Expression Patterns Of Markers Research Articles

MP84-04 ENDOGENOUS EFFECTS OF LEPTIN ON LEYDIG STEM CELL DIFFERENTIATION ARE SPECIFIC TO PATIENT'S BMI

You have accessJournal of UrologySexual Function/Dysfunction: Basic Research & Pathophysiology (MP84)1 Apr 2020MP84-04 ENDOGENOUS EFFECTS OF LEPTIN ON LEYDIG STEM CELL DIFFERENTIATION ARE SPECIFIC TO PATIENT'S BMI Himanshu Arora*, Rehana Qureshi, Kajal khodamoradi, Madhumita Parmar, and Ranjith Ramasamy Himanshu Arora*Himanshu Arora* More articles by this author , Rehana QureshiRehana Qureshi More articles by this author , Kajal khodamoradiKajal khodamoradi More articles by this author , Madhumita ParmarMadhumita Parmar More articles by this author , and Ranjith RamasamyRanjith Ramasamy More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000000976.04AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Several factors like genetic predisposition, lifestyle to environment contribute to male reproductive health. At a cellular level, adult Leydig cells in the testes are essential for reproductive function, as they synthesize and release testosterone. However, the growth and differentiation of Leydig cells could be affected by paracrine factors released by adjacent testicular environment which is constituted of Sertoli and Peritubular myoid cells. In one of our studies, we demonstrated that Leptin, a paracrine factor secreted by Sertoli cells, is critical for Leydig stem cell (LSC) differentiation and subsequent testosterone production via its regulation of desert hedgehog (DHH) signaling. Furthermore, it is well established that obesity plays a role in infertility, and obese men have low testosterone and leptin resistance. Therefore, In the present study, we evaluated the hypothesis that Leptin has specific endogenous effects on Leydig stem cell differentiation that are specific to patient’s BMI. METHODS: A total of 12 men with testicular failure that were subcategorized as obese (BMI >35), normal (BMI 25-30), and lean (BMI <25) underwent testis biopsies for sperm retrieval. Using an IRB approved protocol, about 10mg of testicular tissue from each of these men were processed for Leydig stem cell isolation, culture and characterized. Post characterization via Flow cytometry and Immunostaining, cells were studied for dose dependent (0, 1, 10 ng/mL respectively) and time dependent (24, 48, 72, and 96 hours) effects of Leptin treatment in the presence or absence of Sertoli and Peritubular Myoid cells. To validate the effects of Leptin over Hedgehog signaling, cells were treated with Leptin in the presence of Hedgehog signaling agonists (SAG) and antagonists (Vismodigib). After treatment, RNA isolation was performed to evaluate the effects of BMI, leptin dose, and leptin treatment time on LSC differentiation. Immunofluorescence staining using 3bHSD, LHR, SOX-9, GLI-1, PDGFR-a, and SMO was performed. Furthermore, flow cytometry analysis for shift in cell population was studied using antibodies against 3bHSD, Nestin, SOX-9, PLZF, PDGFR-a, and Vimentin respectively. GraphPad Prism (GraphPad Software) was used for statistical analysis. All data were presented as the means ± SEM. The statistical significance between two groups was estimated by unpaired two-tailed t test. RESULTS: Results showed BMI specific patterns (p<0.05) of LSC differentiation with varying leptin concentrations. For example, with increasing leptin doses, the expression patterns of Hedgehog signaling markers (GLI and SMO) and LSC differentiation markers (3BHSD) found were positively linear in lean samples, bell-shaped in normal BMI samples, and inverted in obese samples. Furthermore, immunostaining and flow cytometry results showed that in the presence of low doses of leptin in cells from men with normal BMI, there was a shift of the testicular cell population towards adult Leydig cells (increased population of cells staining positive for 3BHSD, LHR) and increased DHH signaling (GLI and SMO). However, these patterns were not consistent in cells from lean or obese patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate the critical influence BMI has in affecting leptin signaling and LSC differentiation in the testes. These findings suggest the future potential use of Leptin as a personalized therapy for inducing LSC differentiation and overcoming low Testosterone levels. Further studies are necessary to identify potential therapeutic effects of leptin treatment in improving fertility in the setting of leptin resistance and obesity. Source of Funding: Supported by the American Urological Association Research Scholar Award and Stanley Glaser Award to RR. J.M.H. is supported by NIH grants 1R01 HL137355, 1R01 HL107110, 1R01 HL134558, 5R01 CA136387, 5UM1 HL113460 and Soffer Family Foundation. © 2020 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 203Issue Supplement 4April 2020Page: e1265-e1266 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2020 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Himanshu Arora* More articles by this author Rehana Qureshi More articles by this author Kajal khodamoradi More articles by this author Madhumita Parmar More articles by this author Ranjith Ramasamy More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Marked epithelial to mesenchymal transition in surgical margins of oral cancer-an in vitro study.

