This SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
A common promoter hypomethylation signature in invasive breast, liver and prostate cancer cell lines reveals novel targets involved in cancer invasiveness.
Sex, Disease, Disease stage, Cell line
View SamplesCancer invasion and metastasis is the most morbid aspect of cancer and is governed by different cellular mechanisms than those driving the deregulated growth of tumors. We addressed here the question of whether a common DNA methylation signature of invasion exists in cancer cells from different origins that differentiates invasive from noninvasive cells. We identified a common DNA methylation signature consisting of hyper- and hypomethylation and determined the overlap of differences in DNA methylation with differences in mRNA expression using expression array analyses. A pathway analysis reveals that the hypomethylation signature includes some of the major pathways that were previously implicated in cancer migration and invasion such as TGF beta and ERBB2 triggered pathways. The relevance of these hypomethylation events in human tumors was validated by identification of the signature in several publicly available databases of human tumor transcriptomes. We shortlisted novel invasion promoting candidates and tested the role of four genes from the list C11orf68, G0S2, SHISA2 and TMEM156 in invasiveness using siRNA depletion. Importantly these genes are upregulated in human cancer specimens as determined by immunostaining of human normal and cancer breast, liver and prostate tissue arrays. Since these genes are activated in cancer they constitute a group of targets for specific pharmacological inhibitors of cancer invasiveness.
A common promoter hypomethylation signature in invasive breast, liver and prostate cancer cell lines reveals novel targets involved in cancer invasiveness.
Sex, Disease, Disease stage, Cell line
View SamplesMammalian digit-tip can regenerate upon amputation1-3, like amphibians. It is unknown why this capacity is limited to the area associated with the nail3-5. Here, we show that nail stem cells (NSCs) reside in the Wnt-suppressed proximal nail matrix and that the mechanisms governing NSC differentiation are directly coupled with their ability of orchestrating digit regeneration. Early nail progenitors located distal to the NCS region undergo Wnt-dependent differentiation into nail. Upon amputation, this Wnt activation is required for nail regeneration and also for attracting nerves that promote mesenchymal blastema growth, leading to regeneration of the entire digit. Amputations proximal to the Wnt-active nail progenitors result in failure to regenerate nail/digit. Nevertheless, -catenin stabilization in the NSC region induced their regeneration. These results establish a link between NCS differentiation and digit regeneration, suggesting a utility of the NSCs in developing novel treatments for amputees.
Wnt activation in nail epithelium couples nail growth to digit regeneration.
Specimen part
View SamplesEndometriosis, an estrogen-dependent, progesterone-resistant, inflammatory disorder affects 10% of reproductive-age women. It is diagnosed and staged at surgery, resulting in an 11-year latency from symptom onset to diagnosis, underscoring the need for less invasive, less expensive approaches. Since the uterine lining (endometrium) in women with endometriosis has altered molecular profiles, we tested whether molecular classification of this tissue can distinguish and stage disease. We developed classifiers using genomic data from n=148 archived endometrial samples from women with endometriosis or without endometriosis (normal controls or with other common uterine/pelvic pathologies) across the menstrual cycle and evaluated their performance on independent sample sets. Classifiers were trained separately on samples in specific hormonal milieu, using margin tree classification, and accuracies were scored on independent validation samples. Classification of samples from women with endometriosis or no endometriosis involved two binary decisions each based on expression of specific genes. These first distinguished presence or absence of uterine/pelvic pathology and then no endometriosis from endometriosis, with the latter further classified according to severity (minimal/mild or moderate/severe). Best performing classifiers identified endometriosis with 90-100% accuracy, were cycle phase-specific or independent, and utilized relatively few genes to determine disease and severity. Differential gene expression and pathway analyses revealed immune activation, altered steroid and thyroid hormone signaling/metabolism and growth factor signaling in endometrium of women with endometriosis. Similar findings were observed with other disorders versus controls. Thus, classifier analysis of genomic data from endometrium can detect and stage pelvic endometriosis with high accuracy, dependent or independent of hormonal milieu. We propose that limited classifier candidate-genes are of high value in developing diagnostics and identifying therapeutic targets. Discovery of endometrial molecular differences in the presence of endometriosis and other uterine/pelvic pathologies raises the broader biological question of their impact on the steroid hormone response and normal functions of this tissue.
Molecular classification of endometriosis and disease stage using high-dimensional genomic data.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe pathways involved in hierarchical differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) into abundant and durable endothelial cells (EC) are unknown. We employed an EC-specific VE-cadherin promoter driving GFP (hVPr-GFP) to screen for factors that augmented yields of vascular-committed ECs from hESCs. In phase 1 of our approach, inhibition of TGFb, precisely at day 7 of hESC differentiation, enhanced emergence of hVPr-GFP+ ECs by 10-fold. In the second phase, TGFb-inhibition preserved proliferation and vascular identity of purified ECs, resulting in net 36-fold expansion of homogenous EC-monolayers, and allowing transcriptional profiling that revealed a unique angiogenic signature defined by the VEGFR2highId1highVE-cadherin+EphrinB2+CD133+HoxA9- phenotype. Using an Id1-YFP hESC reporter line, we showed that TGFb-inhibition sustained Id1 expression in hESC-derived ECs, which was required for increased proliferation and preservation of EC commitment. These data provide a multiphasic method for serum-free differentiation and long-term maintenance of authentic hESC-derived ECs, establishing clinical-scale generation of transplantable human ECs.
