In almost every countries the proportion of people over 60 years is growing faster that any other age group. Increased life expectancy is leading to the characterization of specific aspects of aging for the various physiological systems. The study of healthy aging is important to design strategies capable to maximize the health and to prevent chronic diseases in older people. Immunosenscence reflects the age-related changes of the immune system and the reduced capacity of elderly people to cope with new infections. To elucidate changes in gene expression related to systemic aging and immunosenescence in an unbiased manner we performed comparative microarray analysis on whole blood cell from healthy middle-aged versus elderly men, and correlated results with functional measurements of aerobic capacity. Blood cells from elderly subjects showed age-related changes in the expression of several markers of immunosenescence, inflammation and oxidative stress, and showed impairments in metabolic and biosynthetic capacities.
Aging: a portrait from gene expression profile in blood cells.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesExtracellular nucleotides are potent signaling molecules mediating cell-specific biological functions. We previously demonstrated that adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) inhibits the proliferation while stimulating the migration, in vitro and in vivo, of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-hMSC). Here, we investigated the effects of ATP on BM-hMSC differentiation capacity.
Extracellular purines promote the differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells to the osteogenic and adipogenic lineages.
Specimen part, Treatment, Time
View SamplesMacrophages and neutrophils are almost invariably the most abundant intratumoral immune cells, and recent studies have revealed a sinister role for these cells in limiting chemotherapy efficacy. However, how these tumor-educated myeloid cells influence chemotherapy response is incompletely understood. Targeting tumor-associated macrophages by CSF-1 receptor (CSF-1R) blockade in a pre-clinical transgenic mouse model for breast cancer improved the anti-cancer efficacy of cisplatin. Importantly, our findings reveal that macrophage blockade in combination with cisplatin treatment evokes a compensatory neutrophil response limiting the therapeutic synergy of this therapy combination. Here we characterize neutrophils and macrophages gene expression profile from the tumor of mice treated with anti-CSF-1R, Control antibody, Cisplatin/anti-CSF-1R or cisplatin/control ab. Overall design: Intervention studies combining anti-CSF1R and chemotherapy in a transgenic mouse model for breast cancer.
Therapeutic targeting of macrophages enhances chemotherapy efficacy by unleashing type I interferon response.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesIn the present study, we investigated whether, and to what extent, P2Rs and their ligands are involved in the regulation of AML cells. Our findings show that AML blasts express several receptors belonging to the P2X and P2Y family. Although different samples respond differently to ATP and UTP stimulation (reflecting the variability intrinsic to the group of acute myeloid leukemias), all the tested samples appear to be responsive to purinergic signalling, as demonstrated by intracellular calcium mobilization.
Purinergic signaling inhibits human acute myeloblastic leukemia cell proliferation, migration, and engraftment in immunodeficient mice.
Specimen part
View SamplesWe show the molecular and functional characterization of a novel population of lineage-negative CD34-negative (Lin- CD34-) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients at diagnosis. Molecular caryotyping and quantitative analysis of BCR/ABL transcript demonstrated that about one third of CD34- was leukemic. CML CD34- cells showed kinetic quiescence and limited clonogenic capacity. However, stroma-dependent cultures and cytokines induced CD34 expression on some HSCs, cell cycling, acquisition of clonogenic activity and increased expression of BCR/ABL transcript. CML CD34- cells showed an engraftment rate in immunodeficient mice similar to that of CD34+ cells. Gene expression profiling revealed the down-regulation of cell cycle arrest genes together with genes involved in antigen presentation and processing, while the expression of angiogenic factors was strongly up-regulated when compared to normal counterparts. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed the significant down-regulation of HLA class I and II molecules in CML CD34-cells. Increasing doses of imatinib mesilate (IM) did not affect fusion transcript levels, BCR-ABL kinase activity and the clonogenic efficiency of CML CD34- cells as compared to leukemic CD34+cells.
