During gastrulation, epiblast cells are pluripotent and their fate is thought to be constrained principally by their position. Cell fate is progressively restricted by localised signalling cues from areas including the primitive streak (PS). However, it is unknown whether this restriction accompanies, at the single cell level, a reduction in potency. Investigation of these early transition events in vitro is possible via the use of Epiblast Stem Cells (EpiSCs), self-renewing pluripotent cell lines equivalent to the postimplantation epiblast. Strikingly, EpiSCs express various early lineage-specific markers in self-renewing conditions. However, it is unknown whether cells that express these markers are pluripotent, spontaneously differentiated, or biased towards specific lineages. Here we show that EpiSC are inherently heterogeneous and contain two major and mutually exclusive subpopulations with PS and neural characteristics respectively. Using differentiation assays and embryo grafting we demonstrate that PS-like EpiSCs are biased towards mesoderm and endoderm differentiation but they still retain their pluripotent character. The acquisition of a PS character by undifferentiated EpiSC is mediated by paracrine Wnt signalling. Elevation of Wnt activity promotes further restriction into PS-associated cell fates which occurs via the generation of distinct clonal mesendodermal and neuromesodermal precursors. Collectively, our data suggest that primed pluripotency encompasses a range of reversible lineage-biased states reflecting the birth of pioneer lineage precursors from a pool of uncommitted EpiSCs similar to the earliest cell fate restriction events taking place in the gastrula-stage epiblast.
Distinct Wnt-driven primitive streak-like populations reflect in vivo lineage precursors.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesPh-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are characterized by many somatic mutations which have already been shown useful in the prognostic assessment of MPN patients. Moreover, aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression seems to add to the molecular complexity of MPNs, as specific miRNA signatures capable of discriminating MPN cells from those of normal donors were previously reported. In order to have a comprehensive picture of miRNA deregulation and its relationship with differential gene expression in primary myelofibrosis (PMF) cells, we obtained gene- (GEP) and miRNA expression profiles (miEP) of CD34+ cells from 31 healthy donors and 42 PMF patients using Affymetrix technology (HG-U219 and miRNA 2.0 arrays). Differentially expressed genes (DEG) and miRNAs (DEM) were sorted out by means of Partek Genomic Suite vs 6.6. Since each miRNA can target many mRNAs while a single mRNA can be targeted by multiple miRNAs, we performed Integrative Analysis (IA) by means of Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) to untangle this combinatorial complexity. In particular, IPA points out DEM-DEG pairs among experimentally validated interactions from TarBase, miRecords and Ingenuity Expert Findings as well as predicted microRNA-mRNA interactions from TargetScan. IPA microRNA Target Filter was then employed to select only the DEM-DEG pairs showing an anti-correlated expression pattern and to build regulatory networks. Finally, 3'UTR luciferase reporter assays were performed to validate IPA predicted miRNA-mRNA interactions.
miRNA-mRNA integrative analysis in primary myelofibrosis CD34+ cells: role of miR-155/JARID2 axis in abnormal megakaryopoiesis.
Specimen part, Disease
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
CALR mutational status identifies different disease subtypes of essential thrombocythemia showing distinct expression profiles.
Sex, Specimen part, Disease
View SamplesPolycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET) are Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) characterized by erythrocytosis and thrombocytosis, respectively. Approximately 95% of PV and 5070% of ET patients harbour the V617F mutation in the exon 14 of JAK2 gene, while about 20-30% of ET patients carry CALRins5 or CALRdel52 mutations. These ET CARL-mutated subjects show higher platelet count and lower thrombotic risk compared to JAK2-mutated patients. Here we showed that CALR-mutated and JAK2V617F-positive CD34+ cells have different gene and miRNA expression profiles. Indeed, we highlighted several pathways differentially activated between JAK2V617F- and CALR-mutated progenitors, i.e. mTOR, MAPK/PI3K and MYC pathways. Furthermore, we unveiled that the expression of several genes involved in DNA repair, chromatin remodelling, splicing and chromatid cohesion are decreased in CALR-mutated cells. According to the low risk of thrombosis in CALR-mutated patients, we also found the down-regulation of several genes involved in thrombin signalling and platelet activation. As a whole, these data support the model in which CALR-mutated ET could be considered as a distinct disease entity from JAK2V617F-positive MPNs and may provide the molecular basis supporting the different clinical features of these patients.
