Genome Wide Host Gene Expression Analysis in Chicken Lungs Infected with Avian Influenza Viruses

The molecular pathogenesis of avian influenza infection varies greatly with individual bird species and virus strain. The molecular pathogenesis of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) or the low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) infection in avian species remains poorly understood. Thus, global immune response of chickens infected with HPAI H5N1 (A/duck/India/02CA10/2011) and LPAI H9N2 (A/duck/India/249800/2010) viruses was studied using microarray to identify crucial host genetic components responsive to these infection. HPAI H5N1 virus induced excessive expression of type I IFNs (IFNA and IFNG), cytokines (IL1B, IL18, IL22, IL13, and IL12B), chemokines (CCL4, CCL19, CCL10, and CX3CL1) and IFN stimulated genes (OASL, MX1, RSAD2, IFITM5, IFIT5, GBP 1, and EIF2AK) in lung tissues. This dysregulation of host innate immune genes may be the critical determinant of the severity and the outcome of the influenza infection in chickens. In contrast, the expression levels of most of these genes was not induced in the lungs of LPAI H9N2 virus infected chickens. This study indicated the relationship between host immune genes and their roles in pathogenesis of HPAIV infection in chickens.     

Differential MicroRNA Expression Profile between Stimulated PBMCs from HIV-1 Infected Elite Controllers and Viremic Progressors

Background

The emerging relationship between microRNAs (miRNA) and viral-control is a topic of interest in the field of HIV. Host-genome might play an important role in the control of viremia. The aim of this study was to assess the specific miRNA profile that could contribute to the control of HIV replication in Elite Controllers

Results

After adequate normalization, expression profile of 286 human miRNAs (hsa-miR) was evaluated in phytohaemagglutinin-stimulated PBMCs from 29 individuals classified in 4 groups: 8 elite controllers (EC; viral load <50 cp/ml without treatment), 8 viremic progressors (VP; VL>5000 cp/ml without treatment), 8 patients under antiretroviral treatment (ART; VL<200 cp/ml) and 5 uninfected individuals (HIV-) through TaqMan Array Human microRNA Cards v3.0. A differential expression pattern consisting of 23 miRNAs became significantly different when comparing EC and VP. Profiling analysis segregated the population in two different blocks: while EC and HIV- clustered together in the same block (EC/HIV-_block 1), VP and ART individuals clustered together in a second block (VP/ART_block 2). Two inversely expressed miRNA patterns were determined within those two blocks: a set of 4 miRNAs (hsa-miR-221, -27a, -27b and -29b) was up-expressed in EC/HIV-_block and down-expressed in VP/ART_block while 19 miRNAs were down-expressed in block 1 and up-expressed in block 2. Differential miRNAs were successfully validated through individual RT-qPCR assays.

Conclusions

Profile in EC resembled HIV- and differentially clusters with VP and ART. Therefore, differential clustering does not rely on undetectable viremia.     

Hepatic Gene Expression Profile in Mice Perorally Infected with Echinococcus multilocularis Eggs

Background

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a severe chronic hepatic parasitic disease currently emerging in central and eastern Europe. Untreated AE presents a high mortality (>90%) due to a severe hepatic destruction as a result of parasitic metacestode proliferation which behaves like a malignant tumor. Despite this severe course and outcome of disease, the genetic program that regulates the host response leading to organ damage as a consequence of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis is largely unknown.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We used a mouse model of AE to assess gene expression profiles in the liver after establishment of a chronic disease status as a result of a primary peroral infection with eggs of the fox tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis. Among 38 genes differentially regulated (false discovery rate adjusted p≤0.05), 35 genes were assigned to the functional gene ontology group <immune response>, while 3 associated with the functional group <intermediary metabolism>. Upregulated genes associated with <immune response> could be clustered into functional subgroups including <macrophages>, <APCs>, <lymphocytes, chemokines and regulation>, <B-cells> and <eosinophils>. Two downregulated genes related to <lymphocytes, chemokines and regulation> and <intermediary metabolism>, respectively. The <immune response> genes either associated with an <immunosupression> or an <immunostimulation> pathway. From the overexpressed genes, 18 genes were subsequently processed with a Custom Array microfluidic card system in order to assess respective expression status at the mRNA level relative to 5 reference genes (Gapdh, Est1, Rlp3, Mdh-1, Rpl37) selected upon a constitutive and stable expression level. The results generated by the two independent tools used for the assessment of gene expression, i.e., microarray and microfluidic card system, exhibited a high level of congruency (Spearman correlation rho = 0.81, p = 7.87e-5) and thus validated the applied methods.

Conclusions/Significance

Based on this set of biomarkers, new diagnostic targets have been made available to predict disease status and progression. These biomarkers may also offer new targets for immuno-therapeutic intervention.     

