Severe asthma is a collection of disease entities with varying pathophysiological characteristics (7) that result in symptoms of cough, wheeze and breathlessness, with frequent exacerbations. To address the problem of phenotypic difference and heterogeneity, the Unbiased Biomarkers for the Prediction of Respiratory Disease Outcomes (U-BIOPRED) project was set up as a public-private partnership within the framework of the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), engaging academia, the pharmaceutical industry and patient groups. The goal of this investigation was to identify transcript fingerprints in whole blood that characterize patients with severe asthma and to determine whether subgroups of severe asthmatics can be identified. Furthermore, we were interested in elucidating the biological pathways that showed differences between subgroups.
A Severe Asthma Disease Signature from Gene Expression Profiling of Peripheral Blood from U-BIOPRED Cohorts.
Sex, Specimen part, Race
View SamplesRNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) measures RNA abundance in a biological sample but does not provide temporal information about the sequenced RNAs. Metabolic labeling can be used to distinguish newly made RNAs from pre-existing RNAs. Mutations induced from chemical recoding of the hydrogen bonding pattern of the metabolic label can reveal which RNAs are new in the context of a sequencing experiment. These nucleotide recoding strategies have been developed for a single uridine analogue, 4-thiouridine (s4U), limiting the scope of these experiments. Here we report expansion of TimeLapse sequencing (TimeLapse-seq) to the guanosine analogue, 6-thioguanosine (s6G), which can be recoded under RNA-friendly nucleophilic-aromatic substitution conditions to produce adenine analogues (substituted 2-aminoadenosines). We demonstrate the first use of s6G recoding experiments to reveal transcriptome-wide RNA population dynamics. Overall design: Distinguishing newly made from preexising RNA using RNA-sequencing of 6-thioguanosine containing RNA, which was subjected to TimeLapse chemistry to induce G to A mutations in newly-made RNA.
Expanding the Nucleoside Recoding Toolkit: Revealing RNA Population Dynamics with 6-Thioguanosine.
Cell line, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesDuring S-phase of the cell cycle production of the core histone proteins is precisely balanced with DNA replication. Metazoan mRNAs encoding replication dependent (RD) histones lack polyA tail normally formed by 3' end cleavage and coupled polyadenylation of the pre-mRNA. Instead, they undergoes to endonucleolytic cleavage on the 3' side of an RNA hairpin (stem loop) producing mRNA with a 3´-stem loop (SL), which is exported from the nucleus for use in translation. The same endonuclease that is involved in normal protein-coding pre-mRNA cleavage, i.e. cleavage and poyladenylation specificity factor 73 (CPSF73), is proposed to catalyse RD pre-histone mRNA cleavage. Additional factors specific to RD pre-histone mRNA processing, including stem loop binding protein (SLBP) and the U7 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (U7snRNP) that binds to a histone downstream element (HDE) are thought to be involved in CPSF73 targeting to RD pre-histone mRNA. We report that a different histone specific endonuclease (HSE), which like CPSF73 is a metallo ß lactamase (MBL) fold protein, is specific for RD pre-histone mRNA cleavage10,11. Crystallographic and biochemical studies reveal HSE has a di-zinc ion containing active site related to that of CPSF73, but which has distinct overall fold. Notably HSE depletion from cells leads to the production of unprocessed RD pre-histone mRNA due to inefficient 3' end processing. The consequent depletion of core histone proteins correlates with a cell cycle defect due to a delay in entering/progressing through S-phase. HSE thus may represent a new type of S-phase specific cancer target. Overall design: Examination of chromatin mRNA profiles in HeLa cells after depletion of HSE or CPSF73 by siRNA treatment.
Biosynthesis of histone messenger RNA employs a specific 3' end endonuclease.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesWe hypothesize that gene expression in the lungs of these differentially-treated mice are divergent thus contributing to the disparity in their phenotypes. More specifically, (1) Effects of Leptin-treatment of ob/ob postnatal mice lungs are known to be volume-dependent from 2 to 10 wks of age, and are independent of the hypometabolism associated with leptin deficiency. ; (2) Leptin is critical to postnatal lung remodeling, particularly related to enlarged alveolar surface area. In order to test these hypotheses at the gene expression level, we utilized microarray analysis to examine transcriptional differences between lungs of leptin or saline-treated ob/ob postnatal mice.
Effects of leptin deficiency on postnatal lung development in mice.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesGene expression analysis performed on FACS sort purified GC LZ and DZ cells of either high or low affinity to identify unique gene signatures.
Differentiation of germinal center B cells into plasma cells is initiated by high-affinity antigen and completed by Tfh cells.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesGene expression analysis performed on FACS sort purified GC LZ and DZ cells of either high and low affinity to identify unique gene signatures.
