Project description:Mechanisms governing memory responses in IL-17 secreting CD4+ T cells (TH17), especially in autoimmune disorders, remain poorly understood. TH17 cells play pleiotropic roles in autoimmunity and tissue inflammation and are characterized by inherent plasticity, although how plasticity is regulated remains elusive. We investigated the transcriptional profiles of fate mapped (IL17aiCre-flox/stop/flox-YFP) TH17 cells and WT and Raptor-ko (flox/flox) TH17 cells (both IL17aiCre-flox/stop/flox-YFP) as well as sorted within CD27+ and CD27- subsets of WT in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a human model for human multiple sclerosis. We used microarrays to compare the global transcription profiles of YFP+ (IL17aiCre-flox/stop/flox-YFP) fate mapped TH17 cells as well as CD27+ and CD27- subsets of CD44+ fate mapped TH17 cells from draining lymph nodes on day 9 after immunization with Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein from WT and IL17aCre-Raptor-flox/flox mice.
Project description:Interleukin 17 (IL-17) producing T helper 17 (Th17) cells are critical drivers of pathogenesis in a variety of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Strategies to mitigate excessive Th17 response thus remain an attractive target for immunotherapies. Here we report that Cancerous Inhibitor of Protein Phosphatase 2A (CIP2A) regulates IL-17 production by Th17 cells in human and mouse. Using CIP2A knock-out (KO) mice and siRNA-mediated CIP2A silencing in human primary CD4+ T cells, we demonstrated that CIP2A silencing results in a significant increase in IL-17 production. Interestingly, CIP2A deficient Th17 cells were characterized by increased strength and duration of STAT3 (Y705) phosphorylation. Genome-wide gene expression profile as well as the p-STAT3 (Y705) interactome of CIP2A deficient Th17 cells identified that CIP2A regulates the strength of the interaction between Acylglycerol kinase (AGK) and STAT3, and thereby, modulates STAT3 phosphorylation as well as expression of IL-17 in Th17 cells. Our results uncover the physiological function of CIP2A in Th17 cells and provides new opportunities for therapeutic intervention in Th17 cell mediated diseases.
Project description:scRNAseq of in vitro polarized Th17 and Th22 cells (Gpr65_WT versus KO), to compare metabolism gene expression in Gpr65_WT versus KO.
Project description:The gene expression profiles were identified in breast cancer tumors with different level of FAK three tumors with low FAK expression identified by IHC and 3 tumors with high FAK expression. 2 triple-negative with low and one triple negative with high FAK expression was among these 6 samples
Project description:Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that plays an important role in proliferation, motility, adhesion, invasion, angiogenesis, and survival signaling. Focal adhesion kinase has been shown to be overexpressed in many types of tumors, including breast cancer at early stages of tumorigenesis. To study the biological role of FAK in breast tumorigenesis, we used FAKsiRNA to down-regulate FAK in MCF-7 cell lines. Experiment Overall Design: Eight samples were analyzed in MCF-7, MCF-7-Vector, MCF-7 control (luciferase) siRNA and FAKsiRNA#1, FAKsiRNA#2
Project description:Purpose: Focal adhesion kinase (FAK), hyaluronan (HA), and hyaluronan synthase-3 (HAS3) have been implicated in cancer growth and progression. FAK inhibition with the small molecule inhibitor Y15 decreases colon cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. HAS3 inhibition in colon cancer cells decreases FAK expression and activation, and exogenous HA increases FAK activation. We sought to determine the genes affected by HAS and FAK inhibition and hypothesized that dual inhibition would synergistically inhibit viability. Methods: We treated SW620 colon cancer cells with Y15 to inhibit FAK. We used two strategies to inhibit HAS: (1) cells were transfected with siRNA (HAS3 inhibited); a scrambled sequence was used as a control (HAS3 scrambled), and (2) cells were treated with the HAS inhibitor 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU). To determine the effect on viability, MTT assays were performed on transfected cells treated with Y15, and wild type cells treated with Y15 alone, 4-MU alone or Y15+4-MU. Treated and untreated cells were submitted to the gene microarray facility for expression profiling. RT-PCR was done to confirm the results. Results: HAS and FAK inhibition affected cell viability. Y15 and 4-MU decreased viability in a dose-dependent manner; viability was further inhibited by treatment with Y15+4-MU in combination (p<0.05). HAS-inhibited cells treated with as little as 2 M of Y15 showed significantly decreased viability compared to HAS scrambled cells treated with the same dose (p<0.05), suggesting synergistic inhibition of viability with dual FAK/HAS inhibition. Microarray analysis showed more than 2-fold up- or down-regulation of 121 genes by HAS inhibition, and 696 genes by FAK inhibition (p<0.05). Of 29 genes that were common to both groups, 9 were down-regulated (CBS, DHRS3, EEPD1, ESPN, FAM46C, GRTP1, IL20RA, INHBE, SCNN1A) and 4 were up-regulated (ANXA1, MALL, RGS2, SNAI2). RT-PCR confirmed these findings. Among the genes affected by FAK or HAS3 inhibition were FOX genes (apoptosis, cell cycle regulation), ANXA1 (apoptosis, proliferation), IL8 (cell cycle regulation, adhesion, proliferation), RGS2 (cell cycle regulation), CEACAM6 (adhesion), SNAI2 (transcription regulation), and SFRP5 (apoptosis). Several genes were specific to either FAK or HAS3 inhibition and several were common to both. Gene expression profiles of samples isolated from human colorectal cancer cells (SW620). A comparison of gene expression between untreated cells and cells treated with 4mcM of Y15. A second comparison between cells transfected with siRNA to HAS3 (HAS3-silenced) and cells transfected with a scrambled control sequence (sc). Two replicates each.
