Abstract
BackgroundTelocytes (TCs) are suggested as a new type of interstitial cells with specific telopodes. Our previous study evidenced that TCs differed from fibroblasts and stem cells at the aspect of gene expression profiles. The present study aims to search the characters and patterns of chromosome X genes of TC-specific or TC-dominated gene profiles and fingerprints, investigate the network of principle genes, and explore potential functional association.MethodsWe compared gene expression profiles in chromosome X of pulmonary TCs with mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), fibroblasts (Fb), alveolar type II cells (ATII), airway basal cells (ABC), proximal airway cells (PAC), CD8+ T cells come from bronchial lymph nodes (T-BL), or CD8+ T cells from lungs (T-L) by global analyses, and selected the genes which were consistently up or down regulated (>1 fold) in TCs compared to other cells as TC-specific genes. The functional and characteristic networks were identified and compared by bioinformatics tools.ResultsWe selected 31 chromosome X genes as the TC-specific or dominated genes, among which 8 up-regulated (Flna, Msn, Cfp, Col4a5, Mum1l1, Rnf128, Syn1, and Srpx2) and 23 down-regulated (Abcb7, Atf1, Ddx26b, Drp2, Fam122b, Gyk, Irak1, Lamp2, Mecp2, Ndufb11, Ogt, Pdha1, Pola1, Rab9, Rbmx2, Rhox9, Thoc2, Vbp1, Dkc1, Nkrf, Piga, Tmlhe and Tsr2), as compared with other cells.ConclusionsOur data suggested that gene expressions of chromosome X in TCs are different with those in other cells in the lung tissue. According to the selected TC-specific genes, we infer that pulmonary TCs function as modulators which may enhance cellular growth and migration, resist senescence, protect cells from external stress, regulate immune responses, participate in tissue remodeling and repair, regulate neural function, and promote vessel formation.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12967-015-0669-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Telocytes (TCs) are suggested as a new type of interstitial cells with specific telopodes
The present study aims to search TC-specific or dominated gene profiles and fingerprints of chromosome X, investigate the network of principle genes, and explore potential functional association
The result of clustering showed a close relationship of TCs were harvested on day 5 (TC5) and TC10, and obvious difference between TCs and other kind of cells
Summary
Telocytes (TCs) are suggested as a new type of interstitial cells with specific telopodes. Our previous study evidenced that TCs differed from fibroblasts and stem cells at the aspect of gene expression profiles. Telocytes (TCs) as a new type of interstitial cells are characterized with extensive telopodes [1], and found in multiple organs/tissues, including heart [2], trachea and. Our previous studies initially demonstrated that pulmonary TCs were allocated near the basement membrane of the bronchiolar epithelium, between airway smooth muscle cells, or in pulmonary interstitial space [3].Pulmonary TCs were inferred to play significant roles in lung diseases, e.g. involving in the course of repair after injury, contributing to the development of pulmonary infectious diseases and stimulating the proliferation of fibroblasts during the process of fibrosis, etc. There is a need to select several specific biomarkers of TCs to differ between pulmonary TCs and other tissue resident cells, e.g. fibroblasts, stem cells, epithelial cells, and inflammatory cells
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