Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by mutations in the X-linked dystrophin (DMD) gene. The absence of dystrophin protein leads to progressive muscle weakness and wasting, disability and death. To establish a tailored large animal model of DMD, we deleted DMD exon 52 in male pig cells by gene targeting and generated offspring by nuclear transfer. DMD pigs exhibit absence of dystrophin in skeletal muscles, increased serum creatine kinase levels, progressive dystrophic changes of skeletal muscles, impaired mobility, muscle weakness, and a maximum life span of 3 months due to respiratory impairment. To address the accelerated development of muscular dystrophy in DMD pigs as compared to human patients, we performed a genome-wide transcriptome study of M. biceps femoris samples from 2-day-old and 3-month-old DMD and age-matched wild-type pigs. The transcriptome changes in 3-month-old DMD pigs were in good accordance with the findings of gene expression profiles in human DMD, reflecting the processes of degeneration, regeneration, inflammation, fibrosis, and impaired metabolic activity. The transcriptome profile of 2-day-old DMD pigs pointed towards increased protein and DNA catabolism, reduced extracellular matrix formation and cell proliferation and showed similarities with transcriptome changes induced by exercise injury in muscle. Our transcriptome studies provide new insights into congenital changes associated with dystrophin deficiency and secondary complications arising during postnatal development. Thus the DMD pig is a useful model to determine the hierarchy of physiological derangements in dystrophin-deficient muscle.
Dystrophin-deficient pigs provide new insights into the hierarchy of physiological derangements of dystrophic muscle.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesTo investigate the importance of STAT3 in the establishment of ES cells we have in a first step derived stable pluripotent embryonic stem cells from transgenic FVB mice expressing a conditional tamoxifen dependent STAT3-MER fusion protein. In a second step, STAT3-MER overexpressing cells were used to identify STAT3 pathway-related genes by expression profiling in order to identify new key-players involved in maintenance of pluripotency in ES cells.
Expression profiling in transgenic FVB/N embryonic stem cells overexpressing STAT3.
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View SamplesDifferential gene expression was analyzed for FACS sorted Math1::Cre; ROSA-tdTomato from hand dissected cochlear nuclei of wild type and Hoxa2/Hoxb2 mutant mice Overall design: In order to investigate the role of Hoxa2 and Hoxb2 transcription factors in a subset of cells of the cochlear nucleus, we generated double conditional knock-out by crossing the deleter line Math1::Cre crossed with Rosa tdTomato; Hoxa2fl/fl; Hoxb2fl/fl and Rosa tdTomato wild type background. FACS sorted cells from hand dissected cochlear nuclei were than processed and RNA-seq performed (see extract protocol and library construction protocol).
Hox2 Genes Are Required for Tonotopic Map Precision and Sound Discrimination in the Mouse Auditory Brainstem.
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View SamplesThe heart adapts to increased workload through hypertrophic growth of cardiomyocytes. Although beneficial when induced physiologically by exercise, pathological cues including hypertension cause reexpression of fetal genes and dysfunctional hypertrophy, with lasting consequences for cardiac health. We hypothesised that these differences are driven by changes in chromatin-encoded cellular memory. We generated genome-wide maps of transcription and of two stable epigenetic marks, H3K9me2 and H3K27me3, specifically in hypertrophied cardiomyocytes, by selectively flow-sorting their nuclei. This demonstrated a pervasive loss of euchromatic H3K9me2 specifically upon pathological but not physiological hypertrophy, derepressing genes associated with pathological hypertrophy. Levels of the H3K9 methyltransferases, G9a and GLP, were correspondingly reduced. Importantly, pharmacological or genetic inactivation of these enzymes was sufficient to induce pathological hypertrophy and the dedifferentiation associated with it. These findings suggest novel therapeutic opportunities by defining an epigenetic state of cardiomyocytes, acquired during maturation, which is required for maintaining cardiac health. Overall design: Examination of 2 different histone modifications and RNA expression in cardiomyocyte nuclei flow-sorted from hypertrophic rat hearts
The H3K9 dimethyltransferases EHMT1/2 protect against pathological cardiac hypertrophy.
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View SamplesGenome wide expression profiling was used to identify signifnificantly changed genes in fetal membranes after GBS treatment
Group B streptococcus activates transcriptomic pathways related to premature birth in human extraplacental membranes in vitro.
