A large body of evidence has demonstrated that many human tumors are maintained by a small cell population called cancer stem cells (CSCs) or tumor progenitors, which are responsible for tumor formation, therapy resistance and metastasis. We found that ionizing radiation treatment enriches for the CSC phenotype and properties by preferential survival and expansion of tumor progenitor cells. Our studies revealed that aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity is indicative of prostate tumor progenitor cells with increased chemo- and radioresistance, enhanced migratory potential, improved DNA- double strand break repair and activation of the signaling pathways, which promote self-renewal and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. We found that X-ray irradiation can convert the bulk tumor cells to more clonogenic and radioresistant population positive for expression of CSC markers. For the first time we showed that irradiation increases histone H3K4 and H3K36 methylation in prostate cancer cells, thereby reactivating transcription of epigenetically silenced target genes. We showed that radioresistant tumor progenitor population undergoes a phenotypical switching during the course of irradiation, suggesting that controlling the phenotypical and functional properties of CSCs during radiation therapy is ultimative for the optimization of treatment strategies. Our studies have shown that CSC markers may be beneficial in prediction of tumor radiocurability, and combination of irradiation with therapies directed against CSCs can be a useful strategy to improve cancer treatment.
Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Is Regulated by β-Catenin/TCF and Promotes Radioresistance in Prostate Cancer Progenitor Cells.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe CREB binding protein inhibitor ICG-001 suppresses pancreatic cancer growth
The CREB-binding protein inhibitor ICG-001 suppresses pancreatic cancer growth.
Cell line, Treatment
View SamplesGroup living animals must be able to express different behavior profiles depending on their social status. This implies that the same genotype may translate into different behavioral phenotypes through socially driven differential gene expression. Here we show for the first time that what triggers the switch between status-specific neurogenomic states is not the objective structure of the social interaction but rather the subjects perception of its outcome. For this purpose we had male zebrafish fight either a real opponent or their own image on a mirror. Massive changes in the brain transcriptome were observed in real opponent fighters, which experience either a victory or a defeat. In contrast, mirror fighters, which had no information on fight outcome despite expressing aggressive behavior, failed to activate a neurogenomic response. These results indicate that, even in cognitively simple organisms such as zebrafish, neurogenomic responses underlying changes in social status rely on cognitive appraisal.
Assessment of fight outcome is needed to activate socially driven transcriptional changes in the zebrafish brain.
Specimen part
View SamplesA comprehensive landscape of epigenomic events regulated by the Reelin signaling through activation of specific cohort of cis-regulatory enhancer elements (LRN-enhancers), which involves the proteolytical processing of the LRP8 receptor by the gamma-secretase activity and is required for learning and memory behavior Overall design: All RNA-Seq experiments were designed to evaluate the transcriptional program regulated by the Reelin-LRP8 signaling pathway in neuronal cells
LRP8-Reelin-Regulated Neuronal Enhancer Signature Underlying Learning and Memory Formation.
No sample metadata fields
View Sampleshuman blood monocytes were isolated, activated and harvested at several timepoints
NOD2 triggers an interleukin-32-dependent human dendritic cell program in leprosy.
Specimen part
View SamplesTranscriptome profiles for innate and adaptive immune stimuli important for host response against mycobacteria. Human monocyte-derived macrophages were stimulated with TLR2/1 ligand and interferon-g, stimuli present during innate and adaptive immune responses, respectively. Overall design: Human monocyte-dervided macrophages from five healthy donors were stimulated with TLR2/1L, IFN-g, or media control for 2, 6, and 24 hours. RNA-sequencing was performed on a total of 45 samples.
S100A12 Is Part of the Antimicrobial Network against Mycobacterium leprae in Human Macrophages.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesThe selective impact of pathogen epidemics on host defenses can be strong but remains transient. By contrast, life-history shifts can durably and continuously modify the balance between costs and benefits, which arbitrates the evolution of host defenses. Their impact, however, has seldom been documented. Here, we show with a simple mathematical model that the selective advantage of the defense system is expected to decrease with decreasing life span. We further document that, in natural populations of the model plant system Arabidopsis thaliana, the expression level of defense genes correlate positively with flowering time, a proxy for the length of vegetative life span. Using a genetic strategy to partition life span-dependent and –independent defense genes, we demonstrate that this positive co-variation is not explained by the pleiotropic action of major regulatory genes controlling both defense and life span. In agreement with our model, this study reveals that natural selection has likely assembled alleles promoting lower expression of defense genes with alleles decreasing the duration of vegetative life span in natural populations of A. thaliana. This is the first study demonstrating that life history evolution has a pervasive impact on the evolution of host immunity. Overall design: Seeds of Bur-0, Col-0 and 278 Bur-0xCol-0 Recombinant Inbred Lines (RIL) obtained after 8 generations of selfing were provided by the Arabidopsis Stock Center at INRA Versailles (France). We selected the 40 RIL in the 15% and 85% quantiles of flowering time for RNA sequencing. Each RIL and the two parental lines were planted in 20 replicates in the conditions described above. At days 14 and 28, the oldest leaf was flash-frozen in liquid nitrogen. Three pools, each combining 13 RIL, were produced at each time point for early and late lines, for a total of 3 biological replicates, 2 pool types (early and late RIL) and 2 time points (14 and 28 days). For each of the two parental lines, leaves of 12 replicates were pooled for each time point.
