Project description:High-mobility group box-1 (HMGB-1), a nonhistone chromosomal protein, is expressed in almost all types of cells with nucleus, and dysregulation of its expression correlates with pathological conditions such as inflammatory diseases, ischemia and cancers. Some of these conditions accompany abnormal angiogenesis induced by HMGB-1 mediated activation of downstream signaling pathways. So far, the underlying mechanism by which HMGB-1 induces angiogenesis remains largely unknown. In this study, we performed time-dependent gene expression microarray in endothelial cells (ECs) after HMGB-1 or VEGF treatment. By pathway analysis using each gene set up-regulated by HMGB-1 or VEGF, we found that most of HMGB-1 induced angiogenic pathways were also commonly activated by VEGF, while activation time and gene sets belonging to the pathways were different. In addition, HMGB-1 up-regulated some VEGFR signaling related conventional angiogenic factors including EGR1 and importantly, novel angiogenic factors such as ABL2, CEACAM1, KIT and VIPR1 which have been reported to independently promote angiogenesis in physiological and pathological conditions. Our gene expression profiling suggests that HMGB-1 is capable of independently inducing angiogenesis through activation of HMGB-1 specific angiogenic factors and also functions as an accelerator for VEGF mediated conventional angiogenesis according to physiological and pathological condition.
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.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of Homo sapiens inflammatory skin diseases (whole skin biospies): Psoriasis (Pso), vs Atopic Dermatitis (AD) vs Lichen planus (Li), vs Contact Eczema (KE), vs Healthy control (KO) In recent years, different genes and proteins have been highlighted as potential biomarkers for psoriasis, one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases worldwide. However, most of these markers are not psoriasis-specific but also found in other inflammatory disorders. We performed an unsupervised cluster analysis of gene expression profiles in 150 psoriasis patients and other inflammatory skin diseases (atopic dermatitis, lichen planus, contact eczema, and healthy controls). We identified a cluster of IL-17/TNFα-associated genes specifically expressed in psoriasis, among which IL-36γ was the most outstanding marker. In subsequent immunohistological analyses IL-36γ was confirmed to be expressed in psoriasis lesions only. IL-36γ peripheral blood serum levels were found to be closely associated with disease activity, and they decreased after anti-TNFα-treatment. Furthermore, IL-36γ immunohistochemistry was found to be a helpful marker in the histological differential diagnosis between psoriasis and eczema in diagnostically challenging cases. These features highlight IL-36γ as a valuable biomarker in psoriasis patients, both for diagnostic purposes and measurement of disease activity during the clinical course. Furthermore, IL-36γ might also provide a future drug target, due to its potential amplifier role in TNFα- and IL-17 pathways in psoriatic skin inflammation. In recent years, different genes and proteins have been highlighted as potential biomarkers for psoriasis, one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases worldwide. However, most of these markers are not psoriasis-specific but also found in other inflammatory disorders. We performed an unsupervised cluster analysis of gene expression profiles in 150 psoriasis patients and other inflammatory skin diseases (atopic dermatitis, lichen planus, contact eczema, and healthy controls). We identified a cluster of IL-17/TNFα-associated genes specifically expressed in psoriasis, among which IL-36γ was the most outstanding marker. In subsequent immunohistological analyses IL-36γ was confirmed to be expressed in psoriasis lesions only. IL-36γ peripheral blood serum levels were found to be closely associated with disease activity, and they decreased after anti-TNFα-treatment. Furthermore, IL-36γ immunohistochemistry was found to be a helpful marker in the histological differential diagnosis between psoriasis and eczema in diagnostically challenging cases. These features highlight IL-36γ as a valuable biomarker in psoriasis patients, both for diagnostic purposes and measurement of disease activity during the clinical course. Furthermore, IL-36γ might also provide a future drug target, due to its potential amplifier role in TNFα- and IL-17 pathways in psoriatic skin inflammation.