Cigarette smoking is associated with reduced risk of developing Parkinsons disease (PD). To identify genes that interact with nicotine/smoking, we performed hypothesis-free genome-wide experiments in a paraquat-induced Drosophila model and in a case-control study of PD. We demonstrated that nicotine extends life-span in paraquat-treated Drosophila (P=4E-30). Brain tissue from flies treated with combinations of paraquat and nicotine revealed elevated expression of CG14691 with paraquat which was restored with nicotine co-treatment (P(interaction)=2E-11, P(FDR-adjusted)=4E-7). Independently, variants in the 5 region of SV2C, a human ortholog of CG14691, gave the strongest signal for interaction with smoking (P(interaction)=9E-8). The effect of smoking on PD risk varied six-fold by SV2C genotype (P(heterogeneity)=4E-10). Moreover, SV2C variants identified here were associated with SVC2 gene-expression in the HapMap data. Present results suggest synaptic vesicle protein SV2C plays a role in PD pathogenesis, and that the SV2C genotype may be useful for clinical trials of nicotine for treating PD.
A genetic basis for the variable effect of smoking/nicotine on Parkinson's disease.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesTo identify signature genes that help distinguish (1) sepsis from non-infectious causes of systemic inflammatory response syndrome, (2) between Gram-positive and Gram-negative sepsis.
Gene-expression profiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in sepsis.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesMouse inbred strains differ in many aspects of their phenotypes, and it is known that gene expression does so too. This gives us an opportunity to isolate the genetic aspect of variation in expression and compare it to other phenotypic variables. We have investigated these issues using an eight-strain expression profile comparison with four replicates per strain on Affymetrix MGU74av2 GeneChips focusing on one well-defined brain tissue (the hippocampus). We identified substantial strain-specific variation in hippocampal gene expression, with more than two hundred genes showing strain differences by a very conservative criterion. Many such genetically driven differences in gene expression are likely to result in functional differences including differences in behaviour. A large panel of inbred strains could be used to identify genes functionally involved in particular phenotypes, similar to genetic correlation. The genetic correlation between expression profiles and function is potentially very powerful, especially given the current large-scale generation of phenotypic data on multiple strains (the Mouse Phenome Project). As an example, the strongest genetic correlation between more than 200 probe sets showing significant differences among our eight inbred strains and a ranking of these strains by aggression phenotype was found for Comt, a gene known to be involved in aggression.
Hippocampal gene expression profiling across eight mouse inbred strains: towards understanding the molecular basis for behaviour.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesOsteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that involves destruction of articular cartilage and eventually leads to disability. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) reside in healthy and diseased cartilage, and through their chondrogenic potential may provide a strategy for cartilage repair. To this end, we performed an image-based, high throughput screen and identified the small molecule, kartogenin, that promotes selective MSC differentiation into chondrocytes (EC50=100nM), shows chondroprotective effects in vitro, and is efficacious in two OA animal models. Kartogenin binds filamin A and induces chondrogenesis by regulating the CBFbeta-RUNX1 transcriptional program. This work provides new insights into the control of chondrogenesis that may ultimately lead to an effective stem-cell based therapy for osteoarthritis.
A stem cell-based approach to cartilage repair.
Specimen part
View SamplesWe introduce a microfluidic platform that enables off-chip single-cell RNA-seq after multigenerationa lineage tracking under controlled culture conditions. Overall design: Examination of lineage and cell cycle dependent transcriptional profiles in two cell types
A microfluidic platform enabling single-cell RNA-seq of multigenerational lineages.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesRationale: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is ubiquitous in the environment. Inhalation of LPS has been implicated in the pathogenesis and/or severity of several lung diseases, including pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. Alveolar macrophages are the main resident leukocytes exposed to inhaled antigens. Objectives: To obtain insight into which innate immune pathways become activated within human alveolar macrophages upon exposure to LPS in vivo.
Gene expression profiles in alveolar macrophages induced by lipopolysaccharide in humans.
Sex, Specimen part, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesWe compared human female hiPSC lines (all derived from IMR-90 fibroblasts) that were XIST RNA-positive and XIST RNA-negative. We also examined the gene expression patterns for 2 female hIPSCs (derived from different disease model fibroblasts) that were also negative for XIST RNA. hiPS 12D-1 is derived from Huntington's Disease patient and 6C-1 is derived from a Type I Diabetes Mellitus patient (Park et al Nature 2008).
Molecular signatures of human induced pluripotent stem cells highlight sex differences and cancer genes.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe underlying relation between Parkinson disease (PD) etiopathology and its major risk factor, aging, is largely unknown. The nature of the specific age-related mechanisms promoting PD onset is experimentally difficult to elucidate because aging is a highly complex process contributed by multiple factors. Recent evidence, however, established a strong and causative link between genome stability and aging. To investigate a possible nexus between DNA damage accumulation, aging, and PD we examined DNA repair pathways associated with aging in laboratory animal models and human cases. We demonstrate that dermal fibroblasts from PD patients display flawed nucleotide excision repair (NER) capacity and that NER-defective mice exhibit typical PD-like pathological alterations, including decreased dopaminergic innervation in the striatum, increased phospho-synuclein levels, and defects in mitochondrial respiration. NER mouse mutants are also more sensitive to the prototypical PD toxin MPTP and their transcriptomic landscape shares important similarities with that of PD patients. Overall, our results demonstrate that specific defects in DNA repair impact the dopaminergic system, are associated with human PD pathology, and might therefore constitute a novel risk factor for PD by affecting the aging process. Overall design: In total 8 samples were analyzed, 4 controls and 4 Ercc1 mutants.
Inefficient DNA Repair Is an Aging-Related Modifier of Parkinson's Disease.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesExpression data from valvular interstitial cells cultured in 2D or 3D PEG hydrogel systems compared to culture on tissue culture polystyrene and freshly isolated cells
Transcriptional profiles of valvular interstitial cells cultured on tissue culture polystyrene, on 2D hydrogels, or within 3D hydrogels.
Specimen part
View SamplesPrevious studies in our laboratory demonstrated that the azurophil granule protease neutrophil elastase (NE) cleaves PML-RARA (PR), the fusion protein that initiates acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Further, NE deficiency reduces the penetrance of APL in a murine model of this disease. We therefore predicted that NE-mediated PR cleavage might be important for its ability to initiate APL. To test this hypothesis, we generated a mouse expressing NE-resistant PR. These mice developed APL indistinguishable from wild type PR, but with significantly reduced latency (median leukemia-free survival of 274 days versus 473 days for wild type PR, p<0.001). Resistance to proteolysis may increase the abundance of full length PR protein in early myeloid cells, and our previous data suggested that non-cleaved PR may be less toxic to early myeloid cells. Together, these effects appear to increase the leukemogenicity of NE-resistant PR, contrary to our previous prediction. We conclude that NE deficiency may reduce APL penetrance via indirect mechanisms that are still NE dependent.
A protease-resistant PML-RAR{alpha} has increased leukemogenic potential in a murine model of acute promyelocytic leukemia.
Cell line
View Samples