Organoid technology provides the possibility to culture human colon tissue and patient-derived colorectal cancers (CRC) while maintaining all functional and phenotypic characteristics. Labeling of human colon stem cells (CoSCs), especially in normal and benign tumor organoids, is challenging and therefore limits usability of multi-patient organoid libraries for CoSC research. Here, we developed STAR (STem cell Ascl2 Reporter), a minimal enhancer/promoter element that reports transcriptional activity of ASCL2, a master regulator of LGR5+ CoSC fate. Among others via lentiviral infection, STAR minigene labels stem cells in normal as well as in multiple engineered and patient-derived CRC organoids of different stage and genetic make-up. STAR revealed that stem cell driven differentiation hierarchies and the capacity of cell fate plasticity (de-differentiation) are present at all stages of human CRC development. The flexible and user-friendly nature of STAR applications in combination with organoid technology will facilitate basic research on human adult stem cell biology. Overall design: Cells from different colon organoid types were FACS sorted for stem STemness Ascl2 Reporter activity for transcriptome profiling by RNA-seq.
Specific Labeling of Stem Cell Activity in Human Colorectal Organoids Using an ASCL2-Responsive Minigene.
Subject
View SamplesAfter an acclimatization period with increasing temperature (from 27 to 35째C; ~1째C increment/day), adult zebrafish males were exposed to 35째C for 14 days and injected with the cytostatic agent busulfan (single intraperitoneal injection after 7 days at 35째C; 40 mg/Kg). Then, fish were placed back to normal water temperature and testis samples collected at different time points. Morphological analysis of testicular samples showed maximum germ cell depletion 10 days post busulfan injection (i.e. 10 dpi) and the recovery of endogenous spermatogenesis ~14 dpi. Total RNA was isolated from (1) testes of untreated adult control zebrafish, (2) germ cell-depleted, and (3) testis tissue at the beginning of the recovery period, and selected samples were used for library preparation Overall design: 15 samples in total were analyzed: 5 biological replicates from control testis samples, 5 biological replicates from depleted testis samples and 5 biological replicates from recovering testis samples
Endocrine and local signaling interact to regulate spermatogenesis in zebrafish: follicle-stimulating hormone, retinoic acid and androgens.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesFsh-mediated regulation of zebrafish spermatogenesis includes modulating the expression of testicular growth factors. Here, we study if and how two Sertoli cell-derived Fsh-responsive growth factors, anti-Müllerian hormone (Amh; inhibiting steroidogenesis and germ cell differentiation) and insulin-like growth factor 3 (Igf3; stimulating germ cell differentiation), cooperate in regulating spermatogonial development. In dose response and time course experiments with primary testis tissue cultures, Fsh upregulated igf3 transcript levels and down-regulated amh transcript levels; igf3 transcript levels were more rapidly up-regulated and responded to lower Fsh concentrations than were required to decrease amh mRNA levels. Quantification of immunoreactive Amh and Igf3 on testis sections showed that Fsh increased slightly Igf3 staining but decreased clearly Amh staining. Studying the direct interaction of the two growth factors showed that Amh compromised Igf3-stimulated proliferation of type A (both undifferentiated [Aund] and differentiating [Adiff]) spermatogonia. Also the proliferation of those Sertoli cells associated with Aund spermatogonia was reduced by Amh. To gain more insight into how Amh inhibits germ cell development, we examined Amh-induced changes in testicular gene expression by RNA sequencing. The majority (69%) of the differentially expressed genes was down-regulated by Amh, including several stimulators of spermatogenesis, such as igf3 and steroidogenesis-related genes. At the same time, Amh increased the expression of inhibitory signals, such as inha and id3, or facilitated prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) signaling. Evaluating one of the potentially inhibitory signals, we indeed found in tissue culture experiments that PGE2 promoted the accumulation of Aund at the expense of Adiff and B spermatogonia. Our data suggest that an important aspect of Fsh bioactivity in stimulating spermatogenesis is implemented by restricting the different inhibitory effects of Amh and by counterbalancing them with stimulatory signals, such as Igf3 Overall design: 10 samples in total were analyzed: 5 biological replicates from control testis samples and 5 biological replicates from Amh-treated testis samples (all co-incubated with 11KT)
Antagonistic regulation of spermatogonial differentiation in zebrafish (Danio rerio) by Igf3 and Amh.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesWe used RNA-Seq to analyse the interactions between Bmp4 and Wnt at a genome-wide level in EpiSCs treated for 48 hrs with Bmp4 and/or Wnt3a in the presence of Activin and bFGF. Overall design: Control EpiSC were cultured in the presence of IWP2 for 48h. Cells were cultured with BMP4 with or without IWP2; Wnt3a and Wnt3a with BMP4 for 48h.
