Project description:To identify down-stream target genes of BRIP1 during acinar morphogenesis of human mammary epithelial cells, we carried out microarray analysis of BRIP1 knockdown cells. Changes in gene expression in 3D culture of non-target and BRIP1 shRNA-transduced cells were analyzed. Samples were harvested from three different clones of non-target and BRIP1 shRNA-transduced cells at three time points, 4, 8, and 12 days, after cell seeding in Matrigel.
Project description:BRIP1 is a DNA helicase that directly interacts with the C-terminal BRCT repeat of the breast cancer susceptibility protein BRCA1 and plays an important role in BRCA1-dependent DNA repair and DNA damage-induced checkpoint control. Recent studies implicate BRIP1 as a moderate/low-penetrance breast cancer susceptibility gene. However, the phenotypic effects of BRIP1 dysfunction and its role in breast cancer tumorigenesis remain unclear. To explore the function of BRIP1 in acinar morphogenesis of mammary epithelial cells, we generated BRIP1-knockdown MCF-10A cells by short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated RNA interference and examined its effect in a three-dimensional culture model. Genome-wide gene expression profiling by microarray and quantitative RT-PCR were performed to identify alterations in gene expression in BRIP1-knockdown cells compared with control cells. The microarray data were further investigated using the pathway analysis and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) for pathway identification. BRIP1 knockdown in non-malignant MCF-10A mammary epithelial cells by RNA interference induced neoplastic-like changes such as abnormal cell adhesion, increased cell proliferation, large and irregular-shaped acini, invasive growth, and defective lumen formation. Differentially expressed genes, including MCAM, COL8A1, WIPF1, RICH2, PCSK5, GAS1, SATB1, and ELF3, in BRIP1-knockdown cells compared with control cells were categorized into several functional groups, such as cell adhesion, polarity, growth, signal transduction, and developmental process. Signaling-pathway analyses showed dysregulation of multiple cellular signaling pathways, involving LPA receptor, Myc, Wnt, PI3K, PTEN as well as DNA damage response, in BRIP1-knockdown cells. Loss of BRIP1 thus disrupts normal mammary morphogenesis and causes neoplastic-like changes, possibly via dysregulating multiple cellular signaling pathways functioning in the normal development of mammary glands.
Project description:Cystogenesis and tubulogenesis are basic building blocks for many epithelial organs, including the kidney. Most researchers have used two-dimensional (2D) cell culture to investigate signaling pathways downstream of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). We hypothesize that three-dimensional (3D) collagen-grown Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, which form cysts and then tubulate in response to HGF, are a much more in vivo-like system for the identification of novel tubulogenes. With the use of a canine microarray containing over 20,000 genes, 2,417 genes were identified as potential tubulogenes that were differentially regulated, exclusively in 3D-grown MDCK cells. Among these, 840 were dependent on MAPK signaling. Importantly, this work shows that many putative tubulogenes, previously identified via microarray analysis of 2D cultures, including by us, do not change in 3D culture and vice versa. The use of a 3D-culture system allowed for the identification of novel MAPK-dependent and -independent genes that regulate early renal tubulogenesis in vitro, e.g., matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1). Knockdown of MMP1 led to defects in cystogenesis and tubulogenesis in 3D-grown MDCK cells, most likely due to problems establishing normal polarity. We suggest that data obtained from 2D cultures, even those using MDCK cells treated with HGF, should not be automatically extrapolated to factors important for cystogenesis and tubulogenesis. Instead, 3D culture, which more closely replicates the biological environment and is therefore a more accurate model for identifying tubulogenes, is preferred. Results from the present analysis will be used to build a more accurate model of the signaling pathways that control cystogenesis and tubulogenesis.
