Protective interactions with bystander cells in micro-environmental niches such as lymph nodes (LNs) contribute to survival and therapy resistance of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells. This is caused by a shift in expression of BCL-2 family members. Pro-survival proteins BCL-XL, BFL-1, and MCL-1 are upregulated by LN-residing T cells through CD40L interaction, presumably via NF-B signaling. Macrophages also reside in the LN, and are assumed to provide important supportive functions for CLL cells. However, if and how macrophages are able to induce survival is incompletely known. We first established that macrophages induced survival due to an exclusive upregulation of MCL-1. Next, we investigated the mechanism underlying MCL-1 induction by macrophages in comparison with CD40L. Genome-wide expression profiling of in vitro macrophage- and CD40L-stimulated CLL cells indicated activation of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway, which was confirmed in ex vivo CLL LN material. Inhibition of PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling abrogated MCL-1 upregulation and survival by macrophages as well asCD40 stimulation. MCL-1 can be regulated at multiple levels, and we established that AKT leads to increased MCL-1 translation, but does not affect MCL-1 transcription or protein stabilization. Furthermore, among macrophage-secreted factors that could activate AKT, we found that induction of MCL-1 and survival critically depended on C-C Motif Chemokine Receptor-1 (CCR1). In conclusion, this study indicates that two distinct micro-environmental factors, CD40L and macrophages, signal via CCR1 to induce AKT activation resulting in translational stabilization of MCL-1, and hence can contribute to CLL cell survival.
Macrophages confer survival signals via CCR1-dependent translational MCL-1 induction in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Specimen part, Disease stage
View SamplesChronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) cells multiply in secondary lymphoid tissue but the mechanisms leading to their proliferation are still uncertain. In addition to BCR-triggered signals, other microenvironmental factors might well be involved. In proliferation centres, leukemic B cells are in close contact with CD4+CD40L+T cells. Therefore, we here dissected the signals provided by autologous activated T cells (Tact) to CLL cells. Although the gene expression profile induced by Tact was highly similar to that induced by sole CD40 signaling, an obvious difference was that Tact induced proliferation of CLL cells. We determined that stimulation with only CD40L+IL-21 was sufficient to induce robust proliferation in CLL cells. We then defined an IL-21-induced gene signature in CLL, containing components of JAK-STAT and apoptosis pathways, and this signature could be detected in lymph node (LN) samples from patients. Finally, we could detect IL-21 RNA and protein in LN, and IL-21 productionex vivoby LN CD4+CXCR5+ follicular helper T cells. These results indicate that, in addition to BCR signaling, activated T cells might contribute to CLL cell proliferation via CD40 and IL-21. Targeting these signaling pathways might offer new venues for treatment of CLL.
IL-21 and CD40L signals from autologous T cells can induce antigen-independent proliferation of CLL cells.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesHydrogen peroxide (H2O2) can act as a signaling molecule that influences various aspects of plant growth and development, including stress signaling and cell death. Catalase deficient plants are pioneering systems which accumulate hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) from peroxisomal origin during photorespiratory challenges. Respiratory burst oxidase homologues D and F are known to participate in intracellular oxidative stress response launched in cat2 mutants (Chaouch et al., 2012). We studied the compared the transcriptional response of cat2 rbohD and cat2 rbohF double mutants versus the cat2 background to further adress their role during photorespiratory stress.
The ROS Wheel: Refining ROS Transcriptional Footprints.
Age
View SamplesHydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a potent signaling molecule influencing various aspects of plant growth and development. Its limited lifetime and specific production sites in the plant cell necessitate the existence of specialized mechanisms that relay H2O2-encoded information. To discover such mechanisms, we focused on peroxisomal H2O2 production triggered by enhanced photorespiration in Arabidopsis mutants lacking catalase activity (cat2-2), and looked for second-site mutations that attenuate the negative effects (Fv'/Fm' decline and lesion formation) of H2O2 build up. A mutation residing in the GRAS family transcriptional regulator SHORT-ROOT (SHR) was found to underlie the increased performance of cat2-2 knock-outs under photorespiratory stress. In contrast to shr, introduction of the scr mutation in cat2-2 background did not improve the photorespiratory performance of plants lacking peroxisomal catalase. The absence of SHR negatively affected the activity of the photorespiratory enzymes glycolate oxidase and catalase, which was accompanied with elevated glycolate content and inability to accumulate glycine under conditions promoting photorespiration. The transcriptome signature of cat2-2 shr-6 double mutants exposed to photorespiratory stress lacked jasmonate-dependent signaling components, otherwise induced in cat2-2. The photorespiratory phenotype of cat2-2 was found to be modulated by exogenous sugars both in the presence and absence of shr. Taken together, these findings highlight a crucial role for SHR in H2O2 signal transduction and stress tolerance.
