About 50% of human malignancies exhibit unregulated signalling through the Ras-ERK1/2 (ERK) pathway, as a consequence of activating mutations in members of Ras and Raf families. However, the quest for alternative Ras-ERK pathway-directed therapies is desirable. Upon phosphorylation ERK dimerize. We had previously demonstrated that dimerization is essential for ERK extranuclear but not nuclear signaling. Furthermore, by molecular biology approaches, we showed that specifically inhibiting ERK extranuclear component, by impeding ERK dimerization, is sufficient for curtailing tumor progression. Here, we have identified a small molecule inhibitor for ERK dimerization in vitro and in vivo that, without affecting ERK phosphorylation, prevents tumorigenesis driven by Ras-ERK pathway oncogenes, both in cellular and animal models. Importantly, this compound is unaffected by resistance-acquisition processes that hamper “classical” Ras-ERK pathway inhibitors. Thus, ERK dimerization inhibitors provide the proof of principle for two novel concepts in cancer therapy: 1) The blockade of sublocalization-specific sub-signals, rather than total signals, as a means of effectively counteracting oncogenic Ras-ERK signaling. 2) Targeting regulatory protein-protein interactions such as dimerization, rather than catalytic activities, within a signaling route, as an approach for producing effective anti-tumoral agents. Strategies aimed at preventing aberrant flux through this route remain an attractive option for therapeutic intervention in cancer. In this respect, drugs inhibiting the kinase activities of BRaf and MEK have yielded promising results. Overall design: A375p cells treated with10 µM of either DEL22379, SCH772984 or DMSO as a control for two hours. mRNA from A375p cells was extrated using RNeasy mini kit (Qiagen, Germany) according to the manufacturer''s instructions. Cells were previously treated with10 µM of either DEL22379, SCH772984 or DMSO as a control for two hours.
Small Molecule Inhibition of ERK Dimerization Prevents Tumorigenesis by RAS-ERK Pathway Oncogenes.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesWe used RNA sequencing to characterize gene expression of CD4+ CD8a+ double positive (DP), Foxp3+ Treg (TR) and CD4+ single positive (SP) cells in the lamina propria (LP) and intraepithelial compartment (IEL) that had differentiante from the same clonal transnuclear (TN) precursor. Overall design: We adoptively transferred CD4+ CD8a- Foxp3-GFP- isolated from pTregTN/RKO/Foxp3-GFP mice into TCRaßKO hosts. After 6 weeks, we sorted transferred CD4+ CD8a+, Foxp3+ pTreg as well as unconverted CD4+ CD8a- Foxp3-GFP- from the small intestine LP and IEL compartments for whole transcriptome analysis by mRNA sequencing.
Tissue-specific emergence of regulatory and intraepithelial T cells from a clonal T cell precursor.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesWe used RNA sequencing to characterize gene expression of dendritic cells from mouse lymph node that, based on LIPSTIC labeling, underwent interaction with CD4+ T cells. Overall design: Antigen pulsed dendritic cells (DCs) were transferred into recipient mice, followed by antigen specific CD4+ T cells. Forty-eight hours after T cell transfer, endogenous dendritic cells were isolated by facs sorting from mouse lymph node and analyzed based on their in vivo LIPSTIC labeling.
Monitoring T cell-dendritic cell interactions in vivo by intercellular enzymatic labelling.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View Samplesretinal ganglion cells die after optic nerve injury, either crush or transection. The molecular causesunderlying this degeneration are largely unkwon
Time course profiling of the retinal transcriptome after optic nerve transection and optic nerve crush.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesmicroRNA-126 is a microRNA predominately expressed by endothelial cells and controls angiogenesis. Unexpectedly, we found that mice deficient in miR-126 have a major impairment in their innate response to pathogen-associated nucleic acids, as well as HIV, which results in more widespread cell infection. Further examination revealed that this was due to miR-126 control of plasmacytoid DC (pDC) homeostasis and function, and that miR-126 regulates expression of TLR7, TLR9, NFkB1 and other innate response genes, as well as VEGF-receptor 2 (VEGFR2). Deletion of VEGFR2 on DCs resulted in reduced interferon production, supporting a role for VEGFR2 in miR-126 regulation of pDCs. These studies identify the miR-126/VEGFR2 axis as an important regulator of the innate response that operates through multiscale control of pDCs.
