ABSTRACT: The goal of this study is to determine the effects of adipose-specific Glut4 overexpression or knockout on changes in adipose tissue global gene expression Three mice from each of four genotypes were studied using a total of 12 microarray chips: aP2-Cre transgenic mice (controls for adipose-Glut4-/- mice), adipose-Glut4-/- mice; FVB mice (littermate controls for adipose-GLUT4-Tg mice) and adipose-GLUT4-Tg mice with Glut4 transgenically overexpressed under the control of the aP2 promoter. Total RNA from perigonadal adipose tissue was extracted using the RNeasy Mini Kit from Qiagen. Affymetrix gene chip hybridization and analysis were performed at the Genomics Core Facility of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Project description:Previously we found that human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) utilize glucose differently depending on the presence of the feeder cells, which are mouse embryonic fibroblasts, or MEFs. More specifically, feeder-free cultured hPSCs are more reliant on glycolysis for proliferation. Therefore, we hypothesized that secreted factors by MEFs might be responsible for reprogramming the metabolism of hPSCs. To test this hypothesis, we separated the components in the MEF-conditioned medium by using size-based fractionation columns, and tested whether each fraction alters the reliance of feeder-free hPSCs on glucose. We concluded that it was the protein fraction of the MEF-conditioned medium potentially responsible for reprogramming glycolytic metabolism in hPSCs. To further understand which specific protein(s) could alter the metabolism of hPSCs, we here conduct mass spectrometry based proteomics experiment.
Project description:The origin and function of human double negative (DN) TCR-alpha/beta T cells is unknown. They are thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus because they expand and accumulate in inflamed organs. Here we provide evidence that human TCR-alpha/beta CD4- CD8- DN T cells derive exclusively from activated CD8+ T cells. Freshly isolated TCR-alpha/beta DN T cells display a distinct gene expression and cytokine production profile. DN cells isolated from peripheral blood as well as DN cells derived in vitro from CD8+ T cells, produce a defined array of pro-inflammatory mediators that includes IL-1, IL-17, IFN-gama, CXCL3, and CXCL2. These results indicate that, upon activation, CD8+ T cells have the capacity to acquire a distinct phenotype that grants them inflammatory capacity. TCR-alpha-beta+ CD25- T cells from healthy human individuals were sorted into CD4+, CD8+, and CD4-CD8- T cells. Cell lysis and RNA extraction was performed immediately. RNA from each cell subset was pooled.
Project description:Mutation or epigenetic silencing of the transcription factor C/EBP? is observed in ~10% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In both cases, a common global gene expression profile is observed, but down-stream targets relevant for leukemogenesis are not known. Here we identify Sox4 as a direct target of C/EBP? whereby its expression is inversely correlated with C/EBP? activity. Downregulation of Sox4 abrogated increased self-renewal of leukemic cells and restored their differentiation. Gene expression profiles of leukemia initiating cells (LICs) from both Sox4 overexpression and murine mutant C/EBP? AML models clustered together, but differed from other types of AML. Our data demonstrate that Sox4 overexpression resulting from C/EBP? inactivation contributes to the development of leukemias with a distinct LIC phenotype. K/L (bi-allelic Cebpa mutations) leukemic mice and Sox4 overexprssing leukemic mice were used for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays. We compared these microarray samples with the C57/BL6 wild type mice.
Project description:Understanding congenital liver disease requires elucidation of the signaling pathways and transcriptional events in the developing liver. Comprehensive assessment of gene expression between 10.5 and 16.5 dpc in the developing mouse liver and comparison with adult liver and non-hepatic embryonic tissue was validated with real-time PCR and in situ hybridization. The broad nature of the analysis provides insights into patterns of genetic control of hepatogenesis. Pathways implicated in human disease are highly regulated at the transcriptional level. Rather than activating or inhibiting a pathway or biological process by altering the expression of a single signaling molecule, transcriptional changes in large numbers of genes in a pathway or process are regulated in a coordinated manner. For example, both TGF-beta and Notch signaling is inhibited during hepatogenesis not just by decreasing transcription of multiple pathway members, but also with a complementary increase in the transcription of a pathway inhibitor. Similarly, genes related to specific biological processes exhibit strong temporal synchronization in which multiple members of the pathway have similar transcriptional regulation over time. Global coordination of signaling or functional families at the transcriptional level may be a mechanism to produce robustness of the desired outcomes. In addition, this comprehensive analysis provides a database for the further study of transcriptional events during liver development by identifying liver-specific, highly regulated genes. Experiment Overall Design: In order to provide transcriptional profile of the developing liver compared both to normal adult liver and non-hepatic embryonic tissueswe performed high-density microarray analysis using Affymetrix MG 430 2.0 chips for embryonic liver samples at 10.5, 11.5, 12.5, 13.5, 14.5, and 16.5 days post conception (dpc), embryo-minus liver tissues at 10.5, 11.5, 12.5, and 14.5 dpc, and normal 10-week-old adult mouse liver. Each sample consisted of at least five embryos.