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a feature of several types of human cancer, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In the present study, tumor and margin cell cultures obtained from patients with OSCC were used to determine the expression patterns of certain EMT-associated markers, including vimentin, α-smooth muscle actin, SLUG and SNAIL. In addition, other EMT-associated features, including clonal, proliferative and migratory potential were compared between the two cell types. Cell cultures were generated from tumor and margin tissue samples from 6 patients and cultured up to the fifth passage. EMT marker expression was assessed by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Cell proliferation, colony formation and scratch wound healing assays were conducted to characterize the two cell types in terms of proliferation rates, clonality and motility. All of the studied markers were expressed in tumor and margin cells. Although no significant differences were noted with regard to the aforementioned markers, their expression tended to be higher in margin cultures than in tumor cultures. The expressions of the EMT markers were also higher in the fifth passage compared with those noted at the first with a few exceptions. The rates of proliferation and cell migration were decreased during passages, while the number of colonies was increased in both types of cell culture. Tumor and margin cells indicated certain similarities with regard to EMT transition characteristics.

Characterization of proliferation, differentiation potential, and gene expression among clonal cultures of human dental pulp cells

Mesenchymal stem cells are a highly promising source of cells for regeneration therapy because of their multilineage differentiation potential. However, distinct markers for mesenchymal stem cells are not well-established. To identify new candidate marker genes for multipotent human dental pulp stem cells, we analyzed the characteristics and gene expression profiles of cell clones obtained from a single dental pulp specimen derived from an 11-year-old female patient. Fifty colony-forming single cell-derived clones were separately cultured until the cessation of growth. These clones varied in their proliferation abilities and surface marker (STRO-1 and CD146) expression patterns, as well as their odontogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic differentiation potentials. Four clones maintained their original differentiation potentials during long-term culture. Gene expression profile by DNA microarray analysis of five representative clones identified 1227 genes that were related to multipotency. Ninety of these 1227 genes overlapped with genes reportedly involved in ‘stemness or differentiation’. Based on the predicted locations of expressed protein products and large changes in expression levels, 14 of the 90 genes were selected as candidate dental pulp stem cell markers, particularly in relation to their multipotency characteristics. This characterization of cell clones obtained from a single specimen of human dental pulp provided information regarding new candidate marker genes for multipotent dental pulp stem cells, which could facilitate efficient analysis or enrichment of multipotent stem cells.

A Comparison of Different Immune Activation Strategies to Reverse HIV-1 Latency.

Resting CD4+ T cells are the best characterized component of the latent reservoir. Activation of these CD4+ T cells is needed to optimize transcription and viral replication, and this strategy has been used to measure the inducible reservoir. There are several methods that can be used to activate CD4+ T cells, and in this study, we compared 3 different strategies: the combination of the lectin phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and irradiated allogeneic feeders, a combination of PHA and a superagonistic anti-CD28 antibody, and the combination of the protein kinase C agonist phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and the calcium ionophore ionomycin. We show that each strategy induces a different pattern of expression of activation markers on CD4+ T cells. However, the different activation strategies induced similar frequencies of latently infected CD4+ T cells from people living with HIV on suppressive antiretroviral therapy regimens to produce replication-competent virus. Furthermore, the frequency of infectious units per million induced by each regimen was positively correlated with the copies of intact proviral DNA per million CD4+ T cells. Our results suggest that no single pattern of activation marker expression is most associated with latency reversal and demonstrate that different immune activation strategies reverse latency in a low frequency of CD4+ T cells that harbor intact proviral DNA.

