Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships Research Articles

Discovering Therapeutic Protein Targets for Bladder Cancer Using Proteomic Data Analysis.

Bladder cancer accounts for almost 54% of urinary system cancer and is the second most frequent cause of death in genitourinary malignancies after prostate cancer. About 70% of bladder tumors are non-muscle-invasive, and the rest are muscle-invasive. Recurrence of the tumor is the common feature of bladder cancer. Chemotherapy is a conventional treatment for MIBC, but it cannot improve the survival rate of these patients sufficiently. Therefore, researchers must develop new therapies. Antibody-based therapy is one of the most important strategies for the treatment of solid tumors. Selecting a suitable target is the most critical step for this strategy. The aim of this study is to detect therapeutic cell surface antigen targets in bladder cancer using data obtained by proteomic studies. Isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) analysis had identified 131 overexpressed proteins in baldder cancer tissue and reverse-phase proteomic array (RPPA) analysis had been done for 343 tumor tissues and 208 antibodies. All identified proteins from two studies (131+208 proteins) were collected and duplicates were removed (331 unique proteins). Gene ontology study was performed using gene ontology (GO) and protein analysis through evolutionary relationships (PANTHER) databases. The Human Protein Atlas database was used to search the protein class and subcellular location of membrane proteins obtained from the PANTHER analysis. Membrane proteins that could be suitable therapeutic targets for bladder cancer were selected. These included: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), Her2, Kinase insert domain receptor (KDR), Heat shock protein 60 (HSP60), HSP90, Transferrin receptor (TFRC), Activin A Receptor Like Type 1 (ACVRL1), and cadherin 2 (CDH2). Monoclonal antibodies against these proteins or their inhibitors were used for the treatment of different cancers in preclinical and clinical trials. These monoclonal antibodies and inhibitor molecules and also their combination can be used for the treatment of bladder cancer.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor and sarcoglycan delta genetic variants can affect cardiovascular risk in chronic kidney disease patients under hemodialysis

BackgroundChronic kidney disease (CKD) patients under hemodialysis show a higher risk of cardiovascular (CV) mortality and morbidity than the general population. This study aims to identify genetic markers that could explain the increased CV risk in hemodialysis. Methods A total of 245 CKD patients under hemodialysis were recruited and followed up for 5 years to record CV events. Genetic analysis was performed using single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyping by Infinium Expanded Multi-Ethnic Genotyping Array (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA) comparing patients with and without a history of CV events [161 cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and 84 no CVDs]. The fixation index (Fst) measure was used to identify the most differentiated SNPs, and gene ontology analysis [Protein Analysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER) and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA)] was applied to define the biological/pathological roles of the associated SNPs. Partitioning tree analysis interrogated the genotype–phenotype relationship between discovered genetic variants and CV phenotypes. Cox regression analysis measured the effect of these SNPs on new CV events during the follow-up (FU).ResultsFst analysis identified 3218 SNPs that were significantly different between CVD and no CVD. Gene ontology analysis identified two of these SNPs as involved in cardiovascular disease pathways (Ingenuity Pathway) and heart development (Panther) and belonging to 2 different genes: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP1R) and Sarcoglycan delta (SGCD). The phenotype–genotype analysis found a higher percentage of CVD patients carrying the GLP1R rs10305445 allele A (P = 0.03) and lower percentages of CVD patients carrying the SGCD rs145292439 allele A (P = 0.038). Moreover, SGCD rs145292439 was associated with higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (P = 0.015). Cox analysis confirmed the increased frequency of CV events during the 5-year FU in patients carrying GLP1R rs1035445 allele A but it did not show any significant association with SGCD rs145292439.ConclusionsThis study identified GLP1R rs10305445 and SCGD rs145292439 as potential genetic markers that may explain the higher risk of CVD in hemodialysis patients.

The embryo affects day 14 uterine transcriptome depending on nutritional status in sheep. a. Metabolic adaptation to pregnancy in nourished and undernourished ewes

