Stable activation of the WNT signaling effector beta-catenin (CTNNB1(ex3) in ovarian granulosa cells results in the formation of premalignant lesions that develop into granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) spontaneously later in life. Loss of the tumor suppressor gene Pten accelerates GCT formation in the CTNNB1 strain. Conversely, expression of oncogenic KRASG12D causes the dramatic arrest of proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis in granulosa cells, and consequently, small abnormal follicle-like structures devoid of oocytes accumulate in the ovary. Because of the potent anti-proliferative effects of KRASG12D in granulosa cells, we sought to determine if KRASG12D would block precancerous lesion and tumor formation in follicles of the CTNNB1 mutant mice. Unexpectedly, transgenic Ctnnb1;Kras mutant mice developed early-onset GCTs leading to premature death in a manner similar to theCtnnb1;Pten mutant mice. Moreover, the GCTs in the Ctnnb1;Kras mutant mice exhibited increased GC proliferation, decreased apoptosis and impaired differentiation. Microarray and RT-PCR analyses revealed that ovaries from mice expressing dominant-stable CTNNB1 with either Pten loss or KRAS activation were unpredictably similar. Specifically, gene regulatory processes induced by CTNNB1 were mostly enhanced by either KRAS activation or Pten loss in remarkably similar patterns and degree. Furthermore, the concomitant activation of CTNNB1 and KRAS in Sertoli cells resulted in the development of granulosa cell tumors of the testis. RT-PCR studies showed a partial overlap in gene regulatory processes associated with tumor development in the ovary and testis. Together, these results suggest that KRAS activation and Pten loss induce GCT development from premalignant lesions via highly similar molecular mechanisms.
Either Kras activation or Pten loss similarly enhance the dominant-stable CTNNB1-induced genetic program to promote granulosa cell tumor development in the ovary and testis.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesTo study the physiological role of WNT4 in the postnatal ovary, a mouse strain bearing a floxed Wnt4 allele was created and mated to the Amhr2tm3(cre)Bhr strain to target deletion of Wnt4 to granulosa cells. Wnt4flox/-;Amhr2tm3(cre)Bhr/+ mice had significantly reduced ovary weights and produced smaller litters (P<0.05). Serial follicle counting demonstrated that, while Wnt4flox/-;Amhr2tm3(cre)Bhr/+ mice were born with a normal ovarian reserve and maintained normal numbers of small follicles until puberty, they had only 25.2% of the normal number of healthy antral follicles. Some Wnt4flox/-;Amhr2tm3(cre)Bhr/+ mice had no antral follicles or corpora lutea and underwent premature follicle depletion. RTPCR analyses of Wnt4flox/-;Amhr2tm3(cre)Bhr/+ granulosa cells and cultured granulosa cells that overexpress WNT4 demonstrated that WNT4 regulates the expression of Star, Cyp11a1 and Cyp19, steroidogenic genes previously identified as downstream targets of the WNT signaling effector CTNNB1. WNT4- and CTNNB1-overexpressing cultured granulosa cells were analyzed by microarray for alterations in gene expression, which showed that WNT4 also regulates a series of genes involved in late follicle development and the cellular stress response via the WNT/CTNNB1 signaling pathway. Together, these data indicate that WNT4 is required for normal antral follicle development, and may act by regulating granulosa cell functions including steroidogenesis.
WNT4 is required for normal ovarian follicle development and female fertility.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesDevelopment of the female tract results from the carefull coordination of numerous signaling pathways. Here, we evaluated the role of hippo pathway in the development of the female reproductive tract.
<i>Lats1</i> and <i>Lats2</i> are required for the maintenance of multipotency in the Müllerian duct mesenchyme.
Specimen part
View SamplesAlthough the prognosis for childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in general has improved tremendously over the last decades, the survival chances for infants (<1 year of age) with ALL remains poor.
Association of high-level MCL-1 expression with in vitro and in vivo prednisone resistance in MLL-rearranged infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Sex, Specimen part, Disease
View SamplesTumor epithelium and surrounding stromal cells were isolated using laser capture microdissection of human breast cancer to examine differences in gene expression based on tissue types from inflammatory and non-inflammatory breast cancer
A stromal gene signature associated with inflammatory breast cancer.
Specimen part, Disease, Race, Subject
View SamplesTo examine Ikaros tumor suppressor mechanisms, we have utilized inducible RNAi to dynamically restore endogenous Ikaros expression in BCR-ABL1+ B-ALL driven by its knockdown (Ikaros knockdown), and compared these tumors to tumors driven by BCR-ABL1 alone (control). Restoration of Ikaros causes rapid regression of tumor cells in vivo, significantly prolonging tumor transplant recipient survival. Using both transgenic and retroviral approaches, we conducted expression analysis of B-ALL by RNA-Seq and have identified a series of Ikaros-regulated genes within established tumor cell in vivo. Comparison of Ikaros-activated and Ikaros-repressed genes with human B-ALL expression data shows a set of conserved Ikaros target genes, some of which are associated with patient outcome (namely, CTNND1, IFITM3 and EMP1). Overall design: RNA-seq was performed on BCR-ABL1+ B-ALL with inducible Ikaros knockdown (Ikaros knockdown, n=8; transgenic n=5, retroviral n=3) or BCR-ABL1+ alone B-ALL (control, n=4; transgenic n=3, retroviral n=1) cells isolated from untreated and three 3-day Dox-treated mice. Samples were run on HiSeq or NextSeq platform. B-ALL B031 was run in technical duplicate. Extended Dox samples (B027: d7 and d10) and relapse samples for B027, B029 and B035 have also been analyzed in this dataset.
Conserved IKAROS-regulated genes associated with B-progenitor acute lymphoblastic leukemia outcome.
Specimen part, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesPlants are known to be responsive to volatiles, but knowledge about the molecular players involved in transducing their perception remain scarce.
WRKY40 and WRKY6 act downstream of the green leaf volatile E-2-hexenal in Arabidopsis.
Treatment
View SamplesHeterologous expression of the fungal pathogen Cladosporium fulvum Avr2 in Arabidopsis plants.
The Cladosporium fulvum virulence protein Avr2 inhibits host proteases required for basal defense.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesTitle: Transcriptome analysis of human endometrial tissues from healthy post-menoupausal women reflecting the endometrial response to 3-weeks treatment with tibolone, E2 and E2+MPA.
Molecular analysis of human endometrium: short-term tibolone signaling differs significantly from estrogen and estrogen + progestagen signaling.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesFrozen tissue specimens from primary breast tumors were collected and profiled using Affymetrix U133 plus 2 expression microarrays.
Cyclin E2 overexpression is associated with endocrine resistance but not insensitivity to CDK2 inhibition in human breast cancer cells.
Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage
View Samples