Project description:Extensive cellular heterogeneity exists within specific immune-cell subtypes classified as a single lineage, but its molecular underpinnings are rarely characterized at a genomic scale. Here, we use single-cell RNA-seq to investigate the molecular mechanisms governing heterogeneity and pathogenicity of Th17 cells isolated from the central nervous system (CNS) and lymph nodes (LN) at the peak of autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) or polarized in vitro under either pathogenic or non-pathogenic differentiation conditions. Computational analysis reveals a spectrum of cellular states in vivo, including a self-renewal state, Th1-like effector/memory states and a dysfunctional/senescent state. Relating these states to in vitro differentiated Th17 cells, unveils genes governing pathogenicity and disease susceptibility. Using knockout mice, we validate four novel genes: Gpr65, Plzp, Toso and Cd5l (in a companion paper). Cellular heterogeneity thus informs Th17 function in autoimmunity, and can identify targets for selective suppression of pathogenic Th17 cells while sparing non-pathogenic tissue-protective ones. Population transcriptional profiling of in vitro polarized Th17 cells, either sorted for IL17A/GFP+ or unsorted.
Project description:Microarray data on TH17 cells from Bhlhe40-GFP reporter mice We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression in polarized Bhlhe40-GFPneg and Bhlhe40-GFPpos TH17 cells Purified naïve CD4 T cells from spleen were polarized under TH17 condition in vitro. On day 4, cells were stimulated with PMA and ionomycin, and sorted by their Bhlhe40-GFP expression prior to microarray analysis
Project description:We compared the methylated and non-methylated regions in the genome of ex vivo-isolated naive CD4+ T cells, Th1 cells, Th17 cells and regulatory T cells by methyl-CpG binding domain protein sequencing (MBD-seq). Naive T cells and Th1 cells share more methylated regions than naive T cells and Th17 cells or Th1 and Th17 cells. However, analysis of the non-methylated regions revealed the highest similarity between Th1 and Th17 cells. Another aim was the analysis of the Th17 lineage on the basis of the methylome. We searched for regions absent in the methylome of Th17 but present in naive T cells, Th1 cells and regulatory T cells. Here, we identified differential methylation in the loci of Il17a, Chn2, Dpp4 and Dclk1. CD4+ T effector cells were prepared ex vivo, stimulated with PMA/Ionomycin, subjected to a comercially available cytokine secretion kit (IL-17A and IFNg), stained by adding fluorescence-labeled antibodies against CD3, CD4 and CD45RB and sorted by flow cytometry. We sorted naive CD4+ T cells (CD3+CD4+CD45RB_high), Th1 cells (CD3+CD4+CD45RB_low_IFNg+IL17A-), Th17 cells (CD3+CD4+CD45RB_low_IFNg-IL17A+) and regulatory T cells (CD3+CD4+CD25++).
Project description:Introduction: We reported a in vitro pathogen-specific priming system to using pathogen lysate stimulated splenic CD11c+ DCs to differentiate pathogen-specific murine T helper cells. This method allowed us to compare side-by-side transcriptional profiles of bulk T helper cells that are specific to distinct pathogens and to study their composition and functionality. Moreover, we can utilize cytokine reporter mice to isolate specific Th subtypes from these in vitro-primed T cells and study their transcriptional regulation. Method: We isolate commited Th17 cells by utilizing IL-17A fate-mapping mice (Il17aCRE; R26tdT). We generated Th17 cells in 3 conditions: 1. We used Cr-stimulated DCs to prime Th17 cells and sorted CD90+CFSE-tdT+ population, dubbed 'ppTh17' cells. CFSE+CD90+ naive T cells from the same culture as controls. 2. We polarized naive Il17aCRE; R26tdT CD4 T cells to Th17 lineage using previously defined cytokine and antibody cocktail (IL-6+TGFb1+IL-1b+IL-23; plate bound anti-CD3+anti-CD28). We sorted CD90+tdT+ population, dubbed 'cdTh17' cells. 3. We intragastrically infected Il17aCRE; R26tdT mice with 5x10^8 C.rodentium and harvested mesenteric lymph nodes at 10 days post infection (dpi). We sorted tdT+ CD4 T cells from mesenteric lymph nodes, dubbed "ex vivo Th17' cells. The four sorted populations were subjected to mRNA-sequencing analysis. Conclusion: We found that compared to cdTh17 cells, ppTh17 cells and ex vivo Th17 cells resemble each other. These two physiologically relevant Th17 populations maintain high levels of heterogeneity and plasticity, as well as posess ability to upregulate memory T cell related genes. cdTh17 cells highly express glycolysis and one-carbon metabolism genes, correlate with their expression of cell cycle genes, suggesting a highly activated state.
