Dendritic cells (DC) develop from hematopoietic stem cells, which is guided by instructive signals through cytokines. DC development progresses from multipotent progenitors (MPP) via common DC progenitors (CDP) into DC. Flt3 ligand (Flt3L) signaling via the Flt3/Stat3 pathway is of pivotal importance for DC development under steady state conditions. Additional factors produced during steady state or inflammation, such as TGF-beta1 or GM-CSF, also influence the differentiation potential of MPP and CDP. Here, we studied how gp130, GM-CSF and TGF-beta1 signaling influence DC lineage commitment from MPP to CDP and further into DC. We observed that activation of gp130 signaling promotes expansion of MPP. Additionally, gp130 signaling inhibited Flt3L-driven DC differentiation, but had little effect on GM-CSF-driven DC development. The inflammatory cytokine GM-CSF induces differentiation of MPP into inflammatory DC and blocks steady state DC development. Global transcriptome analysis revealed a GM-CSF-driven gene expression repertoire that primes MPP for differentiation into inflammatory DC. Finally, TGF-beta1 induces expression of DC-lineage affiliated genes in MPP, including Flt3, Irf-4 and Irf-8. Under inflammatory conditions, however, the effect of TGF- beta1 is altered: Flt3 is not upregulated, indicating that an inflammatory environment inhibits steady state DC development. Altogether, our data indicate that distinct cytokine signals produced during steady state or inflammation have a different outcome on DC lineage commitment and differentiation.
Dendritic cell lineage commitment is instructed by distinct cytokine signals.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesStem cell antigen-1 (Sca-1 or Ly6A) is a member of the Ly6 family of glycosyl phostidylinositol (GPI)-anchored cell surface proteins. To determine the potential mechanisms by which Sca-1 regulates cell migration, adhesion, and tumor development; we performed an Affymetrix mouse genome 430A 2.0 array on cDNA comparing shLuc and shSca-1 from cells grown in vitro.
Stem cell antigen-1 (sca-1) regulates mammary tumor development and cell migration.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesExposure to PFOA during gestation altered the expression of genes related to fatty acid catabolism in both the fetal liver and lung. In the fetal liver, the effects of PFOA were robust and also included genes associated with lipid transport, ketogenesis, glucose metabolism, lipoprotein metabolism, cholesterol biosynthesis, steroid metabolism, bile acid biosynthesis, phospholipid metabolism, retinol metabolism, proteosome activation, and inflammation. These changes are consistent with activation of PPAR alpha. Non-PPAR alpha related changes were suggested as well.
Gene expression profiling in the lung and liver of PFOA-exposed mouse fetuses.
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View SamplesMost of the transcriptional changes induced by PFOS in the fetal mouse liver and lung were related to activation of PPARalpha. When compared to the transcript profiles induced by PFOA (Pubmed ID 17681415), few remarkable differences were found other than up-regulation of Cyp3a genes. Because PFOS and PFOA have been shown to differ in their mode of action in the murine neonate, these data suggest that changes related to PFOS-induced neonatal toxicity may not be evident in the fetal transcriptome at term.
Gene expression profiling in the liver and lung of perfluorooctane sulfonate-exposed mouse fetuses: comparison to changes induced by exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid.
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View SamplesPerfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) and a persistent environmental contaminant found in the tissues of humans and wildlife. Although blood levels of PFOS have begun to decline, health concerns remain because of the long half-life of PFOS in humans. Like other PFAAs, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), PFOS is an activator of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR) and exhibits hepatocarcinogenic potential in rodents. PFOS is also a developmental toxicant in rodents where, unlike PFOA, its mode of action is independent of PPAR. Wild-type (WT) and PPAR-null (Null) mice were dosed with 0, 3, or 10 mg/kg/day PFOS for 7 days. Animals were euthanized, livers weighed, and liver samples collected for histology and preparation of total RNA. Gene profiling was conducted using Affymetrix 430_2 microarrays. In WT mice, PFOS induced changes that were characteristic of PPAR transactivation including regulation of genes associated with lipid metabolism, peroxisome biogenesis, proteasome activation, and inflammation. PPAR-independent changes were indicated in both WT and Null mice by altered expression of genes related to lipid metabolism, inflammation, and xenobiotic metabolism. Such results are similar to prior studies done with PFOA and are consistent with modest activation of the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) and possibly PPAR and/or PPAR/. Unique treatment-related effects were also found in Null mice including altered expression of genes associated with ribosome biogenesis, oxidative phosphorylation and cholesterol biosynthesis. Of interest was up-regulation of Cyp7a1, a gene which is under the control of various transcription regulators. Hence, in addition to its ability to modestly activate PPAR, PFOS induces a variety of off-target effects as well.
Gene Expression Profiling in Wild-Type and PPARα-Null Mice Exposed to Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Reveals PPARα-Independent Effects.
