Purpose: Due to its high metastatic proclivity, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most deadly types of cancer. Therefore, it is imperative to better understand how the disease spreads as it progresses. Using a novel genetically engineered mouse model that allows us to isolate a subpopulation of cancer cells with superior metastatic capacity, we show that this aggressive phenotype correlates exclusively with a strong hypoxia signature. We subsequently identified the novel hypoxia-inducible gene Blimp1, which appears to play a critical role in regulating the hypoxic response upon its induction. Furthermore, genetic ablation of Blimp1 greatly reduces the level of metastasis in a PDAC mouse model. The nature of this Blimp1-regulated hypoxia signature is very unstable, since the seeded metastatic lesions mostly re-adopt similar transcriptomic profiles as the primary tumors. In conclusion, our results offer a potential mechanistic insight into how hypoxia drives metastasis in PDAC. Methods: Pure, paired GFP-negative/Tomato-positive and GFP-positive/Tomato-positive cancer cells or pure Tomato-positive cancer cells were sorted from primary PDAC samples from 6 KPC-colors mice or KPCT mice, respectively, with the following criteria: single cell based on FSC-A/H; CD45-negative; CD31-negative; Ter119-negative; F4/80-negative; DAPI-negative; and Tomato-positive. RNA were extracted from 10^4 to 5x10^4 freshly sorted cancer cells using AllPrep DNA/RNA Micro Kit (Qiagen). RNA quality was assessed with the RNA6000 PicoAssay kit by using the Bioanalyzer 2100 (Agilent). All ex vivo RNA samples used for RNA-seq analyses had an RIN > 8.0. Total RNA (15 ng/sample) was used for cDNA synthesis and amplification with the Ovation RNA-Seq system (NuGEN Technologies, Inc.). Subsequently, the amplified DNA samples were fragmented through sonication (Covaris model S1) and subjected to library preparation using the Illumina TruSeqTM DNA sample preparation kit (Low-Throughput protocol) according to manufacturer''s protocol. The quality of purified cDNA library products was confirmed by bioanalyzer and prepared for cluster generation on HiSeq paired-end flow cells using the CBot automated cluster generation system followed by sequencing on HiSeq 2000 machines. We obtained 101bp, paired-end reads from fragments of an average length of 250bp. Subsequently, RNA-Seq reads were aligned to the mouse genome (mm10) using the STAR aligner with standard input parameters (Dobin et al., 2013). The number of reads uniquely aligned to exons of individual genes were counted with HTSeq against the UCSC KnownGene (mm10) transcriptome (Anders et al., 2015). Results: Compared to the GFP-negative counterparts, GFP-positive pure PDAC cancer cells express higher levels of genes that are highly enriched with hypoxia signature. Additionally, compared to the GFP-negative counterparts, GFP-positive pure PDAC cancer cells express lower levels of cell cycle-related genes. In contrast, pure cancer cells isolated based on locations reveal few consistent differentially expressed genes between primary tumor and liver metastases; no consistent differentially expressed gene between primary tumor and lymph node metastases. Conclusions: Transcriptome profiles of both GFP-negative/positive PDAC cancer cells suggest that Hmga2/GFP-expressing cancer cells are highly enriched for signatures that correspond to cells residing within hypoxic enrivonment. Overall design: Freshly sorted GFP/Hmga2-positive and GFP/Hmga2-negative PDAC cancer cells derived from tumors of 6 KPCT;Hmga2-CK/+ (KPC-colors) mice were subjected to transcriptome profiling by paired-end RNA-Seq (total of 6 pairs of samples with overall 12 samples). Additionally, pure Tomato-positive PDAC cancer cells isolated from different anatomical locations were also subjected to transcriptome profiling by paired-end RNA-Seq (n = 23, not including technical replicates).
BLIMP1 Induces Transient Metastatic Heterogeneity in Pancreatic Cancer.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesGPR146 is a susceptible gene associated with plasma cholesterol levels in humans, its physiological and molecular functions have not been fully characherized. In this study, we generated Gpr146 whole-body knockout mice and found that depletion of GPR146 led to substantilly reduced plasma total cholesterol levels.
GPR146 Deficiency Protects against Hypercholesterolemia and Atherosclerosis.