This study investigated the effects of undernutrition and the presence of the conceptus at the time of maternal recognition of pregnancy on the expression of uterine indicators of metabolism in ewes. Adult Rasa Aragonesa ewes were allocated to one of two planes of nutrition for 28 days: maintenance energy intake (control; 5 cyclic and 6 pregnant ewes) providing 7.8 MJ of metabolisable energy, and 0.5 maintenance intake (undernourished; 6 cyclic and 7 pregnant ewes) providing 3.9 MJ of metabolisable energy per ewe. RNA from intercaruncular uterine tissue was harvested at slaughter on Day 14 of estrous cycle or pregnancy, and hybridized to the Agilent 15K Sheep Microarray chip. Functional bioinformatics analyses were performed using PANTHER (Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships) Classification System. The presence of the embryo upregulated expression of genes encoding peptide and monocarboxylate transporters regardless of nutritional treatment, although the degree of gene expression was lower in undernourished ewes. Genes encoding enzymes involved in glycolysis were downregulated both in pregnant control and undernourished ewes, probably as a compensatory mechanism for the increased glucose transport to the uterus. Compared with control cyclic ewes, control pregnant ewes had greater expression of genes involved in oxidation of fatty acids, suggesting increased uterine energy demands. This was not observed in undernourished pregnant animals when compared to undernourished cyclic ewes; nevertheless, those animals had lower uterine expression of enzymes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis. The presence of the embryo upregulated genes involved in electron transport probably as a result of increased energy demands for pregnancy. Overall, the data indicate that depending on the nutritional status of ewe, pregnancy alters gene expression of metabolic pathways related to energy generation in the uterus. An impairment in nutrient transport and metabolism in the uterus of pregnant undernourished ewes may explain the greater embryo mortality associated with undernutrition.

Identification of differentially expressed genes present in the whole blood of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension patients and control patients: An integrated bioinformatics approach

Abstract Introduction While Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) remains a commonly undiagnosed disease, it remains a life-threatening disease; it is characterized by pulmonary vascular remodelling subsequently leading to heart failure. Different researches have been at the forefront of exploring drugs for treatment and molecular biomarkers for early diagnosis of PAH. Method ology: In this study, we used an integrated bioinformatics approach to investigate Differentially Expressed Genes (DEG) in the whole blood of PAH patients relative to gender/age matching controls. Microarray dataset of the aforementioned experiment was retrieved from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). DEG analysis was carried out with the aid of the limma algorithm in-built in the GEO2R tool. Gene Ontology terms such as molecular function, biological process, cellular component, and pathway were investigated using the online tool Protein ANalysisTHrough Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER). Protein-Protein interaction network was carried out using STRING. Results From the analysis, 191 genes were down-regulated while 5 were up-regulated. Some of these genes are implicated in pathways involved in adrenaline and noradrenaline biosynthesis, angiogenesis, EGF receptor signaling pathway, and VEGF signaling pathway. Furthermore, in the ontology of molecular function, these genes are involved in transport activity, catalytic activity, and molecular transducer activity. Interestingly, the angiogenesis, adrenaline, and noradrenaline biosynthetic pathways are heavily involved in the pathogenesis and progression of PAH. Furthermore, the gene products of these predicted genes were also explored. Conclusion: The gene products (proteins) of these DEGs can be further explored as potential drug targets in the treatment of PAH. This study has also been able to establish the interaction responsible for PAH which can be explored in gene therapy.

Transcriptional profiling aligned with in situ expression image analysis reveals mosaically expressed molecular markers for GABA neuron sub-groups in the ventral tegmental area.

γ‐Aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) provide local inhibitory control of dopamine neuron activity and send long‐range projections to several target regions including the nucleus accumbens. They play diverse roles in reward and aversion, suggesting that they be comprised of several functionally distinct sub‐groups, but our understanding of this diversity has been limited by a lack of molecular markers that might provide genetic entry points for cell type‐specific investigations. To address this, we conducted transcriptional profiling of GABA neurons and dopamine neurons using immunoprecipitation of tagged polyribosomes (RiboTag) and RNAseq. First, we directly compared these two transcriptomes in order to obtain a list of genes enriched in GABA neurons compared with dopamine neurons. Next, we created a novel bioinformatic approach, that used the PANTHER (Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships) gene ontology database and VTA gene expression data from the Allen Mouse Brain Atlas, from which we obtained 6 candidate genes: Cbln4, Rxfp3, Rora, Gpr101, Trh and Nrp2. As a final step, we verified the selective expression of these candidate genes in sub‐groups of GABA neurons in the VTA (and neighbouring substantia nigra pars compacta) using immunolabelling. Taken together, our study provides a valuable toolbox for the future investigation of GABA neuron sub‐groups in the VTA.

Transcriptome Analysis Did Not Show Endogenous Stem Cell Characteristics in Murine Lgr5+ Retinal Cells.

