Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a class of fatty acids found in beef and dairy products, has been shown to inhibit tumorigenesis in a variety of cancer model systems. Based on previously well-documented anti-tumor activity of CLA in rodent models of breast cancer, a pilot study was initiated to examine the effect of dietary CLA in a well-established transgenic model of breast cancer. Western blots were performed for the detection of AKT, c-Src, ERK1/2, and Cdc24. CLA significantly increased tumor burden (p<0.1) independent of an increase in oncogenic signaling. Mammary gland whole mounts indicated a loss of mammary adipose and extensive epithelial expansion in CLA-treated animals. Microarray analysis indicated a significant reduction in cytoskeletal related genes with at least a two-fold decrease in five out of six CLA-fed animals compared to untreated controls. Reduction of Cdc42, a key regulator of cell adhesion and cytoskeletal arrangements, was confirmed at the protein level by western blot (p<0.01). These findings suggest that dietary CLA may advance the malignant phenotype by promoting a loss of cell polarity and adhesion in the mammary gland epithelium. This action may have serious clinical implications for a subset high-risk population and warrants further investigation.
Pilot study on the effects of dietary conjugated linoleic acid on tumorigenesis and gene expression in PyMT transgenic mice.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesGene expression on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from SPARKS CHARMS juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) cohort pre and post methotrexate therapy. This is the first study to our knowledge, to evaluate gene expression profiles in children with JIA before and after MTX, and to analyze genetic variation in differentially expressed genes. We have identified a gene, which may contribute to genetic variability in MTX response in JIA.
Generation of novel pharmacogenomic candidates in response to methotrexate in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: correlation between gene expression and genotype.
Specimen part, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesBone development and regeneration is associated with the Wnt signaling pathway that, according to literature, can be modulated by lithium ions (Li+). The aim of this study was to evaluate the gene expression profile during peri-implant healing of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) implants with incorporated Li+, while PLGA without Li+ was used as control, and a special attention was then paid to the Wnt signaling pathway. The implants were inserted in rat tibia for 7 or 28 days and the gene expression profile was investigated using a genome-wide microarray analysis. The results were verified by qPCR and immunohistochemistry. Histomorphometry was used to evaluate the possible effect of Li+ on bone regeneration. The microarray analysis revealed a large number of significantly differentially regulated genes over time within the two implant groups. The Wnt signaling pathway was significantly affected by Li+, with approximately 34% of all Wnt-related markers regulated over time, compared to 22% for non-Li+ containing (control; Ctrl) implants. Functional cluster analysis indicated skeletal system morphogenesis, cartilage development and condensation as related to Li+. The downstream Wnt target gene, FOSL1, and the extracellular protein-encoding gene, ASPN, were significantly upregulated by Li+ compared with Ctrl. The presence of -catenin, FOSL1 and ASPN positive cells was confirmed around implants of both groups. Interestingly, a significantly reduced bone area was observed over time around both implant groups. The presence of periostin and calcitonin receptor-positive cells was observed at both time points. This study is to the best of the authors knowledge the first report evaluating the effect of a local release of Li+ from PLGA at the fracture site. The present study shows that during the current time frame and with the present dose of Li+ in PLGA implants, Li+ is not an enhancer of early bone growth, although it affects the Wnt signaling pathway.
Gene expression profiling of peri-implant healing of PLGA-Li+ implants suggests an activated Wnt signaling pathway in vivo.
Sex, Specimen part, Treatment, Time
View SamplesInherent depot- and age-dependent preadipocyte characteristics may contribute to age-related fat redistribution. Both aging and depot origin affect preadipocyte replication and adipogenesis. To define responsible mechanisms, we analyzed genome-wide expression profiles in epididymal (E) and perirenal (P) preadipocytes cultured from young (3 month) and old (30m) rats. Differences between depots were distinct from and more dramatic than those that occur with aging.
Aging, depot origin, and preadipocyte gene expression.
Sex
View SamplesWe use time series RNA-seq to conduct a genome-wide survey of the temporal transcriptome response of human embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs) exposed to lead. Overall design: NPCs were derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) with a modified protocol from a previously reported protocol (Chambers et al. 2009) (Methods). We used lead acetate to treat NPCs at two different concentrations, 3 µM and 30 µM.
RNA-Seq of Human Neural Progenitor Cells Exposed to Lead (Pb) Reveals Transcriptome Dynamics, Splicing Alterations and Disease Risk Associations.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesHuman induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have previously been derived from somatic cells using viral vectors that integrate transgenes into the genome. Genomic integration, however, can allow persistent leaky expression of the transgenes and can create insertional mutations, thus limiting the utility of these cells for both research and clinical applications. Here, we describe the derivation of human iPS cells free of vector and transgene sequences using non-integrating oriP/EBNA1-based episomal vectors. The resulting iPS cells are similar to human embryonic stem (ES) cells in both proliferative and developmental potential. These results demonstrate that reprogramming of human somatic cells does not require genomic integration or the continued presence of exogenous reprogramming factors, and removes one important obstacle to the clinical applications of these cells.
