Ubiquitous expression of ALS-causing mutations in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) provoke non-cell autonomous paralytic disease. By combining ribosome affinity purification and high-throughput sequencing, a cascade of mutant SOD1-dependent, cell type-specific changes are now identified. Initial mutant-dependent damage is restricted to motor neurons and includes synapse and metabolic abnormalities, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and selective activation of the PERK arm of the unfolded protein response. PERK activation correlates with what we identify to be a naturally low level of ER chaperones in motor neurons. Early changes in astrocytes are to genes involved in inflammation and metabolism and that are targets of the PPAR and LXR transcription factors. Dysregulation of myelination and lipid signaling pathways and activation of ETS transcription factors occur in oligodendrocytes only after disease initiation. Thus, pathogenesis involves a temporal cascade of cell type selective damage initiating in motor neurons, with subsequent damage within glia driving disease propagation. Overall design: Cell type-specific mRNA was purified by ribosome affinity purification from the spinal cord of bacTRAP reporter mice that label selective cell types by EGFP-tagged ribosome RPL10A. Sequencing libraries were prepared from 3-6 biological replicates for each genotype to determine the mutant induced gene expression changes in specific cell types.
Translational profiling identifies a cascade of damage initiated in motor neurons and spreading to glia in mutant SOD1-mediated ALS.
Sex, Specimen part, Disease stage, Subject
View SamplesThrough the generation of humanized FUS mice expressing full length human FUS, we identify that when expressed at near endogenous murine FUS levels both wild-type or ALS- and frontotemporal dementia (FTD)-causing mutations complement the essential function(s) of murine FUS. Replacement of murine FUS with mutant, but not wild-type, human FUS causes stress-mediated induction of chaperones, decreased expression of ion channels/transporters essential for synaptic function, and reduced synaptic activity, without loss of nuclear FUS or its cytoplasmic aggregation. Most strikingly, accumulation of mutant human FUS is shown to activate an integrated stress response and inhibit local, intra-axonal protein synthesis in hippocampal neurons and sciatic nerves. Collectively, our evidence demonstrates that human ALS/FTD-linked mutations in FUS induce a gain-of-toxicity that includes stress-mediated suppression in intra-axonal translation, synaptic dysfunction, and progressive, age-dependent motor and cognitive disease without cytoplasmic aggregation, altered nuclear localization, or aberrant splicing of FUS-bound pre-mRNAs. Methods: RNA from mouse spinal cords of 18-month-old mFUS-/-/hgFUS (WT, R521C or R521H) and their Non-Tg control littermates was extracted with TRIzol. RNA quality was measured using the Agilent Bioanalyzer system and processed using the Illumina TruSeq Stranded mRNA Sample Preparation Kit according to manufacturer's protocols. mRNA profiles were generated by deep sequencing, with n=3 biological replicates per group. Results: We mapped on average 15 million non-redundant reads per sample. Fastq files were aligned to mouse reference genome (mm9 UCSC Genome Browser) using TopHat workfow and the transcript abundance for each annotated protein-coding gene [as fragments per kilobase of transcript per million mapped reads (FPKM)] was estimated by Cufflinks. 13,468 genes which expressed FPKM>=1 were kept for downstream analyses. RNA profiles from normal (Non-Tg) and humanized hgFUSWT mice were almost undistinguishable. Both humanized mutant FUS lines had highly distinct RNA profiles [determined with unsupervised hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis (PCA)], with 709 down and 348 up-regulated genes relative to age-matched Non-Tg or humanized hgFUSWT littermates (P<0.05). These changes uncovered FUS mutant dependent altered pathways that may contribute to ALS/FTD-linked mutant FUS-mediated toxicity. The validation by RT-QPCR of altered expression of 20 genes is shown in Figure 5. Overall design: RNA expression profile of mouse spinal cords from 18-month-old mFUS-/-/hgFUS (WT, R521C or R521H) and their Non-Tg control littermates was obtained by deep sequencing in n=3 indendepent animals per genotype using Illumina HiSeq 2000 sequencer.
