Project description:Gut microbiome modulates the host immune development, yet the functional contribution of gut fungi remains elusive. We previously showed that mice colonized only with fungi displayed allergic features and fecal metabolite profiles similar to germ-free mice. To gain insights into the functional changes attributed to fungal colonization, we performed proteomic analyses of feces and small intestine of gnotobiotic mice colonized with either bacteria, fungi, or both. Comparison of fecal metaproteomic profiles between mouse groups yielded broad changes in the relative levels of bacterial, fungal and mouse proteins. Many of the detected fungal proteins have been previously reported as a part of extracellular vesicles and having immunomodulating properties. Changes in the levels of mouse proteins derived from the small intestine impacted essential cellular pathways, including lipid metabolism and apoptosis. The results show how fungal colonization impacts the host proteome and suggest an influence on the host final cellular phenotype.
Project description:Analysis of the cystic fibrosis gene Cftr in the colon and small intestine of Cftr-deficient murine model. The hypothesis was loss of Cftr altered expression of genes important in intestinal homeostasis and oncogenic signaling pathways. The results identified potential roles of Cftr in up- or down-regulating major gene clusters that belong to groups of immune response, ion channel, intestinal stem cell and other growth regulators. Total RNA was isolated from the normal intestine of three Apc wildtype Cftr wildtype and three Apc Cftr-deficient mice. For the colon intestinal epithelia from the same region of the distal colon of each mouse was separated from the rest of the intestine prior to RNA isolation. Therefore RNA was obtained from only epithelial cells. For the small intestine, a section of the mid-duodenum from each mouse was sheared of villi prior to RNA isolation. Therefore RNA was obtained from whole duodenum (minus villi), containing epithelia cells but also stromal and other cells. RNA Seq was then conducted on all samples, with at least two replicates for each biological sample.
Project description:Cystic fibrosis (CF) intestinal disease is characterized by alterations in processes such as proliferation and apoptosis which are known to be regulated in part by microRNA’s. Herein, we completed microRNA expression profiling of the intestinal tissue from the cystic fibrosis mouse model of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (Cftr) deficient mice (BALBc/J Cftrtm1UNC), relative to that of wildtype littermates, to determine whether changes in microRNA expression level are part of this phenotype. We identified 24 microRNA's to be significantly differentially expressed in tissue from CF mice compared to wildtype, with the higher expression in tissue from CF mice. These data were confirmed with real time PCR measurements. A comparison of the list of genes previously reported to have decreased expression in the BALB x C57BL/6J F2 CF intestine to that of genes putatively targeted by the 24 microRNA’s, determined from target prediction software, revealed 20% of the gene expression profile to overlap with predicted targets. Pathway analysis identified these common genes to function in phosphatase and tensin homolog-, protein kinase A-, phosphoinositide-3 kinase/Akt- and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha/retinoid X receptor alpha signaling pathways, among others, and through real time PCR experiments genes of these pathways were demonstrated to have lower expression in the BALB CF intestine. We conclude that altered microRNA expression is a feature which putatively influences both metabolic abnormalities and the altered tissue homeostasis component of CF intestinal disease. Two condition experiment, Balbc/J Cftrtm1UNC -/- (Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Mice) and Balbc/J Cftrtm1UNC +/+ (Wild Type (WT) Mice). Biological Replicates: 7 WT, 8CF. Ileum Tissue.