Tumor Cell Heterogeneity and Dormancy in Single Disseminated Prostate Cancer Cells
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ABSTRACT: Prostate cancer (PCa) disseminated tumor cells (DTC) in the bone marrow (BM) can remain dormant for prolonged periods before recurrence. Our aim was to characterize individual prostate DTC, analyze tumor cell heterogeneity, and identify markers of tumor dormancy. Custom Agilent 44K whole human genome expression oligonucleotide microarrays were used to profile single disseminated tumor cells isolated from bone marrow (BM) samples of four patients with no evidence of disease (NED) upon follow-up and six advanced disease (ADV) prostate cancer patients. Essentially, a two-step selection process was employed, in which anti-CD45 and anti-CD61 conjugated to immunomagnetic beads were used for negative selection, and anti-HEA was used for positive selection. Cells were then fluorescently stained for BerEP4, counter stained with RPE anti-CD45, and individually selected (10 single cells each per patient) under fluorescent light using a micropipette system for further analysis. RNA was amplified using the WT-Oviation one-direct system and hybridized against a common reference pool of prostate tumor cell lines.
Project description:The ability to interrogate circulating tumor cells (CTC) and disseminated tumor cells (DTC) is restricted by the small number detected and isolated (typically <10). We wanted to determine if a commercially available technology could provide a transcriptomic profile of a single prostate cancer (PCa) cell. We clonally selected and cultured a single passage of cell cycle synchronized C4-2B PCa cells. Ten sets of single, 5-, or 10-cells were isolated using a micromanipulator under direct visualization with an inverted microscope. Additionally, we analyzed 10 individual DTC isolated from each of 2 patients with metastatic PCa. We have shown that a transcriptomic profile can be obtained from a single cell using commercially available technology. As expected, fewer amplified genes are detected from a single-cell sample than from pooled cell samples, but this method can be used to obtain a transcriptomic profile from DTC isolated from the bone marrow of patients with PCa. Custom Agilent 44K whole human genome expression oligonucleotide microarrays were used to profile clonally selected and cultured single passage of cell cycle synchronized C4-2B PCa cells isolated using a micromanipulator under direct visualization with an inverted microscope into ten sets of single, 5-, or 10-cells. Single disseminated tumor cells were isolated from bone marrow (BM) samples of two advanced prostate cancer patients. Essentially, a two-step selection process was employed, in which anti-CD45 and anti-CD61 conjugated to immunomagnetic beads were used for negative selection, and anti-HEA was used for positive selection. Cells were then fluorescently stained for BerEP4, counter stained with RPE anti-CD45, and individually selected (10 single cells each per patient) under fluorescent light using a micropipette system for further analysis. RNA was amplified using the WT-Oviation one-direct system and hybridization against a common reference pool of prostate tumor cell lines. Data from C42B cell data and data from single cells isolated from the bone marrow of patients were normalized and analyzed separately.
Project description:Use of null mutant mice is a powerful way to evaluate the role of specific proteins in brain function. Studies performed on knockout mice have revealed some unexpected roles of the gap junction proteins (the connexins). Thus, analyses of gene expression in connexin43 (Cx43) null brains indicated that deletion of a single gene (Gja1) induced expression level change of numerous other genes located on all chromosomes and involved in a wide diversity of functional pathways. The significant overlap between alterations in gene expression level, control and coordination in Cx43 knockout and knockdown astrocytes raised the possibility that Gja1 represents a transcriptomic node of gene regulatory networks. However, conditional deletion of Gja1 in astrocytes of two mouse strains resulted in remarkably different phenotypes. In order to evaluate the influence of the genetic background on the transcriptome, we performed microarray studies on brains of GFAP-Cre:Cx43f/f C57Bl/6 and 129/SVEV mice. The surprisingly low number of Cx43 core genes (regulated in all Cx43 nulls regardless of strain) and the high number of differently regulated genes in the two Cx43 CKOs indicate high influence of mouse strain on brain transcriptome. The transcriptomes of WT and Cx43 null brains from both C57Bl/6 and SVEV strains were profiled and compared at perinatal and adult time points to learn more about the strain dependence of the Cx43-null phenotype. For this purpose, differently labeled cDNAs from biological replicas (4 of each genotype) were co-hybridized with Duke MO36K mouse oligonucleotide array spotted with 36k Operon oligonucleotides V4.0.
