Project description:Misfolded soluble trimeric species of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) are associated with increased death in neuron-like cell models and greater disease severity in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients compared to insoluble protein aggregates. The mechanism by which structurally independent SOD1 trimers cause cellular toxicity is unknown but may be a driver of disease pathology. Here, we uncovered the SOD1 trimer transcriptome. We identified key pathways using transcriptomic data from motor neuron-like cells (NSC-34s) expressing SOD1 trimers. We discovered differential gene expression in cells that express SOD1 trimers with selective enrichment of genes responsible for protein localization to membranes and a global upregulation of cellular senescence pathways. Our investigation highlights key protein factors and pathways within each system, revealing a plausible intersection of genetic and pathophysiological mechanisms in ALS through interactions involving SOD1 trimers.
Project description:We performed RNA immunoprecipitation (IP) and microarray (RIP-chip) analyses to identify and compare the biological mRNA targets of two RNA-binding proteins (RBP), TDP-43 and FUS, associated to cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes of motoneuronal NSC-34 cells with the final aim to unravel their role in mRNA transport, stability, and translation in neuronal cells.
Project description:NSC-34 cells produced by fusing mouse embryonic spinal cord motor neuron with neuroblastoma cells expressing reduced level of PGRN (NSC-34/ShPGRN), NSC-34 cells overexpressing hPGRN(NSC-34-/hPGRN) or vector controls were compared in triplicate
Project description:Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is caused by the progressive degeneration of motor neurons. Mutations in the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) are found in about 20% of patients with familial ALS. Mutant SOD1 causes motor neuron death through an acquired toxic property. Although, molecular mechanism underlying this toxic gain-of-function remains unknown, evidence support the role of mutant SOD1 expression in non-neuronal cells in shaping motor neuron degeneration. We have previously found that in contrast to non-transgenic, SOD1G93A-expressing astrocytes induced apoptosis of co-cultured motor neurons. This prompted us to investigate whether the effect on motor neuron survival was related to a change in the gene expression profile. Through high-density oligonucletide microarrays we found changes in the expression of genes involved in transcription, signaling, cell proliferation, extracellular matrix construction, response to stress and steroid and lipid metabolism. Decorin, a small multifunctional proteoglycan, was the most up-regulated gene. Down-regulated genes included the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor and the RNA binding protein ROD1. We also analyzed the expression of selected genes in purified motor neurons expressing SOD1G93A and in spinal cord of asymptomatic and early symptomatic ALS-rodent model. The expression of mutated SOD1 in astrocytes cause gene expression changes with potential consequences for its interaction with motor neurons. The astrocyte-specific gene expression profile contributes to the identification of possible candidates for cell type-specific therapies in ALS Keywords: Cell type comparison
Project description:Interleukin-34 (IL-34) is an alternative ligand to colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) for the CSF-1 receptor that acts as a key regulator of monocyte/macrophage lineage. In this study, we show that cancer cells-derived IL-34 mediates resistance to immune checkpoint blockade regardless of CSF-1 existence. In a therapeutic study of a programmed death-1 and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 blocking monoclonal antibody, the expression of IL-34 in tumors was accompanied with limited benefits compared to IL-34 non-expressing tumors in various murine cancer models. Consistent with its immunosuppressive characteristics, the expression of IL-34 in tumors correlates with decreased frequencies of cellular (such as CD8+ and CD4+ T cells) and molecular (including various cytokines and chemokines) effectors at the tumor microenvironment. In addition, IL-34 blockade expands the M1-macrophage population. Then, a neutralizing antibody against IL-34 helped to reverse these effects and improved the therapeutic effects of the immune checkpoint blockade in combinatorial therapeutic models, including a patient-derived xenograft model of primary lung adenocarcinoma. Collectively, we revealed that tumor-derived IL-34 inhibits the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade and proposed the utility of IL-34 blockade as a new strategy for cancer therapy.