Assortment of Flowering Time and Immunity Alleles in Natural Arabidopsis thaliana Populations Suggests Immunity and Vegetative Lifespan Strategies Coevolve.
Specimen part, Subject, Time
View SamplesThe Drosophila wing disc has been a fundamental model system for the discovery of key signaling pathways and for our understanding of developmental processes. However, a complete map of gene expression in this tissue is lacking. To obtain a complete gene expression atlas in the wing disc, we employed single-cell sequencing (scRNA-seq) and developed a new method for analyzing scRNA-seq data based on gene expression correlations rather than cell mappings. This enables us to discover 824 genes with spatially restricted expression patterns, and to compute expression maps for all genes in the wing disc. This approach identifies both known and new clusters of genes with similar expression patterns and functional relevance. As proof of concept, we characterize the previously unstudied gene CG5151 and show it regulates Wnt signaling. This novel method will enable the leveraging of scRNA-seq data for generating expression atlases of undifferentiated tissues during development. Overall design: Single cell transcriptome experiments from female wandering 3rd instar wing discs were generated: two samples using Drop-seq and one sample using the 10x genomics platform. Bulk polyA-RNA-seq experiment from the same tissue was conducted for comparison.
Gene expression atlas of a developing tissue by single cell expression correlation analysis.
Sex, Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesTuberculosis remains a major cause of death from an infectious disease worldwide, yet only 10% of people infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis develop disease. Defining both necessary and sufficient immunologic determinants of protection remains a great scientific challenge. Analysis of peripheral blood gene expression profiles of active tuberculosis patients has identified correlates of risk for disease or pathogenesis. We sought to identify human potential candidate markers of host defense by studying gene expression profiles of macrophages, cells which, upon infection by M. tuberculosis, can mount an antimicrobial response. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed an association between the cytokine, IL-32, and the vitamin D antimicrobial pathway in a network of IFN- and IL-15 induced defense response genes. IL-32 was sufficient for induction of the vitamin D-dependent antimicrobial peptides, cathelicidin and DEFB4, and generation of antimicrobial activity in vitro, dependent on the presence of adequate 25-hydroxyvitamin D. The IL-15 induced defense response macrophage gene network was integrated with ranked pairwise comparisons of gene expression from five different clinical data sets of latent vs. active tuberculosis or healthy controls, and a co-expression network derived from gene expression in patients with tuberculosis undergoing chemotherapy. Together, these analyses identified eight common genes, including IL-32, as molecular markers of latent tuberculosis and the IL-15 induced gene network. Inferring that maintaining M. tuberculosis in a latent state and preventing transition to active disease represents host resistance, we believe these results identify IL-32 as one functional marker and potential correlate of protection against active tuberculosis.
IL-32 is a molecular marker of a host defense network in human tuberculosis.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesEffective innate immunity against many microbial pathogens requires macrophage programs that upregulate phagocytosis and direct antimicrobial pathways, two functions generally assumed to be coordinately regulated. Here the regulation of these key functions was investigated in human blood-derived macrophages. IL-10 induced the phagocytic pathway, including CD209 and scavenger receptors, resulting in phagocytosis of mycobacteria and oxLDL. IL-15 induced the vitamin D-dependent antimicrobial pathway and CD209, yet the cells were less phagocytic. The differential regulation of macrophage functional programs was confirmed by analysis of the spectrum of leprosy lesions: the macrophage phagocytosis pathway was prominent in the clinically progressive, multibacillary form, whereas the vitamin D-dependent antimicrobial pathway predominated in the self-limited form of the disease and in patients undergoing reversal reactions from the multibacillary to the self-limited form. These data indicate that macrophage programs for phagocytosis and antimicrobial responses are distinct and differentially regulated in innate immunity in bacterial infections.
Divergence of macrophage phagocytic and antimicrobial programs in leprosy.
Specimen part
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