Project description:Injury of the CA1 subregion induced by a single injection of kainic acid (1M-CM-^WKA) is attenuated when juvenile animals (P20) have a history of two sustained neonatal seizures on P6 and P9. To identify gene candidates involved in the spatially protective effects produced by early life conditioning seizures, we profiled and compared the transcriptomes of CA1 subregions from control, 1M-CM-^WKA, and 3M-CM-^WKA treated animals. More genes were regulated following 3M-CM-^WKA (9.6%) than after 1M-CM-^WKA (7.1%). Following 1M-CM-^WKA, genes supporting oxidative stress, growth, development, inflammation, and neurotransmission were upregulated (e.g., Cacng1, Nadsyn1, Kcng1, Aven, S100a4, GFAP, Vim, Hrsp12, Grik1). After 3M-CM-^WKA, protective genes were differentially over-expressed (e.g., Cat, Gpx7, GAD1, Hspa12A, Foxn1, adenosine A1 receptor, Ca2+ adaptor and homeostatic proteins, Cacnb4, Atp2b2, anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 gene members, intracellular trafficking protein, Grasp, suppressor of cytokine signaling (Socs3)). Distinct anti-inflammatory interleukins not observed in adult tissues (e.g., IL6 transducer, IL23 and IL33 or their receptors (ILF2)) were also over-expressed. Several transcripts were validated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) and immunohistochemistry. QPCR showed that casp 6 was increased after 1M-CM-^WKA but reduced after 3M-CM-^WKA; pro-inflammatory gene cox1 was either upregulated or unchanged after 1M-CM-^WKA but reduced by ~70% after 3M-CM-^WKA. Enhanced GFAP immunostaining following 1M-CM-^WKA was selectively attenuated in the CA1 subregion after 3M-CM-^WKA. The observed differential transcriptional responses may contribute to early life seizure-induced pre-conditioning and neuroprotection by reducing glutamate receptor-mediated Ca2+ permeability of the hippocampus and redirecting inflammatory and apoptotic pathways which could lead to new genetic therapies for epilepsy. The transcriptomes of the hippocampal CA1 region of Sprague Dawley 23-day-old male rats after 1 or 3 seizures induced by kainic acid injection were compared to the corresponding controls (injected with PBS) using Duke 27k oligonucleotide arrays.
Project description:Identification of a stable gene expression signature with high classifying potential to discriminate benign (Follicular adenomas) and malignant (papillary carcinomas) thyroid tumors
Project description:Androgen deprivation therapy remains the primary treatment modality for patients with metastatic prostate cancer but is uniformly marked by progression to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) after a period of regression. Continued activation of androgen receptor (AR) signaling is attributed as one of the most important mechanisms underlying failure of therapy. Recently, the discovery of constitutively active AR splice variants (AR-Vs) adds more credence to this idea. Expression of AR-Vs in metastases portends a rapid progression of the tumor. However, the precise role of the AR-Vs in CRPC still remains unknown. ARv567es is one of the two AR variants frequently found in human CRPC xenografts and metastases. Herein, we developed a probasin (Pb) promoter-driven ARv567es transgenic mouse, Pb-ARv567es, to evaluate the role of ARv567es in both autonomous prostate growth and progression to CRPC. We found that expression of ARv567es in the prostate results in epithelial hyperplasia by 16 weeks and invasive adenocarcinoma is evident by 1 year of age. The underlying genetic cellular events involved a cell cycle-related transcriptome and differential expression of a spectrum of genes that are critical for tumor initiation and progression. These findings indicate that ARv567es could induce tumorigenesis de novo and signifies the critical role of AR-Vs in CRPC. Thus, the Pb-ARv567es mouse could provide a novel model in which the role of AR variants in prostate cancer progression can be examined. Custom Agilent 44K whole mouse genome expression oligonucleotide microarrays were used to profile prostate tissue from probasin (Pb) promoter-driven ARv567es transgenic mice and control littermates. Total RNA was isolated and amplified prior to hybridization against a common reference pool of normal adult mouse tissues.
Project description:As production of virulence factors by Pseudomonas aeruginosa is influenced by the host environment, we examined the effect of 10% adult bovine serum (ABS) on the global transcription with P. aeruginoas PAO1 at different phases of growth. At early exponential phase (4 h), serum significantly enhanced expression of 138 genes, most of which are repressed by iron and carry binding sequences for the ferric uptake regulator or the Fur-regulated extracytoplasmic function sigma factor PvdS. The expression of another 40 genes was reduced at 4h. However, the expression of only a few genes was significantly altered (reduced) at the early stationary phase of growth (8 h). Transcriptional fusion analyses confirmed serum enhances the expression of toxA, regA, and their regulatory genes regA and pvdS, yet does not interfere with the repression of these genes by iron. The P. aeruginosa strain PAO1 was grown in the iron-limited medium TSB-DC with or without 10% (v/v) ABS. The presence of 10% ABS reduced PAO1 growth, but despite this reduction, the cultures reached early exponential phase at 4 h and early stationary phase at 8 h in both media. Accordingly, we determined the PAO1 transcriptome in both media at these two specific time points. To standardize the comprison, we adjusted the cultures to the same optical density at 600 nm (biomass) by diluting with fresh TSB-DC PAO1 grown in TSB-DC to the same OD as PAO1 grown in TSB-DC/ABS. We obtained the transcriptome profile of 5,552 genes representing the complete P. aeruginosa PAO1 genome.
