Project description:Leprosy is classified from paucibacillary leprosy (TT and BT) to multibacillary leprosy (BB, BL, and LL). In our study, we focus on selecting or classfying the significant genes to discriminate between paucibacillary and multibacillary group and the important genes to distinguish between blood and the corresponding tissue in patients.
Project description:Leprosy is classified from paucibacillary leprosy (TT and BT) to multibacillary leprosy (BB, BL, and LL). In our study, we focus on selecting or classfying the significant genes to discriminate between paucibacillary and multibacillary group and the important genes to distinguish between blood and the corresponding tissue in patients. · Human Adult Normal Skin Sample (Commercial;Cat#1234218); 6 patients of leprosy (Blood and Tissue sample (Pathologic classification: BT); 6 patients of leprosy (Blood and Tissue sample (Pathologic classification: MB)) · In blood sample, BT sample vs MB sample · In tissue sample, Normal Skin sample vs tissue BT sample or tissue MB sample · Single Color Microarray · All experiments are performed one replicate
Project description:In this study, a comprehensive assessment of human mRNA was performed on leprosy skin lesions using DNA chip microarrays, which included the entire spectrum of the disease along with its reactional states. Sixty-six samples from leprotic lesions (10TT, 10BT, 10BB, 10BL, 4LL, 14R1, and 10R2) and nine skin biopsies from healthy individuals were used as controls (CC) (ages ranged from 06 to 83 years, 48 were male and 29 female). The evaluation identified differentially expressed mRNAs [Fold Change (FC)â¥2.0, p<0.05] in disease lesions versus healthy controls or between them. Some of these genes were validated by RT-PCR and/or immunohistochemistry. The sequence of events for this study followed the order below. Patients who were treated for leprosy were examined by leprologists and submitted to two biopsy procedures. One biopsy was processed for histopathological analysis, bacilloscopy and immunohistochemistry (IHC), the other was immediately stored in RNAlater® solution (Ambion) for further RNA extraction. Sixty-eight samples from leprotic lesions (10TT, 10BT, 10BB, 10BL, 4LL, 14R1, and 10R2) were selected for analysis. In addition, nine skin biopsies from healthy individuals were usedas controls (CC). Differentially expressed genes identified in the cDNA microarray assay were validated by quantitative RT-PCR and IHC.
Project description:In this study, a comprehensive assessment of human mRNA was performed on leprosy skin lesions using DNA chip microarrays, which included the entire spectrum of the disease along with its reactional states. Sixty-six samples from leprotic lesions (10TT, 10BT, 10BB, 10BL, 4LL, 14R1, and 10R2) and nine skin biopsies from healthy individuals were used as controls (CC) (ages ranged from 06 to 83 years, 48 were male and 29 female). The evaluation identified differentially expressed mRNAs [Fold Change (FC)≥2.0, p<0.05] in disease lesions versus healthy controls or between them. Some of these genes were validated by RT-PCR and/or immunohistochemistry.
Project description:Granulomas are complex cellular structures comprised predominantly of macrophages and lymphocytes that function to contain and kill invading pathogens. Here, we investigated single cell phenotypes associated with antimicrobial responses in human leprosy granulomas by applying single cell and spatial sequencing to leprosy biopsy specimens. We focused on reversal reactions (RR), a dynamic process in which some patients with disseminated lepromatous leprosy (L-lep) transition towards self-limiting tuberculoid leprosy (T-lep), mounting effective antimicrobial responses. We identified a set of genes encoding proteins involved in antimicrobial responses that are differentially expressed in RR versus L-lep lesions, and regulated by IFN- and IL-1. By integrating the spatial coordinates of the key cell types and antimicrobial gene expression in RR and T-lep lesions, we constructed a map revealing the organized architecture of granulomas depicting compositional and functional layers by which macrophages, T cells, keratinocytes and fibroblasts contribute to the antimicrobial response.
