Almost all human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) are driven by oncogenic Kras and the progression of the disease is characterized by the serial appearance of certain genetic lesions. Mouse models have convincingly shown that Kras mutation induces classical PanIN lesions that can progress to PDAC in the appropriate tumor suppressor background. However, the cooperative mechanism between mutant Kras-dependent signaling surrogates and other oncogenic pathways remains to be fully elucidated in order to devise better therapeutic strategy. Mounting evidence PTEN/PI3K perturbation on PDAC tumorigenesis, we observed frequent PTEN inactivation at both genomic and histopathological levels in primary human PDAC samples. The importance of PTEN/PI3K pathway during the development of PDAC was further supported by genetic studies demonstrating that Pten deficiency in cooperation with Kras activation accelerated the formation of invasive PDAC. Mechanistically, combined Kras mutation and Pten inactivation leads to NFkB activation and subsequent induction of cytokine pathways, accompanied with strong stromal activation and immune cell infiltration. Therefore, PTEN/PI3K pathway dictates the activity of NFkB network and serves as a major surrogate during Kras-mediated pancreatic tumorigenesis.
PTEN is a major tumor suppressor in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and regulates an NF-κB-cytokine network.
Specimen part
View SamplesESCs and NPCs are two setm cell types which rely on expression of the transcription factor Sox2. We profilled gene expression in ESCs and NPCs to correlate genome-wide Sox2 ChIP-Seq data in these cells with expression of putative targets
SOX2 co-occupies distal enhancer elements with distinct POU factors in ESCs and NPCs to specify cell state.
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View SamplesTh17 cells are highly proinflammatory cells that are critical for clearing extracellular pathogens like fungal infections and for induction of multiple autoimmune diseases1. IL-23 plays a critical role in stabilizing and endowing Th17 cells with pathogenic effector functions2. Previous studies have shown that IL-23 signaling reinforces the Th17 phenotype by increasing expression of IL-23 receptor (IL-23R)3. However, the precise molecular mechanism by which IL-23 sustains the Th17 response and induces pathogenic effector functions has not been elucidated. Here, we used unbiased transcriptional profiling of developing Th17 cells to construct a model of their signaling network and identify major nodes that regulate Th17 development. We identified serum glucocorticoid kinase-1 (SGK1), as an essential node downstream of IL-23 signaling, critical for regulating IL-23R expression and for stabilizing the Th17 cell phenotype by deactivation of Foxo1, a direct repressor of IL-23R expression. A serine-threonine kinase homologous to AKT4, SGK1 has been associated with cell cycle and apoptosis, and has been shown to govern Na+ transport and homeostasis5, 6 7, 8. We here show that a modest increase in salt (NaCl) concentration induces SGK1 expression, promotes IL-23R expression and enhances Th17 cell differentiation in vitro and in vivo, ultimately accelerating the development of autoimmunity. The loss of SGK1 resulted in abrogation of Na+-mediated Th17 differentiation in an IL-23-dependent manner. These data indicate that SGK1 is a critical regulator for the induction of pathogenic Th17 cells and provides a molecular insight by which an environmental factor such as a high salt diet could trigger Th17 development and promote tissue inflammation.
Induction of pathogenic TH17 cells by inducible salt-sensing kinase SGK1.
Specimen part
View SamplesTh17 cells are highly proinflammatory cells that are critical for clearing extracellular pathogens like fungal infections and for induction of multiple autoimmune diseases1. IL-23 plays a critical role in stabilizing and endowing Th17 cells with pathogenic effector functions2. Previous studies have shown that IL-23 signaling reinforces the Th17 phenotype by increasing expression of IL-23 receptor (IL-23R)3. However, the precise molecular mechanism by which IL-23 sustains the Th17 response and induces pathogenic effector functions has not been elucidated. Here, we used unbiased transcriptional profiling of developing Th17 cells to construct a model of their signaling network and identify major nodes that regulate Th17 development. We identified serum glucocorticoid kinase-1 (SGK1), as an essential node downstream of IL-23 signaling, critical for regulating IL-23R expression and for stabilizing the Th17 cell phenotype by deactivation of Foxo1, a direct repressor of IL-23R expression. A serine-threonine kinase homologous to AKT4, SGK1 has been associated with cell cycle and apoptosis, and has been shown to govern Na+ transport and homeostasis5, 6 7, 8. We here show that a modest increase in salt (NaCl) concentration induces SGK1 expression, promotes IL-23R expression and enhances Th17 cell differentiation in vitro and in vivo, ultimately accelerating the development of autoimmunity. The loss of SGK1 resulted in abrogation of Na+-mediated Th17 differentiation in an IL-23-dependent manner. These data indicate that SGK1 is a critical regulator for the induction of pathogenic Th17 cells and provides a molecular insight by which an environmental factor such as a high salt diet could trigger Th17 development and promote tissue inflammation.
