scholarly journals Early transcriptional landscapes of Chlamydia trachomatis-infected epithelial cells at single cell resolution

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regan J. Hayward ◽  
James W. Marsh ◽  
Michael S. Humphrys ◽  
Wilhelmina M. Huston ◽  
Garry S.A. Myers
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Host Cell ◽  
Chlamydial Infection ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
Large Cell ◽  
Transmitted Infection ◽  
Stress Changes

AbstractChlamydia are Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens responsible for a variety of disease in humans and animals worldwide. C. trachomatis causes trachoma (infectious blindness) in disadvantaged populations, and is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection in humans, causing reproductive tract disease. Antibiotic therapy successfully treats diagnosed chlamydial infections, however asymptomatic infections are common. High-throughput transcriptomic approaches have explored chlamydial gene expression and infected host cell gene expression. However, these were performed on large cell populations, averaging gene expression profiles across all cells sampled and potentially obscuring biologically relevant subsets of cells. We generated a pilot dataset, applying single cell RNA-Seq (scRNA-Seq) to C. trachomatis infected and mock-infected epithelial cells to assess the utility of single cell approaches to identify early host cell biomarkers of chlamydial infection. 264 time-matched C. trachomatis-infected and mock-infected HEp-2 cells were collected and subjected to scRNA-Seq. After quality control, 200 cells were retained for analysis. Two distinct clusters distinguished 3-hour cells from 6- and 12-hours. Pseudotime analysis identified a possible infection-specific cellular trajectory for Chlamydia-infected cells, while differential expression analyses found temporal expression of metallothioneins and genes involved with cell cycle regulation, innate immune responses, cytoskeletal components, lipid biosynthesis and cellular stress. Changes to the host cell transcriptome at early times of C. trachomatis infection are readily discernible by scRNA-Seq, supporting the utility of single cell approaches to identify host cell biomarkers of chlamydial infection, and to further deconvolute the complex host response to infection.

4 Molecularly guided multiplexed digital spatial analysis reveals differential gene expression profiles in the WNT-β-catenin pathway between melanoma and prostate tumors

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A4-A4
Author(s):  
Anushka Dikshit ◽  
Dan Zollinger ◽  
Karen Nguyen ◽  
Jill McKay-Fleisch ◽  
Kit Fuhrman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Spatial Information ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
Fluorescence Assay ◽  
Differentially Expressed ◽  
Tumor Type ◽  
Prostate Tumors

BackgroundThe canonical WNT-β-catenin signaling pathway is vital for development and tissue homeostasis but becomes strongly tumorigenic when dysregulated. and alter the transcriptional signature of a cell to promote malignant transformation. However, thorough characterization of these transcriptomic signatures has been challenging because traditional methods lack either spatial information, multiplexing, or sensitivity/specificity. To overcome these challenges, we developed a novel workflow combining the single molecule and single cell visualization capabilities of the RNAscope in situ hybridization (ISH) assay with the highly multiplexed spatial profiling capabilities of the GeoMx™ Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP) RNA assays. Using these methods, we sought to spatially profile and compare gene expression signatures of tumor niches with high and low CTNNB1 expression.MethodsAfter screening 120 tumor cores from multiple tumors for CTNNB1 expression by the RNAscope assay, we identified melanoma as the tumor type with the highest CTNNB1 expression while prostate tumors had the lowest expression. Using the RNAscope Multiplex Fluorescence assay we selected regions of high CTNNB1 expression within 3 melanoma tumors as well as regions with low CTNNB1 expression within 3 prostate tumors. These selected regions of interest (ROIs) were then transcriptionally profiled using the GeoMx DSP RNA assay for a set of 78 genes relevant in immuno-oncology. Target genes that were differentially expressed were further visualized and spatially assessed using the RNAscope Multiplex Fluorescence assay to confirm GeoMx DSP data with single cell resolution.ResultsThe GeoMx DSP analysis comparing the melanoma and prostate tumors revealed that they had significantly different gene expression profiles and many of these genes showed concordance with CTNNB1 expression. Furthermore, immunoregulatory targets such as ICOSLG, CTLA4, PDCD1 and ARG1, also demonstrated significant correlation with CTNNB1 expression. On validating selected targets using the RNAscope assay, we could distinctly visualize that they were not only highly expressed in melanoma compared to the prostate tumor, but their expression levels changed proportionally to that of CTNNB1 within the same tumors suggesting that these differentially expressed genes may be regulated by the WNT-β-catenin pathway.ConclusionsIn summary, by combining the RNAscope ISH assay and the GeoMx DSP RNA assay into one joint workflow we transcriptionally profiled regions of high and low CTNNB1 expression within melanoma and prostate tumors and identified genes potentially regulated by the WNT- β-catenin pathway. This novel workflow can be fully automated and is well suited for interrogating the tumor and stroma and their interactions.GeoMx Assays are for RESEARCH ONLY, not for diagnostics.

