Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder that is caused by mutations in the gene methyl-CpG-binding-protein-2 (MECP2). However, the molecular mechanism by which these mutations mediate the RTT neuropathology remains enigmatic. In this study, we stimulated MeCP2-null cortical neurons (in vitro) and brains (in vivo) of a RTT mouse model to explore the effect of the loss of MeCP2 function on the activity-dependent transcriptomes of the cortex and hippocampus, respectively, using RNA-seq. These analyses revealed that the loss of MeCP2 results in aberrant global pattern of gene expression, characterized predominantly by higher levels of expression of activity-dependent genes, and anomalous alternative splicing events, specifically in response to neuronal activity. Overall design: For in vitro experiments, RNA-seq was performed on MeCP2-null (MT) and wild-type (WT) neuron-enriched cortical cultures that were either treated (T) with KCl for 3hr or not treated (N), after 10 days in culture. For in vivo experiments, RNA-seq was performed on hippocampi of MeCP2-null (MT) and wild-type (WT) mice that were either treated with kainic acid for 40 or 68 minutes, or not treated.
Activity-dependent aberrations in gene expression and alternative splicing in a mouse model of Rett syndrome.
Specimen part, Treatment, Subject, Time
View SamplesParathyroid hormone (PTH) plays an essential role in regulating calcium and bone homeostasis in the adult, but whether PTH is required at all for regulating fetal-placental mineral homeostasis is uncertain. To address this we treated Pth-null mice in utero with 1 nmol PTH (1-84) or saline and examined placental calcium transfer 90 minutes later. It was found that placental calcium transfer increased in Pth-null fetuses treated with PTH as compared to Pth-null fetuses treated with saline. Subsequently, to determine the effect of PTH treatment on placental gene expression, in a separate experiment, 90 minutes after the fetal injections the placentas were removed for subsequent RNA extraction and microarray analysis.
Parathyroid hormone regulates fetal-placental mineral homeostasis.
Sex, Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesDuring activation, T cells integrate multiple signals from APCs and cytokine milieu. The blockade of these signals can have clinical benefits as exemplified by CTLA4-Ig, which blocks interaction of B7 co-stimulatory molecules on APCs with CD28 on T cells. Variants of CTLA4-Ig, abatacept and belatacept are FDA approved as immunosuppressive agents in arthritis and transplantation whereas murine studies suggested that CTLA4-Ig can be beneficial in a number of other diseases. However, detailed analysis of human CD4 cell hyporesponsivness induced by CTLA4-Ig has not been performed. Herein, we established a model to study effect of CTLA4-Ig on the activation of human naïve T cells in a human mixed lymphocytes system. Comparison of human CD4 cells activated in the presence or absence of CTLA4-Ig, showed that co-stimulation blockade during TCR activation does not affect NFAT signaling but results in decreased activation of NF-kB and AP-1 transcription factors followed by profound decrease in proliferation and cytokine production. The resulting T cells become hyporesponsive to secondary activation and, although capable of receiving TCR signals, fail to proliferate or produce cytokines, demonstrating properties of anergic cells. However, unlike some models of T cell anergy, these cells did not possess increased levels of TCR signaling inhibitor CBLB. Rather, the CTLA4-Ig induced hyporesponsiveness was associated with an elevated level of p27kip1 cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor. Overall design: Time series. Human resting and activated T cell dUTP mRNA-Seq profiles were generated on Illumina HiSeq2500
Functional characterization of human T cell hyporesponsiveness induced by CTLA4-Ig.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesGametogenesis is dependent on the expression of germline-specific genes. However, it remains unknown how the germline epigenome is distinctly established from that of somatic lineages. Here we show that genes commonly expressed in somatic lineages and spermatogenesis-progenitor cells undergo repression in a genome-wide manner in late stages of the male germline and identify underlying mechanisms. SCML2, a germline-specific subunit of a Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1), establishes the unique epigenome of the male germline through two distinct antithetical mechanisms. SCML2 works with PRC1 and promotes RNF2-dependent ubiquitination of H2A, thereby marking somatic/progenitor genes on autosomes for repression. Paradoxically, SCML2 also prevents RNF2-dependent ubiquitination of H2A on sex chromosomes during meiosis, thereby enabling unique epigenetic programming of sex chromosomes for male reproduction. Our results reveal divergent mechanisms involving a shared regulator by which the male germline epigenome is distinguished from that of the soma and progenitor cells. Overall design: RNA-seq and ChIP-seq analyses using wild-type and Scml2-KO spermatogenic cells
Poised chromatin and bivalent domains facilitate the mitosis-to-meiosis transition in the male germline.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThe goal of this study was to identify important genetic pathways that are altered in mammary tumor cells upon over-expression of the tumor suppressor gene Arid1a. The results of this experiment revealed that Arid1a helps regulate key cell-cycle checkpoint and growth regulatory pathways, either directly or indirectly. This helped explain in part the significant decrease in cell proliferation and tumor growth phenotypes observed both in vitro and in vivo, when comparing the same samples analyzed here by RNA-seq (untransduced replicates vs. add-back clonal lines). Overall design: Whole transcriptome comparison of mammary tumor cells derived from Chaos3 mouse model (23116 MT- control) vs. add-back clones overexpressing Arid1a (AB-C1 & AB-C2 - exp). Control and experimental samples were run in duplicate.