Lgr5, an intestinal adult stem cell marker, was recently also found in neuronal tissues. We investigated whether retinal Lgr5+ cells express properties of neural stem cells (NSC) and/or of differentiated interneurons during retinal development. RNA was isolated from Lgr5+ and Lgr5− populations from postnatal day 5 (PN5) and adult retinas of Lgr5EGFP-Ires-CreERT2 knock-in mice sorted by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Transcriptome analyses were performed on two RNA samples of each developmental stage (PN5 and adult). The online platform PANTHER (Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships) was used to determine overrepresented gene ontology (GO) terms of biological processes within the set of differentially expressed genes. The detailed evaluation included gene expression in regard to stem cell maintenance/proliferation, cell cycle, and Wnt signaling but also markers of differentiated retinal neurons. None of the enriched GO terms of upregulated genes of Lgr5+ cells showed a positive association to NSC. On the contrary, NSC maintenance and proliferation rather prevail in the Lgr5− cell population. Furthermore, results suggesting that Wnt signaling is not active in the Lgr5+ population. Therefore, our transcriptome analysis of Lgr5+ retinal cells suggest that these cells are differentiated neurons, specifically glycinergic amacrine cells.

Differential proteome analysis in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients with thoracolumbar/lumbar curvatures

BackgroundAlthough the pathogenesis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) remains unclear, there are little evidences of the pathogenesis in patients with thoracolumbar/lumbar AIS. The purpose of this study was to identify proteins or proteomes that may be causally related to the pathogenesis of AIS with structured thoracolumbar/lumbar curvature using two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE).MethodsA total of 20 control volunteers and 61 AIS in patients with thoracolumbar/lumbar curvature were included. First, the plasma samples of each five AIS with pure thoracolumbar/lumbar curvature and control samples were subjected to 2D-DIGE analysis. Protein spots that were expressed differently by the AIS and control groups were selected and identified by nanoscale liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC-MS/MS) analysis. To characterize the differently-expressed proteins in AIS patients, we performed functional pathway analysis using the Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER) system. Additionally, the proteins were compared between control and AIS using western blotting. Lastly, prospectively collected 15 control and 41 AIS with thoracolumbar/lumbar curvature samples were compared to the differentially expressed proteins.ResultsA total of 3862 ± 137 spots were detected, of which 11 spots met the criteria when compared with controls. Nine proteins were identified by nanoLC-MS/MS. Functional analysis showed the association of the proteins in AIS patients with blood coagulation using the PANTHER system. Of the proteins, vitamin D binding protein (DBP) significantly correlated with Cobb angle in thoracolumbar/lumbar curvatures. DBP expression of the prospectively collected AIS samples were significantly higher than those of controls (P < 0.05).ConclusionsThis study suggests that DBP and several coagulation-related proteins may play a role in the pathogenesis of AIS. DBP appears to be a marker of severity of AIS with thoracolumbar/lumbar curvature.

Novel proteomic changes in brain mitochondria provide insights into mitochondrial dysfunction in mouse models of Huntington's disease

Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive ultimately fatal disorder caused by a glutamine-encoding CAG expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene that results in degeneration mainly in striatal and cerebro-cortical brain regions. Mitochondrial dysfunction is one important facet of HD pathogenesis. Here we used R6/2 and YAC128 HD mouse models of human HD, that express different HTT transgenes and have different progression rates, to identify HD brain mitochondrial proteomic signatures. Cerebral cortical mitochondrial preparations from HD and wild-type litter mate mice were compared by two-dimensional SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry. Proteomic analyses inferred 17 and 12 differentially expressed proteins, respectively in 12 week R6/2 and 15 month YAC128 HD mice, compared to controls. Peroxiredoxin 3, stress-70, DJ-1, isocitrate dehydrogenase [NAD] α subunit and ATP synthase subunit D were differentially expressed in both models. Using the PANTHER (Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships) classification system we show that the inferred proteins are involved in oxidative stress defense, oxidative phosphorylation, the citric acid cycle, pyruvate metabolism, apoptosis, protein folding and iron metabolism. Common mitochondrial proteomic changes are significant in mouse models of middle (YAC128) and advanced (R6/2) HD despite differences in the HTT transgenes, age, genetic background and disease stage. The findings identify a proteomic signature of HD mitochondria in mouse models that includes previously unrecognized proteins.

MiR-20b, miR-296, and Let-7f Expression in Human Adipose Tissue is Related to Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes.

