Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are important regulators in various immune responses. Current paradigm states that all newly-made ILCs originate from common lymphoid progenitors (CLP) in the bone marrow. Id2, an inhibitor of E protein transcription factors, is indispensable for ILC differentiation. Unexpectedly, we found that ectopically expressing Id1 or deleting two E protein genes in the thymus drastically increased ILC2 counts in the thymus and other organs where ILC2 normally reside. Further evidence suggests a thymic origin of these mutant ILC2s. The mutant mice exhibit augmented spontaneous infiltration of eosinophils and heightened responses to papain in the lung and increased ability to expulse the helminth parasite, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. These results prompt the question whether the thymus naturally has the capacity to produce ILC2s and E proteins restrain such a potential. The abundance of ILC2s in Id1 transgenic mice also offers a unique opportunity for testing the biological functions of ILC2s. Overall design: For RNA-seq analyses, ILC2s (Lin-Thy1+ST2+) were sorted from thymocytes and mesenteric lymph node cells and processed for RNA-seq. In addition, MLN cells were also cultured in the presence of IL-, IL-25 and IL33. Duplicate samples were analyzed.
Downregulation of E Protein Activity Augments an ILC2 Differentiation Program in the Thymus.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesTL1A contributes to the pathogenesis of several chronic inflammatory diseases, including Inflammatory Bowel Diseases by enhancing TH1, TH17, and TH2 responses. TL1A mediates a strong co-stimulation of these TH subsets particularly of mucosal CCR9+ T cells. However, the signaling pathways that TL1A induces in different TH subsets are incompletely understood. Here, we investigated the function of TL1A on human TH17 cells. TL1A together with TGF- IL-6, and IL-23 enhanced the secretion of IL-17 and IFN- from human CD4+ memory T cells. TL1A induced the expression of the transcription factors BATF and T-bet that correlated with the secretion of IL-17 and IFN-. In contrast, TL1A alone induced high levels of IL-22 in memory CD4+ T cells and committed TH17 cells. However, TL1A did not enhance expression of IL-17A in TH17 cells. Expression of the transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor that regulates expression of IL-22 was not affected by TL1A. We performed transcriptome analysis of TH17 cells to determine genes that are transcriptionally regulated by TL1A. transcriptome analysis revealed increased expression of IL-9 in response to TL1A.
The TNF family member TL1A induces IL-22 secretion in committed human T<sub>h</sub>17 cells via IL-9 induction.
Specimen part
View SamplesTGF-beta/Smads signaling plays important roles in vascular integrity. To identify potential Smad4 target genes in brain endothelial cells that control cerebrovascular integrity, the microarray assay was performed to compare the gene expression profiles of bEnd3 transfected with Smad4-siRNA and control-siRNA.
Endothelial Smad4 maintains cerebrovascular integrity by activating N-cadherin through cooperation with Notch.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesTo determine whether immortalized cells derived from the rat SCN (SCN 2.2) retain intrinsic rhythm-generating properties characteristic of the SCN, oscillatory properties of the SCN2.2 transcriptome were analyzed and compared to those found in the rat SCN in vivo using rat U34A Affymetrix GeneChips. SCN2.2 cells were expanded in 6-well plates. At 6-hour interval across 2 circadian cycles, cells from single 6-well plates were harvested and pooled for total RNA extraction.
Circadian profiling of the transcriptome in immortalized rat SCN cells.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThe zinc finger transcription factor growth-factor-independent-1 (Gfi1) has been involved in various cellular differentiation processes. Gfi1 acts as a transcriptional repressor and splicing control factor upon binding to cognate binding sites in regulatory elements of its target genes. Here, we report that Gfi1-deficient mice develop autoimmunity. Gfi1-deficient peripheral B-cells show a hyperproliferative phenotype, leading to expansion of plasma cells, increased levels of nuclear autoantibodies, and immunoglobulin deposition in brain and kidneys. Dysregulation of multiple transcription factors and cell-cycle control elements may contribute to B-cell dependent autoimmunity. Gfi1 thus emerges as a novel master-regulator restricting autoimmunity.
Transcription factor Gfi1 restricts B cell-mediated autoimmunity.
