Cancer-associated inflammatory processes in the tumour microenvironment, as well as systemically, are strongly linked with poor disease outcome in cancer patients. For most human solid tumour types, high systemic neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios (NLR) are associated with increased metastasis and poor overall survival and recent experimental studies have demonstrated a causal relationship between neutrophils and metastasis formation. However, to date, the cancer cell-intrinsic mechanisms dictating the substantial heterogeneity in systemic neutrophilic inflammation between tumour-bearing hosts are largely unresolved. Using a panel of 16 distinct genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) for breast cancer, we demonstrate that tumour cell-intrinsic loss of p53 changes the phenotype and function of macrophages in the microenvironment, leading to activation of a systemic inflammatory cascade that drives neutrophil expansion. Mechanistically, p53 loss in cancer cells induces secretion of Wnt ligands that act in a paracrine fashion to stimulate IL-1b production from tumour-associated macrophages. Intratumoural IL-1ß production stimulates an inflammatory cascade leading to the systemic accumulation of neutrophils. Pharmacological and genetic blockade of cancer cell-derived Wnt secretion reverses IL-1ß expression by macrophages and subsequent systemic neutrophilic inflammation. Collectively, using pre-clinical mouse models for breast cancer, we demonstrate a novel mechanistic link between loss of p53 in cancer cells, Wnt ligand secretion and systemic immune activation. This illustrates the importance of cancer cell-intrinsic genetic aberrations in dictating cancer-associated inflammation. These insights set the stage for personalized immune intervention strategies for cancer patients. Overall design: In this study, gene expression profiles of tumours from genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) were analysed using RNA sequencing. Analysis was performed on bulk tumours of 10 GEMMs with different tissue-specific mutations driving tumorigenesis, totalling to 125 different tumours (n=5 or more per group). Subsequently, samples were grouped according to p53 status of the tumour (models containing Trp53 floxed alleles, or not) and comparisons were made between p53-KO and p53-WT tumours.
Loss of p53 triggers WNT-dependent systemic inflammation to drive breast cancer metastasis.
Cell line, Subject
View SamplesThe intercalated disc of cardiac myocytes is emerging as a crucial structure in the heart. Loss of intercalated disc proteins like N-cadherin causes lethal cardiac abnormalities, mutations in intercalated disc proteins cause human cardiomyopathy. A comprehensive screen for novel mechanisms in failing hearts demonstrated that expression of the lysosomal integral membrane protein-2 (LIMP-2) is increased in cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure in both rat and human myocardium. Complete loss of LIMP-2 in genetically engineered mice did not affect cardiac development; however these LIMP-2 null mice failed to mount a hypertrophic response to increased blood pressure but developed cardiomyopathy. Disturbed cadherin localization in these hearts suggested that LIMP-2 has important functions outside lysosomes. Indeed, we also find LIMP-2 in the intercalated disc, where it associates with cadherin. RNAi-mediated knockdown of LIMP-2 decreases the binding of phosphorylated b-catenin to cadherin, while overexpression of LIMP-2 has the opposite effect. Taken together, our data show that lysosomal integrated membrane protein-2 is crucial to mount the adaptive hypertrophic response to cardiac loading. We demonstrate a novel role for LIMP-2 as an important mediator of the intercalated disc.
Lysosomal integral membrane protein 2 is a novel component of the cardiac intercalated disc and vital for load-induced cardiac myocyte hypertrophy.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesTo study differentially expressed genes in neuro-ectodermal cell lines
Downregulation of Axl in non-MYCN amplified neuroblastoma cell lines reduces migration.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesResponse to allergen was studied in bronchial epithelial cell line H292. Cells were cultured and subsequently exposed to House dust mite or vessel (saline)
Allergen induced gene expression of airway epithelial cells shows a possible role for TNF-alpha.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesHigh anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) protein levels may be correlated with an unfavorable prognosis in neuroblastoma (NBL) patients, regardless of ALK mutation status. We therefore examined the correlation between levels of ALK, phosphorylated ALK (pALK) and downstream signaling proteins and response to ALK inhibition in a large panel of both ALK mutated (MUT) and wild type (WT) NBL cell lines. Six of the nineteen NBL cell lines had a point mutation and four an amplification of the ALK gene. ALK amplified cell lines showed similar ALK levels and ALK inhibitor sensitivity as WT cell lines and were therefore co-analyzed. The ALK mRNA (p=0.043), ALK 220 kDa (p=0.009) and ALK 140 kDa (p=0.025) protein levels were higher in ALK mutant (n=6) than WT cell lines (n=13). ALK mRNA and protein levels significantly correlated with ERK1 and ERK2 protein levels, and also with PHOX2B mRNA levels, a neural differentiation marker which is mutated in NBL. Response to ALK inhibitor TAE684 was also significantly correlated with ALK levels. ALK mutant cell lines (n=4) demonstrated a higher sensitivity towards ALK inhibitor TAE684 (14.9 fold more sensitive, p=0.004) than eight WT cell lines. These results underline the importance of ALK mutations but also ALK levels for response to ALK inhibitors in NBL cell lines. Furthermore, the strong correlation of PHOX2B and ALK suggests that neural differentiation stage may be correlated with ALK levels in neuroblastoma. These data will enhance understanding of ALK inhibitor response in future patient trials.
Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor response in neuroblastoma is highly correlated with ALK mutation status, ALK mRNA and protein levels.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesThe leg of healthy volunteers was locally deconditioned using three weeks of unilateral lower limb suspension (ULLS). The extremely deconditioned legs of subjects with a spinal cord injury (SCI) were trained using eight weeks of functional electrical stimulation (FES) exercise, 2-3 times per week (total 20 sessions).
Expression of genes involved in fatty acid transport and insulin signaling is altered by physical inactivity and exercise training in human skeletal muscle.
Subject, Time
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Epigenetic drug combination induces genome-wide demethylation and altered gene expression in neuro-ectodermal tumor-derived cell lines.
Sex, Specimen part, Disease, Cell line, Treatment
View SamplesAbstract: Epigenetic alterations are a fundamental aspect of cancer cells, and epigenetic drugs are currently used in clinical practice for hematological malignancies. Pediatric neuro-ectodermal tumors originate from neural crest cells and show epigenetic defects of apoptotic pathways, which makes the introduction of epigenetic drugs in this patient category logical. However, the young age of these patients is accompanied by ongoing developmental processes which are regulated epigenetic mechanisms, and prompted us to study molecular effects of nanomolar dosage epigenetic drugs in neuro-ectodermal tumor cell lines. Combination treatment of 5-aza-2`-deoxicytidine (DAC) and Trichostatin A (TSA) at nanomolar dosages resulted in wide-spread demethylating effects in 17 NBL and 5 PNET cell lines in vitro. This widespread demethylation had large effects on gene-expression profiles. In NBL cell lines, almost every cellular pathway (193/200) investigated demonstrated altered expression upon treatment, and resulted in upregulation of known epigenetically regulated genes such as X-chromosomal, tissue-specific, and a few imprinted genes. Integration analysis of CpG island methylation array data and whole genome gene expression data identified 30 genes potentially upregulated by gene promoter demethylation. Homeobox genes frequently showed demethylation in both short term (72 hours) and long term cultures (3 months) of NBL lines. Continuous treatment with epigenetic drugs resulted in low rates of proliferation. The low rate of proliferation that might explain limited consecutive demethylation upon prolonged exposure. In conclusion, genome-wide methylation and gene expression changes are induced DAC and TSA treatment at nanomolar dosages. These effects affected more than 97% of cellular pathways investigated. Further studies towards the effects of epigenetic drug combinations are advised before being applied in clinical trials for pediatric patients.
Epigenetic drug combination induces genome-wide demethylation and altered gene expression in neuro-ectodermal tumor-derived cell lines.
Sex, Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesAberrant splice variants are involved in the initiation and/or progression of glial brain tumors. We therefore set out to identify splice variants that are differentially expressed between histological subgroups of gliomas. Splice variants were identified using a novel platform that profiles the expression of virtually all known and predicted exons present in the human genome. Exon-level expression profiling was performed on 26 glioblastomas, 22 oligodendrogliomas and 6 control brain samples. Our results demonstrate that Human Exon arrays can identify subgroups of gliomas based on their histological appearance and genetic aberrations. We next used our expression data to identify differentially expressed splice variants. In two independent approaches, we identified 49 and up to 459 exons that are differentially spliced between glioblastomas and oligodendrogliomas a subset of which (47% and 33%) were confirmed by RT-PCR. In addition, exon-level expression profiling also identified >700 novel exons. Expression of ~67% of these candidate novel exons was confirmed by RT-PCR. Our results indicate that exon-level expression profiling can be used to molecularly classify brain tumor subgroups, can identify differentially regulated splice variants and can identify novel exons. The splice variants identified by exon-level expression profiling may help to detect the genetic changes that cause or maintain gliomas and may serve as novel treatment targets.
Identification of differentially regulated splice variants and novel exons in glial brain tumors using exon expression arrays.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesTumor progression is associated with an immunosuppressive microenvironment that consists of several elements, such as regulatory T cells, type 2 macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. Here, we identify for the first time a BDCA1+CD14+ population of immunosuppressive cells that resides both in the blood and tumor of melanoma patients. We demonstrated that the presence of these cells in dendritic cell (DC)-based anti-tumor vaccines significantly suppresses CD4+ T cells in an antigen-specific manner. In an attempt to reveal the mechanism of this suppressive activity, we noticed that BDCA1+CD14+ cells express elevated levels of the check-point molecule PD-L1, which thereby hinders T cell proliferation. Importantly, although this suppressive BDCA1+CD14+ population expresses markers of both BDCA1+ DCs and monocytes, functional, transcriptome and proteome analyses clearly revealed that they comprise a unique population of cells that is exploited by tumors to evade immunity. Thus, targeting these cells may improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. Overall design: mRNA profiles of BDCA1+ DCs, BDCA1+CD14+ cells and monocytes, isolated from 3 healthy volunteers, were generated by deep RNA sequencing using HiSeq 2000 System (TruSeq SBS KIT-HS V3,Illumina)
Expansion of a BDCA1+CD14+ Myeloid Cell Population in Melanoma Patients May Attenuate the Efficacy of Dendritic Cell Vaccines.
No sample metadata fields
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