Project description:Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that plays an important role in proliferation, motility, adhesion, invasion, angiogenesis, and survival signaling. Focal adhesion kinase has been shown to be overexpressed in many types of tumors, including breast cancer at early stages of tumorigenesis. To study the biological role of FAK in breast tumorigenesis, we used FAKsiRNA to down-regulate FAK in MCF-7 cell lines.
Project description:Gene copy number changes, cancer stem cell (CSC) increases, and platinum chemotherapy resistance contribute to poor prognosis in patients with recurrent high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). CSC phenotypes involving Wnt-b-catenin and aldehyde dehydrogenase activities, platinum resistance, and tumor initiating frequency are here associated with spontaneous genetic gains, including genes encoding KRAS, MYC and FAK, in a new murine model of ovarian cancer (KMF). Noncanonical FAK signaling was sufficient to sustain human and KMF tumorsphere proliferation, CSC survival, and platinum resistance. Increased FAK tyrosine phosphorylation occurred in HGSOC patient tumors surviving neo-adjuvant platinum and paclitaxel chemotherapy and platinum resistant tumorspheres acquired FAK dependence for growth. Importantly, combining a pharmacologic FAK inhibitor with platinum overcame chemoresistance and triggered apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Knockout, rescue, genomic and transcriptomic analyses collectively identified more than 400 genes regulated along a FAK/b-catenin/Myc axis impacting stemness and DNA repair in HGSOC, with 66 genes gained in a majority of Cancer Genome Atlas samples. Together, these results support combinatorial testing of FAK inhibitors for the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer.
Project description:Interleukin 23 (IL-23) triggers pathogenic features in pro-inflammatory, IL-17-secreting T cells (Th17 and Tγδ17) that play a key role in the development of inflammatory diseases. However, the IL-23 signaling cascade remains largely undefined. Here we used quantitative phosphoproteomics to characterize IL-23 signaling in primary murine Th17 cells. We quantified 6,888 phosphorylation sites in Th17 cells, and found 168 phosphorylations regulated upom IL-23 stimulation. IL-23 increased the phosphorylation of the myosin regulatory light chain (RLC), an actomyosin contractibility marker, in Th17 and Tγδ cells. IL-23-induced RLC phosphorylation required JAK2 and ROCK catalytic activity, and the study of the IL-23/ROCK axis revealed an unexpected role of IL-23 in the migration of Tγδ17 and Th17 cells. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of ROCK reduced Tγδ17 recruitment to inflamed skin upon challenge with inflammatory agent Imiquimod. This work: i) provides new insights into phosphorylation networks that control Th17 cells, ii) widely expands the current knowledge on IL-23 signaling, and iii) contributes to the increasing list of immune cells subsets characterized by global phosphoproteomic approaches.
Project description:Extensive cellular heterogeneity exists within specific immune-cell subtypes classified as a single lineage, but its molecular underpinnings are rarely characterized at a genomic scale. Here, we use single-cell RNA-seq to investigate the molecular mechanisms governing heterogeneity and pathogenicity of Th17 cells isolated from the central nervous system (CNS) and lymph nodes (LN) at the peak of autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) or polarized in vitro under either pathogenic or non-pathogenic differentiation conditions. Computational analysis reveals a spectrum of cellular states in vivo, including a self-renewal state, Th1-like effector/memory states and a dysfunctional/senescent state. Relating these states to in vitro differentiated Th17 cells, unveils genes governing pathogenicity and disease susceptibility. Using knockout mice, we validate four novel genes: Gpr65, Plzp, Toso and Cd5l (in a companion paper). Cellular heterogeneity thus informs Th17 function in autoimmunity, and can identify targets for selective suppression of pathogenic Th17 cells while sparing non-pathogenic tissue-protective ones. Population transcriptional profiling of KO or WT cells,, differentiated in vitro for 48-96h towards Th17 cells