Insulin-like growth factor-II overexpression accelerates parthenogenetic stem cell differentiation into cardiomyocytes and improves cardiac function after acute myocardial infarction in mice

BackgroundParthenogenetic stem cells (PSCs) are a promising source of regenerated cardiomyocytes; however, their application may be limited without a paternal genome. Insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II), a paternally expressed growth hormone, is critical in embryonic differentiation. This study investigated whether forced expression of IGF-II in PSCs can accelerate their differentiation.MethodsOverexpression and re-knockdown of IGF-II in PSCs were performed to investigate the role of IGF-II in PSC differentiation. The derivatives of PSCs with different IGF-II manipulations were transplanted into infarcted murine hearts to investigate the role of IGF-II in cardiomyocyte differentiation in vivo.ResultsData showed that the expression of cardiac troponin T and troponin I in IGF-II-PSC outgrowths preceded that of parental PSC outgrowths, suggesting that IGF-II can accelerate PSC differentiation into cardiac lineage. Overexpression of IGF-II accelerated PSC differentiation towards cardiomyocytes while inhibiting PSC proliferation via the IGF-II/IGF1R signaling. Similar to that observed in cardiac marker expression, on differentiation day 24, IGF-II-PSCs showed PCNA and cyclin D2 expression comparable to juvenile mouse cardiomyocytes, showing that IGF-II-PSCs at this stage possess differential and proliferative properties similar to those of juvenile cardiomyocytes. Moreover, the expression pattern of cardiac markers in IGF-II-overexpressing PSC derivatives resembled that of juvenile mouse cardiomyocytes. After transplantation into the infarcted mouse hearts, IGF-II-PSC-derived cardiomyocytes displayed significant characteristics of mature cardiomyocytes, and IGF-II-depletion by shRNA significantly reversed these effects, suggesting the critical role of IGF-II in promoting cardiomyocyte maturation in vivo. Furthermore, IGF-II-overexpressing PSC derivatives reduced collagen deposition and mitochondrial damage in the infarcted areas and improved cardiac function. The re-knockdown of IGF-II could counteract these favorable effects of IGF-II.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that the ectopic expression of IGF-II accelerates PSC differentiation into the cardiac lineage and promotes cardiomyocyte maturation. The underlying process includes the IGF-II/IGF1R signaling, which is involved in the suppressive effect of IGF-II on PSC proliferation. Moreover, transplanting IGF-II-overexpressing PSC derivatives into the infarcted heart could reduce collagen deposition and improve mitochondria biogenesis and measurements of cardiac function, highlighting the importance of IGF-II in the application of PSCs in cardiac regeneration.

Clinical relevance of the comparative expression of immune checkpoint markers with the clinicopathological findings in patients with primary and chemoreduced retinoblastoma.

The goal of this study is to identify the pathological findings and expression of immune checkpoint marker (PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4) in the tumor microenvironment of both primary and chemoreduced retinoblastoma and correlate them with clinicopathological parameters and patient outcome. Total of 262 prospective cases was included prospectively in which 144 cases underwent primary enucleation and 118 cases received chemotherapy/radiotherapy before enucleation (chemoreduced retinoblastoma). Immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR and western blotting were performed to evaluate the expression pattern of immune checkpoint markers in primary and chemoreduced retinoblastoma. Tumor microenvironment were different for both primary and chemoreduced retinoblastoma. Expression of PD-1 was found in 29/144 (20.13%) and 48/118 (40.67%) in primary and chemoreduced retinoblastoma, respectively, whereas PD-L1 was expressed in 46/144 (31.94%) and 22/118 (18.64%) in cases of primary and chemoreduced retinoblastoma, respectively. Expression pattern of CTLA-4 protein was similar in both groups of retinoblastoma. On multivariate analysis, massive choroidal invasion, bilaterality and PD-L1 expression (p = 0.034) were found to be statistically significant factors in primary retinoblastoma, whereas PD-1 expression (p = 0.015) and foamy macrophages were significant factors in chemoreduced retinoblastoma. Overall survival was reduced in cases of PD-L1 (80.76%) expressed primary retinoblastoma, and PD-1 (63.28%) expressed chemoreduced retinoblastoma. This is the first of its kind study predicting a relevant role of the immune checkpoint markers in both groups of primary and chemoreduced retinoblastoma with prognostic significance. Differential expression of these markers in both group of retinoblastoma is a novel finding and might be an interesting and beneficial target for chemoresistant tumors.

Cloning, characterization and ontogenetic expression profile of RAG-2 and IgM in angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare).

