Project description:By combining directed evolution and synthetic biology, we engineered novel synthetic yeasts probiotics for the dynamic modulation of intestinal inflammation. In this experiment we treated TNBS-colitis induced mice with these probiotics and test the amelioration of immune response in the transcriptional level in the colon.
Project description:FastQ files from 16S sequencing of fecal samples from pancreatic cancer xenografted mice not treated (CTRL) and treated with chemotherapy (GEM+nab-PTX), probiotics (PRO) and chemotherapy + probiotics (GEM+nab-PTX+PRO)
Project description:RATIONALE: Studying the genes expressed in samples of tissue from patients with cancer may help doctors identify biomarkers related to cancer.
PURPOSE: This laboratory study is using gene expression profiling to evaluate normal tissue and tumor tissue from patients with colon cancer that has spread to the liver, lungs, or peritoneum.
Project description:HIV infection results in damage to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, microbial translocation and immune activation, which are not completely ameliorated with suppression of viremia by antiretroviral (ARV) therapy. Furthermore, increased morbidity and mortality of ARV-treated HIV-infected individuals is associated with these dysfunctions. Thus, in order to enhance GI tract immunity, we treated SIV-infected pigtail macaques with ARVs supplemented with probiotics and prebiotics or with ARVs alone. In the colon, this synbiotic treatment resulted in increased expression of genes associated with antigen presenting cells (APCs), increased frequency and functionality of APCs, enhanced reconstitution and functionality of CD4+ T-cells and reduced fibrosis of lymphoid follicles. Thus, supplementing ARV treatment with synbiotic treatment in HIV-infected individuals may improve GI tract immunity and thereby mitigate inflammatory sequelae, ultimately improving prognosis. CD45+ (clone MB4-6D6) leukocytes were sorted from thawed colon samples from 4 ARV + probiotics animals and 4 ARV alone animals
Project description:Comparative gene expression profiling between DSS-treated crypts and normal colon crypts Comparative gene expression profiling between normal colon crypts and tumor crypts
Project description:The intestinal epithelium has a high turnover and constantly renews itself through proliferation of intestinal crypt cells, which depends on insufficiently characterized signals from the microenvironment. Here we show that colonic macrophages were located directly adjacent to epithelial crypt cells in mice, where they metabolically supported epithelial cell proliferation in an mTORC1-dependent manner. Specifically, mTORC1 activation in macrophages protected against colitis-induced intestinal damage and induced the synthesis of the polyamines spermidine and spermine. Epithelial cells ingested these polyamines and rewired their cellular metabolism for optimizing proliferation and defense. Notably, spermine directly stimulated proliferation of colon epithelial cells and colon organoids. Genetic interference with polyamine production in macrophages altered global polyamine levels in the colon and modified epithelial cell proliferation. Our results suggest that macrophages act as “commensals” that provide metabolic support to promote efficient self-renewal of the colon epithelium.
