Project description:Human cytomegalovirus infects multiple cell types, including fi-; broblasts and epithelial cells. It penetrates fibroblasts by fusion at; the cell surface but is endocytosed into epithelial cells. In this; report, we demonstrate by electron microscopy that the virus uses; two different routes to enter retinal pigmented epithelial cells,; depending on the cell type in which the infecting virus was; produced. Virus produced in epithelial cells preferentially fuses; with the plasma membrane, whereas fibroblast-derived virus; mostly enters by receptor-mediated endocytosis. Treatment of; epithelial cells with agents that block endosome acidification; inhibited infection by virus produced in fibroblasts but had only a; modest effect on infection by virus from epithelial cells. Epithelial; cell-generated virions had higher intrinsic ââfusion-from-withoutââ; activity than fibroblast-generated particles, and the two virus; preparations triggered different cellular signaling responses, as; evidenced by markedly different transcriptional profiles. We propose; that the cell type in which a human cytomegalovirus particle; is produced likely influences its subsequent spread and its contribution; to pathogenesis. Experiment Overall Design: A single strain of Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV), termed BADrUL131, was used to prepare viral stocks from either fibroblast cells or from endothelial cells. These viral preparations (fibroBADrUL131 and epiBADrUL131) were used to infect ARP-19 cells (Human retinal pigmented epithelial cells) for either 6 hours or 10 hours. Total RNA was collected, labeled and used to hybridize to Agilent whole genome oligo microarrays and were normalized to a control reference RNA pool.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of human mesenchymal stem cells comparing normoxic MSCs cells with hypoxic MSCs cells. Hypoxia may inhibit senescence of MSCs during expansion. Goal was to determine the effects of hypoxia on global MSCs gene expression.
Project description:Gene methylation profiling of immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells comparing HPV E6/E7-transfected MSCs cells with human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT)- and HPV E6/E7-transfected MSCs. hTERT may increase gene methylation in MSCs. Goal was to determine the effects of different transfected genes on global gene methylation in MSCs.
Project description:In this study, we characterize the fusion protein produced by the EPC1-PHF1 translocation in Low Grade Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma (LG-ESS) and Ossifying FibroMyxoid Tumors (OFMT). We express the fusion protein and necessary controls in K562 Cells. The fusion protein assembles a mega-complex harboring both NuA4/TIP60 and PRC2 subunits and enzymatic activities and leads to mislocalization of chromatin marks in the genome, linked to aberrant gene expression.
Project description:We have sequenced miRNA libraries from human embryonic, neural and foetal mesenchymal stem cells. We report that the majority of miRNA genes encode mature isomers that vary in size by one or more bases at the 3’ and/or 5’ end of the miRNA. Northern blotting for individual miRNAs showed that the proportions of isomiRs expressed by a single miRNA gene often differ between cell and tissue types. IsomiRs were readily co-immunoprecipitated with Argonaute proteins in vivo and were active in luciferase assays, indicating that they are functional. Bioinformatics analysis predicts substantial differences in targeting between miRNAs with minor 5’ differences and in support of this we report that a 5’ isomiR-9-1 gained the ability to inhibit the expression of DNMT3B and NCAM2 but lost the ability to inhibit CDH1 in vitro. This result was confirmed by the use of isomiR-specific sponges. Our analysis of the miRGator database indicates that a small percentage of human miRNA genes express isomiRs as the dominant transcript in certain cell types and analysis of miRBase shows that 5’ isomiRs have replaced canonical miRNAs many times during evolution. This strongly indicates that isomiRs are of functional importance and have contributed to the evolution of miRNA genes
Project description:In this study, we characterize the fusion protein produced by the EPC1-PHF1 translocation in Low Grade Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma (LG-ESS) and Ossifying FibroMyxoid Tumors (OFMT). We express the fusion protein and necessary controls in K562 Cells. The fusion protein assembles a mega-complex harboring both NuA4/TIP60 and PRC2 subunits and enzymatic activities and leads to mislocalization of chromatin marks in the genome, linked to aberrant gene expression.
Project description:Human cytomegalovirus infects multiple cell types, including fi- broblasts and epithelial cells. It penetrates fibroblasts by fusion at the cell surface but is endocytosed into epithelial cells. In this report, we demonstrate by electron microscopy that the virus uses two different routes to enter retinal pigmented epithelial cells, depending on the cell type in which the infecting virus was produced. Virus produced in epithelial cells preferentially fuses with the plasma membrane, whereas fibroblast-derived virus mostly enters by receptor-mediated endocytosis. Treatment of epithelial cells with agents that block endosome acidification inhibited infection by virus produced in fibroblasts but had only a modest effect on infection by virus from epithelial cells. Epithelial cell-generated virions had higher intrinsic ‘‘fusion-from-without’’ activity than fibroblast-generated particles, and the two virus preparations triggered different cellular signaling responses, as evidenced by markedly different transcriptional profiles. We propose that the cell type in which a human cytomegalovirus particle is produced likely influences its subsequent spread and its contribution to pathogenesis. Keywords: cell type comparison, viral infection, cell tropism, viral entry