Early larval developmental stages of fish are highly susceptible to opportunistic pathogens until the complete maturation of the lymphoid organs. Knowledge of the expression pattern of important markers of adaptive immune system during the ontogenetic development is essential before vaccinating the fish. In the present study, Pterophyllum scalare (angelfish) was taken to explore the relative expression profile of developmental markers of adaptive immunity, recombination activating gene-2 (RAG-2) and immunoglobulin M (IgM). The fishes were bred and early developmental stages (0-45days post-hatched) were used to assess the expression profile. The genes, RAG-2 and IgM were cloned and sequenced with the base pair lengths of 1958bp and 225bp respectively. The mRNA expression of RAG-2 appeared at insignificant level at the first day of hatching, but the expression was significantly increased from 24 dph (days post-hatching) onwards and reached its peak at 27 dph. The results proved that the maturation of lymphoid organs was completed at 27 dph as the respective protein is involved in the V(D)J recombination, important for the maturation of lymphoid organs. A similar trend was also observed in the mRNA transcript levels of IgM gene and a significantly high expression was detected from 27 dph onwards. The present study suggested that the suitable time for vaccination in P. scalare could be taken at 27 dph, as the maturation and development of lymphoid organs is completed thus helps in stimulating the adaptive response of immunity against any pathogen.

Dromedary camel CD14high MHCIIhigh monocytes display inflammatory properties and are reduced in newborn camel calves

BackgroundIn human and different animal species, blood monocytes are classified based on their expression pattern of different monocytic markers into phenotypically and functionally different subsets. In the current study, we used flow cytometry and monoclonal antibodies to CD172a, CD14, CD163 and MHCII to identify monocyte subsets in peripheral blood of dromedary camels.ResultsBased on CD14, CD163 and MHCII expression, camel CD172a + monocytes were divided into three subsets: The major subpopulation of camel monocytes (mo-I) showed high expression of CD14 and CD163, but low expression of MHCII. A second subset of monocytes (mo-II) expressed highly all three markers, CD14, CD163 and MHCII. A third monocyte subset (mo-III) displayed low expression of CD14 and CD163 with high MHCII expression. While the two MHCIIhigh subsets (mo-II and mo-III) showed higher expression of CD11a in comparison to the MHCIIlow subset (mo-I), CD18 and CD11b were highest expressed on the two CD14high subsets (mo-I and mo-II). Bacterial stimulation of camel leukocytes identified mo-II cells as an antimicrobial monocyte subset with the highest phagocytic and ROS production capacity. The comparison of monocyte counts and phenotype between newborn calves and adult camels revealed significantly reduced numbers of mo-II cells in newborn animals. Monocytes of newborns expressed significantly more CD172a and CD163 molecules but less CD14 and MHCII molecules than monocytes of adult camels.ConclusionsCamel monocyte subsets, mo-I, mo-II and mo-III are counterparts of bovine classical, intermediate and non-classical monocytes respectively. The distribution of camel monocyte subsets is influenced by age.

Morphological differences between regenerating salivary glands after salivary gland duct ligation and embryonic salivary glands

BackgroundMost animals and organs have regenerative capabilities. Whether regeneration is a developmental process or a distinct phenomenon that is independent of development is debatable. MethodWe examined the differences between developing and regenerating salivary glands using duct-ligation models. We performed morphological analyses comparing submandibular gland regeneration and development. To reveal the proliferation processes that occur during salivary gland regeneration and development, we counted the number of Ki67-positive cells over time. In addition, we examined the expression of the following markers: aquaporin 5, smooth muscle actin, cytokeratin 7, and tubulin beta 3. ResultThe proliferation patterns seen during regeneration differed from those observed during development. Different salivary gland marker expression patterns were seen during development and regeneration. ConclusionThis study showed that regenerating salivary glands do not follow the same growth process as developing salivary glands.

Slug overexpression and association with clinicopathological features in gastric cancer.

