Project description:Quebec platelet disorder (QPD) is an autosomal dominant bleeding disorder with a unique, platelet-dependent, gain-of-function defect in fibrinolysis, without systemic fibrinolysis. The hallmark feature of QPD is a >100-fold overexpression of PLAU, specifically in megakaryocytes. This overexpression leads to a >100-fold increase in platelet stores of urokinase plasminogen activator (PLAU/uPA); subsequent plasmin-mediated degradation of diverse α-granule proteins; and platelet-dependent, accelerated fibrinolysis. The causative mutation is a 78-kb tandem duplication of PLAU. How this duplication causes megakaryocyte-specific PLAU overexpression is unknown. To investigate the mechanism that causes QPD, we used epigenomic profiling, comparative genomics, and chromatin conformation capture approaches to study PLAU regulation in cultured megakaryocytes from participants with QPD and unaffected controls. QPD duplication led to ectopic interactions between PLAU and a conserved megakaryocyte enhancer found within the same topologically associating domain (TAD). Our results support a unique disease mechanism whereby the reorganization of sub-TAD genome architecture results in a dramatic, cell-type-specific blood disorder phenotype.
Project description:Quebec Platelet Disorder (QPD) is an autosomal dominant bleeding disorder caused by a 78kb tandem duplication of PLAU and is characterized by >100-fold increased levels of urokinase plasminogen activator (PLAU) transcripts and protein in megakaryocytes/platelets but not leukocytes, without increased systemic fibrinolysis. To address the cell-type and allele-specific PLAU overexpression that underlie QPD pathogenesis,we used epigenomic profiling, comparative genomics and chromatin conformation capture approaches to study PLAU regulation in cultured megakaryocytes. We show that the QPD duplication leads to ectopic interactions between PLAU and a conserved megakaryocyte enhancer found within the same topologically associating domain (TAD). Our results support a unique disease mechanism whereby the reorganization of sub-TAD genome architecture results in a dramatic, cell-type specific disease phenotype.
Project description:IntroductionCalibrated automated thrombograms (CAT) with platelet-poor (PPP) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) have provided useful insights on bleeding disorders. We used CAT to assess thrombin generation (TG) in Quebec platelet disorder (QPD)-a bleeding disorder caused by a PLAU duplication mutation that increases platelet (but not plasma) urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), leading to intraplatelet (but not systemic) plasmin generation that degrades ?-granule proteins and causes platelet (but not plasma) factor V (FV) deficiency.MethodsCalibrated automated thrombograms was used to test QPD (n = 7) and control (n = 22) PPP and PRP, with or without added tranexamic acid (TXA). TG endpoints were evaluated for relationships to platelet FV and uPA, plasma FV and tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) levels, and bleeding scores.ResultsQuebec platelet disorder PPP TG was normal whereas QPD PRP had reduced endogenous thrombin potential and peak thrombin concentrations (P values < .01), proportionate to the platelet FV deficiency (R2 ? 0.81), but unrelated to platelet uPA, plasma FV, or bleeding scores. QPD TG abnormalities were not associated with TFPI abnormalities and were not reproduced by adding uPA to control PRP. TXA increased QPD and control PRP TG more than PPP TG, but it did not fully correct QPD PRP TG abnormalities or improve TG by plasminogen-deficient plasma.ConclusionQuebec platelet disorder results in a platelet-specific TG defect, proportionate to the loss of platelet FV, that is improved but not fully corrected by TXA. Our study provides an interesting example of why it is important to assess both PRP and PPP TG in bleeding disorders.
Project description:Reversal of gene promoter DNA hypermethylation and associated abnormal gene silencing is an attractive approach to cancer therapy. The DNA methylation inhibitor, decitabine (5-aza-2'-deoxycitidine), is proving efficacious for hematological neoplasms especially at lower, less toxic, doses. Experimentally, high doses induce rapid DNA damage and cytotoxicity, but these may not explain the prolonged time to response seen in patients. Transient exposure of leukemic and solid tumor cells to clinically-relevant nanomolar doses, without causing immediate cytotoxicity or apoptosis, produces sustained reduced tumorigenicity, and for leukemia cells, diminished long-term self-renewal. These effects appear triggered by cellular reprogramming and include sustained decreases in promoter DNA methylation with associated gene re-expression, and anti-tumor changes in multiple key cellular regulatory pathways, most of which are high priority targets for pharmacologic anti-cancer strategies. Thus, low dose decitabine regimens appear to have broad applicability for cancer management. [Gene expression profiling] Leukemia cell lines Kasumi-1 and KG1A are treated with 10nM DAC during 72 hours and gene expression was assayed at day 3, 7 and 14 after the start of the treatment. Appropriate mock treated samples were used as control in each case. In addition, Kasumi-1 cells were also treated with a higher dose of DAC (500nM), 100nM ARA-C and 300 nM TSA, again controlled against mock treated Kasumi-1 cells, to separate dose and agent dependent effects. MCF7 was studied as an example of a solid tumor cell line. Therefore MCF7 cells were treated with 100nM DAC and results were assayed at day 1, day 3 and day 10. [Methylation profiling] The effects of the demethylating agent DAC were studied in the leukemia cell line Kasumi-1 over a 28 day time course. Intermediate time points were studied at days 3, 7, 14 and 21. These results were verfied in KG1A and KG1 leukemia cell lines, at one selected time point. The effects on one primary sample were also studied. Four normal leukemia samples (PL1, 2, 4 and 5) were used as general controls. The effect of DAC was compared to ARA-C, TSA. Both mock treated and day 3 DAC treated Kasumi-1 cells were repeated. These results were verified at one selected time point for the DAC treated MCF7 breast cancer cell line.
Project description:We found frequent epigenetic silencing of microRNA-34b/c in human colorectal cancer. Introduction of miR-34b/c into a colorectal cancer cell line induced significant changes in gene expression profile. We also found overlap between the genes downregulated by miR-34b/c and those downregulated by DAC. Keywords: dose response A colorecal cancer cell line HCT116 was transfected with miR-34b or -c precursor or negative control. Also, HCT116 was treated with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (DAC) or mock. Genes up- or downregulated by miR-34b/c and those by DAC was compared.
Project description:Our study had shown that DAC treatment enhanced immunogenecity of EL4 cells. To explore the mechanisms of DAC-induced tumor immunity, we carried out cDNA microarray analyses to compare the differential expression of genes between DAC and PBS treated EL4 cells.
Project description:To identify genes responsible for the synergistic effect of DAC with Dex, we performed cDNA microarray analyses using cDNA prepared from Dex-resistant OPM1 cells treated with/without Dex, DAC or DAC+Dex.
Project description:We observed gene expression difference between different groups after MDA-MB-231 treated with DMSO, 10 μM DAC, 1 μM DEX, or DAC+DEX. Data obtained from high-throughput sequencing (Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform) were transformed into raw sequenced reads by CASAVA base calling and stored in FASTQ format. Gene expression of each groups are listed in raw data files. Some different expression genes between two groups are further validated with qRT-PCR.