Transcript profiling of transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings constitutively overexpressing UGT74E2 (35S::UGT74E2).
Perturbation of indole-3-butyric acid homeostasis by the UDP-glucosyltransferase UGT74E2 modulates Arabidopsis architecture and water stress tolerance.
Specimen part
View SamplesFacioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD) is one of the most common inherited muscular dystrophies. The causative gene remains controversial and the mechanism of pathophysiology unknown. Here we identify genes associated with germline and early stem cell development as targets of the DUX4 transcription factor, a leading candidate gene for FSHD. The genes regulated by DUX4 are reliably detected in FSHD muscle but not in controls, providing direct support for the model that misexpression of DUX4 is a causal factor for FSHD. Additionally, we show that DUX4 binds and activates LTR elements from a class of MaLR endogenous primate retrotransposons and suppresses the innate immune response to viral infection, at least in part through the activation of DEFB103, a human defensin that can inhibit muscle differentiation. These findings suggest specific mechanisms of FSHD pathology and identify candidate biomarkers for disease diagnosis and progression.
DUX4 activates germline genes, retroelements, and immune mediators: implications for facioscapulohumeral dystrophy.
Specimen part
View SamplesFor Samples 1-8 and 11-18: The innate immune sensor retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I) detects double-stranded RNA derived from RNA viruses, and recent studies have demonstrated that RIG-I also plays a role in the antiviral response to DNA viruses. To identify the physiological RNA species that are recognized by RIG-I during HSV-1 infection, we purified the RNAs that co-immunoprecipitated with FLAG-tagged RIG-I in transfected human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293T cells that had been infected with a recombinant HSV-1 (hereafter referred to as HSV-1 mut) containing a mutation (K220A) in the viral serine/threonine protein kinase US3 that abolishes its catalytic activity, as the viral kinase is known to antagonize type-I IFN responses. As controls, RNA species bound to FLAG-RIG-I in uninfected cells and RNA bound to FLAG-GFP from both HSV-1 mut-infected and uninfected cells were also purified. RIG-I-bound RNA and total RNA extracted from uninfected and HSV-1 mut-infected cells were analyzed by RNAseq, and the resulting sequences were mapped to both the HSV-1F-strain and human genome (hg38). This analysis revealed that several human transcripts were highly enriched in the RIG-I-bound fraction from infected cells; in contrast, the enrichment of viral sequences was low. The cellular transcripts that were most abundant in the RIG-I fraction were predominantly non-coding RNAs from different subclasses, as well as some coding RNAs. For Samples 9 and 10: HSV-1 infection is known to induces changes in the transcriptional profile of the infected cell. To analyze global changes in RNA transcript levels in infected cells, total RNA was extracted from HEK 293T cells that were infected with wild-type (WT) HSV-1. For comparison, total RNA was extracted from HEK 293T cells that remained uninfected. Next, RNAseq analysis was performed. The resulting sequences were mapped to the human genome, and gene inductions were calculated and normalized to uninfected samples to determine changes in gene expression upon infection. Overall design: Cells, which were not infected or infected with either wildtype HSV-1 or mutated HSV-1 were either subjected to a pulldown isolating RLR/GFP associated RNA (8 samples) or the corresponding total RNA (8 samples) was extracted from the infected cells and sequenced. Additionally, non-transfected cells were infected and total RNA extracted and sequenced (2 samples)
Viral unmasking of cellular 5S rRNA pseudogene transcripts induces RIG-I-mediated immunity.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesIn this analysis we have compared the gene expression profiles of lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) isolated from human intestine (iLECs) versus LECs from human skin (dLECs).
Liprin (beta)1 is highly expressed in lymphatic vasculature and is important for lymphatic vessel integrity.
Specimen part
View SamplesOld C57BL/6 mice cannot mount an effective innate immune response
Aged mice are unable to mount an effective myeloid response to sepsis.
Specimen part, Treatment, Time
View SamplesThe maintenance of the TFH phenotype depends on continuous signals via ICOS. For a global assessment of differences in gene expression after interruption of the ICOS pathway a genome wide transcriptome analysis was performed. We used the OT-II adoptive transfer system to isolate antigen-specific TFH cells (day 6 after immunization) after short-term (6 hours) blockade of the ICOS pathway using a monoclonal antibody against ICOS-L.
ICOS maintains the T follicular helper cell phenotype by down-regulating Krüppel-like factor 2.