The ROS Wheel: Refining ROS Transcriptional Footprints.
Age, Specimen part, Treatment, Time
View SamplesSix weeks old Arabidopsis plants were transferred to a low CO2 (100 ppm) environment during 24 hours and compared to control plants kept under ambient CO2 conditions. Limited CO2 availability will cause higher rates of photorespiration and affect the plant redox homeostasis. We studied the transcriptomic impact of exposing plants to a lower CO2 environment to further eliculidate the signaling pathways during photorespiratory stress.
The ROS Wheel: Refining ROS Transcriptional Footprints.
Age, Treatment
View SamplesExcessive levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) cause cellular stress through damage to all classes of macromolecules and result in cell death. However, ROS can also act as signaling molecules in various biological processes. In plants, ROS signaling has been documented in environmental stress perception, plant development and cell death amongst others. Knowledge on the regulatory events governing ROS signal transduction is however still scratching the surface. To further elucidate the transcriptional response and regulation upon ROS accumulation we supplemented Arabidopsis seedlings with a 10mM hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solution to trigger oxidative stress.
The ROS Wheel: Refining ROS Transcriptional Footprints.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesNSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) inhibit cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes and prevent Alzheimers disease (AD) at preclinical stages in cognitively normal aging populations. We modeled NSAID prevention of memory impairment in AD model mice to identify novel targets of NSAID action.
Cyclooxygenase inhibition targets neurons to prevent early behavioural decline in Alzheimer's disease model mice.
Age, Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesThe NuRD complex is generally thought to repress transcription at both hyper- and hypomethylated regions in the genome. In addition, the complex is involved in the DNA damage response. Here, we show that ZMYND8 bridges NuRD to a number of putative DNA-binding zinc finger proteins. The ZMYND8 MYND domain directly interacts with PPPL? motifs in the NuRD subunit GATAD2A. Furthermore, GATAD2A and GATAD2B exclusively form homodimers and they thus define mutually exclusive NuRD subcomplexes. ZMYND8 and MBD3 share a large number of genome-wide binding sites, mostly active promoters and enhancers. Depletion of ZMYND8 does not affect NuRD occupancy genome-wide and expression of NuRD/ZMYND8 target genes in steady-state asynchronous cells. However, ZMYND8 facilitates immediate recruitment of GATAD2A/NuRD to induced sites of DNA damage. These results thus show that a specific substoichiometric interaction with a NuRD subunit paralogue provides unique functionality to a distinct NuRD subcomplex. Overall design: RNA-seq samples for HeLa FRT-TO mock, ZMYND8KO, and ZMYND8KO-rescue cells
ZMYND8 Co-localizes with NuRD on Target Genes and Regulates Poly(ADP-Ribose)-Dependent Recruitment of GATAD2A/NuRD to Sites of DNA Damage.
Subject
View SamplesThe splicing factor SF3B1 is the most commonly mutated gene in the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), particularly in patients with refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts (RARS). MDS is a disorder of the hematopoietic stem cell and we thus studied the transcriptome of CD34+ cells from MDS patients with SF3B1 mutations using RNA-sequencing. Genes significantly differentially expressed at the transcript and/or exon level in SF3B1 mutant compared to wildtype cases include genes involved in MDS pathogenesis (ASXL1, CBL), iron homeostasis and mitochondrial metabolism (ALAS2, ABCB7, SLC25A37) and RNA splicing/processing (PRPF8, HNRNPD). Many genes regulated by a DNA damage-induced BRCA1-BCLAF1-SF3B1 protein complex showed differential expression/splicing in SF3B1 mutant cases. Our data indicate that SF3B1 plays a critical role in MDS by affecting the expression and splicing of genes involved in specific cellular processes/pathways, many of which are relevant to the known RARS pathophysiology, suggesting a causal link. Overall design: RNA-Seq was performed to compare the transcriptome of bone marrow CD34+ cells from eight MDS patients with SF3B1 mutation, four MDS patients with no known splicing mutation and five healthy controls.
Disruption of SF3B1 results in deregulated expression and splicing of key genes and pathways in myelodysplastic syndrome hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesWe investigated transcriptional changes in CD4CD8aa and CD4 intraepthelial lymphocytes.
Transcriptional reprogramming of mature CD4⁺ helper T cells generates distinct MHC class II-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes.
Specimen part
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