Project description:Increasing success is being achieved in the treatment of malignancies with stromal-targeted therapies, predominantly in anti-angiogenesis and immunotherapy, predominantly checkpoint inhibitors. Despite 15 years of clinical trials with anti-VEGF pathway inhibitors for cancer, we still find ourselves lacking reliable predictive biomarkers to select patients for anti-angiogenesis therapy. For the more recent immunotherapy agents, there are many approaches for patient selection under investigation. Notably, the predictive power of an Ad-VEGF-A164 mouse model to drive a stromal response with similarities to a wound healing response shows relevance for human cancer and was used to generate stromal signatures. We have developed gene signatures for 3 stromal states and leveraged the data from multiple large cohort bioinformatics studies of gastric cancer (TCGA, ACRG) to further understand how these relate to the dominant patient phenotypes identified by previous bioinformatics efforts. We have also designed multiplexed IHC assays that robustly represent the vascular and immune diversity in gastric cancer. Finally, we have used this methodology to arrive at a hypothesis of how angiogenesis and immunotherapy may fit into the experimental approaches for gastric cancer treatments. The Ad-VEGF-A164 angiogenesis model was performed as previously described. Animals were treated with various anti-VEGF Receptor antibodies via intraperitoneal injection at the doses (DC101 20 mpk or G6 10 mpk) and time points (day 0, day 5, day 20, day 60) to target all of the different populations of tumor-surrogate blood vessels, as they each develop at different time points. At least 5 animals, equally matched, were used per group. At the end of the experiment, angiogenic sites in flanks were photographed and tissues were taken for histology and RNA preparation.
Project description:Increasing success is being achieved in the treatment of malignancies with stromal-targeted therapies, predominantly in anti-angiogenesis and immunotherapy, predominantly checkpoint inhibitors. Despite 15 years of clinical trials with anti-VEGF pathway inhibitors for cancer, we still find ourselves lacking reliable predictive biomarkers to select patients for anti-angiogenesis therapy. For the more recent immunotherapy agents, there are many approaches for patient selection under investigation. Notably, the predictive power of an Ad-VEGF-A164 mouse model to drive a stromal response with similarities to a wound healing response shows relevance for human cancer and was used to generate stromal signatures. We have developed gene signatures for 3 stromal states and leveraged the data from multiple large cohort bioinformatics studies of gastric cancer (TCGA, ACRG) to further understand how these relate to the dominant patient phenotypes identified by previous bioinformatics efforts. We have also designed multiplexed IHC assays that robustly represent the vascular and immune diversity in gastric cancer. Finally, we have used this methodology to arrive at a hypothesis of how angiogenesis and immunotherapy may fit into the experimental approaches for gastric cancer treatments. The Ad-VEGF-A164 flank model was performed as described in Flank tissue from harvest day 0, day 5, day 20, and day 60 was taken for RNA generation. Samples for messenger RNA (mRNA) profiling studies were processed by Asuragen, Inc. (Austin, TX, USA) using GeneChip® Mouse Genome 430 2.0 Array (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA) according to the company's standard operating procedures as described previously in detail [45]. A summary of the image signal data, detection calls and gene annotations for every gene interrogated on the arrays was generated using the Affymetrix Statistical Algorithm MAS 5.0 (GCOS v1.3) algorithm (scaling factor = 1500).