Project description:We have sequenced miRNA libraries from human embryonic, neural and foetal mesenchymal stem cells. We report that the majority of miRNA genes encode mature isomers that vary in size by one or more bases at the 3’ and/or 5’ end of the miRNA. Northern blotting for individual miRNAs showed that the proportions of isomiRs expressed by a single miRNA gene often differ between cell and tissue types. IsomiRs were readily co-immunoprecipitated with Argonaute proteins in vivo and were active in luciferase assays, indicating that they are functional. Bioinformatics analysis predicts substantial differences in targeting between miRNAs with minor 5’ differences and in support of this we report that a 5’ isomiR-9-1 gained the ability to inhibit the expression of DNMT3B and NCAM2 but lost the ability to inhibit CDH1 in vitro. This result was confirmed by the use of isomiR-specific sponges. Our analysis of the miRGator database indicates that a small percentage of human miRNA genes express isomiRs as the dominant transcript in certain cell types and analysis of miRBase shows that 5’ isomiRs have replaced canonical miRNAs many times during evolution. This strongly indicates that isomiRs are of functional importance and have contributed to the evolution of miRNA genes Sequence library of miRNAs from a single sample of human foetal mesenchymal stem cells. Results tested and confirmed by northern blotting. Please note that only raw data files are available for the embryonic and neual samples and thus, directly submitted to SRA (SRX547311, SRX548700, respectively under SRP042115/PRJNA247767)
Project description:We investigated the evidence of recent positive selection in the human phototransduction system at single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and gene level.SNP genotyping data from the International HapMap Project for European, Eastern Asian, and African populations was used to discover differences in haplotype length and allele frequency between these populations. Numeric selection metrics were computed for each SNP and aggregated into gene-level metrics to measure evidence of recent positive selection. The level of recent positive selection in phototransduction genes was evaluated and compared to a set of genes shown previously to be under recent selection, and a set of highly conserved genes as positive and negative controls, respectively.Six of 20 phototransduction genes evaluated had gene-level selection metrics above the 90th percentile: RGS9, GNB1, RHO, PDE6G, GNAT1, and SLC24A1. The selection signal across these genes was found to be of similar magnitude to the positive control genes and much greater than the negative control genes.There is evidence for selective pressure in the genes involved in retinal phototransduction, and traces of this selective pressure can be demonstrated using SNP-level and gene-level metrics of allelic variation. We hypothesize that the selective pressure on these genes was related to their role in low light vision and retinal adaptation to ambient light changes. Uncovering the underlying genetics of evolutionary adaptations in phototransduction not only allows greater understanding of vision and visual diseases, but also the development of patient-specific diagnostic and intervention strategies.
Project description:Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy and the leading cause of death in women worldwide. Only 5%-10% of mutations in BRCA genes are associated with familial breast tumours in Eastern countries, suggesting the contribution of other genes. Using a microarray gene expression profiling study of BC, we have recently identified BRIP1 (fivefold up-regulation) as a potential gene associated with BC progression in the Omani population. Although BRIP1 regulates DNA repair and cell proliferation, the precise role of BRIP1 in BC cell invasion/metastasis has not been explored yet; this prompted us to test the hypothesis that BRIP1 promotes BC cell proliferation and invasion. Using a combination of cellular and molecular approaches, our results revealed differential overexpression of BRIP1 in different BC cell lines. Functional assays validated further the physiological relevance of BRIP1 in tumour malignancy, and siRNA-mediated BRIP1 knockdown significantly reduced BC cell motility by targeting key motility-associated genes. Moreover, down-regulation of BRIP1 expression significantly attenuated cell proliferation via cell cycle arrest. Our study is the first to show the novel function of BRIP1 in promoting BC cell invasion by regulating expression of various downstream target genes. Furthermore, these findings provide us with a unique opportunity to identify BRIP1-induced pro-invasive genes that could serve as biomarkers and/or targets to guide the design of appropriate BC targeted therapies.
Project description:Diabetes is one of the most prevalent diseases in the world. Type 1 diabetes is characterized by the failure of synthesizing and secreting of insulin because of destroyed pancreatic ?-cells. Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is described by the decreased synthesis and secretion of insulin because of the defect in pancreatic ?-cells as well as by the failure of responding to insulin because of malfunctioning of insulin signaling. In order to understand the signaling mechanisms of responding to insulin, it is necessary to identify all components in the insulin signaling network. Here, an interaction network consisting of proteins that have statistically high probability of being biologically related to insulin signaling in Homo sapiens was reconstructed by integrating Gene Ontology (GO) annotations and interactome data. Furthermore, within this reconstructed network, interacting proteins which mediate the signal from insulin hormone to glucose transportation were identified using linear paths. The identification of key components functioning in insulin action on glucose metabolism is crucial for the efforts of preventing and treating type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Project description:RNA extracted at 240min. Samples are rRNA depleted. Expression measurement of Homo sapiens genes. Overall design: Examination of three biological replicates.
Project description:The probable ancestral haplotype for human apolipoprotein B (apoB) has been identified through immunological analysis of chimpanzee and gorilla serum and sequence analysis of their DNA. Moreover, the frequency of this ancestral apoB haplotype among different human populations provides strong support for the African origin of Homo sapiens sapiens and their subsequent migration from Africa to Europe and to the Pacific. The approach used here for the identification of the ancestral human apoB haplotype is likely to be applicable to many other genes.