Project description:TMPRSS2 is an androgen-regulated cell surface serine protease expressed predominantly in prostate epithelium. TMPRSS2 is expressed highly in localized high-grade prostate cancers and in the majority of human prostate cancer metastasis. Through the generation of mouse models with a targeted deletion of Tmprss2, we demonstrate that the activity of this protease regulates cancer cell invasion and metastasis to distant organs. By screening combinatorial peptide libraries we identified a spectrum of TMPRSS2 substrates that include pro-hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). HGF activated by TMPRSS2 promoted c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase signaling, and initiated a pro-invasive EMT phenotype. Chemical library screens identified a potent bioavailable TMPRSS2 inhibitor that suppressed prostate cancer metastasis in vivo. Together, these findings provide a mechanistic link between androgen-regulated signaling programs and prostate cancer metastasis that operate via context-dependent interactions with extracellular constituents of the tumor microenvironment. Custom mouse cDNA microarrays were used to measure transcript levels in microdissected anterior prostate tumors from Tmprss2+/+;TRAMP mice, Tmprss2-/-;TRAMP mice or strain-matched benign epithelium. All samples were laser-capture microdissected and total RNA isolated and amplified prior to hybridization against a reference pool of normal adult mouse tissues.
Project description:To further elucidate the role of the intestinal stem cell marker Leucine-rich-repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5) in colorectal cancer (CRC), we exposed Lgr5-EGFP-IRES-Cre-ERT2 mice to azoxymethane/dextrane sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS) which induces inflammation-driven colon tumors. Tumors were then flow-sorted into fractions of epithelial cells that expressed high or low levels of Lgr5 and were characterized using gene expression profiling. In the AOM/DSS-induced mouse colon tumors Lgr5 high cells showed higher levels of several stem cell-associated genes and higher Wnt signaling than Lgr5 low tumor cells and Lgr5 high normal colon epithelial cells. To further elucidate the role of the intestinal stem cell marker Leucine-rich-repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5) in colorectal cancer (CRC), we transduced SW480 CRC cells with lentiviral shRNA constructs to silence LGR5 expression. This resulted in a depletion of spheres but did not affect adherently growing cells. Spheres expressed higher levels of several stem cell-associated genes than adherent cells. Notch signaling was down-regulated upon LGR5 silencing. This was confirmed by immunohistochemistry against cleaved NOTCH1. Normal mouse colons and AOM/DSS-induced mouse colon tumors were flow-sorted into Lgr5 high and low cells before gene expression was measured. Fifteen independent experiments were performed using seven individual mice for normal colons and eight for tumors. Appropriate LGR5 status was confirmed by real-time qRT-PCR before measuring silencing induced gene expression. Three independent experiments were performed for each cell fraction using separately cultured cells for each experiment.
Project description:Dissemination of prostate cancer (PCa) cells to the bone marrow is an early event in the disease process. In some patients, following initial treatment, disseminated tumor cells (DTC) proliferate to form active metastases after a prolonged period of undetectable disease known as tumor dormancy. Identifying mechanisms of PCa dormancy and reactivation remain a challenge due to the lack of in vitro models. Here, we characterized in vitro PCa dormancy-reactivation by inducing three apparently dormant patient-derived xenograft (PDX) lines to proliferate through tumor cell contact with each other and with bone marrow stroma. Proliferating PCa cells demonstrated tumor cell-cell contact and integrin clustering on immunofluorescence. Global gene expression analyses on proliferating cells cultured on bone marrow stroma revealed a downregulation of TGFB2 in all of the three proliferating PCa PDX lines when compared to their non-proliferating counterparts. Furthermore, constitutive activation of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), a downstream effector of integrin-beta1 and TGF-beta2, in non-proliferating cells resumed cell proliferation. This cell proliferation was associated with an upregulation of CDK6 and a downregulation of E2F4. Taken together, our data provide evidence to support cellular adhesion and downregulation of TGFB2 as a potential mechanism by which PCa cells escape from dormancy. Targeting TGF-beta 2-associated mechanism could provide novel opportunities to prevent lethal PCa metastasis. Custom Agilent-016162 44K whole human genome expression oligonucleotide microarrays were used to profile dormant and proliferating cells isolated from three separate LuCaP xenograft lines grown in co-culture with bone marrow stromal cells isolated from a patient with PCa bone metastases. RNA from 10 cells was amplified prior to hybridization against a common reference pool of prostate tumor cell lines.