Cancer incidence increases in the elderly, although the underlying reasons for this association are unknown. We show that B-progenitors in old mice exhibit profound signaling and metabolic defects, and that expression of BCR-ABL, NRASV12 and MYC reverses these fitness defects, leading to selection of oncogenically-initiated cells and leukemogenesis in old hematopoietic backgrounds. Aging is associated with increased inflammation in the BM microenvironment, and inducing inflammation in young mice phenocopies aging B-lymphopoiesis. Importantly, reducing inflammation in aged mice preserves the function of B-progenitors and prevents NRasV12-mediated oncogenesis. We conclude that chronic microenvironments in old age lead to reductions in the fitness of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell populations. This reduced progenitor pool fitness leads to selection for cells harboring oncogenic mutations in part due to their ability to correct aging-associated functional defects.
Aging-associated inflammation promotes selection for adaptive oncogenic events in B cell progenitors.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesThe objective was to study the transcriptomic changes in adipose tissue in the early stages of lactation, specifically in Bos Taurus, Holstein dairy cattle as a function of milk production and genetic merit.
Differential expression of genes in adipose tissue of first-lactation dairy cattle.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe epigenetic regulator BMI1 is upregulated in many human malignancies and has been implicated in cell migration, but the impact on autochthonous tumor progression is unexplored. Our analyses of human expression data show that BMI1 levels increase with progression in melanoma. We find that BMI1 expression in melanoma cells does not influence cell proliferation or primary tumor growth. In contrast, BMI1 levels are a key determinant of melanoma metastasis, whereby deletion impairs and overexpression enhances dissemination. Remarkably, BMI1’s pro-metastatic effect reflects enhancement of all stages of the metastatic cascade including invasion, migration, extravasation, adhesion and survival. Additionally, downregulation or upregulation of BMI1 induces sensitivity or resistance to BRAF inhibitor. Consistent with these pleiotropic effects, we find that BMI1 promotes widespread gene expression changes that encompass key hallmarks of the melanoma invasive signature, including activation of TGFß, non-canonical Wnt, EMT and EGF/PDGF pathways. Importantly, for both primary and metastatic melanoma samples, this BMI1-induced signature identifies invasive subclasses of human melanoma and predicts poor patient outcome. Our data yield key insights into melanoma biology and establish BMI1 as a compelling drug target whose inhibition would suppress both metastasis and chemoresistance. Overall design: Three replicates of A375 BMI1 or GFP overexpressing cells.
BMI1 induces an invasive signature in melanoma that promotes metastasis and chemoresistance.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThe growth factor interleukin-3 (IL-3) promotes the survival and growth of multipotent hematopoietic progenitors and stimulates myelopoiesis. It has also been reported to oppose terminal granulopoiesis and to support leukemic cell growth through autocrine or paracrine mechanisms. We used kinetic microarray, Northern Blotting and bioinformatics analysis of IL-3 dependent myeloblasts to determine whether IL-3 acts in part by regulating the rate of turnover of mRNA transcripts in specific functional pathways. Our results indicate that exposure of myeloblasts to IL-3 causes immediate early stabilization of hundreds of transcripts in pathways relevant to myeloblast function. Examples include transcripts associated with proliferation and leukemic transformation (pik3cd, myb, pim-1), hematopoietic development (cited2), differentiation control (cdkn1a) and RNA processing (BRF1, BRF2). A domain in the 3-utr of IL-6 that mediates IL-3 responsiveness contains AU-rich elements that bind proteins known to modulate mRNA stability, however a known destabilizing protein (AUF1) is shown not to mediate degradation in the absence of IL-3. These findings support a model of IL-3 action through mRNA stability control and suggest that aberrant stabilization of this network of transcripts could contribute to growth patterns observed in leukemia.
IL-3 and oncogenic Abl regulate the myeloblast transcriptome by altering mRNA stability.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesPrevious work has suggested that the imprinted gene Phlda2 regulates the signalling function of the placenta by modulating the size of the endocrine compartment. This study investigated the affect that Phlda2 mutant placenta has upon the brains of the wildtype dams carrying different placenta and consequently offspring.
Maternal care boosted by paternal imprinting in mammals.
Specimen part
View SamplesTo identify sex-based differences in gene pathways affected by endgoenous genomic instaiblity resulting in embryonic death, total RNA from E13.5 placentas was isolated for RNAseq. Placentas from male and female embryos from wild-type matings and Mcm4^C3/C3 homozygous matings were used as references. Male and female placentas derived from embryos of the genotype : Mcm4^C3/C3 Mcm2^Gt/+ from either male Mcm4^C3/+ Mcm2^Gt/+ crossed to female Mcm4^C3/C3 or male Mcm4^C3/C3 crossed to female Mcm4^C3/+ Mcm2^Gt/+ were the experimental samples. Overall design: Total RNA was isolated from E13.5 placentas and subjected to directional RNAseq to identify sex-based transciptome differences.
