Here, we show that functional loss of a single gene is sufficient to confer constitutive milk protein production and protection against mammary tumor formation. Caveolin-3 (Cav-3), a muscle-specific caveolin-related gene, is highly expressed in striated and smooth muscle cells. We demonstrate that Cav-3 is also expressed in myoepithelial cells within the mammary gland. To determine if genetic ablation of Cav-3 expression affects adult mammary gland development, we next studied the phenotype(s) of Cav-3 (-/-) null mice. Interestingly, detailed analysis of Cav-3 (-/-) virgin mammary glands shows dramatic increases in ductal thickness, side-branching, and the development of extensive lobulo-alveolar hyperplasia, akin to the changes normally observed during pregnancy and lactation. Analysis by genome-wide expression profiling reveals the upregulation of gene transcripts associated with pregnancy/lactation, mammary stem cells, and human breast cancers, consistent with a constitutive lactogenic phenotype. The expression levels of three key transcriptional regulators of lactation, namely Elf5, Stat5a, and c-Myc are also significantly elevated. Experiments with pregnant mice directly show that Cav-3 (-/-) mice undergo precocious lactation. Finally, using orthotopic implantation of a transformed mammary cell line (known as Met-1), we demonstrate that virgin Cav-3 (-/-) mice are dramatically protected against mammary tumor formation. Interestingly, Cav-3 (+/-) mice also show similar protection, indicating that even reductions in Cav-3 levels are sufficient to render these mice resistant to tumorigenesis. Thus, Cav-3 (-/-) mice are a novel preclinical model to study the protective effects of a constitutive lactogenic microenviroment on mammary tumor onset and progression. Our current studies have broad implications for using the lactogenic micro-environment as a paradigm to discover new therapies for the prevention and/or treatment of human breast cancers. Most importantly, a lactation-based therapeutic strategy would provide a more natural and nontoxic approach to the development of novel anti-cancer therapies.
Loss of caveolin-3 induces a lactogenic microenvironment that is protective against mammary tumor formation.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesIKK kinase is essential for the B cell maturation and secondary lymphoid organ development. In the current study, we evaluated the role of IKK in the marginal zone and follicular B lymphocyte development by genetically deleting IKK from the B cell lineage using CD19-Cre mice. The loss of IKK did not affect the normal development of early B cell progenitors. However, a significant decline was observed in the percentage of immature B lymphocytes, mature marginal zone and follicular B cells along with a severe disruption of splenic marginal and follicular B cell zones. A gene expression analysis performed on the RNA extracted from the newly formed B cells (B220+IgMhi) revealed that IKK deficiency produces significant changes in the expression of genes involved in MZ and FO B lymphocyte survival, homing and migration. And several among those genes identified belong to G protein family. Specifically, we validated the upregulated expression of regulator of G protein signaling 13 (RGS13), which is a GTPase activating protein (GAP) that negatively regulates G protein signaling and impede B cell migration. Likewise, promigratory B lymphocyte receptor, the sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 3 (SIPR3) that couple to Gi showed significantly reduced expression. In addition, an in silico analysis of gene product interactions revealed NF-B signaling pathways to be a major gene regulating networks perturbed with IKK deletion. Taken together, this study reveals IKKNF-B and G protein signaling axis to be central for the MZ and FO B cells survival, maintenance, homing and migration.
IKKα deficiency disrupts the development of marginal zone and follicular B cells.
Specimen part
View SamplesTranscriptional profiling of the zebrafish embryonic host response to a systemic bacterial infection with Salmonella typhimurium (strain SL1027); comparison between traf6 knock-down and control morpholino treated embryos. Overall design: All infection experiments were performed using mixed egg clutches of ABxTL strain zebrafish. Embryos injected with traf6 morpholino or a 5bp mismatch control morpholino were staged at 27 hours post fertilization (hpf) by morphological criteria and approximately 250 cfu of DsRed expressing Salmonella bacteria were injected into the caudal vein close to the urogenital opening. As a control an equal volume of PBS was likewise injected. Pools of 20-40 infected and control embryos were collected 8 hours post infection (hpi). The whole procedure was preformed in triplicate on separate days. Total RNA of the biological triplicates was pooled using equal amounts of RNA prior to RNAseq library preparation.