scholarly journals P02.10 FocuSCOPE: a single cell, multi-omics solution to simultaneously analyze tumor variants and microenvironment

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. A12.1-A12
Author(s):  
Y Arjmand Abbassi ◽  
N Fang ◽  
W Zhu ◽  
Y Zhou ◽  
Y Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Tumor Microenvironment ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Genetic Variants ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
Single Cell Sequencing

Recent advances of high-throughput single cell sequencing technologies have greatly improved our understanding of the complex biological systems. Heterogeneous samples such as tumor tissues commonly harbor cancer cell-specific genetic variants and gene expression profiles, both of which have been shown to be related to the mechanisms of disease development, progression, and responses to treatment. Furthermore, stromal and immune cells within tumor microenvironment interact with cancer cells to play important roles in tumor responses to systematic therapy such as immunotherapy or cell therapy. However, most current high-throughput single cell sequencing methods detect only gene expression levels or epigenetics events such as chromatin conformation. The information on important genetic variants including mutation or fusion is not captured. To better understand the mechanisms of tumor responses to systematic therapy, it is essential to decipher the connection between genotype and gene expression patterns of both tumor cells and cells in the tumor microenvironment. We developed FocuSCOPE, a high-throughput multi-omics sequencing solution that can detect both genetic variants and transcriptome from same single cells. FocuSCOPE has been used to successfully perform single cell analysis of both gene expression profiles and point mutations, fusion genes, or intracellular viral sequences from thousands of cells simultaneously, delivering comprehensive insights of tumor and immune cells in tumor microenvironment at single cell resolution.Disclosure InformationY. Arjmand Abbassi: None. N. Fang: None. W. Zhu: None. Y. Zhou: None. Y. Chen: None. U. Deutsch: None.

scholarly journals Single-cell immune repertoire and transcriptome sequencing reveals that clonally expanded and transcriptionally distinct lymphocytes populate the aged central nervous system in mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 288 (1945) ◽  
pp. 20202793
Author(s):  
Alexander Yermanos ◽  
Daniel Neumeier ◽  
Ioana Sandu ◽  
Mariana Borsa ◽  
Ann Cathrin Waindok ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
B Cells ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Somatic Hypermutation ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
Cell Receptor ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Neuroinflammation plays a crucial role during ageing and various neurological conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and infection. Technical limitations, however, have prevented an integrative analysis of how lymphocyte immune receptor repertoires and their accompanying transcriptional states change with age in the central nervous system. Here, we leveraged single-cell sequencing to simultaneously profile B cell receptor and T cell receptor repertoires and accompanying gene expression profiles in young and old mouse brains. We observed the presence of clonally expanded B and T cells in the central nervous system of aged male mice. Furthermore, many of these B cells were of the IgM and IgD isotypes, and had low levels of somatic hypermutation. Integrating gene expression information additionally revealed distinct transcriptional profiles of these clonally expanded lymphocytes. Our findings implicate that clonally related T and B cells in the CNS of elderly mice may contribute to neuroinflammation accompanying homeostatic ageing.

scholarly journals The single-cell transcriptional landscape of lung carcinoid tumors

