Project description:Transcriptional profile of full thickness skin or epidermis only obtained from K14-CreER+/+;GPX4flox mouse model vs K14-CreER-/-;GPX4flox controls is analyzed and compared to transcriptional profile of epidermis plus papillary dermis obtained from patient-matched lesional vs perilesional psoriatic skin.
Project description:Despite the recent application of single-cell RNA-sequencing to aspects of mouse skin biology, the full cellular heterogeneity of the mouse skin (including both epidermis and skin stroma) and its relationship with the hair cycle is still uncharted. In order to systematically compare the cellular composition of mouse skin during rest and hair growth, we created single-cell RNA-sequencing libraries from full thickness mouse skin cell suspensions sampled during anagen (5w) and telogen (9w).
Project description:We hypothesized that treatment of the injured skin with occlusion limits TEWL and results in a phenotype of epithelial response that more closely resembles mucosa. Here we addressed whether different hydration conditions change gene expression patterns in epidermis using microarray study in rabbit partial-thickness incisional wound. Microarray on epidermis showed that global expression patterns of the genes in full occluded vs. non-occluded wounds are distinct. Many genes - including IL-1β, IL-8, TNF-α, and COX-2-upregulated in skin environment were also upregulated in non-occluded wounds. Simulating increased TEWL showed increased expression of proinflammatory genes in human ex vivo skin culture (HESC) and stratified keratinocytes. Microarray on epidermis showed that global expression patterns of the genes in full occluded vs. non-occluded wounds are distinct.
Project description:The objective of this study was to investigate how active dermal connective tissue composition dynamics affect long term protein expression in the epidermis. After surgically removing damaged skin to its full thickness at the site of a deep burn in ten patients, we randomized three adjacent test areas within the wounds to receive either: 1) no dermal component as control, 2) a permanent artificial dermal matrix or 3) a temporary dressing to induce formation of granulation tissue. Each area was then covered with an autologous superficial healty skin transplant as the epidermal indicator. One year later, biopsy samples were taken from each site. The epidermis and dermis were selectively microdissected by laser-capture from cut tissue biopsy sections, and analyzed using untargeted non-labelled quantitative proteomics.
Project description:Cursons2015 - Regulation of ERK-MAPK
signaling in human epidermis
Model comparing the abundance of
phosphorylated MAPK signalling proteins and calcium signalling in
the epidermis.
This model is described in the article:
Regulation of ERK-MAPK
signaling in human epidermis.
Cursons J, Gao J, Hurley DG, Print
CG, Dunbar PR, Jacobs MD, Crampin EJ.
BMC Syst Biol 2015; 9: 41
Abstract:
The skin is largely comprised of keratinocytes within the
interfollicular epidermis. Over approximately two weeks these
cells differentiate and traverse the thickness of the skin. The
stage of differentiation is therefore reflected in the
positions of cells within the tissue, providing a convenient
axis along which to study the signaling events that occur in
situ during keratinocyte terminal differentiation, over this
extended two-week timescale. The canonical ERK-MAPK signaling
cascade (Raf-1, MEK-1/2 and ERK-1/2) has been implicated in
controlling diverse cellular behaviors, including proliferation
and differentiation. While the molecular interactions involved
in signal transduction through this cascade have been well
characterized in cell culture experiments, our understanding of
how this sequence of events unfolds to determine cell fate
within a homeostatic tissue environment has not been fully
characterized.We measured the abundance of total and
phosphorylated ERK-MAPK signaling proteins within
interfollicular keratinocytes in transverse cross-sections of
human epidermis using immunofluorescence microscopy. To
investigate these data we developed a mathematical model of the
signaling cascade using a normalized-Hill differential equation
formalism.These data show coordinated variation in the
abundance of phosphorylated ERK-MAPK components across the
epidermis. Statistical analysis of these data shows that
associations between phosphorylated ERK-MAPK components which
correspond to canonical molecular interactions are dependent
upon spatial position within the epidermis. The model
demonstrates that the spatial profile of activation for
ERK-MAPK signaling components across the epidermis may be
maintained in a cell-autonomous fashion by an underlying
spatial gradient in calcium signaling.Our data demonstrate an
extended phospho-protein profile of ERK-MAPK signaling cascade
components across the epidermis in situ, and statistical
associations in these data indicate canonical ERK-MAPK
interactions underlie this spatial profile of ERK-MAPK
activation. Using mathematical modelling we have demonstrated
that spatially varying calcium signaling components across the
epidermis may be sufficient to maintain the spatial profile of
ERK-MAPK signaling cascade components in a cell-autonomous
manner. These findings may have significant implications for
the wide range of cancer drugs which therapeutically target
ERK-MAPK signaling components.
