Project description:For identification of candidate genes that is specifically expressed in Ewing family tumor (EFT) cells, we performed DNA microarray-based global expression profiling using Affymetrix Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 Array and analyxed expression profiles from EFT cell lines (7 lines), neuroblastoma (NB) cell lines (3 lines), a Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) cell line, and a human immortalized mesenchymal progenitor cells UET-13 cells. Experiment Overall Design: Expression profiles of pediatric solid tumor cell lines were analyzed and compared using Affymetrix HG-U133 Plus 2.0 (GPL570).
Project description:Characterizing the complex composition of solid tumors is fundamental for understanding tumor initiation, progression and metastasis. While patient-derived samples provide valuable insight, they are heterogeneous on multiple molecular levels, and often originate from advanced tumor stages. Here, we use single-cell transcriptome and epitope profiling together with pathway and lineage analyses to study tumorigenesis from a developmental perspective in a mouse model of salivary gland squamous cell carcinoma. We provide a comprehensive cell atlas and characterise tumor-specific cells. We find that these cells are connected along a reproducible developmental trajectory: initiated in basal cells exhibiting an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition signature, tumorigenesis proceeds through Wnt-differential cancer stem cell-like subpopulations before differentiating into luminal-like cells. Our work provides unbiased insights into tumor-specific cellular identities in a whole tissue environment and emphasizes the power of using defined genetic model systems.
Project description:We have studied the anti-cancer activities of antofine N-oxide isolated and purified from the medicinal plant Cynanchum vincetoxicum. The compound displays a strong cytotoxic effect on several solid tumor cell lines (glioblastoma, breast carcinoma and lung carcinoma) and on T-cell leukemia. It induces cytostasis in the solid tumor cell lines whereas it causes apoptotic cell death in the leukemia cell line. The cytotoxic effect is much weaker in non-cancer control cells. A microarray analysis of the gene expression after a short treatment showed a set of differentially expressed genes in the two types of cancer cells (apoptosis versus cytostasis). Interestingly, a number of genes of the TNF-alpha signaling pathway are up-regulated in the three solid tumor cell lines, including TNF-alpha which is among the most significantly up-regulated genes. The increased TNF-alpha, TNFAIP3 and BIRC3 mRNA levels were further confirmed after different treatment durations by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). Our results suggest that inhibition of cell proliferation in solid tumor cells essentially occurs through TNF-alpha signaling whereas no conclusion could be drawn concerning the pathways leading to apoptotic cell death in leukemia cells due to the reduced number of differentially expressed genes.ヤ