Regulatory T (Treg) cell activation and expansion during neonatal life and in response to inflammation are critical for immunosuppression, yet the mechanisms governing these events are incompletely understood. We report that the oncogene and transcriptional regulator c-Myc (Myc) controls immune homeostasis through regulation of Treg cell accumulation and functional activation. Myc activity is enriched in Treg cells generated during neonatal life and responding to inflammation. Myc-deficient Treg cells show cell-intrinsic defects in overall accumulation and ability to transition to an activated state during early life or acute inflammation. Consequently, loss of Myc in Treg cells results in a rapid, early-onset autoimmune disorder accompanied by uncontrolled effector CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. We also provide evidence that Myc regulates mitochondrial oxidative metabolism but is dispensable for fatty acid oxidation (FAO). Indeed, Treg cell-specific deletion of Cox10, which is required for oxidative phosphorylation, but not Cpt1a, the rate-limiting enzyme for FAO, results in impaired Treg cell function and maturation. Thus, Myc coordinates Treg cell accumulation, transitional activation and metabolic programming to orchestrate immune homeostasis.
Homeostasis and transitional activation of regulatory T cells require c-Myc.
Specimen part
View SamplesMicroglia are tissue macrophages of the central nervous system (CNS) that control tissue homeostasis, and as such they are crucially important for organ integrity. Microglia dysregulation is thought to be causal for a group of neuropsychiatric, neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases, called microgliopathies. However, how the intracellular stimulation machinery in microglia is controlled is poorly understood. By using expression studies, we identified the ubiquitin-specific protease (Usp) 18 in white matter microglia that essentially contributes to microglial quiescence under homeostatic conditions. We further found that microglial Usp18 negatively regulated the activation of STAT1 and concomitant induction of interferon-induced genes thereby disabling the termination of IFN signalling. Unexpectedly, the Usp18-mediated feedback loop was independent from the catalytic domain of the protease but instead required the interacting region of Ifnar2. Additionally, the absence of Ifnar1 completely rescued microglial activation indicating a tonic IFN signal mediated by receptor interactions under non-diseased conditions. Finally, conditional depletion of Usp18 only in myeloid cells significantly enhanced the disease burden in a mouse model of CNS autoimmunity, increased axonal and myelin damage and determined the spatial distributions of CNS lesions that shared the same STAT1 signature as myeloid cells found in active multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions. These results identify Usp18 as novel negative regulator of microglia activation, demonstrate a protective role of the IFNAR pathway for microglia and establish Usp18 as potential therapeutic target for the treatment of MS.
USP18 lack in microglia causes destructive interferonopathy of the mouse brain.
Specimen part
View SamplesMicroglia are tissue macrophages of the central nervous system (CNS) that control tissue homeostasis, and as such they are crucially important for organ integrity. Microglia dysregulation is thought to be causal for a group of neuropsychiatric, neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases, called microgliopathies. However, how the intracellular stimulation machinery in microglia is controlled is poorly understood. By using expression studies, we identified the ubiquitin-specific protease (Usp) 18 in white matter microglia that essentially contributes to microglial quiescence under homeostatic conditions. We further found that microglial Usp18 negatively regulated the activation of STAT1 and concomitant induction of interferon-induced genes thereby disabling the termination of IFN signalling. Unexpectedly, the Usp18-mediated feedback loop was independent from the catalytic domain of the protease but instead required the interacting region of Ifnar2. Additionally, the absence of Ifnar1 completely rescued microglial activation indicating a tonic IFN signal mediated by receptor interactions under non-diseased conditions. Finally, conditional depletion of Usp18 only in myeloid cells significantly enhanced the disease burden in a mouse model of CNS autoimmunity, increased axonal and myelin damage and determined the spatial distributions of CNS lesions that shared the same STAT1 signature as myeloid cells found in active multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions. These results identify Usp18 as novel negative regulator of microglia activation, demonstrate a protective role of the IFNAR pathway for microglia and establish Usp18 as potential therapeutic target for the treatment of MS.
USP18 lack in microglia causes destructive interferonopathy of the mouse brain.
Specimen part
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
USP18 lack in microglia causes destructive interferonopathy of the mouse brain.
