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Nevone A, Lattarulo F, Russo M, Panno G, Milani P, Basset M, Avanzini MA, Merlini G, Palladini G, Nuvolone M. A Strategy for the Selection of RT-qPCR Reference Genes Based on Publicly Available Transcriptomic Datasets. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11041079. [PMID: 37189697 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11041079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In the next-generation sequencing era, RT-qPCR is still widely employed to quantify levels of nucleic acids of interest due to its popularity, versatility, and limited costs. The measurement of transcriptional levels through RT-qPCR critically depends on reference genes used for normalization. Here, we devised a strategy to select appropriate reference genes for a specific clinical/experimental setting based on publicly available transcriptomic datasets and a pipeline for RT-qPCR assay design and validation. As a proof-of-principle, we applied this strategy to identify and validate reference genes for transcriptional studies of bone-marrow plasma cells from patients with AL amyloidosis. We performed a systematic review of published literature to compile a list of 163 candidate reference genes for RT-qPCR experiments employing human samples. Next, we interrogated the Gene Expression Omnibus to assess expression levels of these genes in published transcriptomic studies on bone-marrow plasma cells from patients with different plasma cell dyscrasias and identified the most stably expressed genes as candidate normalizing genes. Experimental validation on bone-marrow plasma cells showed the superiority of candidate reference genes identified through this strategy over commonly employed “housekeeping” genes. The strategy presented here may apply to other clinical and experimental settings for which publicly available transcriptomic datasets are available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Nevone
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Francesca Lattarulo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Monica Russo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Giada Panno
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Paolo Milani
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Marco Basset
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Maria Antonietta Avanzini
- Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Cell Factory, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Giampaolo Merlini
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Giovanni Palladini
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Mario Nuvolone
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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Xu J, Yang M, Shao AZ, Pan HW, Fan YX, Chen KP. Identification and Validation of Common Reference Genes for Normalization of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Gene Expression Profiles. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 2022:9125242. [PMID: 36467891 PMCID: PMC9711964 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9125242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the subtypes of esophageal cancer with Chinese characteristics, and its five-year survival rate is less than 20%. Early diagnosis is beneficial to improving the survival rate of ESCC significantly. Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction is a high-throughput technique that can quantify tumor-related genes for early diagnosis. Its accuracy largely depends on the stability of the reference gene. There is no systematic scientific basis to demonstrate which reference gene expression is stable in ESCC and no consensus on the selection of internal reference. Therefore, this research used four software programs (The comparative delta-Ct method, GeNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper) to evaluate the expression stability of eight candidate reference genes commonly used in other tumor tissues and generated a comprehensive analysis by RefFinder. Randomly selected transcriptome sequencing analysis confirmed the SPP1 gene is closely related to ESCC. It was found that the expression trend of SPP1 obtained by RPS18 and PPIA as internal reference genes were the same as that of sequencing. The results show that RPS18 and PPIA are stable reference genes, and PPIA + RPS18 are a suitable reference gene combination. This is a reference gene report that combines transcriptome sequencing analysis and only focuses on ESCC, which makes the quantification more precise, systematic, and standardized, and promotes gene regulation research and the early diagnosis of ESCC in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Ming Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Fifth People's Hospital of Huaian City, Huaian, China
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Ai-zhong Shao
- Department of Cardiothorac Surgery, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Hui-wen Pan
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yi-xuan Fan
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Ke-ping Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
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Panagodimou E, Koika V, Markatos F, Kaponis A, Adonakis G, Georgopoulos NA, Markantes GK. Expression stability of ACTB, 18S, and GAPDH in human placental tissues from subjects with PCOS and controls: GAPDH expression is increased in PCOS. Hormones (Athens) 2022; 21:329-333. [PMID: 35438455 DOI: 10.1007/s42000-022-00372-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim was to assess the expression stability of three commonly used reference genes, namely, β-actin (ACTB), 18S ribosomal RNA (18S), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), in placental tissue obtained from pregnant women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and healthy controls. METHODS mRNA was isolated after delivery from the placentae of 10 PCOS and 10 control women with term, uncomplicated, singleton pregnancies. The expression of ACTB, 18S, and GAPDH was analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Gene expression stability was evaluated with the RefFinder, GeNorm, Normfinder, BestKeeper, and Delta-Ct tools. RESULTS ACTB was ranked as the most stably expressed gene, followed by 18S. The expression of GAPDH varied considerably in both studied groups, while it was increased in PCOS versus controls (5.3-fold, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS ACTB is an appropriate reference gene for placental gene expression studies in women with PCOS, whereas GAPDH is unfit for such a role, as its placental expression is increased in PCOS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangelia Panagodimou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Patras School of Health Sciences, Patras, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Koika
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, University of Patras School of Health Sciences, Patras, Greece
| | - Fotios Markatos
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Patras School of Health Sciences, Patras, Greece
| | - Apostolos Kaponis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Patras School of Health Sciences, Patras, Greece
| | - George Adonakis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Patras School of Health Sciences, Patras, Greece
| | - Neoklis A Georgopoulos
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, University of Patras School of Health Sciences, Patras, Greece
| | - Georgios K Markantes
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, University of Patras School of Health Sciences, Patras, Greece.
