Project description:Subpopulation of circulating monocyte/macrophage lineage cells show a calcifying ability in vivo and in vitro. These cells may contribute to intimal calcification within atherosclerotic lesions and may have pathophysiological clinical and therapeutic implication in vascular disorders. Such cells express Osteocalcin (OC) and Bone Alkaline Phosphatase (BAP). We analysed the expression profile of human OC+BAP+ cells versus OC-BAP- cells
Project description:Subpopulation of circulating monocyte/macrophage lineage cells show a calcifying ability in vivo and in vitro. These cells may contribute to intimal calcification within atherosclerotic lesions and may have pathophysiological clinical and therapeutic implication in vascular disorders. Such cells express Osteocalcin (OC) and Bone Alkaline Phosphatase (BAP). We analysed the expression profile of human OC+BAP+ cells versus OC-BAP- cells We compared three biological repilcates of OC+BAP+ versus OC-BAP- (each population coming from the same donor), each of the three coming from different healthy non diabetic donors.
Project description:Th17 cells act as the first line of defense against pathogens at mucosal surfaces. Their paucity during HIV infection causes disease progression. Here, we reveal the existence of two new CCR6+CD161+ subsets, CCR4-CXCR3- (DN; double negative) and CCR4+CXCR3+ (DP; double positive), expressing typical Th17 transcripts (e.g., RORγt, RORα, PTPN13, ARNTL), C. albicans specificity, and exhibiting Th17-lineage commitment versus flexibility.
Project description:Spheroids are 3D multi-cell aggregates formed in non-addherent culture conditions. In ovarian cancer (OC), they serve as a vehicle for cancer cell dissemination in the peritoneal cavity. We investigated genes and networks upregulated in three dimensional (3D) versus two-dimensional (2D) culture conditions by Affymetrix gene expression profiling and identified ALDH1A1, a cancer stem cell marker as being upregulated in OC spheroids. Network analysis confirmed ALDH1A1 upregulation in spheroids in direct connection with elements of the beta-catenin pathway. A parallel increase in the expression levels of beta-catenin and ALDH1A1 was demonstrated in spheroids vs. monolayers an in successive spheroid generations by using OC cell liness and primary OC cells. The percentage of Aldefluor positive cells was significantly higher in spheroids vs. monolayers in IGROV1, A2780, SKOV3, and primary OC cells. B-catenin knock-down decreased ALDH1A1 expression and chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that beta-catenin directly binds to the ALDH1A1 promoter. Both siRNA mediated beta-catenin knock-down and a novel ALDH1A1 small molecule enzymatic inhibitor described here for the first time, decreased the number of OC spheroids (p<0.001) and cell viability. These data strongly support the role of beta-catenin regulated ALDH1A1 in the maintenance of OC spheroids and of a stem cell phenotype and propose new ALDH1A1 inhibitors targeting this cell population. Different gene profiles were observed in ovarian cancer spheroids versus ovarian cancer monolayers. Nine samples were analyzed in triplicate. Each group is a reference.