ECRG4 is a promising tumor suppressor gene (TSG) recently identified in esophageal carcinoma. Its expression and prognostic value have never been explored in breast cancer. Using DNA microarray, we examined ECRG4 mRNA expression in 353 invasive breast cancer samples. A meta-analysis was performed on a large public retrospective gene expression dataset (n=1,387) to analyze correlation between ECRG4 expression and histo-clinical features including survival.
Down-regulation of ECRG4, a candidate tumor suppressor gene, in human breast cancer.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesOvarian follicular granulosa cells surround and nurture oocytes, and produce sex steroid hormones. It is believed that during development the ovarian surface epithelial cells invaginate into the ovary and develop into granulosa cells when associating with oogonia to form follicles. Using bovine fetal ovaries (n = 53) we identified a novel cell type, termed GREL for Gonadal Ridge Epithelial-Like. Using 25 markers for GREL and other cells we conducted immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy and chronologically tracked all somatic cell types during development. Before 70 days of gestation the gonadal ridge/ovarian primordium is formed by proliferation of GREL cells at the surface epithelium of the mesonephros. Primordial germ cells (PGCs) migrate into the ovarian primordium. After 70 days, stroma from the underlying mesonephros begins to penetrate the primordium, partitioning the developing ovary into irregularly-shaped ovigerous cords composed of GREL cells and PGCs/oogonia. Importantly we identified that the cords are separated from the stroma by a basal lamina. Around 130 days of gestation as the stroma expands laterally below the GREL cells on the surface thus establishing a sub-epithelial basal lamina and an epithelial-stromal interface, and it is at this stage that a mature surface epithelium develops from the GREL cells. The stroma continues to partition the ovigerous cords into smaller groups of cells eventually forming follicles containing an oogonium/oocyte surrounded by GREL cells, which become granulosa cells. Thus in contrast to the prevailing theory, the ovarian surface epithelial cells do not invaginate into the ovary to form the granulosa cells of follicles.
A new model of development of the mammalian ovary and follicles.
Specimen part
View SamplesMedullary breast cancers (MBC) display a basal profile, but a favorable prognosis. We hypothesized that a previously published 368-gene expression signature associated with MBC might serve to define a prognostic classifier in basal cancers. We collected public gene expression and histoclinical data of 2145 invasive early breast adenocarcinomas. We developed a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier based on this 368-gene list in a learning set, and tested its predictive performances in an independent validation set. Then, we assessed its prognostic value and that of six prognostic signatures for disease-free survival (DFS) in the remaining 2034 samples. The SVM model accurately classified all MBC samples in the learning and validation sets. A total of 466 cases were basal across other sets. The SVM classifier separated them into two subgroups, subgroup 1 (resembling MBC) and subgroup 2 (not resembling MBC). Subgroup 1 exhibited 71% 5-year DFS, whereas subgroup 2 exhibited 50% (p=9.93E-05). The classifier outperformed the classical prognostic variables in multivariate analysis, conferring lesser risk for relapse in subgroup 1 (HR=0.52, p=3.9E-04). This prognostic value was specific to the basal subtype, in which none of the other prognostic signatures was informative.
A gene expression signature identifies two prognostic subgroups of basal breast cancer.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesIn vitro differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESC) provides models that reproduce in vivo development and cells for therapy. Whether the epigenetic signatures that are crucial for brain development and function and that are sensitive to in vitro culture are similar between native brain tissues and their artificial counterpart generated from ESC is largely unknown. Here, using RNA-seq we have compared the parental origin-dependent expression of imprinted genes (IGs), a model of epigenetic regulation, in cerebral cortex generated either in vivo, or from ESCs using in vitro corticogenesis, a model that reproduces the landmarks of in vivo corticogenesis. For a majority of IGs, the expressed parental alleles were the same for in vivo and in vitro cortex. In most cases, this choice was already set in ESCs and faithfully maintained during the 3 weeks of in vitro corticogenesis. Confirming these findings, methylation, which selects the parental allele to be transcribed, was also largely equivalent between the 2 types of cortex and ESCs. Our results thus indicate that the allele specific expression of imprinted transcripts, a model of epigenetic regulation resulting from a differential methylation of parental genomes, is mostly mimicked in cortical cells derived from ESC. Overall design: We have crossed two strains of mice (B6 and JF1) that display more than 12 million of SNPs (Takada et al., Genome Res. 2013 Aug;23(8):1329-38. doi: 10.1101/gr.156497.113). We have then analyzed allele specific expression transcriptome-wide using RNA-seq on hybrid F1 cortex generated either in vivo or in vitro from ESCs. In addition, we have used 2 different developmental stages of in vivo cortex (E13.5, P0) and three stages in vitro (undiffererentiated ESC, and differentiated into cortex for 12 and 21 days) to measure the dynamics of parental expression. Please note that [1] the same raw data files were used to generate the ''*allele-specific_sense_read_bases_by_gene_withoutContamination.txt'' processed data files. [2] The samples associated with each file are indicated in the file column header (as their GSM accession numbers). [3] The readme.txt file contains the data processing steps, file description.
