Project description:To comprehensively characterize microRNAs (miRNA) expression and their target genes in thyroid cancer, we performed next-generation sequencing expression analysis of this disease. Recent studies have found that only the most abundant microRNAs mediate significant target suppression. We sequenced small RNA from 8 papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) with paired samples of normal thyroid tissue. We found that only a small set of abundant miRNAs are differentially expressed after pair-wise comparison (12 upregulated and 8 downregulated) reaching the minimum threshold amount to repress target mRNAs. We integrated computational prediction of potential targets and mRNA sequencing from the paired normal and tumor thyroid tissues from the same eight patients with PTC. The integrated analyses identified a master microRNA regulatory network in PTC that is involved in essential biological processes such as thyroid differentiation. As both mature products of miR-146b (miR-146b-5p and -3p) were among the most abundant upregulated in tumors, we unveil their target genes and found that miR-146b-3p specifically binds to the 3`UTR of PAX8 and NIS, leading to an impaired translation of the proteins and subsequently decreasing the iodide uptake of the cells. Furthermore, we show that mir-146b and PAX8 regulate each other, describing a novel regulatory circuit that determines the differentiated phenotype of PTC. In conclusion, our integrative genomic analysis uncovers the target genes of two of the most upregulated miRNAs and highlights the importance of a miR-146b3p-PAX8-NIS regulatory circuit that determines thyroid differentiation in thyroid cancer. Samples from Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma tumors (n=8) and contralateral normal thyroid tissue from the same patient (n=8) were collected at the Biobank of the Hospital Universitario La Paz (Madrid, Spain). The clinical characteristics of patients are summarized in Table S1. Surgically removed tissues were quickly frozen in liquid nitrogen until analysis. The samples were snap frozen on dry ice and stored at -80°C.
Project description:To comprehensively characterize microRNAs (miRNA) expression and their target genes in thyroid cancer, we performed next-generation sequencing expression analysis of this disease. Recent studies have found that only the most abundant microRNAs mediate significant target suppression. We sequenced small RNA from 8 papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) with paired samples of normal thyroid tissue. We found that only a small set of abundant miRNAs are differentially expressed after pair-wise comparison (12 upregulated and 8 downregulated) reaching the minimum threshold amount to repress target mRNAs. We integrated computational prediction of potential targets and mRNA sequencing from the paired normal and tumor thyroid tissues from the same eight patients with PTC. The integrated analyses identified a master microRNA regulatory network in PTC that is involved in essential biological processes such as thyroid differentiation. As both mature products of miR-146b (miR-146b-5p and -3p) were among the most abundant upregulated in tumors, we unveil their target genes and found that miR-146b-3p specifically binds to the 3`UTR of PAX8 and NIS, leading to an impaired translation of the proteins and subsequently decreasing the iodide uptake of the cells. Furthermore, we show that mir-146b and PAX8 regulate each other, describing a novel regulatory circuit that determines the differentiated phenotype of PTC. In conclusion, our integrative genomic analysis uncovers the target genes of two of the most upregulated miRNAs and highlights the importance of a miR-146b3p-PAX8-NIS regulatory circuit that determines thyroid differentiation in thyroid cancer.
Project description:Oxaliplatin (oxPt) resistance in colorectal cancers (CRC) is a major unsolved problem. Consequently, predictive markers and a better understanding of resistance mechanisms are urgently needed. To investigate if the recently identified predictive miR-625-3p is functionally involved in oxPt resistance, stable and inducible models of miR-625-3p dysregulation were analyzed. Ectopic expression of miR-625-3p in CRC cells led to increased resistance towards oxPt. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase 6 (MAP2K6/MKK6) – an activator of p38 MAPK - was identified as a functional target of miR-625-3p, and, in agreement, was down-regulated in patients not responding to oxPt therapy. The miR-625-3p resistance phenotype could be reversed by anti-miR-625-3p treatment and by ectopic expression of a miR-625-3p insensitive MAP2K6 variant. Transcriptome, proteome and phosphoproteome profiles revealed inactivation of MAP2K6-p38 signaling as a possible driving force behind oxPt resistance. We conclude that miR-625-3p induces oxPt resistance by abrogating MAP2K6-p38 regulated apoptosis and cell cycle control networks.
Project description:The current study is aimed on determine the functional impact of microRNA-378a-3p and microRNA-146b on embryo development. For such purpose, we supplemented miR-378/miR-146b mimics or inhibitors to the culture medium containing presumed zygotes at 1 dpi and cultured them until day 8, thus allowing miR-378/miR-146b mimics or inhibitors to influence further embryo development and quality. Further on, to gain more in-depth molecular insights, we performed transcriptome profiling of blastocysts cultured in the presence of miR-378/miR-146b mimics or inhibitors.
Project description:We show that numerous miRNAs are transcriptionally up-regulated in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) tumors compared with unaffected thyroid tissue. Among the predicted target genes of the three most upregulated miRNAs (miRs 221, 222 and 146b), only less than 15% showed significant downexpression in transcript level between tumor and unaffected tissue. The KIT gene which is known to be downregulated by miRNAs 221 and 222 displayed dramatic loss of transcript and protein in those tumors that had abundant mir-221, mir-222, and mir-146b transcript. Experiment Overall Design: Total RNA was extracted from paired tumor and normal thyroid tissues from 9 PTC patients. The same set samples were applied to Custom miRNA microarray chips (OSU_CCC version 2.0) and Affymetrix HG-U133 plus 2 chips.
