Bone is a frequent target of lung cancer metastasis, which is associated with significant morbidity and a dismal prognosis. To identify and functionally characterize genes involved in the mechanisms of osseous metastasis we developed a murine lung cancer model. Comparative transcriptomic analysis identified genes encoding signaling molecules (such as TCF4 and PRKD3), and cell anchorage related proteins (MCAM, and SUSD5), some of which were basally modulated by TGFbeta in tumor cells and in conditions mimicking tumor-stroma interactions. Triple gene combinations induced not only high osteoclastogenic activity but also a marked enhancement of global metalloproteolytic activities in vitro. These effects were strongly associated with robust bone colonization in vivo, whereas this gene subset was ineffective in promoting local tumor growth and cell homing activity to bone. Interestingly, global inhibition of metalloproteolytic activities and simultaneous TGFbeta blockade in vivo led to increased survival and a remarkable attenuation of bone tumor burden and osteolytic metastasis. Thus, this metastatic gene signature mediates bone-matrix degradation by a dual mechanism of induction of TGFbeta-dependent osteoclastogenic bone resorption and enhancement of stroma-dependent metalloproteolytic activities. Our findings suggest the cooperative contribution of host-derived and cell-autonomous effects directed by a small subset of genes in mediating aggressive osseous colonization.
A novel lung cancer signature mediates metastatic bone colonization by a dual mechanism.
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View SamplesProstate cancer is a leading cause of cancer death amongst males. The main clinical dilemma in treating prostate cancer is the high number of indolent cases that confer a significant risk of over diagnosis and over treatment. In this study we have performed a genome expression profiling of tumor tissue specimens from 36 patients with prostate cancer to identify transcripts that delineate aggressive and indolent cancer. We included normal prostate biopsies from 14 patients in our analysis. Unsupervised hierarchical cluster analysis separated the cancer samples into two groups with a significant overrepresentation of tumors from patients with biochemical recurrence in one of the groups (Chi2, p=0.02). The samples were separated by basically three clusters of genes that showed differential expression between the two sample clusters - totaling 371 transcripts. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed that one cluster contained genes associated with invasive properties of the tumor, another genes associated with the cell cycle, and the last cluster genes involved in several biological functions. We successfully validated the transcripts association with recurrence using two publicly available patient datasets totaling 669 patients. Twelve genes were found to be independent predictors of recurrence in multivariate logistical regression analysis.
Expression profiling of prostate cancer tissue delineates genes associated with recurrence after prostatectomy.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesTo examine whether the BPA-induced morphological alterations of the fetal mouse mammary glands are a) associated with changes in mRNA expression reflecting estrogenic actions and/or b) dependent on the estrogen receptor (ER), we compared the transcriptomal effects of BPA and the steroidal estrogen ethinylestradiol (EE2) on fetal mammary tissues of wild type and ER knock-out mice.
Low-dose BPA exposure alters the mesenchymal and epithelial transcriptomes of the mouse fetal mammary gland.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesThe mechanisms instructing genesis of neuronal subtypes from mammalian neural precursors are not well-understood. To address this issue, we have characterized the transcriptional landscape of radial glial precursors (RPs) in the embryonic murine cortex. We show that individual RPs express mRNA but not protein for transcriptional specifiers of both deep and superficial layer cortical neurons. Some of these mRNAs, including the superficial versus deep layer neuron transcriptional regulators Brn1 and Tle4, are translationally repressed by their association with the RNA-binding protein Pumilio2 and the 4E-T protein. When these repressive complexes are disrupted in RPs mid-neurogenesis by knocking down 4E-T or Pum2, this causes aberrant co-expression of deep layer neuron specification proteins in newborn superficial neurons. Thus, cortical RPs are transcriptionally primed to generate diverse types of neurons, and a 4E-T-Pum2 complex represses translation of some of these neuronal identity mRNAs to ensure appropriate temporal specification of daughter neurons.
A Translational Repression Complex in Developing Mammalian Neural Stem Cells that Regulates Neuronal Specification.
Specimen part
View SamplesAdult neural stem cells (NSCs) derive from embryonic precursors, but little is known about how or when this occurs. We have addressed this issue using single cell RNAseq at multiple developmental timepoints to analyze the embryonic murine cortex, one source of adult forebrain NSCs. We computationally identify all major cortical cell types, including the embryonic radial precursors (RPs) that generate adult NSCs. We define the initial emergence of RPs from neuroepithelial stem cells at E11.5. We show that by E13.5 these RPs express a transcriptional identity that is maintained and reinforced throughout their transition to a non-proliferative state between E15.5 and E17.5. These slowly-proliferating late embryonic RPs share a core transcriptional phenotype with quiescent adult forebrain NSCs. Together, these findings support a model where cortical RPs maintain a core transcriptional identity from embryogenesis through to adulthood, and where the transition to a quiescent adult NSC occurs during late neurogenesis. Overall design: We applied the high-throughput single-cell mRNA sequencing technique, Drop-seq, to the embryonic mouse cortex. 2000-5000 single cells from wildtype CD1 embryos of gestational ages E11.5, E13.5, E15.5 and E17.5 were characterized.
Developmental Emergence of Adult Neural Stem Cells as Revealed by Single-Cell Transcriptional Profiling.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesThe neural stem cell decision to self-renew or differentiate is tightly regulated by its microenvironment. Here, we have asked about this microenvironment, focusing on growth factors in the embryonic cortex at a time when it is largely comprised of neural precursor cells (NPCs) and newborn neurons. We show that cortical NPCs secrete factors that promote their maintenance while cortical neurons secrete factors that promote differentiation. To define factors important for these activities, we used transcriptome profiling to identify ligands produced by NPCs and neurons, cell surface mass spectrometry to identify receptors on these cells, and computational modeling to integrate these data. The resultant model predicts a complex growth factor environment with multiple autocrine and paracrine interactions. We tested this communication model, focusing on neurogenesis, and identified IFN, Nrtn and glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) as ligands with unexpected roles in promoting neurogenic differentiation of NPCs in vivo.
Proneurogenic Ligands Defined by Modeling Developing Cortex Growth Factor Communication Networks.
Specimen part
View SamplesT4 and T5 neurons are components of the neuronal circuit for motion vision in flies. To identify genes involved in neuronal computation of T4 and T5 neurons, we perfomed transcriptome analysis. Nuclei of T4 and T5 neurons were immunoprecipitated, total RNA was harvested and used for mRNA-seq with Illumina technology. In two biological replicates, we mapped 154 and 119 million reads to D. melanogaster genome. mRNA-seq provided information about expression levels of 17,468 annotated transcripts in the T4 and T5 neurons. Overall design: Cell type – specific transcriptome analysis of the RNA isolated from immunoprecipitated nuclei, performed in two biological replicates
RNA-Seq Transcriptome Analysis of Direction-Selective T4/T5 Neurons in Drosophila.
Subject
View SamplesWe isolated hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells from AML patients by FACS.
Cellular origin of prognostic chromosomal aberrations in AML patients.
Specimen part
View SamplesWe used microarray to create a normal cell landscape for the myeloid arm of the hematopoietic system.
Comparing cancer vs normal gene expression profiles identifies new disease entities and common transcriptional programs in AML patients.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe activation of endothelium by tumor cells is one of the main steps by tumor metastasis. The role of the blood components (platelets and leukocytes) in this process remain unclear.
Selectin-mediated activation of endothelial cells induces expression of CCL5 and promotes metastasis through recruitment of monocytes.
Specimen part
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