The prognosis of advanced stage neuroblastoma patients remains poor and, despite intensive therapy, the 5-year survival rate remains less than 50%. We previously identified histone deacetylase (HDAC) 8 as an indicator of poor clinical outcome and a selective drug target for differentiation therapy in vitro and in vivo. Here we performed kinome-wide RNAi screening to identify genes that are synthetically lethal with HDAC8 inhibitors. These experiments identified the neuroblastoma predisposition gene ALK as a candidate gene. Accordingly, the combination of the ALK/MET inhibitor crizotinib and selective HDAC8 inhibitors (3-6M PCI-34051 or 10M 20a) efficiently killed neuroblastoma cell lines carrying wildtype ALK (SK-N-BE(2)-C, IMR5/75), amplified ALK (NB-1), and those carrying the activating ALK F1174L mutation (Kelly), and, in cells carrying the activating R1275Q mutation (LAN-5), combination treatment decreased viable cell count. The effective dose of crizotinib in neuroblastoma cell lines ranged from 0.05M (ALK-amplified) to 0.8M (wildtype ALK). The combinatorial inhibition of ALK and HDAC8 also decreased tumor growth in an in vivo zebrafish xenograft model. Bioinformatic analyses revealed that the mRNA expression level of HDAC8 was significantly correlated with that of ALK in two independent patient cohorts, the Academic Medical Center cohort (n=88) and the German Neuroblastoma Trial cohort (n=649), and co-expression of both target genes identified patients with very poor outcome. Mechanistically, HDAC8 and ALK converge at the level of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling and their downstream survival pathways, such as ERK signaling. Combination treatment of HDAC8 inhibitor with crizotinib efficiently blocked the activation of growth receptor survival signaling and shifted the cell cycle arrest and differentiation phenotype toward effective cell death of neuroblastoma cell lines, including sensitization of resistant models, but not of normal cells. These findings reveal combined targeting of ALK and HDAC8 as a novel strategy for the treatment of neuroblastoma.
A kinome-wide RNAi screen identifies ALK as a target to sensitize neuroblastoma cells for HDAC8-inhibitor treatment.
Specimen part
View SamplesGene expression profiling on IL-10-secreting and non-secreting murine Th1 cells, stimulated in the presence or absence of the Notch ligand Delta-like 4 (Dll4), was performed to identify transcription factors co-expressed with IL-10.
Role of Blimp-1 in programing Th effector cells into IL-10 producers.
Specimen part
View SamplesLittle is known about the immune performance and interactions of CNS microglia/macrophages in glioma patients. Microglia/macrophages were found to be the predominant immune cell infiltrating gliomas (approximately 1% of total cells); others identified are myeloid dendritic cells (DCs), plasmacytoid DCs, and T cells. Using a procedure enriching for CD11b/c+CD45+ glioma-infiltrating microglia/macrophages (GIMs) from postoperative tissue specimens of glioma patients (Hussain et al. Neuro Oncol. 2006 J;8(3):261-79) gene expression profiles were obtained form paired samples. The expression profiles are used to identify expression signatures contributed by GIMs in glioblastoma data sets (Murat et al, submitted).
Modulation of angiogenic and inflammatory response in glioblastoma by hypoxia.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesUstilago maydis is a plant-pathogenic fungus that establishes a biotrophic relationship with its host Zea mays. The biotrophic interaction is initiated upon host penetration, and involves expansion of the host plasma membrane around hyphae, which is thought to facilitate the exchange of nutrients and virulence factors. Transcriptional regulators involved in the establishment of an infectious dikaryon and penetration into the host have been identified, however, regulators involved in the post-penetration stages remained to be elucidated. In the study we report the identification of an Ustilago maydis forkhead transcription factor, Fox1, which is exclusively expressed during biotrophic development. Deletion of fox1 results in reduced virulence and impaired tumour development in planta. fox1 hyphae induce plant defences including the overproduction and accumulation of H2O2 in and around infected cells. This oxidative burst acts as an intercellular signal, which elicits a specific host defence response phenotypically represented by the encasement of proliferating hyphae in extensions of the plant cell wall. Maize microarrays experiments were performed to identify genes involved in the observed plant defence responses on leaf tissue infected with U. maydis strain SG200fox1 4 dpi.
