We hypothesize that gene expression in the aging lungs of these two strains of mice are divergent thus contributing to the disparity in the phenotypes. More specifically, (1) Aging DBA/2J mice compared to aging C57BL/6 mice are known to be accelerated in their lung physiology and morphometry; (2) C57BL/6J are known to have longer natural longevity than DBA/2J mice. In order to test these hypotheses at the gene expression level, we utilized microarray analysis to examine transcriptional differences between aging lungs of both strains of mice.
Global expression profiles from C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mouse lungs to determine aging-related genes.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) leads to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, which have been attributed to intermittent hypoxia (IH). The effects of IH on lung structure and function are unknown. We used a mouse model of chronic IH, which mimics the O2 profile in patients with OSA. We exposed adult C57BL/6J mice to 3 months of IH with an FIO2 nadir of 5%, 60 times/hr during the 12hr light phase. Control mice were exposed to room air.
Chronic intermittent hypoxia induces lung growth in adult mice.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesMen are at an increased risk of dying from heart failure caused by inflammatory heart diseases such as atherosclerosis, myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). We previously showed that immune responses in the heart are phenotypically distinct in male compared to female mice 10 days after infection resulting in severe DCM in males.
Testosterone and interleukin-1β increase cardiac remodeling during coxsackievirus B3 myocarditis via serpin A 3n.
Sex, Specimen part, Treatment, Time
View SamplesWe hypothesize that gene expression in the lungs of these differentially-treated mice are divergent thus contributing to the disparity in their phenotypes. More specifically, (1) Effects of Leptin-treatment of ob/ob postnatal mice lungs are known to be volume-dependent from 2 to 10 wks of age, and are independent of the hypometabolism associated with leptin deficiency. ; (2) Leptin is critical to postnatal lung remodeling, particularly related to enlarged alveolar surface area. In order to test these hypotheses at the gene expression level, we utilized microarray analysis to examine transcriptional differences between lungs of leptin or saline-treated ob/ob postnatal mice.
Effects of leptin deficiency on postnatal lung development in mice.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesRATIONALE: Mechanical ventilation (MV) is an indispensable therapy for critically ill patients with acute lung injury and the adult respiratory distress syndrome. However, the mechanisms by which conventional MV induces lung injury remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that disruption of the gene encoding Nrf2, a transcription factor which regulates the induction of several antioxidant enzymes, enhances susceptibility to ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI), while antioxidant supplementation attenuates such effect. METHODS: To test our hypothesis and to examine the relevance of oxidative stress in VILI, here we have assessed lung injury and inflammatory responses in Nrf2-deficient (Nrf2(-/-)) mice and wildtype (Nrf2(+/+)) animals following acute (2 h) injurious model of MV with or without administration of antioxidant. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Nrf2(-/-) mice displayed greater levels of lung alveolar and vascular permeability and inflammatory responses to MV as compared to Nrf2(+/+) mice. Nrf2-deficieny enhances the levels of several pro-inflammatory cytokines implicated in the pathogenesis of VILI. We found diminished levels of critical antioxidant enzymes and redox imbalance by MV in the lungs of Nrf2(-/-) mice; however antioxidant supplementation to Nrf2(-/-) mice remarkably attenuated VILI. When subjected to clinically relevant prolong period of MV, Nrf2(-/-) mice displayed greater levels of VILI than Nrf2(+/+) mice. Expression profiling revealed lack of induction of several VILI genes, stress response and solute carrier proteins and phosphatases in Nrf2(-/-) mice. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our data demonstrate for the first time a critical role for Nrf2 in VILI, which confers protection against cellular responses induced by MV by modulating oxidative stress.
Genetic and pharmacologic evidence links oxidative stress to ventilator-induced lung injury in mice.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesConventional anti-cancer drug screening is typically performed in the absence of accessory cells (e.g. stromal cells) of the tumor microenvironment, which can profoundly alter anti-tumor drug activity. To address this major limitation, we have developed assays (e.g. the tumor cell-specific in vitro bioluminescence imaging (CS-BLI) assay) to selectively quantify tumor cell viability, in presence vs. absence of non-malignant stromal cells or drug treatment. These assays have allowed us to identify that neoplastic cells from diverse malignancies exhibit stroma-induced resistance to different anti-tumor agents. In this analysis, we evaluated the molecular changes triggered in myeloma cells by their in vitro interaction with stromal cells. The transcriptional profile of 3 human multiple myeloma (MM) cell lines (MM.1S, MM.1R, INA-6) co-cultured with stromal cells vs. when cultured alone was characterized by oligonucleotide microarray analysis, using the human U133 plus 2.0 Affymetrix GeneChip.