Specimen part
View SamplesOligodendrocytes (OLs) and myelin are critical for normal brain function and they have been implicated in neurodegeneration. Human neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that alterations in axons and myelin occur early in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) course. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the role of OLs in AD remains largely unknown. In this study, we systematically interrogated OL-enriched gene networks constructed from large-scale genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data in human AD postmortem brain samples. These robust OL networks were highly enriched for genes associated with AD risk variants, including BIN1. We corroborated the structure of the AD OL coexpression and gene-gene interaction networks through ablation of genes identified as key drivers of the networks, including UGT8, CNP, MYRF, PLP1, NPC1, and NDGR1. Perturbations of these key drivers not only caused dysregulation in their associated network neighborhoods, but also mimicked pathways of gene expression dysregulation seen in human AD postmortem brain samples. In particular, the OL subnetwork controlled by the AD risk gene PSEN1 was strongly dysregulated in AD, suggesting a potential role of PSEN1 in disrupting the myelination pathway towards the onset of AD. In summary, this study built and systematically validated the first comprehensive molecular blueprint of OL dysregulation in AD, and identified key OL- and myelination-related genes and networks as potential candidate targets for the future development of AD therapies. Overall design: The mouse knockout models have been previously described for each of Ugt8 (Coetzee et al., 1996), Cnp (Lappe-Siefke et al., 2003), and Plp1 (Klugmann et al., 1997). For each of the two conditions studied (control and homozygous knockout mice), five mice of either sex were sacrificed at postnatal day 20 and brains were flashed-frozen until analysis. The frontal cortex (FC) and cerebellum (CBM) were dissected out and individually processed. RNA was isolated using Trizol reagent and processed using Ribo-Zero rRNA removal. RNA-sequencing was performed using the Illumina HiSeq2000 with 100 nucleotide paired-end reads. RNA-sequencing reads were mapped to the mouse genome (mm10, UCSC assembly) using Bowtie (version 2.2.3.0), TopHat (version 2.0.11), and SamTools (version 0.1.19.0) using a read length of 100. Reads were converted to counts at the gene level using HTSeq on the BAM files from TopHat2 using the UCSC known genes data set.
Multiscale network modeling of oligodendrocytes reveals molecular components of myelin dysregulation in Alzheimer's disease.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesRearrangements involving the NUP98 gene resulting in fusions to several partner genes occur in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. This study demonstrates that the second FG repeat domain of the NUP98 moiety of the NUP98-HOXA9 fusion protein is important for its cell immortalization and leukemogenesis activities. We demonstrate that NUP98-HOXA9 interacts with MLL via this FG repeat domain and that, in the absence of MLL, NUP98-HOXA9-induced cell immortalization and leukemogenesis are severely inhibited. Molecular analyses indicate that MLL is important for the recruitment of NUP98-HOXA9 to the HOXA locus and for NUP98-HOXA9-induced HOXA gene expression. Our data indicate that MLL is crucial for NUP98-HOXA9 leukemia initiation.
MLL is essential for NUP98-HOXA9-induced leukemia.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesRegeneration of fragmented Drosophila imaginal discs occurs in an epimorphic manner, involving local cell proliferation at the wound site. Following disc fragmentation, cells at the wound site activate a restoration program through wound healing, regenerative cell proliferation and repatterning of the tissue. However, the interplay of signaling cascades, driving these early reprogramming steps, is not well understood. Here we profiled the transcriptome of regenerating cells in the early phase within twenty-four hours after wounding. We found that JAK/STAT signaling becomes activated at the wound site and promotes regenerative cell proliferation in cooperation with Wingless (Wg) signaling. In addition, we demonstrated that the expression of Drosophila insulin-like peptide 8 (dilp8), which encodes a paracrine peptide to delay the onset of pupariation, is controlled by JAK/STAT signaling in early regenerating discs. Our findings suggest that JAK/STAT signaling plays a pivotal role in coordinating regenerative disc growth with organismal developmental timing.
During Drosophila disc regeneration, JAK/STAT coordinates cell proliferation with Dilp8-mediated developmental delay.
Sex, Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesGlioblastomas show heterogeneous histological features. These distinct phenotypic states are thought to be associated with the presence of glioma stem cells (GSCs), which are highly tumorigenic and self-renewing sub-population of tumor cells that have different functional characteristics. To investigate gene expression including lncRNA (long non-coding RNA) in GSC, we have performed high-throughput RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) experiment using Illumina GAIIx. Overall design: Profiles of gene expression including lncRNA in GSC were generated by RNA-seq using Illumina GAIIx.
Targeting the Notch-regulated non-coding RNA TUG1 for glioma treatment.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Integrative genomics of gene and metabolic regulation by estrogen receptors α and β, and their coregulators.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesGlycinebetaine-induced water-stress tolerance in codA-expressing transgenic indica rice is associated with up-regulation of several stress responsive genes.
Glycinebetaine-induced water-stress tolerance in codA-expressing transgenic indica rice is associated with up-regulation of several stress responsive genes.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe closely related transcription factors (TFs), estrogen receptors ER and ER, regulate divergent gene expression programs and proliferative outcomes in breast cancer. Utilizing MCF-7 breast cancer cells with ER, ER, or both receptors as a model system to define the basis of differing response specification by related TFs, we show that these TFs and their key coregulators, SRC3 and RIP140, generate overlapping as well as unique chromatin-binding and transcription-regulating modules.
Integrative genomics of gene and metabolic regulation by estrogen receptors α and β, and their coregulators.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesWe used microarrays to detail the global transcriptional response mediated by ERalpha or ERbeta to the phytoestrogen genistein in the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell model.
Estrogen Receptors alpha and beta as determinants of gene expression: influence of ligand, dose, and chromatin binding.
No sample metadata fields
View Samples