Differentiation of germinal center B cells into plasma cells is initiated by high-affinity antigen and completed by Tfh cells.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesIsocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutations drive human gliomagenesis, probably through neomorphic enzyme activity that produces D-2-hydroxyglutarate. To model this disease, we conditionally expressed Idh1R132H in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the adult mouse brain. The mice developed hydrocephalus and grossly dilated lateral ventricles, with accumulation of 2-hydroxyglutarate and reduced -ketoglutarate. Stem and transit amplifying/progenitor cell populations were expanded, and proliferation increased.Cells expressing SVZ markers infiltrated surrounding brain regions. SVZ cells also gave rise to proliferative subventricular nodules. DNA methylation was globally increased, while hydroxymethylation was decreased. Mutant SVZ cells over-expressed Wnt, cell cycle and stem cell genes, and shared an expression signature with human gliomas. Idh1R132H mutation in the major adult neurogenic stem cell niche causes a phenotype resembling gliomagenesis. Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutations drive human gliomagenesis, probably through neomorphic enzyme activity that produces D-2-hydroxyglutarate. To model this disease, we conditionally expressed Idh1R132H in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the adult mouse brain. The mice developed hydrocephalus and grossly dilated lateral ventricles, with accumulation of 2-hydroxyglutarate and reduced -ketoglutarate. Stem and transit amplifying/progenitor cell populations were expanded, and proliferation increased. Cells expressing SVZ markers infiltrated surrounding brain regions. SVZ cells also gave rise to proliferative subventricular nodules. DNA methylation was globally increased, while hydroxymethylation was decreased. Mutant SVZ cells over-expressed Wnt, cell cycle and stem cell genes, and shared an expression signature with human gliomas. Idh1R132H mutation in the major adult neurogenic stem cell niche causes a phenotype resembling gliomagenesis.
Expression of Idh1<sup>R132H</sup> in the Murine Subventricular Zone Stem Cell Niche Recapitulates Features of Early Gliomagenesis.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesType II testicular germ cell cancers (GCC) are the most frequently diagnosed tumors in young men (20 - 40 years) and are classified as seminoma or non-seminoma. GCCs are commonly treated by orchiectomy and chemo- or radiotherapy. However, a subset of metastatic non-seminomas display only incomplete remission or relapse and require novel treatment options. Recent studies have shown effective application of the small-molecule inhibitor JQ1 in tumor therapy, which interferes with the function of bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET)-proteins. Here, we demonstrate that upon JQ1 doses 250 nM GCC cell lines and Sertoli cells display compromised survival and induction of cell cycle arrest. JQ1 treated GCC cell lines display upregulation of genes indicative for DNA damage and a cellular stress response. Additionally, downregulation of pluripotency factors and induction of mesodermal differentiation was detected. GCCs xenografted in vivo showed a reduction in tumor size, proliferation and angiogenesis when subjected to JQ1 treatment. The combination of JQ1 and the histone deacetylase inhibitor romidepsin further enhanced the apoptotic effect in vitro and in vivo. Thus, we propose that JQ1 alone, or in combination with romidepsin may serve as a novel therapeutic option for GCCs.
The bromodomain inhibitor JQ1 triggers growth arrest and apoptosis in testicular germ cell tumours in vitro and in vivo.
Specimen part, Cell line, Time
View SamplesMaintenance and maturation of primordial germ cells is controlled by complex genetic and epigenetic cascades, and disturbances in this network lead to either infertility or malignant aberration. Transcription factor Tcfap2c / TFAP2C has been described to be essential for primordial germ cell maintenance and to be upregulated in several human germ cell cancers. Using global gene expression profiling, we identified genes deregulated upon loss of Tcfap2c in primordial germ cell-like cells. We show that loss of Tcfap2c affects many aspects of the genetic network regulating germ cell biology, such as downregulation maturation markers and induction of markers indicative of somatic differentiation, cell cycle, epigenetic remodeling, and pluripotency associated genes. Chromatin-immunoprecipitation analyses demonstrated binding of Tcfap2c to regulatory regions of deregulated genes (Sfrp1, Dmrt1, Nanos3, c-Kit, Cdk6, Cdkn1a, Fgf4, Klf4, Dnmt3b and Dnmt3l) suggesting that these genes are direct transcriptional targets of Tcfap2c in primordial germ cells. Since Tcfap2c deficient primordial germ cell like cells display cancer related deregulations in epigenetic remodeling, cell cycle and pluripotency control, the Tcfap2c-knockout allele was bred onto 129S2/Sv genetic background. There, mice heterozygous for Tcfap2c develop germ cell cancer with high incidence. Precursor lesions can be observed as early as E16.5 in developing testes displaying persisting expression of pluripotency markers. We further demonstrate, that mice with a heterozygous deletion of the Tcfap2c target gene Nanos3 are also prone to develop teratoma. These data highlight Tcfap2c as a critical and dose-sensitive regulator of germ cell fate.
Transcription factor TFAP2C regulates major programs required for murine fetal germ cell maintenance and haploinsufficiency predisposes to teratomas in male mice.
Specimen part
View SamplesTranscriptomes of differentiated cells of the conditionally immortalized mouse podocyte cell line SVI (Schiwek et al., Kidney Int. 66: 91-101, 2004) were determined as described in Warsow et al. (Kidney Int. 84: 104-115, 2013) after application of mechanical stress (Endlich et al., J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 12: 413-422, 2001) as compared to control conditions.
Mechanical stress enhances CD9 expression in cultured podocytes.
Specimen part, Cell line
View Samples