Signalling pathways regulate all major cellular events in health and disease, including asthma development and progression. Complexity of human intracellular signalization can be explored using novel systemic approaches that exploit whole-transcriptome analysis. Cap-analysis-of-gene-expression (CAGE) is a method of choice for generating transcriptome libraries, as it interrogates only terminally capped mRNAs that have the highest probability to be translated into protein. In this study we for the first time systematically profiled differentially activated Intracellular Signalling Pathways (ISPs) in cultured primary human airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells from asthmatic (n=8) and non-asthmatic (n=6) subjects in a high-throughput assay, highlighting asthma-specific co-regulatory patterns. CAGE-libraries from primary human ASM cells were subject to massive parallel next generation sequencing, and a comprehensive analysis of ISP activation was performed using a recently developed technique OncoFinder. Analysis of 270 ISPs led to discovery of multiple pathways clearly distinguishing asthmatic from normal cells. In particular, we found 146 (p<0.05) and 103 (p<0.01) signalling pathways differentially active in asthmatic vs non-asthmatic samples. We identified seven clusters of coherently acting pathways functionally related to the disease. Pathways down-regulated in asthma mostly represented cell death-promoting pathways, whereas the up-regulated ones were mainly involved in cell growth and proliferation, inflammatory response and some specific reactions, including smooth muscle contraction and hypoxia - related signalization. Most of interactions uncovered in this study were not previously associated with asthma, suggesting that these results may be pivotal to development of novel therapeutic strategies that specifically address the ISP signature linked with asthma pathophysiology. Overall design: Capped mRNA profiles of primary bronchial smooth muscle cells from 8 asthmatic and 6 healthy donors were generated by deep sequencing using Illumina HiSeq1500.
Large-scale profiling of signalling pathways reveals an asthma specific signature in bronchial smooth muscle cells.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesRespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Previous studies have suggested that T cell responses may contribute to RSV immunopathology, which could be driven by dendritic cells (DCs). DCs are productively infected by RSV, and during RSV infections, there is an increase of DCs in the lungs with a decrease in the blood. Pediatric populations are particularly susceptible to severe RSV infections, however DC responses to RSV from pediatric populations have not been examined. In this study, primary isolated DCs from cord blood and adult peripheral blood were compared after RSV-infection. Transcriptional profiling and biological network analysis identified transforming growth factor (TGF)-b and associated signaling molecules as differentially regulated in the two age groups. TGF-b1 was decreased in RSV-infected adult blood DCs, but increased in RSV-infected cord blood DCs. Co-culture of adult RSV-infected DCs with autologous T-cells induced secretion of interferon gamma (IFNg), IL-12p70, IL-2, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFa). Conversely, co-culture of cord RSV-infected DCs and autologous T-cells induced secretion of IL-4, IL-6, IL-1b, and IL-17. Addition of purified TGF-b1 to adult DC-T cell co-cultures reduced secretion of IFNg, IL-12p70, IL-2, and TNFa, which addition of a TGF-b chemical inhibitor to cord DC-T cell co-cultures increased secretion of IL-12p70. These data suggest that TGF-b acts as a major regulator of RSV DC-T cell responses, which could contribute to immunopathology during infancy.
Transforming growth factor beta is a major regulator of human neonatal immune responses following respiratory syncytial virus infection.
Specimen part
View SamplesLong non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are expressed in a highly tissue-specific manner where they function in various aspects of cell biology, often as key regulators of gene expression. In this study we established a role for lncRNAs in chondrocyte differentiation. Using RNA sequencing we identified a human articular chondrocyte repertoire of lncRNAs from normal hip cartilage donated by neck of femur fracture patients. Of particular interest are lncRNAs upstream of the master chondrocyte transcription factor SOX9 locus. SOX9 is an HMG-box transcription factor which is essential for chondrocyte development by directing the expression of chondrocyte specific genes. Two of these lncRNAs are upregulated during chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs. Depletion of one of these lncRNA, LOC102723505, which we termed ROCR (regulator of chondrogenesis RNA), by RNAi disrupted MSC chondrogenesis, concomitant with reduced cartilage-specific gene expression and incomplete matrix component production, indicating an important role in chondrocyte biology. Specifically, SOX9 induction was significantly ablated in the absence of ROCR, and overexpression of SOX9 rescued the differentiation of MSCs into chondrocytes. Our work sheds further light on chondrocyte specific SOX9 expression and highlights a novel method of chondrocyte gene regulation involving a lncRNA. Overall design: Human neck of femure fracture hip cartilage chondrocyte mRNA profile generated by RNA-seq
Expression analysis of the osteoarthritis genetic susceptibility mapping to the matrix Gla protein gene MGP.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesAdenosine deaminases that act on RNA (ADARs) are RNA editing enzymes that convert adenosine to inosine in double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). To evaluate effects of ADARs on small RNAs that derive from dsRNA precursors, we performed deep-sequencing, comparing small RNAs from wildtype and ADAR mutant C. elegans. While editing in small RNAs was rare, at least 40% of microRNAs had altered levels in at least one ADAR mutant strain, and miRNAs with significantly altered levels had mRNA targets with correspondingly affected levels. About 40% of siRNAs derived from endogenous genes (endo-siRNAs) also had altered levels in at least one mutant strain, including 63% of Dicer-dependent endo-siRNAs. The 26G class of endo-siRNAs was significantly affected by ADARs, and many altered 26G loci had intronic reads, and histone modifications associated with transcriptional silencing. Our data indicate ADARs, through both direct and indirect mechanisms, are important for maintaining wildtype levels of many small RNAs in C. elegans. Overall design: Deep sequencing of small RNAs in wild-type (N2), adr-1 null, adr-2 null and adr-1;adr-2 null mixed stage C. elegans
Effects of ADARs on small RNA processing pathways in C. elegans.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesAnalysis of gene expression in isolated mouse lung dendritic cells isolated during influenza A virus infection, with and without activaiton of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). Overall design: To determine genome wide changes in dendritic cells mediated by aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation
Genome-Wide Transcriptional Analysis Reveals Novel AhR Targets That Regulate Dendritic Cell Function during Influenza A Virus Infection.