This model is hosted on
BioModels Database
and identified by:
BIOMD0000000659.
To cite BioModels Database, please use:
Chelliah V et al. BioModels: ten-year
anniversary. Nucl. Acids Res. 2015, 43(Database
issue):D542-8.
To the extent possible under law, all copyright and related or
neighbouring rights to this encoded model have been dedicated to
the public domain worldwide. Please refer to
CC0
Public Domain Dedication for more information.
Project description:Introgressed variants from other species can be an important source of genetic variation because they may arise rapidly, can include multiple mutations on a single haplotype, and have often been pretested by selection in the species of origin. Although introgressed alleles are generally deleterious, several studies have reported introgression as the source of adaptive alleles-including the rodenticide-resistant variant of Vkorc1 that introgressed from Mus spretus into European populations of Mus musculus domesticus. Here, we conducted bidirectional genome scans to characterize introgressed regions into one wild population of M. spretus from Spain and three wild populations of M. m. domesticus from France, Germany, and Iran. Despite the fact that these species show considerable intrinsic postzygotic reproductive isolation, introgression was observed in all individuals, including in the M. musculus reference genome (GRCm38). Mus spretus individuals had a greater proportion of introgression compared with M. m. domesticus, and within M. m. domesticus, the proportion of introgression decreased with geographic distance from the area of sympatry. Introgression was observed on all autosomes for both species, but not on the X-chromosome in M. m. domesticus, consistent with known X-linked hybrid sterility and inviability genes that have been mapped to the M. spretus X-chromosome. Tract lengths were generally short with a few outliers of up to 2.7 Mb. Interestingly, the longest introgressed tracts were in olfactory receptor regions, and introgressed tracts were significantly enriched for olfactory receptor genes in both species, suggesting that introgression may be a source of functional novelty even between species with high barriers to gene flow.
Project description:Using microarray analysis, we explored the differences in gene expression in wounded and intact skin using murine model. Injured skin samples were examined at days 1 and 4 post injury. The results provide the detailed molecular profile of the the genetic response to injury. Two full-thickness dermal wounds were made on the opposite sides of the midline of each mouse using a 4 mm punch biopsy instrument. Wounds were made through the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue layers while leaving the fascia intact. At a specified time point after the wounding (1 and 4 days), mice were sacrificed by carbon dioxide inhalation. The wounds and surrounding tissues or intact skin samples were removed with an 8 mm biopsy punch.
Project description:Translational research is commonly performed in the C57B6/J mouse strain, chosen for its genetic homogeneity and phenotypic uniformity. Here, we evaluate the suitability of the white-footed deer mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) as a model organism for aging research, offering a comparative analysis against C57B6/J and diversity outbred (DO) Mus musculus strains. Our study includes comparisons of body composition, skeletal muscle function, and cardiovascular parameters, shedding light on potential applications and limitations of P. leucopus in aging studies. Notably, P. leucopus exhibits distinct body composition characteristics, emphasizing reduced muscle force exertion and a unique metabolism, particularly in fat mass. Cardiovascular assessments showed changes in arterial stiffness, challenging conventional assumptions and highlighting the need for a nuanced interpretation of aging-related phenotypes. Our study also highlights inherent challenges associated with maintaining and phenotyping P. leucopus cohorts. Behavioral considerations, including anxiety-induced responses during handling and phenotyping assessment, pose obstacles in acquiring meaningful data. Moreover, the unique anatomy of P. leucopus necessitates careful adaptation of protocols designed for Mus musculus. While showcasing potential benefits, further extensive analyses across broader age ranges and larger cohorts are necessary to establish the reliability of P. leucopus as a robust and translatable model for aging studies.
Project description:To characterize the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility in detail, we used a systems genetics approach, integrating mapping of gene expression traits with sterility phenotypes and QTL. We measured genome-wide testis expression in 305 male F2s from a cross between wild-derived inbred strains of M. musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus. We identified several thousand cis- and trans-acting QTL contributing to expression variation (eQTL). Many trans eQTL cluster into eleven ‘hotspots,’ seven of which co-localize with QTL for sterility phenotypes identified in the cross. The number and clustering of trans eQTL - but not cis eQTL - were substantially lower when mapping was restricted to a ‘fertile’ subset of mice, providing evidence that trans eQTL hotspots are related to sterility. Functional annotation of transcripts with eQTL provides insights into the biological processes disrupted by sterility loci and guides prioritization of candidate genes. Using a conditional mapping approach, we identified eQTL dependent on interactions between loci, revealing a complex system of epistasis. Our results illuminate established patterns, including the role of the X chromosome in hybrid sterility.