转录因子XBP1S基因表达谱差异分析

目的 应用基因表达谱芯片技术了解XBP1S在肝细胞中可能上调或下调的基因,了解其可能的调节功能线索.方法 构建pcDNA3.1（-）-XBP1S真核表达载体,转染HepG2细胞,同时以空载体pcDNA3.1（-）处理相同细胞系作为对照.48 h后制备细胞裂解液,提取mRNA,应用基因表达谱芯片技术对差异表达mRNA进行检测和分析.结果 构建的表达载体经过限制性内切酶分析和DNA序列测定,证实准确无误,提取高质量的总mRNA并进行逆转录成为cDNA,进行基因表达谱芯片技术分析.经过差异基因表达谱的筛选,发现HepG2细胞转染XBP1S以后,有38个基因表达水平显著上调,30个基因表达水平显著下调.结论 成功构建XBP1S的真核表达载体pcDNA3.1（-）-XBP1S,运用基因表达谱芯片技术成功筛选了XBP1S转染细胞后的差异表达基因,这些差异表达基因包括细胞周期、蛋白质的翻译合成及运输、能量代谢、体内免疫调节、细胞凋亡及细胞内的信号转导等方面起重要作用及肿瘤发生相关的基因,为进一步阐明XBP1S可能存在的调控机制及XBP1S蛋白可能的生物学功能提供理论依据.     

Gene Expression Profile Analysis of Type 2 Diabetic Mouse Liver

Liver plays a key role in glucose metabolism and homeostasis, and impaired hepatic glucose metabolism contributes to the development of type 2 diabetes. However, the precise gene expression profile of diabetic liver and its association with diabetes and related diseases are yet to be further elucidated. In this study, we detected the gene expression profile by high-throughput sequencing in 9-week-old normal and type 2 diabetic db/db mouse liver. Totally 12132 genes were detected, and 2627 genes were significantly changed in diabetic mouse liver. Biological process analysis showed that the upregulated genes in diabetic mouse liver were mainly enriched in metabolic processes. Surprisingly, the downregulated genes in diabetic mouse liver were mainly enriched in immune-related processes, although all the altered genes were still mainly enriched in metabolic processes. Similarly, KEGG pathway analysis showed that metabolic pathways were the major pathways altered in diabetic mouse liver, and downregulated genes were enriched in immune and cancer pathways. Analysis of the key enzyme genes in fatty acid and glucose metabolism showed that some key enzyme genes were significantly increased and none of the detected key enzyme genes were decreased. In addition, FunDo analysis showed that liver cancer and hepatitis were most likely to be associated with diabetes. Taken together, this study provides the digital gene expression profile of diabetic mouse liver, and demonstrates the main diabetes-associated hepatic biological processes, pathways, key enzyme genes in fatty acid and glucose metabolism and potential hepatic diseases.     

HIV-1基因表达的转录调控

高效抗逆转录病毒治疗（HAART）可以有效地抑制人类免疫缺陷病毒Ⅰ型（HIV-1）的复制及血浆病毒载量,延缓发病进程,改善、提高患者的生活质量和存活时间。但是,一旦停止治疗就会导致血浆病毒血症迅速反弹,HIV-1以原病毒的形式在静息记忆CD4⁺T等细胞中的持续存在是清除HIV-1的一个障碍。HIV-1基因转录的激活与阻抑决定了受感染细胞进入产毒性感染或潜伏感染。本文从原病毒整合位置与转录干扰、细胞转录因子与HIV-1启动子相互作用招募RNA聚合酶起始转录、转录的表观遗传调控和反式激活因子Tat及其相关蛋白促进转录延伸等方面探讨了HIV-1原病毒转录调控机制。     

水稻低温响应基因OsCR1的克隆与表达分析

低温、高温、干旱等非生物胁迫是影响水稻产量与品质的重要非生物逆境因子.为了探索水稻耐逆的分子机理并挖掘新的水稻耐逆基因,采用Affymetrix 60K水稻基因表达芯片分析了培矮64S全基因组在上述逆境下的表达谱变化,筛选出一个受低温诱导表达水平显著升高的基因OsCR1( Oryza sativaL.cold resp...     

siRNA抑制HIV-1基因表达的研究

RNA干扰(RNAinterfering,RNAi)现象是动植物体内的一种序列特异性的、转录后基因沉默的过程.在哺乳动物细胞中,19～25个核苷酸长短的双链siRNA(smallinterferingRNA)可有效地抑制基因表达.利用pBS/H1SP载体,它表达的双链RNA的转录产物可以用来抑制特异性HIV-1基因的表达.在siRNA实验中,为了比较由H1启动子转录的siRNA在细胞内的作用,使用以绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)为报告基因的载体——pEGFP-C1质粒,在荧光显微镜下,很容易地看到EGFP在细胞中表达.将HIV-1siRNA表达载体与表达相应EGFP-HIV融合基因的质粒,共转染人胚肾293细胞,结果表明,和对照质控载体相比,转染了pHIV-siRNA质粒的细胞中EGFP-HIV的表达得到显著抑制.通过该途径,筛选出能抑制HIV-1基因表达的有效siRNA.此外,还在同一载体上表达两种或三种siRNA,分别针对不同的HIV基因,获得了良好的抑制效果.     