This study aimed to analyze the potential association of different microRNA (miRNA) molecules with both type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity and determine their target genes. Quantitative PCR was used to analyze the miR-20b, miR-296, and Let-7f levels in human visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues (ATs) in relation to obesity and T2D, miRTarBase 4.0 was used for validation of target genes, and the Protein Analysis Through Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER) Classification System and the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) were used to annotate the biological processes of the predicted targets. In AT, miR-20b, miR-296, and Let-7f levels were significantly different between normoglycemic subjects and those with T2D. In visceral adipose tissue, miRNA levels were higher in normoglycemic/obesity samples than in T2D/obesity samples. miR-20b-miR-296 and Let-7f target genes that showed significant differences in both ATs in relation to obesity and T2D were CDKN1A, CX3CL1, HIF1A, PPP2R1B, STAT3, and VEGFA. These genes are known to be principally involved in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and WNT pathways. This study provides experimental evidence of the possible correlation between AT miR-20b-miR-296-Let-7f with obesity and T2D, which might involve vascular endothelial growth factor and WNT-dependent pathways that are regulated by six different genes, suggesting a novel signaling pathway that could be important for understanding the mechanisms underlying the AT dysfunction associated with obesity and T2D.

Varying dietary protein and fat elicits differential transcriptomic expression within stress response pathways in preweaned Holstein heifers

Increases in milk replacer dietary energy subsequently increase growth and weight in preweaned dairy heifers. However, the underlying effects of dietary component increases on key functional pathways have yet to be fully investigated. Elucidating these relationships may provide insights into the mechanisms through which protein and fat are partitioned for tissue growth and metabolism. We hypothesized that genes within key growth and metabolic pathways would be differentially expressed between calves fed a protein- and fat-restricted diet and calves fed a protein- and fat-enhanced diet. The objectives of this study were to (1) identify genes differentially expressed between dietary restricted calves and enhanced calves and (2) determine the key regulatory pathways influenced by these genes. Preweaned Holstein heifers (n = 12; 6 ± 0.02 d of age) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 milk replacer diets: enhanced (28.9% crude protein, 26.2% fat; n = 6) or restricted (20.9% crude protein, 19.8% fat; n = 6). Growth measures included average daily gain and gain-to-feed ratio. After 56 d, calves were killed for tissue collection. Samples from longissimus dorsi, adipose, and liver tissues were collected and RNA was isolated for RNA sequencing analysis. The MIXED procedure of SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC) was used to evaluate relationships of growth with dietary energy. Fixed effects included date of collection and time (day). Random effects included sire and birth weight. The RNA sequencing analysis was performed using CLC Genomics Workbench (Qiagen, Germantown, MD), and the Robinson and Smith exact test was used to identify differentially expressed genes between diets. The Protein Analysis Through Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER) database was then used to identify functional categories of differentially expressed genes. Enhanced calves had increased growth rates and feed efficiency compared with restricted calves (average daily gain = 0.76 and 0.22, respectively; gain-to-feed ratio = 0.10 and 0.06, respectively). There were 238 differentially expressed genes in adipose, 227 in longissimus dorsi, and 40 in liver. We identified 10 genes concordant among tissues. As expected, functional analyses suggested that the majority of genes were associated with metabolic or cellular processes, predominantly cell communication and cell cycle. Overall, it appears that varying levels of dietary protein and fat influence calf growth and development through metabolic processes, including oxidative phosphorylation and glyceroneogenesis. However, protein- and fat-restricted calves appeared to experience metabolic stress at a cellular level, as evidenced by an upregulation in stress response pathways, including genes in the p53 pathway. Calves could be fed at a higher level of protein and fat to decrease the prevalence of metabolic stress at the cellular level, but evidence indicating the presence of inflammatory stress and adipose fibrosis in enhanced calves prompts further investigation of the effects of milk replacer component levels.

Identification of a novel biomarker in tangeretin‑induced cell death in AGS human gastric cancer cells.

Proteomic analysis serves as an important biological tool for identifying biological events. Novel biomarkers of a specific disease such as cancer may be identified using these promising techniques. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of tangeretin and to identify potential biomarkers in AGS gastric cancer cells using a proteomics approach. The results of the present study revealed that tangeretin inhibited AGS cell viability dose-dependently with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 100 µM. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was performed to determine the potential biomarker between control and tangeretin (100 µM)-treated AGS cells. A total of 16 proteins was identified from 36 significant protein spots using matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionization time-of-flight-mass spectrometry using peptide fingerprinting. The bioinformatics tools Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER) and Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) were used to identify the functional properties and association of the proteins obtained. Using western blot analysis, the regulatory pattern of four selected proteins, protein kinase Cε, mitogen-activated protein kinase 4, phosphoinositide 4-kinase and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 14, were successfully verified in replicate sample sets. These selected proteins are primarily involved in apoptosis signaling, angiogenesis, cell cycle regulation, receptor kinase binding, intracellular cytoplasmic and nuclear alterations. Therefore, aim of the present study was to identify potential diagnostic biomarkers from the functional categories of altered protein expression in tangeretin-inhibited AGS gastric cancer cell viability.