426 Background: Slug is a suppressive transcriptional factor of E-cadherin, acting as an activator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT). Its clinical relevance in gastric cancer(GC) is not fully known. Methods: Our study evaluated the expression patterns of EMT and cancer stem cell markers in GC patients who had clinical stage 2-3, underwent gastrectomy, D2 lymph node dissection (LND), adjuvant chemotherapy. Immunohistochemistry of E-cadherin, vimentin, CD133, ABCG2, NEDD9, SMAD4, XB130, Slug, Snail were investigated from 210 gastric cancer samples using tissue microarrays. The correlation between each markers expressed and the association with clinicopathological factors were analyzed. Results: Slug expression was more frequent in stage 3 than stage 2 (p=0.000), advanced T (p=0.007) and N stage (p=0.001), while histologic type did not make difference. Slug expression correlated with the expression of cancer stem cell marker CD133 (r=0.180, p=0.015) and CD133 expression was also related with ABCG2 (r=0.412, p=0.000). High Slug group showed shorter overall survival, compared to low Slug group (median OS 134 vs 124 months, p=0.044). The 2-year and 5-year disease-free (DF) rate for patients with high Slug and low Slug was 87.1% and 79.8%, 68.1% and 79.8%, respectively(p=0.038). The DFS curve reached an earlier plateau at 11-month in low Slug group, while in high Slug group took as long as 99 months. A multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards regression model demonstrated Slug to be an independent prognostic factor for overall survival; hazard ratio 0.504 [95% CI 0.278-0.916] (p=0.025). Conclusions: In stage 2-3 GC patients who underwent gastrectomy with D2 LND and adjuvant chemotherapy, high Slug expression is associated with better disease-free and overall survival. Patients may benefit by testing Slug immunohistochemistry to predict prognosis after gastrectomy.

Exosomal markers (CD63 and CD9) expression and their prognostic significance using immunohistochemistry in right-sided and left-sided colon cancer.

182 Background: Exosomes play pivotal roles in cancer progression, metastasis and chemoresistance. CD63 and CD9 are widely accepted exosomal markers. Their pattern of expression and prognostic significance in patients with RSCC and LSCC is unknown. This study explored CD63 and CD9 expression and prognostic significance in patients with RSCC and LSCC using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Methods: Between 2015 and 2018, 63 patients underwent surgical resection of colon cancer for whom we had available tissues for CD63 and CD9 IHC staining. Two pathologists independently scored the CD63 and CD9 expression in the tumor and adjacent normal mucosa (ANM). Staining intensity was graded 1-3 and staining percentage was estimated in 10% increments. Mean Quick-score (Q-score) (intensity X percentage of staining) was calculated. Results: RSCC and LSCC represented 52% and 48% of the patients respectively. The ANM and Tumor CD63 Q-scores were 225 vs 191 (p = 0.009) in RSCC and 224 vs 154 (p = 0.0001) in LSCC, respectively. The ANM and Tumor CD9 Q-scores were 134 vs 152 (p = 0.142) in RSCC and 135 vs 154 (p = 0.137) in LSCC, respectively. In patients with RSCC and LSCC, the mean Tumor CD63 Q-score was 191 vs 154 (p = 0.024), while the mean ANM CD63 Q-score was 225 vs 224 (p = 0.920). The mean Tumor CD9 Q-score was 152 and 154 (p = 0.883), and the mean ANM CD9 Q-score was 134 vs 135 (p = 0.926). In our cohort, there was no difference in progression free survival (PFS) between patients with RSCC and LSCC (p = 0.2349). In all patients, there was no difference in PFS in patients with CD63 expression &lt; 100 and ≥100 (p = 0.8284). Among patients with RSCC, there was a significantly lower PFS in patients with CD63 expression &lt; 100 vs. ≥100 (p = 0.0259). However, among patients with LSCC, there was no difference in PFS in patients with CD63 expression &lt; 100 vs. ≥100 (p = 0.3494). Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to show a difference in exosomal marker (CD63) expression pattern and its prognostic significance in patients with RSCC and LSCC. There was a significant positive correlation between progression free survival in patients with RSCC and higher exosomal expression.

Sphere-forming corneal cells repopulate dystrophic keratoconic stroma: Implications for potential therapy.