The Ustilago maydis forkhead transcription factor Fox1 is involved in the regulation of genes required for the attenuation of plant defenses during pathogenic development.
Specimen part
View SamplesAims/hypothesis: Duct cells isolated from adult human pancreas can be reprogrammed to express islet beta cell genes by adenoviral transduction of the developmental transcription factor neurogenin3 (Ngn3). In this study we aimed to fully characterize the extent of this reprogramming and intended to improve it.
Plasticity of adult human pancreatic duct cells by neurogenin3-mediated reprogramming.
Specimen part
View SamplesAims: establishment of reference samples to investigate gene expression selective for endocrine or ductal-exocrine cells within the adult human pancreas. To this end, human islet endocrine cells, FACS-enriched in insulin+ cells, (n=3) and human exocrine ductal cells (n=2) are compared on Affymetrix HG133A platform with duplicate hybridizations of a panel of other primary human tissues.
Clusters of conserved beta cell marker genes for assessment of beta cell phenotype.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe study was designed to capture the in vivo adaptations of nutrient-sensing pancreatic beta cells to fed or fasted (24h) state.
Clusters of conserved beta cell marker genes for assessment of beta cell phenotype.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesIL-22 acts on epithelial cells and has been shown to induce tissue protective and wound healing responses in these cells. But it has recently been decribed that IL-22 exacerbates ileatis after infection with T. gondii.
Interleukin-22 induces interleukin-18 expression from epithelial cells during intestinal infection.
Specimen part, Time
View SamplesIn this study we have investigated the effect of loss of math-33 activity on DAF-16-mediated target gene regulation in C. elegans under conditions of reduced Insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS). Using whole nematode RNA sequencing experiments we found that the daf-2(e1370)-mediated induction and repression of DAF-16 target genes was decreased in daf-2(e1370); math-33(tm3561) mutant animals. Our data suggest that the downregulation of endogenous DAF-16 isoforms in the absence of a functional MATH-33 severely affects the global expression of DAF-16 targets when IIS activity is reduced. Therefore, MATH-33 is essential for DAF-16-mediated target gene activation and repression in the context of IIS. Overall design: DAF-16 mediated target gene regulation was analyzed in daf-2(e1370) nematodes and compared to daf-2(e1370); math-33(tm3561) mutant animals. daf-16(mu86); daf-2(e1370); N2 (wild type) and math-33(tm3561) single mutant animals were used as controls.
The Deubiquitylase MATH-33 Controls DAF-16 Stability and Function in Metabolism and Longevity.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesL-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (levodopa) treatment is the major pharmacotherapy for Parkinson's disease. However, almost all patients receiving levodopa eventually develop debilitating involuntary movements (dyskinesia). While it is known that striatal spiny projection neurons (SPNs) are involved in the genesis of this movement disorder, the molecular basis of dyskinesia is not understood. In this study, we identify distinct cell-type-specific gene expression changes that occur in sub-classes of SPNs upon induction of a parkinsonian lesion followed by chronic levodopa treatment. We identify several hundred genes whose expression is correlated with levodopa dose, many of which are under the control of AP-1 and ERK signaling. In spite of homeostatic adaptations involving several signaling modulators, AP-1-dependent gene expression remains highly dysregulated in direct pathway SPNs (dSPNs) upon chronic levodopa treatment. We also discuss which molecular pathways are most likely to dampen abnormal dopaminoceptive signaling in spiny projection neurons, hence providing potential targets for antidyskinetic treatments in Parkinson's disease.
Molecular adaptations of striatal spiny projection neurons during levodopa-induced dyskinesia.
Specimen part, Treatment
View Samples