Project description:Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) is a progressive optic neuropathy, which is a major cause of worldwide visual impairment and blindness. Pathological hallmarks of the glaucomatous optic nerve head include retinal ganglion cell axon loss and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling of the lamina cribrosa layer. TGF-beta is an important pro-fibrotic modulator of ECM metabolism, whose levels are elevated in human POAG lamina cribrosa tissue compared with non-glaucomatous controls. We treated human lamina cribrosa (LC) cells with TGF-beta1 (10ng/ml) for 24 hours in order to examine differential gene expression patterns in repsonse to this cytokine. In particular we focused on ECM and fibrotic genes. We found that TGF-beta1 induces expression and release of ECM components in LC cells, which may be important in regulating matrix remodeling in the lamina cribrosa. In disease states such as POAG, the LC cell may represent an important pro-fibrotic cell type and an attractive target for novel therapeutic strategies.
Project description:Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) is a progressive optic neuropathy, which is a major cause of worldwide visual impairment and blindness. Pathological hallmarks of the glaucomatous optic nerve head include retinal ganglion cell axon loss and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling of the lamina cribrosa layer. TGF-beta is an important pro-fibrotic modulator of ECM metabolism, whose levels are elevated in human POAG lamina cribrosa tissue compared with non-glaucomatous controls. We treated human lamina cribrosa (LC) cells with TGF-beta1 (10ng/ml) for 24 hours in order to examine differential gene expression patterns in repsonse to this cytokine. In particular we focused on ECM and fibrotic genes. We found that TGF-beta1 induces expression and release of ECM components in LC cells, which may be important in regulating matrix remodeling in the lamina cribrosa. In disease states such as POAG, the LC cell may represent an important pro-fibrotic cell type and an attractive target for novel therapeutic strategies. Keywords: other
Project description:Purpose: Marked extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling occurs in the human optic nerve head in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). The glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) negative lamina cribrosa cell may play an important role in this remodeling process. The authors report the first study of global and ECM-focused gene transcription differentials between GFAP-negative negative lamina cribrosa (LC) cells from normal and POAG human donors. Methods: GFAP-negative LC cell lines were generated from the optic nerve tissue of three normal (n=3) and three POAG (n=3) human donors. Using Affymetrix U133A arrays the transcriptional profile between the normal and diseased groups were compared. Bioinformatic analysis was carried out using robust multichip average (RMA Express) and EASE/David. Real time TaqMan PCR and immunohistochemistry analyses were performed to validate the microarray data. Results: 285 genes were up regulated by greater than 1.5 fold and 413 were down regulated by greater than 1.5 fold in the POAG LC cells versus normal controls. Upregulated genes in POAG LC cells included, SPARC, periostin, thrombospondin, CRTL-1, CTGF and collagen types I, III, V and VIII. Downregulated ECM genes in POAG included MMP-1, fibulin, decorin and tenacsin XB. All TaqMan PCR validation assays were significant (*p<0.05) and consistent with the array data. Immunohistochemistry of one target (periostin) confirmed its differential expression at the protein level in POAG optic nerve head tissue compared with non-glaucomatous controls. Functional annotation and over-representation analysis identified ECM genes as a statistically over-represented class of genes in POAG LC cells compared with normal LC cells. Conclusions: This study reports for the first time that POAG LC cells in-vitro demonstrate up regulated ECM and pro-fibrotic gene expression compared with normal LC cells. This may be a pathological characteristic of this cell type in POAG in-vivo. We believe that the LC cell may be a pivotal regulator of optic nerve head ECM remodeling and an attractive target for future therapeutic strategies in POAG.
Project description:We determined the differential expression of miRNAs that target extracellular matrix mRNAs in glauocmatous and TGFb2 treated lamina cribrosa cells compared to normal lamina cribrosa cells.