Project description:To identify Ceacam1 downstream factors, we compared gene expressions between NSCs and Ceacam1L-expressing NSC and between NSCL61 and Ceacam1shRNA-expressing NSCL61. We established Ceacam1L-expressing NSC and Ceacam1shRNA-expressing NSCL61s. We think that genes, which are differently expressed between NSC and Ceacam1L-NSC, and between NSCL61 and Ceacam1shRNA-NSCL61, are the Ceacam1 downstream factors.
Project description:mRNA expression in the spinal cords of the G93A-SOD1 familial ALS transgenic mouse model was compared to that in nontransgenic (Normal mouse) and transgenic mice expressing wild-type (WT)SOD1. Gene Ontology (GO)analysis was used to characterize differences in expression between G93A-SOD1 mouse and nontransgenic mouse spinal cord. Changes in multiple GO categories were found. Many of these were associated with subsystems involving cell-cell communication and intracellular signal transduction. Expression profiles of mice expressing WT-SOD1 did not differ from nontransgenic mice. In contrast, protein profiling using proteomics technology indicated changes in mitochondrial protein expression in the G93A-SOD1 mouse spinal cord that were not found in the mRNA expression analysis. Keywords: Disease state analysis, time course, transgenic mice
Project description:Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is caused by the progressive degeneration of motor neurons. Mutations in the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) are found in about 20% of patients with familial ALS. Mutant SOD1 causes motor neuron death through an acquired toxic property. Although, molecular mechanism underlying this toxic gain-of-function remains unknown, evidence support the role of mutant SOD1 expression in non-neuronal cells in shaping motor neuron degeneration. We have previously found that in contrast to non-transgenic, SOD1G93A-expressing astrocytes induced apoptosis of co-cultured motor neurons. This prompted us to investigate whether the effect on motor neuron survival was related to a change in the gene expression profile. Through high-density oligonucletide microarrays we found changes in the expression of genes involved in transcription, signaling, cell proliferation, extracellular matrix construction, response to stress and steroid and lipid metabolism. Decorin, a small multifunctional proteoglycan, was the most up-regulated gene. Down-regulated genes included the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor and the RNA binding protein ROD1. We also analyzed the expression of selected genes in purified motor neurons expressing SOD1G93A and in spinal cord of asymptomatic and early symptomatic ALS-rodent model. The expression of mutated SOD1 in astrocytes cause gene expression changes with potential consequences for its interaction with motor neurons. The astrocyte-specific gene expression profile contributes to the identification of possible candidates for cell type-specific therapies in ALS Keywords: Cell type comparison Astrocytes were plated at a density of 2x104 cells/cm2 and maintained as described in Cassina P, et al.J Neurosci Res. 2002;67(1):21-9. Confluent astrocytes monolayers were changed to supplemented L15 medium (Vargas et al., 2006) for 24h before RNA isolation. Total RNA was isolated with RNeasy kit/RNase-Free DNase Set (Qiagen, CA, USA). RNA quality was assessed with the A260/280 ratio and the 2100 Bioanalyzer (Agilent Technologies, CA, USA) to ensure integrity of the samples used for microarray analysis. Double-stranded cDNA was synthesized from 5 μg of total RNA and used for microarray analysis with the Rat Genome 230 2.0 array (Affymetrix, CA, USA). A total of six arrays divided in three control and three transgenic samples were used. Labeling was performed with one-cycle target labeling assay according to Affymetrix, including the eukaryotic poly-A RNA control and the eukaryotic hybridization control kit. Hybridization, washing and scanning were carried out as described in the Affymetrix GeneChip expression analysis technical manual at the Oregon State University’s Center for Genome Research and Biocomputing. Image processing was done using Affymetrix GCOS 1.4 software. The quality of hybridization and overall chip performance was determined by visual inspection of the raw scanned data and the GCOS-generated report file. Microarray data (.CEL files) was normalized using GC-RMA probe-level analysis in ArrayAssist 4.0 (Stratagene, CA, USA). Following variance stabilization and Log transformation, fold chance versus p-value was calculated using nontransgenic (NonTG) samples as base values.
Project description:To identify Ceacam1 downstream factors, we compared gene expressions between NSCs and Ceacam1L-expressing NSC and between NSCL61 and Ceacam1shRNA-expressing NSCL61.