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Shook LL, Bordt EA, Meinsohn MC, Pepin D, De Guzman RM, Brigida S, Yockey LJ, James KE, Sullivan MW, Bebell LM, Roberts DJ, Kaimal AJ, Li JZ, Schust D, Gray KJ, Edlow AG. Placental Expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in Maternal Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection: Are Placental Defenses Mediated by Fetal Sex? J Infect Dis 2021; 224:S647-S659. [PMID: 34293137 PMCID: PMC8344531 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiab335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and type II transmembrane serine protease (TMPRSS2), host molecules required for viral entry, may underlie sex differences in vulnerability to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We investigated whether placental ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression vary by fetal sex in the presence of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS Placental ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression was quantified by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and by Western blot in 68 pregnant women (38 SARS-CoV-2 positive, 30 SARS-CoV-2 negative) delivering at Mass General Brigham from April to June 2020. The impact of fetal sex and maternal SARS-CoV-2 exposure on ACE2 and TMPRSS2 was analyzed by 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection impacted placental TMPRSS2 expression in a sexually dimorphic fashion (2-way ANOVA interaction, P = .002). We observed no impact of fetal sex or maternal SARS-CoV-2 status on ACE2. TMPRSS2 expression was significantly correlated with ACE2 expression in males (Spearman ρ = 0.54, P = .02) but not females (ρ = 0.23, P = .34) exposed to maternal SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONS Sex differences in placental TMPRSS2 but not ACE2 were observed in the setting of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection, which may have implications for offspring vulnerability to placental infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia L Shook
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Evan A Bordt
- Department of Pediatrics, Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David Pepin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rose M De Guzman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sara Brigida
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Laura J Yockey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kaitlyn E James
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mackenzie W Sullivan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lisa M Bebell
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, MGH Center for Global Health, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Drucilla J Roberts
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anjali J Kaimal
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jonathan Z Li
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Danny Schust
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women’s Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Kathryn J Gray
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Andrea G Edlow
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Selection of reliable reference genes for analysis of gene expression in the rat placenta. Mol Cell Biochem 2021; 476:2613-2622. [PMID: 33660185 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-021-04115-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The selection of suitable reference genes (RGs), especially the identification of the proper combination of RGs is the key to obtain reliable results of gene expression for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). To date, there is no relevant study dealing with the stability of RGs in rat placenta. In this study, the geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper software were used to analyze the expression stability of the candidate RGs in placenta under physiological and prenatal caffeine exposure (PCE) conditions. The expression of Tbp, Gapdh and Ywhaz in female and Polr2a, Gapdh and Ywhaz in male placenta were highly stable under physiological conditions, and there was no obvious gender difference. We further found that two RGs were sufficient for reliable normalization in female and male placenta and the combination of Ywhaz and Gapdh was the most suitable compound RGs under physiological conditions. Under PCE conditions, Ywhaz, Gapdh and Polr2a were the most stable genes in both female and male placenta. Among them, Ywhaz and Gapdh were chosen as the best paring. Finally, selected RGs were employed for normalization of the expression of a clear target gene and the results of standardization supported our choice. In conclusion, our study confirmed that Ywhaz/Gapdh combination was the most suitable RGs in rat placenta under physiological and PCE pathological conditions and provided a theoretical and experimental basis for physiological and pathological research of the rat placenta.
