Similar Datasets
Project description:Human twin studies have revealed the combined contribution of heritable and non-heritable (environmental) factors in shaping peripheral blood immune system variability. However, the heterogeneity within tissue immune compartments and the contribution of tissue-specific external factors remain unexplored. The human uterus is a tissue under constant regeneration exposed to distinct environmental factors. To assess uterine immune system variation, we have performed a transcriptomic and epigenetic analysis of uterine and peripheral blood immune cells in monozygotic twins and longitudinal samples in relation to heritable versus non-heritable factors.
2024-04-12 | GSE225041 | GEO
Project description:Human twin studies have revealed the combined contribution of heritable and non-heritable (environmental) factors in shaping peripheral blood immune system variability. However, the heterogeneity within tissue immune compartments and the contribution of tissue-specific external factors remain unexplored. The human uterus is a tissue under constant regeneration exposed to distinct environmental factors. To assess uterine immune system variation, we have performed a transcriptomic and epigenetic analysis of uterine and peripheral blood immune cells in monozygotic twins and longitudinal samples in relation to heritable versus non-heritable factors.
2024-04-12 | GSE225040 | GEO
Project description:Tissue-specific non-heritable influence drive uterine immune system variation
| PRJNA933605 | ENA
Project description:Tissue-specific non-heritable influence drive uterine immune system variation (ATAC-seq)
| PRJNA934582 | ENA
Project description:Tissue-specific non-heritable influence drive uterine immune system variation (RNA-seq)
| PRJNA934581 | ENA
Project description:There is considerable heterogeneity in immunological parameters between individuals, but its sources are largely unknown. To assess the relative contribution of heritable versus non-heritable factors, we have performed a systems-level analysis of 210 healthy twins between 8 and 82 years of age. We measured 204 different parameters, including cell population frequencies, cytokine responses, and serum proteins, and found that 77% of these are dominated (>50% of variance) and 58% almost completely determined (>80% of variance) by non-heritable influences. In addition, some of these parameters become more variable with age, suggesting the cumulative influence of environmental exposure. Similarly, the serological responses to seasonal influenza vaccination are also determined largely by non-heritable factors, likely due to repeated exposure to different strains. Lastly, in MZ twins discordant for cytomegalovirus infection, more than half of all parameters are affected. These results highlight the largely reactive and adaptive nature of the immune system in healthy individuals.
| S-EPMC4302727 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Host genetic variation plays an important role in the structure and function of heritable microbial communities. Recent studies have shown that insects use immune mechanisms to regulate heritable symbionts. Here we test the hypothesis that variation in symbiont density among hosts is linked to intraspecific differences in the immune response to harboring symbionts. We show that pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) harboring the bacterial endosymbiont Regiella insecticola (but not all other species of symbionts) downregulate expression of key immune genes. We then functionally link immune expression with symbiont density using RNAi. The pea aphid species complex is comprised of multiple reproductively-isolated host plant-adapted populations. These 'biotypes' have distinct patterns of symbiont infections: for example, aphids from the Trifolium biotype are strongly associated with Regiella. Using RNAseq, we compare patterns of gene expression in response to Regiella in aphid genotypes from multiple biotypes, and we show that Trifolium aphids experience no downregulation of immune gene expression while hosting Regiella and harbor symbionts at lower densities. Using F1 hybrids between two biotypes, we find that symbiont density and immune gene expression are both intermediate in hybrids. We propose that in this system, Regiella symbionts are suppressing aphid immune mechanisms to increase their density, but that some hosts have adapted to prevent immune suppression in order to control symbiont numbers. This work therefore suggests that antagonistic coevolution can play a role in host-microbe interactions even when symbionts are transmitted vertically and provide a clear benefit to their hosts. The specific immune mechanisms that we find are downregulated in the presence of Regiella have been previously shown to combat pathogens in aphids, and thus this work also highlights the immune system's complex dual role in interacting with both beneficial and harmful microbes.
