Purpose: MicroRNA-21 contributes to the pathogenesis of fibrogenic diseases in multiple organs including the kidney. To evaluate the therapeutic utility of antimiR-21 oligonucleotides in chronic kidney disease, we silenced miR-21 in mice that develop Alport Nephropathy due to a defect in the Col4a3 gene. The goals of this study to assess the effect of inhibiting miR-21 in the Col4a3-/- Alport Syndrome mouse model at 5.5 weeks of age. Methods: Col4a3-/-, Col4a3+/-, and Col4a3+/+ mice in the 129X1/SvJ genetic background were obtained. Mice received anti–miR-21 (25 mg/kg) or control anti-miR (25mg/kg) in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) by inter-scapular subcutaneous injection twice per week. In some experiments mice received a range of doses from 12.5mg/kg once a week to 50mg/kg once a week. Anti–miR-21 is a high-affinity oligonucleotide complementary to the active site of miR-21. Mice received injections starting at 24 days (3.5 weeks) after birth and ending at 5, 7, 9 or 16 weeks after birth depending on the study objectives. Total RNA from kidney tissue was extracted as per manufacturer’s instructions (miREASY kit, Qiagen). RNA quality was assessed using BioAnalyzer (Agilent). mRNA expression profiles were determined using next-generation sequencing (NGS) on the Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform producing 50bp paired-end reads. Bowtie/TopHat suites were used to align the reads to mouse genome or transcriptome and RSEM were used to quantify gene abundances. Gene level counts were then normalized with the R/Bioconductor package limma using the voom/variance stabilization method. Results: Anti-miR-21 enhanced PPARa/RXR activity and associated downstream signaling pathways in glomerular, tubular and interstitial cells, enhanced mitochondrial function, which reduced mitochondrial ROS production and preserved tubular cell functions. In addition, inhibition of miR-21 reduced fibrogenic and inflammatory signaling in glomerular and interstitial cells, likely as a consequence of enhanced PPARa/RXR activity and mitochondrial function. Inhibition of miR-21 represents a novel therapeutic strategy for chronic kidney diseases including Alport Nephropathy. Overall design: Whole kidney mRNA profiles of Col4a3+/- (triplicate) and Col4a3-/- (quadruplicates) mice treated with either PBS or antimiR-21, ending at 5.5 weeks of age, were generated by Next Generation Sequencing using Illumina HiSeq 2000
Anti-microRNA-21 oligonucleotides prevent Alport nephropathy progression by stimulating metabolic pathways.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThe goal of this project was to analyze differential expression in head and neck cancer cells with various intrinsic radiosensitivity. The gene expression profiles of the cell lines were determined using the Human Genome U133 plus 2.0 Arrays (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA).
Fibronectin 1 is a potential biomarker for radioresistance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesC/EBPa induces transdifferentiation of B cells into macrophages at high efficiencies and enhances reprogramming into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) when co-expressed with Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and Myc (OSKM). However, how C/EBPa accomplishes these effects is unclear. We now found that transient C/EBPa expression followed by OSKM activation induces a 100 fold increase in iPSC reprogramming efficiency, involving 95% of the cells. During this conversion pluripotency and epithelial-mesenchymal transition genes become dramatically up-regulated and 60% of the cells express Oct4 within 2 days. C/EBPa acts as a pathbreaker since it transiently makes the chromatin of pluripotency genes more accessible to DNase I. It also induces the expression of the dioxygenase Tet2 and promotes its translocation to the nucleus where it binds to regulatory regions of pluripotency genes that become demethylated following OSKM induction. In line with these findings, overexpression of Tet2 enhances OSKM-induced B cell reprogramming. Since the enzyme is also required for efficient C/EBPa-induced immune cell conversion, our data suggest that Tet2 provides a mechanistic link between iPSC reprogramming and B cell transdifferentiation. The rapid iPS reprogramming approach described should help to fully elucidate the process and has potential clinical applications. Overall design: Change in gene expression, comparing primary B-cells treated with estradiol for 18h to induce C/EBPa to untreated cells.
Time-resolved gene expression profiling during reprogramming of C/EBPα-pulsed B cells into iPS cells.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesQuiescent and dividing hemopoietic stem cells (HSC) display marked differences in their ability to move between the peripheral circulation and the bone marrow. Specifically, long-term engraftment potential predominantly resides in the quiescent HSC subfraction, and G-CSF mobilization results in the preferential accumulation of quiescent HSC in the periphery. In contrast, stem cells from chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients display a constitutive presence in the circulation. To understand the molecular basis for this, we have used microarray technology to analyze the transcriptional differences between dividing and quiescent, normal, and CML-derived CD34+ cells.
Transcriptional analysis of quiescent and proliferating CD34+ human hemopoietic cells from normal and chronic myeloid leukemia sources.