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Luo J, Zhu L, Zhou N, Zhang Y, Zhang L, Zhang R. Construction of Circular RNA-MicroRNA-Messenger RNA Regulatory Network of Recurrent Implantation Failure to Explore Its Potential Pathogenesis. Front Genet 2021; 11:627459. [PMID: 33664765 PMCID: PMC7924221 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.627459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Many studies on circular RNAs (circRNAs) have recently been published. However, the function of circRNAs in recurrent implantation failure (RIF) is unknown and remains to be explored. This study aims to determine the regulatory mechanisms of circRNAs in RIF. Methods: Microarray data of RIF circRNA (GSE147442), microRNA (miRNA; GSE71332), and messenger RNA (mRNA; GSE103465) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to identify differentially expressed circRNA, miRNA, and mRNA. The circRNA–miRNA–mRNA network was constructed by Cytoscape 3.8.0 software, then the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by STRING database, and the hub genes were identified by cytoHubba plug-in. The circRNA–miRNA–hub gene regulatory subnetwork was formed to understand the regulatory axis of hub genes in RIF. Finally, the Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis of the hub genes were performed by clusterProfiler package of Rstudio software, and Reactome Functional Interaction (FI) plug-in was used for reactome analysis to comprehensively analyze the mechanism of hub genes in RIF. Results: A total of eight upregulated differentially expressed circRNAs (DECs), five downregulated DECs, 56 downregulated differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRs), 104 upregulated DEmiRs, 429 upregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and 1,067 downregulated DEGs were identified regarding RIF. The miRNA response elements of 13 DECs were then predicted. Seven overlapping miRNAs were obtained by intersecting the predicted miRNA and DEmiRs. Then, 56 overlapping mRNAs were obtained by intersecting the predicted target mRNAs of seven miRNAs with 1,496 DEGs. The circRNA–miRNA–mRNA network and PPI network were constructed through six circRNAs, seven miRNAs, and 56 mRNAs; and four hub genes (YWHAZ, JAK2, MYH9, and RAP2C) were identified. The circRNA–miRNA–hub gene regulatory subnetwork with nine regulatory axes was formed in RIF. Functional enrichment analysis and reactome analysis showed that these four hub genes were closely related to the biological functions and pathways of RIF. Conclusion: The results of this study provide further understanding of the potential pathogenesis from the perspective of circRNA-related competitive endogenous RNA network in RIF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahuan Luo
- Clinical Medical College, Dali University, Dali, China
| | - Li Zhu
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dali University, Dali, China.,Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Dali University, Dali, China
| | - Ning Zhou
- Clinical Medical College, Dali University, Dali, China
| | | | - Lirong Zhang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dali University, Dali, China.,Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Dali University, Dali, China
| | - Ruopeng Zhang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dali University, Dali, China.,Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Dali University, Dali, China
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Zou S, Dong R, Wang J, Liang F, Zhu T, Zhao S, Zhang Y, Wang T, Zou P, Li N, Wang Y, Chen M, Zhou C, Zhang T, Luo L. Use of data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry for comparative proteomics analyses of sera from pregnant women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. J Proteomics 2021; 236:104124. [PMID: 33545297 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2021.104124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
We used data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteomics technology followed by ELISAs and automated biochemical analyses to identify and validate protein expression levels in Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP) and healthy pregnant controls. We employed bioinformatics to identify metabolic processes associated with differentially expressed proteins.The expression levels of two proteins (S100-A9 and the L-lactate dehydrogenase A chain) were significantly higher in ICP patients than in controls; the areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUCs) were 0.774 and 0.828, respectively. The expression levels of two other proteins (apolipoprotein A-I and cholinesterase) were significantly lower in patients, with values of 0.900 and 0.842, respectively. Multiple logistic regression showed that a combination of the levels of the four proteins optimized the AUC (0.962), thus more reliably diagnosing ICP. The levels of all four proteins were positively associated with that of total bile acids. Bioinformatics analyses indicated that the four proteins principally affected neutrophil activation involved in the immune response, cell adhesion, lipoprotein metabolism, and the PPAR signaling pathway. SIGNIFICANCE: This preliminary work improves our understanding of changes in serum levels of protein in pregnant women with ICP. The four proteins may serve as novel noninvasive biomarkers for ICP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaohan Zou
- Assisted Reproduction Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Key Laboratory of Reproductive Dysfunction Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Ruirui Dong
- The Affiliated Wuxi Matemity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi 214002, China
| | - Jing Wang
- The Affiliated Wuxi Matemity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi 214002, China
| | - Fengbing Liang
- Assisted Reproduction Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Key Laboratory of Reproductive Dysfunction Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Tingting Zhu
- Assisted Reproduction Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Key Laboratory of Reproductive Dysfunction Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Shaojie Zhao
- The Affiliated Wuxi Matemity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi 214002, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- The Affiliated Wuxi Matemity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi 214002, China
| | - Tiejun Wang
- The Affiliated Wuxi Matemity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi 214002, China
| | - Ping Zou
- The Affiliated Wuxi Matemity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi 214002, China
| | - Na Li
- The Affiliated Wuxi Matemity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi 214002, China
| | - Yao Wang
- The Affiliated Wuxi Matemity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi 214002, China
| | - Minjian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Conghua Zhou
- School of Computer Science and Telecommunication Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- The Affiliated Wuxi Matemity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi 214002, China.