Keratoconus is a degenerative corneal disease characterised by aberrant cell behaviour and loss of matrix that can result in vision loss. Cells extracted from peripheral corneas can form stem cell-enriched spheres, which have shown the potential to repopulate the normal peripheral corneal stroma in vitro upon sphere implantation but have not been previously studied in keratoconic tissue. To investigate the therapeutic potential of stem cell-enriched spheres formed from extracted peripheral human corneal cells when introduced to keratoconic tissue. Stem cell-enriched spheres were formed from extracts of normal cadaveric human peripheral corneal cells. These spheres were implanted into incisions created in full thickness and onto the surface of 10 µm thin sections of keratoconic and normal stromal tissues in vitro. Tissue sections were used to maximise use of limited keratoconic tissue available for research. Living cells were stained with Calcein-AM and visualised with stereo and fluorescence microscopy to assess survival and behaviours between the time of implantation day 0 and 14 d (D14) from implantation. Sphere cells in implanted tissues were characterised for stem cell and differentiation markers using immunohistochemistry and droplet digital PCR to assess the potential implications of these characteristics in the use of spheres in keratoconus treatment. Spheres were successfully implanted into full-thickness central corneal tissue and onto the surface of 10 µm thin en face tissue sections. No observable differences were seen in sphere migration, proliferation or differentiation in keratoconic tissue compared to normal between day 0 and D14. Spheres stained positively with Calcein-AM up to D14. Cell migration increased from day 0 to D14, occurring radially in three dimensions from the sphere and in alignment with tissue edges. Cell proliferation marker, EdU, was detected at day 10. Implanted spheres stained positively for putative stem cell markers ∆Np63α and ABCB5, while ABCG2, ABCB5, ∆Np63 and p63α were detectable by droplet digital PCR up to D14. Double immunolabelling revealed absence of ABCB5 staining in migrated cells but positive staining of alpha smooth muscle actin (myofibroblast marker) in some migrated cells. Droplet digital PCR showed similar expression patterns of differentiation markers but a reduction in stem cell markers between normal and keratoconic tissue with an increase in stromal cell markers and a reduction in epithelial cell markers, indicating an appropriate response to repopulating diseased tissue. Cells from implanted stem cell-enriched spheres can repopulate a keratoconic corneal stromal surface in a directed manner and exhibit migratory stromal cell phenotypes.

Human Medulloblastoma Cell Lines: Investigating on Cancer Stem Cell-Like Phenotype.

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. Despite the progress of new treatments, the risk of recurrence, morbidity, and death remains significant and the long-term adverse effects in survivors are substantial. The fraction of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) because of their self-renewal ability and multi-lineage differentiation potential is critical for tumor initiation, growth, and resistance to therapies. For the development of new CSC-targeted therapies, further in-depth studies are needed using enriched and stable MB-CSCs populations. This work, aimed at identifying the amount of CSCs in three available human cell lines (DAOY, D341, and D283), describes different approaches based on the expression of stemness markers. First, we explored potential differences in gene and protein expression patterns of specific stem cell markers. Then, in order to identify and discriminate undifferentiated from differentiated cells, MB cells were characterized using a physical characterization method based on a high-frequency dielectrophoresis approach. Finally, we compared their tumorigenic potential in vivo, through engrafting in nude mice. Concordantly, our findings identified the D283 human cell line as an ideal model of CSCs, providing important evidence on the use of a commercial human MB cell line for the development of new strategic CSC-targeting therapies.

P085 Deep profiling of the circulating immune cell landscape in inflammatory bowel disease by mass cytometry

Abstract Background A complex interplay of innate and adaptive immune cells maintains intestinal homeostasis. In inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the fragile balance between regulatory and inflammatory cell subsets breaks down. The latter are recruited to the gut where they sustain intestinal inflammation and lead to tissue destruction. Due to re-circulation and gut-homing processes, the circulating immune cell compartment experiences profound changes that reflect disease activity. Meanwhile, single-cell techniques like mass cytometry have become a powerful technology to shed a light on the heterogeneity and dynamics of immune cells. As obtaining intestinal biopsies from inflamed gut is invasive and poses patients at risk, diagnostics and therapy monitoring from ‘liquid biopsies’ would be a great advance. A deeper understanding of the circulating immune cell landscape in IBD pre- and post-treatment could significantly contribute to IBD patient management by early prediction of therapy response. Methods Whole blood from 24 IBD patients—including 16 ulcerative colitis (UC) and 6 Crohn’s disease (CD) patients before treatment—and 18 age- and sex-matched healthy donors (HDs) was incubated with proteomic stabiliser and frozen. Upon thawing, cell suspensions were Palladium barcoded, stained with a 37-marker panel and acquired on a Helios mass cytometer. The generated dataset was normalised, de-barcoded and subsequently analysed. Results Using dimensionality reduction and neural-network-based algorithms, we faithfully identified different circulating immune subsets in healthy donors and IBD patients. Our preliminary analysis revealed altered myeloid cell populations, like neutrophils and macrophages, in IBD patients. In line with an activation of the innate immune system, we observed a considerable increase in the neutrophil compartment compared with healthy donors. Moreover, patterns of marker expression within different subsets showed substantial differences between healthy donors, CD and UC patients. Conclusion Here, we show a mass cytometry panel that identifies the circulating immune cell landscape and shows major differences between healthy donors, CD and UC patients.