Specimen part, Disease, Subject
View SamplesWe identified a novel homozygous 15q13.3 microdeletion in a young boy with a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe cerebral visual impairment with additional signs of congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB), congenital hypotonia with areflexia, profound intellectual disability, and refractory epilepsy. The mechanisms by which the genes in the deleted region exert their effect are unclear. In this paper we probed the role of downstream effects of the deletions as a contributing mechanism to the molecular basis of the observed phenotype. We analyzed gene expression of lymphoblastoid cells derived from peripheral blood of the proband and his relatives to ascertain the relative effects of the homozygous and heterozygous deletions.
Genome-wide gene expression in a patient with 15q13.3 homozygous microdeletion syndrome.
Cell line
View SamplesLoss of Ck1alpha produces 'flyabetic' larvae that are feeding defective. In addition we found other larvae with glucose elevations show feeding aversion.
Circulating glucose levels inversely correlate with <i>Drosophila</i> larval feeding through insulin signaling and SLC5A11.
Sex, Specimen part
View Samples18 different population of cells in different developmental stages in hematopoietic hierarchy have been purifyed by FACS analyses from wild type C57Bl6 mice and subjected to Micrroarray Affymetrix mouse 430.2 platform
CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBP(alpha))-induced transdifferentiation of pre-B cells into macrophages involves no overt retrodifferentiation.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesEarlier work has shown that pre-B cells can be converted into macrophages by the transcription factor C/EBP? at very high frequencies. Using this system we have now performed a systematic analysis of the question whether during transdifferentiation the cells transiently reactivate progenitor restricted genes or even retrodifferentiate. A transcriptome analysis of transdifferentiating cells showed that most genes are continuously up or downregulated, acquiring a macrophage phenotype within 5 days. In addition, we observed the transient reactivation of a subset of immature myeloid markers, as well as low levels of the progenitor markers Kit and Flt3 and a few lineage inappropriate genes. However, we were unable to observe the re-expression of cell surface marker combinations that characterize hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), including c-Kit and Flt3. This was the case even when C/EBPalpha was activated in pre-B cells under culture conditions that favor HSPC growth or when the transcription factor was activated in a time limited fashion. Together, our findings are consistent with the notion that the conversion from pre-B cells to macrophages is mostly direct and does not involve overt retrodifferentiation.
CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBP(alpha))-induced transdifferentiation of pre-B cells into macrophages involves no overt retrodifferentiation.
Specimen part, Time
View SamplesThe purpose of this study was to characterize global gene expression in human airway epithelial cells and identify cellular pathways associated with coarse, fine and ultrafine particulate matter (PM) exposures. Ambient PM was collected in 3 different size fractions from Chapel Hill air, particles were extracted from foam or filter matrices and lyophilized. Human primary airway epithelial cells were exposed to particles at 250g/ml or vehicle control for 6h in culture. Following exposure, RNA was isolated and hybridized to human HG U133A affymetrix chips.
Comparison of gene expression profiles induced by coarse, fine, and ultrafine particulate matter.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesTransposable elements (TEs) make up a large proportion of eukaryotic genomes. As their mobilization creates genetic variation that threatens genome integrity, TEs are epigenetically silenced through several pathways and this may spread to neighboring sequences. JUMONJI (JMJ) proteins can function as anti-silencing factors and prevent silencing of genes next to TEs. Whether TE silencing is counterbalanced by the activity of anti-silencing factors is still unclear. Here, we characterize JMJ24 as a regulator of TE silencing. We show that loss of JMJ24 results in increased silencing of the DNA transposon AtMu1c, while overexpression of JMJ24 reduces silencing. JMJ24 has a JumonjiC (JmjC) domain and two RING domains. JMJ24 auto-ubiquitinates in vitro, demonstrating E3 ligase activity of the RING domain(s). JMJ24-JmjC binds the N-terminal tail of histone H3 and full-length JMJ24 binds histone H3 in vivo. JMJ24 activity is anti-correlated with histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation (H3K9me2) levels at AtMu1c. Double mutant analyses with epigenetic silencing mutants suggest that JMJ24 antagonizes histone H3K9me2, and requires H3K9 methyltransferases for its activity on AtMu1c. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis indicates that JMJ24 affects silencing at additional TEs. Our results suggest that the JmjC domain of JMJ24 has lost demethylase activity but has been retained as a binding domain for histone H3. This is in line with phylogenetic analyses indicating that JMJ24 [with the mutated JmjC domain] is widely conserved in angiosperms. Taken together, this study assigns a role in TE silencing to a conserved JmjC-domain protein with E3 ligase activity, but no demethylase activity.
A JUMONJI Protein with E3 Ligase and Histone H3 Binding Activities Affects Transposon Silencing in Arabidopsis.
No sample metadata fields
View Samples