Project description:In humans there are two surfactant protein A (SP-A) functional genes SFTPA1 and SFTPA2 encoding innate immune molecules, SP-A1 and SP-A2, respectively, with numerous genetic variants each. SP-A interacts and regulates many of the functions of alveolar macrophages (AM). It is shown that SP-A variants differ in their ability to regulate the AM miRNome in response to oxidative stress (OxS). Because humans have both SP-A gene products, we were interested to determine the combined effect of co-expressed SP-A1/SP-A2 (co-ex) in response to ozone (O3) induced OxS on AM miRNome. Human transgenic (hTG) mice, carrying both SP-A1/SP-A2 (6A2/1A0, co-ex) and SP-A- KO were utilized. The hTG and KO mice were exposed to filtered air (FA) or O3 and miRNA levels were measured after AM isolation with or without normalization to KO. We found: (i) The AM miRNome of co-ex males and females in response to OxS to be largely downregulated after normalization to KO, but after Bonferroni multiple comparison analysis only in females the AM miRNome remained significantly different compared to control (FA); (ii) The targets of the significantly changed miRNAs were downregulated in females and upregulated in males; (iii) Several of the validated mRNA targets were involved in pro-inflammatory response, anti-apoptosis, cell cycle, cellular growth and proliferation; (iv) The AM of SP-A2 male, shown, previously to have major effect on the male AM miRNome in response to OxS, shared similarities with the co-ex, namely in pathways involved in the pro-inflammatory response and anti-apoptosis but also exhibited differences with the cell-cycle, growth, and proliferation pathway being involved in co-ex and ROS homeostasis in SP-A2 male. We speculate that the presence of both gene products versus single gene products differentially impact the AM responses in males and females in response to OxS.
Project description:BACKGROUND: Human SP-A1 and SP-A2, encoded by SFTPA1 and SFTPA2 and their genetic variants differentially impact alveolar macrophage (AM) functions and regulation, including the miRNome. We investigated whether miRNome differences previously observed between AM from SP-A2 and SP-A1/SP-A2 mice are due to continued qualitative differences or a delayed response of mice carrying a single gene. METHODS: Human transgenic (hTG) mice, carrying SP-A2 or both SP-A genes and SP-A-KO mice were exposed to filtered air (FA) or O3. AM miRNA levels, target gene expression and pathways determined 18 h after O3 exposure. RESULTS: We found: (a) Differences in miRNome due to sex, SP-A genotype, and exposure; (b) miRNome of both sexes was largely downregulated by O3 ; co-ex had fewer changed (≥2X) miRNAs than either group. (c) the number and direction of expression of genes with significant changes in males and females in co-ex is almost the opposite of those in SP-A2; (iv) The same pathways were found in the studied groups; (e) O3 exposure attenuated sex differences; a higher number of genotype-dependent and genotype-independent miRNAs was common in both sexes after O3 exposure. CONCLUSION: Qualitative differences between SP-A2 and co-ex persist 18 h post-O3, and O3 attenuates sex differences.
Project description:In rainbow trout, type A spermatogonia can be split into SP cells and non-SP cells by the ability to exclude Hoechst 33342 dye (H33342). The H33342 fluorescence of SP cells are lower than that of non-SP cells, after H33342 staining. To investigate whether SP cells were transcriptomically distinct from non-SP cells, we compared the transcriptome of these cells. We used fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to isolate SP cells and non-SP cells from the type A spermatogonia in rainbow trout.
Project description:Currently a multiport robotic surgery platform (Intuitive Xi) is widely available and used for colorectal surgery indications. A Single port platform (Intuitive SP) is FDA approved for Head and Neck and Urology but has not been widely used in colorectal surgery. This study seeks to evaluate the safe and effective use of the SP platform for colorectal surgery indications.
Project description:Corneal epithelial stem cells reside in the limbus that is the transitional zone between the cornea and conjunctiva, and are essential to maintain the homeostasis of corneal epithelium. However, their characterization is poorly understood. Therefore, we constructed gene expression profiles of limbal epithelial SP and non-SP cell using RNA-sequencing. As a result, limbal epithelial SP cells have immature cell phenotypes with endothelial/mesenchymal cell markers, while limbal epithelial non-SP cells have epithelial progenitor cell markers.