The ability to form memories is a prerequisite for an organism’s behavioural adaptation to environmental changes. At the molecular level, the acquisition and maintenance of memory requires changes in chromatin modifications. In an effort to unravel the epigenetic network underlying both short- and long-term memory, we examined chromatin modification changes in two distinct mouse brain regions, two cell-types, and three time-points before and after contextual learning. Here we show that histone modifications predominantly change during memory acquisition and correlate surprisingly little with changes in gene expression. While long-lasting changes are almost exclusive to neurons, learning-related histone modification and DNA methylation changes occur also in non-neuronal cell types, suggesting a functional role for non-neuronal cells in epigenetic learning. Finally, our data provides evidence for a molecular framework of memory acquisition and maintenance, wherein DNA methylation could alter the expression and splicing of genes involved in functional plasticity and synaptic wiring. Overall design: We examined chromatin modification changes in two distinct mouse brain regions (CA1 and ACC), two cell-types (neurons, non-neurons), and three time-points before and after contextual learning (naive, 1h, 4w).
DNA methylation changes in plasticity genes accompany the formation and maintenance of memory.
Sex, Age, Cell line, Subject
View SamplesThe epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an essential biological process during embryonic development and has also been implicated in cancer metastasis. Previous studies have characterized transcriptional regulation and key transcription factors that impact EMT. However, the role of alternative splicing (AS) regulation in EMT has only recently emerged and remains relatively uncharacterized. Here we used a robust in vitro EMT model to dynamically and comprehensively characterize splicing switches during EMT in a temporal manner. Overall design: We generated a H358 clone stably expressing a doxycycline (Dox)-inducible cDNA encoding a Zeb1-mCherry fusion protein. Over a 7-day time course following Dox treatment, cells have undergone EMT. We harvested total RNA and protein at each day of the EMT time course and a no Dox-treated control in biological triplicates. We made cDNA libraries for each replicate and subjected them to RNA-seq.
Determination of a Comprehensive Alternative Splicing Regulatory Network and Combinatorial Regulation by Key Factors during the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesEpithelial specific splicing regulatory protein 1 and 2 (ESRP1 and ESRP2) are important regulators of alternative splicing during EMT. To study the alternative splicing events regulated by ESRP1/2 at a genome wide scale, we used lentiviral shRNAs to knockdown ESRP1/2 in H358 cells and performed RNA-seq in biological triplicates. Overall design: We used lentiviral based shRNAs targeting ESRP1 and ESRP2 to knockdown both regulators in human H358 cells. We harvested total RNA and protein from ESRP1/2 knockdown and control knockdown in biological triplicates. We made cDNA libraries for each replicate and subjected them to RNA-seq.
Determination of a Comprehensive Alternative Splicing Regulatory Network and Combinatorial Regulation by Key Factors during the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThe goal of the study was to identify genes whose aberrant expression can contribute to diabetic retinopathy. We determined differential response in gene expression to high glucose in lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from matched type 1 diabetic individuals with and without retinopathy. Those genes exhibiting the largest difference in glucose response between diabetic subjects with and without retinopathy were assessed for association to diabetic retinopathy utilizing genotype data from a meta-genome-wide association study. All genetic variants associated with gene expression (expression QTLs; eQTLs) of the glucose response genes were tested for association with diabetic retinopathy. We detected an enrichment of the glucose response gene eQTLs among small association p-values for diabetic retinopathy. Among these, we identified FLCN as a susceptibility gene for diabetic retinopathy. Expression of FLCN in response to glucose is greater in individuals with diabetic retinopathy compared to diabetic individuals without retinopathy. Three large, independent cohorts of diabetic individuals revealed an enhanced association of FLCN eQTL to diabetic retinopathy. Mendelian randomization confirmed a direct positive effect of increased FLCN expression on retinopathy in diabetic individuals. Together, our studies integrating genetic association and gene expression implicate FLCN as a disease gene in diabetic retinopathy.
Integration of genomics and transcriptomics predicts diabetic retinopathy susceptibility genes.
Cell line
View SamplesOsteoarthritis is characterized by degeneration of cartilage and bone in the synovial joints. Recent findings suggest that inflammation may play a role in osteoarthritis, with synovitis being associated with the clinical symptoms of osteoarthritis. Furthermore, we have found that levels of inflammatory complement components are abnormally high in the synovial fluid of individuals with osteoarthritis.