Specimen part
View SamplesTo screen for specific circadian outputs that may distinguish the pacemaker in the mammalian suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) from peripheral-type oscillators in which the canonical clockworks are similarly regulated in a circadian manner, the rhythmic behavior of the transcriptome in forskolin-stimulated NIH/3T3 fibroblasts was analyzed and compared to that found in the rat SCN in vivo and SCN2.2 cells in vitro. Similar to the scope of circadian gene expression in SCN2.2 cells and the rat SCN, NIH/3T3 fibroblasts exhibited circadian fluctuations in the expression of the core clock genes, Per2, Bmal1 (Mop3), and Cry1 and 323 functionally diverse transcripts (2.6%), many of which were involved in cell communication. Overlap in rhythmically-expressed transcripts among NIH/3T3 fibroblasts, SCN2.2 cells and the rat SCN was limited to these clock genes and four other genes that mediate fatty acid and lipid metabolism or function as nuclear factors. Compared to NIH/3T3 cells, circadian gene expression in SCN oscillators was more prevalent among cellular pathways mediating glucose metabolism and neurotransmission. Coupled with evidence for the rhythmic regulation of the inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase, the enzyme responsible for the production of nitric oxide, in SCN2.2 cells and the rat SCN but not in fibroblasts, studies examining the effects of a NOS inhibitor on metabolic rhythms in co-cultures containing SCN2.2 cells and untreated NIH/3T3 cells suggest that this gaseous neurotransmitter may play a key role in SCN pacemaker function. Thus, this comparative analysis of circadian gene expression in SCN and non-SCN cells may have important implications in the selective identification of circadian signals involved in the coupling of SCN oscillators and the regulation of rhythmicity in downstream cells or tissues.
Circadian profiling of the transcriptome in NIH/3T3 fibroblasts: comparison with rhythmic gene expression in SCN2.2 cells and the rat SCN.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesHistologic diagnosis of T cell-mediated rejection in kidney transplant biopsies has limited reproducibility because it is based on non-specific lesions using arbitrary rules that are subject to differing interpretations. We used microarray results from 403 indication biopsies previously given histologic diagnoses to develop a molecular classifier that assigned a molecular T cell-mediated rejection score to each biopsy. Independent assessment of the biopsies by multiple pathologists confirmed considerable disagreement on the presence of TCMR features: 79-88% accuracy and 35-69% sensitivity. The agreement of the molecular T cell-mediated rejection score with the histology diagnosis was similar to agreement among individual pathologists: accuracy 89%, sensitivity 51%. However, the score also predicted the consensus among pathologists, being highest when all agreed. Many discrepancies between the scores and the histologic diagnoses were in situations where histology is unreliable e.g. scarred biopsies. The score correlated with histologic lesions and gene sets associated with T cell-mediated rejection. The transcripts most often selected by the classifier were expressed in effector T cells, dendritic cells, or macrophages or inducible by interferon-gamma. Thus the T cell-mediated rejection score offers an objective assessment of kidney transplant biopsies, predicting the consensus opinion among multiple pathologists, and offering insights into underlying disease mechanisms.
Molecular diagnosis of T cell-mediated rejection in human kidney transplant biopsies.
Disease
View SamplesKidney transplants that develop dysfunction or proteinuria after one year post transplant are at considerable risk for progression to renal failure. Identifying the molecules associated with graft failure could potentially lead to interventions that would slow the progression of organ failure.
A molecular classifier for predicting future graft loss in late kidney transplant biopsies.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesMicroarray analysis of human kidneys with acute kidney injury (AKI) has been limited because such kidneys are seldom biopsied. However, all kidney transplants experience AKI, and early kidney transplants without rejection are an excellent model for human AKI: they are screened to exclude chronic kidney disease, frequently biopsied, and have extensive follow-up. We used histopathology and microarrays to compare indication biopsies from 28 transplants with AKI to 11 pristine protocol biopsies of stable transplants. Kidneys with AKI showed increased expression of 394 injury-repair response associated transcripts, including many known epithelial injury molecules (e.g. ITGB6, LCN2), tissue remodeling molecules (e.g. VCAN), and inflammation molecules (S100A8, ITGB3). Many other genes also predict the phenotype, depending on statistical filtering rules, including AKI biomarkers as HAVCR1 and IL18. Most mouse orthologs of the top injury-repair transcripts were increased in published mouse AKI models. Pathway analysis of the injury-repair transcripts revealed similarities to cancer, development, and cell movement. The injury-repair transcript score AKI kidneys correlated with reduced function, future recovery, brain death, and need for dialysis, but not future graft loss. In contrast, histologic features of "acute tubular injury" did not correlate with function or with the molecular changes. Thus the injury-repair associated transcripts represent a massive coordinate injury-repair response of kidney parenchyma to AKI, similar to mouse AKI models, and provide an objective measure for assessing the severity of AKI in kidney biopsies and validation for the use of many AKI biomarkers.
Molecular phenotypes of acute kidney injury in kidney transplants.
Specimen part, Disease
View SamplesWe screened a number of interferon inducible genes that may be involved in impeding HBV replication and found an anti-HBV activity in ISG20. ISG20 is an IFN-inducible 3- to 5-exonuclease, that degrades DNA and RNA and reduces antigen production in hepatocyte-derived cells
Interferon-stimulated gene of 20 kDa protein (ISG20) degrades RNA of hepatitis B virus to impede the replication of HBV in vitro and in vivo.
Specimen part, Treatment
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