Detailed information about stage-specific changes in gene expression is crucial for understanding the gene regulatory networks underlying development and the various signal transduction pathways contributing to morphogenesis. Here, we describe the global gene expression dynamics during early murine limb development, when cartilage, tendons, muscle, joints, vasculature, and nerves are specified and the musculoskeletal system of the limbs is established. We used whole-genome microarrays to identify genes with differential expression at 5 stages of limb development (E9.5 to 13.5), during fore-limb and hind-limb patterning. We found that the onset of limb formation is characterized by an up-regulation of transcription factors, which is followed by a massive activation of genes during E10.5 and E11.5 which tampers off at later time points. Among 3520 genes identified as significantly up-regulated in the limb, we find ~30% to be novel, dramatically expanding the repertoire of candidate genes likely to function in the limb. Hierarchical and stage-specific clustering identified expression profiles that correlate with functional programs during limb development and are likely to provide new insights into specific tissue patterning processes. Here we provide for the first time, a comprehensve analysis of developmentally regulated genes during murine limb development, and provide some novel insights into the expression dynamics governing limb morphogenesis.
Global gene expression analysis of murine limb development.
Specimen part
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The requirement for cyclin D function in tumor maintenance.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesD-cyclins represent components of cell cycle machinery. To test the efficacy of targeting D-cyclins in cancer treatment, we engineered mouse strains which allow acute and global ablation of individual D-cyclins in a living animal. Ubiquitous shutdown of cyclin D1 or inhibition of cyclin D associated kinase activity in mice bearing ErbB2-driven mammary carcinomas halted cancer progression and triggered tumor-specific senescence, without compromising the animals' health. Ablation of cyclin D3 in mice bearing T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias (T-ALL) triggered tumorspecific apoptosis. Such selective killing of leukemic cells can be also achieved by inhibiting cyclin D associated kinase activity in mouse and human T-ALL models. Hence, contrary to what one might expect from ablation of a cell cycle protein, acute shutdown of a D-cyclin leads not only to cell cycle arrest, but it also triggers tumor cell senescence or apoptosis, and it affects different tumor types through distinct cellular mechanisms. Inhibiting cyclin D-activity represents a highly-selective anticancer strategy which specifically targets cancer cells without significantly affecting normal tissues.
The requirement for cyclin D function in tumor maintenance.
Specimen part
View SamplesDmrt1 (doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 1) is a conserved transcriptional regulator of male differentiation required for testicular development in vertebrates. In mice of the 129Sv strain, loss of Dmrt1 causes a high incidence of teratomas. Mutant 129Sv germ cells undergo apparently normal differentiation up to embryonic day 13.5 (E13.5), but some cells fail to arrest mitosis and ectopically express pluripotency markers. Expression analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation identified DMRT1 target genes whose misexpression may underly teratoma formation.
The DM domain protein DMRT1 is a dose-sensitive regulator of fetal germ cell proliferation and pluripotency.
Specimen part
View SamplesIL-22 acts on epithelial cells and has been shown to induce tissue protective and wound healing responses in these cells. But it has recently been decribed that IL-22 exacerbates ileatis after infection with T. gondii.
Interleukin-22 induces interleukin-18 expression from epithelial cells during intestinal infection.
Specimen part, Time
View SamplesBRCA1, a well-known breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility gene with multiple interacting partners, is predicted to have diverse biological functions. However, to date its only well-established role is in the repair of damaged DNA and cell cycle regulation. In this regard, the etiopathological study of low penetrant variants of BRCA1 provides an opportunity to uncover its other physiologically important functions. Using this rationale, we studied the R1699Q variant of BRCA1, a potentially moderate risk variant, and found that it does not impair DNA damage repair but abrogates the repression of miR-155, a bona fide oncomir. We further show that in the absence of functional BRCA1, miR-155 is up-regulated in BRCA1-deficient mouse mammary epithelial cells, human and mouse BRCA1-deficienct breast tumor cell lines as well as tumors. Mechanistically, we found that BRCA1 represses miR-155 expression via its association with HDAC2, which deacetylates H2A and H3 on the miR-155 promoter. Finally, we show that over-expression of miR-155 accelerates whereas the knockdown of miR-155 attenuates the growth of tumor cell lines in vivo. Taken together, our findings demonstrate a new mode of tumor suppression by BRCA1 and reveal miR-155 as a potential therapeutic target for BRCA1-deficient tumors.
Tumor suppressor BRCA1 epigenetically controls oncogenic microRNA-155.
Specimen part
View SamplesWe examined the functional significance of the R1699Q variant of human BRCA1 gene using a mouse ES cell-based assay.
Tumor suppressor BRCA1 epigenetically controls oncogenic microRNA-155.
Specimen part
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