Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an important growth factor for estrogen receptor-alpha (ER) positive breast cancer, and elevated serum IL-6 is associated with poor prognosis. We firstly demonstrated that pSTAT3 is the primary downstream IL-6 signaling pathway in ER-positive breast cancer, using ten different breast cancer cell lines. Three-dimensional cultures of these cell lines were also used to develop a 17-gene IL-6 specific gene signature that could be used to identify IL-6 driven disease. This signature included a variety of genes involved in immune cell function and migration, cell growth and apoptosis, and the tumor microenvironment. To further validate this IL-6 signature, we obtained 36 human ER-positive breast cancer tumor samples with matched serum for gene expression profiling and determination of an IL-6 pathway activation score (PAS). Patients with high IL-6 PAS were also enriched for elevated serum IL-6 (>=10 pg/ml). We then utilized a murine MCF-7 xenograft model to determine the role of IL-6 in ER-positive breast cancer and potential anti-IL-6 therapy in vivo. When IL-6 was administered in vivo, MCF-7 cells engrafted without the need for estrogen supplementation. Subsequently, we prophylactically treated mice at MCF-7 engraftment with an anti-IL-6 antibody (siltuximab), fulvestrant or combination therapy. Siltuximab alone was able to blunt MCF-7 engraftment. Similarly, when tumors were allowed to grow to 125 mm3 before treatment, siltuximab alone demonstrated tumor regressions in 90% (9/10) of tumors. Given the established role for IL-6 in ER+ breast cancer, this data demonstrates the potential for anti-IL-6 therapeutics.
Interleukin-6 is a potential therapeutic target in interleukin-6 dependent, estrogen receptor-α-positive breast cancer.
Specimen part
View SamplesEarly during culture of primary mouse HSCs gene expression changes.
Gene expression profiling of early hepatic stellate cell activation reveals a role for Igfbp3 in cell migration.
Specimen part
View SamplesWe identified the Hippo pathway and its effector YAP as a key pathway that controls stellate cell activation. YAP is a transcriptional co-activator and we found that it drives the earliest changes in gene expression during stellate cell activation.
The Hippo pathway effector YAP controls mouse hepatic stellate cell activation.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesThe molecular determinants of a healthy human liver cell phenotype remain largely uncharacterized. In addition, the gene expression changes associated with activation of primary human hepatic stellate cells, a key event during fibrogenesis, remain poorly characterized. Here, we provide the transriptomic profile underpinning the healthy phenotype of human hepatocytes, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) and quiescent hepatic stellate cells (qHSCs) as well as activated HSCs (aHSCs)
Genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation and gene expression patterns in purified, uncultured human liver cells and activated hepatic stellate cells.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesTyrosine phosphorylation is a hallmark for activation of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT) proteins, but their transcriptional activity also depends on other secondary modifications. Type I interferons (IFNs) can activate both the ISGF3 (STAT1:STAT2:IRF9) complex and STAT3, but with cell-specific, selective triggering of only the ISGF3 transcriptional program. Following a genome-wide RNAi screen, we identified the Sin3a complex as an important mediator of this STAT3 transcriptional repression. Sin3a directly interacts with the DNA-binding domain of STAT3 and alters its acetylation status. SIN3A silencing enhances recruitment of STAT3 and enhanceosome components to the SOCS3 promoter, resulting in histone hyperacetylation and enhanced transcription. Conversely, Sin3a is required for ISGF3-dependent gene transcription and for an efficient IFN-mediated antiviral protection against Influenza A and hepatitis C viruses. The Sin3a complex therefore acts as a context-dependent STAT1/3 transcriptional switch.
The Sin3a repressor complex is a master regulator of STAT transcriptional activity.
Cell line, Treatment
View SamplesFOG-1/CPEB and FOG-3/Tob are the terminal regulators of the sex determination in C. elegans germ cells. CPEB and Tob proteins are both translational regulators. To investigate how FOG-1 and FOG-3 regulate germ cell sex determination we sought to identify the target mRNAs. We used transgenic epitope tagged animals (3xMyc::FOG-1 and FOG-3::3xFLAG). To identify the mRNA targets of FOG-1/CPEB and FOG-3/Tob on a genome wide scale we used RNA immunoprecipitation followed by microarray analysis. We found 81 putative mRNA targets of FOG-1 and 722 putative targets of FOG-3. 76 target mRNAs were common to both FOG-1 and FOG-3.
