This SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Does soft really matter? Differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells into mesenchymal stromal cells is not influenced by soft hydrogels.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesInduced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be differentiated toward mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), but at least on epigenetic level this transition remains incomplete with the current culture conditions. Hydrogels provide a more physiologic three-dimensional environment for in vitro cell culture than conventional tissue culture plastic (TCP). In this study, we followed the hypothesis that growth and differentiation of primary MSCs and of iPSC-derived MSCs (iMSCs) can be enhanced on hydrogels. To this end, we used a hydrogel made of human platelet lysate (hPL). MSCs were effectively cultured on and inside hPL-gel and demonstrated more structured deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components than TCP. Furthermore, hPL-gel supported differentiation of iPSCs toward MSCs. Unexpectedly, the differentiation process seemed to be hardly affected by the substrate: iMSCs generated either on TCP or hPL-gel did not reveal differences in morphology, immunophenotype, or differentiation potential. Moreover, global gene expression and DNA-methylation profiles were almost identical in iMSCs generated on TCP or hPL-gel. Our results indicate that matrix elasticity is less crucial for directed lineage-specific differentiation toward MSCs than expected.
Does soft really matter? Differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells into mesenchymal stromal cells is not influenced by soft hydrogels.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesPolymorphisms in the interleukin-4 receptor chain (IL-4R) have been linked to asthma incidence and severity, but a causal relationship has remained uncertain. In particular, a glutamine to arginine substitution at position 576 (Q576R) of IL-4R has been associated with severe asthma, especially in African Americans. We show that mice carrying the Q576R polymorphism exhibited intense allergen-induced airway inflammation and remodeling. The Q576R polymorphism did not affect proximal signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 6 activation, but synergized with STAT6 in a gene target and tissue-specific manner to mediate heightened expression of a subset of IL-4 and IL-13responsive genes involved in allergic inflammation. Our findings indicate that the Q576R polymorphism directly promotes asthma in carrier populations by selectively augmenting IL-4Rdependent signaling.
Pathogenicity of a disease-associated human IL-4 receptor allele in experimental asthma.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesAlthough glucocorticoids (GCs) are known to exert numerous effects in the hippocampus, their chronic regulatory functions remain poorly understood. Moreover, evidence is inconsistent regarding the longstanding hypothesis that chronic GC exposure promotes brain aging/Alzheimer's disease. Here, we adrenalectomized male F344 rats at 15-months-of-age, maintained them for 3 months with implanted corticosterone (CORT) pellets producing low or intermediate (glucocorticoid-receptor (GR)-activating) blood levels of CORT, and performed microarray/pathway analyses in hippocampal CA1. We defined the chronic GC-dependent transcriptome as 393 genes that exhibited differential expression between Intermediate- and Low-CORT groups. Short-term CORT (4 days) did not recapitulate this transcriptome. Functional processes/pathways overrepresented by chronic CORT-upregulated genes included learning/plasticity, differentiation, glucose metabolism and cholesterol biosynthesis, whereas processes overrepresented by CORT-downregulated genes included inflammatory/immune/glial responses and extracellular structure. These profiles indicate that GCs chronically activate neuronal/metabolic processes while coordinately repressing a glial axis of reactivity/inflammation. We then compared the GC-transcriptome with a previously-defined hippocampal aging transcriptome, revealing a high proportion of common genes. Although CORT and aging moved expression of some common genes in the same-direction, the majority were shifted in opposite directions by CORT and aging (e.g., glial inflammatory genes downregulated by CORT are upregulated with aging). These results contradict the hypothesis that GCs simply promote brain aging, and also suggest that the opposite-direction shifts during aging reflect resistance to CORT regulation. Therefore, we propose a new model in which aging-related GC resistance develops in some target pathways while GC overstimulation develops in others, together generating much of the brain aging phenotype.
