ABSTRACT: Treatment of oocytes derived from large (4-6 mm; LG) or small (>3 mm; SM) follicles with glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) during in vitro maturation.
Project description:Treatment of oocytes derived from large (4-6 mm; LG) or small (>3 mm; SM) follicles with glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) during in vitro maturation. Four-condition experiment, SM and LG oocytes, each with and without GDNF. Biological replicates: 9 per condition, independently collected. Pools of three replicates per array.
Project description:Female fertility is determined in part by the size and development of the primordial follicle pool. The current study investigates the role of glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in the regulation of primordial follicle development in the ovary. Ovaries from four-day old female rat pups were maintained in organ culture for ten days in the absence (control) or presence of GDNF or kit ligand/stem cell factor (KL). Ovaries treated with GDNF contained a significant increase in developing follicles, similar to that observed with KL treatment previously shown to promote follicle development. The actions of GDNF on the ovarian transcriptome were investigated with a microarray analysis. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated that GDNF is localized to oocyte cytoplasm in follicles of all developmental stages, as well as to cumulus granulosa cells and theca cells in antral follicles. GDNF receptor alpha 1 (GFRalpha1) staining was localized to oocyte cytoplasm of primordial and primary follicles, and at reduced levels in oocytes of antral follicles. GFRalpha1 was present in mural granulosa cells of antral follicles, theca cells, and the ovarian surface epithelium. The localization studies were confirmed with molecular analysis. Microarray analysis was used to identify changes in the ovarian transcriptome and further elucidate the signaling network regulating early follicle development. Observations indicate that GDNF promotes primordial follicle development and mediates autocrine and paracrine cell-cell interactions required during folliculogenesis. In contrast to the testis, ovarian GDNF is predominantly produced by germ cells (oocytes) rather than somatic cells. Keywords: expression analysis, glial derived neurotrophic factor, follicle transition, ovary
Project description:Female fertility is determined in part by the size and development of the primordial follicle pool. The current study investigates the role of glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in the regulation of primordial follicle development in the ovary. Ovaries from four-day old female rat pups were maintained in organ culture for ten days in the absence (control) or presence of GDNF or kit ligand/stem cell factor (KL). Ovaries treated with GDNF contained a significant increase in developing follicles, similar to that observed with KL treatment previously shown to promote follicle development. The actions of GDNF on the ovarian transcriptome were investigated with a microarray analysis. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated that GDNF is localized to oocyte cytoplasm in follicles of all developmental stages, as well as to cumulus granulosa cells and theca cells in antral follicles. GDNF receptor alpha 1 (GFRalpha1) staining was localized to oocyte cytoplasm of primordial and primary follicles, and at reduced levels in oocytes of antral follicles. GFRalpha1 was present in mural granulosa cells of antral follicles, theca cells, and the ovarian surface epithelium. The localization studies were confirmed with molecular analysis. Microarray analysis was used to identify changes in the ovarian transcriptome and further elucidate the signaling network regulating early follicle development. Observations indicate that GDNF promotes primordial follicle development and mediates autocrine and paracrine cell-cell interactions required during folliculogenesis. In contrast to the testis, ovarian GDNF is predominantly produced by germ cells (oocytes) rather than somatic cells. Experiment Overall Design: RNA samples from two control groups (pooled untreated cultured ovaries) are compared to two treated groups (pooled cultured ovaries treated with GDNF)
Project description:A quantitative mass-spectrometry-based proteome and phosphoproteome profiles of SPCs following sustained stimulation with glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF).
Project description:Dopaminergic neurons (DAn), generated from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC), are capable of functionally integrating following transplantation and have recently advanced to clinical trials for Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, pre-clinical studies have highlighted the low proportion of DAn within hPSC-derived grafts and their inferior plasticity compared to fetal tissue. Here we examined whether delivery of a developmentally critical protein, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), could improve graft outcomes. We tracked the response of DAn implanted into either a GDNF-rich environment, or after a delay in exposure. Early GDNF promoted survival and plasticity of non-DAn, leading to enhanced motor recovery in PD rats. Delayed exposure to GDNF promoted functional recovery through increases in DAn specification, DAn plasticity and dopamine metabolism. Transcriptional profiling revealed a role for MAPK-signalling downstream of GDNF. Collectively these results demonstrate the potential of neurotrophic gene therapy strategies to improve hPSC graft outcomes.
Project description:In this study, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)- Gelatin methacryloyl (Gel)/hydroxylapatite (HA)-Mg nerve conduit was developed. the conduit was implanted in sciatic nerve defect model in SD rats to explore its role in repairing peripheral nerve defects. Regenerated nerve tissues from GDNF-Gel/HA-Mg group and negative control group were collected for RNA-seq, aiming to explore the potential molecular mechanism of GDNF-Gel/HA-Mg in peripheral nerve regeneration.