ALS/FTD-Linked Mutation in FUS Suppresses Intra-axonal Protein Synthesis and Drives Disease Without Nuclear Loss-of-Function of FUS.
Age, Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesPurpose: The purpose of this experiment is to identify a C9-ALS/FTD specific genomic profile in fibroblast lines that is distinct from sporadic ALS without C9orf72 expansion and non-neurologic control cells. The study will then evaluate the effect on this identified profile of ASO treatment targeting the sense strand RNA transcript of the C9orf72 gene. Methods: Expression profiling was performed on RNAs from fibroblasts of four C9orf72 patients, four control individuals and four sporadic ALS patients using Multiplex Analysis of PolyA-linked Sequences method. Results: Hierarchical clustering of expression values for all genes showed that the four C9orf72 patient lines had an expression profile distinct from control and sporadic ALS lines. Statistical comparison of expression values between the four C9orf72 lines and the four control lines revealed that 122 genes were upregulated (defined by a False Discovery Rate FDR<0.05) and 34 genes were downregulated (defined by a False Discovery Rate FDR <0.05) in C9orf72 patient fibroblasts. Conclusions: A genome wide RNA signature can be defined in fibroblasts with C9orf72 expansion. ASO-mediated reduction of C9orf72 RNA levels in fibroblasts with the hexanucleotide expansion efficiently reduced accumulation of GGGGCC RNA foci. This did not, however, generate a reversal of the C9orf72 RNA profile. Overall design: Use of Multiplex Analysis of PolyA-linked Sequences to identify expression changes in fibroblasts from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia patients harboring an hexanucleotide expansion in the C9orf72 gene.
Targeted degradation of sense and antisense C9orf72 RNA foci as therapy for ALS and frontotemporal degeneration.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesPurpose: To identify novel genes regulated by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor that influence human Th17 cell function. Methods: Naïve CD4 T cells from peripheral blood of six healthy human volunteers were cultured under four experimental conditions for three days: anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies (Media control), Media with Th17 conditions (IL-6, TGF-b, IL-1b, IL-23), Th17+FICZ and Th17+CH223191. Total RNA was extracted from each sample on day 3 and sequenced in a paired-end 2x50bp strategy on an Illumina HiSeq1500. A total of six donors were analyzed. Results: AhR activation with FICZ suppressed IL-17 production from human CD4 T cells and increased IL-22. AhR inhibition with CH223191 potently suppressed IL-22 and modestly increased IL-17 production. On day 3, the number of significantly regulated genes for each treatment were 975 (Th17), 88 (Th17+FICZ) and 142 (Th17+CH223191). 11 common genes were significantly regulated by all three treatments. One of these, GPR68, was investigated further in functional studies since its expression correlated with IL-22 production. Activation of GPR68 with a positive allosteric modulator suppressed IL-22 concentrations in human Th17 cell cultures. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that GPR68 activation can negatively regulate IL-22 production from human CD4 T cells in the presence of an AhR agonist. RNA-seq is a powerful method to identify novel gene targets that regulate cytokines involved in chronic inflammatory diseases. Overall design: Naïve CD4 T cells were purified from peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from six patient samples. Four experimental conditions were created for each sample: media only (control); Th17 differentiated; Th17+FICZ; and Th17+CH223191. Total RNA was extracted from each sample on day 3 and sequenced in a paired-end 2x50bp strategy on an Illumina HiSeq1500. Differential gene expression analysis identified genes that were expressed at significantly different levels than the control (Media). Ingenuity pathway analysis revealed the most common cellular functions for genes regulated by each treatment.
Cytokine Regulation in Human CD4 T Cells by the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor and Gq-Coupled Receptors.
