Background: Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in childhood. The vast majority of stage M patients present with disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in the bone marrow (BM). Although these cells represent a major obstacle in the treatment of neuroblastoma patients, their transcriptomic profile was not intensively analyzed so far. Results: RNA-Seq of stage M primary tumors, enriched BM-derived DTCs and the corresponding non-tumor mononuclear cells (MNCs) revealed that DTCs largely retained the gene expression signature of tumors. However, we identified 322 genes that were differentially expressed (q < 0.001, |log2FC|>2). Particularly genes encoded by mitochondrial DNA were highly up-regulated in DTCs, whereas e.g. genes involved in angiogenesis were down-regulated. Furthermore, 224 genes were highly expressed in DTCs and only slightly, if at all, in MNCs (q < 8x10-75 log2FC > 6). Interestingly, we found that the gene expression profiles of diagnostic DTCs largely resembled those of relapse DTCs with only 113 differentially expressed genes under relaxed cut-offs (q < 0.01, |log2FC| > 0.5). Notably, relapse DTCs showed a positional enrichment of 31 down-regulated genes encoded by chromosome 19, including five tumor suppressor genes (SIRT6, PUMA, STK11, CADM4 and GLTSCR2). Conclusion: This first RNA-Seq analysis of DTCs from neuroblastoma patients revealed their unique expression profile in comparison to the corresponding MNCs and tumor samples, and, interestingly, also expression differences between diagnostic and relapse DTCs preferentially affecting chromosome 19. As these alterations might be associated with treatment failure and disease relapse, they should be considered for further functional studies. Overall design: Tumor (n=16), bone marrow-derived disseminated tumor cells (n=42) and corresponding bone marrow-derived non-tumor cells (n=28) of stage M neuroblastoma patients were used for RNA-Seq
Neuroblastoma cells undergo transcriptomic alterations upon dissemination into the bone marrow and subsequent tumor progression.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesTo investigate the cellular responses induced by air pollution exposures, we performed genome-wide gene expression microarray analysis using whole blood RNA sampled at three time-points across the work weeks of 63 non-smoking employees in the trucking industry. Our objective was to identify the genes and gene networks differentially activated in response to micro-environmental measures of occupational exposure to three pollutants: PM2.5 (particulate matter 2.5 microns in diameter) and elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC).
Gene expression network analyses in response to air pollution exposures in the trucking industry.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesInflammation has a causal role in many cancers. In prostate cancers, epidemiological data suggest a link between prostatitis and subsequent cancer development, but a proof for this concept in a tumor model has been lacking. A constitutively active version of the IkappaB kinase 2 (IKK2), the molecule activated by a plethora of inflammatory stimuli, was expressed specifically in the prostate epithelium. Signaling of the IKK2/NF-kappaB axis was insufficient for transformation of prostate tissue. However, while PTEN+/- epithelia exhibited intraepithelial neoplasias only recognizable by nuclear alterations, additional IKK2 activation led to an increase in tumor size and formation of cribriform structures and to a fiber increase in the fibroblastic stroma. This phenotype was coupled with inflammation in the prostate gland characterized by infiltration of granulocytes and macrophages. Molecular characterization of the tissues showed a specific loss of smooth muscle markers as well as expression of chemokines attracting immune cells. Isolation of epithelial and stromal cells showed differential chemokine expression by these cells. Correlation studies showed the inflammatory phenotype coupled to loss of smooth muscle in infiltrated glands, but maintenance of the phenotype in glands where inflammation had decreased. Despite the loss of the smooth muscle barrier, tumors were not invasive in a stable genetic background. Data mining revealed that smooth muscle markers are downregulated in human prostate cancers and literature data show that loss of these markers in primary tumors is associated with subsequent metastasis. Our data show that loss of smooth muscle and invasiveness of the tumor are not coupled. Thus, inflammation during early steps of tumorigenesis can lead to increased tumor size and a potential change in the subsequent metastatic potential, but the tumor requires an additional transformation to become a carcinoma.
Persistent inflammation leads to proliferative neoplasia and loss of smooth muscle cells in a prostate tumor model.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesMethamphetamine (METH) is an illicit drug which is neurotoxic to the mammalian brain. Numerous studies have revealed significant decreases in dopamine and serotonin levels in the brains of animals exposed to moderate-to-large METH doses given within short intervals of time. In contrast, repeated injections of small nontoxic doses of the drug followed by a challenge with toxic METH doses afford significant protection against monoamine depletion. The present study was undertaken to test the possibility that repeated injections of the drug might be accompanied by transcriptional changes involved in rendering the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system refractory to METH toxicity. Our results confirm that METH preconditioning can provide significant protection against METH-induced striatal dopamine depletion. In addition, the presence and absence of METH preconditioning were associated with substantial differences in the identity of the genes whose expression was affected by a toxic METH challenge.
