microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression by targeting specific mRNAs. Altered expression of circulating miRNAs have been associated with age-related diseases including cancer and cardiovascular disease. Although we and others have found an age-dependent decrease in miRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), little is known about the role of circulating miRNAs in human aging. Here, we examined miRNA expression in human serum from young (mean age 30 years) and old (mean age 64 years) individuals using next generation sequencing technology and real-time quantitative PCR. Of the miRNAs that we found to be present in serum, three were significantly decreased in 20 older individuals compared to 20 younger individuals: miR-151a-5p, miR-181a-5p and miR-1248. Consistent with our data in humans, these miRNAs are also present at lower levels in the serum of elderly rhesus monkeys. In humans, miR-1248 was found to regulate the expression of mRNAs involved in inflammatory pathways and miR-181a was found to correlate negatively with the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNFa and to correlate positively with the anti-inflammatory cytokines TGFb and IL-10. These results suggest that circulating miRNAs may be a biological marker of aging and could also be important for regulating longevity. Identification of stable miRNA biomarkers in serum could have great potential as a noninvasive diagnostic tool as well as enhance our understanding of physiological changes that occur with age. Overall design: Examination of microRNAs isolated from human serum from 11 young (mean age 30 yrs) and 11 old (mean age 64 yrs) individuals and from peripheral blood mononuclear cells from one young (30 yr) and one old (64 yr) individual.
Age-related changes in microRNA levels in serum.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesCirculating extracellular RNAs (exRNAs) are potential biomarkers of disease. We thus hypothesized that age-related changes in exRNAs can identify age-related processes. We profiled both large and small RNAs in human serum to investigate changes associated with normal aging. exRNA was sequenced in 13 young (30-32 yrs.) and 10 old (80-85 yrs.) African American women to identify all RNA transcripts present in serum. We identified age-related differences in several RNA biotypes, including mitochondrial transfer RNAs, mitochondrial ribosomal RNA, and unprocessed pseudogenes. Age-related differences in unique RNA transcripts were further validated in an expanded cohort. Pathway analysis revealed that EIF2 signaling, oxidative phosphorylation, and mitochondrial dysfunction were among the top pathways shared between young and old. Protein interaction networks revealed distinct clusters of functionally-related protein-coding genes in both age-groups. These data provide timely and relevant insight into the exRNA repertoire in serum and its change with aging. Overall design: Profiling of extracellular RNA (exRNA) from human serum in 13 young (30.9 ± 0.60 yrs) and 10 old (81.8 ± 1.87 yrs) individuals.
Extracellular RNA profiles with human age.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesThe cell of origin of hepatoblastoma in humans and mice (HB) is unknown; it has been hypothesized to be a transformed hepatocyte, an oval cell, or a multipotent hepatic progenitor cell. In mice, the current dogma is that HBs arise within hepatocellular neoplasms as a result of further transformation from a neoplastic hepatocyte. However, there is little evidence in the literature to support a direct relationship between these two cell types. Furthermore, due to differences in etiology and development of hepatoblastoma between mice and humans, many have questioned the relevance of these tumors in hazard identification and risk assessment. In order to better understand the relationship between hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatoblastoma, as well as better determine the molecular similarities between mouse and human hepatoblastoma, global gene expression analysis and targeted Hras and Ctnnb1 mutation analysis were performed using concurrent hepatoblastoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and associated normal adjacent liver (in the context of vehicle control liver) samples from a recent National Toxicology Program chronic bioassay. The data from this study provides a better understanding of the origins of hepatoblastoma in the B6C3F1 mice and the relevance of mouse hepatoblastoma to humans when considering chemical exposures of potential human cancer risk.
Genomic Profiling Reveals Unique Molecular Alterations in Hepatoblastomas and Adjacent Hepatocellular Carcinomas in B6C3F1 Mice.
Specimen part
View SamplesArgonaute (Ago) proteins, which act in post-transcriptional gene regulation directed by small RNAs, are vital for normal stem cell biology. Here we report the genomic characterization of stable Ago-deficient mouse embryonic stem cells (mESC) and determine the direct, primary and system level response to loss of Ago-mediated regulation. We find mESCs lacking all four Ago proteins are viable, do not repress microRNA (miRNA)-targeted cellular RNAs, and show distinctive gene network signatures. Profiling of RNA expression and epigenetic activity in an Ago mutant genetic series indicates that early responses to Ago loss are driven by transcriptional regulatory networks, in particular the Tgf-ß/Smad transcriptional network. This finding is confirmed using a time course analysis of Ago depletion and Ago rescue experiments. Detailed analysis places Tgf-ß/Smad activation upstream of cell cycle regulator activation, such as Cdkn1a, and repression of the c-Myc transcriptional network. The Tgf-ß/Smad pathway is directly controlled by multiple low-affinity miRNA interactions with Tgf-ß/Activin receptor mRNAs and receptor-mediated activation is required for Tgf-ß/Smad target induction with Ago loss. Our characterization reveals the interplay of post-transcriptional regulatory pathways with transcriptional networks in maintaining cell state and likely coordinating cell state transitions. Overall design: mRNA seq from stable genetic Dicer and Dgcr8 mutant mouse embryonic stem cells.
