Project description:The ZMYM2-FGFR1 (formerly known as ZNF198-FGFR1) fusion kinase induces stem cell leukemia-lymphoma syndrome (SCLL), a hematological malignancy characterized by rapid transformation to acute myeloid leukemia and T-lymphoblastic lymphoma. We previously developed a mouse model of ZMYM2-FGFR1 (Ren et al. 2009, Blood). To further investigate mechanisms of oncogenesis and progression, we undertook a global gene expression analysis of leukemic T-cells from the animal model compared with Thy1+DP+ (CD4+CD8+) cells isolated from normal Balb/c thymuses, as well as lukemic stem cells (LSK, GFP+Lin-Sca-1+c-kit+ cells) sorted from the leukemic mice versus hematopoietic stem cells (HSC, Lin-Sca-1+c-kit+ cells) sorted from normal BALB/c bone marrow cells. We found high expressions of Notch1 and its downstream target genes in T-cell lymphomas that arise in a murine model of ZMYM2-FGFR1 SCLL. Our functional studies demonstrate the importance of Notch signaling in the etiology of SCLL and suggest that targeting this pathway could provide a novel strategy for molecular therapies to treat SCLL patients.
Project description:The 8p11 myeloproliferative syndrome (EMS), also referred to as the stem cell leukemia/lymphoma syndrome, is a chronic myeloproliferative disorder that rapidly progresses into an acute leukemia. Molecularly, EMS is characterized by fusion of various partner genes to the FGFR1 gene, resulting in constitutive activation of the tyrosine kinase activity within FGFR1. The two most common fusion genes in human EMS are ZMYM2/FGFR1 (previously known as ZNF198/FGFR1) and BCR/FGFR1. To study the transcriptional programs becoming deregulated by the FGFR1 fusion genes, global gene expression analysis on human CD34+ cord blood cells expressing either of the fusion oncogenes ZMYM2/FGFR1 and BCR/FGFR1 was performed. As a reference gene we also included the more studied BCR/ABL1 fusion oncogene associated with chronic myeloid leukemia. We found that the 3 different fusion oncogenes had in common the upregulation of several genes involved in the JAK/STAT signalling pathway and also other sets of genes. However, the gene expression profiles were not identical, suggesting that both the tyrosine kinase containing gene and the partner gene would affect the transcription of downstream target genes. Bicistronic retroviral murine stem cell virus (MSCV) vectors expressing ZMYM2/FGFR1, BCR/FGFR1or P210 BCR/ABL1 and GFP were used. The MIG control vector expressed GFP only. Two days post transfection of human CD34+ umbilical cord blood cells, GFP-sorted cells were collected in three biological replicates and RNA was isolated immediately. In total, 12 samples were hybridized and scanned.
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
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.