Mapping the HLA Ligandome of Colorectal Cancer Reveals an Imprint of Malignant Cell Transformation.

Immune cell infiltrates have proven highly relevant for colorectal carcinoma prognosis, making colorectal cancer a promising candidate for immunotherapy. Because tumors interact with the immune system via HLA-presented peptide ligands, exact knowledge of the peptidome constitution is fundamental for understanding this relationship. Here, we comprehensively describe the naturally presented HLA ligandome of colorectal carcinoma and corresponding nonmalignant colon (NMC) tissue. Mass spectrometry identified 35,367 and 28,132 HLA class I ligands on colorectal carcinoma and NMC, attributable to 7,684 and 6,312 distinct source proteins, respectively. Cancer-exclusive peptides were assessed on source protein level using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and protein analysis through evolutionary relationships (PANTHER), revealing pathognomonic colorectal carcinoma-associated pathways, including Wnt, TGFβ, PI3K, p53, and RTK-RAS. Relative quantitation of peptide presentation on paired colorectal carcinoma and NMC tissue further identified source proteins from cancer- and infection-associated pathways to be overrepresented merely within the colorectal carcinoma ligandome. From the pool of tumor-exclusive peptides, a selected HLA-ligand subset was assessed for immunogenicity, with the majority exhibiting an existing T-cell repertoire. Overall, these data show that the HLA ligandome reflects cancer-associated pathways implicated in colorectal carcinoma oncogenesis, suggesting that alterations in tumor cell metabolism could result in cancer-specific, albeit not mutation-derived, tumor antigens. Hence, a defined pool of unique tumor peptides, attributable to complex cellular alterations that are exclusive to malignant cells, might comprise promising candidates for immunotherapeutic applications.Significance: Cancer-associated pathways are reflected in the antigenic landscape of colorectal cancer, suggesting that tumor-specific antigens do not necessarily have to be mutation-derived but may also originate from other alterations in cancer cells. Cancer Res; 78(16); 4627-41. ©2018 AACR.

A proteomic study of mesenchymal stem cells from equine umbilical cord

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study describing the proteome of equine umbilical cord intervascular matrix mesenchymal stem cells (UCIM-MSCs) in a global and functional manner. The aim of this work was to analyze the proteome of previously characterized UCIM-MSCs to determine protein abundance and classify the identified proteins according to Gene Ontology (GO) terms. Protein classification analysis according to biological process, molecular function and cellular component was performed using the PANTHER (Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships) Classification System, which revealed enrichment for 42 biological processes, 23 molecular functions and 18 cellular components. Protein abundance was estimated according to the emPAI method (Exponential Modified Protein Abundance Index). The two most abundant proteins in the proteome of UCIM-MSCs were the cytoskeletal proteins actin and vimentin, which have important roles in cell stability and motility. Additionally, we identified 14 cell surface antigens. Three of them, CD44, CD90 and CD105, had been previously validated by flow cytometry. In the present study, we also identified important information about the biological properties of UCIM-MSCs such as differentiation potential, low immunogenicity (low MHC-II expression) and chromosomal stability, which reinforces their use for cell therapy. Together with the proteomic findings, this information allowed us to infer the functional relevance of several activities related to primary metabolic processes, protein synthesis, production of vesicle coats, vesicle-mediated transport and antioxidant activity. In addition, the identification of different cell surface markers may help establish an immunophenotypic panel suitable for the characterization of MSCs from equine fetal membranes.

Proteomic analysis of chondromodulin-I-induced differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into chondrocytes

To identify novel proteins that might help clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying chondromodulin-I (ChM-I) induction of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) differentiate into chondrocytes. MSCs are triggered to differentiate into chondrocytes, which are recognized as important factors in cartilage tissue engineering. ChM-I is a glycoprotein that stimulates the growth of chondrocytes and inhibits angiogenesis in vitro. In this study, the proteomic approach was used to evaluate protein changes between undifferentiated MSCs and ChM-I-transfected MSCs. The expression of the protein spots was analyzed using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Then, 14 protein spots were identified between MSCs and ChM-I-transfected MSCs. 309 proteins were identified using mass spectrometry (MS). The differentially regulated proteins were categorized and annotated using Protein Analysis Through Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER) analysis with the aid of the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) tool. These proteins are included in a variety of metabolic pathways and signal transduction pathways, such as focal adhesion, glycolysis, actin cytoskeleton regulation, and ribosome. These results demonstrate novel information about the molecular mechanism by which ChM-I induce MSCs to differentiate into chondrocytes. These results also provide a solid foundation for the development of tissue-engineered cartilage.

