Alzheimers disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative dementia. Around 10% of cases present an age of onset before 65 years-old, which in turn can be divided in monogenic or familial AD (FAD) and sporadic early-onset AD (EOAD). Mutations in PSEN1, PSEN2 and APP genes have been linked with FAD. The aim of our study was to describe the brain whole-genome RNA expression profile of the posterior cingulate area in EOAD and FAD caused by PSEN1 mutations (FAD-PSEN1). 14 patients (7 EOAD and 7 FAD-PSEN1) and 7 neurologically healthy controls were selected and samples were hybridized in a Human Gene 1.1 microarray from Affymetrix. When comparing controls with EOAD and controls with FAD-PSEN1, we found 3183 and 3351 differentially expressed genes (DEG) respectively (FDR corrected p<0.05). However, any DEG was found in the comparison of the two groups of patients. Microarrays were validated through quantitative-PCR of 17 DEG. In silico analysis of the DEG revealed an alteration in biological pathways related to calcium-signaling, axon guidance and long-term potentiation (LTP), among others, in both groups of patients. These pathways are mainly related with cell signalling cascades, synaptic plasticity and learning and memory processes. In conclusion, the altered biological final pathways in EOAD and FAD-PSEN1 are highly coincident. Also, the findings are in line with those previously reported for late-onset AD (LOAD, onset >65 years-old), which implies that the consequences of the disease at the molecular level are similar in the final stages of the disease.
A preliminary study of the whole-genome expression profile of sporadic and monogenic early-onset Alzheimer's disease.
Sex
View SamplesLRRK2 mutations are the most common genetic cause of Parkinsons disease (PD). We performed a whole-genome RNA profiling of putamen tissue from idiopathic PD (IPD), LRRK2-associated PD (G2019S mutation), neurologically healthy controls and one asymptomatic LRRK2 mutation carrier, by using the Genechip Human Exon 1.0-ST Array. The differentially expressed genes found in IPD revealed an alteration of biological pathways related to long term potentiation (LTP), GABA receptor signalling, and calcium signalling pathways, among others. These pathways are mainly related with cell signalling cascades and synaptic plasticity processes. They were also altered in the asymptomatic LRRK2 mutation carrier but not in the LRRK2-associated PD group. The expression changes seen in IPD might be attributed to an adaptive consequence of a dysfunction in the dopamine transmission. The lack of these altered molecular pathways in LRRK2-associated PD patients suggests that these cases could show a different molecular response to dopamine transmission impairment.
Microarray expression analysis in idiopathic and LRRK2-associated Parkinson's disease.
Sex
View SamplesLRRK2 mutations are the most common genetic cause of Parkinsons disease (PD). We performed a whole-genome RNA profiling of locus coeruleus post-mortem tissue from idiopathic PD (IPD) and LRRK2-associated PD patients. The differentially expressed genes found in IPD and LRRK2-associated PD were involved in the gene ontology terms of synaptic transmission and neuron projection. In addition, in the IPD group we found associated genes belonging to the immune system. Pathway analysis of the differentially expressed genes in IPD was related with neuroactive-ligand receptor interaction and with immune system pathways. Specifically, the analysis highlighted differential expression of genes located in the chromosome 6p21.3 belonging to the class II HLA. Our findings support the hypothesis of a potential role of neuroinflammation and the involvement of the HLA genetic area in IPD pathogenesis. Future studies are necessary to shed light on the relation of immune system related pathways in the etiopathogenesis of PD.
Brain transcriptomic profiling in idiopathic and LRRK2-associated Parkinson's disease.
Sex, Specimen part, Disease
View SamplesThe aim of this study was to perform a genome-wide transcriptional analysis (mRNA + microRNA) during in vitro mucociliary differentiation of primary human basal stem/progenitors cells (BSCs) cultured at the air-liquid interface (ALI) system.