| S-EPMC8102006 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundSomaclonal variation generally occurs in plants regenerated from tissue culture. However, fundamental issues regarding molecular characteristics, mutation rates and mutation spectra of plant somatic variation as well as their phenotypic relevance have been addressed only recently. Moreover, these studies have reported highly discrepant results in different plant species and even in the same plant genotype.Methodology/principal findingsWe investigated heritable genomic variation induced by tissue culture in rice by whole genome re-sequencing of an extensively selfed somaclonal line (TC-reg-2008) and its wild type (WT) donor (cv. Hitomebore). We computed the overall mutation rate, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), small scale insertions/deletions (Indels) and mobilization of transposable elements (TEs). We assessed chromosomal distribution of the various types of genomic variations, tested correlations between SNPs and Indels, and examined concomitancy between TE activity and its cytosine methylation states. We also performed gene ontology (GO) analysis of genes containing nonsynonymous mutations and large-effect mutations, and assayed effects of the genomic variations on phenotypes under both normal growing condition and several abiotic stresses. We found that heritable somaclonal genomic variation occurred extensively in rice. The genomic variations distributed non-randomly across each of the 12 rice chromosomes, and affected a large number of functional genes. The phenotypic penetrance of the genomic variations was condition-dependent.Conclusions/significanceTissue culture is a potent means to generate heritable genetic variations in rice, which bear distinct difference at least in space (chromosomal distribution) from those occurred under natural settings. Our findings have provided new information regarding the mutation rate and spectrum as well as chromosomal distribution pattern of somaclonal variation in rice. Our data also suggest that rice possesses a strong capacity to canalize genetic variations under normal growing conditions to maintain phenotypic robustness, which however can be released by certain abiotic stresses to generate variable phenotypes.
| S-EPMC4013045 | biostudies-literature
Project description:De novo DNA methylation (DNAme) during mouse oogenesis occurs within transcribed regions enriched for H3K36me3. As many oocyte transcripts originate in long terminal repeats (LTRs), which are heterogeneous even between closely related mammals, we examined whether species-specific LTR-initiated transcription units (LITs) shape the oocyte methylome. Here we identify thousands of syntenic regions in mouse, rat, and human that show divergent DNAme associated with private LITs, many of which initiate in lineage-specific LTR retrotransposons. Furthermore, CpG island (CGI) promoters methylated in mouse and/or rat, but not human oocytes, are embedded within rodent-specific LITs and vice versa. Notably, at a subset of such CGI promoters, DNAme persists on the maternal genome in fertilized and parthenogenetic mouse blastocysts or in human placenta, indicative of species-specific epigenetic inheritance. Polymorphic LITs are also responsible for disparate DNAme at promoter CGIs in distantly related mouse strains, revealing that LITs also promote intra-species divergence in CGI DNAme.
| S-EPMC6102241 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Maternal reproductive investment can critically influence offspring phenotype, and thus these maternal effects are expected to be under strong natural selection. Knowledge on the extent of heritable variation in the physiological mechanisms underlying maternal effects is however limited. In birds, resource allocation to eggs is a key mechanism for mothers to affect their offspring and different components of the egg may or may not be independently adjusted. We studied the heritability of egg components and their genetic and phenotypic covariation in great tits (Parus major), using captive-bred full siblings of wild origin. Egg mass, testosterone (T) and androstenedione (A4) hormone concentrations showed moderate heritability, in agreement with earlier findings. Interestingly, yolk triiodothyronine hormone (T3), but not its precursor, thyroxine hormone (T4), concentration was heritable. An immune factor, albumen lysozyme, showed moderate heritability, but yolk immunoglobulins (IgY) did not. The genetic correlation estimates were moderate but statistically nonsignificant; a trend for a positive genetic correlation was found between A4 and egg mass, T and lysozyme and IgY and lysozyme, respectively. Interestingly, phenotypic correlations were found only between A4 and T, and T4 and T3, respectively. Given that these egg components are associated with fitness-related traits in the offspring (and mother), and that we show that some components are heritable, it opens the possibility that natural selection may shape the rate and direction of phenotypic change via egg composition.
| S-EPMC4981687 | biostudies-literature