Expressional and functional studies of CKLF1 during dendritic cell maturation

CKLF1 in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases

Chemokine like factor 1 (CKLF1) is a novel atypical chemokine, playing a crucial role in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CCVDs) demonstrated by a growing body of works. In cardiovascular diseases including atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction, meanwhile in cerebrovascular diseases such as ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke, the expression levels of CKLF1 change markedly, which triggers downstream signaling pathways by binding with its functional receptors, and then exerts multiple effects to participate in the occurrence and development of these CCVDs. The functional roles of CKLF1 are dynamic and CKLF1 may act as a double-edged sword. The CCVDs-promoting role is related to recruiting inflammatory cells, enhancing the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells, while the CCVDs-suppressing role may correlate with migration of nerve cells and promotion of hematopoietic stem cell proliferation which contributes to disease recovery. Based on this, the paper intends to review expression shifts, potential roles, and molecular mechanisms of CKLF1 in CCVDs, and the current status of CKLF1 targeted therapeutic strategies is also included. We hope this review may provide a valuable reference for using CKLF1 as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for CCVDs or developing novel treatments.

Role of chemokine-like factor 1 as an inflammatory marker in diseases

Immunoinflammatory mechanisms have been incrementally found to be involved in the pathogenesis of multiple diseases, with chemokines being the main drivers of immune cell infiltration in the inflammatory response. Chemokine-like factor 1 (CKLF1), a novel chemokine, is highly expressed in the human peripheral blood leukocytes and exerts broad-spectrum chemotactic and pro-proliferative effects by activating multiple downstream signaling pathways upon binding to its functional receptors. Furthermore, the relationship between CKLF1 overexpression and various systemic diseases has been demonstrated in both in vivo and in vitro experiments. In this context, it is promising that clarifying the downstream mechanism of CKLF1 and identifying its upstream regulatory sites can yield new strategies for targeted therapeutics of immunoinflammatory diseases.

CMTM5/7 are biomarkers and prognostic factors in human breast carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing family (CMTM) is the protein product of at least one splice variant of each gene contained a Marvel (MAL and related proteins for vesicle trafficking and membrane link) domain, involved in a variety of cellular processes and the pathogenesis of diseases, including tumorigenesis. However, the diverse expression patterns and prognostic values of eight CMTMs have yet to be elucidated.

OBJECTIVE

We analyzed the expressions and impacts on survival of different CMTM factors in BC patients to determine their potential diagnosis and prognosis values in BC.

METHODS

In the current study, we examined the transcriptional and survival data of CMTMs in patients with breast carcinoma (BC) from ONCOMINE, GEPIA, Kaplan-Meier Plotter, and cBioPortal databases.

RESULTS

It was found that CMTM5/7 were down-regulated, whereas CMTM1/6 were up-regulated in BC patients compared with the normal tissues. In survival analyses through the Kaplan-Meier plotter database, increased mRNA expressions of CMTM5/6/7 and decreased mRNA expression of CMTM4 were associated with better relapse-free survival (RFS) of BC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

These data provided CMTM5/7 as new biomarker and prognostic factors in BC.

Possible effects of chemokine-like factor-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing family on antiphospholipid syndrome

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disease defined by thrombotic or obstetrical events and persistent antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs). Chemokine-like factor-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing family (CMTM) is widely expressed in the immune system and may closely related to APS. This review aimed to systematically summarize the possible effects of CMTM on APS. Publications were collected from PubMed and Web of Science databases up to August 2020. CKLF, CKLFSF, CMTM, antiphospholipid syndrome, immune cells, and immune molecules were used as search criteria. Immune cells, including neutrophil, dendritic cells (DCs), T-cells, B-cells, and inflammatory cytokines, play an important role in the development of APS. Chemokine-like factor 1 (CKLF1) has a chemotactic effect on many cells and can affect the expression of inflammatory cytokines and adhesion molecules through the nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) pathway or mitogen-activated protein kinase (MARK) pathway. CKLF1 can participate in the maturation of DCs, T lymphocyte activation, and the activation of neutrophils through the MAPK pathway. CMTM1 may act on Annexin A2 by regulating Ca²⁺ signaling. CMTM2 and CMTM6 are up-regulated in neutrophils of APS patients. Some CMTM family members influence the activation and accumulation of platelets. CMTM3 and CMTM7 are binding partners of B-cell linker protein (BLNK), thereby linking B cell receptor (BCR) and activating BLNK-mediated signal transduction in B cells. Moreover, CMTM3 and CMTM7 can act on DCs and B-1a cell development, respectively. CMTM may have potential effects on the development of APS by acting on immune cells and immune molecules. Thus, CMTM may act as a novel prognostic factor or immunomodulatory treatment option of APS.

