Project description:The mechanisms involved in epithelium-stroma interactions remain poorly understood, despite the importance of the microenvironment during tumorigenesis. Here, we studied the role of the Ets2 transcription factor in tumor-associated fibroblasts in the MMTV-PyMT mammary tumor model. Inactivation of Ets2 specifically in fibroblasts using Fsp-cre significantly reduced tumor growth, in contrast to Ets2 inactivation in epithelium, in which no differences in tumor growth were observed. Microarray analysis on isolated fibroblasts demonstrated the important role of Ets2 in remodeling of the extracellular matrix and angiogenesis in these cells. At the molecular level, Ets2 regulated Mmp9 expression through direct binding to the promoter region. Tumors lacking Ets2 in fibroblasts had diminished blood vessels. We also found a significant correlation between phosphorylation of ETS2 and MMP9 levels in stroma of human breast cancer samples. Collectively, our results suggest Ets2 uniquely contributes to angiogenesis from fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment. Primary mammary fibroblasts were isolated from mice without the PyMT oncogene with or without Ets2, and from mice with the PyMT oncogene with or without Ets2. RNA was extracted and samples were submitted for Affymetrix gene expression arrays.
Project description:The mechanisms involved in epithelium-stroma interactions remain poorly understood, despite the importance of the microenvironment during tumorigenesis. Here, we studied the role of Ets2 transcrpiton factor in tumor associated fibroblasts in the MMTV-ErbB2 mammary tumor model. Inactivation of Ets2 specifically in fibroblasts using Fsp-cre significantly reduced tumor growth, in contrast to Ets2 inactivation in epithelium in which no differences in tumor growth were observed. Microarray analysis on isolated fibroblasts demonstrated the important role of Ets2 in remodeling of the extracellular matrix and angiogenesis in these cells. Tumors lacking Ets2 in fibroblats had diminished blood vessels. Our tumor specific gene signature was also represented in the stroma of human breast cancer patients. Collectively, our results suggest Ets2 uniquely contributes to angiogenesis from fribroblasts in the tumor microenvironment. Primary mammary fibroblasts were isolated from mice with no oncogene with or without Ets2 and with the ErbB2 oncogene with or without Ets2, RNA was extracted and samples were submitted for Affymetrix gene expression arrays
Project description:Tumor associated fibroblasts are known to play an important role in angiogenesis, however the specific signaling pathways playing an important role in this cross talk remain ill defined. Here, we studied how Ets2 transcrpiton factor signaling in tumor associated fibroblasts effected gene expression in surrounding endothelial cells in the MMTV-PyMT mammary tumor model. Inactivation of Ets2 specifically in fibroblasts using Fsp-cre significantly reduced tumor associated angiogenesis, and was indicated to effect ECM remodeling, cell adhesion and cell chemotaxis processes in neighboring endothelial cells. We have identified Ets2 in fibroblasts as a key signaling molecule to induce tumor associated angiogenesis. Additionally, this function does not rely on the presence of tumor cells, indicating a memory in fibroblasts to induce angiogenesis. Primary mammary endothelial cells were isolated from mice with or without fibroblast Ets2 in the presence of the PyMT oncogene through sorting with a CD31 antibody. RNA was extracted and samples were submitted for Affymetrix gene expression arrays
Project description:The mechanisms involved in epithelium-stroma interactions remain poorly understood, despite the importance of the microenvironment during tumorigenesis. Here, we studied the role of the Ets2 transcription factor in tumor-associated fibroblasts in the MMTV-PyMT mammary tumor model. Inactivation of Ets2 specifically in fibroblasts using Fsp-cre significantly reduced tumor growth, in contrast to Ets2 inactivation in epithelium, in which no differences in tumor growth were observed. Microarray analysis on isolated fibroblasts demonstrated the important role of Ets2 in remodeling of the extracellular matrix and angiogenesis in these cells. At the molecular level, Ets2 regulated Mmp9 expression through direct binding to the promoter region. Tumors lacking Ets2 in fibroblasts had diminished blood vessels. We also found a significant correlation between phosphorylation of ETS2 and MMP9 levels in stroma of human breast cancer samples. Collectively, our results suggest Ets2 uniquely contributes to angiogenesis from fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment.
Project description:We collected whole genome testis expression data from hybrid zone mice. We integrated GWAS mapping of testis expression traits and low testis weight to gain insight into the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility.
Project description:Introgressed variants from other species can be an important source of genetic variation because they may arise rapidly, can include multiple mutations on a single haplotype, and have often been pretested by selection in the species of origin. Although introgressed alleles are generally deleterious, several studies have reported introgression as the source of adaptive alleles-including the rodenticide-resistant variant of Vkorc1 that introgressed from Mus spretus into European populations of Mus musculus domesticus. Here, we conducted bidirectional genome scans to characterize introgressed regions into one wild population of M. spretus from Spain and three wild populations of M. m. domesticus from France, Germany, and Iran. Despite the fact that these species show considerable intrinsic postzygotic reproductive isolation, introgression was observed in all individuals, including in the M. musculus reference genome (GRCm38). Mus spretus individuals had a greater proportion of introgression compared with M. m. domesticus, and within M. m. domesticus, the proportion of introgression decreased with geographic distance from the area of sympatry. Introgression was observed on all autosomes for both species, but not on the X-chromosome in M. m. domesticus, consistent with known X-linked hybrid sterility and inviability genes that have been mapped to the M. spretus X-chromosome. Tract lengths were generally short with a few outliers of up to 2.7 Mb. Interestingly, the longest introgressed tracts were in olfactory receptor regions, and introgressed tracts were significantly enriched for olfactory receptor genes in both species, suggesting that introgression may be a source of functional novelty even between species with high barriers to gene flow.
Project description:PURPOSE: To provide a detailed gene expression profile of the normal postnatal mouse cornea. METHODS: Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) was performed on postnatal day (PN)9 and adult mouse (6 week) total corneas. The expression of selected genes was analyzed by in situ hybridization. RESULTS: A total of 64,272 PN9 and 62,206 adult tags were sequenced. Mouse corneal transcriptomes are composed of at least 19,544 and 18,509 unique mRNAs, respectively. One third of the unique tags were expressed at both stages, whereas a third was identified exclusively in PN9 or adult corneas. Three hundred thirty-four PN9 and 339 adult tags were enriched more than fivefold over other published nonocular libraries. Abundant transcripts were associated with metabolic functions, redox activities, and barrier integrity. Three members of the Ly-6/uPAR family whose functions are unknown in the cornea constitute more than 1% of the total mRNA. Aquaporin 5, epithelial membrane protein and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) omega-1, and GST alpha-4 mRNAs were preferentially expressed in distinct corneal epithelial layers, providing new markers for stratification. More than 200 tags were differentially expressed, of which 25 mediate transcription. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to providing a detailed profile of expressed genes in the PN9 and mature mouse cornea, the present SAGE data demonstrate dynamic changes in gene expression after eye opening and provide new probes for exploring corneal epithelial cell stratification, development, and function and for exploring the intricate relationship between programmed and environmentally induced gene expression in the cornea. Keywords: other