Specimen part
View SamplesThere are significant differences in the expression of genes that regulate metabolic pathways in HCC as compared to Cirrhosis or non-tumor liver tissues. These charcteristic pathways can be exploited for metabolic imaging biomarkers of HCC.
The aspartate metabolism pathway is differentiable in human hepatocellular carcinoma: transcriptomics and (13) C-isotope based metabolomics.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage
View SamplesRegulatory T (Treg) cells are involved in self tolerance, immune homeostasis, prevention of autoimmunity, and suppression of immunity to pathogens or tumours. The forkhead transcription factor FOXP3 is essential for Treg cell development and function as mutations in FOXP3 cause severe autoimmunity in mice and humans. However, the FOXP3-dependent molecular mechanisms leading to this severe phenotype are not well understood. Here we introduce the chromatin remodelling enzyme SATB1 (special AT-rich sequence-binding protein-1) as an important target gene of FOXP3. So far, SATB1 has been associated with normal thymic T-cell development, peripheral T-cell homeostasis, TH1/TH2 polarization, and reprogramming of gene expression. In natural and induced murine and human FOXP3+ Treg cells SATB1 expression is significantly reduced. While there is no differential epigenetic regulation of the SATB1 locus between Treg and Teffector cells, FOXP3 reduces SATB1 expression directly as a transcriptional repressor at the SATB1 locus and indirectly via miR-155 induction, which specifically binds to the 3UTR of the SATB1 mRNA. Reduced SATB1 expression in FOXP3+ cells achieved either by overexpression or induction of FOXP3 is linked to significant reduction in TH1 and TH2 cytokines, while loss of FOXP3 function either by knock down or genetic mutation leads to significant upregulation of SATB1 and subsequent cytokine production. Alltogether, these findings demonstrate that reduced SATB1 expression in Treg cells is necessary for maintenance of a Treg-cell phenotype in vitro and in vivo and places SATB1-mediated T cell-specific modulation of global chromatin remodelling central during the decision process between effector and regulatory T-cell function.
Repression of the genome organizer SATB1 in regulatory T cells is required for suppressive function and inhibition of effector differentiation.
Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage, Treatment
View SamplesTumor necrosis factor-associated factors 2 and 3 (TRAF2 and TRAF3) were shown to function in a co-operative and non-redundant manner to suppress nuclear factor-B2 (NF-B2) activation, gene expression and survival in mature B cells. In the absence of this suppressive activity, B cells developed independently of the obligatory B cell survival factor, BAFF (B cell activating factor of the tumor necrosis factor family). This constitutive, lineage-specific suppression of B cell survival by TRAF2 and TRAF3 determines the requirement for BAFF to sustain B cell development in vivo. We wished to investigate the effect on gene expression in B cells which lacked the negative regulators TRAF2 and TRAF3, and hence had hyperactive NF-kB2 signalling. As Baff-tg mice display a similar phenotype, and have a genetic modification which acts in the same pathway, yet further up, than TRAF2 and TRAF3, we wished to compare and contrast Baff-tg B cells with TRAF2 and TRAF3 deficient B cells. This analysis should identify genes that are important in B cell survival.
TRAF2 and TRAF3 signal adapters act cooperatively to control the maturation and survival signals delivered to B cells by the BAFF receptor.
Sex, Age
View SamplesPurpose: The goal of this study is to compare the differential expression of transcripts in control kidneys compared to kidneys lacking the miR-17~92 cluster in nephron progenitors and their derivatives by RNA-seq to identify potential miRNA targets in the mutant kidneys. Overall design: mRNA profiles of control and mutant (=Six2-TGC; miR-17~92 flx/flx) embryonic day 16 kidneys were generated by deep sequencing, in triplicate, using Illumina HiSeq2000
MicroRNA-17~92 is required for nephrogenesis and renal function.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesRNA expression was measured by RNA-seq in E17 wild type and Sall1-?SRM mutant kidney. Overall design: RNA expression in mutant kidney was compared to wild type stage matched kidney.
A Sall1-NuRD interaction regulates multipotent nephron progenitors and is required for loop of Henle formation.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
BRD4 Profiling Identifies Critical Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Oncogenic Circuits and Reveals Sensitivity to PLX51107, a Novel Structurally Distinct BET Inhibitor.
Specimen part, Subject
View Samples