Cell line, Subject
View SamplesChronic alcohol consumption can lead to alchohol-related brain damage (ARBD). Despite the well known acute effects of alcohol the mechanism responsible for chronic brain damage is largely unknown. Pathologically the major change is the loss of white matter while neuronal loss is mild and restricted to a few areas such as the prefrontal cortex. In order to improve our understanding of ARBD pathogenesis we used microarrays to explore the white matter transcriptome of alcoholics and controls.
Comorbidities, confounders, and the white matter transcriptome in chronic alcoholism.
Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage
View SamplesHuman embryonic stem cells (hESCs) replicate by the process of self-renewal, whilst maintaining their pluripotency. Understanding the pathways involved in the regulation of this self-renewal process will assist in developing fully-defined conditions for the proliferation of hESCS required for therapeutic applications. We previously demonstrated a role for Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) in the survival and proliferation of hESCs. The present study investigates further key signalling pathways and the downstream targets of S1P.
Sphingosine-1-phosphate mediates transcriptional regulation of key targets associated with survival, proliferation, and pluripotency in human embryonic stem cells.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesDamage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) molecules S100A8 and S100A9 with well-known functions in inflammation, tumor growth and metastasis. It has been found to have promote tumor cell proliferation activity at low concentration . However, the mechanism underlying this remains unclear. In the current study, we performed genome expression profiling analysis using the Affymetrix genome wide microarray system to identify broad scale changes in gene expression associated with S100a8 or S100a9 recombinant protein stimulation in murine colon carcinoma cell line CT26.WT.
Inflammation-induced S100A8 activates Id3 and promotes colorectal tumorigenesis.
Cell line
View SamplesChemotherapy resistant prostate cancer is a major clinical problem. When the prostate cancer has become androgen deprivation resistant, one of the few treatment regimens left is chemotherapy. There is a strong connection between a cancer's stem cell like characteristics and drug resistance. By performing RNA-seq we observed several factors associated with stem cells being strongly up-regulated by the estrogen receptor ß variants, ß2 and ß5. In addition, most of these factors were also up-regulated by hypoxia. One mechanism of chemotherapy resistance was expression of the hypoxia-regulated, drug transporter genes, where especially ABCG2 and MDR1 were shown to be expressed in recurrent prostate cancer and to cause chemotherapy resistance by efficiently transporting drugs like docetaxel out of the cells. Another mechanism was expression of the hypoxia-regulated notch3 gene, which causes chemotherapy resistance in urothelial carcinoma, although the mechanism is unknown. It is well known that hypoxic signaling is involved in increasing chemotherapy resistance. Regulation of the hypoxic factors, HIF-1a and HIF-2a is very complex and extends far beyond hypoxia itself. We have recently shown that two of the estrogen receptor ß variants, estrogen receptor ß2 and ß5, bind to and stabilize both HIF-1a and HIF-2a proteins leading to expression of HIF target genes. This study suggests that increased expression of the estrogen receptor ß variants, ß2 and ß5, could be involved in development of a cancer's stem cell characteristics and chemotherapy resistance, indicating that targeting these factors could prevent or reverse chemotherapy resistance and cancer stem cell expansion. Overall design: Examination of the transcriptome changed by two estrogen reseptor beta variants (ERbeta2 and ERbeta5). Control (lacking expression) and variant expressing cells in two repeats
The estrogen receptor variants β2 and β5 induce stem cell characteristics and chemotherapy resistance in prostate cancer through activation of hypoxic signaling.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesThe intestinal epithelium constitutes a crucial defense to the potentially life-threatening effects of gut microbiota. However, due to a complex underlying vasculature, hypoperfusion and resultant tissue ischemia pose a particular risk to function and integrity of the epithelium. The small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) conjugation pathway critically regulates adaptive responses to metabolic stress and is of particular significance in the gut, as inducible knockout of the SUMO-conjugating enzyme Ubc9 results in rapid intestinal epithelial disintegration. Here we analyzed the pattern of individual SUMO isoforms in intestinal epithelium and investigated their roles in intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) damage. Immunostaining revealed that epithelial SUMO2/3 expression was almost exclusively limited to crypt epithelial nuclei in unchallenged mice. However, intestinal I/R or overexpression of Ubc9 caused a remarkable enhancement of epithelial SUMO2/3 staining along the crypt-villus axis. Unexpectedly, a similar pattern was found in SUMO1 knockout mice. Ubc9 transgenic mice, but also SUMO1 knockout mice were protected from I/R injury as evidenced by better preserved barrier function and blunted inflammatory responses. PCR array analysis of microdissected villus-tip epithelia revealed a specific epithelial contribution to reduced inflammatory responses in Ubc9 transgenic mice, as key chemotactic signaling molecules such as IL17A were significantly downregulated. Together, our data indicate a critical role particularly of the SUMO2/3 isoforms in modulating responses to I/R and provide the first evidence that SUMO1 deletion activates a compensatory process that protects from ischemic damage.
Ubc9 overexpression and SUMO1 deficiency blunt inflammation after intestinal ischemia/reperfusion.
Treatment
View Samples