Project description:Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor in adults, characterized by an inherent aggressivity and resistance to treatment leading to poor prognoses. While some resistance mechanisms have been elucidated, a deeper understanding of these mechanisms is needed to increase therapeutic efficacy. In this study we first discovered glial-cell derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) to be upregulated in patient-derived glioblastoma spheroid cultures after chemotherapeutic temozolomide (TMZ) treatment, through RNA-Seq experiments. Therefore, we investigated the role of the GDNF/GDNF receptor alpha 1 (GFRA1) signaling pathway as a resistance mechanism to chemotherapy with temozolomide and lomustine as well as irradiation using patient-derived glioblastoma spheroid cultures. With qPCR experiments we showed a consistent upregulation of GDNF and its primary receptor GFRA1 following all three lines of treatment. Moreover, CRISPR/Cas9 knock-outs of GDNF in two patient-derived models sensitized these cells to chemotherapy treatment, but not radiotherapy. The increased sensitivity was completely reversed by the addition of exogeneous GDNF, confirming the key role of this factor in chemoresistance. Finally, a CRISPR KO of GFRA1 demonstrated a similar increased sensitivity to temozolomide and lomustine treatment, as well as radiotherapy. Together, our findings support the role of the GDNF/GFRA1 signaling pathway in glioblastoma chemo and radioresistance.
Project description:Adjacent stroma, including subepithelial fibroblasts, are believed to coordinate the differentiation process of epithelial cells, but the mechanisms are not well understood. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is expressed in the intestinal Pdgfra high subepithelial myofibroblasts (SEMFs), while the GDNF receptor RET is expressed in a subset of enteroendocrine cells (EECs), indicating regulatory crosstalk. In this experiment, single RET+ intestinal cells were sorted the gene expression profile was compared to non-RET cells. This provided knowledge about RET+ cell types. RET+ cells were upregulated with most of the EEC markers, indicating that RET+ cells are expressed in EECs. We also observed the differences in the gene expression profile of stromal-derived GDNF ligand on intestinal organoids. Organoids were derived from intestinal crypts of WT mice C57BL/6J and treated with 500ng/ml of Gdnf and Gfra1. GDNF-treated organoids induced the expression of EEC genes such as Pyy, Tac1, Tph1, and Cck, indicating enhanced differentiation of EC cell and L-I-N cell lineages. This highlights a stroma-epithelium crosstalk pathway regulating the differentiation of intestinal EEC subtypes.
Project description:Oocyte developmental potential is progressively obtained as females approach puberty. Therefore, oocytes derived from prepubertal females are less developmentally competent, indicated by decreased embryonic development, compared to oocytes derived from adult females. To investigate mechanisms involved in establishing oocyte cytoplasmic maturation and developmental competence, Affymetrix GeneChip microarrays were used. Keywords: oocyte developmental competence, maternal age Porcine oocytes obtained from prepubertal and adult females were collected for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays. Oocytes were aspirated from 2 to 6 mm ovarian follicles and matured in vitro. Analysis of the first extruded polar body ensured that all oocytes used in the analyses had completed nuclear maturation.
Project description:Understanding the complex molecular mechanisms underlying resistance to endocrine therapy is a major challenge in the treatment of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancers. We have previously demonstrated that glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) signaling via the receptor tyrosine kinase RET promotes estrogen independent activation of ER. Here we have addressed the relevance of GDNF-RET signaling in response to aromatase inhibitor treatment and explored the efficacy of using RET inhibitors in breast cancer models of aromatase inhibitor response and resistance. A GDNF-response gene set, identified from gene expression profiling, was demonstrated to be an independent prognostic marker of poor patient outcome and, importantly, to be predictive of poor response to aromatase inhibitor treatment and development of resistance. The relevance of these findings was validated first by demonstrating an association of RET protein expression in an independent cohort of aromatase inhibitor resistant patient samples. Second, in in vitro models, GDNF-mediated RET signaling was demonstrated to enhance the survival of aromatase inhibitor resistant cells and to increase resistance in aromatase inhibitor sensitive cells. These effects could be reversed by targeting GDNF/RET signaling with the RET selective inhibitor NVP-BBT594 thus identifying GDNF-RET signaling as a potential therapeutic target, particularly in breast cancers resistant to aromatase inhibitors.<br>MCF7 cells were E2-deprived by culturing in phenol red-free RPMI 1640 supplemented with 10% DCC for 3 days and then serum-starved overnight in the presence or absence of fulvestrant (ICI182,780) (100 nM). The following day, cells were treated with GDNF (20 ng/ml) for 0, 4, 8, 24 and 48 hours in the presence or absence of fulvestrant (ICI182,780) (100 nM).