Pharmacogenomics of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate for recurrent preterm birth: a case-control study.

To compare maternal genotypes between women with and without significant prolongation of pregnancy in the setting of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17-P) administration for the prevention of recurrent preterm birth (PTB). Case-control. Three tertiary-care centres across the USA. Women (n=99) with ≥1 prior singleton spontaneous PTB, receiving 17-P. Women were classified as having successful prolongation of pregnancy during the 17-P treated pregnancy, in two ways: (1) Definition A: success/non-success based on difference in gestational age at delivery between 17-P-treated and untreated pregnancies (success: delivered ≥3weeks later with 17-P) and (2) Definition B: success/non-success based on reaching term (success: delivered at term with 17-P). To assess genetic variation, all women underwent whole exome sequencing. Between-group sequence variation was analysed with the Variant Annotation, Analysis, and Search Tool (VAAST). Genes scored by VAAST with P<0.05 were then analysed with two online tools: (1) Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER) and (2) Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). Using Definition A, there were 70 women with successful prolongation and 29 without; 1375 genes scored by VAAST had P<0.05. Using Definition B, 47 women had successful prolongation and 52 did not; 1039 genes scored by VAAST had P<0.05. PANTHER revealed key differences in gene ontology pathways. Many genes from definition A were classified as prematurity genes (P=0.026), and those from definition B as pharmacogenetic genes (P=0.0018); (P, non-significant after Bonferroni correction). A novel analytic approach revealed several genetic differences among women delivering early vs later with 17-P. Several key genetic differences are present in women with recurrent preterm birth despite 17-P treatment.

Unique Alterations in the Immunopeptidome of Colorectal Cancer Reflect Specific Transformations in Cancer-Associated Signaling Pathways and Reveal Tumor-Specific HLA-Ligand Modulations

Background: Immunotherapy with checkpoint-inhibitors has shown spectacular results in the treatment of certain cancer types including microsatellite instable colorectal cancer (CRC). Applicability is believed to be dependent on the number of potential neo-epitopes derived from genetic mutations that are presented on cancer cells. In case of most microsatellite-stable CRC however, clinical responses to immune checkpoint blockade are so far disappointing. Therefore, we analyzed the non-mutant HLA immunopeptidome of CRC in order to provide an extensive dataset for the development of immunotherapeutic strategies in this very common malignancy.Methods: Tissue specimens from 35 primary CRC and corresponding non-malignant colon were analyzed after HLA immunoprecipitation by uHPLC tandem mass spectrometry. Maximally attainable quantities of source proteins (MAQS) expectable in HLA-ligandomes were estimated by regression analyses. Identified peptides and source proteins were annotated for their pathway association using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and the protein analysis through evolutionary relationships (PANTHER). HLA-ligands and source proteins were further analyzed semi-quantitatively assessing significant modulations on CRC tissue compared to adjacent benign colon, with particular focus on specific alterations observed exclusively in CRC tissue. Immunogenicity of the identified HLA-ligands (prioritized ligands for the 8 most frequent HLA-alleles HLA A*01, A*02, A*03, A*24, B*07, B*08, B*44, C*07) was evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 50 additional CRC patients and 120 healthy controls (15 each for the 8 most frequent HLA-types) using ELISpot and flow cytometry.Results: For MHC class I, peptides from 7684 source proteins (81% MAQS) were identified on CRC, as well as peptides from 6312 source proteins on (non-malignant) colon tissue (79% MAQS). For MHC class II, peptides from 1602 source proteins (63% MAQS) were identified, as well as peptides from 3835 source proteins on non-malignant colon tissue (75% MAQS). HLA-ligands and their respective source proteins were compared on tissue level (CRC vs. adjacent benign tissue), as well as against a database of 100 non-malignant human tissues of different origin in order to identify ligands and source proteins exclusively presented on CRC tissue. Implementing KEGG and PANTHER pathway analysis, overrepresented source proteins within MHC class I and II restricted ligands could be assigned to classical tumorigenesis pathways like WNT- and integrin signaling, as well as to the p53 signaling pathway. HLA ligands were further semi-quantitatively analyzed comparing tumor and autologous adjacent colon tissue leading to the exclusive identification of 1364 up-modulated and 1070 down-modulated source proteins in CRC tissue. Notably, 3 source proteins (represented by 10 HLA-ligands) showing significant up-modulation and frequent tumor-exclusive detection of derived HLA-ligands (in ≥3 CRC) were identified (LAMC-2, SLC52A2, SULF-1). For MHC class II, a single up-modulated source protein with exclusive detection in ≥2 CRC tissues (IL6R) was identified. Further analyses of HLA class I restricted peptides (n=359) derived from simultaneously up- and down-modulated source proteins revealed that the respective modulation was mainly a peptide sequence specific feature (31/359 (8.6%) peptides with up- and down-modulation). Preexisting T cell responses were observed against one tumor-exclusive up-modulated peptide (SULF-1) in CRC patients and 3 HLA restricted peptides established as immunogenic epitopes in CRC patients (TACC2, TNS4, IGHG2), as well as 2 additional HLA-restricted peptides confirmed as epitopes in healthy controls (GLA, ESRRA).Conclusions: We provide the first comprehensive analysis of the HLA immunopeptidome in a solid cancer (CRC). We observed that the presented ligandome can reflect tumor-specific alterations in protein metabolism. Moreover, tumor-exclusive up- and down-modulation of HLA-peptides was mainly sequence-specific, suggesting a differential posttranslational regulation of HLA-restricted peptides in CRC. The described approach for identification of relevant antigens might also enable patient-specific immunotherapeutic approaches in CRC patients. DisclosuresKowalewski:Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH: Employment. Bernhardt:DECODON: Employment.