Rapid HIV-1 Disease Progression in Individuals Infected with a Virus Adapted to Its Host Population

HIV-1 escape from CTL is predictable based on the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) class I alleles expressed by the host. As such, HIV-1 sequences circulating in a population of hosts will harbor escape mutations specific to the HLA alleles of that population. In theory, this should increase the frequency of escape mutation transmission to persons expressing the restricting HLA allele, thereby compromising host immunity to the incoming HIV-1 strain. However, the clinical impact of infection with HIV-1 containing immune escape mutations has not conclusively been demonstrated. Japan’s population features limited HLA diversity which is driving population-level HIV adaptation: for example, >60% of Japanese express HLA-A*24:02 and its associated Nef-Y135F escape mutation represents the population consensus. As such, Japan is an ideal population in which to examine this phenomenon. Here, we combine genetic and immunological analyses to identify A*24:02-positive individuals likely to have been infected with Y135F-containing HIV-1. Over a ~5 year follow-up, these individuals exhibited significantly lower CD4 counts compared to individuals inferred to have been infected with wild-type HIV-1. Our results support a significant negative clinical impact of pathogen adaptation to host pressures at the population level.     

Regulation and Gene Expression Profiling of NKG2D Positive Human Cytomegalovirus-Primed CD4(+) T-Cells

NKG2D is a stimulatory receptor expressed by natural killer (NK) cells, CD8(+) T-cells, and γδ T-cells. NKG2D expression is normally absent from CD4(+) T-cells, however recently a subset of NKG2D(+) CD4(+) T-cells has been found, which is specific for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). This particular subset of HCMV-specific NKG2D(+) CD4(+) T-cells possesses effector-like functions, thus resembling the subsets of NKG2D(+) CD4(+) T-cells found in other chronic inflammations. However, the precise mechanism leading to NKG2D expression on HCMV-specific CD4(+) T-cells is currently not known. In this study we used genome-wide analysis of individual genes and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) to investigate the gene expression profile of NKG2D(+) CD4(+) T-cells, generated from HCMV-primed CD4(+) T-cells. We show that the HCMV-primed NKG2D(+) CD4(+) T-cells possess a higher differentiated phenotype than the NKG2D(-) CD4(+) T-cells, both at the gene expression profile and cytokine profile. The ability to express NKG2D at the cell surface was primarily determined by the activation or differentiation status of the CD4(+) T-cells and not by the antigen presenting cells. We observed a correlation between CD94 and NKG2D expression in the CD4(+) T-cells following HCMV stimulation. However, knock-down of CD94 did not affect NKG2D cell surface expression or signaling. In addition, we show that NKG2D is recycled at the cell surface of activated CD4(+) T-cells, whereas it is produced de novo in resting CD4(+) T-cells. These findings provide novel information about the gene expression profile of HCMV-primed NKG2D(+) CD4(+) T-cells, as well as the mechanisms regulating NKG2D cell surface expression.     

沈阳市人类免疫缺陷病毒的基因序列分析

从10份沈阳地区人类免疫缺陷病毒1型(HIV-1)血浆标本中提取核糖核酸(RNA),经逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)和套式聚合酶链反应(nest-PCR)扩增HIV-1的p17与p24交界部分的基因片断并进行测序。将所测序列与各亚型国际参考株及亚洲流行参考序列进行比对,确定被检标本的亚型,并进行基因序列分析。同时将所得亚型结果与经过亚型特异性引物的复合套氏PCR鉴定基因亚型的方法所获结果进行比较。结果表明,10份HIV-1病毒株分属B′、CRF07-BC和CRF01-AE3种基因亚型。本文所研究样本的p17区段的ks/ka值小于1,而p24区段的ks/ka值大于1;p24部分的基因同源性高于p17部分,即我国HIV-1B′、CRF07-BC和CRF01-AE3种亚型毒株的p17区段的基因变异较大,而p24区段相对较为保守。提示上述3种亚型HIV-1病毒株的p24区段更适合于HIV-1疫苗的研制。     

