Project description:Influenza B virus (IBV) is considered a major respiratory pathogen responsible for seasonal respiratory disease in humans, particularly severe in children and the elderly. Seasonal influenza vaccination is considered the most efficient strategy to prevent and control IBV infections. Live attenuated influenza virus vaccines (LAIVs) are thought to induce both humoral and cellular immune responses by mimicking a natural infection, but their effectiveness have recently come into question. Thus, the opportunity exists to find alternative approaches to improve overall influenza vaccine effectiveness. Two alternative IBV backbones were developed with re-arranged genomes, re-arranged M (FluB-RAM) and a re-arranged NS (FluB-RANS). Both re-arranged viruses showed temperature sensitivity in vitro compared to the WT type B/Bris strain, were genetically stable over multiple passages in embryonated chicken eggs and were attenuated in vivo in mice. In a prime-boost regime in naïve mice, both re-arranged viruses induced antibodies against HA with hemagglutination inhibition titers considered of protective value. In addition, antibodies against NA and NP were readily detected with potential protective value. Upon lethal IBV challenge, mice previously vaccinated with either FluB-RAM or FluB-RANS were completely protected against clinical disease and mortality. In conclusion, genome re-arrangement renders efficacious LAIV candidates to protect mice against IBV.
Project description:To define the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) of beta-cells, we used conditioned media (CM) generated from bleomycin-treated MIN6 cells and from senescent (beta-Gal-positive) primary beta-cells. In order to culture senescent beta-cells, we isolated islet, FACS-sorted them into beta-Gal-positive and negative populations, excluding immune cells through negative selection of CD45-positive and CD11beta-positive cells. For both the MIN6 and primary beta-cell models, we cultured cells in serum-free media to generate CM for proteomic analysis using the aptamer-based SomaScan platform.
Project description:Two glioblastoma cell lines (LN18 and HS863) were stable transfected with control empty vector (EV) or RNF123-vector (KPC1). The objective of this experiment was to determine NFKB1-targets regulated by RNF123 overexpression in glioblastoma cell lines. To do that LN18 and HS863 cell lines with RNF123 overexpression were compared to control empty vector. In the present study, we utilized the combination of RPPA and RNA-Sequencing. By comparing both datasets, we identified commonly proteins and genes differentially expressed in control versus RNF123-overexpressing cells.
Project description:Background: Macrophage-based immune dysregulation plays a critical role in development of delayed gastric emptying in animal models of diabetes. Human studies have also revealed loss of anti-inflammatory macrophages and increased expression of genes associated with pro-inflammatory macrophages in full thickness gastric biopsies from gastroparesis patients. Aim: We aimed to determine broader protein expression (proteomics) and protein-based signaling pathways in full thickness gastric biopsies of diabetic (DG) and idiopathic gastroparesis (IG) patients. Additionally, we determined correlations between protein expressions, gastric emptying and symptoms. Methods: Full-thickness gastric antrum biopsies were obtained from nine DG, seven IG patients and five non-diabetic controls. Aptamer-based SomaLogic tissue scan that quantitatively identifies 1300 human proteins was used. Protein fold changes were computed, and differential expressions were calculated using Limma. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and correlations were carried out. Multiple-testing corrected p-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: 73 proteins were differentially expressed in DG, 132 proteins in IG and 40 proteins were common to DG and IG. In both DG and IG, “Role of Macrophages, Fibroblasts and Endothelial Cells” was the most statistically significant altered pathway (DG FDR: 7.9x10-9; IG FDR: 6.3x10-12). In DG, properdin expression correlated with GCSI-bloating (r: -0.99, FDR: 0.02) and expressions of prostaglandin G/H synthase 2, protein kinase C zeta type and complement C2 correlated with 4 hr gastric retention (r: -0.97, FDR: 0.03 for all). No correlations were found between proteins and symptoms or gastric emptying in IG. Conclusions: Protein expression changes suggest a central role of macrophage-driven immune dysregulation and complement activation in gastroparesis.
Project description:Identifying lineage-specific markers is pivotal for understanding developmental processes and developing cell therapies. Here, we report a new cardiomyogenic cell surface marker latrophilin-2 (Lphn2), an adhesion G protein-coupled receptor. When mouse and human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) were stimulated with BMP4, Activin A, and bFGF, they differentiated into cardiac lineage cells. Lphn2 was selectively expressed on cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) and cardiomyocytes (CMCs) during the differentiation of mouse PSCs, and cell sorting with an anti-Lphn2 antibody promoted the isolation of populations highly enriched in CPCs and CMCs. Lphn2 knock-down or knock-out PSCs did not express cardiac genes. To investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the induction of cardiac differentiation by Lphn2, we used the Phospho Explorer Antibody Array, which encompasses nearly all known signaling pathways. Lphn2-dependent phosphorylation was strongest for cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) at Tyr15. We identified CDK5, Src, and P38MAPK as key downstream molecules of Lphn2. These findings provide a valuable tool for isolating cardiomyogenic progenitors and CMCs from PSCs and shed light on the still-unknown mechanisms of cardiac differentiation.
Project description:Leukemic splenocytes from these commercial transgenic mice that developed fatal leukemia with massive splenomegaly were isolated at the time of the necropsy and subjected to gene expression profiling and phosphoprotein profiling in side by side comparison with CD22DE12-Tg BPL or CD22DE12_BCR-ABL double transgenic cells.
Project description:Expression profiling of a total of 656 proteins in 3 high grade non-muslce invasive bladder cancer cases/normal urothelial mucosa pairs
Project description:Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a common infection of domestic dogs in areas where there is enzootic transmission of the agent Borrelia burgdorferi. Immunodiagnostic assays for canine antibodies to B. burgdorferi are usually based on whole-cell preparations as substrate and, consequently, interpretation of results is confounded by antibody cross-reactivity between borrelial antigens and those of other bacterial species. To more broadly characterize the antibody responses to B. burgdorferi infection and to assess the diversity in those responses between individual dogs, we examined sera from 32 adult, colony-bred beagle dogs that were experimentally infected with B. burgdorferi through tick bites and compared those on a protein microarray with sera from uninfected dogs in their antibody reactivities to various recombinant chromosome- and plasmid-encoded B. burgdorferi proteins, including 24 of the serotype-defining OspC proteins of North America. The profiles of immunogenic proteins for the dogs were largely similar to those for humans and natural reservoir rodents. These included the decorin-binding protein DbpB, BBA36, BBA57, BBA64, fibronectin-binding protein BBK32, VlsE, FlaB and other flagellar structural proteins, Erp proteins, Bdr proteins, and all of the OspC proteins. In addition, the canine sera bound to the presumptive lipoproteins BBB14 and BB0844, which infrequently elicited antibodies in humans or rodents. Although the beagle, like most other domestic dog breeds, has a small effective population size and features extensive linkage disequilibrium, the group of animals here demonstrated diversity in antibody responses by measures of antibody levels and specificities for conserved proteins, like DbpB, and polymorphic ones, like OspC.
Project description:We measued IgG autoantibodies associated with Connective Tissue Diseases (CTDs) and Anti-Cytokine Antibodies (ACA) in idiopathic Multicentric Castleman Disease (iMCD) patients and healthy controls who received the BNT162b2 vaccine.
Project description:We measued IgG autoantibodies associated with Connective Tissue Diseases (CTDs) and Anti-Cytokine Antibodies (ACA) in idiopathic Multicentric Castleman Disease (iMCD) patients and healthy controls who received the BNT162b2 vaccine.