ACTH-dependent hypercortisolism caused by a pituitary adenoma [Cushings disease (CD)] is the most common cause of endogenous Cushings syndrome. CD is often associated with several morbidities, including hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis/bone fractures, secondary infections, and increased cardiovascular mortality. While the majority (80%) of the corticotrophinomas visible on pituitary magnetic resonance imaging are microadenomas (MICs, <10 mm of diameter), some tumors are macroadenomas (MACs, 10 mm) with increased growth potential and invasiveness, exceptionally exhibiting malignant demeanor. In addition, larger and invasive MACs are associated with a significant increased risk of local complications, such as hypopituitarism and visual defects. Given the clinical and molecular heterogeneity of corticotrophinomas, the aim of this study was to investigate the pattern of genetic differential expression between MIC and MAC, including the invasiveness grade as a criterion for categorizing these tumors. In this study, were included tumor samples from patients with clinical, laboratorial, radiological, and histopathological diagnosis of hypercortisolism due to an ACTH-producing pituitary adenoma. Differential gene expression was studied using an Affymetrix microarray platform in 12 corticotrophinomas, classified as non-invasive MIC (n = 4) and MAC (n = 5), and invasive MAC (n = 3), according to modified Hardy criteria. Somatic mutations in USP8 were also investigated, but none of the patients exhibited USP8 variants. Differential expression analysis demonstrated that non-invasive MIC and MAC have a similar genetic signature, while invasive MACs exhibited a differential expression profile. Among the genes differentially expressed, we highlighted CCND2, ZNF676, DAPK1, and TIMP2, and their differential expression was validated through quantitative real-time PCR in another cohort of 15 non-invasive and 3 invasive cortocotrophinomas. We also identified potential biological pathways associated with growth and invasiveness, TGF- and G protein signaling pathways, DNA damage response pathway, and pathways associated with focal adhesion. Our study revealed a differential pattern of genetic signature in a subgroup of MAC, supporting a genetic influence on corticotrophinomas in patients with CD.
Transcriptome Analysis Showed a Differential Signature between Invasive and Non-invasive Corticotrophinomas.
Sex, Specimen part, Disease
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Calorie restriction in humans inhibits the PI3K/AKT pathway and induces a younger transcription profile.
Specimen part
View SamplesWith the population of older and overweight individuals on the rise in the Western world, there is an ever greater need to slow the aging processes and reduce the burden of age-associated chronic disease that would significantly improve the quality of human life and reduce economic costs. Caloric restriction (CR), is the most robust and reproducible intervention known to delay aging and to improve healthspan and lifespan across species (1); however, whether this intervention can extend lifespan in humans is still unknown. Here we report that rats and humans exhibit similar responses to long-term CR at both the physiological and molecular levels. CR induced broad phenotypic similarities in both species such as reduced body weight, reduced fat mass and increased the ratio of muscle to fat. Likewise, CR evoked similar species-independent responses in the transcriptional profiles of skeletal muscle. This common signature consisted of three key pathways typically associated with improved health and survival: IGF-1/insulin signaling, mitochondrial biogenesis and inflammation. To our knowledge, these are the first results to demonstrate that long-term CR induces a similar transcriptional profile in two very divergent species, suggesting that such similarities may also translate to lifespan-extending effects in humans as is known to occur in rodents. These findings provide insight into the shared molecular mechanisms elicited by CR and highlight promising pathways for therapeutic targets to combat age-related diseases and promote longevity in humans.
Calorie restriction in humans inhibits the PI3K/AKT pathway and induces a younger transcription profile.
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View SamplesBackground & Aims. Glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT) is an essential regulator of the total transmethylation flux in the mammalian liver. Distinct DNA methylation patterns are characteristic of liver development, hepatic de-differentiation and liver disease progression, processes in which the levels of GNMT decrease dramatically by mechanisms still poorly understood. Interestingly, putative binding sites for the microRNA miRNA-873-5p were identified in the 3´UTR of GNMT suggesting a potential role for miRNA-873-5p in GNMT regulation. Results. We have identified that the hepatic expression of miRNA-873-5p was increased in a cohort of cirrhotic and liver cancer patients associated with a down-regulation of GNMT levels. Moreover, during liver development, hepatic de-differentiation and fibrosis, the elevation of miRNA-873-5p coincided with the reduction of GNMT expression, indicating that miRNA-873-5p specifically targets the expression of GNMT. Under these circumstances, inhibition of miRNA-873-5p induced GNMT levels and decreased global CpG methylation and transmethylation flux. Indeed, reestablishment of GNMT expression by miRNA-873-5p inhibition reduced hepatocyte de-differentiation, and abolished completely the mortality produced after bile duct ligation as a result of decreased proinflamatory and profibrogenic markers. miRNA-873-5p knockdown-mediated antifibrotic effect was significantly blunted if its effect on GNMT was blocked. Conclusion. Taken together, our studies highlight the role of miRNA-873-5p as a key regulator of GNMT expression, paving the way for new therapeutical approaches in liver de-differentiation and fibrosis. Overall design: Genome-wide changes in gene Expression in mouse livers from BDL treated or not with anti-miR-873 were generated by RNAseq.
