Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive lipid whose levels are tightly regulated by its synthesis and degradation. Intracellularly, S1P is dephosphoryled by the actions of two S1P-specific phosphatases, sphingosine 1-phosphate phosphatase 1 and 2. To identify the physiologic functions of S1P phosphatase 1, we have studied mice with its gene, Sgpp1, deleted. Sgpp1-/- mice appeared normal at birth but during the first week of life, they exhibited stunted growth, suffered desquamation, and most died before weaning. Interestingly, the epidermal permeability barrier developed normally during embryogenesis. Sgpp1 -/- pups and surviving adults exhibited epidermal hyperplasia and abnormal expression of keratinocyte differentiation markers. Keratinocytes isolated from Sgpp1 -/- skin had increased intracellular S1P levels, and expressed a gene expression profile that indicated enhanced differentiation. The results reveal S1P metabolism as a regulator of keratinocyte differentiation and epidermal homeostasis.
Sphingosine-1-phosphate phosphatase 1 regulates keratinocyte differentiation and epidermal homeostasis.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe goal was to determine how IL-12 affects gene expression by murine CTL.
IL-12 enhances CTL synapse formation and induces self-reactivity.
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View SamplesWe demonstrate that expression of key markers of keratinocyte differentiation is suppressed by exposure to sodium arsenite. Folate deficiency exacerbates this effect. In addition, cancer-related cell movement genes, and growth and proliferation genes are altered. Several redox-sensitive transcription factors are implicated in mediating these gene expression changes due to arsenic treatment and folate deficiency.
Folate deficiency enhances arsenic effects on expression of genes involved in epidermal differentiation in transgenic K6/ODC mouse skin.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesWe used a novel probe-level microarray analysis, revealing connections between mRNA processing and lymphoid neoplasia, in a mouse leukemia model. Characteristic differences in mRNA processing, primarily in the 3-untranslated region, distinguished histologically similar tumor subtypes with different survival characteristics. Gene sets with specific processing in each tumor subtype defined signatures useful for tumor subclassification, as demonstrated by internal cross-validation with up to 80% discrimination accuracy. A combination of mRNA expression and sequence analysis suggested that differences in isoform abundance likely arose from both alternative polyadenylation and differential degradation.
Global changes in processing of mRNA 3' untranslated regions characterize clinically distinct cancer subtypes.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe objective is to identify genes that are differentially expressed following the introduction of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) by the Rag proteins in murine pre-B cells. Cells lacking Artemis are used since the Rag-induced DSBs will not be repaired and, thus, will provide a continuous stimulus to the cell. Cells lacking Artemis and Atm are used to determine which gene expression changes depend on Atm and cells lacking Artemis that express an I kappa B alpha dominant negative are used to determine which gene expression changes depend on NFkB.
DNA double-strand breaks activate a multi-functional genetic program in developing lymphocytes.
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View SamplesGenomic technologies have unmasked molecularly distinct subgroups among tumors of the same histological type; but understanding the biologic basis of these subgroups has proved difficult since their defining alterations are often numerous, and the cellular origins of most cancers remain unknown. We sought to decipher complex genomic data sets by matching the genetic alterations contained within these, with candidate cells of origin, to generate accurate disease models. Using an integrated genomic analysis we first identified subgroups of human ependymoma: a form of neural tumor that arises throughout the central nervous system (CNS). Validated alterations included amplifications and homozygous deletions of genes not yet implicated in ependymoma. Matching the transcriptomes of human ependymoma subgroups to those of distinct types of mouse radial glia (RG)neural stem cells (NSCs) that we identified previously to be a candidate cell of origin of ependymoma - allowed us to select RG types most likely to represent cells of origin of disease subgroups. The transcriptome of human cerebral ependymomas that amplify EPHB2 and delete INK4A/ARF matched most closely that of embryonic cerebral Ink4a/Arf-/- RG: remarkably, activation of EphB2 signaling in this RG type, but not others, generated highly penetrant ependymomas that modeled accurately the histology and transcriptome of one human cerebral tumor subgroup (subgroup D). Further comparative genomic analysis revealed selective alterations in the copy number and expression of genes that regulate neural differentiation, particularly synaptogenesis, in both mouse and human subgroup D ependymomas; pinpointing this pathway as a previously unknown target of ependymoma tumorigenesis. Our data demonstrate the power of comparative genomics to sift complex genetic data sets to identify key molecular alterations in cancer subgroups.
