Project description:Macrophage death in advanced atherosclerotic lesions is a key event in the conversion of benign lesions to vulnerable plaques. One fundamental transcription factor that has been shown to play a pivotal role in cell death/survival is nuclear factor kB (NF-kB). Still, the relevance of this key transcription factor for macrophage-derived foam cell survival has not been unequivocally resolved at the molecular level. THP-1 monocytic cell lines were generated in which NF-kB activation is specifically inhibited by overexpression of a trans-dominant, non-degradable form of IkBa (IkBa (32A/36A)) under control of the macrophage-specific SR-A promoter. A diminished lipid loading during NF-κB inhibition during foam cell formation was accompanied by increased cell death. A genome-wide expression profile of NF-kB-dependent genes during foam cell formation was established showing a widespread effect on the macrophage transcriptome. The three largest functional gene clusters identified and validated by independent techniques, were those involved in lipid metabolism, apoptosis and oxidative stress. The net result of these complex gene expression changes invoked by inhibition of NF-κB activation during lipid loading is a reduction of foam cell survival through caspase-dependent apoptosis. Thus, the NF-kB-dependent gene repertoire seems essential for sustained macrophage survival during the process of pathological lipid loading. Keywords: genetic modification, lipid loading, timecourse
Project description:Macrophage death in advanced atherosclerotic lesions is a key event in the conversion of benign lesions to vulnerable plaques. One fundamental transcription factor that has been shown to play a pivotal role in cell death/survival is nuclear factor kB (NF-kB). Still, the relevance of this key transcription factor for macrophage-derived foam cell survival has not been unequivocally resolved at the molecular level. THP-1 monocytic cell lines were generated in which NF-kB activation is specifically inhibited by overexpression of a trans-dominant, non-degradable form of IkBa (IkBa (32A/36A)) under control of the macrophage-specific SR-A promoter. A diminished lipid loading during NF-κB inhibition during foam cell formation was accompanied by increased cell death. A genome-wide expression profile of NF-kB-dependent genes during foam cell formation was established showing a widespread effect on the macrophage transcriptome. The three largest functional gene clusters identified and validated by independent techniques, were those involved in lipid metabolism, apoptosis and oxidative stress. The net result of these complex gene expression changes invoked by inhibition of NF-κB activation during lipid loading is a reduction of foam cell survival through caspase-dependent apoptosis. Thus, the NF-kB-dependent gene repertoire seems essential for sustained macrophage survival during the process of pathological lipid loading. Keywords: genetic modification, lipid loading, timecourse THP-1 cells and two different THP-1 IkB mutants (A3 and A12) were exposed to PMA to induce macrophage differentiation and subsequently loaded with oxidized LDL or vehicle for 5 or 8 days. One replicate per array, a total of 15 arrays. A common reference pool, composed of an equimolar mixture of all samples, was labeled with Cy3 and hybridized against the Cy5-labeled experimental sample.
Project description:The NF-κB pathway is a master regulator of inflammatory processes and is implicated in insulin resistance and pancreatic beta cell dysfunction in the metabolic syndrome. While canonical NF-κB signaling is well studied, there is little information on the divergent non-canonical NF-κB pathway in the context of pancreatic islet dysfunction in diabetes. Here, we demonstrate that pharmacological activation of the non-canonical NF-κB inducing kinase (NIK) disrupts glucose homeostasis in zebrafish in vivo. Further, we identify NIK as a critical negative regulator of beta cell function as pharmacological NIK activation results in impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in mouse and human islets. NIK levels are elevated in pancreatic islets isolated from diet-induced obese (DIO) mice, which exhibit increased processing of non-canonical NF-κB components p100 to p52, and accumulation of RelB. Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL), two ligands associated with diabetes, induce NIK in islets. Mice with constitutive beta cell intrinsic NIK activation present impaired insulin secretion with DIO. NIK activation triggers the non-canonical NF-κB transcriptional network to induce genes identified in human type 2 diabetes genome-wide association studies linked to beta cell failure. These studies reveal that NIK contributes a central mechanism for beta cell failure in diet-induced obesity. We identify a role for Nuclear Factor inducing κB (NIK) in pancreatic beta cell failure. NIK activation disrupts glucose homeostasis in zebrafish in vivo and impairs glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in mouse and human islets in vitro. NIK activation also perturbs beta cell insulin secretion in a diet-induced obesity mouse model. These studies reveal that NIK contributes a central mechanism for beta cell failure in obesity. To uncover the role of NIK in pancreatic beta cells, we performed a gene expression microarray analysis comparing pancreatic islets with constitutive beta cell intrinsicNIK activation from the 16 week old mice (beta cell specific TRAF2 and TRAF2 knockout mice) to their controls (n=3 per group).