Female-biased embryonic death from inflammation induced by genomic instability.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesImmunotherapies that block inhibitory checkpoint receptors on T cells have transformed the clinical care of cancer patients. However, the clonal origin of tumor-specific T cells following checkpoint blockade in patients remains unclear. Here, we performed paired single-cell RNA- and T cell receptor (TCR)- sequencing on site-matched tumors from patients with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) pre- and post-anti-PD-1 therapy. Tracking TCR clonotypes and transcriptome phenotypes revealed a coupling of tumor-recognition, clonal expansion, and T cell dysfunction: the response to treatment was accompanied by a clonal expansion of CD8+CD39+ T cells, which co-expressed markers of chronic T cell activation and exhaustion. However, this response was not accompanied by an expansion of pre-existing tumor-specific T cell clonotypes; rather, expanded T cell clones post-therapy comprised novel clonotypes, which were not previously observed in the same tumor. Clonal replacement of T cells was preferentially observed in tumor-specific exhausted CD8+ T cells, compared to other distinct T cell phenotypes, and was more evident in patients who exhibited a clinical response to treatment. These results, enabled by single-cell multi-omic profiling of clinical samples, demonstrate that the chronic activation of pre-existing tumor-infiltrating T cells may limit their re-invigoration following checkpoint blockade, and that a successful response relies on the expansion of a distinct repertoire of tumor-specific T cell clones. Overall design: CD4+ T helper cells were sorted as naive T cells (CD4+CD25-CD45RA+), Treg (CD4+CD25+IL7Rlo), Th1 (CD4+CD25-IL7RhiCD45RA-CXCR3+CCR6-), Th2 (CD4+CD25-IL7RhiCD45RA-CXCR3-CCR6-), Th17 (CD4+CD25-IL7RhiCD45RA-CXCR3-CCR6+), Th1-17 (CD4+CD25-IL7RhiCD45RA-CXCR3+CCR6+), and Tfh subsets (CXCR5+ counterparts of each). RNA-seq cDNA library construction was performed using the SMART-Seq v4 Ultra Low Input RNA Kit (Clontech) with 2?ng of input RNA. Sequencing libraries were prepared using the Nextera XT DNA Library Prep Kit (Illumina).
Clonal replacement of tumor-specific T cells following PD-1 blockade.
Specimen part, Disease, Subject
View SamplesImmunotherapies that block inhibitory checkpoint receptors on T cells have transformed the clinical care of cancer patients. However, the clonal origin of tumor-specific T cells following checkpoint blockade in patients remains unclear. Here, we performed paired single-cell RNA- and T cell receptor (TCR)- sequencing on site-matched tumors from patients with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) pre- and post-anti-PD-1 therapy. Tracking TCR clonotypes and transcriptome phenotypes revealed a coupling of tumor-recognition, clonal expansion, and T cell dysfunction: the response to treatment was accompanied by a clonal expansion of CD8+CD39+ T cells, which co-expressed markers of chronic T cell activation and exhaustion. However, this response was not accompanied by an expansion of pre-existing tumor-specific T cell clonotypes; rather, expanded T cell clones post-therapy comprised novel clonotypes, which were not previously observed in the same tumor. Clonal replacement of T cells was preferentially observed in tumor-specific exhausted CD8+ T cells, compared to other distinct T cell phenotypes, and was more evident in patients who exhibited a clinical response to treatment. These results, enabled by single-cell multi-omic profiling of clinical samples, demonstrate that the chronic activation of pre-existing tumor-infiltrating T cells may limit their re-invigoration following checkpoint blockade, and that a successful response relies on the expansion of a distinct repertoire of tumor-specific T cell clones. Overall design: Dissociated tumor samples were sorted as either CD45+ CD3+ tumor-infiltrating T cells, other CD45+ CD3- tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and CD45- CD3- tumor/stromal cells. Sorted cells were subjected to paired single cell RNA- and TCR-sequencing on the droplet based 10X Genomics platform.
Clonal replacement of tumor-specific T cells following PD-1 blockade.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesTo investigate the function of HSP20 in adipogenesis and thermogenesis of white adipose tissue. Overall design: Total RNA were extracted from inguinal white adipose tissue of 6 mice (12 weeks old, 3 Hsp20 knockout, 3 wild type in C57BL/6 background as control).
An Hsp20-FBXO4 Axis Regulates Adipocyte Function through Modulating PPARγ Ubiquitination.
Age, Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesWe are interested in comparing expression patterns of hematopoletic stem cells, mast cell precursors and mature mast cells. Our group recently reported that murine mast cells express CD34, Sca-1 and c-kit. Microarray analysis may uncover other novel surface antigens useful in separating mast cells from stem cells.
Prion protein expression and release by mast cells after activation.
Sex
View Samples