沈阳市人类免疫缺陷病毒的基因序列分析

从10份沈阳地区人类免疫缺陷病毒1型(HIV-1)血浆标本中提取核糖核酸(RNA),经逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)和套式聚合酶链反应(nest-PCR)扩增HIV-1的p17与p24交界部分的基因片断并进行测序.将所测序列与各亚型国际参考株及亚洲流行参考序列进行比对,确定被检标本的亚型,并进行基因序列分析.同时将所得亚型结果与经过亚型特异性引物的复合套氏PCR鉴定基因亚型的方法所获结果进行比较.结果表明,10份HIV-1病毒株分属B'、CRF07-BC和CRF01-AE 3种基因亚型.本文所研究样本的p17区段的ks/ka值小于1,而p24区段的ks/ka值大于1;p24部分的基因同源性高于p17部分,即我国HIV-1 B'、CRF07-BC和CRF01-AE 3种亚型毒株的p17区段的基因变异较大,而p24区段相对较为保守.提示上述3种亚型HIV-1病毒株的p24区段更适合于HIV-1疫苗的研制.     

Comparison of HIV-1 nef and gag Variations and Host HLA Characteristics as Determinants of Disease Progression among HIV-1 Vertically Infected Kenyan Children

Objectives

Disease progression varies among HIV-1-infected individuals. The present study aimed to explore possible viral and host factors affecting disease progression in HIV-1-infected children.

Methods

Since 2000, 102 HIV-1 vertically-infected children have been followed-up in Kenya. Here we studied 29 children (15 male/14 female) who started antiretroviral treatment at <5 years of age (rapid progressors; RP), and 32 (17 male/15 female) who started at >10 years of age (slow progressors; SP). Sequence variations in the HIV-1 gag and nef genes and the HLA class I-related epitopes were compared between the two groups.

Results

Based on nef sequences, HIV-1 subtypes A1/D were detected in 62.5%/12.5% of RP and 66.7%/20% of SP, with no significant difference in subtype distribution between groups (p = 0.8). In the ten Nef functional domains, only the PxxP₃ region showed significantly greater variation in RP (33.3%) than SP (7.7%, p = 0.048). Gag sequences did not significantly differ between groups. The reportedly protective HLA-A alleles, A*74:01, A*32:01 and A*26, were more commonly observed in SP (50.0%) than RP (11.1%, p = 0.010), whereas the reportedly disease-susceptible HLA-B*45:01 was more common in RP (33.3%) than SP (7.4%, p = 0.045). Compared to RP, SP showed a significantly higher median number of predicted HLA-B-related 12-mer epitopes in Nef (3 vs. 2, p = 0.037), HLA-B-related 11-mer epitopes in Gag (2 vs. 1, p = 0.029), and HLA-A-related 9-mer epitopes in Gag (4 vs. 1, p = 0.051). SP also had fewer HLA-C-related epitopes in Nef (median 4 vs. 5, p = 0.046) and HLA-C-related 11-mer epitopes in Gag (median 1 vs. 1.5, p = 0.044) than RP.

Conclusions

Compared to rapid progressors, slow progressors had more protective HLA-A alleles and more HLA-B-related epitopes in both the Nef and Gag proteins. These results suggest that the host factor HLA plays a stronger role in disease progression than the Nef and Gag sequence variations in HIV-1-infected Kenyan children.     

人类ZNF434基因的克隆、真核表达和组织表达谱分析

目的:克隆人类ZNF434基因并构建其真核表达质粒,鉴定ZNF434基因的组织表达谱。方法:实时定量PCR检测ZNF434基因在人体10种组织中的表达情况;克隆ZNF434基因的全长开放读码框区并连入真核表达载体pIRES2-EGFP,磷酸钙沉淀法转染HEK293T细胞,荧光显微镜和Western blot鉴定ZNF434蛋白的表达情况。结果:ZNF434基因在检测的人体组织中均有表达,其中骨髓和睾丸表达最高,成功克隆了ZNF434基因并构建了该基因的真核表达质粒ZNF434-pIRES2-EGFP,转染HEK293T细胞可观察到绿色荧光蛋白表达,Western blot可检测出分子量56kDa的Flag-ZNF434融合蛋白表达。结论:明确了人类ZNF434基因的组织表达谱,构建了该基因的真核表达载体,为该基因的进一步研究奠定了基础。     

面向药物发现和精准医疗的基因表达谱分析

作为功能基因组学中重要的组成部分,基因表达谱在生物学、医学和药物研发等多个领域发挥着重要作用.特别是随着精准医疗概念的提出,整合多组学数据用于个性化医疗是未来的发展趋势.本文从基因表达谱的基本概念出发,重点介绍面向药物发现的基因表达谱分析方法,即基于关联图谱的方法、基于基因调控网络的方法和基于多组学数据整合的方法.系统整理了各种方法的研究进展,特别是在抗癌药物研发领域的最新进展,为利用基因表达谱数据进行药物研发提供方法借鉴.