Project description:Fibroblasts from patients with Type I bipolar disorder (BPD) and their unaffected siblings were obtained from an Old Order Amish pedigree with a high incidence of BPD and reprogrammed to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Established iPSCs were subsequently differentiated into neuroprogenitors (NPs) and then to neurons. Transcriptomic microarray analysis was conducted on RNA samples from iPSCs, NPs and neurons matured in culture for either 2 weeks (termed early neurons, E) or 4 weeks (termed late neurons, L). Global RNA profiling indicated that BPD and control iPSCs differentiated into NPs and neurons at a similar rate, enabling studies of differentially expressed genes in neurons from controls and BPD cases. Significant disease-associated differences in gene expression were observed only in L neurons. Specifically, 328 genes were differentially expressed between BPD and control L neurons including GAD1, glutamate decarboxylase 1 (2.5 fold) and SCN4B, the voltage gated type IV sodium channel beta subunit (-14.6 fold). Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed the up-regulation of GAD1 in BPD compared to control L neurons. Gene Ontology, GeneGo and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of differentially regulated genes in L neurons suggest that alterations in RNA biosynthesis and metabolism, protein trafficking as well as receptor signaling pathways GSK3β signaling may play an important role in the pathophysiology of BPD. Samples for each of four iPSCs, NPs and neurons matured in culture for either 2 weeks (termed early neurons, E) or 4 weeks (termed late neurons, L) were analyzed
Project description:Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is a powerful tool for defining cellular diversity in tumors, but its application towards dissecting mechanisms underlying immune-modulating therapies is scarce. We performed scRNA-seq analyses on immune cells in mouse tumors and identified specific macrophage and conventional dendritic cell (cDC) subsets that are comparable to previously described human myeloid populations. Defining comparable myeloid populations in mouse tumors enabled characterization of their response to myeloid-targeted immunotherapy. Treatment with anti-CSF1R selectively depleted macrophages with an inflammatory signature but spared a macrophage population that in mouse and human expresses pro-angiogenic/tumorigenic genes. Treatment with a CD40 agonist antibody preferentially activated of a cDC1-Ccl22 population and gradually increased Bhlhe40+ Th1-like cells and CD8+ memory T cells. Our comprehensive analysis of key myeloid subsets in human and mouse identifies critical cellular interactions regulating tumor immunity and defines mechanisms underlying myeloid-targeted immunotherapies currently undergoing clinical testing. Raw FASTQ sequences have been uploaded to European Nucleotide Archive (Study #: PRJEB34105 (ERP116961))
Project description:Tumor necrosis factor-related weak inducer of apoptosis, TWEAK, is a TNF superfamily member that mediates signaling through its receptor fibroblast growth factor inducible-14, Fn14. In tumor cell lines, TWEAK induces proliferation, survival and NF-kappaB signaling and gene expression that promote tumor growth and suppress antitumor immune responses. Anti-TWEAK antibody, RG7212, inhibits tumor growth in vivo with decreases in pathway activation markers and modulation of tumor, blood and spleen immune cell composition. Candidate response prediction markers, including Fn14, have been identified in mouse models. Phase I pharmacodynamic data from patients are consistent with preclinical results. TWEAK:Fn14 signaling is upregulated in human cancer and pathway activation induces tumor proliferation and survival signaling. Blockade with anti-TWEAK mAb, RG7212, inhibits tumor growth in multiple models in mice. TWEAK induces changes that suppress anti-tumor immune responses and RG7212 blocks these effects resulting in changes in tumor immune cell composition and decreases in cytokines that promote immunosuppression. Antitumor efficacy in mice was observed in a range of Fn14 expressing models with pathway activation and expressing either wild-type or mutant p53, BRAF or KRAS suggesting both a patient selection strategy and potential broad clinical applicability. Preclinical mechanism of action hypotheses are supported by Phase I clinical data, with decreases in proliferation markers and increased tumor T cell infiltration. CAKI cells impanted as xenografts in Athymic, Nu/Nu nude mice, treated with anti-TWEAK antibody (TW212) or Vehicle for 24 hours. Four replicates for each condition were performed. RNA was extracted from xenografts, processed and hybridized to human and mouse chips.
Project description:Tumor necrosis factor-related weak inducer of apoptosis, TWEAK, is a TNF superfamily member that mediates signaling through its receptor fibroblast growth factor inducible-14, Fn14. In tumor cell lines, TWEAK induces proliferation, survival and NF-kappaB signaling and gene expression that promote tumor growth and suppress antitumor immune responses. Anti-TWEAK antibody, RG7212, inhibits tumor growth in vivo with decreases in pathway activation markers and modulation of tumor, blood and spleen immune cell composition. Candidate response prediction markers, including Fn14, have been identified in mouse models. Phase I pharmacodynamic data from patients are consistent with preclinical results. TWEAK:Fn14 signaling is upregulated in human cancer and pathway activation induces tumor proliferation and survival signaling. Blockade with anti-TWEAK mAb, RG7212, inhibits tumor growth in multiple models in mice. TWEAK induces changes that suppress anti-tumor immune responses and RG7212 blocks these effects resulting in changes in tumor immune cell composition and decreases in cytokines that promote immunosuppression. Antitumor efficacy in mice was observed in a range of Fn14 expressing models with pathway activation and expressing either wild-type or mutant p53, BRAF or KRAS suggesting both a patient selection strategy and potential broad clinical applicability. Preclinical mechanism of action hypotheses are supported by Phase I clinical data, with decreases in proliferation markers and increased tumor T cell infiltration. ACHN cells impanted as xenografts in Athymic, Nu/Nu nude mice, treated with anti-TWEAK antibody (TW212), B20 antibody control or Vehicle for 4 hours, 8 hours, or 24 hours. Five replicates for each condition were performed.