| | - Liang Luo
- The Affiliated Wuxi No.2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi 214002, China.
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Implication of Pseudo Reference Genes in Normalization of Data from Reverse Transcription-Quantitative PCR. Gene 2020; 757:144948. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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9
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Suzukawa AA, Zanluca C, Jorge NAN, de Noronha L, Koishi AC, de Paula CBV, Rebutini PZ, Nagashima S, Hansel-Frose AFF, Parreira VSC, Bordignon J, MacDonald MR, Rice CM, Passetti F, Duarte Dos Santos CN. Downregulation of IGF2 expression in third trimester placental tissues from Zika virus infected women in Brazil. J Infect 2020; 81:766-775. [PMID: 32987099 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2020.09.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Screening for genes differentially expressed in placental tissues, aiming to identify transcriptional signatures that may be involved in ZIKV congenital pathogenesis. METHODS Transcriptome data from placental tissues of pregnant women naturally infected with Zika virus during the third trimester were compared to those from women who tested negative for Zika infection. The findings were validated using both a cell culture model and an immunohistochemistry/morphological analysis of naturally infected placental tissues. RESULTS Transcriptome analysis revealed that Zika virus infection induces downregulation of insulin-like growth factor II (IGF2) gene, an essential factor for fetal development. The Caco-2 cell culture model that constitutively expresses IGF2 was used for the transcriptome validation. Asiatic and African Zika virus strains infection caused downregulated IGF2 gene expression in Caco-2 cells, whereas other flaviviruses, such as dengue serotype 1, West Nile and wild-type yellow fever viruses, had no effect on this gene expression. Immunohistochemical assays on decidual tissues corroborated our transcriptome analysis, showing that IGF2 is reduced in the decidua of Zika virus-infected women. CONCLUSIONS Our results draw attention to IGF2 modulation in uterine tissues, and this finding is expected to support future studies on strategies to ameliorate the harmful effects of Zika virus infection during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andréia A Suzukawa
- Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Camila Zanluca
- Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Natasha A N Jorge
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lucia de Noronha
- Laboratório de Patologia Experimental, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Andrea C Koishi
- Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Caroline B V de Paula
- Laboratório de Patologia Experimental, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Z Rebutini
- Laboratório de Patologia Experimental, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Seigo Nagashima
- Laboratório de Patologia Experimental, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Aruana F F Hansel-Frose
- Laboratório de Regulação da Expressão Gênica, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Vinícius S C Parreira
- Laboratório de Regulação da Expressão Gênica, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Juliano Bordignon
- Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Margaret R MacDonald
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Charles M Rice
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Fabio Passetti
- Laboratório de Regulação da Expressão Gênica, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
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10
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Lindner L, Cayrou P, Jacquot S, Birling MC, Herault Y, Pavlovic G. Reliable and robust droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) and RT-ddPCR protocols for mouse studies. Methods 2020; 191:95-106. [PMID: 32721466 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2020.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) is a recent method developed for the quantification of nucleic acids sequences. It is an evolution of PCR methodology incorporating two principal differences: a PCR reaction is performed in thousands of water-oil emulsion droplets and fluorescence is measured at the end of PCR amplification. It leads to the precise and reproducible quantification of DNA and RNA sequences. Here, we present quantitative methods for DNA and RNA analysis using Bio-Rad QX100 or QX200 systems, respectively. The aim of these methods is to provide useful molecular tools for validating genetically altered animal models such as those subject to CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, as well for expression or CNV studies. A standard procedure for simultaneous DNA and RNA extraction adapted for mouse organs is also described. These methods were initially designed for mouse studies but also work for samples from other species like rat or human. In our lab, thousands of samples and hundreds of target genes from genetically altered lines were examined using these methods. This large dataset was analyzed to evaluate technical optimizations and limitations. Finally, we propose additional recommendations to be included in dMIQE (Minimum information for publication of quantitative digital PCR experiments) guidelines when using ddPCR instruments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loic Lindner