Specimen part
View SamplesEGFR inhibitors (EGFRi) are effective against EGFR mutant lung cancers. The efficacy of these drugs however is mitigated by the outgrowth of resistant cells, most often driven by a secondary acquired mutation in EGFR, T790M. We recently demonstrated that T790M can arise de novo during treatment (Hata et al., Nature Medicine 2016); it follows that one potential therapeutic strategy to thwart resistance would be identifying and eliminating these cells (referred to as drug tolerant cells (DTCs)) prior to acquiring secondary mutations like T790M. We have developed DTCs to EGFRi in EGFR mutant lung cancer cell lines. Subsequent analyses of DTCs included RNA-seq, high-content microscopy, and protein translational assays. Based on these results, we tested the ability of MCL-1 BH3 mimetics to combine with EGFR inhibitors to eliminate DTCs and shrink EGFR mutant lung cancer tumors in vivo. Overall design: The NSCLC cell line PC9 was made tolerant to gefitinib over 6-days. Replicates were performed at a minimum of duplicates. EGFR inhibitors (EGFRi) are effective against EGFR mutant lung cancers. The efficacy of these drugs however is mitigated by the outgrowth of resistant cells, most often driven by a secondary acquired mutation in EGFR, T790M. We recently demonstrated that T790M can arise de novo during treatment (Hata et al., Nature Medicine 2016); it follows that one potential therapeutic strategy to thwart resistance would be identifying and eliminating these cells (referred to as drug tolerant cells (DTCs)) prior to acquiring secondary mutations like T790M. We have developed DTCs to EGFRi in EGFR mutant lung cancer cell lines. Subsequent analyses of DTCs included RNA-seq, high-content microscopy, and protein translational assays. Based on these results, we tested the ability of MCL-1 BH3 mimetics to combine with EGFR inhibitors to eliminate DTCs and shrink EGFR mutant lung cancer tumors in vivo.
Increased Synthesis of MCL-1 Protein Underlies Initial Survival of <i>EGFR</i>-Mutant Lung Cancer to EGFR Inhibitors and Provides a Novel Drug Target.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesNatural killer (NK) cells can be divided into phenotypic subsets based on the expression of receptors that bind self-MHC-I molecules with differing affinities; a concept termed licensing or education. Here we show that NK cell subsets exhibit markedly different migratory, effector, and immunoregulatory functions on dendritic cells and antigen-specific CD8+ T cell responses during influenza and murine cytomegalovirus infections. Shortly after infection, unlicensed NK cells preferentially trafficked to draining lymph nodes and produced GM-CSF, which promoted the expansion and activation of dendritic cells, and ultimately resulted in sustained antigen-specific CD8+ T cell responses. In contrast, licensed NK cells preferentially migrated to infected parenchymal tissues and produced greater levels of interferon- (IFN-). Importantly, human NK cell subsets exhibited similar phenotypic characteristics and patterns of cytokine production. Collectively, our studies demonstrate a critical demarcation between the functions of licensed and unlicensed NK cell subsets, with the former functioning as the classical effector subset in inflamed tissues and the latter as modulators of adaptive immunity helping to prime immune responses in draining lymph nodes.
Licensing delineates helper and effector NK cell subsets during viral infection.
Specimen part
View SamplesBreast Cancer (BC) has been associated with alterations in signaling through a number of growth factor and hormone regulated pathways. Mouse models for metastatic BC have been developed using oncoproteins that activate PI3K, Stat3 and Ras signaling. To determine the role of each pathway, we analyzed mouse mammary tumor formation when they were activated singly or pairwise.
Ras Signaling Is a Key Determinant for Metastatic Dissemination and Poor Survival of Luminal Breast Cancer Patients.
Specimen part
View SamplesIn this study we have examined the effect of sub-cytotoxic exposure to aristolochic acids (1.65M) at 6h, 24h and 72h on the whole-genome expression profile in a rat proximal renal tubule cell line (NRK-52E).
Aristolochic acids - Induced transcriptomic responses in rat renal proximal tubule cells in vitro.
Cell line, Time
View SamplesA fundamental question in biology is how gene expression is regulated to give rise to a phenotype. However, transcriptional variability is rarely considered and could influence the relationship between genotype and phenotype. It is known in unicellular organisms that gene expression is often noisy rather than uniform and has been proposed to be beneficial when environmental conditions are unpredictable. However, little is known about transcriptional variability in multicellular organisms. Using transcriptomic approaches, we analysed gene expression variability over a 24 hours time-course between individual Arabidopsis thaliana plants growing in stable conditions. We identified hundreds of genes that exhibit high inter-individual variability and found that many are involved in environmental responses. We also identified factors that might facilitate gene expression variability, such as gene size, the number of transcription factors regulating a gene and the chromatin environment. These results will bring a new light into the impact of transcriptional variability in gene expression regulation in plants. Overall design: RNA-seq were generated for 14 individual seedlings for each of the 12 following time points: ZT2, ZT4, ZT6, ZT8, ZT10, ZT12 (just before dusk), ZT14, ZT16, ZT18, ZT20, ZT22 and ZT24 (just before dawn).
Widespread inter-individual gene expression variability in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>.
Specimen part, Subject, Time
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