1
|
Stokes T, Cen HH, Kapranov P, Gallagher IJ, Pitsillides AA, Volmar C, Kraus WE, Johnson JD, Phillips SM, Wahlestedt C, Timmons JA. Transcriptomics for Clinical and Experimental Biology Research: Hang on a Seq. ADVANCED GENETICS (HOBOKEN, N.J.) 2023; 4:2200024. [PMID: 37288167 PMCID: PMC10242409 DOI: 10.1002/ggn2.202200024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Sequencing the human genome empowers translational medicine, facilitating transcriptome-wide molecular diagnosis, pathway biology, and drug repositioning. Initially, microarrays are used to study the bulk transcriptome; but now short-read RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) predominates. Positioned as a superior technology, that makes the discovery of novel transcripts routine, most RNA-seq analyses are in fact modeled on the known transcriptome. Limitations of the RNA-seq methodology have emerged, while the design of, and the analysis strategies applied to, arrays have matured. An equitable comparison between these technologies is provided, highlighting advantages that modern arrays hold over RNA-seq. Array protocols more accurately quantify constitutively expressed protein coding genes across tissue replicates, and are more reliable for studying lower expressed genes. Arrays reveal long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) are neither sparsely nor lower expressed than protein coding genes. Heterogeneous coverage of constitutively expressed genes observed with RNA-seq, undermines the validity and reproducibility of pathway analyses. The factors driving these observations, many of which are relevant to long-read or single-cell sequencing are discussed. As proposed herein, a reappreciation of bulk transcriptomic methods is required, including wider use of the modern high-density array data-to urgently revise existing anatomical RNA reference atlases and assist with more accurate study of lncRNAs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tanner Stokes
- Faculty of ScienceMcMaster UniversityHamiltonL8S 4L8Canada
| | - Haoning Howard Cen
- Life Sciences InstituteUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverV6T 1Z3Canada
| | | | - Iain J Gallagher
- School of Applied SciencesEdinburgh Napier UniversityEdinburghEH11 4BNUK
| | | | | | | | - James D. Johnson
- Life Sciences InstituteUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverV6T 1Z3Canada
| | | | | | - James A. Timmons
- Miller School of MedicineUniversity of MiamiMiamiFL33136USA
- William Harvey Research InstituteQueen Mary University LondonLondonEC1M 6BQUK
- Augur Precision Medicine LTDStirlingFK9 5NFUK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Vemuri R, Ruggiero A, Whitfield JM, Dugan GO, Cline JM, Block MR, Guo H, Kavanagh K. Hypertension promotes microbial translocation and dysbiotic shifts in the fecal microbiome of nonhuman primates. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2022; 322:H474-H485. [PMID: 35148233 PMCID: PMC8897002 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00530.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence indicates a link between gut barrier dysfunction and hypertension. However, it is unclear whether hypertension causes gut barrier dysfunction or vice versa and whether the gut microbiome plays a role. To understand this relationship, we first cross-sectionally examined 153 nonhuman primates [NHPs; Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus; mean age, 16 ± 0.4 yr; 129 (84.3%) females] for cardiometabolic risk factors and gut barrier function biomarkers. This analysis identified blood pressure and age as specific factors that independently associated with microbial translocation. We then longitudinally tracked male, age-matched spontaneously hypertensive NHPs (Macaca mulatta) to normotensives (n = 16), mean age of 5.8 ± 0.5 yr, to confirm hypertension-related gut barrier dysfunction and to explore the role of microbiome by comparing groups at baseline, 12, and 27 mo. Collectively, hypertensive animals in both studies showed evidence of gut barrier dysfunction (i.e., microbial translocation), as indicated by higher plasma levels of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP)-1, when compared with normotensive animals. Furthermore, plasma LBP-1 levels were correlated with diastolic blood pressure, independent of age and other health markers, suggesting specificity of the effect of hypertension on microbial translocation. In over 2 yr of longitudinal assessment, hypertensive animals had escalating plasma levels of LBP-1 and greater bacterial gene expression in mesenteric lymph nodes compared with normotensive animals, confirming microbes translocated across the intestinal barrier. Concomitantly, we identified distinct shifts in the gut microbial signature of hypertensive versus normotensive animals at 12 and 27 mo. These results suggest that hypertension contributes to microbial translocation in the gut and eventually unhealthy shifts in the gut microbiome, possibly contributing to poor health outcomes, providing further impetus for the management of hypertension.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Hypertension specifically had detrimental effects on microbial translocation when age and metabolic syndrome criteria were evaluated as drivers of cardiovascular disease in a relevant nonhuman primate model. Intestinal barrier function exponentially decayed over time with chronic hypertension, and microbial translocation was confirmed by detection of more microbial genes in regional draining lymph nodes. Chronic hypertension resulted in fecal microbial dysbiosis and elevations of the biomarker NT-proBNP. This study provides insights on the barrier dysfunction, dysbiosis, and hypertension in controlled studies of nonhuman primates. Our study includes a longitudinal component comparing naturally occurring hypertensive to normotensive primates to confirm microbial translocation and dysbiotic microbiome development. Hypertension is an underappreciated driver of subclinical endotoxemia that can drive chronic inflammatory diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ravichandra Vemuri
- 1Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston‐Salem, North Carolina
| | - Alistaire Ruggiero
- 1Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston‐Salem, North Carolina
| | - Jordyn M. Whitfield
- 1Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston‐Salem, North Carolina
| | - Greg O. Dugan
- 1Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston‐Salem, North Carolina
| | - J. Mark Cline
- 1Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston‐Salem, North Carolina
| | - Masha R. Block
- 1Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston‐Salem, North Carolina
| | - Hao Guo
- 2Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina,3Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Kylie Kavanagh
- 1Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston‐Salem, North Carolina,4Department of Biomedicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| |
Collapse
|