Project description:Functional studies using genetically modified mice with COLVI-specific STAT3 loss- or gain-of function demonstrated a critical role of STAT3 activation through IL-6 and IL-11 in fibroblasts during colorectal tumorigenesis in vivo. To reveal molecular mechanism specifically involved the STAT3 driven colorectal cancer development, we performed a comparative gene expression profiling by whole genome RNA-sequencing of fibroblasts subpopulations (COLVI+ vs. COLVI-) upon STAT3 activation under different conditions (IL-6 vs. IL-11) uncovering the regulation of transcriptional patterns associated with fibroblast activation, cytokine signaling and angiogenesis.
Project description:Fibroblasts synthesize the extracellular matrix of connective tissue and play an essential role in maintaining tissue integrity. We have previously shown that mouse skin connective tissue, the dermis, is comprised of functionally distinct fibroblast lineages. However, the extent of fibroblast heterogeneity in human skin is unknown. Here, using a combination of spatial transcriptional profiling of human and mouse dermis and single cell transcriptional profiling of human dermal fibroblasts, we show that there are at least four distinct fibroblast populations in adult human skin. We define markers permitting prospective isolation of these cells and show that although marker expression is rapidly lost in culture, different fibroblast subpopulations retain distinct functionality in terms of Wnt signalling, T cell communication and the ability to support human epidermal reconstitution in organotypic culture. Furthermore, while some fibroblast subpopulations are spatially segregated, others are not. These findings have profound implications for normal wound healing and diseases characterized by excessive fibrosis, and suggest that ex vivo expansion or in vivo ablation of specific fibroblast subpopulations may have therapeutic applications.
Project description:Fibroblasts are the main dermis-resident cells, yet they remain poorly characterized. Fundamentally, fibroblasts originate from the same population of mesenchymal cells but fibroblast subpopulations have been identified. Papillary and reticular fibroblasts were characterized based on their respective location in the papillary and reticular dermis. Here, we identified a new subset of fibroblasts, located in human papillary dermis and displaying specific features such as their organization into cell clusters. We used microarrays to detail the gene expression profiles of the novel fibroblast subpopulation we have identified compared to papillary and reticualr fibroblasts and notably the relative contribution of the different fibroblast subpopulations to the extracellular matrix of the dermis.
Project description:The upper papillary and deeper reticular dermis differ structurally and functionally. Although the papillary and reticular fibroblasts produced distinct extracellular matrix (ECM), the matrisome of these two fibroblast subpopulations has not been defined. Therefore we performed a transcriptomic analysis of papillary and reticular fibroblasts freshly isolated from skin of young donors around 20, at a time they produced high level of ECM. Bioinformatics analysis delivered 230 upregulated and 139 downregulated transcripts in papillary vs reticular fibroblasts. Expression of various selected genes was validated by q-PCR. The papillary fibroblasts were characterized by a higher expression of genes involved in the defense function, in the regulation of cell motility and proliferation and in the MAPK cascade whereas reticular fibroblasts showed higher expression of genes related to the development of connective tissues. Papillary fibroblasts were characterized by the expression of a high number of matrisome-associated genes whereas reticular fibroblasts gene signature mainly related to the core matrisome and ECM regulators. The regulation of selected genes was validated at protein level attesting to the robustness of the transcriptome analysis. Altogether, our data brought new insights into an ECM signature that is coherent with the organization and function of the papillary and reticular dermis.