Project description:The gene expression in vascular endothelial cells (VECs) and circulating fibrocytes (CFs) was tested either culturing alone or co-cultured. Our previous study showed that CFs inhibit both proliferation and apoptosis of VECs. In this present study, we co-cultured CFs and VECs in Transwell and tested the gene expression in CFs and VECs in order to delight the mechanism under which CFs affect the proliferation and apoptosis of VECs.
Project description:Research of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Fibromyalgia (FM), two acquired chronic illnesses affecting mainly females, has failed to ascertain their frequent co-appearance and etiology. Despite prior detection of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) activation in these diseases, the potential biomarker value of HERV expression profiles for their diagnosis, and the relationship of HERV expression profiles with patient immune systems and symptoms had remained unexplored. By using HERV-V3 high-density microarrays (including over 350k HERV elements and more than 1500 immune-related genes) to interrogate the transcriptomes of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from female patients diagnosed with ME/CFS, FM or both, and matched healthy controls (n=43), this study fills this gap of knowledge. Hierarchical clustering of HERV expression profiles strikingly allowed perfect participant assignment into four distinct groups: ME/CFS, FM, co-diagnosed, or healthy, pointing at a potent biomarker value of HERV expression profiles to differentiate between these hard-to-diagnose chronic syndromes. Differentially expressed HERV-immune-gene modules revealed unique profiles for each of the four study groups and highlighting decreased γδ T cells, and increased plasma and resting CD4 memory T cells, correlating with patient symptom severity in ME/CFS. Moreover, activation of HERV sequences coincided with enrichment of binding sequences targeted by transcription factors which recruit SETDB1 and TRIM28, two known epigenetic silencers of HERV, in ME/CFS, offering a mechanistic explanation for the findings. Unexpectedly, HERV expression profiles appeared minimally affected in co-diagnosed patients denoting a new nosological entity with low epigenetic impact, a seemingly relevant aspect for the diagnosis and treatment of this prevalent group of patients.
Project description:ETS transcription factors ETV2, FLI1 and ERG1 specify pluripotent stem cells into endothelial cells (PSC-ECs). However, these PSC-ECs are unstable and often drift towards non-vascular cell fates. We show that human mid-gestation c-Kit- lineage-committed amniotic cells (ACs) can be reprogrammed into induced vascular endothelial cells (rAC-VECs). Transient ETV2 expression in ACs generated immature iVECs, while co-expression with FLI1/ERG1 endowed rAC-VECs with a vascular repertoire and morphology matching mature ECs. Brief TGFb-inhibition functionalizes VEGFR2 signaling, augmenting specification of ACs into rAC-VECs. Genome-wide transcriptional analyses showed that rAC-VECs are similar to adult ECs in which vascular-specific genes are expressed and non-vascular genes are silenced. Functionally, rAC-VECs form stable vasculature in Matrigel plugs and regenerating livers. Thus, short-term ETV2 expression and TGFb-inhibition along with constitutive ERG1/FLI1 co-expression reprogram mature ACs into generic rAC-VECs with clinical-scale expansion potential. Public banking of HLA-typed rAC-VECs would establish a vascular inventory for treatment of genetically diverse disorders. Transcriptome sequencing of clonal and non-clonal rAC-VECs, HUVECs, LSECs, CD34+/Lin-, BMS
Project description:CO-culture of Microglia and Neurons. The NC/ APOE knocked down/ CD74 knocked down BV2 was stimulated by the ACP cystic fluid for 48 hours.
Project description:Examination of DNA methylome patterns in a larger cohort of ME/CFS samples using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 Beadchip Array
Project description:The ligand for the c-Kit receptor, KitL, exists as a membrane-associated (mKitL) and a soluble form (sKitL). KitL functions outside c-Kit activation have not been identified. We show that co-culture of c-Kit– and mKitL–expressing NIH3T3 cells results in signaling through mKitL: c-Kit–bound mKitL recruits calcium-modulating cyclophilin ligand (CAML) to selectively activate Akt, leading to CREB phosphorylation, mTOR pathway activation, and increased cell proliferation. Activation of mKitL in thymic vascular endothelial cells (VECs) induces mKitL- and Akt-dependent proliferation, and genetic ablation of mKitL in thymic VECs blocks their c-Kit responsiveness and proliferation during neonatal thymic expansion. Therefore, mKitL–c-Kit form a bi-directional signaling complex that acts in the developing thymus to coordinate thymic VEC and early thymic progenitor (ETP) expansion by simultaneously promoting ETP survival and VEC proliferation. This mechanism may be relevant to both normal tissues and malignant tumors that depend on KitL–c-Kit signaling for their proliferation.