Project description:We used scRNAseq to better characterize human eosinophils at resting state in healthy patients (compared to other MNCs). We then compared the healthy eosinophils to eosinophils from asthmatic patients (moderate and severe).
Project description:Translating findings from animal models to human disease is essential for dissecting disease mechanisms, developing and testing precise therapeutic strategies. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted this need, particularly for models showing disease severity-dependent immune responses. Single-cell transcriptomics (scRNAseq) is well poised to reveal similarities and differences between species at the molecular and cellular level with unprecedented resolution. However, computational methods enabling detailed matching are still scarce. Here, we provide a structured scRNAseq-based approach that we applied to scRNAseq from blood leukocytes originating from humans and hamsters affected with moderate or severe COVID-19. Integration of COVID-19 patient data with two hamster models that develop moderate (Syrian hamster, Mesocricetus auratus) or severe (Roborovski hamster, Phodopus roborovskii) disease revealed that most cellular states are shared across species. A neural network-based analysis using variational autoencoders quantified the overall transcriptomic similarity across species and severity levels, showing highest similarity between neutrophils of Roborovski hamsters and severe COVID-19 patients, while Syrian hamsters better matched patients with moderate disease, particularly in classical monocytes. We further used transcriptome-wide differential expression analysis to identify which disease stages and cell types display strongest transcriptional changes. Consistently, hamster’s response to COVID-19 was most similar to humans in monocytes and neutrophils. Disease-linked pathways found in all species specifically related to interferon response or inhibition of viral replication. Analysis of candidate genes and signatures supported the results. Our structured neural network-supported workflow could be applied to other diseases, allowing better identification of suitable animal models with similar pathomechanisms across species.
Project description:A gene expression profiling sub-study was conducted in which skin biopsy samples (n=192) were collected for RNA extraction and hybridization to microarrays from patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who participated in ACCEPT, an IRB-approved Phase 3, multicenter, randomized trial. This analysis identified gene expressions significantly modulated in psoriasis lesions (LS) following ustekinumab or etanercept treatment at week 12 compared to baseline. Molecular expression of mRNA was found to be different in ustekinumab PASI75 responders vs. nonresponders. Differential modulation of selected mRNAs was also observed between ustekinumab and etanercept PASI75 responders.
Project description:A gene expression profiling sub-study was conducted in which skin biopsy samples were collected from 85 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who were participating in ACCEPT, an IRB-approved Phase 3, multicenter, randomized trial. This analysis identified 4,175 probe-sets as being significantly modulated in psoriasis lesions (LS) compared with matched biopsies of non-lesional (NL) skin. Skin biopsy samples (n=170) were collected at baseline for RNA extraction and microarray analysis from 85 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis without receiving active psoriasis therapy.
Project description:Objectives: To asses skin clearance and patient-reported outcomes for ixekizumab treatment. Methods: IXORA-R enrolled adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, defined as static Physician’s Global Assessment ≥ 3, PASI ≥ 12 and involved body surface area ≥ 10%. The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03573323).
Project description:A gene expression profiling study was conducted in which skin biopsy samples were collected for RNA extraction and hybridization to microarrays from patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who participated in the phase 1, guselkumab first-in-human randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. At week 12, significant reductions in psoriasis gene expression were observed in guselkumab-treated patients. Skin biopsy samples (n=59, LS: lesion, NL: non-lesion) were collected at baseline, weeks 1 and 12 following guselkumab treatment from patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis for RNA extraction and microarray analysis.
Project description:In the phase 3 VOYAGE-1 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02207231), guselkumab demonstrated superior efficacy versus placebo and the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α antagonist, adalimumab, in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis (Blauvelt et al., 2017). Here, skin samples were collected from patients in VOYAGE-1 and pharmacodynamic (PD) responses to guselkumab (vs adalimumab) treatment were assessed over 48 weeks.
Project description:We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in adults with moderate-to-severe AD unresponsive to conventional topical or systemic treatment. Fezakinumab (ILV-094; anti IL-22 monoclonal antibody) monotherapy was administered for 12 weeks (primary endpoint), and clinical responses were followed until week 20. AD transcriptome significantly improved at week 12 in fezakinumab vs. placebo (p<1E-18).