In Vitro Corticogenesis from Embryonic Stem Cells Recapitulates the In Vivo Epigenetic Control of Imprinted Gene Expression.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesBackground & Aims Hepatocytes differentiated from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) have the potential to overcome the shortage of primary hepatocytes for clinical use and drug development. Many strategies for this process have been reported, but the functionality of the resulting cells is incomplete. We hypothesize that the functionality of hPSC-derived hepatocytes might be improved by making the differentiation method more similar to normal in vivo hepatic development. Methods We tested combinations of growth factors and small molecules targeting candidate signaling pathways culled from the literature to identify optimal conditions for differentiation of hESCs to hepatocytes, using qRT-PCR for stage-specific markers to identify the best conditions. Immunocytochemistry was then used to validate the selected conditions. Finally, induction of expression of metabolic enzymes in terminally differentiated cells was used to assess the functionality of the hESC-derived hepatocytes. Results Optimal differentiation of hESCs was attained using a 5-stage protocol. After initial induction of definitive endoderm (stage 1), we showed that inhibition of the WNT/ß-catenin pathway during the 2nd and 3rd stages of differentiation was required to specify first posterior foregut, and then hepatic gut cells. In contrast, during the 4th stage of differentiation, we found that activation of the WNT/ß-catenin pathway allowed generation of proliferative bipotent hepatoblasts, which then were efficiently differentiated into hepatocytes in the 5th stage by dual inhibition of TGF-ß and NOTCH signaling. Conclusion Here, we show that stage-specific regulation of the WNT/ß-catenin pathway results in improved differentiation of hESCs to functional hepatocytes. Overall design: mRNA profiles of undifferentiated, definitive endoderm, stage 2-5 cell ines were generated by deep sequencing, in duplicate, as well as five liver samples.
Stage-specific regulation of the WNT/β-catenin pathway enhances differentiation of hESCs into hepatocytes.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesRibsome profiling analysis of mRNA translation in mouse cells under conditions of mTOR activiation or inhibition. Overall design: embryonic fibroblasts from 4EBP1/2 p53 mutants treated with Torin1
A unifying model for mTORC1-mediated regulation of mRNA translation.
Specimen part, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesAn understanding of the mechanisms regulating white adipose tissue (WAT) formation is key for developing of new tools to treat obesity and its related diseases. Here, we identify DEPTOR as a positive regulator of adipogenesis whose expression is associated with obesity. In a polygenic mouse model of obesity/leanness, Deptor is part of the Fob3a QTL linked to obesity and we fine that Deptor is the highest priority candidate gene regulating WAT accumulation in this model. Using a doxycycline-inducible mouse model for Deptor overexpression, we confirmed that Deptor promotes WAT expansion in vivo. DEPTOR expression is elevated in WAT of obese humans and strongly correlates with the degree of obesity. We show that DEPTOR is induced during adipogenesis and that its overexpression cell-autonomously promotes, while its suppression blocks, adipogenesis. DEPTOR positively regulates adipogenesis by promoting the activity of the pro-adipogenic factors Akt/PKB and PPAR-gamma. These results establish DEPTOR as a physiological regulator of adipogenesis and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms controlling WAT formation.
DEPTOR cell-autonomously promotes adipogenesis, and its expression is associated with obesity.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesThe potential safety issues related to the acquisition of common genomic aberrations in hPSC cultures are well-recognized, but these risks have not been evaluated for sporadic mutations. Here, we explore whether a sporadic mutation that spontaneously arose in a hESC culture consisting of a single-copy deletion of chr17p13.1 would confer a survival advantage to the mutant cells. Compared to wild-type cells with two normal copies of the chr17p13.1 region, the mutant cells displayed a selective advantage when exposed to stressful conditions, and retained a higher percentage of pluripotent cells after two weeks of in vitro differentiation. Knockdown of TP53, which is a gene encompassed by the deleted region, in wild-type cells mimicked the chr17p13.1 deletion phenotype. RNA sequencing analysis showed differential expression of genes in pathways related to proliferation and differentiation. Thus, phenotypic implications of sporadic mutations must be taken into consideration before using the hPSC for clinical applications. Overall design: Triplicate cDNA libraries of two mutant WA09 lines with a single-copy deletion of chr17p13.1, and two wild-type WA09 lines, for a total of 12 libraries were sequenced using Illumina HiSeq 2500. The sequence reads were mapped to hg19 reference genome and hits that passed quality filters were analyzed for differential expression.
Spontaneous Single-Copy Loss of TP53 in Human Embryonic Stem Cells Markedly Increases Cell Proliferation and Survival.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesWe report single-cell transcriptional assessment and functional circuit characterization of neuron types within the mouse entopeduncular nucleus (EP) Overall design: Transcriptional profilingof EP neurons from P60-70 C57BL/6 male mice; three types were identified, characterized, and incorporated into a synaptic-circuit model of basal ganglia please note that Replicate 2 was lost experimentally and not included, so n=3 replicates total
Genetically Distinct Parallel Pathways in the Entopeduncular Nucleus for Limbic and Sensorimotor Output of the Basal Ganglia.
Sex, Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesWe used RNA sequencing to characterize gene expression of Ly75+/+ B1-8hi and Ly75-/- B1-8hi B cells from the germinal center light zone (LZ) 12 h after forcing positive selection of the Ly75+/+ population with anti-DEC205-OVA. Overall design: We primed C57BL/6 hosts with OVA-alum i.p. and after 2 weeks we adoptively transferred a mixture of B1-8hi B cells in which 15% were Ly75+/+ CD45.1 (DECP) and 85% were Ly75-/- CD45.1/2 (DECN). We then immunized the animals with NP-OVA in the footpads and after 6 days we injected anti-DEC205-OVA. 12 h or 24 h after anti-DEC205-OVA injection we sorted B220+ CD38- CD95+ CD45.1+ CD45.2- CD83hi CXCR4lo (DECPLZ) and B220+ CD38- CD95+ CD45.1+ CD45.2+ CD83hi CXCR4lo (DECNLZ) cells for whole transcriptome analysis by mRNA sequencing.
Germinal Center Selection and Affinity Maturation Require Dynamic Regulation of mTORC1 Kinase.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
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