Immunophenotyping monocytes, macrophages and granulocytes in the Pteropodid bat Eonycteris spelaea

Bats are asymptomatic reservoir hosts for several highly pathogenic viruses. Understanding this enigmatic relationship between bats and emerging zoonotic viruses requires tools and approaches which enable the comparative study of bat immune cell populations and their functions. We show that bat genomes have a conservation of immune marker genes which delineate phagocyte populations in humans, while lacking key mouse surface markers such as Ly6C and Ly6G. Cross-reactive antibodies against CD44, CD11b, CD14, MHC II, and CD206 were multiplexed to characterize circulating monocytes, granulocytes, bone-marrow derived macrophages (BMDMs) and lung alveolar macrophages (AMs) in the cave nectar bat Eonycteris spelaea. Transcriptional profiling of bat monocytes and BMDMs identified additional markers – including MARCO, CD68, CD163, CD172α, and CD88 – which can be used to further characterize bat myeloid populations. Bat cells often resembled their human counterparts when comparing immune parameters that are divergent between humans and mice, such as the expression patterns of certain immune cell markers. A genome-wide comparison of immune-related genes also revealed a much closer phylogenetic relationship between bats and humans compared to rodents. Taken together, this study provides a set of tools and a comparative framework which will be important for unravelling viral disease tolerance mechanisms in bats.

Prognostic factors of patients with Gliomas \u2013 an analysis on 335 patients with Glioblastoma and other forms of Gliomas

BackgroundThe prognosis of glioma is poor, despite recent advances in diagnosis and treatment of the disease. It is important to investigate the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of glioma so as to provide basis for treatment and management of patients.MethodA total of 335 patients with glioma were included in this study. These patients were admitted to the medical center between November 2015 and December 2018. The clinical data, including demographic data, tumor characteristics, treatment strategy, expression pattern of tumor markers, and survival data, were retrospectively reviewed. Survival data were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves with log-rank test, while multivariate analysis Cox regression model was used to investigate risk factors for mortality.ResultsIn this patient cohort, glioblastoma (40%), diffuse glioma (14.6%) and oligodendroglioma (9.6%) were the most common pathological types. The expression of Ki-67 was associated with several clinicopathological parameters (e.g. tumor type, grade, and number of lesions). In addition, Ki-67 correlated with the mortality within the first year of the post-treatment follow-up (P < 0.001). Kaplan-Maier analysis revealed that older patients (≥ 45 years) displayed worse prognosis than those aged under 45 years (P = 0.038). Dismal prognosis was also associated with clinical parameters, including high tumor grade, multiple lesions, and Karnofsky performance score (KPS). Multivariate analysis showed that low KPS (< 85) increased the risk of mortality by 2.3 folds with a 95% CI of 1.141 to 4.776 (P = 0.020). Low tumor grade (grade 1–2) oppositely reduced the mortality risk by 0.22 folds (95% CI, 0.065 to 0.763, P = 0.0168).ConclusionKPS and tumor grade were independent prognostic factors in patients with gliomas.

Profiling myelodysplastic syndromes by mass cytometry demonstrates abnormal progenitor cell phenotype and differentiation.

BackgroundWe sought to enhance the cytometric analysis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) by performing a pilot study of a single cell mass cytometry (MCM) assay to more comprehensively analyze patterns of surface marker expression in patients with MDS.MethodsTwenty‐three MDS and five healthy donor bone marrow samples were studied using a 34‐parameter mass cytometry panel utilizing barcoding and internal reference standards. The resulting data were analyzed by both traditional gating and high‐dimensional clustering.ResultsThis high‐dimensional assay provided three major benefits relative to traditional cytometry approaches: First, MCM enabled detection of aberrant surface maker at high resolution, detecting aberrancies in 27/31 surface markers, encompassing almost every previously reported MDS surface marker aberrancy. Additionally, three previously unrecognized aberrancies in MDS were detected in multiple samples at least one developmental stage: increased CD321 and CD99; and decreased CD47. Second, analysis of the stem and progenitor cell compartment (HSPCs), demonstrated aberrant expression in 21 of the 23 MDS samples, which were not detected in three samples from patients with idiopathic cytopenia of undetermined significance. These immunophenotypically abnormal HSPCs were also the single most significant distinguishing feature between clinical risk groups. Third, unsupervised clustering of high‐parameter MCM data allowed identification of abnormal differentiation patterns associated with immunophenotypically aberrant myeloid cells similar to myeloid derived suppressor cells.ConclusionsThese results demonstrate that high‐parameter cytometry methods that enable simultaneous analysis of all bone marrow cell types could enhance the diagnostic utility of immunophenotypic analysis in MDS.