Gene Expression Profiling of Reticulocytes in Patients with Hereditary Spherocytosis after Depleting Globin Gene Transcripts

IntroductionGlobal transcriptome analysis of circulating reticulocytes using microarrays is challenging due to the high abundance of globin transcripts. In order to accurately measure the transcriptome in reticulocytes, we planned to study the reticulocytes transcriptome profile before and after globin depletion. Patients with Hereditary Spherocytosis (HS) were recruited because of high reticulocytosis and also there was no global trancriptome profile available for the disease to the best of our knowledge.MethodsReticulocytes were purified by passing EDTA anticoagulated red cell suspensions through a column of microcrystalline cellulose and α-cellulose mixture. The extraction of total RNA was done fresh prior to microarray analysis using TRIzol reagent (Invitrogen) and RNeasy columns as per manufacturer’s instruction. The globin transcripts were depleted with starting quantity of 3 µg of total RNA.using GLOBINclearTMHuman kit (Ambion, Austin, TX). RNA quality were assessed before and after depletion using Agilent Technologies 2100 Bioanalyzer in each sample used for the study.The Agilent Low Input Quick Amp Labelling kit was used to generate cRNA with a sample input of 200 ng total RNA in single-color microarray analysis (SurePrint G3 Human Gene Expression v3 8x60K Microarray, G4858A- 072363). cRNA was hybridized for 17 hours at 65˚C. After thorough washing, the results were extracted with Feature Extraction Project software and analysed using GeneSpring v13.0. For this study, differentially expressed genes were identified according to the criteria: t-test unpaired p (Corr) cut-off = 0.05 and fold-change cut-off of 2.0. These differentially expressed genes were imported in PANTHER (Protein Analysis Through Evolutionary Relationships) classification system to classify the genes.ResultsTranscriptome profiling of reticulocyte RNA from HS patients revealed 5318 annotated transcripts and 2744 lnc-RNA/uncharacterized transcripts to be differentially regulated before globin depletion. After globin depletion increase (8196 annotated transcripts and 4292 lnc-RNA) in the number of differentially regulated genes were observed. An increase of 54% and 56% was seen in annotated transcripts and noncoding transcripts respectively after globin depletion. This increased coverage may be attributed to the removal of the globin transcript. Gene Ontology analysis for molecular function, biological process, cellular component and protein class did not reveal any difference in the percentage of the category, though the number of transcripts was more after depletion. There were approximately 7% more pathways in the globin transcript depleted samples. Namely, 2-arachidonoylglycerol biosynthesis, biotin biosynthesis, carnitine metabolism, cobalamin biosynthesis, coenzyme a linked carnitine metabolism, cysteine biosynthesis, flavin biosynthesis, phenylalanine biosynthesis, sulfate assimilation, tyrosine biosynthesis pathways, etc. were elucidated only after globin depletion.ConclusionsThe globin transcript reduction followed by microarray analysis represents a robust methodology for studying pathophysiology of hematologic diseases which are not related to globin chain disorders. Furthermore we describe the global transcriptome profile of HS for the first time. Globin transcript depletion elucidates the better number of the transcripts and eventually the pathways which may have been earlier masked under the abundance of globin mRNAs. Pathway analysis and validation experiments are required to explain the role of these differentially expressed genes in the pathophysiology of HS. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Characterisation of the circulating acellular proteome of healthy sheep using LC-MS/MS-based proteomics analysis of serum.

