The goal of our study was to evaluate at the systems-level, the effect of sex hormones on thymic epithelial cells (TECs). To this end, we sequenced the transcriptome of cortical and medullary TECs (cTECs and mTECs) from three groups of 6 month-old mice: males, females and males castrated at four weeks of age. In parallel, we analyzed variations in the size of TEC subsets in those three groups between 1 and 12 months of age. We report that sex hormones have pervasive effects on the transcriptome of TECs: the number of differentially expressed genes was 1,440 in cTECs and 1,783 in mTECs. Sexual dimorphism was particularly conspicuous in cTECs. Male cTECs displayed low proliferation rates that correlated with low expression of Foxn1 and its main targets. Furthermore, male cTECs expressed relatively low levels of genes instrumental in thymocyte expansion (e.g., Dll4) and positive selection (Psmb11 and Ctsl). Nevertheless, cTECs were more abundant in males than females. Accumulation of cTECs in males correlated with differential expression of genes regulating cell survival and cell differentiation. Unexpectedly, we observed that female and male sex hormones repressed promiscuous gene expression in mTECs. Since sex hormones did not affect the expression of Aire per se, they must impinge on the activity of unidentified regulator(s) of promiscuous gene expression in mTECs. The sexual dimorphism of TECs highlighted here may be mechanistically linked to the well-recognized sex differences in susceptibility to infections and autoimmune diseases. Overall design: Cortical and medullary thymic epithelial cells from 6 month-old male, female and castrated male mice were sequenced in 3 replicates (but only 2 replicates for castrated male mTECs).
Thymic Mesenchymal Cells Have a Distinct Transcriptomic Profile.
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View SamplesThymocytes were extracted from a pool of three 8-12 week old C57BL-6 female mice. Cells were separated from stroma by gently crushing the thymi in between 2 microslides. RNA from thymocytes was extracted using the Trizol reagent and protocol, and analysed using the Illumina HiSeq 2000. Overall design: Transcriptomic analysis of a single replicate of thymocytes from a pool of three 8-12 week old C57BL-6 female mice, using the Illumina HiSeq 2000
Thymic Mesenchymal Cells Have a Distinct Transcriptomic Profile.
Specimen part, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesMiR-1246 was found to promote tumorigenesis and metastasis in sevearl cancer types. In the context of tumor microenvironment, tumor-associated macrophages are a central part typically correlated with poor prognosis.
Mutant p53 cancers reprogram macrophages to tumor supporting macrophages via exosomal miR-1246.
Specimen part
View SamplesPrimary culture airway epithelial cells, grown under physiologic air-liquid interface conditions, with, or without IL-13 in order to study the effects of this cytokine on mucous cell metaplasia, an important feature of asthma and COPD.
IL-13-induced airway mucus production is attenuated by MAPK13 inhibition.
Specimen part
View SamplesDevelopmental programming is the concept that environmental factors, particularly during foetal life, can alter development, metabolism and physiology of an organism and this can have consequences later in life. There is growing interest in developmental programming in livestock species, particularly effects of maternal pregnancy nutrition, which is easy to manipulate. Recent research, using a sheep model, has shown that milk production in ewe offspring may be susceptible to maternal nutritional programming, such that over nutrition (ad libitum) of the pregnant dam, compared with maintenance nutrition, may impair their first lactation performance and result in the weaning of lighter lambs. RNA-seq was performed to identify gene expression differences as a result of maternal nutrition in ewe offspring during their first parity. Samples were collected in late pregnancy and during lactation, allowing us to examine gene expression changes during maturation of the ovine mammary gland. Overall design: Three biological replicates were sequenced for each of the treatment conditions (maternal nutrition: sub-maintenance, maintenance, and ad libitum) and time points (late pregnancy and lactation). Each biological replicate consisted of RNA from multiple individuals (late pregnancy n=3, lactation n=2).
Functional development of the adult ovine mammary gland--insights from gene expression profiling.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
PARP9-DTX3L ubiquitin ligase targets host histone H2BJ and viral 3C protease to enhance interferon signaling and control viral infection.
Sex, Cell line, Treatment
View SamplesU3A cells stably expressing wild-type STAT1 or STAT1-CC were treated with interferon beta (10U/ml) or control for 24 hours to assess effects of stat1 modifications, interferon, and the interaction on gene expression.
PARP9-DTX3L ubiquitin ligase targets host histone H2BJ and viral 3C protease to enhance interferon signaling and control viral infection.
Cell line, Treatment
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Identification and Functional Validation of Reciprocal microRNA-mRNA Pairings in African American Prostate Cancer Disparities.
Specimen part
View SamplesProstate cancer (PCa) tends to be more aggressive and lethal in African Americans (AA) compared to European Americans (EA). To further understand the biological factors accounting for the PCa disparities observed in AA and EA patients, we performed gene profiling using Affymetrix human exon 1.0 ST arrays to identify the differentially expressed genes beween AA cancer and patient matched normal tissues.
Identification and Functional Validation of Reciprocal microRNA-mRNA Pairings in African American Prostate Cancer Disparities.
Specimen part
View SamplesProstate cancer (PCa) tends to be more aggressive and lethal in African Americans (AA) compared to European Americans (EA). To further understand the biological factors accounting for the PCa disparities observed in AA and EA patients, we performed gene profiling analysis using Affymetrix human exon 1.0 ST arrays to identify the differentially expressed genes in AA and EA patients.
Identification and Functional Validation of Reciprocal microRNA-mRNA Pairings in African American Prostate Cancer Disparities.
Specimen part
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