Sex, Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesThe present study was constructed to confirm previous findings that mice on a high fat diet (HFD) treated by subcutaneous injection with exenatide (EXE) at 3g/kg once daily for 6 weeks develop exocrine pancreatic injury (Rouse et al. 2014). The present study included 12 weeks of EXE exposure at multiple concentrations (3, 10, or 30 g/kg) with multiple endpoints (histopathology evaluations, immunoassay for cytokines, immunostaining of the pancreas, serum chemistries and measurement of trypsin, amylase, and, lipase, and gene expression profiles). Time- and dose-dependent exocrine pancreatic injury was observed in mice associated with EXE exposure in a HFD environment. The time- and dose-dependent morphological changes identified in the pancreas involved acinar cell injury and death (autophagy, apoptosis, necrosis, and atrophy), cell adaptations (hypertrophy and hyperplasia), and cell survival (regeneration) accompanied with varying degrees of inflammatory response leading to secondary injury in pancreatic blood vessels, ducts, and adipose tissues. Gene expression profiles supported the presence of increased signaling for cell survival and altered lipid metabolism. The potential for EXE to cause acute or early chronic pancreatic injury was identified in a HFD environment. In human disease, the influence of pancreatitis risk factors or pre-existing chronic pancreatitis on this injury potential requires further investigation.
Extended exenatide administration enhances lipid metabolism and exacerbates pancreatic injury in mice on a high fat, high carbohydrate diet.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesCCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta (C/EBPb) is a member of a family of highly conserved transcription factors that regulates numerous genes involved in proliferation and differentiation in a variety of tissues. C/EBPb is deregulated in human breast cancer and germline deletion of this gene results in multiple defects in mammary gland development. We hypothesized that C/EBPb regulates mammary stem cell self-renewal, maintenance and/or differentiation through the regulation of multiple target genes that coordinate mammary gland development. Utilizing both a germline knockout mouse model and a conditional knockout strategy, we demonstrated that mammosphere formation was significantly decreased in C/EBPb-deficient mammary epithelial cells (MECs). The ability of C/EBPb-deleted MECs to regenerate the mammary gland in vivo was severely impaired when transplanted at limiting dilution. Furthermore, serial transplantation of C/EBPb-null mammary tissue resulted in decreased outgrowth potential when compared to wildtype, and an early senescence phenotype. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that C/EBPb-null MECs contain a lower frequency of repopulating stem cells accompanied by an increase in committed, differentiated luminal cells as compared to wildtype. Microarray analysis of stem/progenitor cell populations was performed and revealed an alteration in cell fate specification in C/EBPb-null glands, exemplified by the aberrant expression of basal markers in the luminal cell compartment. Collectively, our studies demonstrate that C/EBPb is a critical regulator of mammary stem cell differentiation, and an important determinant of luminal cell fate specification.
CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta regulates stem cell activity and specifies luminal cell fate in the mammary gland.
Specimen part
View SamplesBackground
Glioblastoma models reveal the connection between adult glial progenitors and the proneural phenotype.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe p53 family is known as a family of transcription factors with functions in tumor suppression and development. Whereas the central DNA binding domain is highly conserved among the three family members p53, p63 and p73, the C-terminal domains (CTDs) are diverse and subject to alternative splicing and post-translational modification. Here we demonstrate that the CTDs strongly influence DNA binding and transcriptional activity. While p53 and the p73 isoform p73gamma have basic CTDs and form weak sequence-specific protein-DNA complexes, the major p73 isoforms alpha, beta and delta have neutral CTDs and bind DNA strongly. A basic CTD has been previously shown to enable sliding along the DNA backbone and to facilitate the search for binding sites in the complex genome. Our experiments, however, reveal that a basic CTD also reduces protein-DNA complex stability, intranuclear mobility, promoter occupancy in vivo, transgene activation and induction of cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. A basic CTD in p53 and p73gamma therefore provides both positive and negative regulatory functions presumably to enable rapid switching of protein activity in response to stress. In contrast, most p73 isoforms exhibit constitutive DNA binding activity consistent with a predominant role in developmental control.
C-terminal diversity within the p53 family accounts for differences in DNA binding and transcriptional activity.
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View SamplesSeveral studies have shown that bone mineral density (BMD), a clinically measurable predictor of osteoporotic fracture, is the sum of genetic and environmental influences. In addition, serum IGF-1 levels have been correlated to both BMD and fracture risk. We previously identified a Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) for Bone Mineral Density (BMD) on mouse Chromosome (Chr) 6 that overlaps a QTL for serum IGF-1. The B6.C3H-6T (6T) congenic mouse is homozygous for C57BL/6J (B6) alleles across the genome except for a 30 cM region on Chr 6 that is homozygous for C3H/HeJ (C3H) alleles. This mouse was created to study biology behind both the BMD and the serum IGF-1 QTLs and to identify the gene(s) underlying these QTLs. Female 6T mice have lower BMD and lower serum IGF-1 levels at all ages measured. As the liver is the major source of serum IGF-1, we examined differential expression in the livers of fasted female B6 and 6T mice by microarray.
A chromosomal inversion within a quantitative trait locus has a major effect on adipogenesis and osteoblastogenesis.
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