Genomic Analyses of Sperm Fate Regulator Targets Reveal a Common Set of Oogenic mRNAs in Caenorhabditis elegans.
Specimen part
View SamplesOzone is a highly toxic air pollutant and global health concern. Mechanisms of genetic susceptibility to ozone-induced lung inflammation are not completely understood. We hypothesized Notch3 and Notch4 are important determinants of susceptibility to ozone-induced lung inflammation. Wild type (WT), Notch3 (Notch3-/-) and Notch4 (Notch4-/-) knockout mice were exposed to ozone (0.3 ppm) or filtered air for 6-72 hours. Ozone increased bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) protein, a marker of lung permeability, in all genotypes, but significantly greater concentrations were found in Notch4-/- compared to WT and Notch3-/-. Significantly greater mean numbers of BALF neutrophils were found in Notch3-/- and Notch4-/- mice compared to WT mice after ozone. Expression of whole lung Tnf was significantly increased after ozone in all genotypes, and was significantly greater in Notch3-/- mice compared to WT. Statistical analyses of the transcriptome identified differentially expressed gene networks between WT and knockout mice basally and after ozone, and included Trim30, a member of the inflammasome pathway, and Traf6, an inflammatory signaling member. These novel findings are consistent with Notch3 and Notch4 as susceptibility genes for ozone-induced lung injury, and suggest that Notch receptors protect against innate immune inflammation.
Novel Roles for Notch3 and Notch4 Receptors in Gene Expression and Susceptibility to Ozone-Induced Lung Inflammation in Mice.
Specimen part
View SamplesPurpose: We purified whole brain microglia of MFP2 knockout mice and control mice utilizing percoll gradient and FACS sorting, followed by microarray analysis to define the molecular changes in MFP2 knockout mice at the endstage of the disease. We compared the microglia transcriptome of Mfp2-/- microglia to that of SOD1-G93A microglia isolated from spinal cord to define the microglia signature associated with a non-neurodegenerative environment. Results and conclusions: Mfp2-/- microglia acquire an activation state characterized by activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). In addition, activated microglia display reduced expression of genes that are normally highly expressed by surveillant microglia in steady-state conditions. The immunological profile of is heterogeneous and encompasses upregulation of both pro- and anti-inflammatory genes. In contrast to the neurodegeneration-specific microglia profile in SOD1-G93A mice, Mfp2-/- microglia do not induce genes associated with phagocytosis, lysosomal activation and neurotoxicity.
Identification of a chronic non-neurodegenerative microglia activation state in a mouse model of peroxisomal β-oxidation deficiency.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesThese arrays contain data from hypthalamus tissue of nestin-Pex5 -/- male mice
Peroxisome deficiency but not the defect in ether lipid synthesis causes activation of the innate immune system and axonal loss in the central nervous system.
Specimen part
View SamplesTranscriptome analysis by RNA-seq of lungs from control and Rfwd2 epithelial-specific conditional knockout mice at embryonic 13.5 day age. RFWD2, is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that modifies specific target proteins, priming their degradation via the ubiquitin proteasome system. Rfwd2 deficiency led to a striking halt in branching morphogenesis shortly after secondary branch formation. In the mutant lung, two ETS transcript factors essential for normal lung branching, ETV4 and ETV5, were upregulated at the protein, but not transcript level. Introduction of Etv loss-of-function alleles into the Rfwd2 mutant background attenuated the branching phenotype, suggesting that RFWD2 functions at least in part through degrading ETV proteins. As a number of E3 ligases are known to target factors important for lung development, our findings provides a preview of a protein-level regulatory network essential for lung branching morphogenesis. Overall design: Total mRNA obtained from three samples per group (control and Rfwd2 conditional knockout)
E3 ubiquitin ligase RFWD2 controls lung branching through protein-level regulation of ETV transcription factors.
Specimen part, Subject
View Samples