Inherited genetic risk factors play an important role in cancer. However, other than cancer susceptibility genes found in familial cancer syndromes and inherited in a Mendelian fashion, little is known about modifier genes (germline variants that interact with each other and with environmental factors) that contribute to individual susceptibility. Here we develop a strategy parental strain expression mapping (PSEM), which utilizes the homogeneity of inbred mice and genome-wide mRNA expression analyses, to directly identify candidate germline modifier genes and pathways underlying phenotypic differences among murine strains exposed to transgenic activation of AKT1. We identified multiple candidate modifier pathways and specifically, the glycolysis pathway as a candidate negative modulator of AKT1-induced proliferation. In keeping with findings in murine models, the expression of the glycolysis pathway was strongly enriched in the non-cancer prostate tissue from patients with prostate cancer who did not recur after surgical resection. Together these data suggest that PSEM can directly identify germline modifier pathways of relevance to human disease.
Identification of prostate cancer modifier pathways using parental strain expression mapping.
Age
View SamplesSynapse development and neuronal activity represent fundamental processes for the establishment of cognitive function. Structural organization as well as signalling pathways from receptor stimulation to gene expression regulation are mediated by synaptic activity and misregulated in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID). Deleterious mutations in the PTCHD1 (Patched domain containing 1) gene have been described in male patients with X-linked ID and/or ASD. The structure of PTCHD1 protein is similar to the Patched (PTCH1) receptor; however, the cellular mechanisms and pathways associated with PTCHD1 in the developing brain are poorly determined. Here we show that PTCHD1 displays a C-terminal PDZ-binding motif that binds to the postsynaptic proteins PSD95 and SAP102. We also report that PTCHD1 is unable to rescue the canonical sonic hedgehog (SHH) pathway in cells depleted of PTCH1, suggesting that both proteins are involved in distinct cellular signalling pathways. We find that Ptchd1 deficiency in male mice (Ptchd1-/y) induces global changes in synaptic gene expression, affects the expression of the immediate-early expression genes Egr1 and Npas4 and finally impairs excitatory synaptic structure and neuronal excitatory activity in the hippocampus, leading to cognitive dysfunction, motor disabilities and hyperactivity. Thus our results support that PTCHD1 deficiency induces a neurodevelopmental disorder causing excitatory synaptic dysfunction. Overall design: 6 samples RNA-seq. 3 kos, 3wts.
Ptchd1 deficiency induces excitatory synaptic and cognitive dysfunctions in mouse.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesATP6AP2 is an essential accessory component of the vacuolar H+ ATPase (V-ATPase) and has been associated with intellectual disabilities (ID) and Parkinsonism. ATP6AP2 has been implicated in several signaling pathways, but little is known about its role in the nervous system. To decipher its function in behaviour and cognition, we generated and characterized conditional ATP6AP2 Drosophila and mouse models in the nervous system. In Drosophila, knockdown of ATP6AP2 induced defective phototaxis and vacuolisation of photoreceptor neurons and pigment cells when deleted in eyes and alteration of short- and long-term memory when deleted in the mushroom body. In mouse, conditional Atp6ap2 deletion in glutamatergic neurons (Atp6ap2Camk2aCre/0 mice) caused increased spontaneous locomotor activity and altered memory for fear. Both Drosophila ATP6AP2 knockdown and Atp6ap2Camk2aCre/0 mice presented with presynaptic transmission defect, abnormal number and morphology of synapses, and alteration of axonal transport in fly. In addition, Atp6ap2Camk2aCre/0 mice showed autophagy defect leading to axonal and neuronal degeneration in the cortex and the hippocampus. Surprisingly, myelinisation of axons was affected in our mutant mice. In accordance with the identified phenotypes across species, genome-wide transcriptome profiling of Atp6ap2Camk2aCre/0 mouse hippocampi revealed dysregulated genes involved in myelination, action potential, membrane bound vesicles and adult behaviour. In summary, disruption of ATP6AP2 in mouse and fly leads to cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration, mimicking aspects of the neuropathology associated with ATP6AP2 mutations in humans. Our results identify ATP6AP2 as an essential gene for the nervous system. Overall design: 4 samples, 2 wt and 2 Atp6ap2Camk2aCre/0
Conditional depletion of intellectual disability and Parkinsonism candidate gene ATP6AP2 in fly and mouse induces cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesGlobal restriction of protein synthesis is a hallmark of cellular stress. Using hydrogen peroxide, we monitor the transcript level and also the translation status for each RNA using cycloheximide to freeze elongating ribosomes. Polyribosome fractionation of cell extracts was used to separate highly translated and poorly translated mRNAs that were then separately analysed.