Project description:Human pluripotent stem cells were aggregated in mTeSR medium for 4 days and subjected to an optimzed small molecule-based cardiac differentiation protocol (modified from Kempf et. al., Stem Cell Reports, 2014) in agitated Erlenmeyer flasks. Differentiation was induced using 7.5µM CHIR99021 (day 0). Cardiac mesoderm specification was carried out using 5µM IWP2 either directly after CHIR99021 exposure after 24h (day 1; optimized protocol) or after 72h hours (day 3; standard procedure). RNA samples were harvested at undifferentiated state (day 0), after differentiation induction (day 1) and after 3 days with and without IWP2 treatment.
Project description:To investigate the early host response triggered by three different strains of Trypanosoma cruzi at a local infection site, changes in host gene expression were monitored in a murine intradermal infection model using Affymetrix oligonucleotide arrays. Robust induction of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) was observed in excised skin 24 hours post-infection where the level of ISG induction was parasite strain-dependent with the least virulent strain triggering a muted IFN response. Infection of mice immunodepleted of IFNγ-producing cells or infection of IFNγ-deficient mice had minimal impact on the IFN response generated in T. cruzi infected mice. In contrast, infection of mice lacking the type I IFN receptor demonstrated that type I IFNs are largely responsible for the IFN response generated at the site of infection. These data highlight type I IFNs as important components of the innate immune response to T. cruzi the site of inoculation and their role in shaping the early transcriptional response to this pathogen. We used microarrays to detail the local host transcriptional response to intradermal T. cruzi infection in WT mice and mice depleted of NK cells, or deficient in IFN-gamma or type I IFN responses. Additionally we compared the local host-transcriptional response generated to infection with 3 different strains of Trypanosoma cruzi (Y, Brazil, and G). Experiment Overall Design: Mice were infected by intradermal injection of 10^6 T. cruzi trypomastigotes in 100uL of saline split between 2 adjacent sites on the shaved side flank. Control mice were injected with an equal volume of saline. 24 hours post-injection approximately 75mm^2 of skin immediately surrounding the injection site was excised and RNA was isolated from the tissue. Balb/c mice were used for most experiments and IFN-gamma KO mice were on the Balb/c background. WT 129 mice were also used as IFNAR-/- mice were on the 129 background. In total 33 arrays were performed. 7 WT (Balb/c) control, 3 Y strain infected, 3 Brazil strain infected, 3 G strain infected, 2 IFN-gamma KO control, 2 IFN-gamma KO infected, 1 NK cell depleted control, 1 NK cell depleted infected, 3 WT (129) control, 3 WT (129) infected, 3 IFNAR KO control, 3 IFNAR KO infected
Project description:Depending on their environment and their exposure to various factors, dendritic cells (DCs) exist in different activation and maturation states. The versatility of DCs allows them to shape the immune system towards an inflammatory or tolerant state depending on the antigens and the environment they encounter. In this study we aimed to provide a proteomic catalogue of differentially expressed and differentially phosphorylated proteins between distinct DC maturation states, brought about by bacteria that differ in their endotoxicity. To achieve this, we have performed unlabeled shotgun proteomics and phosphoproteomics on cell fractions obtained from murine bone marrow DC cultures. The symbiont B. vulgatus stimulation was used to obtain semi-mature DCs, and the pathobiont E. coli stimulation was used to obtain mature DCs. For both shotgun proteome and phosphoproteome analysis two biological replicates consisting of 8 mice were used. Each biological replicate were run as 3 technical replicates.