Tumor cell-specific bioluminescence platform to identify stroma-induced changes to anticancer drug activity.
Cell line
View SamplesEstrogen signaling pathway is critical for breast cancer development and has remained the major adjuvant therapeutic target for this disease. Tamoxifen has been used in clinic for many years to treat ER-positive breast cancer. However a great many (30%) suffer relapse due to drug resistance. In this study, the bromodomain inhibitor JQ1 was found to down-regulate ERalpha gene expression and have anti-tumor effect in cultured tamoxifen-resisant breast cancer cells.
An epigenomic approach to therapy for tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer.
Cell line, Treatment
View SamplesThe androgen receptor (AR) is a key driver of prostate cancer (PC), even in the state of castration-resistant PC (CRPC), and frequently even after treatment with second-line hormonal therapies such as abiraterone and enzalutamide. The persistence of AR activity via both ligand-dependent and ligand-independent (including constitutively active AR splice variants) mechanisms highlights the unmet need for alternative approaches to block AR signaling in CRPC. We investigated the transcription factor GATA2 as a regulator of AR signaling and a novel therapeutic target in PC. We demonstrate that GATA2 directly promotes AR expression (both full-length and splice variant), resulting in a strong positive correlation between GATA2 and AR expression in PC (cell lines and patient specimens). Conversely, GATA2 expression is repressed by androgen and AR, suggesting a negative feedback regulatory loop that, upon androgen deprivation, derepresses GATA2 to contribute to AR overexpression in CRPC. Simultaneously, GATA2 is necessary for optimal transcriptional activity of AR (both full-length and splice variant). GATA2 co-localizes with AR and FOXA1 on chromatin to enhance recruitment of steroid receptor coactivators (SRCs) and formation of the transcriptional holocomplex. In agreement with these important functions, high GATA2 expression and transcriptional activity predicted for worse clinical outcome in PC patients. A GATA2 small molecule inhibitor suppressed the expression and transcriptional function of AR (both full-length and splice variant) and exerted potent anticancer activity against PC cell lines. We propose pharmacological inhibition of GATA2 as a first-in-field approach to target AR expression and function and improve outcomes in CRPC.
GATA2 facilitates steroid receptor coactivator recruitment to the androgen receptor complex.
Cell line
View SamplesWe previously found a short sleeper mutant, fmn, and identified its mutation in the dopamine transporter gene. In an attempt to discover additional sleep related genes in Drosophila, we carried out a microarray analysis comparing mRNA expression in heads of fmn and control flies and found differentially expressed genes.
The NMDA Receptor Promotes Sleep in the Fruit Fly, Drosophila melanogaster.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesThe Arabidopsis thaliana NAC domain transcription factor, VASCULAR-RELATED NAC-DOMAIN7 (VND7), acts as a key regulator of xylem vessel differentiation. In order to identify direct target genes of VND7, we performed global transcriptome analysis using Arabidopsis transgenic lines in which VND7 activity could be induced post-translationally. This analysis identified 63 putative direct target genes of VND7, which encode a broad range of proteins, such as transcription factors, IRREGULAR XYLEM proteins and proteolytic enzymes, known to be closely associated with xylem vessel formation. Recombinant VND7 protein binds to several promoter sequences present in candidate direct target genes: specifically, in the promoter of XYLEM CYSTEINE PEPTIDASE1, two distinct regions were demonstrated to be responsible for VND7 binding. We also found that expression of VND7 restores secondary cell wall formation in the fiber cells of inflorescence stems of nst1nst3 double mutants, as well as expression of NAC SECONDARY WALL THICKENING PROMOTING FACTOR3 (NST3, however, the vessel-type secondary wall deposition was observed only as a result of VND7 expression. These findings indicated that VND7 upregulates, directly and/or indirectly, many genes involved in a wide range of processes in xylem vessel differentiation, and that its target genes are partially different from those of NSTs.
VASCULAR-RELATED NAC-DOMAIN7 directly regulates the expression of a broad range of genes for xylem vessel formation.
Age, Specimen part, Treatment
View Samples