No associated publication
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Subject, Time
View SamplesHepatic fibrosis, the wound-healing response to repeated liver injury, ultimately leads to cirrhosis. There is an urgent need to develop effective antifibrotic therapies. Ghrelin (encoded by Ghrl) is an orexigenic hormone that has pleiotrophic functions including protection against cell death1. Here we investigate whether ghrelin modulates liver fibrosis and protects from acute liver injury. Recombinant ghrelin reduced the fibrogenic response to prolonged bile duct ligation in rats. This effect was associated with decreased liver injury and myofibroblast accumulation as well as attenuation of the altered gene expression profile. Ghrelin also reduced fibrogenic properties in cultured hepatic stellate cells. Moreover, Ghrl-/- mice developed exacerbated hepatic fibrosis and liver damage after chronic injury. Ghrelin also protected rat livers from acute liver injury and reduced the extent of oxidative stress and the inflammatory response. In patients with chronic liver diseases, ghrelin serum levels decreased in those with advanced fibrosis and hepatic expression of the ghrelin gene correlated with expression of fibrogenic genes. Finally, in patients with chronic hepatitis C, single nucleotide polymorphisms of the ghrelin gene (-994CT and 604GA) influenced the progression of liver fibrosis. We conclude that ghrelin exerts antifibrotic effects on the liver and may represent a novel antifibrotic therapy.
Ghrelin attenuates hepatocellular injury and liver fibrogenesis in rodents and influences fibrosis progression in humans.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesNotch intracellular domain (NICD) is the active form of the Notch receptor. In this mouse model, NICD is inserted in the Rosa26 locus downstream of a loxP-STOP-LoxP (lsl) sequence and therefore NICD expression is dependant on Cre recombinase expression. These mice are crossed with the AFP-Cre strain that expresses Cre in hepatoblasts due to its regulation by the AFP promoter and albumin enhancer. Mice from 6 to 12 months are sacrificed and liver RNA samples from control monotransgenic Rosa26-lsl-NICD and confirmed HCC lesions from bitransgenic AFP-Cre/Rosa26-lsl-NICD (AFP-NICD) are obtained. Exon expression profiling of these samples are submitted.
Notch signaling is activated in human hepatocellular carcinoma and induces tumor formation in mice.
Age, Specimen part
View Samplesmmunosuppressive drugs can be completely withdrawn in up to 20% of liver transplant recipients, commonly referred to as operationally tolerant. Immune characterization of these patients, however, has not been performed in detail, and we lack tests capable of identifying tolerant patients among recipients receiving maintenance immunosuppression. In the current study we have analyzed a variety of biological traits in peripheral blood of operationally tolerant liver recipients in an attempt to define a multiparameter fingerprint of tolerance. Thus, we have performed peripheral blood gene expression profiling and extensive blood cell immunophenotyping on 16 operationally tolerant liver recipients, 16 recipients requiring on-going immunosuppressive therapy, and 10 healthy individuals. Microarray profiling identified a gene expression signature that could discriminate tolerant recipients from immunosuppression-dependent patients with high accuracy. This signature included genes encoding for ?d T-cell and NK receptors, and for proteins involved in cell proliferation arrest. In addition, tolerant recipients exhibited significantly greater numbers of circulating potentially regulatory T-cell subsets (CD4+CD25+ T-cells and Vd1+ T cells) than either non-tolerant patients or healthy individuals. Our data provide novel mechanistic insight on liver allograft operational tolerance, and constitute a first step in the search for a non-invasive diagnostic signature capable of predicting tolerance before undergoing drug weaning.
Multiparameter immune profiling of operational tolerance in liver transplantation.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesRationale: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is associated with a complex pulmonary and systemic immune response.
No associated publication
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesNucleosome organization and dynamics play a central role in controlling the DNA accessibility to regulatory factors of many critical cellular functions, especially gene regulation. However, despite extensive studies, the main factors determining nucleosome positioning and its fluctuation during cell cycle still remain elusive. Here, we present a large-scale study of nucleosome plasticity throughout the cell cycle and its interplay with gene expression based on genome-wide nucleosome positioning and mRNA abundance. We have clusterized distinct nucleosome architectures around transcription start sites and replication origins and studied their dynamics during the cell cycle progression. The most significant cell cycle-dependent changes occur at G1-S and G2-M transitions due to a large changes in gene expression in cell cycle regulatory genes. Taken together, our accurate study provides a dynamic picture of chromatin organization along cell cycle and its interplay with gene expression.
No associated publication
Treatment
View SamplesDifferential gene expression assessed in siTNF-OMe-P treated animals showed significant correlation between improved colon integrity and clinical parameters of colitis with reduced TLR activation, tissue regeneration and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines, as compared to all treatment groups.
Functionally enhanced siRNA targeting TNFα attenuates DSS-induced colitis and TLR-mediated immunostimulation in mice.
Specimen part, Treatment
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