Project description:Gut microbial profiling of uterine fibroids (UFs) patients comparing control subjects. The gut microbiota was examined by 16S rRNA quantitative arrays and bioinformatics analysis. The goal was to reveal alterations in the gut microbiome of uterine fibroids patients.
Project description:Our study represents a new strategy for identifying drivers and risk factors of uterine fibroids (F) by identifying genes and pathways differentially regulated in myometrial stem cells (SCs) isolated from myometrium without fibroids (MyoN) and from myometrium adjacent to uterine fibroids (MyoF) using RNA-seq approach. Moreover, we will perform the comparison analysis of the transcriptome between MyoF SCs and fibroid SCs to identify differentially expressed genes.
Project description:12q14~15 chromosomal rearrangements, specifically affecting the HMGA2 gene locus, are frequently observed in human uterine fibroids. Those fibroids are observed to show fast growth to a larger size compared to fibroids of normal karyotype. Since the HMGA2 gene is overexpressed, this study provides further insights in the development of uterine fibroids.
Project description:Normal myometrium and uterine fibroids (partially paired from the same donor) were profiled. FISH analysis was used to analyze the karyotype of the uterine fibroid samples. This study provides further insights in the development of uterine fibroids. Additional uterine fibroid samples from the same sample collection and cohort can be found at ArrayExpress under E-MTAB-340.
Project description:Uterine fibroids are benign myometrial smooth muscle tumors of unknown etiology that when symptomatic are the most common indication for hysterectomy in the USA. We conducted an integrated analysis of fibroids and adjacent normal myometria by whole exome sequencing, DNA methylation (Human Methylation EPIC) array, and RNA-sequencing. Unsupervised clustering by DNA methylation segregated normal myometria and fibroids, and further separated the fibroids into subtypes marked by MED12 mutation, HMGA2 activation (HMGA2hi) and HMGA1 activation (HMGA1hi). Upregulation of HMGA2 expression in HMGA2hi fibroids did not always appear to be dependent on translocation, as has been historically described, and was associated with hypomethylation in the HMGA2 gene body. Furthermore, we found that expression of HOXA13 was highly upregulated in fibroids and that overexpression of HOXA13 in a myometrial cell line induced expression of genes classically associated with uterine fibroids. Transcriptome analyses of the most differentially expressed genes between cervix and myometrium also showed that uterine fibroids and normal cervix clustered together and apart from normal myometria. Together, our integrated analysis shows a role for epigenetic modification in fibroid biology and strongly suggests that homeotic transformation of myometrium cells to a more cervical phenotype is important for the etiology of the disease.
Project description:Uterine fibroids are benign myometrial smooth muscle tumors of unknown etiology that when symptomatic are the most common indication for hysterectomy in the USA. We conducted an integrated analysis of fibroids and adjacent normal myometria by whole exome sequencing, DNA methylation (Human Methylation EPIC) array, and RNA-sequencing. Unsupervised clustering by DNA methylation segregated normal myometria and fibroids, and further separated the fibroids into subtypes marked by MED12 mutation, HMGA2 activation (HMGA2hi) and HMGA1 activation (HMGA1hi). Upregulation of HMGA2 expression in HMGA2hi fibroids did not always appear to be dependent on translocation, as has been historically described, and was associated with hypomethylation in the HMGA2 gene body. Furthermore, we found that expression of HOXA13 was highly upregulated in fibroids and that overexpression of HOXA13 in a myometrial cell line induced expression of genes classically associated with uterine fibroids. Transcriptome analyses of the most differentially expressed genes between cervix and myometrium also showed that uterine fibroids and normal cervix clustered together and apart from normal myometria. Together, our integrated analysis shows a role for epigenetic modification in fibroid biology and strongly suggests that homeotic transformation of myometrium cells to a more cervical phenotype is important for the etiology of the disease.
Project description:The loss of REST in uterine fibroids promotes aberrant gene expression and enables mTOR pathway activation We used siRNA to knockdown REST/ NRSF in cultured primary myometrial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and global gene expression was analyzed using microarrays.
Project description:Uterine fibroids (UFs) are benign tumours affecting up to 80% of women of reproductive age. Although mutations in MED12 or HMGA2 account for the majority of UF occurrence, the processes by which these lead to UFs remain poorly understood. Here we present a comprehensive systems biology study, merging clinical, genetic, transcriptomic and proteomic information to better understand the patho-mechanisms underlying UF.