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Hailey DR, Kanjilal D, Koulen P. Differential Expression of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling Pathways in the Human Choroid-Retinal Pigment Epithelial Complex Indicates Regional Predisposition to Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:10105. [PMID: 39337590 PMCID: PMC11432750 DOI: 10.3390/ijms251810105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2024] [Revised: 09/09/2024] [Accepted: 09/17/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The retina is composed of neuronal layers that include several types of interneurons and photoreceptor cells, and separate underlying retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), Bruch's membrane, and choroid. Different regions of the human retina include the fovea, macula, and periphery, which have unique physiological functions and anatomical features. These regions are also unique in their protein expression, and corresponding cellular and molecular responses to physiological and pathophysiological stimuli. Skeie and Mahajan analyzed regional protein expression in the human choroid-RPE complex. Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways have been implicated in responses to stimuli such as oxidative stress and inflammation, which are critical factors in retina diseases including age-related macular degeneration. We, therefore, analyzed the Skeie and Mahajan, 2014, dataset for regional differences in the expression of MAPK-related proteins and discussed the potential implications in retinal diseases presenting with regional signs and symptoms. Regional protein expression data from the Skeie and Mahajan, 2014, study were analyzed for members of signaling networks involving MAPK and MAPK-related proteins, categorized by specific MAPK cascades, such as p38, ERK1/2, and JNK1/2, both upstream or downstream of the respective MAPK and MAPK-related proteins. We were able to identify 207 MAPK and MAPK-related proteins, 187 of which belonging to specific MAPK cascades. A total of 31 of these had been identified in the retina with two proteins, DLG2 and FLG downstream, and the other 29 upstream, of MAPK proteins. Our findings provide evidence for potential molecular substrates of retina region-specific disease manifestation and potential new targets for therapeutics development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Peter Koulen
- Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri–Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA
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Mu K, Fu J, Gai J, Ravichandran H, Zheng L, Sun WC. Genetic alterations in the neuronal development genes are associated with changes of the tumor immune microenvironment in pancreatic cancer. ANNALS OF PANCREATIC CANCER 2023; 6:10.21037/apc-23-13. [PMID: 38495381 PMCID: PMC10942730 DOI: 10.21037/apc-23-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Background Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a poor prognosis and is highly metastatic. Our prior studies have demonstrated the critical role of axon guidance pathway genes in PDAC and the connection between neuronal development and the tumor microenvironment. A recent study newly identified 20 neuronal development genes [disks large homolog 2 (DLG2), neuron-glial-related cell adhesion molecule (NRCAM), neurexin3 (NRXN3), mitogen-activated protein kinase 10 (MAPK10), platelet-derived growth factor D (PDGFD), protein kinase C epsilon (PRKCE), potassium calcium-activated channel subfamily M alpha 1 (KCNMA1), polycystic kidney and hepatic disease 1 (PKHD1), neural cell adhesion molecule 1 (NCAM1), neuregulin-1 (NRG1), zinc finger protein 667 (ZNF667), cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), acyl-CoA medium-chain synthetase-3 (ACSM3), complement 6 (C6), protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type M (PTPRM), hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1A), adenylyl cyclase 5 (ADCY5), adherens junctions-associated protein 1 (AJAP1), neurobeachin (NBEA), sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit 9 (SCN9A)] that are associated with perineural invasion and poor prognosis of PDAC. The relationship between genetic alterations in these 20 genes and tumor immune microenvironment (TME) has not previously been investigated. Methods We hence applied the sequential multiplex immunohistochemistry results of biopsy specimens from 63 PDAC patients to investigate this relationship. Results We found that, except for PTPRM and NBEA, genetic alterations involving these 20 genes are associated with significant changes in the densities of major immune cell subtypes. Except for AJAP1, the copy number loss involving this panel of neuronal development genes is significantly associated with changes in immune cell infiltrates. In contrast, the copy number gain in fewer genes, including NRXN3, ZNF667, ACSM3, C6, ADCY5, SCN9A, and PRKCE, is significantly associated with changes in immune cell infiltrates. Conclusions Our study suggested that neuronal development genes play a role in modulating TME in a pancreatic cancer setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyi Mu
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Juan Fu
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jessica Gai
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Harshitha Ravichandran
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lei Zheng
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Wei-Chih Sun
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Li X, Xiao H, Ma Y, Zhou Z, Chen D. Identifying novel genetic loci associated with polycystic ovary syndrome based on its shared genetic architecture with type 2 diabetes. Front Genet 2022; 13:905716. [PMID: 36105080 PMCID: PMC9464923 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.905716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified several common variants associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, the etiology behind PCOS remains incomplete. Available evidence suggests a potential genetic correlation between PCOS and type 2 diabetes (T2D). The publicly available data may provide an opportunity to enhance the understanding of the PCOS etiology. Here, we quantified the polygenic overlap between PCOS and T2D using summary statistics of PCOS and T2D and then identified the novel genetic variants associated with PCOS behind this phenotypic association. A bivariate causal mixture model (MiXeR model) found a moderate genetic overlap between PCOS and T2D (Dice coefficient = 44.1% and after adjusting for body mass index, 32.1%). The conditional/conjunctional false discovery rate method identified 11 potential risk variants of PCOS conditional on associations with T2D, 9 of which were novel and 6 of which were jointly associated with two phenotypes. The functional annotation of these genetic variants supports a significant role for genes involved in lipid metabolism, immune response, and the insulin signaling pathway. An expression quantitative trait locus functionality analysis successfully repeated that 5 loci were significantly associated with the expression of candidate genes in many tissues, including the whole blood, subcutaneous adipose, adrenal gland, and cerebellum. We found that SCN2A gene is co-localized with PCOS in subcutaneous adipose using GWAS-eQTL co-localization analyses. A total of 11 candidate genes were differentially expressed in multiple tissues of the PCOS samples. These findings provide a new understanding of the shared genetic architecture between PCOS and T2D and the underlying molecular genetic mechanism of PCOS.
