Project description:Rosacea is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease of unknown etiology. Our knowledge about an involvement of the adaptive immune system is very limited. We performed detailed transcriptome analysis, qRT-PCR, and quantitative immunohistochemistry on facial biopsies of rosacea patients, classified according to their clinical subtype. As controls, we used samples from healthy controls. Our study shows significant activation of the immune system in all subtypes of rosacea, characterizing erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (ETR) already as a disease with significant influx of proinflammatory cells. The T cell response is dominated by Th1/Th17-polarized immune cells, as demonstrated by significant upregulation of IFNγ or IL-17, for example. Chemokine expression patterns support a Th1/Th17 polarization profile of the T cell response. Macrophages and mast cells are increased in all three subtypes of rosacea, while neutrophils reach a maximum in papulopustular rosacea. Our studies also provide evidence for activation of plasma cells with significant antibody production already in ETR, followed by a crescendo pattern towards phymatous rosacea. In sum, Th1/Th17 polarized inflammation and macrophage infiltration is an underestimated hallmark in all subtypes of rosacea. Therapies directly targeting the Th1/Th17 pathway are promising candidates in the future treatment of this skin disease. Total of 58 chips. 19 patients and 10 healthy volunteers
Project description:Rosacea is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease of unknown etiology. Our knowledge about an involvement of the adaptive immune system is very limited. We performed detailed transcriptome analysis, qRT-PCR, and quantitative immunohistochemistry on facial biopsies of rosacea patients, classified according to their clinical subtype. As controls, we used samples from healthy controls. Our study shows significant activation of the immune system in all subtypes of rosacea, characterizing erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (ETR) already as a disease with significant influx of proinflammatory cells. The T cell response is dominated by Th1/Th17-polarized immune cells, as demonstrated by significant upregulation of IFNγ or IL-17, for example. Chemokine expression patterns support a Th1/Th17 polarization profile of the T cell response. Macrophages and mast cells are increased in all three subtypes of rosacea, while neutrophils reach a maximum in papulopustular rosacea. Our studies also provide evidence for activation of plasma cells with significant antibody production already in ETR, followed by a crescendo pattern towards phymatous rosacea. In sum, Th1/Th17 polarized inflammation and macrophage infiltration is an underestimated hallmark in all subtypes of rosacea. Therapies directly targeting the Th1/Th17 pathway are promising candidates in the future treatment of this skin disease.
Project description:CD4+ T cells differentiate into phenotypically distinct T-helper cells upon antigenic stimulation. Regulation of plasticity between these CD4+ T-cell lineages is critical for immune homeostasis and prevention of autoimmune diseases. However, the factors that regulate lineage stability are largely unknown. Here we investigate a role for retinoic acid (RA) in the regulation of lineage stability using T helper 1 (Th1) cells, traditionally considered the most phenotypically stable Th subset. We found that RA, through its receptor RARa, sustains stable expression of Th1 lineage specifying genes as well as repressing genes that instruct Th17 cell fate. RA signaling is essential for limiting Th1 cell conversion into Th17 effectors and for preventing pathogenic Th17 responses in vivo. Our studies identify RA-RARa as a key component of the regulatory network governing Th1 cell fate and define a new paradigm for the development of pathogenic Th17 cells. These findings have important implications for autoimmune diseases in which dysregulated Th1-Th17 responses are observed. Identification of RARa binding in wild-type Th1 cells and mapping of enhancers using chromatin IP against p300, H3k4me1, H3k4me3, and H3k27ac in wild-type and dnRara Th1 cells.
Project description:CD4+ T cells are critical components in the human immune system. They produce cytokines to fight against pathogens and abnormal cells and stimulate other cells, such as B cells, macrophages, and neutrophils, to generate an immune response.
Naive CD4+ T cells are precursor cells that can differentiate into T helper - 1, - 2, - 17 (Th1, Th2, Th17) and regulatory T cells (Tregs) subtypes based on the type of pathogens or disease. The naive CD4+ T cell model consists of 5179 reactions, 3153 metabolites, and 1055 genes. Together with Th1, Th2, and Th17 models, the naive CD4+ T cell model helped identify drug targets and repurposable drugs against autoimmune diseases.
Project description:In this study, we examined differential gene expression in naïve human CD4+ T cells, as well as in effector Th1, Th17-negative and Th17-enriched CD4- T cell subsets. We observed a marked enrichment for increased gene expression in effector CD4+ T cells compared to naive CD4+ among immune-mediated disease oci genes. Within effector T cells, expression of disease-associated genes was increased in Th17-enriched compared to Th17-negative cells. We used microarray to examine the gene expresssion profile and level of human naïve, Th1 and effector T cell subsets. Human PBMCs were isolated and sorted to naïve, CD161-CCR6- and CD161+CCR6+ memory T cells. Naïve T cells were differentiatied to Th1 cells, and CD161-CCR6- and CD161+CCR6+ memory T cells were in vitro expanded for Th17-negative and Th17-enriched effector T cells. The gene profile was compared among naive, Th1, Th17-negative, and Th17-enriched cell subsets.
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.