Glucocorticoid-dependent hippocampal transcriptome in male rats: pathway-specific alterations with aging.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesThis study characterizes the response of primary human endothelial cells (human umbilical vein endothelial cells, HUVECs) to the relative shear stress changes that occur during the initiation of arteriogenesis at the entrance regions to a collateral artery network. HUVECs were preconditioned to a baseline level of unidirectional shear of 15 dynes/cm2 for 24 hours. After 24 hours preconditioning, HUVECs were subjected to an arteriogenic stimulus that mimics the shear stress changes observed in the opposing entrance regions into a collateral artery network. The arteriogenic stimulus consisted of a 100% step wise increase in shear stress magnitude to a unidirectional 30 dynes/cm2 in either the same or opposite direction of the preconditioned shear stress. This simulates either the feeding entrance to the collateral artery circuit or the region that drains into the vasculature downstream of an obstruction in a major artery, respectively. In vivo analysis of collateral growth in the mouse hindlimb showed enhanced outward remodeling in the re-entrant (direction reversing) region that reconnects to the downstream arterial tree, suggesting reversal of shear stress direction as a key enhancer of arteriogenesis. Transcriptional profiling using microarray techniques identified that the reversal of shear stress direction, but not an increase in shear stress alone, yielded a broad-based enhancement of the mechanotransduction pathways necessary for the induction of arteriogenesis.
Mechanisms of Amplified Arteriogenesis in Collateral Artery Segments Exposed to Reversed Flow Direction.
Specimen part
View SamplesBackground: Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is a leading cause of infectious death worldwide. Gene-expression microarray studies profiling the blood transcriptional response of tuberculosis (TB) patients have been undertaken in order to better understand the host immune response as well as to identify potential biomarkers of disease. To date most of these studies have focused on pulmonary TB patients with gene-expression profiles of extra-pulmonary TB patients yet to be compared to those of patients with pulmonary TB or sarcoidosis.
The Transcriptional Signature of Active Tuberculosis Reflects Symptom Status in Extra-Pulmonary and Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage, Race
View SamplesWe profiled total mRNA of pancreas and kidney tissues of 3 different strains (p53-null; In4a/Arf-null and WT) of reprogrammable mouse lines (they all express OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, C-MYC under the control of a tetracycline promoter, activated by doxycycline) Overall design: 5 mice of each genotype were treated with doxycycline to induce the expression of the reprogramming factors, they were sacrificed and total mRNA was extracted from pancreas and kidney tissues (we mapped >24M reads per sample)
Tissue damage and senescence provide critical signals for cellular reprogramming in vivo.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesGraft versus host disease (GVHD) is the most common complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT). However, our understanding of the molecular pathways that cause this disease remains incomplete, leading to inadequate treatment strategies. To address this, we measured the gene expression profile of non-human primate (NHP) T cells during acute GVHD. In this study we specifically interrogated the transcriptional signatures of animals treated with FR104 monotherapy and FR104/Sirolimus combination therapy
Combined OX40L and mTOR blockade controls effector T cell activation while preserving T<sub>reg</sub> reconstitution after transplant.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesGraft versus host disease (GVHD) is the most common complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT). However, our understanding of the molecular pathways that cause this disease remains incomplete, leading to inadequate treatment strategies. To address this, we measured the gene expression profile of non-human primate (NHP) T cells during acute GVHD. In this study we specifically interrogated the transcriptional signatures of animals treated with KY1005 monotherapy and KY1005/Sirolimus combination therapy
Combined OX40L and mTOR blockade controls effector T cell activation while preserving T<sub>reg</sub> reconstitution after transplant.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesWe evaluated changes in mRNA stability and transcription using 4sU metabolic pulse labeling across a four hour time course following activation of Jurkat T cells with PMA and PHA Overall design: Measurement of total mRNA (T) and 4sU labeled mRNA (IP) in three biological replicates at five time points: prior to activation (U) and the first four hours after activation (1-4)
Functional coordination and HuR-mediated regulation of mRNA stability during T cell activation.
No sample metadata fields
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