Background: Diverticular disease is a significant healthcare burden in the United States. Younger diverticulitis patients are at increased risk for recurrence. How the molecular pathophysiology differs from those that develop disease at an older age is not understood. We aimed to profile the colonic transcriptome from younger versus older diverticulitis patients to identify differential biological pathways contributing to disease. Methods: We performed RNA-seq on full-thickness sigmoid colon tissue obtained at the time of surgery on diverticulitis patients (n=26) diagnosed at a younger age (<42 years old) or at an older age (>65 years old). Viral reads were identified from the RNA-seq dataset and associated with clinical metadata and the host transcriptome. HHV-6 positivity was evaluated in diverticulitis patients by PCR and immunofluorescence. Patient sera was profiled for HHV-6 using qPCR and ELISA to detect anti-HHV-6 antibodies. Results: Using RNA-seq, diverticulitis patients were profiled for differential expression associated with age of diagnosis. A subset of younger diverticulitis patients (diverticulitis colonic transcriptome-viral signature (DCT-VS)) demonstrated increased expression of anti-viral response genes. We identified viral transcripts in the RNA-seq dataset and found HHV-6 transcripts negatively correlated with DCT-VS. Younger patients more frequently displayed evidence of HHV-6 infection through DNA analysis and immunofluorescence of colonic tissue. During acute disease, HHV-6 DNA was detected in the serum but was absent during disease quiescence. Conclusions: Patients diagnosed with diverticulitis at a younger age demonstrate reactivation of HHV-6 in the sigmoid colon that remains persistent. Future studies to assess the role of pathogenicity and the use of anti-virals for acute uncomplicated diverticulitis should be considered. Overall design: Examination of full-thickness sigmoid colon tissue from 26 diverticulitis patients, including 13 diagnosed at an younger age (<42 years old) and 13 diagnosed at an older age (>65 years old)
A differential host response to viral infection defines a subset of earlier-onset diverticulitis patients.
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View SamplesNewly diagnosed chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients with a major cytogenetic response (MCyR) after 12 months of imatinib therapy have an excellent long-term outcome, while patients without MCyR have a high progression risk. Since patients with primary cytogenetic resistance may benefit from more intensive therapy up-front, we sought to identify biomarkers to predict MCyR.
A gene expression signature of CD34+ cells to predict major cytogenetic response in chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia patients treated with imatinib.
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View SamplesDeep sequencing has revealed that epigenetic modifiers are the most mutated genes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Thus, elucidating epigenetic dysregulation in AML is crucial to understand disease mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate that Metal Response Element Binding Transcription Factor 2/Polycomblike 2 (MTF2/PCL2) plays a fundamental role in the Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) and that its loss elicits an altered epigenetic state underlying refractory AML. Unbiased systems analyses identified the loss of MTF2-PRC2 repression of MDM2 as central to, and therefore a biomarker for, refractory AML. Thus, immature MTF2- deficient CD34+CD38- cells overexpress MDM2, thereby inhibiting p53 that leads to chemoresistance due to defects in cell cycle regulation and apoptosis. Targeting this dysregulated signaling pathway by MTF2 overexpression or MDM2 inhibitors sensitized refractory patient leukemic cells to induction chemotherapeutics and prevented relapse in AML patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mice. Therefore, we have uncovered a direct epigenetic mechanism by which MTF2 functions as a tumor suppressor required for AML chemotherapeutic sensitivity and identified a potential therapeutic strategy to treat refractory AML. Overall design: Fold change analysis between treatment and control
Targeting the MTF2-MDM2 Axis Sensitizes Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia to Chemotherapy.
Specimen part, Subject
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