Global translational responses to oxidative stress impact upon multiple levels of protein synthesis.
Sex, Compound
View SamplesFibroblasts from patients with Type I bipolar disorder (BPD) and their unaffected siblings were obtained from an Old Order Amish pedigree with a high incidence of BPD and reprogrammed to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Established iPSCs were subsequently differentiated into neuroprogenitors (NPs) and then to neurons. Transcriptomic microarray analysis was conducted on RNA samples from iPSCs, NPs and neurons matured in culture for either 2 weeks (termed early neurons, E) or 4 weeks (termed late neurons, L). Global RNA profiling indicated that BPD and control iPSCs differentiated into NPs and neurons at a similar rate, enabling studies of differentially expressed genes in neurons from controls and BPD cases. Significant disease-associated differences in gene expression were observed only in L neurons. Specifically, 328 genes were differentially expressed between BPD and control L neurons including GAD1, glutamate decarboxylase 1 (2.5 fold) and SCN4B, the voltage gated type IV sodium channel beta subunit (-14.6 fold). Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed the up-regulation of GAD1 in BPD compared to control L neurons. Gene Ontology, GeneGo and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of differentially regulated genes in L neurons suggest that alterations in RNA biosynthesis and metabolism, protein trafficking as well as receptor signaling pathways GSK3 signaling may play an important role in the pathophysiology of BPD.
Transcriptomic Analysis of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Derived from Patients with Bipolar Disorder from an Old Order Amish Pedigree.
Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage
View SamplesPurpose: Conducted expression profiling by RNA-seq as unbiased screen to identify genes that are altered in motor neurons of PbxMN? mice at e12.5 at brachial and thoracic levels of the spinal cord. Because loss of Pbx genes affects MN organization at all rostrocaudal levels, we focused on genes whose profiles were altered at both brachial and thoracic levels. Methods: We compared gene expression profiles in MNs isolated from control Hb9::GFP and PbxMN?; Hb9::GFP embryos at e12.5. MNs were purified by FACS, and RNA was extracted from 9 PbxMN?; Hb9::GFP and 9 control Hb9::GFP embryos at brachial and thoracic levels using the Arcturus Picopure RNA isolation kit. 10ng of RNA was pooled from 3 RNA samples of each genotype, and used to amplify 100ng of cDNA using Nugene''s Ovation RNA-Seq System V2 kit, 100ng of cDNA for each sample was used as in input to prepare 12 bar coded libraries using the Ovation Ultralow Library system. We then performed expression profiling by RNA-seq. The samples were mixed into two pools and run on two 50-nucleotide paired end read rapid run flow cell lanes with the Illumina HiSeq 2500 sequencer. Generating on average 74 and 101 million reads passing filter for brachial and thoracic samples respectively. Results: This analysis yielded 64 brachial and 124 thoracic genes that were differentially expressed with a stringent cutoff of padj.<0.05. Of these genes, we found 31 genes in common between the two, brachial and thoracic, levels of the spinal cord that may play a role in motor neuron columnar organization. Furthermore our expression profiling of control brachial and control thoracic MNs identified 61 genes with (padj.<0.05), that represent distinct molecular profiles of MNs generated at brachial and thoracic levels which may be used to further characterize MNs involved in forelimb and thoracic innervation. Conclusions: Our study represents a detailed transcriptional analysis of embryonic spinal motor neurons and revealed a number of novel motor neuron-specific genes that are under transcriptional regulation of Pbx genes. Overall design: Examination of embryonic spinal MN expression profiles at 2 different spinal cord levels, brachial and thoracic. From RNA collected from 9 pooled Control and 9 PbxMN? e12.5 Hb9::GFP FACS MNs.
