Thecal tissue forms a layer around the follicle just prior to antral stage and grows with the follicle (containing an oocyte) as it matures. The innermost component (theca interna) supplies hormones and other factors necessary to the growth and development of the granulosa and oocyte. Most follicles regress and die (become atretic) at the antral stage, and this process as well as development of the follicle are undoubtedly influenced by the theca.
Transcriptome profiling of the theca interna in transition from small to large antral ovarian follicles.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe growth of the mammalian ovarian follicle requires the formation of a fluid filled antrum, and maturation and differentiation of the ovarian granulosa cells, largely under the control of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). Many follicles will regress and die by a process called atresia at this early antral stage. We therefore decided to analyse the gene expression profiles of granulosa cells cultured in the presence or absence of FSH and Tumour Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF), an apoptotic factor, to simulate the key influences. Different concentratons of FSH and TNFa in granulosa culture were used to determine effective conditions via estradiol and progesterone production, and cell number.
The global effect of follicle-stimulating hormone and tumour necrosis factor α on gene expression in cultured bovine ovarian granulosa cells.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesGranulosa cells mature and die as ovarian follicles enlarge and die (undergo atresia) under the influence of hormones and intrafollicular factors. Later in follicular development, a fluid-filled antrum is formed, a process which is accompanied by a high rate of atresia. These small antral follicles (5 mm or less in diameter in the cow) contain granulosa of 2 different phenotypes, rounded or columnar, whereas follicles larger than 5 mm have the rounded phenotype only. Prior to ovulation, in larger follicles greater than 10 mm in size, the granulosa begin to migrate and differentiate in preparation for oocyte release and formation of the corpus luteum.
Transcriptome profiling of granulosa cells from bovine ovarian follicles during atresia.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe ovary has specialized stromal compartments, including the tunica albuginea, interstitial stroma and theca interna, which develops concurrently with the follicular antrum. To characterize the molecular determinants of these compartments, stroma adjacent to preantral follicles (pre-theca), interstitium and tunica albuginea were laser microdissected (n = 4 per group) and theca interna was dissected from bovine antral follicles (n = 6).
Transcriptome analyses of ovarian stroma: tunica albuginea, interstitium and theca interna.
Specimen part
View SamplesOvarian follicular granulosa cells surround and nurture oocytes, and produce sex steroid hormones. It is believed that during development the ovarian surface epithelial cells invaginate into the ovary and develop into granulosa cells when associating with oogonia to form follicles. Using bovine fetal ovaries (n = 53) we identified a novel cell type, termed GREL for Gonadal Ridge Epithelial-Like. Using 25 markers for GREL and other cells we conducted immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy and chronologically tracked all somatic cell types during development. Before 70 days of gestation the gonadal ridge/ovarian primordium is formed by proliferation of GREL cells at the surface epithelium of the mesonephros. Primordial germ cells (PGCs) migrate into the ovarian primordium. After 70 days, stroma from the underlying mesonephros begins to penetrate the primordium, partitioning the developing ovary into irregularly-shaped ovigerous cords composed of GREL cells and PGCs/oogonia. Importantly we identified that the cords are separated from the stroma by a basal lamina. Around 130 days of gestation as the stroma expands laterally below the GREL cells on the surface thus establishing a sub-epithelial basal lamina and an epithelial-stromal interface, and it is at this stage that a mature surface epithelium develops from the GREL cells. The stroma continues to partition the ovigerous cords into smaller groups of cells eventually forming follicles containing an oogonium/oocyte surrounded by GREL cells, which become granulosa cells. Thus in contrast to the prevailing theory, the ovarian surface epithelial cells do not invaginate into the ovary to form the granulosa cells of follicles.
A new model of development of the mammalian ovary and follicles.
Specimen part
View SamplesBackground Published multi-gene classifiers suggested outcome prediction for patients with stage UICC II colon cancer based on different gene expression signatures. However, there is currently no translation of these classifiers for application in routine diagnostic. Therefore, we aimed at validating own and published gene expression signatures employing methods which enable RNA and protein detection in routine diagnostic specimens. Results Immunohistochemistry was applied to 68 stage UICC II colon cancers to determine the protein expression of five selected previously published classifier genes (CDH17, LAT, CA2, EMR3, and TNFRSF11A). Correlation of protein expression data with clinical outcome within a 5-year post-surgery course failed to separate patients with a disease-free follow-up [Group DF] and relapse [Group R]). In addition, RNA from macrodissected tumor samples from 53 of these 68 patients was profiled on Affymetrix GeneChips (HG-U133 Plus 2.0). Prognostic signatures were generated by Nearest Shrunken Centroids with cross-validation. Although gene expression profiling allowed the identification of differentially expressed genes between the groups DF and R, a stable classification and prognosis signature was not discernable in our data. Furthermore, the application of previously published gene signatures consisting of 22 and 19 genes, respectively, to our gene expression data set using global tests and leave-one-out cross-validation was unable to predict clinical outcome (prediction rate 75.5% and 64.2%; n.s.). T-stage was the only independent prognostic factor for relapse in multivariate analysis with established clinical and pathological parameters including microsatellite status. Conclusions Our protein and gene expression analyses currently do not support application of molecular classifiers for prediction of clinical outcome in routine diagnostic as a basis for patient-orientated therapy in stage UICC II colon cancer. Further studies are needed to develop prognosis signatures applicable in patient care.