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Bischoff ◽  
Alexandra Trinks ◽  
Jennifer Wiederspahn ◽  
Benedikt Obermayer ◽  
Jan Patrick Pett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Carcinoid Tumor ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
Carcinoid Tumors ◽  
Cellular Composition ◽  
Cell Gene Expression ◽  
Cell Gene ◽  
Lung Carcinoid

AbstractLung carcinoid tumors, also referred to as pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors or lung carcinoids, are rare neoplasms of the lung with a more favorable prognosis than other subtypes of lung cancer. Still, some patients suffer from relapsed disease and metastatic spread while no consensus treatment exists for metastasized carcinoids. Several recent single-cell studies have provided detailed insights into the cellular heterogeneity of more common lung cancers, such as adeno- and squamous cell carcinoma. However, the characteristics of lung carcinoids on the single-cell level are yet completely unknown.To study the cellular composition and single-cell gene expression profiles in lung carcinoids, we applied single-cell RNA sequencing to three lung carcinoid tumor samples and normal lung tissue. The single-cell transcriptomes of carcinoid tumor cells reflected intertumoral heterogeneity associated with clinicopathological features, such as tumor necrosis and proliferation index. The immune microenvironment was specifically enriched in noninflammatory monocyte-derived myeloid cells. Tumor-associated endothelial cells were characterized by distinct gene expression profiles. A spectrum of vascular smooth muscle cells and pericytes predominated the stromal microenvironment. We found a small proportion of myofibroblasts exhibiting features reminiscent of cancer-associated fibroblasts. Stromal and immune cells exhibited potential paracrine interactions which may shape the microenvironment via NOTCH, VEGF, TGFβ and JAK/STAT signaling. Moreover, single-cell gene signatures of pericytes and myofibroblasts demonstrated prognostic value in bulk gene expression data.Here, we provide first comprehensive insights into the cellular composition and single-cell gene expression profiles in lung carcinoids, demonstrating the non-inflammatory and vessel-rich nature of their tumor microenvironment, and outlining relevant intercellular interactions which could serve as future therapeutic targets.

Spatial Transcriptomics analysis of uterine gene expression in enhancer of Zeste homolog 2 (Ezh2) conditional knockout mice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana M Mesa ◽  
Jiude Mao ◽  
Theresa I Medrano ◽  
Nathan J Bivens ◽  
Alexander Jurkevich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
Reproductive Organs ◽  
Conditional Knockout ◽  
Estrogen Signaling ◽  
Uterine Epithelial Cell ◽  
Stromal Tissue

Abstract Histone proteins undergo various modifications that alter chromatin structure, including addition of methyl groups. Enhancer of homolog 2 (EZH2), is a histone methyltransferase that methylates lysine residue 27, and thereby, suppresses gene expression. EZH2 plays integral role in the uterus and other reproductive organs. We have previously shown that conditional deletion of uterine EZH2 results in increased proliferation of luminal and glandular epithelial cells, and RNAseq analyses reveal several uterine transcriptomic changes in Ezh2 conditional (c) knockout (KO) mice that can affect estrogen signaling pathways. To pinpoint the origin of such gene expression changes, we used the recently developed spatial transcriptomics (ST) method with the hypotheses that Ezh2cKO mice would predominantly demonstrate changes in epithelial cells and/or ablation of this gene would disrupt normal epithelial/stromal gene expression patterns. Uteri were collected from ovariectomized adult WT and Ezh2cKO mice and analyzed by ST. Asb4, Cxcl14, Dio2, and Igfbp5 were increased, Sult1d1, Mt3, and Lcn2 were reduced in Ezh2cKO uterine epithelium vs. WT epithelium. For Ezh2cKO uterine stroma, differentially expressed key hub genes included Cald1, Fbln1, Myh11, Acta2, and Tagln. Conditional loss of uterine Ezh2 also appears to shift the balance of gene expression profiles in epithelial vs. stromal tissue toward uterine epithelial cell and gland development and proliferation, consistent with uterine gland hyperplasia in these mice. Current findings provide further insight into how EZH2 may selectively affect uterine epithelial and stromal compartments. Additionally, these transcriptome data might provide the mechanistic understanding and valuable biomarkers for human endometrial disorders with epigenetic underpinnings.

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