Project description:We show that numerous miRNAs are transcriptionally up-regulated in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) tumors compared with unaffected thyroid tissue. Among the predicted target genes of the three most upregulated miRNAs (miRs 221, 222 and 146b), only less than 15% showed significant downexpression in transcript level between tumor and unaffected tissue. The KIT gene which is known to be downregulated by miRNAs 221 and 222 displayed dramatic loss of transcript and protein in those tumors that had abundant mir-221, mir-222, and mir-146b transcript. Keywords: Disease state analysis
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of human papillary thyroid cancer cells comparing control untreated BCPAP cells with BCPAP cells transfected with miR-145b-5p mimic. Two-condition experiment, BCPAP cells vs. miR-146b-5p transfexted BCPAP cells. Biological replicates: 1 control sample, 1 transfected sample.
Project description:Oxaliplatin (oxPt) resistance in colorectal cancers (CRC) is a major unsolved problem. Consequently, predictive markers and a better understanding of resistance mechanisms are urgently needed. To investigate if the recently identified predictive miR-625-3p is functionally involved in oxPt resistance, stable and inducible models of miR-625-3p dysregulation were analyzed. Ectopic expression of miR-625-3p in CRC cells led to increased resistance towards oxPt. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase 6 (MAP2K6/MKK6) – an activator of p38 MAPK - was identified as a functional target of miR-625-3p, and, in agreement, was down-regulated in patients not responding to oxPt therapy. The miR-625-3p resistance phenotype could be reversed by anti-miR-625-3p treatment and by ectopic expression of a miR-625-3p insensitive MAP2K6 variant. Transcriptome, proteome and phosphoproteome profiles revealed inactivation of MAP2K6-p38 signaling as a possible driving force behind oxPt resistance. We conclude that miR-625-3p induces oxPt resistance by abrogating MAP2K6-p38 regulated apoptosis and cell cycle control networks. Experimental design for mass spectrometry SILAC experiments can be found at https://figshare.com/s/8e79f008e0e58ec6efc2 or https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.4888139
Project description:Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder, characterized by cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, cardiomyocyte disarray and fibrosis, which has a prevalence of ~1:200-500 and predisposes individuals to sudden death and heart failure. The mechanisms through which diverse HCM-causing mutations cause cardiac dysfunction remain mostly unknown and their identification may reveal new therapeutic avenues. MicroRNAs have emerged as critical regulators of gene expression and disease phenotype in various pathologies. We explored whether miRNAs could play a role in HCM pathogenesis and offer potential therapeutic targets. Methods and Results: Using high-throughput miRNA expression profiling and qPCR analysis in two distinct mouse models of HCM, we found that miR-199a-3p expression levels are upregulated in mutant mice compared to age- and treatment-matched wild-type mice. We also found that miR-199a-3p expression is enriched in cardiac non-myocytes compared to cardiomyocytes. When we expressed miR-199a-3p mimic in cultured primary cardiac non-myocytes and analyzed the conditioned media by proteomics, we found that several ECM proteins (e.g., TSP2, FBLN3, COL11A1, LYOX) were differentially expressed. We confirmed our proteomics findings by qPCR analysis of selected mRNAs and demonstrated that miR-199a-3p mimic expression in cardiac non-myocytes drives upregulation of ECM genes including Tsp2, Fbln3, Pcoc1, Col1a1 and Col3a1. To examine the role of miR-199a-3p in vivo, we inhibited its function using lock-nucleic acid (LNA)-based inhibitors (antimiR-199a-3p) in an HCM mouse model. Our results revealed that progression of cardiac fibrosis is attenuated when miR-199a-3p function is inhibited in mild-to-moderate HCM. Finally, guided by computational target prediction algorithms, we identified mRNAs Cd151 and Itga3 as direct targets of miR-199a-3p and have shown that miR-199a-3p mimic expression negatively regulates AKT activation in cardiac non-myocytes. Conclusions: Altogether, our results suggest that miR-199a-3p may contribute to cardiac fibrosis in HCM through its actions in cardiac non-myocytes. Thus, inhibition of miR-199a-3p in mild-to-moderate HCM may offer therapeutic benefit in combination with complementary approaches that target the primary defect in cardiac myocytes.
Project description:The clinical importance of anterior foregut endoderm (AFE) derivatives, such as thyrocytes, has led to intense research efforts for their derivation through directed differentiation of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Here we identify transient overexpression of the transcription factor (TF) NKX2-1 as a powerful inductive signal for the robust derivation of thyrocyte-like cells from mouse PSC-derived AFE. This effect is highly developmental stage-specific and dependent upon FOXA2 expression levels and precise modulation of BMP and FGF signaling. The majority of the resulting cells express thyroid TFs (Nkx2-1, Pax8, Foxe1, Hhex) and thyroid hormone synthesis-related genes (Tg, Tpo, Nis, Iyd) at levels similar to adult mouse thyroid and give rise to functional follicle-like epithelial structures in Matrigel culture. Our findings demonstrate that NKX2-1 overexpression converts AFE to thyroid epithelium in a developmental time-sensitive manner and suggest a general methodology for manipulation of cell fate decisions of developmental intermediates.