Chemokine-like factor-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing family in autoimmune diseases

The chemokine-like factor (CKLF)-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing family (CMTM) is widely expressed in the immune system. Abnormal expression of CMTM is associated with the development of various diseases. This article summarizes the relevant research on the role of the CMTM family in immune disorders. This information will increase our understanding of pathogenesis and identify promising targets for the diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune diseases. The CMTM family is highly expressed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. CKLF1 may be involved in the development of arthritis through its interaction with C-C chemokine receptor 4. CKLF1 is associated with the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis and psoriasis. Both CMTM4 and CMTM5 are associated with the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus. CMTM1, CMTM2, CMTM3, and CMTM6 play a role in rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, Sjögren syndrome, and anti-phospholipid syndrome, respectively. The CMTM family has been implicated in various autoimmune diseases. Further research on the mechanism of the action of CMTM family members may lead to the development of new treatment strategies for autoimmune diseases.

Chemokine Signatures of Pathogen-Specific T Cells I: Effector T Cells

The choreography of complex immune responses, including the priming, differentiation, and modulation of specific effector T cell populations generated in the immediate wake of an acute pathogen challenge, is in part controlled by chemokines, a large family of mostly secreted molecules involved in chemotaxis and other patho/physiological processes. T cells are both responsive to various chemokine cues and a relevant source for certain chemokines themselves; yet, the actual range, regulation, and role of effector T cell-derived chemokines remains incompletely understood. In this study, using different in vivo mouse models of viral and bacterial infection as well as protective vaccination, we have defined the entire spectrum of chemokines produced by pathogen-specific CD8⁺ and CD4⁺T effector cells and delineated several unique properties pertaining to the temporospatial organization of chemokine expression patterns, synthesis and secretion kinetics, and cooperative regulation. Collectively, our results position the "T cell chemokine response" as a notably prominent, largely invariant, yet distinctive force at the forefront of pathogen-specific effector T cell activities and establish novel practical and conceptual approaches that may serve as a foundation for future investigations into the role of T cell-produced chemokines in infectious and other diseases.

Association Between Polymorphisms in CMTM Family Genes and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Guangxi of China

Polymorphisms in genes may affect its expression and alter individual susceptibility to cancer. In this study, we investigate associations between CMTM family gene polymorphisms and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a southern Chinese population. Ten selected single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CMTM family genes were genotyped in 315 HCC patients and 315 cancer-free controls using Sequenom MassARRAY platform and the associations of the selected SNPs with HCC risk were evaluated. We found individuals with the rs164207 AA genotypes had a significantly increased risk of HCC than those with CC genotypes (adjusted OR = 2.794, 95% CI = 1.143-6.828). Also, individuals with the rs3811178 GG genotypes showed a significant association with increased risk of HCC when compared with the AA genotypes (adjusted OR = 2.578, 95% CI = 1.114-5.969). Furthermore, there was also a significantly increased risk of HCC when combined risk genotypes of these loci, i.e., rs164207 AA, CA and rs3811178 GG, GA. Compared with the low-risk group (0 risk genotypes), the high-risk group (2 risk genotypes) was at significantly increased risk of HCC (adjusted OR = 3.339, 95% CI = 1.119-9.964, p = 0.031). Our results suggest that polymorphisms of rs3811178 in CMTM5 and rs164207 in CMTM6 might contribute to the genetic susceptibility of HCC in the southern Chinese population. Further well-designed studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm our findings.