Project description:Here we report the data generated by short-read sequencing of mRNA (polyA) isolated from granuloma annulare and leprosy skin lesions. Our main aim was to identify putative mRNA biomarkers for distinguishing leprosy from other differential diagnoses. Additionally, we also explored the distinction between MB and PB by using differential expression analysis as well as training a penalized logistic regression to select important features. Our results showed that few genes are enough to differentiate leprosy lesions, including paucibacillary cases, from other morphological and histopathological similar skin diseases. Some of these genes have been replicated in a larger and more heterogeneous sample with RT-qPCR, validating their classification potential. We also suggest important novel gene candidates to improve our understanding of molecular differences between MB and PB lesions, which could either pinpoint new pathways and targets for host-based specialized adjuvant treatment for leprosy. Finally, this dataset has been used to explore the relationship between cornification and keratinocyte-related genes and TGFB-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which could indicate that in skin, M. leprae could be de-differentiating, directly or indirectly, other cell types into a progenitor/stem-like phenotype, facilitating mycobacterial survival and migration within the host. Alternatively, this could highlight which pathways are activated during granuloma formation and/or skin barrier assembly/disassembly.
Project description:Exploratory RNA expression analysis during development of leprosy allows identification of RISK4LEP, a 4-gene blood RNA signature predicting leprosy years before clinical onset.
Project description:Skin biopsy specimens of skin lesions were profiled for miRNA expression. In this study, we indentified miRNA species that were differentially expressed in the skin lesions of either the lepromatous or tuberculoid forms of leprosy. One miRNA species, hsa-mir-21, found in the lepromatous lesions was capable of downregulating the vitamin D-dependent antimicrobial pathway. Scalpel or punch skin biopsy specimens were obtained after informed consent from patients with tuberculoid leprosy and patients with lepromatous leprosy at the time of diagnosis. Specimens were embedded in OCT medium, snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at 80°C until sectioning.
Project description:The initial interaction between a microbial pathogen and the host immune response influences the outcome of the battle between the host and the foreign invader. Leprosy, caused by the obligate intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium leprae, provides a model to study relevant human immune responses. Previous studies have adopted a targeted approach to investigate host response to M. leprae infection, focusing on the induction of specific molecules and pathways. By measuring the host transcriptome triggered by M. leprae infection of human macrophages, we were able to detect a host gene signature 24–48 hours after infection characterized by specific innate immune pathways involving the cell fate mechanisms autophagy and apoptosis. The top upstream regulator in the M. leprae-induced gene signature was NUPR1, which is found in the M. leprae-induced cell fate pathways. The induction of NUPR1 by M. leprae was dependent on the production of the type I interferon (IFN), IFN-β. Furthermore, NUPR1 mRNA and protein were upregulated in the skin lesions from patients with the multibacillary form of leprosy. Together, these data indicate that M. leprae induces a cell fate program which includes NUPR1 as part of the host response in the progressive form of leprosy
Project description:Inflammaging is the name given to this chronic and asymptomatic inflammatory state generated by the aging process and by chronic and infectious diseases. Chronic diseases can alter the epigenetic profile of tissues leading to an increased epigenetic aging and some of the differentially methylated genes can be used to characterize the disease and as disease biomarkers. Leprosy is an infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae and can be lifelong, exposing the individual to a low-grade inflammation environment. In this study, we evaluated the inflammatory profile in 35 individuals from a leprosy endemic area from Brazil by cytokine analysis with a luminex assay. In adition, we investigated the leucocytes genome-wide DNA methylation profile using the Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip array. A total number of 31 CpGs were significantly methylated, between cases and controls, which belonged to 8 genes potentially peripherally perturbed in the pathogenesis of the disease. Affected individuals from endemic area were epigenetically aged in relation to control samples and interesting control samples from endemic area were aged in relation to unaffected control samples from non-endemic area. In conclusion, leprosy showed a deregulated methylation profile in comparison with control samples. The epigenetic analysis provided valuable clues for further investigations in understanding peripherical blood leprosy alterations and the use of these genes as biomarkers.