Project description:We dissect HCV imprinting of B cell repertoires in patients with chronic disease. The persistent character of the oncogenic B cell repertoire generated by HCV may point to a chronically elevated lymphoma risk in these patients even years after HCV cure.
Project description:We dissect HCV imprinting of B cell repertoires in patients with chronic disease. The persistent character of the oncogenic B cell repertoire generated by HCV may point to a chronically elevated lymphoma risk in these patients even years after HCV cure.
Project description:Single cell sequencing for analysis gene of gene transcription and Ig repertoires of isotype-switched IgG-expressing memory B cells for paired analysis with Ig repertoires in the same cells. Aim of the study was to explore heterogeneity of isotype-switched memory B cells within and between spleen and bone marrow compartments.
Project description:Recurrent hepatitis C virus (rHCV) is universal post-liver transplantation (LT), with accelerated fibrosis rates compared to non-transplanted patients. rHCV is associated with increased mortality and morbidity post-transplant and is a leading indication for re-transplantation. We hypothesized that miRNA expression profiles from liver grafts can distinguish severity of HCV recurrence and differentiate this from acute cellular rejection (ACR). Methods Using microarrays, we characterized global microRNA (miRNA) expression from patients with slow HCV fibrosis progression (F<2 Ishak), fast HCV fibrosis progression (F≥2 Ishak), ACR and non-HCV transplanted patients. Selected miRNA were analysed by quantitative PCR (qPCR) using both liver tissue and serum samples. Results We demonstrated changes in miRNA expression in patients with slow HCV fibrosis progression that were anti-fibrogenic, anti-angiogenic and anti-inflammatory in comparison to patients with fast HCV fibrosis progression. miRNA-146a, miRNA-19a, miRNA- 20a and miRNA-let-7e expression were increased in the slow HCV fibrosis progression group. In addition, comparison of patients with fast HCV progression against patients with ACR identified pro-fibrogenic pathways. qPCR analysis on liver tissue and serum confirmed the up-regulation of miRNAs in the slow HCV fibrosis progression group. Conclusion We demonstrate specific miRNA expression signatures that distinguish rate of progression of HCV recurrence and ACR post –liver transplantation. Pathway analysis indicates that specific miRNA may play a regulatory role in these processes. The miRNAs identified may act as potential biomarkers for HCV recurrence post-LT and help distinguish between ACR and recurrent HCV.
Project description:The discovery of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in 1989 revealed the virus as the etiology of 40%-90% of the “essential” mixed cryoglobulinemia, where immune complex forms deposit called cryoprecipitate at temperatures below 37 °C. Cryoprecipitate constitutes monoclonal IgM and polyclonal IgG, some of which has reactivity against HCV core and NS3 epitopes. Resultant immune complex is considered entrapped on microvascular endothelium via C1q receptor, leading to complement activation and organ injury presenting predominantly as dermopathy, peripheral neuropathy and nephropathy. However, currently little is known on whether auto-reactive, cold-precipitating IgG components enriched in cryoprecipitate may play some role on the deposition of immune complex and subsequent complement-mediated injury of specific organs. Recently, with the advent of high-throughput immune repertoire sequencing and mass spectrometry, technical feasibility is growing to delineate antibodies of interest and their sequences directly from serum. To date, vast majority of studies actually utilized the antigen column for affinity purification of antibodies of interest, although this strategy is not applicable to disease entity with unknown antigen involvement. In such cases, disease-specific and organ-specific immune deposits may be a good alternative source of etiological antibodies. Herein, targeting HCV cryoglobulinemic vasculitis as a model, we conducted a proof-of-concept study aiming at characterizing the IgG components most prone to cryoprecipitation. To this end, we longitudinally studied one patient with cryoglobulinemic vasculitis with chronic HCV infection. After obtaining informed consent, cryoprecipitate and supernatant were separated from peripheral blood sample. Fab fragments from Protein G-purified IgG were recovered after papain digestion for isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ)-based quantitative proteomics. Simultaneously, total RNA was isolated from peripheral blood, and immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (IGHV) was PCR-amplified with unique molecular identifier (UMI) strategy to construct a personal IGHV sequence library of immunoglobulin variable region. Sequencing output from MiSeq was bioinformatically converted into mass spectrometry database. Search was performed using MaxQuant software.