The Chromatin Remodeling Component Arid1a Is a Suppressor of Spontaneous Mammary Tumors in Mice.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesWe extract RNA from mouse implantation sites (IS) on D8 of pregnancy. Mice were treated with or without PRT4165, an inhibitior of PRC1. Total RNAs were analyzed by RNA sequncing. Overall design: There are four samples to be analyzed:Control group 1) "D8ISCOT-1" and 2) "D8ISCOT-2” ; PRT4165 treated groups 3) "D8ISPRT4165-1", 4)”D8ISPRT4165-2”
Polycomb repressive complex 1 controls uterine decidualization.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesHigh grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) can originate from fallopian tube epithelium (FTE) and ovarian surface epithelium (OSE). We report the application of unique spontaneous model that mimics cellular aging for understanding the origin and progression of HGSOC from oviductal epithelium. Oviductal epithelium is equivalent to human FTE. Serial passaging of the outbred mouse CD1 oviductal cells (MOE low) to MOE high produced transformed cells that lead to benign tumors. To understand the altered molecular signaling pathways in MOEhigh cells versus MOElow cells, we performed RNA sequencing. Total RNA was extracted from MOELOW (passages 8, 9, & 10) and MOEHIGH (passages 90, 103, & 113) cells. Each total RNA sample had ribosomal RNA removed using TruSeq Stranded Total RNA with Ribo-Zero (Illumina, San Diego, CA). Strand-specific libraries were constructed and quantitated using Qubit, and cDNAs verified by qPCR. qRT–PCR validation was performed using SYBR Green assays. Samples were barcoded and sequenced using Illumina HiSeq2500 sequencing. The reads were aligned to the Mus musculus genome (mm10) using TopHat, version and were used to determine the expression of known mmu10 gene annotations from the University of California-Santa Cruz website using Cuffdiff version. By merging the individual transcript from Cuffdiff into a single gene annotation file, we determined the differential expression analysis. By applying a false discovery rate (FDR)-adjusted p-value, where significance was set to p = 0.05, statistically significant differential expression was determined. Furthermore, pathway analysis was performed on transcript lists from both cell lines using GeneCoDis to identify the KEGG and Panther pathways that are significantly different between MOELOW and MOEHIGH cell lines. We find that the splicesome, RNA transport, the cell cycle, and DNA replication were the most highly upregulated pathway whereas the repressed pathways included processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, focal adhesion, and the lysosome. RNA sequencing revealed that p53 in MOELOW and MOEHIGH cells was not mutated; however, MOEHIGH cells had a significant upregulation of a splice variant of p53. The splice variant behaved like wild-type on few targets and missense on some transcriptional targets by qRT-PCR. This study provides a framework for the application of comprehensive chromatin profiling towards characterization of diverse mammalian cell populations. This model provides a framework to uncover a step-wise progression of tumor formation from an oviductal origin to be compared to human disease. Overall design: Examination of altered molecular signaling pathways in 2 cell types.
Spontaneous Transformation of Murine Oviductal Epithelial Cells: A Model System to Investigate the Onset of Fallopian-Derived Tumors.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesBreast cancer stem cells are considered estrogen receptor negative and estrogen insensitive. However, estrogens potentiate growth of the vast majority of breast tumors. In this study, we characterize the expression of estrogen receptors in breast cancer stem cells.
mTOR inhibitors counteract tamoxifen-induced activation of breast cancer stem cells.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesMicroarray analysis of purified pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids. Each stage was examined in wild type and RNF8 knockout mice in two biological replicates.
RNF8 regulates active epigenetic modifications and escape gene activation from inactive sex chromosomes in post-meiotic spermatids.
Specimen part
View SamplesOvarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among US women. Evidence supports the hypothesis that high-grade serous ovarian cancers (HGSC) may originate in the distal end of the fallopian tube. Although a heterogeneous disease, 96% of HGSC contain mutations in p53. In addition, the p53 signature, or overexpression of p53 protein (usually associated with mutation), is a potential precursor lesion of fallopian tube derived HGSC suggesting an essential role for p53 mutation in early serous tumorigenesis. To further clarify p53-mutation dependent effects on cells, murine oviductal epithelial cells (MOE) were stably transfected with a construct encoding for the R273H DNA binding domain mutation in p53, the most common mutation in HGSC. Mutation in p53 was not sufficient to transform MOE cells, but did significantly increase cell migration. A similar p53 mutation in murine ovarian surface epithelium (MOSE), another potential progenitor cell for serous cancer, was not sufficient to transform the cells nor change migration suggesting tissue specific effects of p53 mutation. Microarray data confirmed expression changes in pro-migratory genes in p53R273H MOE compared to parental cells, which could be reversed by suppressing Slug expression. Combining p53R273H with KRASG12V activation caused transformation of MOE into high-grade sarcomatoid carcinoma when xenografted into nude mice. Elucidating the specific role of p53R273H in the fallopian tube will improve understanding of changes at the earliest stage of transformation and could help develop chemopreventative strategies to prevent the accumulation of additional mutations and reverse progression of the p53 signature thereby, improving survival rates.
Mutant p53 expression in fallopian tube epithelium drives cell migration.
Specimen part
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