C19, a C-terminal peptide of CKLF1, decreases inflammation and proliferation of dermal capillaries in psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease with undefined etiology. Chemokine-like factor 1 (CKLF1), a human cytokine that is a functional ligand for CCR4, displays chemotactic activities in a wide spectrum of leukocytes and plays an important role in psoriasis development. In previous study, our laboratory found that the expression of CKLF1 increased in psoriatic lesions. C19 as a CKLF1's C-terminal peptide has been reported to exert inhibitory effects on a variety of diseases. However, the protective roles of C19 in endothelial cells proliferation and inflammatory cells chemotaxis remain elusive in psoriasis. In this study we examined the protective effect of C19 on both the cellular model and the animal model. The effects of C19 on endothelial cells proliferation and inflammatory cells chemotaxis were investigated in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and imiquimod-induced psoriasiform inflammation of BALB/c mice based on techniques including immunohistochemical analysis, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), western blot, transwell, and EdU assay. This study shows that CKLF1-C19 significantly protects against psoriasis by inhibiting the infiltration of inflammatory cells and proliferation of microvascular cells, possibly via inhibiting MAPK pathways.

DNA methylation of CMTM3, SSTR2, and MDFI genes in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasingly common worldwide, including in China. Therefore, there is an increasing need to detect CRC at an early stage and to discover and evaluate diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. DNA methylation of genes in CRC is a potential epigenetic biomarker for the early detection of CRC. This study was performed to analyze the methylation frequency of six candidate genes, CMTM3, SSTR2, MDFI, NDRG4, TGFB2, and BCL2L11, in fresh-frozen CRC tissues and adjacent normal colorectal tissues, from 42 patients with CRC. DNA isolation, bisulphite modification, and pyrosequencing were performed. The sensitivity, specificity, and the area under the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) were evaluated to determine whether these genes showed any associations with tumor grade, stage, or diagnostic features. Among the tested genes, three genes, CMTM3, SSTR2, and MDFI were significantly methylated in CRC tissues when compared with adjacent normal colorectal tissues. The ROC analysis showed that a multigene model, including CMTM3, SSTR2, and MDFI, had a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 91% with an AUC value of 0.92. The findings of this study have shown that DNA methylation of the genes, CMTM3, SSTR2, and MDFI should be studied further with a view to determining their potential role as biomarkers for CRC.

Distinct expression of chemokine-like factor 1 in synovium of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis

Chemokine-like factor 1 (CKLF1) is a newly cloned chemotactic cytokine with CCR4 being its functional receptor. Recent evidence demonstrates a role of CKLF1 in arthritis. The aim of this study was to quantify the expression of CKLF1 as well as assess the correlation between CKLF1 and plasma acute-phase markers. Synovium was obtained from 16 osteoarthritis (OA), 15 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 10 ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty, with other 11 patients treated for meniscal tears during sport accidents serving as normal controls. Levels of CKLF1 and CCR4 mRNA were detected by qRT-PCR, and the expression of CKLF1 was investigated by immunohistochemistry staining, subsequently analyzed with semiquantitative scores. Plasma acute-phase markers of inflammation were determined by ELISA. CKLF1 was found with a particularly up-regulated expression in synovim from AS and RA patients, and CCR4 mRNA levels increased in RA patients, not in OA or AS patients. Elevated levels of plasma markers of inflammation including CRP, ESR and D-dimer were observed in RA. Further, significantly positive correlations between relative expression levels of CKLF1 and CRP/ESR in RA patients and a positive correlation between CKLF1 and ESR in AS patients were found. There was no detectable correlation between CKLF1 and plasma D-dimer. This study confirms an increased but different level of CKLF1 in RA, OA and AS patients, all significantly higher than that in controls. Additionally, the significant positive correlations between CKLF1 levels and CRP/ESR in RA and between CKLF1 and ESR suggest that CKLF1 might contribute to the inflammation state and clinical symptoms in these rheumatic diseases. Further studies are required to investigate the utility of targeting specific CKLF1 for symptom control or disease modification in RA and AS.

