Project description:The purpose of this study was (1) to identify novel genes involved in the pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) disease, which may provide additional targets for therapeutic intervention and (2) to examine the molecular mechanisms associated with the response to anti-TNF treatment. Microarray analysis of LPS-stimulated whole blood from RA patients pre and post anti-TNF treatment was conducted. This study identified 818 transcripts, differentially expressed in RA patients pre-treatment compared to non-RA control samples. While a number of these genes were associated with RA in previous studies, validating our data, a number of novel genes with possible functions in RA disease were also identified. The number of transcripts (1051) significantly altered post anti-TNF treatment indicates the impact of anti-TNF therapy on systemic gene expression. A number of these transcripts were confirmed to be altered in a larger patient group and may represent potential genetic markers of a patient’s clinical response to anti-TNF treatment. Keywords: Expression profiling in RA disease pre and post anti-TNF treatment
Project description:The purpose of this study was (1) to identify novel genes involved in the pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) disease, which may provide additional targets for therapeutic intervention and (2) to examine the molecular mechanisms associated with the response to anti-TNF treatment. Microarray analysis of LPS-stimulated whole blood from RA patients pre and post anti-TNF treatment was conducted. This study identified 818 transcripts, differentially expressed in RA patients pre-treatment compared to non-RA control samples. While a number of these genes were associated with RA in previous studies, validating our data, a number of novel genes with possible functions in RA disease were also identified. The number of transcripts (1051) significantly altered post anti-TNF treatment indicates the impact of anti-TNF therapy on systemic gene expression. A number of these transcripts were confirmed to be altered in a larger patient group and may represent potential genetic markers of a patientâs clinical response to anti-TNF treatment. Experiment Overall Design: Transcriptome profiling was performed on two RA patients, pre- and three months post-Enbrel therapy and two matched non-RA controls. The whole blood model described by Wang et al (2000) was used with minor modifications. Briefly, to EDTA anti-coagulated blood, LPS (30ng/ml) was added immediately after drawing, and incubated at 37oC for 4 hours, mixing at 80s. After 4 hours red blood cells were lysed and pelleted, white cells were washed once in PBS (Gibco) and frozen at â70oC for subsequent RNA extraction. Total RNA was extracted using the RNeasy kit (QIAGEN) as per manufacturerâs instructions. Samples were treated with DNA-Free (Ambion) to remove genomic DNA and checked using intron-overlapping primers prior to generating cRNA probes or cDNA (data not shown). Affymetrix array data was normalised (globally) and statistically (t-test) analysed using GeneSight software (Biodiscovery). Gene expression changes with a p value of < 0.05 and a fold change of 3 or greater were considered differentially expressed.
Project description:TNF antagonists are routinely used in severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who failed conventional DMARD therapy. According to large clinical trials, the three available drugs (adalimumab, infliximab and etanercept) display similar effects in terms of efficacy, tolerability and side effects. These studies also indicate that about 25% of RA patients treated with TNF-antagonists do not display any significant clinical improvement. The aim of this study was to investigate global molecular patterns in synovial biopsies from RA patients obtained 12 weeks after initiation of adalimumab therapy.
Project description:miR-22 expression is reduced in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a deadly cancer with very limited treatment options. Our published data showed that retinoic acid (RA) via its receptor RARβ induces miR-22. Moreover, miR-22 increase the expression of RARβ, which signifies the significance of RA signaling in tumor suppression. Using orthotopic HCC mice models including β-catenin positive HCC, we studied the anti-HCC effect of miR-22 for the first time focusing on the potential roles of RA signaling in regulating tumor immunity based on transcriptomic profiling data found in both mouse and human HCC. Our data showed that miR-22 treated HCC without toxicity, with improved survival compared with Lenvatinib. Reduced RA signaling and increased IL17 signaling found in mouse HCC as well as isolated T cells were consistently found in miR-22 low human HCC, whereas miR-22 treatment of mouse HCC reversed both pathways verified in β-catenin positive HCC. Moreover, in isolated T cells, miR-22 silenced the Il17a gene, which lead to Th17 cell reduction, by reducing the recruitment of HIFα to the Rorc gene as well as the RORγT, HIF1α, and STAT3 to the Il17a gene. Further, IL23-driven IL17 signaling expansion attenuated the anti-HCC effects of miR-22. Additionally, CD8 blockade diminished the therapeutic effects of miR-22. Together, via regulating tumor immunity, miR-22 can be a novel option for HCC treatment.
Project description:To analyse gene expression differences between differentiated bronchial epithelial cells kept under control conditions or treated for 72 hours with cytokines (TNFalpha10 ng/ml; IL17 20ng/ml)
Project description:Objective: Rituximab displays therapeutic benefits in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients resistant to TNF blockade. However, the precise role of B cells in the pathogenesis of RA is still unknown. In this study we investigated the global molecular effects of rituximab in synovial biopsies obtained from anti-TNF resistant RA patients before and after administration of the drug. Methods: Paired synovial biopsies were obtained from the affected knee of anti-TNF resistant RA patients before (T0) and 12 weeks after initiation of rituximab therapy (T12). Total RNA was extracted, labeled according to standard Affymetrix procedures and hybridized on GeneChip HGU133 Plus 2.0 slides. Immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR experiments were performed to confirm the differential expression of selected transcripts. Results: According to paired Student’s t-tests, 549 out of 54,675 investigated probe sets were differentially expressed between T0 and T12. Pathway analysis revealed that genes down-regulated between T0 and T12 were significantly enriched in immunoglobulin genes, and genes involved in chemotaxis, leucocyte activation and immune responses (Gene Ontology annotations). By contrast, genes up-regulated between T0 and T12 were significantly enriched in transcripts involved in cell development (Gene Ontology annotation) and wound healing (GSEA). At baseline, higher synovial expression of immunoglobulin genes was associated with response to therapy. Conclusion: Rituximab displays unique effects on global gene expression profiles in synovial tissue of RA patients. These observations open new perspectives in the understanding of the biological effects of the drug and in the selection of patients likely to benefit from this therapy.
Project description:The effects of stimulating intestinal epithelial cells with Th17 cytokines, IL17 and IL22, was investigated Experiment Overall Design: The human colonic epithelial cell line, T84 was grown to confluency in standard transwell plates and either mock treated, or treated with cytokines IL17 and IL22
Project description:Retinoic acid (RA), the main active vitamin A metabolite, controls multiple biological processes such as cell proliferation and differentiation through genomic programs and kinase cascades activation. Due to these properties, RA has proven anti-cancer capacity. Several breast cancer cells respond to the antiproliferative effects of RA, while others are RA-resistant. However, the overall signaling and transcriptional pathways that are altered in such cells have not been elucidated. Here, in a large-scale analysis of the phosphoproteins and in a genome-wide analysis of the RA-regulated genes, we compared two human breast cancer cell lines, a RA-responsive one, the MCF7 cell line, and a RA-resistant one, the BT474 cell line, which depicts several alterations of the "kinome".
Project description:Retinoic acid (RA), the main active vitamin A metabolite, controls multiple biological processes such as cell proliferation and differentiation through genomic programs and kinase cascades activation. Due to these properties, RA has proven anti-cancer capacity. Several breast cancer cells respond to the antiproliferative effects of RA, while others are RA-resistant. However, the overall signaling and transcriptional pathways that are altered in such cells have not been elucidated. Here, in a large-scale analysis of the phosphoproteins and in a genome-wide analysis of the RA-regulated genes, we compared two human breast cancer cell lines, a RA-responsive one, the MCF7 cell line, and a RA-resistant one, the BT474 cell line, which depicts several alterations of the "kinome".