Background: The insulin/IGF/relaxin family represents a group of structurally related but functionally diverse proteins. The family member Relaxin-2 has been evaluated in clinical trials for its efficacy in the treatment of acute heart failure. In this study, we assessed the role of Insulin-like peptide 6 (Insl6), another member of this protein family, in murine heart failure models using genetic loss-of-function and protein delivery methods. Methods and Results: Insl6-deficient (Insl6-KO) and wild-type (C57BL/6N) mice were administered angiotensin II or isoproterenol via continuous infusion with an osmotic pump or via intraperitoneal injection once a day, respectively for 2 weeks. In both models, Insl6-KO mice exhibited greater cardiac systolic dysfunction and left ventricular dilatation hypertrophy. Cardiac dysfunction in the Insl6-KO mice was associated with more extensive cardiac fibrosis and greater expression of fibrosis-associated genes. The continuous infusion of chemically synthesized INSL6 significantly attenuated left ventricular systolic dysfunction and cardiac fibrosis induced by isoproterenol infusion. Gene expression profiling suggests Lxr/ Rxr signaling is activated in the isoproterenol-challenged hearts treated with INSL6 protein. Conclusions: Endogenous Insl6 protein inhibits cardiac systolic dysfunction and cardiac fibrosis in angiotensin II- and isoproterenol-induced cardiac stress models. The administration of recombinant Insl6 protein could have utility for the treatment of heart failure and cardiac fibrosis.
Relaxin Family Member Insulin-Like Peptide 6 Ameliorates Cardiac Fibrosis and Prevents Cardiac Remodeling in Murine Heart Failure Models.
Sex, Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesNo description.
Conservation of an RNA regulatory map between Drosophila and mammals.
Cell line, Subject
View SamplesPediatric medulloblastoma is considered a highly heterogeneous disease, and a new strategy of risk stratification to optimize therapeutic outcomes is required. We aimed to investigate a new risk-stratification approach based on expression profiles of medulloblastoma cohorts. We analyzed gene expression profiles of 30 primary medulloblastomas and detected strong evidence that poor survival outcome was significantly associated with mRNA expression profiles of 17p loss. However, it was not supported in independent cohorts from previously published data (n=100). We speculated that this controversy might come from complex conditions of two important prognostic determinants, loss of tumor suppressors (chromosome 17p) and high expression of oncogenes, c-myc (MYC) or N-myc (MYCN). Simultaneous consideration of these two factors led to a new subgrouping of patients, exhibiting obviously different survival expectancies between the subgroups. Patients with up-regulated WNT signalings were always pre-defined as an independent subgroup, which ultimately removed confounding effect arising from contradictory outcome, favorable prognosis of WNT medulloblastomas despite their high MYC/MYCN expression level. We also found that age is a significant prognostic marker after adjusting for 17p and MYC/MYCN status. Diminished survival in age <3 years was more substantial in groups with high expression of MYC/MYCN or 17p loss, indicating survival outcome might be coordinately affected by these three factors. We suggest a more tailored and easily applicable subgrouping system based on expression profiles of chromosome 17p and MYC/MYCN, while separating WNT medulloblastoma as an independent subgroup, which could provide the basis for a novel risk-stratification strategy in pediatric medulloblastoma.
Prognostic classification of pediatric medulloblastoma based on chromosome 17p loss, expression of MYCC and MYCN, and Wnt pathway activation.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesDuring kidney development segmented epithelia of the nephron derive from progenitor cells in the metanephric mesenchyme after induction by secreted molecules from the ureteric bud. We have identified three distinct inductive activities from a ureteric bud cell line. These include leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and an active fraction currently referred to as ANX. Each of these activities induces segmented nephron epithelia in isolated rat metanephric mesenchyme over a time period of 7 days. This study was designed to characterize the temporal sequence of gene expression in the course of the conversion process induced by each of the distinct inducers.
beta-catenin/TCF/Lef controls a differentiation-associated transcriptional program in renal epithelial progenitors.
Time
View SamplesAnopheles gambiae,the primary African malarial mosquito, exhibits numerous behaviors that are under diel and circadian control, including locomotor activity, swarming, mating, host seeking, eclosion, egg laying and sugar feeding. However, little has been performed to elucidate the molecular basis for these daily rhythms. To study how gene expression is globally regulated by diel and circadian mechanisms, we have undertaken a DNA microarray analysis ofA. gambiaehead and bodies under 12:12 light:dark cycle (LD) and constant dark (DD, free-running) conditions. Zeitgeber Time (ZT) with ZT12 defined as time of lights OFF under the light:dark cycle, and ZT0 defined as end of the dawn transition. Circadian Time (CT) with CT0 defined as subjective dawn, inferred from ZT0 of the previous light:dark cycle.
Genome-wide profiling of diel and circadian gene expression in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesChronic inflammation during placental malaria (PM) caused by Plasmodium falciparum is most frequent in first-time mothers and is associated with poor maternal and fetal outcomes. In the first genome wide analysis of the local human response to sequestered malaria parasites, we identified genes associated with chronic PM, then localized the corresponding proteins and immune cell subsets in placental cryosections.
Genome-wide expression analysis of placental malaria reveals features of lymphoid neogenesis during chronic infection.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesWe have used deep sequencing to explore the repertoire of both poly(A)+ and poly(A)- RNAs from two standard cell lines, HeLa cells and human embryonic stem cell (hESC) H9 cells. Overall design: Examination of nonpolyadenylated and polyadenylated in 2 cell types.
Genomewide characterization of non-polyadenylated RNAs.
Cell line, Subject
View SamplesWe have used deep sequencing to explore the repertoire of both poly(A)+ and poly(A)- RNAs from two standard cell lines, HeLa cells and human embryonic stem cell (hESC) H9 cells. Overall design: Examination of nonpolyadenylated and polyadenylated RNA in 2 cell types.
Genomewide characterization of non-polyadenylated RNAs.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesWe describe a chemical method to label and purify 4-thiouridine (s4U) -containing RNA. We demonstrate that methanethiolsulfonate (MTS) reagents form disulfide bonds with s4U more efficiently than the commonly used HPDP-biotin, leading to higher yields and less biased enrichment. This increase in efficiency allowed us to use s4U-labeling to study global microRNA (miRNA) turnover in proliferating cultured human cells without perturbing global miRNA levels or the miRNA processing machinery. This improved chemistry will enhance methods that depend on tracking different populations of RNA such as 4-thiouridine-tagging to study tissue-specific transcription and dynamic transcriptome analysis (DTA) to study RNA turnover. Overall design: s4U metabolic labeling of RNA in 293T cells, followed by biochemical enrichment of labeled RNA with two biotinylation reagents, RNAs >200nt and miRNAs in separate experiments
Tracking Distinct RNA Populations Using Efficient and Reversible Covalent Chemistry.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThe entorhinal cortex of the mouse seems to be sensitive to molecular mechanisms that have been linked to the pathology of Alzheimer's disease. In this microarray study we are interested in comparing the expression profile of the left versus the right EC of the mouse, in order to understand if there is a significant difference in gene expression that might reveal any insights into the differential activation of these areas.
Molecular drivers and cortical spread of lateral entorhinal cortex dysfunction in preclinical Alzheimer's disease.
Age, Specimen part
View Samples