4 resulted in a state of dampened macrophage activity, while enhancing their survival. Thus, we have characterized a novel factor with direct therapeutic potential in inflammatory bowel disease and possibly other inflammatory diseases.
FNDC4 acts as an anti-inflammatory factor on macrophages and improves colitis in mice.
Sex, Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesIn the intestine, Hedgehog (Hh) signalling orchestrates epithelial homeostasis in a bidirectional loop. Differentiated enterocytes secrete the ligand leading to active downstream signaling exclusively in the stroma. In turn, Hh-driven stromal factors contribute to the control of intestinal stem cell numbers and induce epithelial differentiation.
Stromal Hedgehog signalling is downregulated in colon cancer and its restoration restrains tumour growth.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesLgr6-positive cells have been shown to label stem/progenitors cells in several tissues including tongue and skin. However their role in mammary gland has never been investigated. Here we used Lgr6-eGFP-IRES-CreER2 mice to isolate and characterize Lgr6-positive population in mammary gland of 5-week old female mice. Overall design: Examination of transcriptional differences between Lgr6 positive and negative cells
Lgr6 labels a rare population of mammary gland progenitor cells that are able to originate luminal mammary tumours.
Sex, Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesWe treated 80% confluent J774A.1 macrophages with 1 nM neuropeptide-FF (NPFF) for 18 h.
Neuropeptide FF increases M2 activation and self-renewal of adipose tissue macrophages.
Treatment
View SamplesWe used microarrays to compare the gene expression profiles of different H1N1 isolates (seasonal and pandemic) in lung epithelial cells in vitro.
Early host responses of seasonal and pandemic influenza A viruses in primary well-differentiated human lung epithelial cells.
Specimen part
View SamplesGlucocorticoids (GCs) are commonly used to treat patients suffering from lymphoid malignancies i.e. leukemia and multiple myeloma. Although GCs are known to be strong inducers of apoptosis in lymphoid cells, the molecular determinants of GC therapy resistance are poorly understood. Although GC treatment triggers important changes in gene expression, few studies have addressed the regulatory role of small regulatory microRNAs (miRNAs) in GC therapy response. Only recently, aberrant microRNA expression has been linked to the development of haematological malignancies and microRNAs have become master regulators of drug resistance. We identified GC inducible mRNA and microRNA transcription profiles in GC sensitive MM1S as compared to GC resistant MM1R cells. Transcriptome analysis revealed that GCs regulate multiple genes involved in cell cycle control, cell organization and cell death in MM1S, which remain unaffected in MM1R cells. Correspondingly, GCs selectively trigger cell death in MM1S but not in MM1R. Out of 32 microRNAs responsive to GC in MM1S cells but not in MM1R cells, mir-150 was identified as the most persistent GC responsive microRNA. Furthermore, Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA) revealed that ectopic transfection of a synthetic mir-150 mimics GC therapy response in MM1S cells, associated with selective changes in mRNA levels of typical GR transactivated and transrepressed target genes. Although mir-150 largely mirrors GC responsive changes in gene expression of the transcription factor Myb, GR chaperone FKBP5, cell cycle modulator proteins (IL23A, SKP2, CDKN1A), chemokine signaling proteins (CXCR4, CX3CR1, CCL3) and mTOR/UPR stress related proteins (DDIT4, TXNIP), we also observed mir-150 selective effects on transcription factors (NR3C2 (MR), Myb, Fos, Jun, C/EBP-beta, IRF4, NFE2L1, ATF3, ATF4,), chaperone molecules HSPA8, HSP90AB1), the sodium channel SCNN1G and UPR stress proteins (TRIB3, DDIT3). Remarkably, mir-150 overexpression was not able to overcome GC therapy resistance, since we could not detect GC like effects of mir-150 in GR (NR3C1) deficient MM1R cells. Altogether GC-inducible mir-150 adds a novel complex layer of regulation for fine tuning GC specific therapeutic responses in multiple myeloma.
Ectopic microRNA-150-5p transcription sensitizes glucocorticoid therapy response in MM1S multiple myeloma cells but fails to overcome hormone therapy resistance in MM1R cells.
Cell line, Treatment
View SamplesWe have sampled several tumour regions from nine clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) patients to investigate intra-tumour heterogeneity.
Genomic architecture and evolution of clear cell renal cell carcinomas defined by multiregion sequencing.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Subject
View Samples