BackgroundUnlike humans, there is currently no publicly available reference mass spectrometry-based circulating acellular proteome data for sheep, limiting the analysis and interpretation of a range of physiological changes and disease states. The objective of this study was to develop a robust and comprehensive method to characterise the circulating acellular proteome in ovine serum.MethodsSerum samples from healthy sheep were subjected to shotgun proteomic analysis using nano liquid chromatography nano electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC-nanoESI-MS/MS) on a quadrupole time-of-flight instrument (TripleTOF® 5600+, SCIEX). Proteins were identified using ProteinPilot™ (SCIEX) and Mascot (Matrix Science) software based on a minimum of two unmodified highly scoring unique peptides per protein at a false discovery rate (FDR) of 1% software by searching a subset of the Universal Protein Resource Knowledgebase (UniProtKB) database (http://www.uniprot.org). PeptideShaker (CompOmics, VIB-UGent) searches were used to validate protein identifications from ProteinPilot™ and Mascot.ResultsProteinPilot™ and Mascot identified 245 and 379 protein groups (IDs), respectively, and PeptideShaker validated 133 protein IDs from the entire dataset. Since Mascot software is considered the industry standard and identified the most proteins, these were analysed using the Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER) classification tool revealing the association of 349 genes with 127 protein pathway hits. These data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD004989.ConclusionsThese results demonstrated for the first time the feasibility of characterising the ovine circulating acellular proteome using nanoLC-nanoESI-MS/MS. This peptide spectral data contributes to a protein library that can be used to identify a wide range of proteins in ovine serum.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12953-017-0119-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Proteomics screening of adenosine triphosphate-interacting proteins in the liver of diazinon-treated rats.

Diazinon (DZN) is one of the most important organophosphorus compounds used to control pests in agriculture in many countries. Several studies have shown that exposure to DZN may alter protein expression in the liver. In order to further investigate the mechanism of DZN toxicity, differentially expressed ATP-interacting proteins, following subacute exposure to toxin, were separated and identified in rat liver. Male rats were equally divided into four groups: control (corn oil) and DZN (15 mg/kg) by gavage once a day for 4 weeks. After homogenization of liver tissue, lysates were incubated ATP-sepharose beads. After several washes, ATP-interacting proteins were eluted and separated on 2-D polyacrylamide gels. Deferentially expressed proteins were cut and identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization/time-of-flight and Mascot database. Identified proteins were classified according to their biological process using protein analysis through evolutionary relationships (PANTHER) Web site. In this work, we showed that several key proteins involved in biological processes such as antioxidant system, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and metabolism were differentially expressed after subacute exposure to DZN.

S100A1 transgenic treatment of acute heart failure causes proteomic changes in rats

S100 Ca2+-binding protein A1 (S100A1) is an important regulator of myocardial contractility. The aim of the present study was to identify the underlying mechanisms of S100A1 activity via profiling the protein expression in rats administered with an S100A1 adenovirus (Ad-S100A1-EGFP) following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). LTQ OrbiTrap mass spectrometry was used to profile the protein expression in the Ad-S100A1-EGFP and control groups post-AMI. Using Protein Analysis Through Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER) analysis, 134 energy metabolism-associated proteins, which comprised 20 carbohydrate metabolism-associated and 27 lipid metabolism associated proteins, were identified as differentially expressed in the Ad-S100A1-EGFP hearts compared with controls. The majority of the differentially expressed proteins identified were important enzymes involved in energy metabolism. The present study identified 12 Ca2+-binding proteins and 22 cytoskeletal proteins. The majority of the proteins expressed in the Ad-S100A1-EGFP group were upregulated compared with the control group. These results were further validated using western blot analysis. Following AMI, Ca2+ is crucial for the recovery of myocardial function in S100A1 transgenic rats as indicated by the upregulation of proteins associated with energy metabolism and Ca2+-binding. Thus, the current study ascertained that energy production and contractile ability were enhanced after AMI in the ventricular myocardium of the Ad-S100A1-EGFP group.