Project description:Overall, we found that AAT is expressed in alveolar type 2 cells in addition to alveolar macrophages in primary human lung tissue. AT2s and alveolar macrophages in ZZ-AATD exhibit a distinct transcriptomic signature including inflammatory pathway and unfolded protein response gene set enrichment. AT2s in ZZ-AATD additionally exhibit evidence of cell stress including ATF4 regulon enrichment and expression of cleaved caspase 3. Together, these findings extend the prevailing paradigm of emphysema pathogenesis in ZZ-AATD and suggest AAT-expressing resident lung cells as logical therapeutic targets for future study.
Project description:Whole genome mRNA and microRNA profiling of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency patients with PiZZ or PiMZ alpha-1 antitrypsin genotypes
Project description:In this study, we sought to thoroughly characterize the liver pathophysiology of a human transgenic mouse model for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) with a strong manifestation of AATD-mediated liver disease. Male and female transgenic mice for normal variant human alpha-1 antitrypsin (Pi*M) and mutant human alpha-1 antitrypsin (Pi*Z) at 3 and 6 months of age with a C57BL/6J background were subjected to study. The progression of hepatic accumulation of mutant alpha-1 antitrypsin (ZAAT), hepatocyte injury, steatosis, liver inflammation and fibrotic features of this mouse model were monitored by performing an in vivo study.
Project description:This SuperSeries is composed of the following subset Series: GSE30178: Mechanisms of crystalline silica-induced pulmonary toxicity revealed by global gene expression profiling (rat lungs) GSE30180: Mechanisms of crystalline silica-induced pulmonary toxicity revealed by global gene expression profiling (A549 cells dataset 1) GSE30200: Mechanisms of crystalline silica-induced pulmonary toxicity revealed by global gene expression profiling (A549 cells dataset 2) GSE30213: Mechanisms of crystalline silica-induced pulmonary toxicity revealed by global gene expression profiling (A549 cells dataset 3) GSE30214: Mechanisms of crystalline silica-induced pulmonary toxicity revealed by global gene expression profiling (A549 cells dataset 4) GSE30215: Mechanisms of crystalline silica-induced pulmonary toxicity revealed by global gene expression profiling (A549 cells dataset 5) Refer to individual Series
Project description:Previous studies in our laboratory identified a correlation between silica-induced pulmonary toxicity and SLC26A4 transcript levels in the lungs of rats. To determine the role of the SLC26A4 gene product, pendrin (Pds) in silica-induced pulmonary toxicity, pendrin wild type (WT) and knockout (KO) mice were employed. All mice were exposed to either air or crystalline silica (15 mg/m3, 6 hours/day, 4 days) and pulmonary toxicity and lung gene expression profiles determined at post-exposure time intervals of 1-day, 3-months, and 9-months. Silica exposure resulted in the induction of pulmonary toxicity in both the WT and KO mouse strains, compared to corresponding air exposed controls. However, there were significant differences (p<0.05) in the measured pulmonary toxicity parameters between silica exposed WT and KO groups being more severe in the WT compared with the KO mice. Significant differences in the gene expression profiles were also detected in the WT and KO mice in response to their exposure to crystalline silica.
Project description:Identification of molecular target(s) and mechanism(s) of silica-induced pulmonary toxicity is important for the intervention and/or prevention of diseases associated with occupational exposure to crystalline silica. Rats were exposed to crystalline silica by inhalation (15 mg/m3, 6 h/day, 5 days) and global gene expression profile was determined in the lungs by microarray analysis at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks following termination of silica exposure. The number of significantly differentially expressed genes (>1.5 fold change and <0.01 FDR p value) detected in the lungs during the post-exposure time intervals analyzed exhibited a steady increase in parallel with the progression of silica-induced pulmonary toxicity noticed in the rats. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis of a representative set of 10 genes confirmed the microarray findings. The various biological functions, canonical pathways, and molecular networks affected by silica exposure, as identified by the bioinformatics analysis of the significantly differentially expressed genes, also exhibited a steady increase similar to the silica-induced pulmonary toxicity. Genes involved in oxidative stress, inflammation, respiratory diseases, cancer, and tissue remodeling and fibrosis were significantly differentially expressed in the rat lungs; however, unresolved lung inflammation was the single most significant biological response to pulmonary exposure to crystalline silica. Excessive mucus production, as implicated by significant overexpression of the pendrin coding gene, SLC26A4, was identified as a novel mechanism for silica-induced pulmonary toxicity. Collectively, the findings of our study provided insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the progression of crystalline silica-induced pulmonary toxicity in the rat and these findings may be useful in future to develop strategies to prevent occupational silicosis. A total of 60 rat lung samples were analyzed in this gene expression experiment. Rats were exposed to crystalline silica at a concentration of 15 mg/m³, 6-hours/day for 5 consecutive days. Rats exposed simultaneously to filtered air served as the controls. The control (n=4) and silica exposed (n=8) rats were sacrificed at post-exposure time intervals of 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks following termination of silica exposure and lung gene expression profile was determined.
Project description:Previous studies have shown that smoking induces oxidative stress and inflammation, known factors that coincide with the development and progression of silicosis. Nevertheless, the precise role of cigarette smoke exposure in silicosis and the underlying mechanisms are not clearly understood. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to determine the effect of smoking, if any, on silica-induced pulmonary response and the underlying mechanisms. Pulmonary toxicity and lung gene expression profiles were determined in male Fischer 344 rats exposed to air, crystalline silica, cigarette smoke or cigarette smoke plus crystalline silica. Silica exposure resulted in significant pulmonary toxicity which was further exacerbated by cigarette smoke exposure in the rats. Significant differences in the gene expression profiles were detected in the lungs of the rats exposed to cigarette smoke, silica or a combination of both compared with the control rats.
Project description:Identification of molecular target(s) and mechanism(s) of silica-induced pulmonary toxicity is important for the intervention and/or prevention of diseases associated with occupational exposure to crystalline silica. Rats were exposed to crystalline silica by inhalation (15 mg/m3, 6 h/day, 5 days) and global gene expression profile was determined in the lungs by microarray analysis at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks following termination of silica exposure. The number of significantly differentially expressed genes (>1.5 fold change and <0.01 FDR p value) detected in the lungs during the post-exposure time intervals analyzed exhibited a steady increase in parallel with the progression of silica-induced pulmonary toxicity noticed in the rats. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis of a representative set of 10 genes confirmed the microarray findings. The various biological functions, canonical pathways, and molecular networks affected by silica exposure, as identified by the bioinformatics analysis of the significantly differentially expressed genes, also exhibited a steady increase similar to the silica-induced pulmonary toxicity. Genes involved in oxidative stress, inflammation, respiratory diseases, cancer, and tissue remodeling and fibrosis were significantly differentially expressed in the rat lungs; however, unresolved lung inflammation was the single most significant biological response to pulmonary exposure to crystalline silica. Excessive mucus production, as implicated by significant overexpression of the pendrin coding gene, SLC26A4, was identified as a novel mechanism for silica-induced pulmonary toxicity. Collectively, the findings of our study provided insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the progression of crystalline silica-induced pulmonary toxicity in the rat and these findings may be useful in future to develop strategies to prevent occupational silicosis.