Project description:A quantitative label-free proteome analysis was performed using plasma samples from 22 hepatitis-C virus (HCV)-induced liver cirrhosis patients, 16 HCV-positive hepatocellular carcinoma patients with underlying cirrhosis and 18 healthy controls. Plasma microparticles (PMPS) were isolated using ultracentrifugation and analyzed via label-free LC-MS/MS. A quantitative label-free proteome analysis was performed using plasma samples from 22 hepatitis-C virus (HCV)-induced liver cirrhosis patients, 16 HCV-positive hepatocellular carcinoma patients with underlying cirrhosis and 18 healthy controls. Plasma microparticles (PMPS) were isolated using ultracentrifugation and analyzed via label-free LC-MS/MS.
Project description:A quantitative label-free proteome analysis was performed using plasma samples from 22 hepatitis-C virus (HCV)-induced liver cirrhosis patients, 16 HCV-positive hepatocellular carcinoma patients with underlying cirrhosis and 18 healthy controls. Plasma microparticles (PMPS) were isolated using ultracentrifugation and analyzed via label-free LC-MS/MS. A quantitative label-free proteome analysis was performed using plasma samples from 22 hepatitis-C virus (HCV)-induced liver cirrhosis patients, 16 HCV-positive hepatocellular carcinoma patients with underlying cirrhosis and 18 healthy controls. Plasma microparticles (PMPS) were isolated using ultracentrifugation and analyzed via label-free LC-MS/MS.
Project description:Although treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with direct acting antivirals (DAAs) results in high rates of cure, liver fibrosis does not resolve immediately after HCV eradication. Resolution of fibrosis occurs in some, but not all patients, after HCV cure, and hepatic decompensation and hepatocellular carcinoma can still occur in patients with pre-existing cirrhosis. We hypothesized that evaluation of the host liver proteome in the context of HCV treatment would provide insight into how inflammatory and fibrinogenic pathways change upon HCV eradication. We evaluated the whole liver proteome and phosphoproteome using paired liver biopsies from 8 HCV-infected patients collected before or immediately after treatment with DAAs in clinical trials. We identify interferon stimulated proteins as the predominant pathways that decrease with HCV treatment, which is consistent with previous analyses of the liver transcriptome during DAA therapy. While there was no change in the proteome of pathways associated with liver fibrosis, we identified a decrease in the phosphoproteome signature for ERK1/ERK2 as a result of HCV treatment. Conclusion: There is a reduction in the endogenous interferon-mediated antiviral response and alterations in the phosphoproteome that may precede resolution of fibrosis in the liver immediately after treatment of HCV with DAAs.
Project description:In this study, Solexa deep sequencing technology was used for high-throughput analysis of miRNAs in a small RNA library isolated from serum sample of HCV-related fibrosis and control healthy. In total, 41 miRNAs were dysregulated (30 upregulated and 11 downregulated) in the patients with chronic HCV infection compared with the healthy controls. Furthermore, miRNA features including length distribution and end variations were characterized. Annotation of targets revealed a broad range of biological processes and signal transduction pathways regulated by HCV-induced fibrosis miRNAs. In addition, miRNAs of HCV-related fibrosis and control healthy were confirmed using miRNA microarray analysis. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis of miRNA in the chronic HCV infection patients and control healthy groups showed good concordance between the sequencing and qPCR data. This study provides the first large-scale identification and characterization of HCV-related fibrosis miRNAs and their potential targets, and represents a foundation for further characterization of their roles in the regulation of the diversity of HCV-related fibrosis.