Expansion and maintenance of human embryonic stem cell-derived endothelial cells by TGFbeta inhibition is Id1 dependent.
Specimen part
View SamplesPurpose: The outer blood-retina barrier is established through the coordinated terminal maturation of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), fenestrated choroid endothelial cells (ECs) and Bruch’s membrane, a highly organized basement membrane that lies between both cell types. Here we study the contribution of choroid ECs to this process by comparing their gene expression profile before (P5) and after (P30) the critical postnatal period when mice acquire mature visual function. Methods: ECs from P5 and P30 mice were labeled in vivo by retro-orbital injection of fluorescently-labeled anti-VE-Cadherin. After 10 minutes, mice were euthanized, eyeballs were enucleated and the anterior segment was discarded. After removal of the neural retina, RPE/choroid was mechanically dissected from the sclera and digested. ECs were isolated by flow cytometry and processed immediately for RNA extraction. Results: Transcriptome analyses show that whereas P5 choroid EC transcriptome is preferentially enriched in cell cycle- and chromosome-related transcripts, reflecting an immature phenotype, the transcriptome of adult (P30) choroid ECs is enriched in genes encoding proteins involved in ‘biological adhesion’, including a variety of extracellular matrix (ECM)-related genes. Conclusion: these results strongly suggest that mature choroid ECs actively participate in extracellular matrix assembly and regulation. Overall design: Transcriptome of choroid ECs isolated from P5 and P30 mice (3 independent isolations, 7 animals per isolation) was determined using the Illumina HiSeq2000 platform. Upon quality control using FastQC, raw reads were aligned to the mouse genome (mm9) using TopHat with default parameters. CuffLinks with GC and upper quartile normalization was then used to calculate normalized expression levels.
Concerted regulation of retinal pigment epithelium basement membrane and barrier function by angiocrine factors.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesContext: Endometrium in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) presents altered gene expression indicating progesterone resistance and predisposing to reduced endometrial receptivity and endometrial cancer. Objective: We hypothesized that an altered endocrine/metabolic environment in PCOS may result in an endometrial disease phenotype affecting the gene expression of different endometrial cell populations, including stem cells and their differentiated progeny. Design and setting: A prospective study conducted at an academic medical center. Patients and Main Outcome Measures: Proliferative phase endometrium was obtained from 6 overweight/obese PCOS (NIH criteria) and 6 overweight/obese controls. Microarray analysis was performed on fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS)-isolated endometrial epithelial cells (eEP), endothelial cells (eEN), stromal fibroblasts (eSF) and mesenchymal stem cells (eMSC). Gene expression data were validated using microfluidic Q-RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results: The comparison between eEPPCOS and eEPCtrl showed dysregulation of inflammatory genes and genes with oncogenic potential (CCL2, IL-6, ORM1, TNAIFP6, SFRP4, SPARC). eSFPCOS and eSFCtrl showed upregulation of inflammatory genes (C4A/B, CCL2, ICAM1, TNFAIP3). Similarly, in eMSCPCOS vs. eMSCCtrl the most upregulated genes were related to inflammation and cancer (IL-8, ICAM1, SPRR3, LCN2). IHC scoring showed increased expression of CCL2 in eEPPCOS and eSFPCOS compared to eEPCtrl and eSFCtrl and IL-6 in eEPPCOS compared to eEPCtrl. Conclusions: Isolated endometrial cell populations in women with PCOS showed altered gene expression revealing inflammation and pro-oncogenic changes, independent of BMI, especially in eEPPCOS and eMSCPCOS, compared to controls. The study reveals an endometrial disease phenotype in women with PCOS with potential negative effects on endometrial function and long-term health.
Mesenchymal stem/progenitors and other endometrial cell types from women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) display inflammatory and oncogenic potential.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesEndothelial cells from nine steady state tissues and two regenerating tissues (bone marrow and liver) were intravitally labeld, isolated via flow sorting, and immediately processed for RNA extraction.
Molecular signatures of tissue-specific microvascular endothelial cell heterogeneity in organ maintenance and regeneration.
Sex, Specimen part, Treatment, Time
View SamplesHerein, we investigated eMSC and eSF freshly isolated from endometrium from women with and without endometriosis and compared them to their respective short- and long-term cultures and subsequent decidualization response to progesterone.
Human Endometrial Fibroblasts Derived from Mesenchymal Progenitors Inherit Progesterone Resistance and Acquire an Inflammatory Phenotype in the Endometrial Niche in Endometriosis.
Age, Specimen part, Disease
View SamplesAlthough high mammographic density (MD) is considered one of the strongest risk factors for invasive breast cancer, the genes involved in modulating this clinical feature are unknown.
CD36 repression activates a multicellular stromal program shared by high mammographic density and tumor tissues.
Specimen part
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