Transcriptome analysis of Traf6 function in the innate immune response of zebrafish embryos.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Dietary haem stimulates epithelial cell turnover by downregulating feedback inhibitors of proliferation in murine colon.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesThe spatial organization of DNA in the cell nucleus is an emerging key contributor to genomic function. We have developed 4C technology, or 3C-on-chip, which allows for an unbiased genome-wide search for DNA loci that contact a given locus in the nuclear space. We demonstrate here that active and inactive genes are engaged in many long-range intrachromosomal interactions and can also form interchromosomal contacts. The active b-globin locus in fetal liver contacts mostly transcribed, but not necessarily tissue-specific, loci elsewhere on chromosome 7, while the inactive locus in fetal brain contacts different, transcriptionally silent, loci. A housekeeping gene in a gene dense region on chromosome 8 forms long-range contacts predominantly with other active gene clusters, both in cis and in trans, and many of these intra- and interchromosomal interactions are conserved between the tissues analyzed. Our data demonstrate that chromosomes fold into areas of active chromatin and areas of inactive chromatin and establish 4C technology as a powerful tool to study nuclear architecture.
Nuclear organization of active and inactive chromatin domains uncovered by chromosome conformation capture-on-chip (4C).
Specimen part
View SamplesThe genetic programs that promote retention of self-renewing leukemia stem cells (LSCs) at the apex of cellular hierarchies in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are not known. In a mouse model of human AML, LSCs exhibit variable frequencies that correlate with the initiating MLL oncogene and are maintained in a self-renewing state by a transcriptional sub-program more akin to that of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) than adult stem cells. The transcription/chromatin regulatory factors Myb, Hmgb3 and Cbx5 are critical components of the program and suffice for Hoxa/Meis-independent immortalization of myeloid progenitors when co-expressed, establishing the cooperative and essential role of an ESC-like LSC maintenance program ancillary to the leukemia initiating MLL/Hox/Meis program. Enriched expression of LSC maintenance and ESC-like program genes in normal myeloid progenitors and poor prognosis human malignancies links the frequency of aberrantly self-renewing progenitor-like cancer stem cells to prognosis in human cancer.
Hierarchical maintenance of MLL myeloid leukemia stem cells employs a transcriptional program shared with embryonic rather than adult stem cells.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesNormal myeloid lineage cell populations (C57BL/6 mice, aged 4-10 weeks, male or female) with three distinct immunophenotypes were prospectively isolated and characterized. In preparation for FACS sorting, bone marrow cells were separated into c-kit+ and c-kit- fractions using an AutoMACS device. C-kit+ cells were further fractionated based on Gr1 and Mac1 expression, and absence of lineage antigen expression (B220, TER119, CD3, CD4, CD8 and IL7R), by cell sorting. C-kit+ Gr1+ Mac1lo/- and c-kit+ Gr1+ Mac1+ displayed cytologic features of undifferentiated hematopoietic cells or myeloblasts, whereas c-kit- Gr1+ Mac1+ cells were mature neutrophils.
Hierarchical maintenance of MLL myeloid leukemia stem cells employs a transcriptional program shared with embryonic rather than adult stem cells.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesLeukemia cells from mice with MLL-AF10 AML were fractionated into separate sub-populations on the basis of c-kit expression, which correlates with MLL LSC frequency (Somervaille and Cleary, 2006). The sorted AML sub-populations exhibited substantial differences in their frequencies of AML CFCs/LSCs (mean 14-fold) and morphologic features, consistent with a leukemia cell hierarchy with maturation through to terminally differentiated neutrophils.
Hierarchical maintenance of MLL myeloid leukemia stem cells employs a transcriptional program shared with embryonic rather than adult stem cells.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
A tissue-specific landscape of sense/antisense transcription in the mouse intestine.
Specimen part
View SamplesMammalian genomes contain numerous DNA elements with potential transcription regulatory function but unknown target genes. We used transgenic, gain-of-function mice with an ectopic copy of the beta-globin locus control region (LCR) to better understand how regulatory elements dynamically search the genome for target genes. We find that the LCR samples a restricted nuclear sub-volume in which it forms preferential contacts with genes controlled by shared transcription factors. One contacted gene, betah1, located on another chromosome, is upregulated, providing genetic demonstration that mammalian enhancers can function between chromosomes. Upregulation is not pan-cellular but confined to selected jackpot cells significantly enriched for inter-chromosomal LCR-betah1 interactions. This implies that long-range DNA contacts are relatively stable and cell-specific and, when functional, cause variegated expression. We refer to this as spatial effect variegation (SEV). The data provide a dynamic and mechanistic framework for enhancer action, important for assigning function to the one- and three-dimensional structure of DNA.
Variegated gene expression caused by cell-specific long-range DNA interactions.
Specimen part, Disease
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