Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a type I cytokine that plays a central role in induction of allergic inflammatory responses. Its principal targets have been reported to be dendritic cells and / or CD4 T cells; epithelial cells are a principal source. We report here the development of a reporter mouse (TSLP-ZsG) in which a ZsGreen (ZsG)-encoding construct has been inserted by recombineering into a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) immediately at the translation initiating ATG of TSLP. The expression of ZsG by mice transgenic for the recombinant BAC appears to be a faithful surrogate for TSLP expression, particularly in keratinocytes and medullary thymic epithelials cells (mTECs). A comparison of gene expression in ZsG expressing and ZsG negative mTECs and cortical thymic epithelial cells, which are all ZsG negative, revealed that all three populations can be distinguished from one another. In particular ZsG (and TSLP) expressing mTECs and ZsG- mTECs are separable populations based on gene expression profiling. Little or no expression of ZsG is observed in bone marrow-derived mast cells or basophils or in CD45+ cells infiltrating TSLP/ZsG-expressing skin. Using the TSLP-ZsG reporter mouse, we show that TNFa and IL-4/IL-13 are potent inducers of TSLP expression by keratinocytes and that local activation of Th2 and Th1 cells induces keratinocyte TSLP expression. We suggest that the capacity of TSLP to both induce Th2 differentiation and to be induced by activated Th2 cells raises the possibility that TSLP may be involved in a positive feedback loop to enhance allergic inflammatory conditions.
TSLP expression: analysis with a ZsGreen TSLP reporter mouse.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesThe gastrointestinal tract of mammals is inhabited by hundreds of distinct species of commensal microorganisms that exist in a mutualistic relationship with the host. The process by which the commensal microbiota influence the host immune system is poorly understood. We show here that colonization of the small intestine of mice with a single commensal microbe, segmented filamentous bacterium (SFB), is sufficient to induce the appearance of CD4+ T helper cells that produce IL-17 and IL-22 (Th17 cells) in the lamina propria. SFB adhere tightly to the surface of epithelial cells in the terminal ileum of mice with Th17 cells but are absent from mice that have few Th17 cells. Colonization with SFB was correlated with increased expression of genes associated with inflammation, anti-microbial defenses, and tissue repair, and resulted in enhanced resistance to the intestinal pathogen Citrobacter rodentium. Control of Th17 cell differentiation by SFB may thus establish a balance between optimal host defense preparedness and potentially damaging T cell responses. Manipulation of this commensal-regulated pathway may provide new opportunities for enhancing mucosal immunity and treating autoimmune disease.
Induction of intestinal Th17 cells by segmented filamentous bacteria.
Specimen part
View SamplesBACKGROUND: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor g (PPAR g) is a nuclear receptor whose activation has been shown to modulate macrophage and epithelial cell-mediated inflammation. The objective of this study was to use a systems approach for investigating the mechanism by which the deletion of PPAR g in T cells modulates the severity of dextran-sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis, immune cell distribution and global gene expression.
The role of T cell PPAR gamma in mice with experimental inflammatory bowel disease.
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View SamplesPPARg and C/EBPa cooperate to control preadipocyte differentiation (adipogenesis). However, the factors that regulate PPARg and C/EBPa expression during adipogenesis remain largely unclear. Here we show PTIP, a protein that associates with histone H3K4 methyltransferases, regulates PPARg and C/EBPa expression in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and during preadipocyte differentiation. PTIP deletion in MEFs leads to marked decreases of PPARg expression and PPARg-stimulated C/EBP expression. Further, PTIP is essential for induction of PPARg and C/EBPa expression during preadipocyte differentiation. Deletion of PTIP impairs the enrichment of H3K4 trimethylation and RNA polymerase II on PPARg and C/EBPa promoters. Accordingly, PTIP-/- MEFs and preadipocytes all show striking defects in adipogenesis. Furthermore, rescue of the adipogenesis defect in PTIP-/- MEFs requires co-expression of PPARg and C/EBPa. Finally, deletion of PTIP in brown adipose tissue significantly reduces tissue weight in mice. Thus, by regulating PPARg and C/EBPa expression, PTIP plays a critical role in adipogenesis.
Histone methylation regulator PTIP is required for PPARgamma and C/EBPalpha expression and adipogenesis.
Cell line
View SamplesBACKGROUND: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor g (PPAR g) is a nuclear receptor whose activation has been shown to modulate macrophage and epithelial cell-mediated inflammation. The objective of this study was to use a systems approach for investigating the mechanism by which the deletion of PPAR g in epithelial cells modulates the severity of dextran-sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis, immune cell distribution and global gene expression.
Immunoregulatory actions of epithelial cell PPAR gamma at the colonic mucosa of mice with experimental inflammatory bowel disease.
Specimen part
View SamplesBackground: It has been shown previously that administration of Francisella tularensis (Ft) LVS lipopolysaccharide (LPS) protects mice against subsequent challenge with Ft LVS and blunts the pro-inflammatory cytokine response.
Modulation of hepatic PPAR expression during Ft LVS LPS-induced protection from Francisella tularensis LVS infection.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesActivation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is essential for the generation of antibody memory but also targets oncogenes among others. We investigated the transcriptional regulation of the AID gene, Aicda, in the class switchinducible CH12F3-2 cells, and found that the Aicda regulation involves derepression by several layers of positive regulatory elements in addition to the 5 promoter region. The 5 upstream region contains functional motifs for the response to signaling by cytokines, CD40-ligand, or stimuli that activate NF-B. The first intron contains functional binding elements for the ubiquitous silencers c-Myb and E2f and for B cellspecific activator Pax5 and E-box-binding proteins.
B cell-specific and stimulation-responsive enhancers derepress Aicda by overcoming the effects of silencers.
Specimen part
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
An integrated systems biology approach identifies positive cofactor 4 as a factor that increases reprogramming efficiency.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesMultipotent spermatogonial stem cells (mSSCs) derived from SSCs are a potential new source of individualized pluripotent cells in regenerate medicine such as ESCs. We hypothesized that the culture-induced reprogramming of SSCs was mediated by a mechanism different from that of iPS, and was due to up-regulation of specific pluripotency-related genes during cultivation. Through a comparative analysis of expression profile data, we try to find cell reprogramming candidate factors from mouse spermatogonial stem cells. We used microarrays to analyze the gene expression profiles of culture-induced reprogramming converting unipotent spermatogonial stem cells to pluripotent spermatogonial stem cells.
An integrated systems biology approach identifies positive cofactor 4 as a factor that increases reprogramming efficiency.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesMost human B cell lymphomas (B-NHL) are derived from germinal centers (GCs), the structure where B-cells undergo class switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM) and are selected for high-affinity antibody production. The pathogenesis of B-NHL is associated with distinct genetic lesions, including chromosomal translocations and aberrant somatic hypermutation, which appear to arise from mistakes occurring during CSR and SHM. To ascertain the role of CSR and SHM in lymphomagenesis, we crossed three oncogene-driven (MYC, BCL6, MYC/BCL6) mouse models of B cell lymphoma with mice lacking activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), the enzyme required for both processes.
AID is required for germinal center-derived lymphomagenesis.
Specimen part
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