Project description:Transcriptional analysis of genes in SKBr3 cells. Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is a mammalian histone methyltransferase that contributes to the epigenetic silencing of target genes and regulates the survival and metastasis of cancer cells. EZH2 is overexpressed in aggressive solid tumors by mechanisms that remain unclear. Here we show that the expression and function of EZH2 in cancer cell lines are inhibited by microRNA-101 (miR-101).
Project description:miR-101 is a tumor suppressive microRNA. Besides EZH2, a well known EZH2 target, miR-101 should have other targets, which might also contribute to its tumor suppressive function. Thus, we performed array hybridization to determine changes in gene expression upon miR-101 overexpression in U2OS cells.
Project description:Background & Aims: E-cadherin expression disruption is commonly observed in epithelial cancers and metastasis. Such event is also recognized as a crucial step in gastric cancer (GC) initiation and progression. As aberrant expression of microRNAs often perturb the normal expression and function of pivotal cancer-related genes, we characterized and dissected a pathway initiated by loss of microRNA-101 that causes E-cadherin dysfunction through upregulation of EZH2 expression in GC. Methods: Microarrays were used to profile the expression of microRNAs in human GC. Array-CGH revealed DNA copy number changes that were validated by genomic quantitative PCR and Snapshot. Expression levels of microRNAs, mRNA and protein were determined by quantitative-real time PCR and western-blot/co-immunofluorescence. CDH1 inactivating mechanisms were analyzed. Gain and loss of function experiments were done in KatoIII cells. E-cadherin functionality was assessed by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Results: MiR-101 expression was significantly decreased in tumors in comparison with normal gastric mucosas (P<.0001). In 65% of the analyzed GC cases, miR-101 downregulation was caused by deletions and/or microdeletions at miR-101-2 locus. EZH2 overexpression and consequent loss/aberrant E-cadherin expression was found in concomitance with miR-101 downregulation in 41% of the analyzed GC cases. This occurred preferentially in cases retaining allele(s) untargeted by classical CDH1 inactivating mechanisms. MiR-101 gain of function experiments or direct inhibition of EZH2, led to a strong depletion of endogenous EZH2 protein and consequent rescue of functional E-cadherin at the cell membrane, mimicking results obtained with clinical GC samples. Conclusions: Deletions and/or microdeletions at miR-101-2 locus underlying mature miR-101 downregulation and consequent EZH2 overexpression represented a novel cascade of genetic events leading to E-cadherin disruption, preferentially affecting the intestinal-type of GC.
Project description:miR-101 is a tumor suppressive microRNA. Besides EZH2, a well known EZH2 target, miR-101 should have other targets, which might also contribute to its tumor suppressive function. Thus, we performed array hybridization to determine changes in gene expression upon miR-101 overexpression in U2OS cells. U2OS were transfected with synthetic miRNA negative control (NC) or miR-101 for 48hrs, and then harvested for RNA preparation. Three independent experiments were performed. One NC sample were repeated twice for the microarray.
Project description:Kynureninase is a member of a large family of catalytically diverse but structurally homologous pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) dependent enzymes known as the aspartate aminotransferase superfamily or alpha-family. The Homo sapiens and other eukaryotic constitutive kynureninases preferentially catalyze the hydrolytic cleavage of 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine to produce 3-hydroxyanthranilate and l-alanine, while l-kynurenine is the substrate of many prokaryotic inducible kynureninases. The human enzyme was cloned with an N-terminal hexahistidine tag, expressed, and purified from a bacterial expression system using Ni metal ion affinity chromatography. Kinetic characterization of the recombinant enzyme reveals classic Michaelis-Menten behavior, with a Km of 28.3 +/- 1.9 microM and a specific activity of 1.75 micromol min-1 mg-1 for 3-hydroxy-dl-kynurenine. Crystals of recombinant kynureninase that diffracted to 2.0 A were obtained, and the atomic structure of the PLP-bound holoenzyme was determined by molecular replacement using the Pseudomonas fluorescens kynureninase structure (PDB entry 1qz9) as the phasing model. A structural superposition with the P. fluorescens kynureninase revealed that these two structures resemble the "open" and "closed" conformations of aspartate aminotransferase. The comparison illustrates the dynamic nature of these proteins' small domains and reveals a role for Arg-434 similar to its role in other AAT alpha-family members. Docking of 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine into the human kynureninase active site suggests that Asn-333 and His-102 are involved in substrate binding and molecular discrimination between inducible and constitutive kynureninase substrates.
Project description:As the evolution of miRNA genes has been found to be one of the important factors in formation of the modern type of man, we performed a comparative analysis of the evolution of miRNA genes in two archaic hominines, Homo sapiens neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens denisova, and elucidated the expression of their target mRNAs in bain.A comparative analysis of the genomes of primates, including species in the genus Homo, identified a group of miRNA genes having fixed substitutions with important implications for the evolution of Homo sapiens neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens denisova. The mRNAs targeted by miRNAs with mutations specific for Homo sapiens denisova exhibited enhanced expression during postnatal brain development in modern humans. By contrast, the expression of mRNAs targeted by miRNAs bearing variations specific for Homo sapiens neanderthalensis was shown to be enhanced in prenatal brain development.Our results highlight the importance of changes in miRNA gene sequences in the course of Homo sapiens denisova and Homo sapiens neanderthalensis evolution. The genetic alterations of miRNAs regulating the spatiotemporal expression of multiple genes in the prenatal and postnatal brain may contribute to the progressive evolution of brain function, which is consistent with the observations of fine technical and typological properties of tools and decorative items reported from archaeological Denisovan sites. The data also suggest that differential spatial-temporal regulation of gene products promoted by the subspecies-specific mutations in the miRNA genes might have occurred in the brains of Homo sapiens denisova and Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, potentially contributing to the cultural differences between these two archaic hominines.
Project description:PurposeWe investigated the evidence of recent positive selection in the human phototransduction system at single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and gene level.MethodsSNP genotyping data from the International HapMap Project for European, Eastern Asian, and African populations was used to discover differences in haplotype length and allele frequency between these populations. Numeric selection metrics were computed for each SNP and aggregated into gene-level metrics to measure evidence of recent positive selection. The level of recent positive selection in phototransduction genes was evaluated and compared to a set of genes shown previously to be under recent selection, and a set of highly conserved genes as positive and negative controls, respectively.ResultsSix of 20 phototransduction genes evaluated had gene-level selection metrics above the 90th percentile: RGS9, GNB1, RHO, PDE6G, GNAT1, and SLC24A1. The selection signal across these genes was found to be of similar magnitude to the positive control genes and much greater than the negative control genes.ConclusionsThere is evidence for selective pressure in the genes involved in retinal phototransduction, and traces of this selective pressure can be demonstrated using SNP-level and gene-level metrics of allelic variation. We hypothesize that the selective pressure on these genes was related to their role in low light vision and retinal adaptation to ambient light changes. Uncovering the underlying genetics of evolutionary adaptations in phototransduction not only allows greater understanding of vision and visual diseases, but also the development of patient-specific diagnostic and intervention strategies.
Project description:Gene expression profiling of immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells with hTERT/E6/E7 transfected MSCs. hTERT may change gene expression in MSCs. Goal was to determine the gene expressions of immortalized MSCs.