Project description:Analysis of genes and biological processes influenced by Neuronal calcium sensor 1 (NCS1) based on whole transcriptome analyiss of Ncs1+/+ (wildtype) and Ncs1-/- (knockout) mouse brain tissues, i.d. the frontal cortex and the hippocampus.
Project description:Hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) is a powerful protein footprinting technique to study protein dynamics and binding; however, HDX-MS data analysis is often challenging and time consuming. Moreover, the HDX community is expanding to investigate multi-protein and highly complex protein systems such as cell lysates which further complicates data analysis. Thus, a simple and easy-to-use open source software package designed to analyze large and highly complex protein systems is needed. In this vein, we have developed The Deuterium Calculator, a Python-based software package for HDX-MS data analysis. The Deuterium Calculator is capable of differential and nondifferential HDX-MS analysis, produces standardized data files according to the recommendations put forth by the International Conference on Hydrogen-Exchange Mass Spectrometry (IC-HDX) to increase transparency in data analysis, and generates Woods’ plots for statistical analysis and data visualization. This standard output can be used to perform further analysis on HDX such as determination of labeling time dependent deuteration and for the study of protein folding kinetics or differential uptake. Moreover, the Deuterium Calculator is capable of analyzing large HDX-MS datasets (e.g., LC-HDX-MS from complex samples such as cell lysates) to determine the extent of deuteration on individual peptides from numerous proteins, perform differential analysis under varying experimental conditions, and time-dependent deuterium exchange. The Deuterium Calculator is freely available for download at https://github.com/OUWuLab/TheDeuteriumCalculator.git.
Project description:Metastases in the bone marrow (BM) are grim prognostic factors in patients with neuroblastoma (NB). In spite of extensive analysis of primary tumor cells from high- and low-risk NB patients, a characterization of freshly isolated BM-infiltrating metastatic NB cells is still lacking. Our aim was to identify proteins specifically expressed by metastatic NB cells, that may be relevant for prognostic and therapeutic purposes. Metastatic NB cells were freshly isolated from patients’ BM by positive immunomagnetic bead manipulation using anti-GD2 monoclonal antibody. Unselected BM samples from patients with metastatic NB were also included. Gene expression profiles were compared with those obtained from archived NB primary tumors from patients with 5y-follow-up. After validation by RT-qPCR, expression/secretion of the proteins encoded by the up-regulated genes in the BM-infiltrating NB cells was evaluated by flow cytometry and ELISA. Compared to primary tumor cells, BM-infiltrating NB cells down-modulated the expression of CX3CL1, AGT, ATP1A2 mRNAs, whereas they up-regulated several genes commonly expressed by various lineages of BM resident cells. BM-infiltrating NB cells expressed indeed the proteins encoded by the top-ranked genes, S100A8 and A9 (calprotectin), CD177 and CD3, and secreted the CXCL7 chemokine. BM-infiltrating NB cells also expressed CD271 and HLA-G. We have identified proteins specifically expressed by BM-infiltrating NB cells. Among them, calprotectin, a potent inflammatory protein, and HLA-G, endowed with tolerogenic properties facilitating tumor escape from host immune response, may represent novel biomarkers and/or targets for therapeutic intervention in high-risk NB patients.