Project description:Analysis of ex vivo isolated lymphatic endothelial cells from the dermis of patients to define type 2 diabetes-induced changes. Results preveal aberrant dermal lymphangiogenesis and provide insight into its role in the pathogenesis of persistent skin inflammation in type 2 diabetes. The ex vivo dLEC transcriptome reveals a dramatic influence of the T2D environment on multiple molecular and cellular processes, mirroring the phenotypic changes seen in T2D affected skin. The positively and negatively correlated dLEC transcripts directly cohere to prolonged inflammatory periods and reduced infectious resistance of patients´ skin. Further, lymphatic vessels might be involved in tissue remodeling processes during T2D induced skin alterations associated with impaired wound healing and altered dermal architecture. Hence, dermal lymphatic vessels might be directly associated with T2D disease promotion. Global gene expression profile of normal dermal lymphatic endothelial cells (ndLECs) compared to dermal lymphatic endothelial cells derived from type 2 diabetic patients (dLECs).Quadruplicate biological samples were analyzed from human lymphatic endothelial cells (4 x diabetic; 4 x non-diabetic). subsets: 1 disease state set (dLECs), 1 control set (ndLECs)
Project description:Analysis of ex vivo isolated lymphatic endothelial cells from the dermis of patients to define type 2 diabetes-induced changes. Results preveal aberrant dermal lymphangiogenesis and provide insight into its role in the pathogenesis of persistent skin inflammation in type 2 diabetes. The ex vivo dLEC transcriptome reveals a dramatic influence of the T2D environment on multiple molecular and cellular processes, mirroring the phenotypic changes seen in T2D affected skin. The positively and negatively correlated dLEC transcripts directly cohere to prolonged inflammatory periods and reduced infectious resistance of patients´ skin. Further, lymphatic vessels might be involved in tissue remodeling processes during T2D induced skin alterations associated with impaired wound healing and altered dermal architecture. Hence, dermal lymphatic vessels might be directly associated with T2D disease promotion.
Project description:Genome -wide analysis of EPC subtypes obtained from both umbilical cord and peripheral blood. This experiment sought to compare the expression levels of eEPCs and OECs against monocytes and human dermal microvascular cells (HDMECs) in order to establish if these cells are linked to a monocytic or endothelial lineage. This is very important as the term EPC is currently used to describe cell populations which are quite dissimilar in terms of biological properties.
Project description:Single-cell RNA-seq (10X Genomics Chromium) to profile of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), cardiac and endothelial progenitor cells (CPC and EPC) and CardioCluster
Project description:Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are circulating endothelial precursors shown to incorporate into foci of neovascularisation. Herein, we describe phenotypic characteristics of an EPC sub-type called endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs). Peripheral blood-isolated ECFCs expressed endothelial and progenitor surface antigens and displayed cobblestone-patterned colonies with clonal proliferative and angiogenic capacities in vitro. ECFCs demonstrated endothelial cell-like shear stress responses including cell alignment and PECAM-1 expression. Proteomic comparison with an endothelial reference population (human umbilical vein endothelial cells) confirmed a similar proteomic profile. Hierarchical clustering revealed two distinct ECFC clusters with differences in cell growth, proliferation and angiogenesis capacities. The cluster with compromised functionality was also associated with elevated blood pressure and impaired lipid profile. Our findings described an endothelial-like phenotype of blood-derived ECFCs with distinctive proteomic signatures based on cellular and clinical characteristics. ECFCs may aid in identifying novel mechanisms associated with cardiovascular disease risk and new targets to enhance angiogenesis.
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:Background: In recent times a subset of bone marrow (BM) derived cells; endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), have generated tremendous interest, as these cells are suggested to home to sites of neovascularization and neoendothelialization and differentiate into mature endothelial cells (ECs), a process referred to as postnatal vasculogenesis. EPCs are being considered as a potential regenerative tool for treating various pathophysiological disease states including cardiovascular disorder and as a possible target to restrict vessel growth in tumour pathology. However, conflicting results have been reported in the field due to lack of EPC specific biomarkers, and the identification, characterization, and the precise role of EPCs in vascular biology still remains a subject of great debate. Therefore, the objective of this study was to use a bioinformatics approach to identify putative novel EPC specific biomarkers. Methods: This study reports a detailed gene expression profile of human umbilical cord blood (UCB) derived non-adherent CD133 + cells at different time points during in vitro differentiation (day 4 and day 7) which were compared with differentiated donor matched human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Results: EPC gene expression was profiled at both days 4 and 7, using affymetrix human 1.0ST exon arrays. Affymetrix gene expression profiling revealed significant expression changes in genes associated with stem/progenitor cell properties such as adhesion, signalling, molecular transport, cell structure organisation and growth. Conclusions: This is the first study utilizing gene expression profiling to examine non adherent CD133+ progenitor cells. Alterations in the gene expression reported in this study may be involved in the cellular processes characteristic of EPC development and differentiation. Gene expression profiling was performed on EPCs cultured for D4 and D7, on Affymetrix human 1.0ST exon array chips. Gene Spring (version GX11) was used to perform the gene expression analysis on three experimental groups; (a) D4 EPCs versus HUVEC; (b) D7 EPCs versus HUVEC and (c) D4 versus D7 EPCs.