Molecular and functional analysis of the stem cell compartment of chronic myelogenous leukemia reveals the presence of a CD34- cell population with intrinsic resistance to imatinib.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Polycomb function during oogenesis is required for mouse embryonic development.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesIn mammals, totipotent pre-implantation embryos are formed by fusion of highly differentiated oocytes and spermatozoa. Acquisition of totipotency concurs with remodeling of chromatin states of parental genomes (epigenetic reprogramming), changes in maternally contributed transcriptome and proteome, and zygotic genome activation. Genomes of mature germ cells are more proficient in supporting embryonic development than those of somatic cells. It is currently unknown whether transgenerational inheritance of chromatin states present in mature gametes underlies the efficacy of early embryonic development after natural conception. Here, we show that Ring1 and Rnf2, two core components of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1), serve redundant gene regulatory functions during oogenesis that are required to support embryonic development beyond the two-cell stage. Numerous developmental regulatory genes that are established Polycomb targets in various somatic cell types are de-repressed in Ring1/Rnf2 double mutant (dm) fully grown germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes. Translation of tested aberrant maternal transcripts is, however, delayed until after fertilization. Exchange of maternal pro-nuclei between control and Ring1/Rnf2 maternally dm early zygotes demonstrates an essential role for Ring1 and Rnf2 during oogenesis in defining cytoplasmic and nuclear maternal contributions that are both essential for proper initiation of embryonic development. A large number of genes up-regulated in Ring1/Rnf2 dm GV oocytes harbor PRC2-mediated histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) in spermatozoa and in embryonic stem cells (ESCs), and are repressed during normal oogenesis and early embryogenesis. These data strongly support the model that Polycomb acts in the female and male germline to silence differentiation inducing genes and to program chromatin states, thereby sustaining developmental potential across generations.
Polycomb function during oogenesis is required for mouse embryonic development.
Specimen part
View SamplesIn mammals, totipotent pre-implantation embryos are formed by fusion of highly differentiated oocytes and spermatozoa. Acquisition of totipotency concurs with remodeling of chromatin states of parental genomes (epigenetic reprogramming), changes in maternally contributed transcriptome and proteome, and zygotic genome activation. Genomes of mature germ cells are more proficient in supporting embryonic development than those of somatic cells. It is currently unknown whether transgenerational inheritance of chromatin states present in mature gametes underlies the efficacy of early embryonic development after natural conception. Here, we show that Ring1 and Rnf2, two core components of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1), serve redundant gene regulatory functions during oogenesis that are required to support embryonic development beyond the two-cell stage. Numerous developmental regulatory genes that are established Polycomb targets in various somatic cell types are de-repressed in Ring1/Rnf2 double mutant (dm) fully grown germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes. Translation of tested aberrant maternal transcripts is, however, delayed until after fertilization. Exchange of maternal pro-nuclei between control and Ring1/Rnf2 maternally dm early zygotes demonstrates an essential role for Ring1 and Rnf2 during oogenesis in defining cytoplasmic and nuclear maternal contributions that are both essential for proper initiation of embryonic development. A large number of genes up-regulated in Ring1/Rnf2 dm GV oocytes harbor PRC2-mediated histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) in spermatozoa and in embryonic stem cells (ESCs), and are repressed during normal oogenesis and early embryogenesis. These data strongly support the model that Polycomb acts in the female and male germline to silence differentiation inducing genes and to program chromatin states, thereby sustaining developmental potential across generations.
Polycomb function during oogenesis is required for mouse embryonic development.
Treatment
View SamplesAstrocytes from optic nerve head from donors with and without glaucoma
Differential gene expression in astrocytes from human normal and glaucomatous optic nerve head analyzed by cDNA microarray.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesMaize transgenic event MON810, grown and commercialised worldwide, is the only cultivated GM event in EU. Maize MON810, variety DKC6575, and the corresponding near-isogenic Tietar were studied in different growing conditions, to assess their behaviour in response to drought. Profiling gene expression in water deficit regimes and in generalised water stress showed an up-regulation of different stress- responsive genes. A greater number of differentially expressed genes was observed in Tietar rather than in DKC6575, with genes belonging to transcription factor families and genes encoding HSPs, LEAs and detoxification enzymes. Since these genes have been from literature, indicated as typical of stress responses, their activation in Tietar rather than in DKC6575 may be reminiscent of a more efficient water stress response. DKC6575 was also analysed for the expression of the transgene CryIAb (encoding for the delta-endotoxin insecticidal protein) in water limiting conditions. In all the experiments the CryIAb transcript was not influenced by water stress, but expressed at a constant level. This suggests that though a different pattern of sensitivity to stress, the transgenic variety maintains the same expression level for the transgene.
Comparison of drought stress response and gene expression between a GM maize variety and a near-isogenic non-GM variety.
Specimen part
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