Specimen part, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder that affects 5-10% of reproductive aged women. The hallmark characteristic of PCOS is increased ovarian androgen synthesis. Previous studies by our laboratory demonstrated that increased androgen synthesis is a stable biochemical phenotype of PCOS theca cells which are the primary source of ovarian androgen production. The increase in theca cell steroidogenesis was due to an increase in expression of several steroidogenic enzymes including CYP17 and CYP11A but not StAR. Interestingly, the anti-epileptic drug valproic acid induces increased theca cell androgen synthesis and increased CYP17 and CYP11A mRNA levels. In this study we have characterized the gene expression profiles of theca cells obtained from normal or polycystic ovaries which were maintained in the absence (UNT) or presence (VPA) of valproic acid. The data identifed new candidate genes and novel signaling pathways which may contribute to the manifestation of PCOS phenotypes including increased androgen production. The experiments in this study were carried using the Affymetrix U133A and U133B oligonucleotide chips.
Valproate-induced alterations in human theca cell gene expression: clues to the association between valproate use and metabolic side effects.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesPrimary glioma stem cells cultured as neurospheres in NBL media with growth factors were subjected to treatment with the non-toxic, non-psychoactive cannabis compound
Reactive oxygen species-mediated therapeutic response and resistance in glioblastoma.
Specimen part, Disease stage
View SamplesSca1+/cKit hematopoietic BMCs of hosts bearing primary tumors promote the growth of distant tumors that form with a myofibroblast-rich, desmoplastic stroma. BMCs from old mice bearing primary tumors lack this ability
Hematopoietic Age at Onset of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Dictates Disease Aggressiveness and Progression.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesTo examine the effects of recombinant granulin on human mammary stromal fibroblasts, we cultured immortalized GFP+ normal human mammary fibroblasts in the presence of recombinant human granulin (1ug/ml) or PBS every 24h for 6 days. To generate GRN-independent CAFs, we injected immortalized GFP+ human mammary fibroblasts, MCF7Ras human breast carcinoma cells, and 20% Matrigel subcutaneously into nude mice. Tumors were allowed to form for a period of 45 days. GFP+ fibroblasts were isolated from tumors by mincing the tumors, dissociating, and culturing in the presence of 1 ug/ml puromycin for ~3-4 weeks. CAF purity was confirmed by ensuring that 100% of the population was GFP-positive.
Hematopoietic Age at Onset of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Dictates Disease Aggressiveness and Progression.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThe NF-B pathway is a master regulator of inflammatory processes and is implicated in insulin resistance and pancreatic beta cell dysfunction in the metabolic syndrome. While canonical NF-B signaling is well studied, there is little information on the divergent non-canonical NF-B pathway in the context of pancreatic islet dysfunction in diabetes. Here, we demonstrate that pharmacological activation of the non-canonical NF-B inducing kinase (NIK) disrupts glucose homeostasis in zebrafish in vivo. Further, we identify NIK as a critical negative regulator of beta cell function as pharmacological NIK activation results in impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in mouse and human islets. NIK levels are elevated in pancreatic islets isolated from diet-induced obese (DIO) mice, which exhibit increased processing of non-canonical NF-B components p100 to p52, and accumulation of RelB. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and receptor activator of NF-B ligand (RANKL), two ligands associated with diabetes, induce NIK in islets. Mice with constitutive beta cell intrinsic NIK activation present impaired insulin secretion with DIO. NIK activation triggers the non-canonical NF-B transcriptional network to induce genes identified in human type 2 diabetes genome-wide association studies linked to beta cell failure. These studies reveal that NIK contributes a central mechanism for beta cell failure in diet-induced obesity.
Nuclear factor κB-inducing kinase activation as a mechanism of pancreatic β cell failure in obesity.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesThis experiment is designed to detect genes differentially expressed in 2uM erlotinib treatment versus DMSO treatment and to identify differential gene set enrichments.
Inhibition of Casein Kinase 1 Alpha Prevents Acquired Drug Resistance to Erlotinib in EGFR-Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.
Specimen part, Cell line
View Samples