CALR mutational status identifies different disease subtypes of essential thrombocythemia showing distinct expression profiles.
Sex, Specimen part, Disease
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
No associated publication
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesThe transcription factor cMyb plays a key role in human primary CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) lineage choice, by enhancing erythropoiesis at the expense of megakaryopoiesis. We previously demonstrated that cMyb affects erythroid versus megakaryocyte lineage decision in part by transactivating KLF1 and LMO2 expression. To further unravel the molecular mechanisms through which cmyb affects lineage fate decision, we profiled the miRNA and mRNA changes in myb-silenced CD34+ HPCs. mRNA and miRNA expression for each sample were profiled by Affymetrix GeneAtlas U219 strip array and Exiqon Human miRNome PCR Panel, respectively. miRNA/mRNA data were integrated by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis.
No associated publication
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesIn the present study, we investigated whether, and to what extent, P2Rs and their ligands are involved in the regulation of AML cells. Our findings show that AML blasts express several receptors belonging to the P2X and P2Y family. Although different samples respond differently to ATP and UTP stimulation (reflecting the variability intrinsic to the group of acute myeloid leukemias), all the tested samples appear to be responsive to purinergic signalling, as demonstrated by intracellular calcium mobilization.
Purinergic signaling inhibits human acute myeloblastic leukemia cell proliferation, migration, and engraftment in immunodeficient mice.
Specimen part
View SamplesPrimary mielofibrosis (PMF) is a rare chronic myeloproliferative disorder characterized by the accumulation of abnormal megakaryocytes (Mks) in the bone marrow (BM), variable degrees of BM fibrosis, osteosclerosis and angiogenesis, immature myeloid and erythroid cells, and tear-drop erythrocytes in the peripheral blood (PB), and extramedullary hematopoiesis. The identification of the JAK2V617F mutation represented a seminal discovery in the field of Philadelphia-chromosomenegative chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), providing clues to the pathogenesis, prompting a revision of the diagnostic criteria, and culminating in the development of clinical trials with JAK2 (and JAK1) inhibitors. The JAK2V617F mutation occurs in almost all patients with polycythemia vera (PV) and in 50%-70% of those with essential thrombocythemia (ET) and primary myelofibrosis (PMF). Soon after the identification of the JAK2V617F mutation, mutations in JAK2 exon 12 were described in rare patients with JAK2V617F-negative PV and mutations in MPL were reported in 5%-10% of ET or PMF subjects. The complexity of the molecular pathogenesis of MPNs is reinforced by discovery of additional mutations in TET2, ASXL1, CBL, IDH1/IDH2, EZH2 and IKZF1. These mutations are detected in a minority of patients at different phases of the disorder, including leukemic transformation, and are variably associated each other and with JAK2 or MPL mutations.
Mutations and prognosis in primary myelofibrosis.
Specimen part, Disease
View SamplesThe JAK2V617F mutation has been reported in about 40-60% of Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) patients. However, little is known about specific molecular abnormalities of the hematopoietic stem cell compartment of ET according to JAK2 mutation. Therefore, we compared the gene expression profiles of bone marrow (BM) CD34+ cells from 16 patients with and without the JAK2V617F mutation to identify differentially expressed genes.
Molecular profile of CD34+ stem/progenitor cells according to JAK2V617F mutation status in essential thrombocythemia.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesPrimary Myelofibrosis (PMF) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by hyperplastic megakaryopoiesis and myelofibrosis. Through a gene expression profile (GEP) study we recently highlighted the MAF upregulation in PMF versus healthy donor (HD) CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs). To shed some light into the role of MAF in PMF pathogenesis, here we unravelled the effects of the overexpression of MAF in HPCs forcing its expression in HPCs.
No associated publication
Treatment, Subject
View Samples