Systematic investigation of CMTM family genes suggests relevance to glioblastoma pathogenesis and CMTM1 and CMTM3 as priority targets

The novel CKLF-like Marvel Transmembrane Domain-containing gene family (CMTM) consists of 8 members (CMTM1-8). As little is known about the oncogenic impact of these genes, we aimed to systematically investigate the relevance of CMTMs to glioblastoma pathogenesis. We performed mRNA expression analyses and survival correlations in glioblastoma patients. Moreover, we analyzed the impact of RNAi-based silencing and overexpression of CMTM family genes on tumor cell proliferation and invasion in vitro. CMTMs appeared to be widely regulated in the group of glioblastomas relative to non-neoplastic brain (NB) tissue (significant upregulation for CMTM2, 3, and 6 and significant downregulation for CMTM 4 and 8). For CMTM1, 5 and 7, we found aberrant expression levels in individual tumors. Functionally, CMTM1, 3, and 7 promoted tumor cell invasion, while CMTM1 additionally enhanced cell proliferation. In a large clinically annotated dataset, higher CMTM1 and 3 expression was significantly correlated with shorter overall survival. Our data thus suggest CMTM1 and 3 as priority targets in glioblastomas. Using a human phosphokinase protein expression profiling assay, we can provide first insights into signalling of these two genes that might be conveyed by growth factor receptor, Src family kinase and WNT activation.

Chemokine-like factor 1-derived C-terminal peptides induce the proliferation of dermal microvascular endothelial cells in psoriasis

Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease characterized by the abnormal proliferation of skin cells, including dermal microvascular endothelial cells. Recently, chemokine-like factor 1 (CKLF1) was found to participate in the local inflammation and cell proliferation. To explore its role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, the expression of both CKLF1 and its receptor (CCR4) was determined in the psoriatic lesions. Also, the effect of the C-terminal peptides (C19 and C27) of CKLF1 on the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells was studied in vitro. By immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, the expression of both CKLF1 and CCR4 was determined in the psoriatic lesions. The effect of C-terminal peptides on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was studied in vitro by the evaluation of cell proliferation and apoptosis. The in vivo assessment was performed accordingly through the subcutaneous injection peptides on BALB/c mice. The results showed that, by immunohistochemistry, both CKLF1 and CCR4 were increasingly expressed in psoriatic lesions as compared to normal skins. Moreover, the primary umbilical vein endothelial cells exhibited higher proliferation ratio under the C19 or C27 stimulation, which was even enhanced by the addition of psoriatic sera or TNF-α. Furthermore, the enhancement of peptide simulation was accompanied with the activation of ERK1/2-MAPKs pathway. In addition, such effect of C19 and C27 was mirrored by the hyperproliferation of cutaneous microvessels in BALB/c mice that were subcutaneously injected with the two peptides. Therefore, we concluded that CKLF1 plays a role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis by promoting the proliferation of microvascular endothelial cells that possibly correlates with ERK1/2-MAPKs activation.

CMTM5 is reduced in prostate cancer and inhibits cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo

PURPOSE

A novel tumor suppressor CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing member 5 (CMTM5) is reduced or undetectable in many kinds of cancers and inhibits tumor cells' malignant features. To explore its role in prostate cancer (PCa), we detected its expression patterns in prostate tissues and PCa cells, and determined its anti-proliferation functions in PCa cells in vitro and in vivo.

METHODS

The expression of CMTM5 in prostate tissue microarray, specimens and cell lines was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and Western blot, respectively. After being transfected with CMTM5 adenovirus or vector, the proliferation and migration of DU145 cells were detected by MTT assay and transwell assay, respectively. Furthermore, the effects of CMTM5 on tumor growth were performed in nude mice xenograft in vivo.

RESULTS

We found CMTM5 was reduced in PCa tissues and cells compared with BPH tissues, and its expression in PCa tissues was related to the Gleason score. Moreover, after being transfected with adenovirus, ectopic expression of CMTM5-v1 in DU145 cells led to significant inhibition of cell proliferation and migration compared with the control, which may be attributed to decreased Akt activity. Finally, restoration of CMTM5 significantly suppressed tumor growth in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that CMTM5 is down-regulated in PCa and exhibit tumor suppressor activities in androgen-independent PCa cells. Loss of CMTM5 protein may be contributed to the development of PCa and it is a potential therapeutic target for castration-resistant prostate cancer.