Molecular profiles and clinical outcome of stage UICC II colon cancer patients.
Sex
View SamplesCutaneous T-cell lymphomas form a heterogeneous group of non-Hodgkin lymphomas characterized by only poor prognosis in advanced stage. Despite significant progress made in the identification of novel genes and pathways involved in the pathogenesis of cutaneous lymphoma, the therapeutic value of these findings has still to be proven. Here, we demonstrate by gene expression arrays that aurora kinase A is one of highly overexpressed genes of the serine/threonine kinase in CTCL. The finding was confirmed by qualitative RT-PCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry in CTCL cell lines and primary patient samples. Moreover, treatment with a specific aurora kinase A inhibitor blocks cell proliferation by inducing cell cycle arrest in G2 phase as well as apoptosis in CTCL cell lines. These new data provide a promising rationale for using aurora kinase A inhibition as a therapeutic modality of CTCL.
Aurora Kinase A Is Upregulated in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma and Represents a Potential Therapeutic Target.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesGeminin is a small nucleoprotein that neuralizes ectoderm in the Xenopus embryo. Geminin promotes neural fate acquisition of mouse embryonic stem cells: Geminin knockdown during neural fate acquisition decreased expression of neural precursor cell markers (Pax6, Sox1), while increasing expression of Pitx2, Lefty1 and Cited2, genes involved in formation of the mouse node. Here we differentiated mouse embryonic stem cells into embryoid bodies to study Geminin's ability to repress primitive streak mesendoderm fate acquisition. We used microarrays to define the sets of genes that are regulated by Geminin during cell fate acquisition in embryoid bodies, using Dox-inducible Geminin knockdown or overexpression mouse embryonic stem cell lines.
Geminin restrains mesendodermal fate acquisition of embryonic stem cells and is associated with antagonism of Wnt signaling and enhanced polycomb-mediated repression.
Specimen part
View SamplesGeminin cooperates with Polycomb to restrain multi-lineage commitment in the early embryo: Transient maintenance of a pluripotent embryonic cell population followed by the onset of multi-lineage commitment is a fundamental aspect of development. However, molecular regulation of this transition is not well characterized in vivo. Here we demonstrate that the nuclear protein Geminin is required to restrain commitment and spatially restrict mesoderm, endoderm, and non-neural ectoderm to their proper locations in the Xenopus embryo. We used microarray analyses to demonstrate that Geminin overexpression represses many genes associated with cell commitment and differentiation, while elevating expression levels of genes that maintain pluripotent early and immature neurectodermal cell states. We characterized Geminins relationship to cell signaling and found that Geminin broadly represses Activin-, FGF-, and BMP-mediated cell commitment. Conversely, Geminin knockdown enhances commitment responses to growth factor signaling and causes ectopic mesodermal, endodermal, and epidermal fate commitment in the embryo. We also characterized Geminins functional relationship with transcription factors that had similar activities and found that Geminin represses commitment independent of Oct4 ortholog (Oct25/60) activities, but depends upon intact Polycomb repressor function. Consistent with this, chromatin immunoprecipitation assays directed at mesodermal genes demonstrate that Geminin promotes Polycomb binding and Polycomb-mediated repressive histone modifications, while inhibiting modifications associated with gene activation. This work defines Geminin as an essential regulator of the embryonic transition from pluripotency through early multi-lineage commitment, and demonstrates that functional cooperativity between Geminin and Polycomb contributes to this process.
Geminin cooperates with Polycomb to restrain multi-lineage commitment in the early embryo.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesGenome-wide gene expression analysis of Reh cells following transfection with constitutively active IRF5-4D, constitutively active IKK(EE), or both in combination.
Mapping of transcription factor motifs in active chromatin identifies IRF5 as key regulator in classical Hodgkin lymphoma.
Cell line
View Samples