Project description:Background: The study of human lacrimal gland biology and development is limited. Lacrimal gland tissue is damaged or poorly functional in a number of disease states including dry eye disease. Development of cell based therapies for lacrimal gland diseases requires a better understanding of the gene expression and signaling pathways in lacrimal gland. Differential gene expression analysis between lacrimal gland and other embryologically similar tissues may be helpful in furthering our understanding of lacrimal gland development. Methods: We performed global gene expression analysis of human lacrimal gland tissue using Affymetrix ® gene expression arrays. Primary data from our laboratory was compared with datasets available in the NLM GEO database for other surface ectodermal tissues including salivary gland, skin, conjunctiva and corneal epithelium. Results: The analysis revealed statistically significant difference in the gene expression of lacrimal gland tissue compared to other ectodermal tissues. The lacrimal gland specific, cell surface secretory protein encoding genes and critical signaling pathways which distinguish lacrimal gland from other ectodermal tissues are described. Conclusions: Differential gene expression in human lacrimal gland compared with other ectodermal tissue types revealed interesting patterns which may serve as the basis for future studies in directed differentiation among other areas.
Project description:The Effect of Sex on Lacrimal Gland Gene Expression in the MRL/lpr and Non-obese Diabetic Mouse Models of SjšgrenÕs Syndrome Keywords: Female vs Male Lacrimal Gland Gene Expression.
Project description:NOD mice spontaneously develop lacrimal gland inflammation. NOD mice that lack TLR7 or that lack IFNAR1 are protected from developing lacrimal gland inflammation. RNA sequencing studies were performed to compare gene expression profiles in lacrimal glands from wild-type (WT) vs Tlr7 knockout or Ifnar1 knockout nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice to determine disease-relevant gene and pathway profiles upregulated in WT lacrimal glands in either a TLR7- or IFNAR1-dependent manner.
