Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is thought to play a role in vascular homeostasis and in the pathogenesis of diseases of large vessels, including abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). We tested the hypothesis that locally restricted transcriptional profiles characterize PVAT surrounding AAA. Using a genome-wide approach, we investigated the PVAT transcriptome of AAA in 30 patients with either large (55 mm) or small (<55 mm) aneurysm diameter. We performed a data adjustment step using the DaMiRseq R/Bioconductor package, to remove the effect of confounders as produced by high-throughput gene expression techniques. We compared PVAT of AAA with PVAT of not-dilated abdominal aorta of each patient to limit the effect of inter-individual variability, using the limma R/Bioconductor package. We found highly consistent differences in PVAT gene expression clearly distinguishing PVAT of AAA from PVAT of not-dilated aorta, which increased in number and magnitude with increasing AAA diameter. These changes did not systemically affect other abdominal adipose depots (omental or subcutaneous fat). We dissected putative mechanisms associated with PVAT involvement in AAA through a functional enrichment network analysis: both innate and adaptive immune-response genes along with genes related to cell-death pathways, metabolic processes of collagen, sphingolipids, aminoglycans and extracellular matrix degradation were strongly overrepresented in PVAT of AAA compared with PVAT of not-dilated aorta. Our results provide support to a possible role of PVAT in AAA pathogenesis and suggest that AAA is an immunologic disease with an underlying autoimmune component. These disease-specific expression signatures could help identifying pharmacological targets for preventing AAA progression.
Genome-Wide Expression Profiling Unveils Autoimmune Response Signatures in the Perivascular Adipose Tissue of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesSummary:
HCaRG increases renal cell migration by a TGF-alpha autocrine loop mechanism.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesHEK293 cells were transfected with control plasmid (pcDNAI/Neo;Invitrogen) or with the plasmid encoding HCaRG. Stable transfectants were synchronized and grown in the presence of 10% FBS for 48 h. Total RNAs were purified with the mini RNeasy kit (Qiagen).
HCaRG increases renal cell migration by a TGF-alpha autocrine loop mechanism.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesChromatin packaging in sperm protects it against DNA fragmentation, and the importance of proper chromatin packaging for boar fertility outcome has become increasingly evident. Little is known however about the molecular mechanisms underlying differences in sperm DNA fragmentation and an understanding of the genes controlling this sperm parameter could help in selecting the best boars for AI use. The aim of this study was to identify differentially expressed genes in testis of Norsvin Landrace and Duroc boars with good and bad sperm DNA fragmentation using transcriptome sequencing and to use the data for polymorphism search. RNA sequence reads were obtained using Illumina technology and mapped by TopHat using the Ensembl pig database. Differentially expressed genes and pathways were analyzed using the R Bioconductor packages edgeR and goseq respectively. Using a false discovery rate of 0.05, 309 and 375 genes were found displaying significant differences in expression level between the good and bad condition in Landrace and Duroc respectively. Of the differentially expressed genes, 72 were found in common for the two breeds. Gene ontology analysis revealed that terms common for the two breeds included extracellular matrix, extracellular region and calcium ion binding. Additionally, different metabolic processes were enriched in Landrace and Duroc, whereas immune response ontologies were found to be important in Landrace. SNP detection in Landrace/Duroc identified 53182/53931 variants in 10924/10748 transcripts and of these, 1573/1827 SNPs occurred in 189/241 unique genes that were also differentially expressed. Possible high impact variants were detected using SnpEff. Transcriptome sequencing identified differentially expressed genes and nucleotide variants related to differences in sperm DNA fragmentation, and functional annotation of the genes pointed towards important biochemical pathways. This study provides insights into the genetic network underlying this trait and is a first step towards using sperm DNA fragmentation for predicting boar fertility. Overall design: Nine Landrace, five low and four high, and eleven Duroc, five low and six high, boars were selected for transcriptome profiling based on their extreme DFI values. The biological replicates within the high and low groups were compared.
RNA sequencing reveals candidate genes and polymorphisms related to sperm DNA integrity in testis tissue from boars.
Subject
View SamplesThe SCL and LMO1 oncogenic transcription factors reprogram thymocytes into self-renewing pre-leukemic stem cells (pre-LSCs). Here we report that SCL directly interacts with LMO1 to activate the transcription of a self-renewal program coordinated by LYL1.
SCL, LMO1 and Notch1 reprogram thymocytes into self-renewing cells.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesBackground Alternative splicing (AS) is a central mechanism of genetic regulation which modifies the sequence of RNA transcripts in higher eukaryotes. AS has been shown to increase both the variability and diversity of the cellular proteome by changing the composition of resulting proteins through differential choice of exons to be included in mature mRNAs. Results In the present study, alterations to the global RNA splicing landscape of cellular genes upon viral infection were investigated through high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) studies using mammalian reovirus as a model. Our study provides the first comprehensive portrait of global changes in the RNA splicing signatures that occur in eukaryotic cells following infection with a human virus. We identify modifications in the AS patterns of 240 cellular transcripts frequently involved in the regulation of gene expression and RNA metabolism. A significant number of the modified transcripts are also encoded by genes with important roles in viral infection/immunity. These modifications are expected to alter the functions of many cellular proteins. Finally, we used RT-PCR analysis in order to experimentally validate differential modifications in alternative splicing patterns that were observed through RNA-seq studies. Conclusion The present study demonstrated that viral infection can extensively modify the splicing patterns of numerous cellular transcripts. These findings provide additional insights into the complexity of virus-host interactions as these splice variants expand proteome diversity and function during viral infection. Finally, these data open new avenues of research for a better understanding of post-transcriptional events during virus infection and possible new targets toward the development of antiviral agents. Overall design: mRNAs were isolated from L929 mouse cell line, 14 hours after infection with T3D-S Reovirus or T3D-S Mutant reovirus at a MOI of 50. Control cells were uninfected. The resulting libraries were multiplexed and paired-end sequenced using Illumina HiSeq. Gene expression and alternative splicing were caracterized using Bowtie and RSEM.