Endogenous WNT signals mediate BMP-induced and spontaneous differentiation of epiblast stem cells and human embryonic stem cells.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesMultipotent stem cells and their lineage-restricted progeny drive nephron formation within the developing kidney. Validated markers of these early stem/progenitor populations are essential for deciphering their in vivo function and for evaluating their clinical potential for treating adult kidney disease. Here, we document expression of the adult stem cell marker Lgr5 in the developing kidney and assess the stem/progenitor identity of Lgr5+ve cells via in vivo lineage tracing. The appearance and localization of Lgr5+ve cells coincided with that of the S-shaped body around E14. Lgr5 expression remained restricted to cell clusters within developing nephrons in the cortex until P7, when expression was permanently silenced. In vivo lineage tracing identified Lgr5 as a marker of a novel progenitor population within nascent nephrons dedicated to generating the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop and distal convoluted tubule. The Lgr5 surface marker and experimental models described here will be invaluable for deciphering the contribution of early nephron stem cells to developmental defects and for isolating human nephron progenitors as a prerequisite to evaluating their therapeutic potential.
Lgr5(+ve) stem/progenitor cells contribute to nephron formation during kidney development.
Specimen part
View SamplesWe performed integrative gene dosage and expression profiling to identify candidate target genes of the prognostic 3p loss in cervical cancer.
Identification of eight candidate target genes of the recurrent 3p12-p14 loss in cervical cancer by integrative genomic profiling.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesBackground: Strategies to improve long term renal allograft survival have been directed to recipient dependent mechanisms of renal allograft injury. In contrast, no such efforts have been made to optimize organ quality in the donor. In order to get insight into the deleterious gene pathways expressed at different time points during deceased kidney transplantation, transcriptomics was performed on kidney biopsies from a large cohort of deceased kidney transplants.
Hypoxia and Complement-and-Coagulation Pathways in the Deceased Organ Donor as the Major Target for Intervention to Improve Renal Allograft Outcome.
Specimen part
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
<i>APOL1</i> Renal-Risk Variants Induce Mitochondrial Dysfunction.
Specimen part
View SamplesTo assess differential gene expression by APOL1 renal-risk (2 risk alleles) vs. non-risk (G0G0) genotypes in primary proximal tubule cells (PTCs), global gene expression (mRNA) levels were examined on Affymetrix HTA 2.0 arrays in primary PTCs cultured from non-diseased kidney in African Americans without CKD who underwent nephrectomy for localized renal cell carcinoma.
<i>APOL1</i> Renal-Risk Variants Induce Mitochondrial Dysfunction.
Specimen part
View SamplesTo elucidate pathways whereby apolipoprotein L1 gene (APOL1) G1 and G2 variants facilitate kidney disease in African Americans, human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293) were used to establish doxycycline-inducible (Tet-on) cell lines stably expressing reference APOL1 G0 and its G1 and G2 renal-risk variants. Illumina human HT-12-v4 arrays and Affymetrix HTA 2.0 arrays were employed to generate global gene expression data with doxycycline induction. Significantly altered pathways identified through bioinformatics involved mitochondrial function; results were validated using immunoblotting, immunofluorescence and functional assays.
<i>APOL1</i> Renal-Risk Variants Induce Mitochondrial Dysfunction.
Specimen part
View Samples