Sex, Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesThe four transcription factors Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc can induce pluripotency in mouse and human fibroblasts. We previously described direct reprogramming of adult mouse neural stem cells (NSCs) by Oct4 and either Klf4 or c-Myc. NSCs endogenously express Sox2, c-Myc, and Klf4 as well as several intermediate reprogramming markers. Here we report that exogenous expression of the germline-specific transcription factor Oct4 is sufficient to generate pluripotent stem cells from adult mouse NSCs. These one-factor induced pluripotent stem (1F iPS) cells are similar to embryonic stem cells in vitro and in vivo. Not only can these cells be efficiently differentiated into NSCs, cardiomyocytes and germ cells in vitro, but they are also capable of teratoma formation and germline transmission in vivo. Our results demonstrate that Oct4 is required and sufficient to directly reprogram NSCs to pluripotency.
Oct4-induced pluripotency in adult neural stem cells.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThe polytrauma (PT) murine model has unique transcriptomic responses 2 hrs, 1 day and 3 days after injury. We determined with this clinically relevant model that the increased morbidity in the elderly is secondary to a failure of bone marrow progenitors, blood neutrophils, and bronchoalveolar lavage cells to initiate and complete an 'emergency myelopoietic' response, engendering myeloid cells that fail to clear secondary infection. In addition, the elderly appear unable to effectively resolve their inflammatory response to severe injury.
A Detailed Characterization of the Dysfunctional Immunity and Abnormal Myelopoiesis Induced by Severe Shock and Trauma in the Aged.
Sex, Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesAging and neurodegeneration are often accompanied by a functionally impaired ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). In tauopathies and polyglutamine diseases a mutant form of Ubiquitin B, UBB+1, accumulates in disease-specific aggregates. UBB+1 mRNA is generated at low levels in vivo during transcription from the Ubiquitin B locus by molecular misreading. The resulting mutant protein has been shown to inhibit proteasome function. To elucidate causative effects and neuropathological consequences of UBB+1 accumulation, we used a UBB+1 expressing transgenic mouse line, that models UPS inhibition in neurons and exhibits behavioral phenotypes reminiscent of Alzheimers disease (AD). In order to reveal affected organs and functions, young and aged UBB+1 transgenic mice were comprehensively phenotyped for more than 240 parameters. This revealed unexpected changes in spontaneous breathing patterns and an altered response to hypoxic conditions. Our findings point to a central dysfunction of respiratory regulation in transgenic mice in comparison to wildtype littermate mice. Accordingly, UBB+1 was strongly expressed in brainstem regions of transgenic mice controlling respiration. These regions included, for example, the medial part of the nucleus of the tractus solitarius and the lateral subdivisions of the parabrachial nuclei. In addition, UBB+1 was also strongly expressed in these anatomical structures of AD patients (Braak stage #6) and was not expressed in non-demented controls. We conclude that long-term UPS inhibition due to UBB+1 expression causes central breathing dysfunction in a transgenic mouse model of AD. The UBB+1 expression pattern in humans is consistent with the contribution of bronchopneumonia as a cause of death in AD patients.
Long-term proteasomal inhibition in transgenic mice by UBB(+1) expression results in dysfunction of central respiration control reminiscent of brainstem neuropathology in Alzheimer patients.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesPiwi-interacting small RNAs (piRNAs) of fetal prospermatogonia of mice have been strongly implicated in transposon control. In contrast, little is known about biogenesis and function of abundant piRNAs from adult testes expressed in late spermatocytes and round spermatids. These so-called "pachytene" piRNAs are processed from long non-coding piRNA precursors and have no defined RNA targets in the transcriptome even though their binding partner Piwi, MIWI, is essential for spermiogenesis and fertility. Here we report that 129SvJae mice lacking Maelstrom (MAEL), a conserved piRNA pathway protein, exhibit spermiogenic arrest with defects in acrosome and flagellum formation. Further analysis revealed MAEL association with RNPs containing MIWI, TDRD6, and processed intermediates of pachytene piRNA precursors of various length. Loss of MAEL causes a 10-fold drop in pachytene piRNA levels but an increase in piRNAs from abundantly expressed mRNAs. These results suggest a MAEL-dependent mechanism for the selective processing of pachytene piRNA precursor into piRNAs. Strikingly, ribosome profiling of Mael-null testes revealed that reduced piRNA production is accompanied by reduced translation of over 800 spermiogenic mRNAs including those encoding acrosome and flagellum proteins. In light of recent reports of piRNA-independent protection of translationally repressed mRNPs by MIWI and piRNA-dependent turnover of MIWI, we propose that pachytene piRNAs function by controlling the availably of MIWI for the translational repression of spermiogenic mRNAs. Overall design: piRNA sequencing, RNA immunoprecipitation, and expression measurements (RNA-Seq and ribosome profiling) in wild-type and Mael -/- testes
Reduced pachytene piRNAs and translation underlie spermiogenic arrest in Maelstrom mutant mice.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View Samples