Parallel Pbx-Dependent Pathways Govern the Coalescence and Fate of Motor Columns.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesOne common form of translational control is mediated by proteins that bind to the mRNA 5' cap-binding protein eIF4E. These proteins are collectively called 4E binding proteins (4EBPs). Saccharomyces cerevisiae possesses two 4EBPs that are encoded by non-essential genes called CAF20 and EAP1. To determine the impact of gene deletion on gene expression, we monitored the transcript level and also the translation status for each RNA using cycloheximide to freeze elongating ribosomes in wild-type, caf20 and eap1 cells. Polyribosome fractionation of cell extracts was used to separate highly translated and poorly translated mRNAs that were then separately analyzed.
Identifying eIF4E-binding protein translationally-controlled transcripts reveals links to mRNAs bound by specific PUF proteins.
Sex
View SamplesNSAIDs and ACE that affect prostaglandin synthesis are widely used by pregnant women. Epidemiological studies have hypothesized a potential relation of testis dysgenesis syndromes such as cryptorchidism and hypospadias to exposure to these molecules during both the first and the second trimesters of gestation. To decipher whether the embryonic gonads themselves are targets for these molecules, we analysed the impact of precocious in utero exposure to NSAIDs and ACE alone or in combination on the early development of the testis during sex determination, using therapeutic doses similar to those administrated in human medications. We found that in utero exposure to ACE, aspirin or ibuprofen affects the germ cell proliferation in embryonic testis. The whole transcriptome of 13.5 dpc (days post coïtum) treated testis suggests different mechanisms of action of these drugs and a functional interaction between both molecules used in combination, in accelerating the germ cell differentiation. We identified that ACE and ibuprofen exposure through the up-regulation of Dnmt3L expression induces advanced epigenetic reprograming of the germline and enhanced glycogen storage within the testis cords through the activation of extracellular matrix genes expression. In addition, we identified for the first time the prostaglandin production pattern in the embryonic gonad and showed that PGD2, PGE2 and PGI2 were the targets of ACE and NSAIDs drugs. These features might affect the formation and maturation of postnatal testis and secondary reproductive organs leading to male infertility in adult age. Overall design: examination of the impact of in utero exposure to NSAIDs and ACE on testis organogenesis
Intergenerational effects on mouse sperm quality after in utero exposure to acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
Specimen part, Cell line, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesTwo critical events that are required for normal transition from fetal to extrauterine life are development of the alveoli that allow for efficient gas exchange in the lung and relaxation of the pulmonary vascular smooth muscle. Patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) have abnormal lung and pulmonary vascular development that results in a lethal combination of lung hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension. To better understand the mechanisms responsible for abnormal lung and pulmonary vascular development and function we generated Pbx1/2 conditional knockout mice that lack Pbx1 and Pbx2 expression in the lung mesenchyme. Pbx1 has previously been shown to be required for normal diaphragm development, however its role in alveologenesis, and the mechanisms responsible for pulmonary hypertension, has not been studied. We found that Pbx1/2 CKO mice have failure of alveologenesis and die of severe pulmonary hypertension by 2 to 3 weeks of age. In order to better understand the downstream genetic mis-regulation caused by deletion of Pbx1/2, and identify their potential transcriptional targets, we carried out transcriptional profiling of Pbx1/2 CKO and control mice starting at postnatal day 3 (P3), when a histological phenotype first becomes apparent, and then working back to the time of birth (P0), and embryonic day 14 (E14) when the pulmonary vascular smooth muscle is developing.
PBX transcription factors drive pulmonary vascular adaptation to birth.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe RPMI-8226 human multiple myeloma cell line was stably infected with either a validated shRNA against BMI1 or a control shRNA. RNA was prepared from these lines, +/- doxycycline induction and at various time points post-induction. Samples were hybridized on the Affymetrix U133plus2 human genome expression microarray.
The Polycomb group protein Bmi-1 is essential for the growth of multiple myeloma cells.
Cell line
View Samples