Vitiligo Blood Transcriptomics Provides New Insights into Disease Mechanisms and Identifies Potential Novel Therapeutic Targets Abstract Background: Significant gaps remain regarding the pathomechanisms underlying the autoimmune response in vitiligo (VL), where the loss of self-tolerance leads to the targeted killing of melanocytes. Specifically, there is incomplete information regarding alterations in the systemic environment that are relevant to the disease state. Methods: We undertook a genome-wide profiling approach to examine gene expression in the peripheral blood of VL patients and healthy controls in the context of our previously published VL-skin gene expression profile. We used several in silico bioinformatics-based analyses to provide new insights into disease mechanisms and suggest novel targets for future therapy. Results: Unsupervised clustering methods of the VL-blood dataset demonstrate a disease-state-specific set of co-expressed genes. Ontology enrichment analysis of 99 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) uncovers a down-regulated immune/inflammatory response, B-Cell antigen receptor (BCR) pathways, apoptosis and catabolic processes in VL-blood. There is evidence for both type I and II interferon (IFN) playing a role in VL pathogenesis. We used interactome analysis to identify several key blood associated transcriptional factors (TFs) from within (STAT1, STAT6 and NF-kB), as well as hidden (CREB1, MYC, IRF4, IRF1, and TP53) from the dataset that potentially affect disease pathogenesis. The TFs overlap with our reported lesional-skin transcriptional circuitry, underscoring their potential importance to the disease. We also identify a shared VL-blood and -skin transcriptional hot spot that maps to chromosome 6, and includes three VL-blood dysregulated genes (PSMB8, PSMB9 and TAP1) described as potential VL-associated genetic susceptibility loci. Finally, we provide bioinformatics-based support for prioritizing dysregulated genes in VL-blood or skin as potential therapeutic targets. Conclusions: We examined the VL-blood transcriptome in context with our (previously published) VL-skin transcriptional profile to address a major gap in knowledge regarding the systemic changes underlying skin-specific manifestation of vitiligo. Several transcriptional hot spots observed in both environments offer prioritized targets for identifying disease risk genes. Finally, within the transcriptional framework of VL, we identify five novel molecules (STAT1, PRKCD, PTPN6, MYC and FGFR2) that lend themselves to being targeted by drugs for future potential VL-therapy.
Vitiligo blood transcriptomics provides new insights into disease mechanisms and identifies potential novel therapeutic targets.
Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage
View SamplesColorectal cancer cells with TP53 mutation are highly resistant to chemotherapeutics. In order to identify potential chemo-resistance signatures, here; we explored the global gene expression profiles of drug resistant colorectal cancer cell line SW480 upon Floxuridine (FdUrd) treatment using Illumina Human HT-12 v4.0 Expression Beadchip Array. Further, significantly altered genes were subjected to the pathway analysis in GeneCodis3 and crucial signaling pathways were found to be enriched. Upon further functional validations, these pathways could be targeted to enhance therapy in human cancers harboring mutant p53.
Transcriptome profiling identifies genes and pathways deregulated upon floxuridine treatment in colorectal cancer cells harboring GOF mutant p53.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Cell line, Treatment
View SamplesWe recently demonstrated that Msx genes, which encode muscle segment homeobox (Msh) transcription factors, regulate the transition of the luminal epithelium from high to low apicobasal polarity that is critical for implantation. In Msx deficient uteri (Msx1d/d/Msx2d/d), apicobasal polarity remains high and implantation fails to occur. However, information on the underlying molecular mechanism of Msx-dependent regulation of epithelial polarity, and the nature of epithelial-mesenchymal interactions that are characteristic of Msx genes, remain limited. In this study, we analyzed gene expression by RNA-sequencing in the luminal epithelium and stroma isolated by laser capture microdissection (LCM) on day 4 of pseudopregnancy in Msx1f/f/Msx2f/f and Msx1d/d/Msx2d/d uteri. We found upregulation of extracellular matrix components in the stroma and downregulation of immunity-related genes in both the luminal epithelium and stroma isolated from Msx1d/d/Msx2d/d mice. In addition, tight junction protein Claudin 1 and small proline-rich protein (Sprr2) were substantially upregulated in Msx1d/d/Msx2d/d epithelia. Overall design: mRNA profiles of luminal epithelium and stroma from a wildtype Msx1f/f/Msx2f/f and a uterine-specific knockout Msx1d/d/Msx2d/d mouse were asessed by RNA-sequencing with the Illumina HiSeq 1500 system
Uterine inactivation of muscle segment homeobox (Msx) genes alters epithelial cell junction proteins during embryo implantation.
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Targeting fibroblast growth factor receptors blocks PI3K/AKT signaling, induces apoptosis, and impairs mammary tumor outgrowth and metastasis.
Specimen part
View Samples4T1 mouse mammary carcinoma cells have an autocrine FGFR active loop leading to constitutive activation of downstream signaling pathways. We found that FGFR inhibitors have a strong effect on the proliferation and survival of these cells.
Targeting fibroblast growth factor receptors blocks PI3K/AKT signaling, induces apoptosis, and impairs mammary tumor outgrowth and metastasis.
