One of sleep's putative functions is mediation of adaptation to waking experiences. Chronic stress is a common waking experience, however, which specific aspect of sleep is most responsive, and how sleep changes relate to behavioral disturbances and molecular correlates remain unknown. We quantified sleep, physical, endocrine, and behavioral variables, as well as the brain and blood transcriptome in mice exposed to 9 weeks of unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS). Comparing 46 phenotypical variables revealed that rapid-eye-movement sleep (REMS), corticosterone regulation, and coat state were most responsive to UCMS. REMS theta oscillations were enhanced, whereas delta oscillations in non-REMS were unaffected. Transcripts affected by UCMS in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and blood were associated with inflammatory and immune responses. A machine-learning approach controlling for unspecific UCMS effects identified transcriptomic predictor sets for REMS parameters that were enriched in 193 pathways, including some involved in stem cells, immune response, apoptosis, and survival. Only three pathways were enriched in predictor sets for non-REMS. Transcriptomic predictor sets for variation in REMS continuity and theta activity shared many pathways with corticosterone regulation, in particular pathways implicated in apoptosis and survival, including mitochondrial apoptotic machinery. Predictor sets for REMS, and anhedonia shared pathways involved in oxidative stress, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. These data identify REMS as a core and early element of the response to chronic stress, and identify apoptosis and survival pathways as a putative mechanism by which REMS may mediate the response to stressful waking experiences. Overall design: Study of transcriptomic changes in three stress- and sleep-related brain regions (prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus) and blood following 9 weeks of Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress (UCMS) in mice.
REM sleep's unique associations with corticosterone regulation, apoptotic pathways, and behavior in chronic stress in mice.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesDegradation and chemical modification of RNA in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples hamper their use in expression profiling studies. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of gene expression signature generation from archival FFPE materials. Nineteen cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and nine adenocarcinoma (AC) 10~16-year-old FFPE samples were profiled using Affymetrix Exon 1.0 ST arrays. A comparison of the global gene expression changes between SCC and AC revealed 1217 differentially expressed genes. Of these, 1062 showed significantly higher expression levels in SCC relative to AC, and 155 genes were found to be specifically upregulated in AC. When the 1217-gene signature was tested on a fresh-frozen human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) series, it correctly separated the 58 NSCLC samples into SCC and AC. In conclusion, our results showed that clinically and biologically relevant gene expression profiles can be derived from FFPE samples with Exon array profiling.
Exon-array profiling unlocks clinically and biologically relevant gene signatures from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumour samples.
Disease, Disease stage
View SamplesMicroglia are resident CNS immune cells that are active sensors in healthy brain and versatile effectors under pathological conditions. Cerebral ischemia induces a robust neuroinflammatory response that includes marked changes in the gene expression and phenotypic profile of a variety of endogenous CNS cell types (astrocytes, neurons, microglia) as well as an influx of leukocytic cells (neutrophils, macrophages, T-cells) from the periphery. Many molecules and conditions can trigger a transformation of resting (or surveying) microglia to an activated (alerted/reactive) state. Here we review recent developments in the literature that relate to microglial activation in the experimental setting of in vitro and in vivo ischemia. We also present new data from our own laboratory demonstrating the direct effects of in vitro ischemic conditions on the microglial phenotype and genomic profile. Emphasis is placed on the role of specific molecular signaling systems such as hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) and toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) in regulating the microglial response in this setting. We then review histological and recent novel radiological data that confirms a key role for microglial activation in the setting of ischemic stroke in humans. We discuss recent progress in the pharmacological and molecular targeting of microglia in acute ischemic stroke. Finally, we explore how recent studies on ischemic preconditioning have increased interest in preemptively targeting microglial activation in order to reduce stroke severity.
Microglia in ischemic brain injury.
