DNA microarray analysis of rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility genes identified by genome-wide association studies

In a recent interesting review, Alex Clarke and Timothy Vyse described the genetics of rheumatic disease [1]. In the past several years, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have led to the identification of six high-risk rheumatoid arthritis (RA) susceptibility genes - namely, CD244, PADI4, SLC22A2, PTPN22, CTLA4, and STAT4 (summarized in [2]). In vitro studies using mutant alleles and cultured cells have revealed the individual upregulation of CD244, PADI4, SLC22A2, and PTPN22 [2-6]; however, studies on the expression of RA susceptibility genes in RA patients are rare. We therefore investigated the expression of the above-mentioned six RA susceptibility genes in 112 RA patients using DNA microarray analysis. This study aims to clarify whether DNA microarray analysis and GWAS produce comparable results with respect to RA susceptibility genes.Total RNA extracted from total peripheral blood cells obtained from 112 RA patients and 45 healthy individuals was used to prepare aminoallyl RNA. As a reference, mixed RNA from 45 healthy individuals was used. The aminoallyl RNA of each individual and the reference was subjected to Cy3 and Cy5 labeling, respectively, and was hybridized with an oligonucleotide-based DNA microarray. The data obtained were analyzed by nonparametric statistical group comparison. The intensities of the noprobe spots were used as the background. The median and standard deviation of the background intensity were calculated. The genes with an intensity value that was less than the median plus 2 standard deviation of the background intensity were identified as null. The Cy3/Cy5 ratios of all spots on the DNA microarray were normalized using the global ratio median. Only gene expression data that were collected from at least 80% of samples from each group were selected for further analysis. The unpaired Mann-Whitney test was used to determine statistically significant differences in the mRNA expression levels between the RA and healthy groups. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.The results of our DNA microarray analysis showed that the expressions of four out of the six RA susceptibility genes were significantly higher in RA patients than in healthy individuals (1.0 × 10^-16 to 2.32 × 10^-5) (Table ​(Table1).1). As described above, the upregulation of these four genes (CD244, PADI4, SLC22A2, and PTPN22) has been previously confirmed in in vitro studies. We found, however, that CTLA4 expression levels were similar between the RA and control groups, whereas STAT4 expression was significantly downregulated in the RA group (1.38 × 10^-8). We investigated the expression of other RA susceptibility genes - namely, TRF1/C5 [7], CD40 [8], and CCL21 [8] - and found that their expressions were similar in both groups. The genetic risk factors for RA were recently reported to differ between Caucasian and Asian (Korean) populations [9]. The samples used in our microarray analysis were derived from the same Asian (Japanese) cohort. The expression profiles for these three genes may therefore not be consistent with the profiles determined by GWAS.

Table 1

Candidate genes identified from rheumatoid arthritis genome-wide association studies

Identification of genes associated with tumorigenesis of meibomian cell carcinoma by microarray analysis

Meibomian cell carcinoma (MCC) is a malignant tumor of the meibomian glands located in the eyelids. No information exists on the cytogenetic and genetic aspects of MCC. There is no report on the gene expression profile of MCC. Thus there is a need, for both scientific and clinical reasons, to identify genes and pathways that are involved in the development and progression of MCC. We analyzed the gene expression profile of MCC by the microarray technique. Forty-four genes were upregulated and 149 genes were downregulated in MCC. Differential expression data were confirmed for 5 genes by semiquantitative RT-PCR in MCC tumors: GTF2H4, RBM12, UBE2D3, DDX17, and LZTS1. We found dysregulation of two major pathways in MCC: MAPK and JAK/STAT. Clusters of genes on chromosomes 1, 12, and 19 were dysregulated in MCC. The data presented here will facilitate the identification of specific markers and therapeutic targets for the treatment of MCC patients.     

Identification of downstream target genes of latent membrane protein 1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by suppression subtractive hybridization

Proteolytic digestion of bovine beta-lactoglobulin by trypsin yielded four peptide fragments with bactericidal activity. The peptides were isolated and their sequences were found as follows: VAGTWY (residues 15-20), AASDISLLDAQSAPLR (residues 25-40), IPAVFK (residues 78-83) and VLVLDTDYK (residues 92-100). The four peptides were synthesized and found to exert bactericidal effects against the Gram-positive bacteria only. In order to understand the structural requirements for antibacterial activity, the amino acid sequence of the peptide VLVLDTDYK was modified. The replacement of the Asp (98) residue by Arg and the addition of a Lys residue at the C-terminus yielded the peptide VLVLDTRYKK which enlarged the bactericidal activity spectrum to the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Bordetella bronchiseptica and significantly reduced the antibacterial capacity of the peptide toward Bacillus subtilis. By data base searches with the sequence VLVLDTRYKK a high homology was found with the peptide VLVATLRYKK (residues 55-64) of human blue-sensitive opsin, the protein of the blue pigment responsible for color vision. A peptide with this sequence was synthesized and assayed for bactericidal activity. VLVATLRYKK was strongly active against all the bacterial strains tested. Our results suggest a possible antimicrobial function of beta-lactoglobulin after its partial digestion by endopeptidases of the pancreas and show moreover that small targeted modifications in the sequence of beta-lactoglobulin could be useful to increase its antimicrobial function.     

Egr1 regulates the coordinated expression of numerous EGF receptor target genes as identified by ChIP-on-chip

Background  

UV irradiation activates the epidermal growth factor receptor, induces Egr1 expression and promotes apoptosis in a variety of cell types. We examined the hypothesis that Egr1 regulates genes that mediate this process by use of a chip-on-chip protocol in human tumorigenic prostate M12 cells.