Project description:Basal-like breast carcinoma is characterized by the expression of basal/myoepithelial markers, undifferentiated phenotype, highly aggressive behaviour and a frequent triple negative status (ESR-, PR-, Her2neu-). We have previously shown that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurs in basal-like breast tumours and identified Lysyl- Oxidase-Like 2 (LOXL2) as an EMT player and a poor prognosis marker in squamous cell carcinomas. We now show that LOXL2 mRNA is overexpressed in basal-like human breast carcinomas. Identification of new molecular markers in basal breast carcinomas
Project description:TREM-2 has been described to be a phagocytic receptor. We assessed the influence of TREM-2 on gene expression in alveolar macrophages (AM) In this data-set we characterised the differences in basal gene expression using affymetrix mouse 1.0 ST arrays between WT and TREM2-/- AM and observed TREM2 -/- AM to exhibt higher expression of opsonins 4 samples were analysed in biological duplicate (2 x WT and 2 x TREM2-/-)
Project description:Basal-like breast carcinoma is characterized by the expression of basal/myoepithelial markers, undifferentiated phenotype, highly aggressive behaviour and a frequent triple negative status (ESR-, PR-, Her2neu-). We have previously shown that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurs in basal-like breast tumours and identified Lysyl- Oxidase-Like 2 (LOXL2) as an EMT player and a poor prognosis marker in squamous cell carcinomas. We now show that LOXL2 mRNA is overexpressed in basal-like human breast carcinomas. Identification of new molecular markers in basal breast carcinomas 58 (IDC) infiltrative breast ductal carcinoma samples (Grade 3)
Project description:Microglia are phagocytic cells that survey the brain and perform neuroprotective functions in response to tissue damage, but their activating receptors are largely unknown. Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is a microglial immunoreceptor whose loss-of-function mutations in humans cause presenile dementia, while genetic variants are associated with increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases. In myeloid cells, TREM2 has been involved in the regulation of phagocytosis, cell proliferation and inflammatory responses in vitro. However, it is unknown how TREM2 contributes to microglia function in vivo. Here, we identify a critical role for TREM2 in the activation and function of microglia during cuprizone (CPZ)-induced demyelination. TREM2-deficient (TREM2(-/-)) mice had defective clearance of myelin debris and more axonal pathology, resulting in impaired clinical performances compared to wild-type (WT) mice. TREM2(-/-) microglia proliferated less in areas of demyelination and were less activated, displaying a more resting morphology and decreased expression of the activation markers MHC II and inducible nitric oxide synthase as compared to WT. Mechanistically, gene expression and ultrastructural analysis of microglia suggested a defect in myelin degradation and phagosome processing during CPZ intoxication in TREM2(-/-) microglia. These findings place TREM2 as a key regulator of microglia activation in vivo in response to tissue damage. Two STAGE (6weeks 12 weeks),
Project description:Basal breast cancers, an aggressive breast cancer subtype that has poor treatment options, are thought to arise from luminal mammary epithelial cells that undergo basal-like plasticity through poorly understood mechanisms. Using genetic mouse models and ex vivo primary organoid cultures, we show that conditional co-deletion of the LATS1 and LATS2 kinases, key effectors of Hippo pathway signaling, in mature mammary luminal epithelial cells promotes the development of basal-like carcinomas that metastasize over time. Genetic co-deletion experiments revealed that phenotypes resulting from the loss of LATS1/2 activity are dependent on the transcriptional regulators YAP/TAZ. Notably, transcriptional analyses of LATS1/2-deleted mammary epithelial cells revealed a gene expression program that associates with human basal breast cancers. Our study demonstrates in vivo roles for the LATS1/2 kinases in mammary epithelial homeostasis and luminal-basal fate control and implicates signaling networks induced upon the loss of LATS1/2 activity in the development of basal breast cancers.