Project description:Transgenic mice carrying the human C19MC locus expressing a family of primate-specific microRNAs (miRNAs) were generated. Similar to humans, the expression of C19MC miRNAs was mainly detected in mouse placentas. We use mouse gene expression microarrays to analyze the impact of the transgenic miRNAs on mouse placenta gene expression profiles. The transgenic mice in this study were bred to homozygocy and are referred to as dTG.
Project description:Analyze miRNA expression levels in HTR-8/SVeo cells stably transfected with a BAC plasmid containing the entire C19MC miRNA cluster HTR-8/SVeo cells were transfected with a modified BAC plasmid containing the entire C19MC miRNA cluster and carrying a zeocin selection cassette. Several independent clones and a mixed population of transfected cells were analyzed and compared to non-transfected HTR-8/SVeo cells and primary human trophoblasts that express the C19MC miRNAs endogenously
Project description:Analyze gene expression profiles in HTR-8/SVeo cells stably transfected with a BAC plasmid containing the entire C19MC miRNA cluster HTR-8/SVeo cells were transfected with a modified BAC plasmid containing the entire C19MC miRNA cluster and carrying a zeocin selection cassette. Several independent clones and a mixed population of transfected cells were analyzed and compared to non-transfected HTR-8/SVeo cells and primary human trophoblasts that express the C19MC miRNAs endogenously
Project description:Although recent studies have revealed that microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate fundamental Natural Killer (NK) cell processes including cytotoxicity and cytokine production, little is known about the miRNA-gene regulatory relationships in maternal peripheral blood NK (pNK) cells during pregnancy. To predict the role of miRNAs within gene regulatory networks of maternal pNK cells during pregnancy, we performed comprehensive miRNA and gene expression profiling of maternal pNK cells using a combination of real-time PCR-based array and DNA microarray analyses and analyzed these differential expression levels between first- and third-trimester pNK cells. Furthermore, we constructed regulatory networks for miRNA-mediated gene expression in pNK cells during pregnancy by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. By PCR-based array analysis of miRNAs, 12 miRNAs including 6 placenta-derived miRNAs [chromosome 19 microRNA cluster (C19MC) miRNAs] were significantly upregulated in third-trimester pNK cells compared to first-trimester pNK cells. pNK cells incorporated C19MC miRNAs, whose interaction would be mediated via exosomes. Rapid clearance of C19MC miRNAs also occurred in NK cells after delivery. By DNA microarray analysis, 13 NK cell function-related genes were significantly downregulated between first- and third-trimester pNK cells. By pathway and network analysis, 9 downregulated NK-function-associated genes were in silico target candidates of 12 upregulated miRNAs including C19MC miRNA miR-512-3p. The results suggest that transfer of placental C19MC-miRNAs into maternal pNK cells occurs during pregnancy. The present study provides clues to understand maternal NK cell functions Gene expressions in human maternal peripheral blood NK cells were measured at 1st-trimester, 3rd-trimester. Five independent experiments were performed at each term (1st-trimester or 3rd-trimester) using different donors for each experiment.
Project description:Although recent studies have revealed that microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate fundamental Natural Killer (NK) cell processes including cytotoxicity and cytokine production, little is known about the miRNA-gene regulatory relationships in maternal peripheral blood NK (pNK) cells during pregnancy. To predict the role of miRNAs within gene regulatory networks of maternal pNK cells during pregnancy, we performed comprehensive miRNA and gene expression profiling of maternal pNK cells using a combination of real-time PCR-based array and DNA microarray analyses and analyzed these differential expression levels between first- and third-trimester pNK cells. Furthermore, we constructed regulatory networks for miRNA-mediated gene expression in pNK cells during pregnancy by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. By PCR-based array analysis of miRNAs, 12 miRNAs including 6 placenta-derived miRNAs [chromosome 19 microRNA cluster (C19MC) miRNAs] were significantly upregulated in third-trimester pNK cells compared to first-trimester pNK cells. pNK cells incorporated C19MC miRNAs, whose interaction would be mediated via exosomes. Rapid clearance of C19MC miRNAs also occurred in NK cells after delivery. By DNA microarray analysis, 13 NK cell function-related genes were significantly downregulated between first- and third-trimester pNK cells. By pathway and network analysis, 9 downregulated NK-function-associated genes were in silico target candidates of 12 upregulated miRNAs including C19MC miRNA miR-512-3p. The results suggest that transfer of placental C19MC-miRNAs into maternal pNK cells occurs during pregnancy. The present study provides clues to understand maternal NK cell functions
Project description:Background: Congenital transmission remains an important source of new Chagas disease cases. This study aimed to identify placental microRNAs (miRNAs) associated with congenital transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi. Methods: Placental samples from T. cruzi-infected mothers were classified according to congenital transmission status and analyzed by small RNA sequencing. Differential expression was assessed using DESeq2 with Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate correction. Nine candidate miRNAs were subsequently assessed by RT-qPCR. Results: Small RNA sequencing was performed in 31 placental samples, including 13 from transmitting mothers and 18 from non-transmitting mothers. hsa-miR-155-5p was the only miRNA significantly upregulated in placentas from transmitting mothers after multiple-testing correction and was selected as a candidate for further validation. Seven additional miRNAs (hsa-miR-193a-5p, hsa-miR-187-3p, hsa-miR-512-5p, hsa-miR-515-5p, hsa-miR-526a-5p, hsa-miR-99b-3p, and hsa-miR-455-5p) were selected based on nominal p-value, expression abundance, and differences in mean normalized counts between groups. RT-qPCR assessment in 15 placental samples, including 5 from transmitting mothers and 10 from non-transmitting mothers, showed higher normalized expression of hsa-miR-193a-5p and hsa-miR-187-3p in transmitting mothers.Conclusion: Placental miRNA profiling identified hsa-miR-155-5p, hsa-miR-193a-5p, and hsa-miR-187-3p as candidates for further investigation in congenital transmission of T. cruzi. These findings require confirmation in larger cohorts.