Differential Expression of CD31 and Von Willebrand Factor on Endothelial Cells in Different Regions of the Human Brain: Potential Implications for Cerebral Malaria Pathogenesis.

Cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (CMVECs) line the vascular system of the brain and are the chief cells in the formation and function of the blood brain barrier (BBB). These cells are heterogeneous along the cerebral vasculature and any dysfunctional state in these cells can result in a local loss of function of the BBB in any region of the brain. There is currently no report on the distribution and variation of the CMVECs in different brain regions in humans. This study investigated microcirculation in the adult human brain by the characterization of the expression pattern of brain endothelial cell markers in different brain regions. Five different brain regions consisting of the visual cortex, the hippocampus, the precentral gyrus, the postcentral gyrus, and the rhinal cortex obtained from three normal adult human brain specimens were studied and analyzed for the expression of the endothelial cell markers: cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31) and von-Willebrand-Factor (vWF) through immunohistochemistry. We observed differences in the expression pattern of CD31 and vWF between the gray matter and the white matter in the brain regions. Furthermore, there were also regional variations in the pattern of expression of the endothelial cell biomarkers. Thus, this suggests differences in the nature of vascularization in various regions of the human brain. These observations also suggest the existence of variation in structure and function of different brain regions, which could reflect in the pathophysiological outcomes in a diseased state.

Use of Four-Color Flow Cytometric Assay for Discrimination of Hematogone from Lymphoblast: Critical Issue for MRD Assessment in B-ALL Patients

Background: Hematogones are normal B-cell precursor which can be seen in different physiological and pathological conditions. Due to variation in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) blasts immunophenotyping and interference of hematogones in minimal residual disease (MRD) assessment, precise discrimination of hematogones is very crucial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression pattern of surface markers in hematogones and compare them with lymphoblasts. Material and Methods: In this applied study, flow cytometric analysis was performed using Coulter FC-500 and MXP software in 4-color combination and 6 different tubes. In this study, 85 patients diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia were evaluated. Out of these patients, 45 were boys and 40 were girls. Patients aged from 1 to 15 years old. In addition, 27 bone marrow samples from other patients aged 4 to 18 years were included in this investigation. These samples had been obtained for other diagnostic purposes, such as immune thrombocytopenic purpura and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Results: During flow cytometric analysis, hematogones showed expressions of CD19, CD20, CD22, CD10, CD45, CD81, CD123, CD9, CD34 (partial expression), and tdt (partial expression). In these patients, hematgones were negative for CD66c expression. Lymphoblastic cells were positive for CD19, CD20 (in some cases), CD22, CD10, CD45, CD81, CD123, CD58, CD9, CD66c, CD34 (in most cases), and TDT. CD81 mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) in hematogones was higher than that in lymphoblasts. (112.5 (30-251) vs. 17.5 (5-30); P&lt;0.0001) Conclusion: According to findings of this study, it seems that the use of CD81, CD58, CD123, CD66c, CD9, and CD81 MFI in combination with B-Cells associated markers can be very effective in differentiating hematogone from lymphoblast.

The spatiotemporal expression patterns of MSC-associated markers contribute to the identification of progenitor subpopulations in developing limbs

During limb development, skeletal tissues differentiate from their progenitor cells in an orchestrated manner. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), which are considered to be adult undifferentiated/progenitor cells, have traditionally been identified by the expression of MSC-associated markers (MSC-am) and their differentiation capacities. However, although MSCs have been isolated from bone marrow and a variety of adult tissues, their developmental origin is poorly understood. Remarkably, adult MSCs share similar differentiation characteristics with limb progenitors. Here, we determined the expression patterns of common MSC-am throughout mouse hindlimb development. Our results demonstrate that MSC-am expression is not restricted to undifferentiated cells in vivo. Results from the analysis of MSC-am spatiotemporal expression in the embryonic hindlimb allowed us to propose five subpopulations which represent all limb tissues that potentially correspond to progenitor cells for each lineage. This work contributes to the understanding of MSC-am expression dynamics throughout development and underlines the importance of considering their expression patterns in future MSC studies of the limb.