Project description:Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, are associated with significant gut microbiota dysbiosis. Here we show that remodelling of 24h rhythms within the gut during inflammatory joint disease drives profound changes in the microbiome and gut permeability.
Project description:Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory joint disease of unknown etiology and pronounced inter-patient heterogeneity. To characterize RA at the molecular level and to uncover key pathomechanisms, we performed whole-genome gene expression analyses. Synovial tissues from rheumatoid arthritis patients were compared to those from osteoarthritis patients and to normal donors. Keywords: disease state analysis
Project description:Genome-wide DNA methylation level was studied to determine whether Rheumatoid arthritis patients (cases) has methylation differences comparing to normal controls in PBLs. We used Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip array to determine the genome-wide DNA methylation difference in PBLs from Rheumatoid arthritis patients (cases) and normal controls Bisulphite converted DNA from the Rheumatoid arthritis patients (cases) and normal controls were hybridized to the Illumina Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip arrays
Project description:Opioid analgesics are frequently prescribed in the United States and worldwide. However, serious side effects such as addiction, immunosuppression and gastrointestinal symptoms limit long term use. In the current study using a chronic morphine-murine model a longitudinal approach was undertaken to investigate the role of morphine modulation of gut microbiome as a mechanism contributing to the negative consequences associated with opioids use. The results revealed a significant shift in the gut microbiome and metabolome within 24 hours following morphine treatment when compared to placebo. Morphine induced gut microbial dysbiosis exhibited distinct characteristic signatures profiles including significant increase in communities associated with pathogenic function, decrease in communities associated with stress tolerance. Collectively, these results reveal opioids-induced distinct alteration of gut microbiome, may contribute to opioids-induced pathogenesis. Therapeutics directed at these targets may prolong the efficacy long term opioid use with fewer side effects.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of human synovial tissue from thirteen individuals with arthralgia who were IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) and/or anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) positive and without any evidence of arthritis. Survival analysis was used to identify transcripts associated with arthritis after follow up. This study was performed to investigate the molecular changes in synovium preceding arthritis development in at risk individuals.
Project description:Genome-wide DNA methylation level was studied to determine whether Rheumatoid arthritis patients (cases) has methylation differences comparing to normal controls in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs). We used Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip array to determine the genome-wide DNA methylation difference in PBLs from Rheumatoid arthritis patients (cases) and normal controls
Project description:Aging is associated with declining immunity and inflammation as well as alterations in the gut microbiome with a decrease of beneficial microbes and increase in pathogenic ones. The aim of this study was to investigate aging associated gut microbiome in relation to immunologic and metabolic profile in a non-human primate (NHP) model. 12 old (age>18 years) and 4 young (age 3-6 years) Rhesus macaques were included in this study. Immune cell subsets were characterized in PBMC by flow cytometry and plasma cytokines levels were determined by bead based multiplex cytokine analysis. Stool samples were collected by ileal loop and investigated for microbiome analysis by shotgun metagenomics. Serum, gut microbial lysate and microbe-free fecal extract were subjected to metabolomic analysis by mass-spectrometry. Our results showed that the old animals exhibited higher inflammatory biomarkers in plasma and lower CD4 T cells with altered distribution of naïve and memory T cell maturation subsets. The gut microbiome in old animals had higher abundance of Archaeal and Proteobacterial species and lower Firmicutes than the young. Significant enrichment of metabolites that contribute to inflammatory and cytotoxic pathways was observed in serum and feces of old animals compared to the young. We conclude that aging NHP undergo immunosenescence and age associated alterations in the gut microbiome that has a distinct metabolic profile.