Purpose: Eliciting effective anti-tumor immune responses in patients who fail checkpoint inhibitor therapy is a critical challenge in cancer immunotherapy, and in such patients, tumor-associated myeloid cells and macrophages (TAMs) are promising therapeutic targets. We demonstrate in an autochthonous, poorly immunogenic mouse model of melanoma that combination therapy with an agonistic anti-CD40 mAb and CSF1R inhibitor potently suppressed tumor growth. Microwell assays to measure multiplex protein secretion by single cells identified that untreated tumors have distinct TAM subpopulations secreting MMP9 or co-secreting CCL17/22, characteristic of an M2-like state. Combination therapy reduced the frequency of these subsets, while simultaneously inducing a separate polyfunctional inflammatory TAM subset co-secreting TNF?, IL-6, and IL-12. Tumor suppression by this combined therapy was partially dependent on T cells, TNF? and IFN?. Together, this study demonstrates the potential for targeting TAMs to convert a “cold” into an “inflamed” tumor microenvironment capable of eliciting protective T cell responses. Methods: Total RNA was purified with the use of QIAzol and RNeasy Mini kit (QIAGEN), in which an on-column DNase treatment was included. Purified RNA was submitted to the Yale Center for Genomic Analysis where it was subjected to mRNA isolation and library preparation. Non-strand specific libraries were generated from 50ng total RNA using the SMARTer Ultra Low Input RNA for Illumina Sequencing kit. Libraries were pooled, six samples per lane, and sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq 2500 (75-bp paired end reads), and aligned using STAR to the GRCm38 (mm10) reference genome. A count-based differential expression protocol was adapted for this analysis(Anders et al., 2013); mappable data were counted using HTSeq, and imported into R for differential expression analysis using the DESeq2.To find differentially regulated sets of genes for signature generation, a 1.5-Log2 fold-change difference between samples and p-adjusted (Holm-Sidak) = 0.01 was used. Results: To begin to understand how these treatments modulated T cells to control tumor growth, and to possibly illuminate additional biomarkers of response, we examined the transcriptomes of CD11b+ Ly6G- cells treated with CD40 or CSF1Ri, alone or in combination, relative to control, using high throughput RNA-sequencing. Principal components analysis (PCA) on the genome-wide dataset demonstrated that treating with CD40 and CSF1Ri individually caused largely non-overlapping changes in transcription, as indicated by their movement along orthogonal principal components (PC) relative to the control. Importantly, combination therapy was visualized as a systems-level combination of each individual treatment in PC space. We then examined the mRNAs most altered by either treatment alone or in combination relative to Controls (Log2FC>1.5, p<.01) by unsupervised hierarchical clustering. Five major gene patterns emerged from the clustering of genes. Cluster #1 comprises genes that are upregulated by CD40 and CSF1Ri+CD40 treatment but are mostly unaffected by CSF1Ri, suggesting that CD40 is the primary driver of this cluster in the combination treatment. Notable genes in this cluster include Tnfa, Ifng??Il12b and Cxcl9; interestingly, for Tnfa and Il12b, CSF1Ri+CD40 appears to have a synergistic effect on expression. In contrast to Cluster #1, Cluster #5 contains genes substantially downregulated by CSF1Ri and CSF1Ri+CD40 treatments, but are largely unaffected by CD40, suggesting that CSF1Ri is the driver of this cluster in the combination treatment. Cluster #5 genes include Cd36 and Fabp4, suggesting alterations in lipid homeostasis in the TAMs after treatment. Cluster #2 includes genes that are modestly upregulated by CD40 and CSF1Ri individually, leading to a stronger upregulation when combined. Finally, Clusters #3 and #4 include, for the most part, genes that are differentially affected by CD40 versus CSF1Ri and for which the combination treatment yields an intermediate response. In summary, these data show that CSF1Ri and CD40 agonism elicit predominantly distinct changes in gene expression in the CD11b+ cells, indicating they target different biological processes in myeloid cells. The net result of the changes in myeloid gene expression from the combination of CSF1Ri+CD40 treatment reveal additive effects by the individual treatments, but also synergy in the expression of several pro-inflammatory genes (e.g., Tnfa, Ifng, Il6 and Il12b). We further examined our dataset with Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). Although CSF1Ri and CD40 treatments did not closely match any immunological signatures in the immunological database of