The miR-126-VEGFR2 axis controls the innate response to pathogen-associated nucleic acids.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesThe assembly of the developmentally arrested primordial follicle and subsequent transition to the primary follicle are poorly understood processes critical to ovarian biology. Abnormal primordial follicle development can lead to pathologies such as premature ovarian failure. The current study used a genome-wide expression profile to investigate primordial follicle assembly and development. Rat ovaries with predominantly unassembled, primordial, or primary follicles were obtained. RNA from these ovaries was hybridized to rat microarray gene chips, and the gene expression (i.e., ovarian transcriptome) was compared between the developmental stages. Analysis of the ovarian transcriptome demonstrated 148 genes up-regulated and 50 genes down-regulated between the unassembled and primordial follicle stages. Observations demonstrate 80 genes up-regulated and 44 genes down-regulated between the primordial and primary follicle stages. The analysis demonstrated 2332 genes common among the three developmental stages, 146 genes specific for the unassembled follicles, 94 genes specific for the primordial follicles, and 151 genes specific for the primary follicles. Steroidogenic genes are up-regulated between unassembled and primordial follicles, and then many are again down-regulated between primordial and primary follicles. The hormones inhibin and Mullerian inhibitory substance (MIS) display a similar pattern of expression with the highest levels of mRNA in the primordial follicles. Several novel unknown genes that had dramatic changes in expression during primordial follicle development were also identified. Gene families/clusters identified that were up-regulated from unassembled to primordial follicles include growth factors and signal transduction gene clusters, whereas a down-regulated gene family was the synaptonemal complex genes associated with meiosis. Gene families/clusters that were up-regulated between primordial and primary follicles included immune response genes, metabolic enzymes, and proteases, whereas down-regulated gene families include the globulin genes and some steroidogenic genes. The expression of several growth factors changed during primordial follicle development, including vascular endothelial growth factor and insulin-like growth factor II. Elucidation of how these changes in gene expression coordinate primordial follicle assembly and the primordial to primary follicle transition provides a better understanding of these critical biological processes and allows selection of candidate regulatory factors for further investigation.
Alterations in the ovarian transcriptome during primordial follicle assembly and development.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesIGF-I exert multiple effects in different retinal cell populations in both physiological and pathological conditions. Transgenic mice overexpressing IGF-I in the retina showed impaired electroretinographic responses at 6-7 months of age that worsen with age. This retinal neuronal dysfunction was correlated with the loss of rod photoreceptors, bipolar, ganglion and amacrines cells. Neuronal alterations were preceded by the overexpression of retinal stress markers, acute phase proteins and gliosis-related genes. IGF-I overexpression leads to chronic gliosis and microgliosis in TgIGF-I retinas, with mild oxidative stress, impaired recycling of glutamate and defective potassium buffering. These impaired supportive functions can contribute to neurodegeneration in TgIGF-I retinas, together with the increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, potential mediators of neuronal death.
Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 Overexpression Induces β-Cell Dysfunction and Increases Beta-cell Susceptibility to Damage.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesThe peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-coactivator-11 (PGC-11) regulates genes involved in energy metabolism. Increasing adipose tissue energy expenditure through PGC-11 activation has been suggested to be beneficial for systemic metabolism. Pharmacological PGC-11 activators could be valuable tools in the fight against obesity and metabolic disease. Finding such compounds has been challenging partly because PGC-11 is a transcriptional coactivator with no known ligand-binding activities. Importantly, PGC-11 activation is regulated by several mechanisms but protein stabilization is a limiting step as the protein has a short half-life under unstimulated conditions.
Small molecule PGC-1α1 protein stabilizers induce adipocyte Ucp1 expression and uncoupled mitochondrial respiration.
Specimen part
View SamplesAnalysis of gene-expression profiles by microarrays can be very useful to characterize new potential candidate genes, key regulatory networks, and to define phenotypes or molecular signatures to improve the diagnosis or classification of the disease. We have used this approach in the study of one of the major causes of allergic diseases in Mediterranean countries, the olive pollen response, in order to find differential molecular markers among five clinical groups, Non-allergic, Asymptomatic, Allergic but not to olive pollen, Non-treated, olive pollen allergic patients and Olive pollen allergic patients (under specific-immunotherapy). The results of gene-expression by principal components analysis (PCA) clearly showed five clusters of samples that correlated with the five clinical groups. Analysis of differential gene-expression by multiple testing, and functional analysis by KEGG and Gene-Ontology revealed differential genes and pathways among the 5 clinical groups.
Differential gene-expression analysis defines a molecular pattern related to olive pollen allergy.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesAnalysis of gene-expression profiles with microarrays can be very useful to dissect specific responses and to characterize with a global view, new elements for improving the diagnosis, treatment and understanding of allergic diseases. We have used this approach for studying the olive pollen response, taking advantage our previous results of T-cell epitope mapping on Ole e 1 molecule (the major allergen from olive pollen) in order to analyze the stimuli influence on the gene-expression of olive pollen allergic patients. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 6 healthy controls and 6 allergic subjects were stimulated 24 hours with olive pollen stimuli: Ole e 1 molecule and two Ole e 1 peptides previously defined as P2+3 (aa10-31), mainly recognized by non-allergic subjects (possible immunoregulatory epitope) and P10+12+13 (aa90-130), immunodominant T-cell epitope. RNA extracted from basal and stimulated PBMCs was analyzed by HuGeU133 plus 2.0 GeneChip, Affymetrix (38.500genes). After assessment of data quality by standard quality checks and principal components analysis (PCA), differential gene-expression by experimental conditions was performed by multiple testing, using microarrays specific software. Differences in functional analysis were performed by KEGG, for pathways and Gene-Ontology for biological process. The results of gene-expression by PCA showed differential clusters that correlated with the experimental conditions from samples of allergic patients. Analysis of differential gene-expression by multiple testing, and functional analysis by KEGG and Gene-Ontology revealed differential genes and pathways among the 4 experimental conditions.
Therapeutic targets for olive pollen allergy defined by gene markers modulated by Ole e 1-derived peptides.
Specimen part, Disease
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