- PHENOMIN-Institut Clinique de la Souris, CELPHEDIA, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Strasbourg 67404, France
| | - Pauline Cayrou
- PHENOMIN-Institut Clinique de la Souris, CELPHEDIA, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Strasbourg 67404, France
| | - Sylvie Jacquot
- PHENOMIN-Institut Clinique de la Souris, CELPHEDIA, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Strasbourg 67404, France
| | - Marie-Christine Birling
- PHENOMIN-Institut Clinique de la Souris, CELPHEDIA, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Strasbourg 67404, France
| | - Yann Herault
- PHENOMIN-Institut Clinique de la Souris, CELPHEDIA, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Strasbourg 67404, France
| | - Guillaume Pavlovic
- PHENOMIN-Institut Clinique de la Souris, CELPHEDIA, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Strasbourg 67404, France.
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11
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Duan L, Schimmelmann M, Wu Y, Reisch B, Faas M, Kimmig R, Winterhager E, Köninger A, Gellhaus A. CCN3 Signaling Is Differently Regulated in Placental Diseases Preeclampsia and Abnormally Invasive Placenta. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:597549. [PMID: 33304321 PMCID: PMC7701218 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.597549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES An adequate development of the placenta includes trophoblast differentiation with the processes of trophoblast migration, invasion, cellular senescence and apoptosis which are all crucial to establishing a successful pregnancy. Altered placental development and function lead to placental diseases such as preeclampsia (PE) which is mainly characterized by insufficient trophoblast invasion and abnormally invasive placenta (AIP) disorders (Placenta accreta, increta, or percreta) which are characterized by excessive trophoblast invasion. Both of them will cause maternal and fetal morbidity/mortality. However, the etiology of these diseases is still unclear. Our previous study has shown that the matricellular protein nephroblastoma overexpressed (NOV, CCN3) induces G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, drives trophoblast cells into senescence and activates FAK and Akt kinases resulting in reduced cell proliferation and enhanced migration capability of the human trophoblast cell line SGHPL-5. The present study focuses on whether CCN3 can alter cell cycle-regulated pathways associated with trophoblast senescence and invasion activity in pathological versus gestational age-matched control placentas. METHODS Cell cycle regulator proteins were investigated by immunoblotting and qPCR. For localization of CCN3, p16, p21, and Cyclin D1 proteins, co-immunohistochemistry was performed. RESULTS In early-onset PE placentas, CCN3 was expressed at a significantly lower level compared to gestational age-matched controls. The decrease of CCN3 level is associated with an increase in p53, Cyclin E1 and pRb protein expression, whereas the level of cleaved Notch-1, p21, Cyclin D1, pFAK, pAKT, and pmTOR protein decreased. In term AIP placentas, the expression of CCN3 was significantly increased compared to matched term controls. This increase was correlated to an increase in p53, p16, p21, Cyclin D1, cleaved Notch-1, pFAK, pAkt, and pmTOR whereas pRb was significantly decreased. However, in late PE and early AIP placentas, no significant differences in CCN3, p16, p21, Cyclin D1, p53, and cleaved Notch-1 expression were found when matched to appropriate controls. CONCLUSIONS CCN3 expression levels are correlated to markers of cell cycle arrest oppositely in PE and AIP by activating the FAK/AKT pathway in AIP or down-regulating in PE. This may be one mechanism to explain the different pathological features of placental diseases, PE and AIP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyan Duan
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Manuela Schimmelmann
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Yuqing Wu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Beatrix Reisch
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Marijke Faas
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Rainer Kimmig
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Elke Winterhager
- Electron Microscopy Unit (EMU)/Imaging Center Essen (IMCES), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Angela Köninger
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Alexandra Gellhaus
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- *Correspondence: Alexandra Gellhaus,
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12