CMTM3 inhibits cell migration and invasion and correlates with favorable prognosis in gastric cancer

The CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain containing 3 (CMTM3) gene is a novel tumor suppressor with frequent epigenetic inactivation. In this study, we showed the role played by CMTM3 in gastric cancer cells as a tumor suppressor gene, and examined the correlation between CMTM3 expression and clinicopathological parameters using immunohistochemistry in gastric cancer patients with different pathological stages (n = 350). We found that CMTM3 expression was reduced or silenced by epigenetic regulation in gastric cell lines, and dramatically downregulated in primary gastric cancer tissues. Restoration of CMTM3 significantly affected migration and invasion of AGS and SGC-7901 cells (P < 0.001). In vivo experiments showed that peritoneal disseminated metastases were significantly suppressed by CMTM3 (P < 0.001). We further showed that the expression of MMP2 and the phosphorylation of Erk1/2 were decreased when CMTM3 was restored. In addition, by immunohistochemical staining, we found that the expression of CMTM3 was remarkably weaker in gastric cancer tissues than in normal mucosae (P = 0.008), and was significantly correlated with gender (P = 0.033), tumor depth (P = 0.049), stage (P = 0.021), and histological grade (P = 0.022). More importantly, CMTM3 expression was associated with prognosis in gastric cancer patients (P = 0.041), and was a significant independent prognostic indicator (hazard ratio = 0.704, 95% confidence interval, 0.498–0.994; P = 0.046). Our findings indicate that CMTM3 regulates migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells. Moreover, CMTM3 is a candidate marker for prognosis of gastric cancer in the clinic.

A novel 3p22.3 gene CMTM7 represses oncogenic EGFR signaling and inhibits cancer cell growth

Deletion of 3p12-22 is frequent in multiple cancer types, indicating the presence of critical tumor-suppressor genes (TSGs) at this region. We studied a novel candidate TSG, CMTM7, located at the 3p22.3 CMTM-gene cluster, for its tumor-suppressive functions and related mechanisms. The three CMTM genes, CMTM6, 7 and 8, are broadly expressed in human normal adult tissues and normal epithelial cell lines. Only CMTM7 is frequently silenced or downregulated in esophageal and nasopharyngeal cell lines, but uncommon in other carcinoma cell lines. Immunostaining of tissue microarrays for CMTM7 protein showed its downregulation or absence in esophageal, gastric, pancreatic, liver, lung and cervix tumor tissues. Promoter CpG methylation and loss of heterozygosity were both found contributing to CMTM7 downregulation. Ectopic expression of CMTM7 in carcinoma cells inhibits cell proliferation, motility and tumor formation in nude mice, but not in immortalized normal cells, suggesting a tumor inhibitory role of CMTM7. The tumor-suppressive function of CMTM7 is associated with its role in G1/S cell cycle arrest, through upregulating p27 and downregulating cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) and 6 (CDK6). Moreover, CMTM7 could promote epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) internalization, and further suppress AKT signaling pathway. Thus, our findings suggest that CMTM7 is a novel 3p22 tumor suppressor regulating G1/S transition and EGFR/AKT signaling during tumor pathogenesis.

Gene expression analysis reveals schizophrenia-associated dysregulation of immune pathways in peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) represent an accessible tissue source for gene expression profiling in schizophrenia that could provide insight into the molecular basis of the disorder. This study used the Illumina HT_12 microarray platform and quantitative real time PCR (QPCR) to perform mRNA expression profiling on 114 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 80 non-psychiatric controls from the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank (ASRB). Differential expression analysis revealed altered expression of 164 genes (59 up-regulated and 105 down-regulated) in the PBMCs from patients with schizophrenia compared to controls. Bioinformatic analysis indicated significant enrichment of differentially expressed genes known to be involved or associated with immune function and regulating the immune response. The differential expression of 6 genes, EIF2C2 (Ago 2), MEF2D, EVL, PI3, S100A12 and DEFA4 was confirmed by QPCR. Genome-wide expression analysis of PBMCs from individuals with schizophrenia was characterized by the alteration of genes with immune system function, supporting the hypothesis that the disorder has a significant immunological component in its etiology.

Effects of chemokine-like factor 1 on vascular smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation in vascular inflammation

OBJECTIVE

Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration and proliferation are key components of vascular inflammation that may lead to atherosclerosis and restenosis, in which cytokines are considered as pivotal factors regarding recruitment of VSMC. A member of recently described family of chemokines, chemokine-like factor 1 (CKLF1), displays a wide spectrum of chemotaxis. This study investigated the role of CKLF1 in VSMC migration and proliferation during the process of vascular inflammation.