MSigDb, combined CSF1Ri+CD40 had a strikingly similar signature to myeloid cells exposed to a variety of inflammatory stimulants, most closely reflected by BMDMs treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). This motivated us to look specifically at categories of NF-?B target genes that are significantly affected by LPS treatment, including transcription factors, cytokines and chemokines. Indeed, most of these NF-?B target genes associated with inflammation were strongly upregulated by CSF1Ri+CD40 treatment. Finally, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis identified TNFR1 and TNFR2 signaling and Acute phase response signaling among the top genetic signatures produced by the CSF1Ri+CD40 treatment combination, matching what we observed with GSEA. Thus, gene expression analysis not only revealed several biomarkers of response that may be relevant for assessing therapeutic activity in ongoing clinical trials using these drugs, but illuminated lead biological factors that may cause tumor regression. Conclusions: myeloid-targeted immunotherapies anti-CD40+CSF1R inhibition synergistically induce a pro-inflammatory microenviroment Overall design: mRNA profiles of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in mice were generated by deep sequencing, in triplicate, using Illumina.
Myeloid-targeted immunotherapies act in synergy to induce inflammation and antitumor immunity.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesAPs were isolated from naïve skin and day 5wounds from dorsal skin wound beds of 7-9 weeks old using FACS. This experiment describes changes in AP gene expression associated with injury and subsequent tissue repair. Overall design: APs were isolated by FACS.
Myofibroblast proliferation and heterogeneity are supported by macrophages during skin repair.
Sex, Age, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesCells were isolated from day 5wounds from dorsal skin wound beds of 7-9 weeks old using FACS. This experiment describes the gene expression profile associated with different immune cell subsets during tissue repair. Overall design: Cells were isolated by FACS.
Myofibroblast proliferation and heterogeneity are supported by macrophages during skin repair.
Sex, Age, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesSenescent cells accumulate in many ageing-associated diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis, and targeting these cells has recently emerged as a promising therapeutic approach. Here, we take advantage of the high ß-galactosidase activity of senescent cells to design a targeted drug delivery system based on the encapsulation of drugs with galacto-oligosaccharides (GalNP beads). In this experiment we show that gal-encapsulated rhodamine target senescent cells in the context of pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Overall design: 8- to 10-week-old C57BL/6 wild-type mice were intratracheally inoculated with bleomycin at 1.5 U/kg of body weight. Two weeks later mice were i.v. injected with 200 µl of a solution of GalNP beads loaded with rhodamine [GalNP(rho)] at 4 mg/ml, equivalent to 1 mg/kg of deliverable rhodamine. 6 hours later mice were sacrificed and lung cells were analysed by flow cytometry and sorted into Rho+ or Rho- cells, all CD45-CD31-.
A versatile drug delivery system targeting senescent cells.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesSenescence is a cellular phenotype present in health and disease, characterized by a stable cell cycle arrest and an inflammatory response, denominated senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). The SASP is important in influencing the behaviour of neighbouring cells and altering the microenvironment; yet, this role has been mainly attributed to soluble factors. Here, we show that both the soluble factors in addition to small extracellular vesicles (sEV) are capable of transmitting paracrine senescence to nearby cells. Analysis of individual cells internalizing sEV, using a Cre-reporter system, show a positive correlation between sEV uptake and senescence activation. Interestingly, we find an increase in the number of multivesicular bodies during senescence in vivo. sEV protein characterization by mass spectrometry (MS) followed by a functional siRNA screen identify the Interferon Induced Transmembrane Protein 3 (IFITM3) as partially responsible for transmitting senescence to normal cells. Altogether, we found that sEV contribute to paracrine senescence. Overall design: SASP related mRNA transcripts in HFFF2 treated with sEV from iRAS cells in comparison with HFFF2 treated with sEV from iC cells
Small Extracellular Vesicles Are Key Regulators of Non-cell Autonomous Intercellular Communication in Senescence via the Interferon Protein IFITM3.