Project description:To guarantee blood supply throughout adult life hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) need to carefully balance between self-renewing cell divisions and quiescence. Identification of genes controlling HSC self-renewal is of utmost importance given that HSCs are the only stem cells with broad clinical applications. Transcription factor PU.1 is one of the major regulators of myeloid and lymphoid development. Recent reports suggest that PU.1 mediates its functions via gradual expression level changes rather than binary on/off states. So far, this has not been considered in any study of HSCs and thus, PU.1’s role in HSC function has remained largely unclear. Here we demonstrate using hypomorphic mice with an engineered disruption of an autoregulatory feedback loop that decreased PU.1 levels resulted in loss of key HSC functions, all of which could be fully rescued by restoration of proper PU.1 levels via a human PU.1 transgene. Mechanistically, we found excessive HSC cell divisions and altered expression of cell cycle regulators whose promoter regions were bound by PU.1 in normal HSCs. Adequate PU.1 levels were maintained by a mechanism of direct autoregulation restricted to HSCs through a physical interaction of a -14kb enhancer with the proximal promoter. Our findings identify PU.1 as novel regulator controling the switch between cell division and quiescence in order to prevent exhaustion of HSCs. Given that even moderate level changes greatly impact stem cell function, our data suggest important therapeutic implications for leukemic patients with reduced PU.1 levels. Moreover, we provide first proof, that autoregulation of a transcription factor, PU.1, has a crucial function in vivo. We anticipate that our concept of how autoregulation forms an active chromosomal conformation will impact future research on transcription factor networks regulating stem cell fate. HSCs of Pu.1 knock-in (PU.1ki/ki) mice were used for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays. We compared these microarray samples with the corresponding wild type.
Project description:In blood, the transcription factor C/EBPa is essential for myeloid differentiation and has been implicated in regulating self-renewal of fetal liver hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). However, its function in adult HSCs is unknown. Here, using an inducible knockout model, we found that C/EBPa deficient adult HSCs underwent a pronounced expansion with enhanced proliferation, characteristics resembling fetal liver HSCs. Consistently, transcription profiling of C/EBPa deficient HSCs revealed a gene expression program similar to fetal liver HSCs. Moreover we observed that age-specific C/EBPa expression correlated with its inhibitory effect on the HSC cell cycle. Mechanistically, we identified N-Myc as a C/EBPa downstream target. C/EBPa upregulation during HSC transition from an active fetal state to a quiescent adult state was accompanied by down-regulation of N-Myc, and loss of C/EBPa resulted in de-repression of NMyc. Our data establish that C/EBPa acts as a molecular switch between fetal and adult states of HSC in part via transcriptional repression of the proto-oncogene N-Myc. HSCs of Pu.1 knock-in (PU.1ki/ki) mice were used for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays. We compared these microarray samples with the corresponding wild type.
Project description:Endogenous bioelectric signaling via changes in cellular resting potential (Vmem) is a key regulator of patterning during regeneration and embryogenesis in numerous model systems. Depolarization of Vmem has been functionally implicated in de-differentiation, tumorigenesis, anatomical re-specification, and appendage regeneration. However, no unbiased analyses have been performed to understand genome-wide transcriptional responses to Vmem change in vivo. Moreover, it is unknown which genes or gene networks represent conserved targets of bioelectrical signaling across different patterning contexts and species. Here, we use microarray analysis to comparatively analyze transcriptional responses to specific Vmem depolarization. We compare the response of the transcriptome during embryogenesis (Xenopus development), regeneration (Axolotl regeneration), and stem cell differentiation (human mesenchymal stem cells in culture) to identify common networks across model species that are associated with depolarization. Both sub-network enrichment and PANTHER analyses identified a number of key genetic modules as targets of Vmem change, and also revealed important (well-conserved) commonalities in bioelectric signal transduction, despite highly diverse experimental contexts and species. Depolarization regulates specific transcriptional networks across all three germ layers (ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm) such as cell differentiation and apoptosis, and this information will be used for developing mechanistic models of bioelectric regulation of patterning. Moreover, our analysis reveals that Vmem change regulates transcripts related to important disease pathways such as cancer and neurodegeneration, which may represent novel targets for emerging electroceutical therapies. Xenopus laevis embryos were fertilized in vitro according to standard protocols (Sive 2000) in 0.1X Marcâs Modified Ringerâs (MMR; 10mM Na+, 0.2mM K+,10.5mM Cl, 0.2 mM Ca2+, pH 7.8). Intracellular ion concentrations in Xenopus embryo are: 21mM Na+, 90mM K+, 60mM Cl-, 0.5mM Ca2+ (Gillespie 1983). Xenopus embryos were housed at 14-18oC and staged according to Nieuwkoop and Faber (Nieuwkoop 1967). All experiments were approved by the Tufts University Animal Research Committee (M2014-79) in accordance with the guide for care and use of laboratory animals. Capped synthetic mRNAs generated using mMessage mMachine kit (Ambion) were dissolved in nuclease free water and injected into the embryos in 3% Ficoll using standard methods (Sive 2000). Each injection delivered between 1-2 nL or 1â 2 ng of mRNA (per blastomere) into the embryos, usually at 4-cell stage into the middle of the cell in the animal pole. Constructs used were: GlyR (Davies et al. 2003) and 666 chimera (Hough et al. 2000).
