Understanding the mechanisms of host macrophage responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb.) is essential for uncovering potential avenues of intervention to boost host resistance to infection. Macrophage transcriptome profiling revealed M.tb. infection strongly induced expression of several enzymes controlling tryptophan (Trp) catabolism. This included indole 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO2), which catalyze the rate-limiting step in the kynurenine pathway, producing ligands for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). The AHR and heterodimeric partners AHR nuclear translocator (ARNT) and RELB are robustly expressed, and AHR and RELB levels further increased during infection. Infection enhanced AHR/ARNT and AHR/RELB DNA binding, and stimulated expression of AHR target genes, including that encoding the inflammatory cytokine IL1beta. AHR target gene expression was further enhanced by exogenous kynurenine, and exogenous Trp, kynurenine or synthetic agonist indirubin reduced mycobacterial viability. Comparative expression profiling revealed that AHR ablation diminished expression of numerous genes implicated in innate immune responses, including several cytokines. Notably, AHR depletion reduced expression of IL23A and IL12B transcripts, which encode subunits of interleukin 23 (IL23), a macrophage cytokine that stimulates production of IL22 by innate lymphoid cells. The AHR directly induced IL23A transcription in human and mouse macrophages through near-upstream enhancer regions. Taken together, these findings show that AHR signaling is strongly engaged in Mtb-infected macrophages, and has widespread effects on innate immune responses. Moreover, they reveal a cascade of AHR-driven innate immune signaling, as IL1B (IL-1) and IL23 stimulate T cell subsets producing IL22, another direct target of AHR transactivation.
Engagement of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Mycobacterium tuberculosis-Infected Macrophages Has Pleiotropic Effects on Innate Immune Signaling.
Cell line
View SamplesHigh grade serous ovarian cancers (HGSC) are deadly malignancies that relapse despite carboplatin chemotherapy. Here we show that 16 independent primary HGSCs contain a CA125 negative population enriched for carboplatin resistant cancer initiating cells. Transcriptome analysis reveals up-regulation of homologous recombination DNA repair and anti-apoptotic signals in this population. While treatment with carboplatin enriches for CA125 negative cells, co-treatment with carboplatin and birinapant eliminates these cells in HGSCs expressing high levels of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein cIAP in the CA125 negative population. Birinapant sensitizes CA125 negative cells to carboplatin by mediating degradation of cIAP causing cleavage of caspase-8 and restoration of apoptosis. This co-therapy significantly improved disease free survival in vivo compared to either therapy alone in tumor-bearing mice. These findings suggest that therapeutic strategies that target CA125 negative cells may be useful in the treatment of HGSC. Overall design: mRNA profiles of CA125 positive and negative populations, generated by next generation sequencing of populations FACS isolated from 10 independent dissociated primary human high grade serous ovarian cancers, were compared.
An apoptosis-enhancing drug overcomes platinum resistance in a tumour-initiating subpopulation of ovarian cancer.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesHigh grade serous ovarian cancers (HGSC) are deadly malignancies that relapse despite carboplatin chemotherapy. Many commercially ovarian cancer cell lines are not good models for HGSC. Here we demonstrate that 3 low passage cell lines derived from HGSC have similar transcriptomes to their parental bulk tumors. These cell lines recapitulated tumor characteristics of the primary cancer and had responded to therapy in the same manner as primary HGSC cells, demonstrating they are accurate models for HGSCs. Overall design: mRNA profiles of low passage high grade serous tumor cell lines and their parental tumors, generated by next generation sequencing, were compared.
An apoptosis-enhancing drug overcomes platinum resistance in a tumour-initiating subpopulation of ovarian cancer.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesHalf of all human cancers lose p53 function by missense mutations, with an unknown fraction of these containing p53 in a self-aggregated, amyloid-like state. Here we show that a cell-penetrating peptide, ReACp53, designed to inhibit p53 amyloid formation, rescues p53 function in cancer cell lines and in organoids derived from high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas (HGSOC), an aggressive cancer characterized by ubiquitous p53 mutations. Rescued p53 behaves similarly to its wild-type counterpart in regulating target genes, reducing cell proliferation and increasing cell death. Intraperitoneal administration decreases tumor proliferation and shrinks xenografts in vivo. Our data show the effectiveness of targeting a specific aggregation defect of p53 and its potential applicability to HGSOCs. Overall design: Vehicle vs. ReACp53 treatment in 4 different samples: 2 cell lines (MCF7 w/ WT p53 as negative control and OVCAR3 w/ R248Q p53) and 2 clinical specimens (primary cells from patient #8 w/ WT p53 as negative control and primary cells from patient #1 w/ R248Q p53)
A Designed Inhibitor of p53 Aggregation Rescues p53 Tumor Suppression in Ovarian Carcinomas.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesIn this study we predict functionally important long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) with a role in core essential processes in human. One of the candidate lincRNA, AC093323.3, was experimentally verified to affect cell viability. We performed RNASeq on knockdown of AC093323.3 to further investigate the functional role of this lincRNA. Overall design: RNA profiles of NCI-H460 lung cancer cells after treatment with scrambled siRNAs and AC093323.3-siRNA.
