The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor hairy and enhancer of split (Hes3) is a member of the Hes/Hey gene family that regulates developmental processes in progenitor cells from various tissues. We demonstrated the Hes3 expression in mouse pancreatic tissue, suggesting it may have a role in modulating beta-cell function. We employed a transfection approach to address specific functions of Hes3. Hes3 RNA interference opposed the growth of the mouse insulinoma cell line Min6. Western blotting and PCR approaches specifically showed that Hes3 RNA interference opposes the expression of Pdx1 and insulin. Likewise, Hes3 knock down reduced evoked insulin release from Min6 cells.
Hes3 is expressed in the adult pancreatic islet and regulates gene expression, cell growth, and insulin release.
Specimen part
View SamplesDefective insulin secretion by pancreatic ß cells underlies the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D). High fat diet-fed mice are commonly used to study diabetes progression, but studies are usually limited to a single strain, such as C57Bl/6J. Here, we use a systems biology approach to integrate large phenotypic and islet transcriptomic data sets from six commonly used strains fed a high fat or regular chow diet to identify genes associated with glucose intolerance and insulin secretion. One of these genes is Elovl2, encoding very long chain fatty acid elongase 2. ELOVL2 is responsible for the synthesis of the polyunsaturated fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). We show that DHA rescues glucose-induced insulin secretion and cytosolic Ca2+ influx impaired by glucolipotoxicity, and that Elovl2 over-expression is able to restore the insulin secretion defect under these conditions. We propose that increased endogenous DHA levels resulting from Elovl2 up-regulation counteracts the insulin secretion defect associated with glucolipotoxicity. Although we focus our experimental validation on Elovl2, the comprehensive data set and integrative network model we used to identify this candidate gene represents an important novel resource to dissect the molecular aetiology of ß cell failure in murine models. Overall design: 6 mouse strains, 4 time points, 2 diets
Molecular phenotyping of multiple mouse strains under metabolic challenge uncovers a role for <i>Elovl2</i> in glucose-induced insulin secretion.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject, Time
View SamplesDendritic cells differentiate from their precursors in the airway mucosa under local environmental instruction. Airway epithelial cells (AEC) are a potent source of both pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators and are in intimate contact with intraepithelial DC and their precursors. Thus, AEC are likely candidates for influencing this differentiation process in order to tailor the DC for optimal function in the airway mucosa.
Airway epithelial cells regulate the functional phenotype of locally differentiating dendritic cells: implications for the pathogenesis of infectious and allergic airway disease.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesAdoptive cell immunotherapy (ACT) using autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) can result in complete regression of advanced melanoma in some patients, but the efficacy of this potentially curative therapy is limited by poor persistence of TIL after adoptive-transfer. Pharmacologic inhibition of the serine/threonine kinase Akt has recently been shown to promote immunologic memory in viral-specific murine models, but whether this approach may enhance features of memory (e.g. long-term persistence) in TIL which are characteristically exhausted and senescent is not established. Here we show that pharmacologic inhibition of Akt enables expansion of TIL with the transcriptional, metabolic and functional properties characteristic of memory T cells. Consequently, Akt inhibition results in enhanced persistence of TIL after adoptive transfer into an immunodeficient animal model and augments antitumor immunity of CD8 T cells in a mouse model of cell-based immunotherapy for melanoma. Pharmacologic inhibition of Akt represents a novel immunometabolomic approach to enhance the persistence of anti-tumor T cells and improve the efficacy of cellbased immunotherapy for metastatic cancer.
Akt inhibition enhances expansion of potent tumor-specific lymphocytes with memory cell characteristics.
Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage, Subject
View Samples