Project description:We surveyed the variation and dynamics of active regulatory elements genome-wide in CD4+ T cells, using Assay of Transposase Accessible Chromatin with sequencing (ATAC-seq) in longitudinal samples from healthy volunteers and during T cell activation. We created robust pipelines that enable accurate single molecule counting and allelic discrimination from clinical material. Over 4000 regulatory elements (7.2%) showed reproducible personal variation in activity. Gender was the most significant attributable source of regulome variation. ATAC-seq revealed novel elements that escape X chromosome inactivation and predicted gender-specific gene regulatory networks across autosomes, which coordinately impact genes with immune function. Noisy regulatory elements with personal variation in accessibility are significantly enriched for autoimmune disease loci. Over one third of regulome variation lacked genetic variation in cis, suggesting contributions from environmental or epigenetic factors. These results refine concepts of human individuality and provide foundational reference to compare disease-associated regulomes.
Project description:We surveyed the variation and dynamics of active regulatory elements genome-wide in CD4+ T cells, using Assay of Transposase Accessible Chromatin with sequencing (ATAC-seq) in longitudinal samples from healthy volunteers and during T cell activation. We created robust pipelines that enable accurate single molecule counting and allelic discrimination from clinical material. Over 4000 regulatory elements (7.2%) showed reproducible personal variation in activity. Gender was the most significant attributable source of regulome variation. ATAC-seq revealed novel elements that escape X chromosome inactivation and predicted gender-specific gene regulatory networks across autosomes, which coordinately impact genes with immune function. Noisy regulatory elements with personal variation in accessibility are significantly enriched for autoimmune disease loci. Over one third of regulome variation lacked genetic variation in cis, suggesting contributions from environmental or epigenetic factors. These results refine concepts of human individuality and provide foundational reference to compare disease-associated regulomes. We examined chromatin structure using ATAC-seq in purified human CD4+ T cells in 33 samples from 12 healthy donors and 15 samples from 3 patients with cutaneous T cell leukemia (CTCL). For T cell activation (TCA) time course, CD4+ cells from healthy donor 1 isolated as above were stimulated with ionomycin (1 ug/mL) and Phorbol Myristate Acetate (PMA; 20 ng/mL) and collected at 0, 1, 2, 4 hours in duplicate.
Project description:Gene expression profiling of immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells with hTERT/E6/E7 transfected MSCs. hTERT may change gene expression in MSCs. Goal was to determine the gene expressions of immortalized MSCs.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of human mesenchymal stem cells comparing normoxic MSCs cells with hypoxic MSCs cells. Hypoxia may inhibit senescence of MSCs during expansion. Goal was to determine the effects of hypoxia on global MSCs gene expression.
Project description:Gene methylation profiling of immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells comparing HPV E6/E7-transfected MSCs cells with human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT)- and HPV E6/E7-transfected MSCs. hTERT may increase gene methylation in MSCs. Goal was to determine the effects of different transfected genes on global gene methylation in MSCs.
Project description:Gene expression profiling of immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells with hTERT/E6/E7 transfected MSCs. hTERT may change gene expression in MSCs. Goal was to determine the gene expressions of immortalized MSCs. One-condition experment, gene expression of 3A6
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
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of human mesenchymal stem cells comparing normoxic MSCs cells with hypoxic MSCs cells. Hypoxia may inhibit senescence of MSCs during expansion. Goal was to determine the effects of hypoxia on global MSCs gene expression. Two-condition experiment, Normoxic MSCs vs. Hypoxic MSCs.