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Differential Methylation Profile in Fragile X Syndrome-Prone Offspring Mice after in Utero Exposure to Lactobacillus Reuteri. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13081300. [PMID: 35893036 PMCID: PMC9331364 DOI: 10.3390/genes13081300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental factors such as diet, gut microbiota, and infections have proven to have a significant role in epigenetic modifications. It is known that epigenetic modifications may cause behavioral and neuronal changes observed in neurodevelopmental disabilities, including fragile X syndrome (FXS) and autism (ASD). Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide health benefits when consumed, and in some cases are shown to decrease the chance of developing neurological disorders. Here, we examined the epigenetic outcomes in offspring mice after feeding of a probiotic organism, Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri), to pregnant mother animals. In this study, we tested a cohort of Western diet-fed descendant mice exhibiting a high frequency of behavioral features and lower FMRP protein expression similar to what is observed in FXS in humans (described in a companion manuscript in this same GENES special topic issue). By investigating 17,735 CpG sites spanning the whole mouse genome, we characterized the epigenetic profile in two cohorts of mice descended from mothers treated and non-treated with L. reuteri to determine the effect of prenatal probiotic exposure on the prevention of FXS-like symptoms. We found several genes involved in different neurological pathways being differentially methylated (p ≤ 0.05) between the cohorts. Among the key functions, synaptogenesis, neurogenesis, synaptic modulation, synaptic transmission, reelin signaling pathway, promotion of specification and maturation of neurons, and long-term potentiation were observed. The results of this study are relevant as they could lead to a better understanding of the pathways involved in these disorders, to novel therapeutics approaches, and to the identification of potential biomarkers for early detection of these conditions.
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Poon CL, Chen CY. Exploring the Impact of Cerebrovascular Disease and Major Depression on Non-diseased Human Tissue Transcriptomes. Front Genet 2021; 12:696836. [PMID: 34349785 PMCID: PMC8327210 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.696836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The development of complex diseases is contributed by the combination of multiple factors and complicated interactions between them. Inflammation has recently been associated with many complex diseases and may cause long-term damage to the human body. In this study, we examined whether two types of complex disease, cerebrovascular disease (CVD) or major depression (MD), systematically altered the transcriptomes of non-diseased human tissues and whether inflammation is linked to identifiable molecular signatures, using post-mortem samples from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project. Results Following a series of differential expression analyses, dozens to hundreds of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in multiple tissues between subjects with and without a history of CVD or MD. DEGs from these disease-associated tissues-the visceral adipose, tibial artery, caudate, and spinal cord for CVD; and the hypothalamus, putamen, and spinal cord for MD-were further analyzed for functional enrichment. Many pathways associated with immunological events were enriched in the upregulated DEGs of the CVD-associated tissues, as were the neurological and metabolic pathways in DEGs of the MD-associated tissues. Eight gene-tissue pairs were found to overlap with those prioritized by our transcriptome-wide association studies, indicating a potential genetic effect on gene expression for circulating cytokine phenotypes. Conclusion Cerebrovascular disease and major depression cause detectable changes in the gene expression of non-diseased tissues, suggesting that a possible long-term impact of diseases, lifestyles and environmental factors may together contribute to the appearance of "transcriptomic scars" on the human body. Furthermore, inflammation is probably one of the systemic and long-lasting effects of cerebrovascular events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Lam Poon
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Cho-Yi Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Zhuang RJ, Bai XX, Liu W. MicroRNA-23a depletion promotes apoptosis of ovarian cancer stem cell and inhibits cell migration by targeting DLG2. Cancer Biol Ther 2019; 20:897-911. [PMID: 30862230 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2019.1579960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) is xenogeneic that is influenced by many generated factors related to epigenetic factors to accelerate tumor metastasis. This study was conducted with the objective of investigating the effect of microRNA-23a-3p (miR-23a) on the biological characteristics of OC stem cells by targeting discs large homolog 2 (DLG2). OC-related differentially expressed genes were screened by microarray-based gene expression analysis, after which a list of miRNAs that regulate the genes was predicted. In total, 50 patients diagnosed with OC were enrolled in this study. DLG2 positive protein expression was measured in OC tissues. The interaction between DLG2 and miR-23a was predicted and analyzed through luciferase activity measurement. With the intervention of miR-23a and/or DLG2 expression in OC stem cells, the expression of miR-23a, DLG2, Bax, Bcl-2, Oct-4, and Nanog was determined. Afterward, different cell experiments were conducted to examine the regulation effect of miR-23a in OC stem cells. Tumor formation in vivo was also evaluated in nude mice. DLG2 had low expression in OC. The results showed that there was a decrease in the expression of Bcl-2, Oct-4, and Nanog, while DLG2 and Bax were increased as a result of miR-23a depletion. In addition, when miR-23a was suppressed, cell viability, migration, invasion, cloning, and renewal abilities of OC stem cells were decreased, while apoptosis ability was enhanced. As a target gene of miR-23a, DLG2 downregulation reversed the suppressive function of miR-23a in the inhibition of OC development. Finally, in vivo experiment verified that miR-23a downregulation restrained the tumor growth in OC stem cells. In conclusion, our findings suggested that the inhibition of miR-23a results in the suppression of OC progression by releasing DLG2, which provides new understanding on the potential therapeutic effect of miR-23a inhibition in OC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru-Jin Zhuang
- a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University , Harbin , P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Xu Bai
- a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University , Harbin , P.R. China
| | - Wei Liu
- a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University , Harbin , P.R. China
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