Global Profiling of the Cellular Alternative RNA Splicing Landscape during Virus-Host Interactions.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesThe diagnosis of Kawasaki disease (KD) is often difficult to distinguish from adenovirus (HAdV) and Group A streptococcal disease (GAS). We sought to: 1) to define the KD transcriptional signature that can aid in the diagnosis of complete and incomplete KD in children; 2) to identify specific biomarkers that objectively discriminate between KD and other mimicking conditions, including HAdV and 3) to test the prognostic utility of GEP to determine response to IVIG therapy and development of coronary artery lesions (CAL). Methods: Blood RNA samples were analyzed from 76 pediatric patients with complete KD, 13 with incomplete KD, 19 patients with HAdV, 17 patients with GAS disease, and age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). We used class comparisons (MW p< 0.01, Benjamini-Hochberg, and 1.25 fold change filter), class prediction, modular analysis and MDTH analyses to define the specificity of the KD profiles and identify markers of severity. Results: Statistical group comparisons identified 7,899 genes differentially expressed in 39 complete KD patients versus HC (KD biosignature). This signature was validated in another 37 patients with complete KD and in 13 patients with incomplete KD. Modular analysis in children with complete KD demonstrated overexpression of inflammation, neutrophils, myeloid cell, coagulation cascade, and cell cycle genes. The KNN class prediction algorithm identified 25-classifier genes that differentiated children with KD vs HAdV infection in two independent cohorts of patients with 96% (95% CI [80%-99%]) sensitivity and 95% [74%-99%] specificity. MDTH scores in KD patients significantly correlated with the baseline c-reactive protein (R=0.29, p=0.008) and was four fold higher than in children with HAdV (p<0.01). In addition, KD patients that remained febrile 36 hours after treatment with IVIG (non-responders) demonstrated higher baseline, pre-treatment MDTH values compared with responders [12,290 vs. 5,572 respectively; p=0.009]. Conclusion: Transcriptional signatures can be used as a tool to discriminate between KD and HAdV infection, and may also provide prognostic information.
Whole blood transcriptional profiles as a prognostic tool in complete and incomplete Kawasaki Disease.
Sex, Specimen part, Race
View SamplesSteroid hormones regulate essential physiological processes and inadequate levels are associated with various pathological conditions. In testosterone-producing Leydig cells, steroidogenesis is strongly stimulated by LH via its receptor leading to increased cAMP production and expression of the steroidogenic acute regulatory (STAR) protein, which is essential for the initiation of steroidogenesis. Leydig cell steroidogenesis then passively decreases following the rapid degradation of cAMP into AMP by phosphodiesterases. In this study, we show that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is activated following cAMP breakdown in MA-10 and MLTC-1 Leydig cells. Activated AMPK then actively inhibits cAMP-induced steroidogenesis by repressing the expression of key regulators of steroidogenesis including Star and Nr4a1. Similar results were obtained in Y-1 adrenal cells and in the constitutive steroidogenic cell line R2C. Our data identify AMPK as an active repressor of steroid hormone biosynthesis in steroidogenic cells that is essential to preserve cellular energy and prevent excess steroid production.
A cell-autonomous molecular cascade initiated by AMP-activated protein kinase represses steroidogenesis.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesTestosterone production by Leydig cells is a tightly regulated process requiring synchronized expression of several steroidogenic genes by numerous transcription factors. Myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) is a transcription factor recently identified in somatic cells of the male gonad. In other tissues, MEF2 is an essential regulator of organogenesis and cell differentiation. So far in the testis, MEF2 was found to regulate Leydig cell steroidogenesis by controlling Nr4a1 and Star gene expression. To expand our understanding of the role of MEF2 in Leydig cells, we performed microarray analyses of MA-10 Leydig cells depleted in MEF2 and results were analyzed using the Partek and IPA softwares. Several genes were differentially expressed in MEF2-depleted Leydig cells and 15 were validated by qPCR. A large number of these genes are known to be involved in fertility, gonad morphology and steroidogenesis and include Pde8a, Por, Ahr, Bmal1, Cyp1a1, Cyp1b1, Map2k1, Tsc22d3, Nr0b2, Smad4, and Star, which were all downregulated in the absence of MEF2. In silico analyses revealed the presence of MEF2 binding sites within the first 2 kb upstream the transcription start site of the Por, Bmal1, and Nr0b2 promoters, which suggests a direct regulation by MEF2. Using transient transfections in MA-10 Leydig cells, siRNA knockdown, and a MEF2-Engrailed dominant negative, we found that MEF2 activates the Por, Bmal1 and Nr0b2 promoters and that this requires an intact MEF2 element. Our results identify novel target genes for MEF2 and define MEF2 as an important regulator of Leydig cell function and male reproduction.
Novel Targets for the Transcription Factors MEF2 in MA-10 Leydig Cells.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesThe objective is to quantify the contribution of genetic and common environmental effects in the familial resemblances of whole blood genome-wide gene expression levels. We also make comparisons with familial resemblances in blood leukocytes genome-wide DNA methylation levels in the same cohort in order to further investigate biological mechanims.
Familial resemblances in human whole blood transcriptome.
Sex, Specimen part
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