Cross-species genomics matches driver mutations and cell compartments to model ependymoma.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage
View SamplesHuman Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) associated nephropathy (HIVAN) is characterized clinically by both nephrosis and by rapidly progressive kidney dysfunction. HIVAN is characterized histologically by both collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and prominent tubular damage. Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) is known to be rapidly expressed in distal segments of the nephron at the onset of different types of acute kidney injury, but few studies have examined NGAL in chronic kidney disease models. We found that urinary NGAL (uNGAL) was highly expressed by patients with biopsy proven HIVAN, whereas HIV+ patients without HIVAN demonstrated lower levels. uNGAL was also highly expressed in the TgFVB mouse model of HIVAN, which demonstrated NGAL gene expression in dilated, microcystic segments of the nephron. These data show that NGAL is markedly upregulated in the setting of HIVAN, and suggest that uNGAL levels may provide a non-invasive screening test to detect HIVAN related tubular disease.
Urinary NGAL marks cystic disease in HIV-associated nephropathy.
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View SamplesThe anti-diabetic drug and agonist of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (Pparg), rosiglitazone, was recently withdrawn in many countries because the drug use was associated with an increased risk of heart failure. To investigate underlying pathomechanisms, we chose 6-month-old apolipoprotein E (apoE)-deficient mice, which are prone to atherosclerosis and insulin resistance, and thereby mimic the risk profile of patients with cardiovascular disease. After 8 weeks of rosiglitazone treatment (30 mg/kg/day), echocardiography and histology analyses demonstrated that rosiglitazone had induced heart failure with cardiac dilation. Concomitantly, cardiac lipid overload and lipid-induced cardiomyocyte death developed. The microarray gene expression study of heart tissue from rosiglitazone-treated apoE-deficient mice relative to untreated apoE-deficient mice and non-transgenic B6 mice identified cardiac Pparg-dependent lipid metabolism genes in rosiglitazone-treated mice, which seem to trigger a major heart failure promoting pathway.
Inhibition of G-protein-coupled Receptor Kinase 2 Prevents the Dysfunctional Cardiac Substrate Metabolism in Fatty Acid Synthase Transgenic Mice.
Age, Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesHypercholesterolemic APOE-deficient mice are a widely used experimental model of atherosclerosis and increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a prominent feature of atherosclerosis development. To study the impact of ROS on atherogenesis, we treated APOE-deficient mice for 7 months with the antioxidant vitamin E (2000 IU/kg diet) and performed whole genome microarray gene expression profiling of aortic genes. Microarray gene expression profiling was performed of whole aortas isolated from vitamin E-treated APOE-deficient relative to untreated APOE-deficient mice with overt atherosclerosis, and nontransgenic B6 control mice. Microarray gene expression profiling revealed that vitamin E treatment prevented atherosclerosis-related gene expression changes of the aortic intima and media.
Microarray gene expression profiling reveals antioxidant-like effects of angiotensin II inhibition in atherosclerosis.
Specimen part, Disease, Treatment
View SamplesThe Raf kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) is a dual inhibitor of the Raf kinase and the G-protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2). GRK2 is an indispensable kinase, which exerts a major role in the pathogenesis of heart failure, and inhibition of GRK2 is cardioprotective in experimental models of heart failure. To investigate the cardiac function of RKIP as GRK2 inhibitor, we generated transgenic mice with myocardium-specific expression of RKIP under control of the alpha-MHC promoter. For comparison, mice with myocardium-specific expression of a GRK-specific peptide inhibitor (GRK-Inh) were also generated. Two different transgenic mouse models were established. Transgenic RKIP mice and transgenic GRK-Inh mice were born at Mendelian frequencey and grew to adulthood normally.
Inhibition of G-protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) triggers the growth-promoting mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
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