Project description:How proliferative and inhibitory cell signals integrate to control liver regeneration remains poorly understood. A screen for antiproliferative factors repressed after liver injury identified Tob1, a member of the PC3/BTG1 family of mitoinhibitory molecules as a target for further evaluation. Tob1 protein decreases after 2/3 hepatectomy in mice secondary to post-transcriptional mechanisms. Deletion of Tob1 increases hepatocyte proliferation and accelerates restoration of liver mass after hepatectomy. Down-regulation of Tob1 is required for normal liver regeneration and Tob1 controls hepatocyte proliferation in a dose-dependent fashion. Tob1 associates directly with both Caf1 and the Cyclin/cdk complex to modulate kinase activity. In addition, Tob1 has significant effects on the transcription of critical cell cycle components, including E2F targets and genes involved in p53 signaling. These studies provide direct evidence that levels of an inhibitory factor control the rate of liver regeneration. Our data identify Tob1 as a crucial check-point molecule that acts by by modulating levels and activity of cell cycle proteins. Samples from wild type and Tob1 null mice as normal adults and 24 hours after 2/3 hepatectomy are used. Each experimental point used data from two chips, each having a different set of three pooled animals. In summary we had 8 chips: 2 for WT time 0, 2 for WT time 24, 2 for KO time 0, 2 for KO time 24.
Project description:This study was performed to understand the gene expression changes that accompany treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. Human RCC cell lines were implanted into the flanks of nude beige mice, allowed to reach 12mm in long axis, and then treated with TKIs (sunitinib or sorafenib). Tumors were excised at 2 timepoints (prior to any therapy and at the 20mm endpoint of the study) and gene expression analysis was performed. Sunitinb or sorafenib were administered to mice bearing either 786-O or A498 xenografts. Mice were sacrificed and tumors excised for RNA extraction at pretreatment size of 12mm, or at 20mm, the mandated maximum tumor size allowed at our institution.
Project description:In order to address the progression, metastasis, and clinical heterogeneity of renal cell cancer (RCC), transcriptional profiling with oligonucleotide microarrays (22,283 genes) was done on 49 RCC tumors, 20 non-RCC renal tumors, and 23 normal kidney samples. Samples were clustered based on gene expression profiles and specific gene sets for each renal tumor type were identified. Gene expression was correlated to disease progression and a metastasis gene signature was derived. Gene signatures were identified for each tumor type with 100% accuracy. Differentially expressed genes during early tumor formation and tumor progression to metastatic RCC were found. Subsets of these genes code for secreted proteins and membrane receptors and are both potential therapeutic or diagnostic targets. A gene pattern ("metastatic signature") derived from primary tumors was very accurate in classifying tumors with and without metastases at the time of surgery. A previously described "global" metastatic signature derived by another group from various non-RCC tumors was validated in RCC. Unlike previous studies, we describe highly accurate and externally validated gene signatures for RCC subtypes and other renal tumors. Interestingly, the gene expression of primary tumors provides us information about the metastatic status in the respective patients and has the potential, if prospectively validated, to enrich the armamentarium of diagnostic tests in RCC. We validated in RCC, for the first time, a previously described metastatic signature and further showed the feasibility of applying a gene signature across different microarray platforms. Transcriptional profiling allows a better appreciation of the molecular and clinical heterogeneity in RCC. We used the following tissue samples to obtain transcriptional profiling of kidney tumors using Affymetrix HGU-133A chips: 23 Normal, 32 clear cell RCC (cRCC), 11 papillary RCC (pRCC), 6 chromophobe RCC (chrRCC), 12 Oncocytoma (OC), and 8 transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). The supplementary file 'GSE15641_mas5_data.txt' contains MAS5 signal values for the Samples included in Series GSE15641. This dataset is part of the TransQST collection.