Methamphetamine preconditioning alters midbrain transcriptional responses to methamphetamine-induced injury in the rat striatum.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Genome-wide promoter methylation analysis in neuroblastoma identifies prognostic methylation biomarkers.
Treatment
View Samples8 neuroblastoma (NB) cell lines (CLB-GA, IMR-32, SH-SY5Y, N206, CHP-902R, LAN-2, SK-N-AS, SJNB-1) were profiled on the Affymetrix HGU-133plus2,0 platform before and after treatment with DAC (2'-deoxy-5-azacytidine) to investigate the influence on expression after inhibiting DNA-methylation
Genome-wide promoter methylation analysis in neuroblastoma identifies prognostic methylation biomarkers.
Treatment
View SamplesGene expression from Wild-type and NFAT5 knock-out Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts
Transcriptional regulation of gene expression during osmotic stress responses by the mammalian target of rapamycin.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesPhysical performance relies on the concerted action of myriad responses, many of which are under circadian clock control. Little is known, however, regarding the time-dependent effect on exercise performance at the molecular level. We found that both mice and humans exhibit day-time variance in exercise capacity between the early and late part of their active phase. The day-time variance in mice was dependent on exercise intensity and relied on the circadian clock proteins PER1/2. High throughput gene expression and metabolic profiling of skeletal muscle revealed metabolic pathways that are differently activated upon exercise in a day-time dependent manner. Remarkably, we discovered that ZMP, an endogenous AMPK activator, is induced by exercise in a time-dependent manner to regulate key steps in glycolytic and fatty acid oxidation pathways and potentially enhance exercise capacity. Overall, we propose that time of the day is a major modifier of exercise capacity and associated metabolic pathways. Overall design: basal, high intensity and moderate intensity runnig protocol at ZT14 and ZT22 in gastrocnemius muscle in C57B6 mice
Physiological and Molecular Dissection of Daily Variance in Exercise Capacity.
Sex, Cell line, Subject, Time
View SamplesGenome wide mRNA expression profiling of 94 gastric tumours derived from Australian based cohort was performed. . From this data we identified a cluster of co-expressed genes termed the stromal response cluster which almost perfectly differentiates tumor from its non-malignant gastric tissue and hence can be regarded as a highly tumor-specific gene expression signature. We show that these genes are consistently co-expressed across a range of independent gastric datasets as well as other cancer types suggesting a conserved functional role in cancer.
A signature predicting poor prognosis in gastric and ovarian cancer represents a coordinated macrophage and stromal response.
Specimen part
View SamplesAggressive double and triple hit (DH/TH) DLBCL feature activation of Hsp90 stress pathways. Herein, we show that Hsp90 controls post-transcriptional dynamics of key mRNA species including those encoding BCL6, MYC and BCL2. Using a proteomics approach, we found that Hsp90 binds to and maintains activity of eIF4E (eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E). EIF4E drives nuclear export and translation of BCL6, MYC and BCL2 mRNA. eIF4E RIP-sequencing in DLBCL suggests that nuclear eIF4E controls an extended program that includes BCR signaling, cellular metabolism and epigenetic regulation. Accordingly, eIF4E was required for survival of DLBCL including the most aggressive subtypes DH/TH lymphomas. Indeed, eIF4E inhibition induces tumor regression in cell line and patient-derived tumorgrafts of TH-DLBCL, even in the presence of elevated Hsp90 activity. Targeting Hsp90 is typically limited by counter-regulatory elevation of Hsp70B, which induces resistance to Hsp90 inhibitors. Surprisingly, we identify Hsp70 mRNA as an eIF4E target. In this way, eIF4E inhibition can overcome drug resistance to Hsp90 inhibitors. Accordingly, rational combinatorial inhibition of eIF4E and Hsp90 inhibitors resulted in cooperative anti-lymphoma activity in DH/TH DLBCL in vitro and in vivo. Overall design: We found that eIF4E activity regulates the nuclear export of BCL6, MYC, and BCL2 in DH/TH DLBCLs. To determine the extent of nuclear eIF4E activity in DH/TH DLBCLs and how these programs can support the oncogenic activity of BCL6, MYC and/or BCL2 transcripts, we conducted eIF4E-RIP of nuclear RNA followed by RNA-sequencing in OCI-Ly1 cells in triplicates. To understand the changes in gene expression after ribavarin in a clinically relevant sample, we generated a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) in NSG mice from a de-identified specimen isolated from a patient prior to treatment harboring a triple-hit ABC-type DLBCL. PDX cells from passage four (PDX-4) were implanted into NSG mice. When tumors were palpable, mice were randomized to receive vehicle or 80 mg/kg/b.i.d. ribavarin intraperitoneally for 10 days. We isolated RNA from tumors treated with vehicle (n=2) or ribavarin (n=2) and performed mRNA-seq.
Combinatorial targeting of nuclear export and translation of RNA inhibits aggressive B-cell lymphomas.
No sample metadata fields
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