MiR-873-5p acts as an epigenetic regulator in early stages of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.
Age, Cell line, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Conserved and species-specific molecular denominators in mammalian skeletal muscle aging.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesAging is a complex phenomenon involving functional decline in multiple physiological systems. We focused on skeletal muscle to identify pathways that modulate function and healthspan by global expression profiles and specific mechanisms fundamental to aging processes. Our experimental design integrated comparative analysis of mice, rats, rhesus monkeys and humans and targeted three key time points during their lifespans. Pathways related to oxidative stress, inflammation and nutrient signaling, which function collectively to affect the quality and status of mitochondria, emerged across all species with age. Notably, mitochondrial transcript levels were better preserved in aging human muscle, suggesting an evolution-driven fitness more robust than in other species. The identification of these conserved pathways uncovers common molecular mechanisms intrinsic to health and lifespan, while unveiling of species-specific pathways emphasizes the importance of human studies for devising optimal therapeutic modalities to slow the aging process.
Conserved and species-specific molecular denominators in mammalian skeletal muscle aging.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesAging is a complex phenomenon involving functional decline in multiple physiological systems. We focused on skeletal muscle to identify pathways that modulate function and healthspan by global expression profiles and specific mechanisms fundamental to aging processes. Our experimental design integrated comparative analysis of mice, rats, rhesus monkeys and humans and targeted three key time points during their lifespans. Pathways related to oxidative stress, inflammation and nutrient signaling, which function collectively to affect the quality and status of mitochondria, emerged across all species with age. Notably, mitochondrial transcript levels were better preserved in aging human muscle, suggesting an evolution-driven fitness more robust than in other species. The identification of these conserved pathways uncovers common molecular mechanisms intrinsic to health and lifespan, while unveiling of species-specific pathways emphasizes the importance of human studies for devising optimal therapeutic modalities to slow the aging process.
Conserved and species-specific molecular denominators in mammalian skeletal muscle aging.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesAging is a complex phenomenon involving functional decline in multiple physiological systems. We focused on skeletal muscle to identify pathways that modulate function and healthspan by global expression profiles and specific mechanisms fundamental to aging processes. Our experimental design integrated comparative analysis of mice, rats, rhesus monkeys and humans and targeted three key time points during their lifespans. Pathways related to oxidative stress, inflammation and nutrient signaling, which function collectively to affect the quality and status of mitochondria, emerged across all species with age. Notably, mitochondrial transcript levels were better preserved in aging human muscle, suggesting an evolution-driven fitness more robust than in other species. The identification of these conserved pathways uncovers common molecular mechanisms intrinsic to health and lifespan, while unveiling of species-specific pathways emphasizes the importance of human studies for devising optimal therapeutic modalities to slow the aging process.
Conserved and species-specific molecular denominators in mammalian skeletal muscle aging.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesS. epidermidis ability to form biofilms on indwelling medical devices and its association with the emergence of chronic infections is its main virulence factor. Nevertheless, it has been shown that the cells released from these biofilms are associated with the advent of serious acute infections with bacteraemia as one of the major clinical manifestations. Despite their clinical relevance, very little is known about the impact of biofilm-released cells in pathogenesis. Hence, herein, we characterized the murine immune response to the presence of cells released from S. epidermidis biofilms analysing spleen cells transcriptome by microarrays. These findings may help to explain the recurrent inflammatory symptoms presented by patients with colonization of indwelling medical devices.
<i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> Biofilm-Released Cells Induce a Prompt and More Marked <i>In vivo</i> Inflammatory-Type Response than Planktonic or Biofilm Cells.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesPAR-1 is known to be involved in the transition from non-metastatic to metastatic melanoma. We sought to determine the downstream target genes regulated by PAR-1 to determine how PAR-1 is contributing to the metastatic melanoma phenotype.
Protease activated receptor-1 inhibits the Maspin tumor-suppressor gene to determine the melanoma metastatic phenotype.
Specimen part, Cell line
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