Human induced pluripotent stem cells free of vector and transgene sequences.
Specimen part
View SamplesHuman induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have previously been derived from somatic cells using viral vectors that integrate transgenes into the genome. Genomic integration, however, can allow persistent leaky expression of the transgenes and can create insertional mutations, thus limiting the utility of these cells for both research and clinical applications. Here, we describe the derivation of human iPS cells free of vector and transgene sequences using non-integrating oriP/EBNA1-based episomal vectors. The resulting iPS cells are similar to human embryonic stem (ES) cells in both proliferative and developmental potential. These results demonstrate that reprogramming of human somatic cells does not require genomic integration or the continued presence of exogenous reprogramming factors, and removes one important obstacle to the clinical applications of these cells.
Human induced pluripotent stem cells free of vector and transgene sequences.
Specimen part
View SamplesHuman induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have previously been derived from somatic cells using viral vectors that integrate transgenes into the genome. Genomic integration, however, can allow persistent leaky expression of the transgenes and can create insertional mutations, thus limiting the utility of these cells for both research and clinical applications. Here, we describe the derivation of human iPS cells free of vector and transgene sequences using non-integrating oriP/EBNA1-based episomal vectors. The resulting iPS cells are similar to human embryonic stem (ES) cells in both proliferative and developmental potential. These results demonstrate that reprogramming of human somatic cells does not require genomic integration or the continued presence of exogenous reprogramming factors, and removes one important obstacle to the clinical applications of these cells.
Human induced pluripotent stem cells free of vector and transgene sequences.
Specimen part
View SamplesThere is a growing need for fast and accurate methods for testing developmental neurotoxicity across industrial, pharmaceutical, and environmental chemical exposures. Current approaches, such as in vivo animal studies, and assays of animal and human primary cell cultures, suffer from challenges related to time, cost, and applicability to human physiology. Prior research demonstrated success employing machine learning to predict developmental neurotoxicity using gene expression data collected from complex human 3D tissue models exposed to various compounds, but the complexity of 3D tissue models require extensive expertise and effort to employ. While a 3D tissue model is more physiologically accurate, by focusing only on the goal of constructing an assay of developmental neurotoxicity, we propose that a simpler 2D tissue model may prove sufficient. We thus compared the accuracy of predictive models trained on data from a 2D tissue model with those trained on prior dataset from a more complex 3D tissue model, and found the accuracy of the 2D model to be substantially better than the 3D model. Furthermore, we found that the 2D tissue model is more robust and consistent under stringent gene set selection, whereas the 3D tissue model suffers substantial degradation of accuracy. While both approaches have advantages and disadvantages, we propose that our described 2D tissue model has the potential to serve as a valuable tool for decision makers when prioritizing neurotoxicity screening. Overall design: H1-NPC cells were thawed and expanded in DF3S+N2B27+5ng/ml FGF2 for 5 days before they were harvested by Accutase treatment. Roughly 1x10e5 cells were then seeded into one well of a 48 well plate in DF3S+N2B27. Chemical treatment started on the same day (day 0). Samples are collected at indicated time points by lysing cells directly on plate with 150ul RLT buffer. Chemical information can be found a separate sheet.
Machine learning to predict developmental neurotoxicity with high-throughput data from 2D bio-engineered tissues.
Cell line, Subject, Compound, Time
View SamplesLymph node involvement is a major prognostic variable in breast cancer. Whether the molecular mechanisms that drive breast cancer cells to colonize lymph nodes are shared with their capacity to form distant metastases is yet to be established. In a transcriptomic survey aimed at identifying molecular factors associated with lymph node involvement of ductal breast cancer, we found that luminal differentiation, assessed by the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and/or progesterone receptor (PR) and GATA3, was only infrequently lost in node-positive primary tumors and in matched lymph node metastases. The transcription factor GATA3 critically determines luminal lineage specification of mammary epithelium and is widely considered a tumor and metastasis suppressor in breast cancer. Strong expression of GATA3 and ER in a majority of primary node-positive ductal breast cancer was corroborated by quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry in the initial sample set, and by immunohistochemistry in an additional set from 167 patients diagnosed of node-negative and positive primary infiltrating ductal breast cancer, including 102 samples from loco-regional lymph node metastases matched to their primary tumors, as well as 37 distant metastases. These observations suggest that loss of luminal differentiation is not a major factor driving the ability of breast cancer cells to colonize regional lymph nodes.
Infrequent loss of luminal differentiation in ductal breast cancer metastasis.
Specimen part
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