Project description:Tissue engineering strategies that combine human pluripotent stem cell-derived myogenic progenitors (hPDMs) with advanced biomaterials provide promising tools for engineering 3D skeletal muscle grafts to model tissue development in vitro and promote muscle regeneration in vivo. We recently demonstrated (i) the potential for obtaining large numbers of hPDMs using a combination of two small molecules and (ii) the application of electrospun fibrin microfiber bundles for functional skeletal muscle restoration following volumetric muscle loss. In this study, we demonstrate that the biophysical cues provided by the microfiber bundles can induce unsorted hPDMs to form multinucleated myotubes that express desmin and myosin heavy chain. To reduce the batch-to-batch variability of these samples, we tested a genetic PAX7 reporter line (PAX7::GFP) to sort for more homogenous populations of hPDMs. RNA sequencing and gene set enrichment analyses confirmed that PAX7::GFP-sorted hPDMs exhibited higher expression of myogenic genes while unsorted hPDMs demonstrated increased expression of genes associated with embryonic, neural crest, and fibroadipogenic progenitor lineages. We tested engineered skeletal muscle grafts derived from either PAX7::GFP-sorted or unsorted hPDMs within in vivo skeletal muscle defects. The unsorted hPDM-derived grafts also exhibited greater fibrosis and more proinflammatory responses. In contrast, the PAX7::GFP-sorted groups had moderately high vascular infiltration, more implanted cell association with embryonic myosin heavy chain (eMHC) regions, and greater CD206:CD86 ratios compared to unsorted hPDMs and acellular fibers suggesting they induced more pro-regenerative microenvironments. These findings demonstrated some promise for the use of PAX7::GFP-sorted hPDMS on fibrin microfiber bundles and provided some insights for improving the cell-biomaterial system to stimulate more robust in vivo skeletal muscle regeneration.
Project description:Extensive cellular heterogeneity exists within specific immune-cell subtypes classified as a single lineage, but its molecular underpinnings are rarely characterized at a genomic scale. Here, we use single-cell RNA-seq to investigate the molecular mechanisms governing heterogeneity and pathogenicity of Th17 cells isolated from the central nervous system (CNS) and lymph nodes (LN) at the peak of autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) or polarized in vitro under either pathogenic or non-pathogenic differentiation conditions. Computational analysis reveals a spectrum of cellular states in vivo, including a self-renewal state, Th1-like effector/memory states and a dysfunctional/senescent state. Relating these states to in vitro differentiated Th17 cells, unveils genes governing pathogenicity and disease susceptibility. Using knockout mice, we validate four novel genes: Gpr65, Plzp, Toso and Cd5l (in a companion paper). Cellular heterogeneity thus informs Th17 function in autoimmunity, and can identify targets for selective suppression of pathogenic Th17 cells while sparing non-pathogenic tissue-protective ones. Population transcriptional profiling of KO or WT cells,, differentiated in vitro for 48-96h towards Th17 cells
Project description:With this study we aimed to characterize the changes invoked in glial progenitor cells by activation of the endogenous copy of the master transcription factor Sox1. For this study, a progenitor cell line was derived from ES cells carrying a heterozygous GFP knock-in in the Sox1 ORF. Sox1 positive cells were identified by GFP expression, and separated by FACS. As control population, Sox1 negative progenitors were used, as well as GFP sorted and unsorted, Sox1 positive Neuroepithelial cells derived from the same ES cell line.
Project description:Naive murine CD4+ T cells from GREAT/SMART-17A mice were cultured under Th1 or Tfh(1 ng/ml TGF-β)-polarizing conditions in 96-well plates coated with anti-CD3/anti-CD28 for 3.5 days; sorted by flow cytometry on IFNg+ (Th1), or CXCR5-IL17A+ (Th17) and CXCR5+IL17A- (Tfh); and subjected to bulk RNA-seq.
Project description:Proteomics for sorted low vs. high 20% of lamin A/C-expressing primary, human, adipose-derived stem cells compared to an unsorted population