METHODS AND RESULTS

: The effects of CKLF1 on migration, proliferation and neointimal formation were investigated in cultured VSMCs, rat balloon injured arteries and human atherosclerotic plaques. CKLF1 overexpression greatly enhanced, whereas shRNA knockdown markedly retarded, VSMC migration and proliferation in vitro. In addition, CKLF1 protein accumulated preferentially in neointima of the injured rat arteries in vivo. CKLF1 overexpression resulted in a 2.5-fold increase in intimal thickness. In contrast, shRNA-mediated CKLF1 knockdown significantly suppressed neointima formation by 70% compared that in control group. Intriguingly, besides animal model, higher level of CKLF1 was observed in human atherosclerotic plaques than that in normal arteries.

CONCLUSION

CKLF1 plays an essential role in migration and proliferation of VSMCs, which in turn facilitated neointimal hyperplasia and atherosclerosis. Inhibition of CKLF1 activity provides a potential target for the prevention of atherosclerosis and restenosis.

Antagonistic effect of C19 on migration of vascular smooth muscle cells and intimal hyperplasia induced by chemokine-like factor 1

A chemokine-like factor 1 (CKLF1) is a recently discovered chemokine with broad-spectrum biological functions in inflammation and autoimmune diseases. C19 as a CKLF1's C-terminal peptide has been reported to exert inhibitory effects in a variety of diseases. However, the roles of CKLF1 and C19 on vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration and neointima formation still remain elusive. The effects of CKLF1 and C19 on VSMC migration and neointimal formation were investigated in cultured VSMCs and balloon-injured rat carotid arteries based on techniques including adenovirus-induced CKLF1 overexpression, gel based perivascular administration of C19, Boyden chamber, scratch-wound assay, real-time PCR, western blot and immunohistochemical analysis. CKLF1 was noticed to accumulate preferentially in neointima after the injury and colocalize with VSMCs. Luminal delivery of CKLF1 adenovirus to arteries exacerbated intimal thickening while perivascular administration of C19 to injured arteries attenuated this problem. In cultured primary VSMCs, CKLF1 overexpression up-regulated VSMC migration, which was down-regulated by C19. These data suggest that CKLF1 has a pivotal role in intimal hyperplasia by mediating VSMC migration. C19 was demonstrated to inhibit CKLF1-mediatated chemotaxis and restenosis. Thus further studies on C19 may provide a new treatment perspective for atherosclerosis and post-angioplasty restenosis.

Maternal allergen exposure reprograms the developmental lung transcriptome in atopic and normoresponsive rat pups

The "fetal origins hypothesis" argued that physiological changes consequent to in utero exposures ultimately contribute to disease susceptibility in later life. The dramatic increase in asthma prevalence is attributed to early exposures acting on preexisting asthma-susceptible genotypes. We showed previously that distinct transcriptome signatures distinguish the developmental respiratory phenotype of atopic (Brown Norway, BN) and normoresponsive (Lewis) rats. We aimed to determine whether maternal allergen exposure would influence asthma pathogenesis by reprogramming primary patterns of developmental lung gene expression. Postnatal offspring of dams sensitized to ovalbumin before mating and challenged during pregnancy were assessed for lung function, inflammatory biomarkers, and respiratory gene expression. Although maternal ovalbumin exposure resulted in characteristic features of an allergic response (bronchoalveolar lavage neutrophils, IgE, methacholine-induced lung resistance) in offspring of both strains, substantial strain-specific differences were observed in respiratory gene expression. Of 799 probes representing the top 5% of transcriptomic variation, only 112 (14%) were affected in both strains. Strain-specific gene signatures also exhibited marked differences in enrichment for gene ontologies, with immune regulation and cell proliferation being prominent in the BN strain, cell cycle and microtubule assembly gene sets in the Lewis strain. Multiple ovalbumin-specific probes in both strains were also differentially expressed in lymphoblastoid cell lines from human asthmatic vs. nonasthmatic sibling pairs. Our data point to the existence of distinct, genetically programmed responses to maternal exposures in developing lung. These different response patterns, if recapitulated in human fetal development, can contribute to long-term pulmonary health including interindividual susceptibility to asthma.