Specimen part
View SamplesGenomic and expression profiling using 38K BAC array-CGH and Illumina HT-12 beadchips were performed on 97 diploid invasive breast tumors to assess the impact of gene dosage on gene expression patterns and the effect of other mechanisms on transcriptional levels. Patient stratification was performed according to axillary lymph node status (node-negative, pN0; node-positive, pN1) and overall survival (>8-year survivors; breast cancer-specific mortality within 8 years of diagnosis). Array-CGH results was validated by FISH using tumors showing HER2/neu gene amplification and expression profiling was confirmed using qPCR for 16 transcripts.
Clinical implications of gene dosage and gene expression patterns in diploid breast carcinoma.
Disease, Disease stage
View SamplesGenomic and expression profiling using 38K BAC array-CGH and Illumina HT-12 beadchips were performed on 97 diploid invasive breast tumors to assess the impact of gene dosage on gene expression patterns and the effect of other mechanisms on transcriptional levels. Patient stratification was performed according to axillary lymph node status (node-negative, pN0; node-positive, pN1) and overall survival (>8-year survivors; breast cancer-specific mortality within 8 years of diagnosis). Array-CGH results was validated by FISH using tumors showing HER2/neu gene amplification and expression profiling was confirmed using qPCR for 16 transcripts.
Clinical implications of gene dosage and gene expression patterns in diploid breast carcinoma.
Disease, Disease stage
View SamplesTranscriptomic profiling of human breast tumors.
Clinical implications of gene dosage and gene expression patterns in diploid breast carcinoma.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesAnalysis of gene expression in 17 low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS) samples compared to that of histologically similar tumors. LGFMS is characterized by the specific translocations t(7;16)(q33;p11) or t(11;16)(p11;p11) and corresponding fusion genes FUS-CREB3L2 or FUS-CREB3L1.
FUS-CREB3L2/L1-positive sarcomas show a specific gene expression profile with upregulation of CD24 and FOXL1.
Specimen part, Disease
View SamplesIn plants, apical meristems allow continuous growth along the body axis. Within the root apical meristem (RAM), a group of slowly dividing quiescent center (QC) cells is thought to limit stem cell activity to directly neighboring cells (Cowels, 1956; van den Berg et al., 1997), thus endowing them with unique properties, distinct from displaced daughters. This binary identity of the stem cells stands in apparent contradiction with the more gradual changes in cell division potential (Bennett and Scheres, 2010) and differentiation (Yamaguchi et al., 2008; 2010; Furuta et al, 2014; Geldner, 2013; Masucci et al., 1996; Dolan and Costa, 2001) that occur as cells move further away from the QC. To address this paradox and to infer molecular organization of the root meristem, we used a whole-genome approach to determine dominant transcriptional patterns along root ontogeny zones. We found that the prevalent patterns are expressed in two opposing gradients. One is characterized by genes associated with development, the other enriched in differentiation genes. We confirmed these transcript gradients, and demonstrate that these translate to gradients in protein accumulation and gradual changes in cellular properties. We also show that gradients are genetically controlled through multiple pathways. Based on these findings, we propose that cells in the Arabidopsis root meristem gradually transition from 'stemness' towards differentiation. Overall design: This study contains high-resolution datasets from cell populations from the enitre root meristem and xylem-specific cell populations. Using fluorescence activated cell sorting, three cell populations were isolated based on their GFP expression intensity. Two-Three replicates were used per sample
Framework for gradual progression of cell ontogeny in the <i>Arabidopsis</i> root meristem.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Loss of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase (GNE) induces apoptotic processes in pancreatic carcinoma cells.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesCharacteristic extinguishing of B-cell phenotype in cHL is believed to be a result of transcription factor network deregulation due to the overexpression of repressor proteins ID2 and ABF-1. KLF4 is a versatile transcription factor, participating in regulation of differentiation processes in various tissues. Epigenetic silencing of KLF4 in cHL hints that KLF4 is involved in the complex mechanism of extinguishing of B-cell phenotype in cHL.
KLF4 is a tumor suppressor in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and in classic Hodgkin lymphoma.
Specimen part, Cell line, Treatment
View Samples