In silico prediction of housekeeping long intergenic non-coding RNAs reveals HKlincR1 as an essential player in lung cancer cell survival.
Cell line, Subject
View SamplesCovalently closed circular RNA molecules (circRNAs) have recently emerged as a class of RNA isoforms with widespread and tissue specific expression across animals, oftentimes independent of the corresponding linear mRNAs. circRNAs are remarkably stable and sometimes highly expressed molecules. Here, we sequenced RNA in human peripheral whole blood to determine the potential of circRNAs as biomarkers in an easily accessible body fluid. We report the reproducible detection of thousands of circRNAs. Importantly, we observed that hundreds of circRNAs are much higher expressed than corresponding linear mRNAs. Thus, circRNA expression in human blood reveals and quantifies the activity of hundreds of coding genes not accessible by classical mRNA specific assays. Our findings suggest that circRNAs could be used as biomarker molecules in standard clinical blood samples. Overall design: Sequencing of blood RNA from five healthy individuals (biological replicates) plus technical replicate of one sample and detection of circRNAs.
Identification and Characterization of Circular RNAs As a New Class of Putative Biomarkers in Human Blood.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesTumor hypoxia is associated with poor patient outcome and resistance to therapy. It is associated with a rapid decline in protein production mediated through mTOR signalling. Here we show that it also leads to widespread changes in splicing and a global shift towards the expression of noncoding isoforms, thus providing a novel and orthogonal mechanism by which cells can modulate protein expression. Overall design: Examination of mRNA levels in HCT116 cells after 0 hr, 1 hr, 2 hr and 24 hr in hypoxia. Three biological replicates each.
Hypoxia-driven splicing into noncoding isoforms regulates the DNA damage response.
Specimen part, Cell line, Treatment, Subject, Time
View SamplesWe reported altered RNA expression profiles in wild-type (WT) C57BL/6J mice upon parenteral nutrition treatment compared to saline infusion controls.
Dysregulation of bile acid homeostasis in parenteral nutrition mouse model.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe enteric nervous system (ENS) can control most essential gut functions owing to its organization into complete neural circuits consisting of a multitude of different neuronal subtypes.
Transcription and Signaling Regulators in Developing Neuronal Subtypes of Mouse and Human Enteric Nervous System.
Specimen part
View SamplesThis study aimed at investigating the impact of chronic ingestion of sebacic acid (SA), a 10 carbons medium-chain dicarboxylic acid, on glycemic control in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes (db/db mice). Three groups of 15 mice were fed for 6 weeks either a chow diet (Ctrl), or a chow diet supplemented with 1.5% or 15% (SA1.5% and SA15% resp.) energy from SA. Fasting glycemia was measured once a week and HbA1c before and after supplementation. An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed at the end of the supplementation. Gene expression was determined by transcriptomic analysis on the liver of the Ctrl and SA15% groups. Results-After 42 days of supplementation, fasting glycemia and HbA1c were ~70% and ~25% lower in the SA15% group compared to other groups showing a beneficial effect of SA on hyperglycemia. During OGTT, blood glucose area under the curve (AUC) was reduced after SA15% compared to other groups. This effect was associated with a tendency for an improved insulin response. In the liver, Pck1 and FBP mRNA were statistically decreased in the SA15% compared to Ctrl suggesting a reduced hepatic glucose output induced by SA. Conclusions-Dietary supplementation of SA largely improves glycemic control in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes. This beneficial effect may be due (1) to a reduced hepatic glucose output resulting from transcriptional down regulation of key gluconeogenesis genes and (2) to an improved glucose induced-insulin secretion.
Six weeks' sebacic acid supplementation improves fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c and glucose tolerance in db/db mice.
Specimen part
View Samples