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Brennan GP, Vitsios DM, Casey S, Looney AM, Hallberg B, Henshall DC, Boylan GB, Murray DM, Mooney C. RNA-sequencing analysis of umbilical cord plasma microRNAs from healthy newborns. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0207952. [PMID: 30507953 PMCID: PMC6277075 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNA that regulate gene expression at a post-transcriptional level. MicroRNAs have been identified in various body fluids under normal conditions and their stability as well as their dysregulation in disease has led to ongoing interest in their diagnostic and prognostic potential. Circulating microRNAs may be valuable predictors of early-life complications such as birth asphyxia or neonatal seizures but there are relatively few data on microRNA content in plasma from healthy babies. Here we performed small RNA-sequencing analysis of plasma processed from umbilical cord blood in a set of healthy newborns. MicroRNA levels in umbilical cord plasma of four male and four female healthy babies, from two different centres were profiled. A total of 1,004 individual microRNAs were identified, which ranged from 426 to 659 per sample, of which 269 microRNAs were common to all eight samples. Many of these microRNAs are highly expressed and consistent with previous studies using other high throughput platforms. While overall microRNA expression did not differ between male and female cord blood plasma, we did detect differentially edited microRNAs in female plasma compared to male. Of note, and consistent with other studies of this type, adenylation and uridylation were the two most prominent forms of editing. Six microRNAs, miR-128-3p, miR-29a-3p, miR-9-5p, miR-218-5p, 204-5p and miR-132-3p were consistently both uridylated and adenylated in female cord blood plasma. These results provide a benchmark for microRNA profiling and biomarker discovery using umbilical cord plasma and can be used as comparative data for future biomarker profiles from complicated births or those with early-life developmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary P. Brennan
- Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
- FutureNeuro Research Centre, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Dimitrios M. Vitsios
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory–European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie Casey
- INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Boubou Hallberg
- Neonatology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - David C. Henshall
- Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
- FutureNeuro Research Centre, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Geraldine B. Boylan
- INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Deirdre M. Murray
- INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Catherine Mooney
- FutureNeuro Research Centre, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
- INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- School of Computer Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
- * E-mail:
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13
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Kang Y, Wu Z, Cai D, Lu B. Evaluation of reference genes for gene expression studies in mouse and N2a cell ischemic stroke models using quantitative real-time PCR. BMC Neurosci 2018; 19:3. [PMID: 29390963 PMCID: PMC5795833 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-018-0403-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Real-time reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is a critical tool for evaluating the levels of mRNA transcribed from genes. Reliable RT-qPCR results largely depend on normalization to suitable reference genes. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) are models that are commonly used to study ischemic stroke. However, the proper reference genes for RNA analysis in these two models have not yet been determined. RESULTS In this study, we evaluated the expression levels of six candidate housekeeping genes and selected the most suitable reference genes for RT-qPCR analyses of the cortices of MCAO mice and OGD/R-injured N2a cells. Four software programs, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and RefFinder, were used to validate the stabilities of the candidate reference genes. The results revealed that HPRT and 18S were the most stable reference genes in the cortices of MCAO mice and that β-actin and cyclophilin were the most stable reference genes in the OGD/R-injured N2a cells; in contrast, GAPDH and Sdha were the least stable genes in the cortices of MCAO mice and the OGD/R-injured N2a cells, respectively. Moreover, a combination of HPRT, 18S and cyclophilin was most suitable for normalization in analyses of the cortices of MCAO mice, and a combination of β-actin, cyclophilin, GAPDH, and 18S was most suitable for analyses of the OGD/R-injured N2a cells. CONCLUSIONS This study provides appropriate reference genes for further RT-qPCR analyses of in vivo and in vitro ischemic stroke and demonstrates the necessity of validating reference genes for RNA analyses under variable conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingbo Kang
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041 Guangdong China
| | - Zhuomin Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041 Guangdong China
| | - De Cai
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041 Guangdong China
| | - Binger Lu
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041 Guangdong China
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