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of human control and Néstor-Guillermo Progeria Syndrome (NGPS) fibroblasts and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Somatic cell reprogramming involves rejuvenation of adult cells and relies on the ability to erase age-associated molecular marks. Accordingly, reprogramming efficiency declines with ageing, and age-associated features such as genetic instability, cell senescence or telomere shortening negatively affect this process. However, the regulatory mechanisms that constitute age-associated barriers for cell reprogramming remain largely unknown. Here, by using cells from patients with premature ageing, we demonstrate that NF-κB activation is a critical barrier for the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in ageing. We show that NF-κB repression occurs during cell reprogramming towards a pluripotent state. Conversely, ageing-associated NF-κB hyperactivation impairs generation of iPSCs by eliciting reprogramming repressors DOT1L and YY1, reinforcing cell senescence signals and down-regulating pluripotency genes. We also show that genetic and pharmacological NF-κB inhibitory strategies significantly increase the reprogramming efficiency of fibroblasts from Néstor-Guillermo Progeria Syndrome (NGPS) and Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) patients, as well as from normal aged donors. Finally, we demonstrate that DOT1L inhibition in vivo ameliorates the accelerated ageing phenotype and extends lifespan in a progeroid animal model. Collectively, our results provide evidence for a novel role of NF-κB in the control of cell fate transitions and reinforce the interest of studying age-associated molecular impairments to implement cell reprogramming methodologies, and to identify new targets of rejuvenation strategies. Control and NGPS fibroblasts were reprogrammed. RNA was extracted and transcriptional profiling was obtained with GeneChip Human Exon 1.0 ST Arrays.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of human control and Néstor-Guillermo Progeria Syndrome (NGPS) mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Somatic cell reprogramming involves rejuvenation of adult cells and relies on the ability to erase age-associated molecular marks. Accordingly, reprogramming efficiency declines with ageing, and age-associated features such as genetic instability, cell senescence or telomere shortening negatively affect this process. However, the regulatory mechanisms that constitute age-associated barriers for cell reprogramming remain largely unknown. Here, by using cells from patients with premature ageing, we demonstrate that NF-κB activation is a critical barrier for the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in ageing. We show that NF-κB repression occurs during cell reprogramming towards a pluripotent state. Conversely, ageing-associated NF-κB hyperactivation impairs generation of iPSCs by eliciting reprogramming repressors DOT1L and YY1, reinforcing cell senescence signals and down-regulating pluripotency genes. We also show that genetic and pharmacological NF-κB inhibitory strategies significantly increase the reprogramming efficiency of fibroblasts from Néstor-Guillermo Progeria Syndrome (NGPS) and Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) patients, as well as from normal aged donors. Finally, we demonstrate that DOT1L inhibition in vivo ameliorates the accelerated ageing phenotype and extends lifespan in a progeroid animal model. Collectively, our results provide evidence for a novel role of NF-κB in the control of cell fate transitions and reinforce the interest of studying age-associated molecular impairments to implement cell reprogramming methodologies, and to identify new targets of rejuvenation strategies. Control and NGPS MSCs were differentiated into bone in the presence or absence of sodium salicylate. Total RNA was extracted and global gene expression was analyzed.
Project description:Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are known to induce the conversion of activated T-cells into regulatory T-cells in vitro. The marker CD69 is a target of canonical NF-κB signaling and is transiently expressed upon activation; however, stable CD69 expression defines cells with immunoregulatory properties. Given its enormous therapeutic potential, we explored the molecular mechanisms underlying the induction of regulatory cells by MSCs. Peripheral blood CD3+ T-cells were activated and cultured in the presence or absence of MSCs. CD4+ cell mRNA expression was then characterized by microarray analysis. The drug BAY11-7082 and a siRNA against RELB were used to explore the differential roles of canonical and non-canonical NF-κB signaling, respectively. Flow cytometry and real-time PCR were used for analyses. Genes with immunoregulatory functions, CD69 and non-canonical NF-κB subunits (RELB and NFKB2) were all expressed at higher levels in lymphocytes co-cultured with MSCs. The frequency of CD69+ cells among lymphocytes cultured alone progressively decreased after activation. In contrast, the frequency of CD69+ cells increased significantly following activation in lymphocytes co-cultured with MSCs. Inhibition of canonical NF-κB signaling by BAY immediately following activation blocked the induction of CD69; however, inhibition of canonical NF-κB signaling on the 3rd day further induced the expression of CD69. Furthermore, late expression of CD69 was inhibited by RELB siRNA. These results indicate that the canonical NF-κB pathway controls the early expression of CD69 after activation; however, in an immunoregulatory context, late and sustained CD69 expression is promoted by the non-canonical pathway and is inhibited by canonical NF-κB signaling. In order to study the molecular basis by which Multipotent Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells (MSC) exert their immune regulatory function, immunomagnetically purified CD3+ T-cells from the peripheral blood of 3 individuals were activated and cultured in the presence or absence of MSCs. Following 5 days, CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells were further immunomagnetically selected and their gene expression profiles were obtained by microarrays and compared. Paired samples from 3 individuals were used for this analysis.