Temporal Control of the TGF-β Signaling Network by Mouse ESC MicroRNA Targets of Different Affinities.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesWe report that AUF1 modulates global mRNA stability and translation, in turn promoting the maintenance of DNA integrity. Overall design: Please see individual series. For AUF1 PAR-CLIP, the four isoforms of AUF1 (p37, p40, p42, and p45) tagged with a Flag epitope were expressed in HEK293 cells. For total RNA-Seq HEK293 cells were transfected with Control siRNA, AUF1 siRNA, Empty Vector, Flag-AUF1 p37, p40, p42, or p45 as well as WI-38 cells were collected at PDL 15 and 55 and also transfected with Control siRNA, AUF1 siRNA, HuR siRNA. For Ribo-Seq HeLa cells were transfected with Control siRNA, AUF1 siRNA, or HuR siRNA.
PAR-CLIP analysis uncovers AUF1 impact on target RNA fate and genome integrity.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesWe report that AUF1 modulates global mRNA stability and translation, in turn promoting the maintenance of DNA integrity. Overall design: Please see individual series. In short, for AUF1 PAR-CLIP, the four isoforms of AUF1 (p37, p40, p42, and p45) tagged with a Flag epitope were expressed in HEK293 cells. For total RNA-Seq HEK293 cells were transfected with Control siRNA, AUF1 siRNA, Empty Vector, Flag-AUF1 p37, p40, p42, or p45 as well as WI-38 cells were collected at PDL 15 and 55 and also transfected with Control siRNA, AUF1 siRNA, HuR siRNA. For Ribo-Seq HeLa cells were transfected with Control siRNA, AUF1 siRNA, or HuR siRNA.
PAR-CLIP analysis uncovers AUF1 impact on target RNA fate and genome integrity.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesWe identified that downregulation of RNF20/H2Bub1 is involved in HGSOC progression through altering key immune signaling pathways. The goal of this RNA-seq is to analyze gene expression profile in FTSEC cells (FT190 and FT194 cell lines) with RNF20 knockdown (shRNF20) or control shRNA. Integrating the data from ATAC-seq for same samples, we observed that expression of immune signaling pathways have significantly changed by RNF20/H2Bub1 downregulation. Overall design: mRNA profiles of FT190 and FT194 shRNF20 (RNF20 knockdown) or control shRNA cells were generated by deep sequencing using Illumina HiSeq 2500, in triplicate.
Early Loss of Histone H2B Monoubiquitylation Alters Chromatin Accessibility and Activates Key Immune Pathways That Facilitate Progression of Ovarian Cancer.
Subject
View Samplesgamma delta intraepithelial lymphocytes were isolated from the colons of DSS-treated and untreated mice. Total RNAs were isolated and compared by Affymetrix DNA microarray.
Reciprocal interactions between commensal bacteria and gamma delta intraepithelial lymphocytes during mucosal injury.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesStudies in mice have shown that PPAR is an important regulator of hepatic lipid metabolism and the acute phase response. However, little information is available on the role of PPAR in human liver. Here we set out to compare the function of PPAR in mouse and human hepatocytes via analysis of target gene regulation. Primary hepatocytes from 6 human and 6 mouse donors were treated with PPAR agonist Wy14643 and gene expression profiling was performed using Affymetrix GeneChips followed by a systems biology analysis. Baseline PPAR expression was similar in human and mouse hepatocytes. Depending on species and time of exposure, Wy14643 significantly induced the expression of 362-672 genes. Surprisingly minor overlap was observed between the Wy14643-regulated genes from mouse and human, although more substantial overlap was observed at the pathway level. Xenobiotics metabolism and apolipoprotein synthesis were specifically regulated by PPAR in human hepatocytes, whereas glycolysis-gluconeogenesis was regulated specifically in mouse hepatocytes. Most of the genes commonly regulated in mouse and human were involved in lipid metabolism and many represented known PPAR targets, including CPT1A, HMGCS2, FABP, ACSL, and ADFP. Several genes were identified that were specifically induced by PPAR in human (MBL2, ALAS1, CYP1A1, TSKU) or mouse (Fbp2, lgals4, Cd36, Ucp2, Pxmp4). Furthermore, several putative novel PPAR targets were identified that were commonly regulated in both species, including CREB3L3, KLF10, KLF11 and MAP3K8. Our results suggest that PPAR activation has a major impact on gene regulation in human hepatocytes. Importantly, the role of PPAR as master regulator of hepatic lipid metabolism is generally well-conserved between mouse and human. Overall, however, PPAR regulates a mostly divergent set of genes in mouse and human hepatocytes.
Comparative analysis of gene regulation by the transcription factor PPARalpha between mouse and human.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Subject, Time
View SamplesGenomic analysis of axon pruning in Drosophila mushroom body neurons identifies the RNA-binding protein Boule as a negative regulator
Genomic analysis of Drosophila neuronal remodeling: a role for the RNA-binding protein Boule as a negative regulator of axon pruning.
Age
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