Induction of pathogenic TH17 cells by inducible salt-sensing kinase SGK1.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesComparative analysis of cerebellar gene expression changes occurring in Sca1154Q/2Q and Sca7266Q/5Q knock-in mice
The insulin-like growth factor pathway is altered in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 and type 7.
Sex, Age
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
The transcription factor prospero homeobox protein 1 is a direct target of SoxC proteins during developmental vertebrate neurogenesis.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe HMG-domain containing SoxC transcription factors Sox4 and Sox11 are expressed in the vertebrate central nervous system in neuronal precursors and neuroblasts. They are required during early stages of neurogenesis.
The transcription factor prospero homeobox protein 1 is a direct target of SoxC proteins during developmental vertebrate neurogenesis.
Specimen part
View SamplesNaturally occurring CD25+CD4+ regulatory T cells (T reg cells) are currently intensively characterized because of their major importance in modulating host responses to tumors and infections, in preventing transplant rejection, and in inhibiting the development of autoimmunity and allergy. Originally, CD4+ T reg cells were identified exclusively by the constitutive expression of CD25, and many in vivo experiments have been performed using depleting antibodies directed against CD25. However, both the existence of CD25 T reg cells, especially within peripheral tissues, as well as the expression of CD25 on activated conventional T cells, which precludes discrimination between T reg cells and activated conventional T cells, limits the interpretation of data obtained by the use of anti-CD25 depleting antibodies. The most specific T reg cell marker currently known is the forkhead box transcription factor Foxp3, which has been shown to be expressed specifically in mouse CD4+ T reg cells and acts as a master switch in the regulation of their development and function. To address the question of the in vivo role of T reg cells in immunopathology, we have generated bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)transgenic mice termed depletion of regulatory T cell (DEREG) mice, which express a diphtheria toxin receptor (DTR) enhanced GFP (eGFP) fusion protein under the control of the foxp3 locus, allowing both detection and inducible depletion of Foxp3+ T reg cells. The gene expression profile of both CD4+eGFP+FoxP3+ and CD4+eGFPnegFoxP3neg cells isolated from DEREG mice was here analyzed by micro array.
Immunostimulatory RNA blocks suppression by regulatory T cells.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe goal of this study was to identify the molecular characteristics and putative markers distinguishing IL-10eGFP+CD138hi and IL-10eGFP-CD138hi plasmocytes. To this end, IL-10eGFP B-green mice were challenged intravenously with Salmonella typhimurium (strain SL7207, 10e7 CFU), and IL-10eGFP+CD138hi as well as IL-10eGFP-CD138hi plasmocytes were isolated from the spleen on the next day. For this, single cell suspensions were prepared, cells were treated with Fc block (10 g/ml, anti-CD16/CD32, clone 2.4G2), and then stained with an antibody against CD138 conjugated to PE (1/400; from BD Pharmingen) followed by incubation with anti-PE microbeads (Miltenyi Biotech). CD138+ cells were then enriched on Automacs (Miltenyi Biotech) using the program possel_d2. Cells were then stained with anti-CD19-PerCP, anti-CD138-PE, and antibodies against CD11b, CD11c, and TCR conjugated to APC as a dump channel to exclude possible contaminants. DAPI was added to exclude dead cells. Live IL-10eGFP+CD138hi and IL-10eGFP-CD138hi cells were subsequently isolated on a cell sorter. The purity of the samples was always above 98%. This led to the identification of LAG-3 as a cell surface receptor specifically expressed on IL-10eGFP+CD138hi cells but not on IL-10eGFP-CD138hi cells.
LAG-3 Inhibitory Receptor Expression Identifies Immunosuppressive Natural Regulatory Plasma Cells.
Sex, Specimen part
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