Specimen part
View Samples4T1 mouse mammary carcinoma cells have an autocrine FGFR active loop leading to constitutive activation of downstream signaling pathways. We found that FGFR inhibitors have a strong effect on 4T1 tumors in-vivo.
Targeting fibroblast growth factor receptors blocks PI3K/AKT signaling, induces apoptosis, and impairs mammary tumor outgrowth and metastasis.
Specimen part
View SamplesHox genes are key regulators of development. In mammals, the study of these genes is greatly confounded by their large number, overlapping functions, and their interspersed shared enhancers. In this report, we describe a novel recombineering strategy that was used to introduce simultaneous frameshift mutations into the flanking Hoxa9, Hoxa10, and Hoxa11 genes, as well as their paralogs on the HoxD cluster. The resulting mutant mice displayed dramatic homeotic transformations of the reproductive tracts, with uterus anteriorized towards oviduct and the vas deferens anteriorized towards epididymis. The Hoxa9,10,11 mutant mice provided a sensitized genetic background that allowed the discovery of Hoxd9,10,11 reproductive tract patterning function. Both shared and distinct Hox functions were defined. The HoxD genes played a crucial role in the regulation of the uterine immune function. Non-coding nonpolyadenylated RNAs were among the key Hox targets. In addition, we observed a surprising anti-dogmatic posteriorization of the uterine epithelium.
Recombineering-based dissection of flanking and paralogous Hox gene functions in mouse reproductive tracts.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesOur study demonstrates that neutrophils infiltrate early-stage PTEN-deficient uterine tumors and oppose tumor growth and malignant progression by inducing detachment and ultimately promoting cell death of tumor cells. This RNA-seq study examined the expression profiles of these uterine epithelial tumor cells in the presence versus absence of neutrophil infiltration. Overall design: Tumor cells from 4-week-old tumor-bearing neutrophil-sufficient versus -deficient mice were isolated by fluorescence activated cell sorting, RNA was isolated, and expression profiles were analyzed by deep sequencing.
Neutrophils Oppose Uterine Epithelial Carcinogenesis via Debridement of Hypoxic Tumor Cells.
Age, Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesHox genes are key regulators of development. In mammals, the study of these genes is greatly confounded by their large number, overlapping functions, and their interspersed shared enhancers. In this report, we describe a novel recombineering strategy that was used to introduce simultaneous frameshift mutations into the flanking Hoxa9, Hoxa10, and Hoxa11 genes, as well as their paralogs on the HoxD cluster. The resulting mutant mice displayed dramatic homeotic transformations of the reproductive tracts, with uterus anteriorized towards oviduct and the vas deferens anteriorized towards epididymis. The Hoxa9,10,11 mutant mice provided a sensitized genetic background that allowed the discovery of Hoxd9,10,11 reproductive tract patterning function. Both shared and distinct Hox functions were defined. The HoxD genes played a crucial role in the regulation of the uterine immune function. Non-coding nonpolyadenylated RNAs were among the key Hox targets. In addition we observed a surprising anti-dogmatic posteriorization of the uterine epithelium. Overall design: Reproductive tracts were collected from WT and Hox mutant mice (n=3/genotype) aged 3-7 months in order to characterize the molecular changes caused by mutation of Hoxa9,10,11 and Hoxd9,10,11. Female mice were staged and collected in diestrus.
Recombineering-based dissection of flanking and paralogous Hox gene functions in mouse reproductive tracts.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesTwo nutrient sensing and regulatory pathways, the general amino acid control (GAAC) and the target of rapamycin (TOR), control yeast growth and metabolism in response to changes in nutrient availability. Starvation for amino acids activates the GAAC pathway, involving Gcn2p phosphorylation of eIF2 and preferential translation of GCN4, a transcription activator of genes involved in amino acid metabolism. TOR senses nitrogen availability and regulates gene expression through transcription factors, such as Gln3p. We used microarray analyses to address the integration of the GAAC and TOR pathways in directing the yeast transcriptome in response to amino acid starvation and rapamycin treatment. Of the ~2500 genes whose expression was changed by 2-fold or greater, Gcn4p and Gln3p were required for 542 and 657 genes, respectively. While Gcn4p activates a common core of 57 genes in response to amino acid starvation or rapamycin treatment, the different stress arrangements allow for variations in Gcn4p-directed transcription. With few exceptions, genes requiring Gcn2p eIF2 kinase for induced expression also required Gcn4p, emphasizing the role of Gcn2p as an upstream activator of Gcn4p-directed transcription. There is also significant coordination between the GAAC and TOR pathways, with Gcn4p being required for activation of more genes during rapamycin treatment than Gln3p. Importantly, TOR regulates the GAAC-directed transcription of genes required for assimilation of nitrogen sources, such as -amino-butyric acid. Therefore, yeast has integrated gene expression responses to amino acid abundance and nitrogen source quality through the control of Gcn2p phosphorylation of eIF2 and GCN4 translation.
Integration of general amino acid control and target of rapamycin (TOR) regulatory pathways in nitrogen assimilation in yeast.
Treatment
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