Identification of a central role for complement in osteoarthritis.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesGlucocorticoid resistance (GCR) is defined as an unresponsiveness to the anti-inflammatory properties of glucocorticoids (GCs) and their receptor, the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). It is a serious problem in the management of inflammatory diseases and occurs frequently. The strong pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF induces an acute form of GCR, not only in mice, but also in several cell lines, e.g. in the hepatoma cell line BWTG3, as evidenced by impaired Dexamethasone (Dex)-induced GR-dependent gene expression. We report that TNF has a significant and broad impact on the transcriptional performance of GR, but no impact on nuclear translocation, dimerization or DNA binding capacity of GR. Proteome-wide proximity-mapping (BioID), however, revealed that the GR interactome is strongly modulated by TNF. One GR cofactor that interacts significantly less with the receptor under GCR conditions is p300. NF?B activation and p300 knockdown both reduce transcriptional output of GR, whereas p300 overexpression and NF?B inhibition revert TNF-induced GCR, which is in support of a cofactor reshuffle model. This hypothesis is supported by FRET studies. This mechanism of GCR opens new avenues for therapeutic interventions in GCR diseases Overall design: Examination of GR induced gene expression in 4 conditions (1 control: NI and 3 treated: DEX, TNF, TNFDEX) starting from 3 biological replicates
TNF-α inhibits glucocorticoid receptor-induced gene expression by reshaping the GR nuclear cofactor profile.
Specimen part, Cell line, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesThis experiment was set up in order to identify the (direct) transcriptional targets of the Ethylene Response Factor 115 (ERF115) transcription factor. Because ERF115 expression occurs in quiescent center (QC) cells and strong effects on the QC cells were observed in ERF115 overexpression plants, root tips were harvested for transcript profiling in order to focus on root meristem and QC specific transcriptional targets.
ERF115 controls root quiescent center cell division and stem cell replenishment.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesMesenchymal progenitor cells can be differentiated in vitro into myotubes that exhibit many characteristic features of primary mammalian skeletal muscle fibers. However, in general, they do not show the functional excitation-contraction coupling or the striated sarcomere arrangement typical of mature myofibers. Epigenetic modifications have been shown to play a key role in regulating the progressional changes in transcription necessary for muscle differentiation. In this study, we demonstrate that treatment of murine C2C12 mesenchymal progenitor cells with 10 M of the DNA methylation inhibitor 5-azacytidine (5AC) promotes myogenesis, resulting in myotubes with enhanced maturity as compared to untreated myotubes. Specifically, 5AC treatment resulted in the upregulation of muscle genes at the myoblast stage while at later stages nearly 50 % of the 5AC-treated myotubes displayed a mature, well-defined sarcomere organization as well as spontaneous contractions that coincided with action potentials and intracellular calcium transients. Both the percentage of striated myotubes and their contractile activity could be inhibited by 20 nM TTX, 10 M ryanodine and 100 M nifedipine, suggesting that action potential-induced calcium transients are responsible for these characteristics. Our data suggest that genomic demethylation induced by 5AC overcomes an epigenetic barrier that prevents untreated C2C12 myotubes from reaching full maturity.
Epigenetics: DNA demethylation promotes skeletal myotube maturation.
Cell line, Treatment
View SamplesGenetic studies in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia have uncovered a remarkable complexity of oncogenic and loss-of-function mutations. Amongst this plethora of genetic changes, NOTCH1 activating mutations stand out as the most frequently occurring genetic defect, identified in more than 50% of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias, supporting an essential driver role for this gene in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia oncogenesis. In this study, we aimed to establish a comprehensive compendium of the long non-coding RNA transcriptome under control of Notch signaling. For this purpose, we measured the transcriptional response of all protein coding genes and long non-coding RNAs upon pharmacological Notch inhibition in the human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line CUTLL1 using RNA-sequencing. Similar Notch dependent profiles were established for normal human CD34+ thymic T-cell progenitors exposed to Notch signaling activity in vivo. In addition, we generated long non-coding RNA expression profiles (array data) from GSI treated T-ALL cell lines, ex vivo isolated Notch active CD34+ and Notch inactive CD4+CD8+ thymocytes and from a primary cohort of 15 T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients with known NOTCH1 mutation status. Integration of these expression datasets with publically available Notch1 ChIP-sequencing data resulted in the identification of long non-coding RNAs directly regulated by Notch activity in normal and malignant T-cell context. Given the central role of Notch in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia oncogenesis, these data pave the way towards development of novel therapeutic strategies that target hyperactive Notch1 signaling in human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Overall design: CUTLL1 cell lines were treated with Compound E (GSI) or DMSO (solvent control). Cells were collected 12 h and 48 h after treatment. This was performed for 3 replicates. RNA-sequencing was performed on these samples.
The Notch driven long non-coding RNA repertoire in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesStudy on gene expression in multifunctional protein 2 deficient mice. Liver samples of two days old mice in normal conditions are used. In total 8 arrays were hybridized corresponding to 4 KO mice and 4 WT mice Results: Cholesterol synthesis is induced and ppar alpha targets also differentially expressed between KO and WT.
Coordinate induction of PPAR alpha and SREBP2 in multifunctional protein 2 deficient mice.
No sample metadata fields
View Samples