Project description:The mechanical effect of raised intraocular pressure is a recognised stimulus for optic neuropathy in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). Characteristic extra-cellular matrix (ECM) remodelling accompanies axonal damage in the lamina cribrosa (LC) of the optic nerve head in POAG. Glial cells in the lamina cribrosa may play a role in this process but the precise cellular responses to mechanical forces in this region are unknown. The authors examined global gene expression profiles in lamina cribrosa cells exposed to cyclical mechanical stretch, with an emphasis on ECM genes. Keywords: microarray, ECM, glaucoma, mechanical stretch, lamina cribrosa
Project description:The mechanical effect of raised intraocular pressure is a recognised stimulus for optic neuropathy in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). Characteristic extra-cellular matrix (ECM) remodelling accompanies axonal damage in the lamina cribrosa (LC) of the optic nerve head in POAG. Glial cells in the lamina cribrosa may play a role in this process but the precise cellular responses to mechanical forces in this region are unknown. The authors examined global gene expression profiles in lamina cribrosa cells exposed to cyclical mechanical stretch, with an emphasis on ECM genes. Experiment Overall Design: n=3 stretch and static control experiments. Experiment Overall Design: RNA pooled from each experiment and hybridised to individual experiment and control arrays.
Project description:TGF-betas have complex roles in tumorigenesis, with context-dependent effects that can either suppress or promote tumor progression. We have previously shown that TGF-beta has tumor suppressor activity in the MCF10Ca1h (M3) human breast cancer xenograft model. To identify potential molecular players in the tumor suppressor responses, we performed global gene expression analyses. To determine which genes were regulated by TGF-beta in this tumor model in vivo, we performed gene expression arrays on tumors derived from xenografts of M3 cells with and without expression of a dominant negative TGF-beta receptor to block activity of endogenous TGF-beta.
Project description:<p>The mechanisms by which macrophage metabolism is regulated and the effects of metabolism on diseases remain largely unknown. We show here that TGF-β regulates the glycolysis of macrophages independently of inflammatory cytokine production, and thus affects the survival in experimental sepsis. Specifically, TGF-β increased expression and activity of phosphofructokinase-1 liver type (PFKL) in macrophages and thus promoted their glycolysis during cell activation, yet paradoxically suppressed the production of proinflammatory cytokines in the same macrophages. The upregulation of glycolysis was mediated by a mTOR-c-MYC dependent pathway, whereas the inhibition of cytokines was ascribed to the activation of SMAD3 and a downregulated activation of the pro-inflammatory transcription factors AP-1, NFkB and STAT1. Importantly, in an LPS-induced endotoxemia and CLP-sepsis models, TGF-β enhancement of macrophage glycolysis led to a decreased survival in mice, which was associated with increased blood coagulation. Analysis of cohorts of patients with sepsis and covid-19 revealed that the expression of PFKL, TGF-β receptor TGFBRI and coagulation factor F13A1 in myeloid cells positively correlated with the progression of the disease. Thus, TGF-β is emerging as a critical cytokine regulating macrophage metabolism and could serve as a therapeutic target in patients with sepsis.</p>
Project description:TGF-β is a crucial cytokine participate in the interplay between the intermediate host and helminthes. TGF-β receptors were discovered in many cestode, and could bind the human TGF-β. However, the function of host TGF-β on the Echinococcus is still not elucidated, and this paper aim to explore the question at transcription level. Microarray analysis was used to investigate differential expression genes in protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus cultured in the presence or absence of human TGF-β at different time points (4h, 8h and 24h) in vitro. A total of 523 genes were up- or down-regulated in response to TGF-β, compared with control group, 390 genes were up-regulated and 47 genes were down-regulated at 8h, and 376 genes were up-regulated and 19 genes were down-regulated at 12h, including 310 differential genes were regulated at both time point. Only 1 gene down-regulated at 4 h. Gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that the biological process of the up-regulated genes in protoscolex were predominantly involved in DNA packaging, nucleosome assembly, chromatin assembly, etc. And the cellular component gene were located in cell nucleus. TGF-β appeared to promote growth or development of the protoscolex by up-regulated the gene related with mitosis. In addition, the study also indicated that TGF-β has a multiple influence on the protoscolex, as reflected in the increased stimulation of gene expression of the ErbB signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, Notch signaling pathway and VEGF signaling pathway.