Disease, Subject
View SamplesPmr1 is a cis-Golgi Mn/Ca transporter with a key role in protein glycosylation and manganese detoxification.
Manganese redistribution by calcium-stimulated vesicle trafficking bypasses the need for P-type ATPase function.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesGlycolytic Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) catalyzes the conversion of glyceraldehyde 3-phospate to 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate by coupling with the reduction of NAD+ to NADH. We generated mutants of the Arabidopsis plastidial GAPDH isoforms (At1g79530, At1g16300; GAPCp1, GAPCp2). gapcp double mutants (gapcp1 gapcp2) display a drastic phenotype of arrested root development and sterility.Complex interactions occurring between ABA and sugar signal transduction pathways have been shown, but the molecular mechanisms connecting both pathways are not well understood. Since we found drastic carbohydrate changes in gapcp1 gapcp2, we studied their response to ABA. by performing a microarray analysis comparing gapcp1 gapcp2 and wild type seedlings after a long term treatment with ABA.
Arabidopsis plants deficient in plastidial glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase show alterations in abscisic acid (ABA) signal transduction: interaction between ABA and primary metabolism.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesThe murine thymus produces discrete T cell subsets making either IFN- or IL-17, but the role of the TCR in this developmental process remains controversial. Here we generated a non-transgenic and polyclonal model of reduced TCR expression and signal strength selectively on T cells. Mice haploinsufficient for both CD3 and CD3 (CD3DH) showed normal thymocyte subsets but specific defects in T cell development, namely impaired differentiation of IL-17-producing embryonic V6+ (but not adult V4+) T cells and a marked depletion of IFN--producing CD122+ NK1.1+ (V1-biased) T cells throughout life. As result, adult CD3DH mice showed defective peripheral IFN- responses and were resistant to experimental cerebral malaria. Thus, strong TCR signaling is required within specific developmental windows with distinct V usage and differential cytokine production by effector T cell subsets.
TCR signal strength controls thymic differentiation of discrete proinflammatory γδ T cell subsets.
Specimen part
View SamplesWhe embryonic stem cells are in vitro expanded threir telomereres lengthen, in the absence of genetic manipulations, concomitant with the loss of heterochromatic marks. In order to analyze whether there would be changes in gene expression during in vitro expansion we performed RNA-seq and found no substantial differences in gene expression at passage 6 or 16. Overall design: Embryonic stem (ES) cells were derived from blastocysts expressing GFP in the Rosa26 locus. Four independent lines of ES were in vitro expanded to passage 16. Total RNA was extracted from each independent clones, RNA was extracted and prepared for RNA-seq.
Generation of mice with longer and better preserved telomeres in the absence of genetic manipulations.
Specimen part, Cell line, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesYerba mate (YM) has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties in several studies. However, this effect has been found mainly in obesity-related in inflammation. The aim of this work was to study the effect of YM in cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells to see whether it has anti-inflammatory properties. We stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro with phitohemaglutinin in the presence of yerba mate and determined their activation measuring the the expression of CD25 by flow cytometry. We observed that YM treatment produced a dose-dependent reduction in PBMC activation (CD25 positive cells) when they were stimulated with PHA. This effect was also observed in T cells (CD3 positive) subpopulation. Microarray analysis revealed the differential expression of 128 genes in YM-treated cells. According to a protein-protein interaction database, these genes were highly connected and they are involved in inflammatory response. In summary, it was demonstrated that YM produces a reduction in the amount of activated cells under the stimulation of PHA. Therefore, it might be used in diseases with an inflammatory component.
Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) inhibits lymphocyte activation in vitro.
Sex, Specimen part
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