Anti-YWHAQ (aa 140-154) polyclonal antibody

The metanephros is formed from the reciprocal inductive interaction of two precursor tissues, the metanephric mesenchyme (MM) and the ureteric bud (UB). The UB induces MM to condense and differentiate forming the glomerulus and renal tubules, whilst the MM induces the UB to differentiate into the collecting tubules of the mature nephron. Uninduced MM is considered the progenitor cell population of the developing metanephros because of its potential to differentiate into more renal cell types than the UB. Previous studies have identified the phenotype of renal precursor cells; however, expression of candidate marker genes have not been analysed in other tissues of the murine embryo. We have assayed up to 19 candidate genes in eight embryonic tissues at five gestation stages of the mouse embryo to identify markers definitively expressed by renal cells during metanephric induction and markers developmentally regulated during kidney maturation. We then analysed their expression in other developing tissues. Results show Dcn, Hoxc9, Mest, Wt1 and Ywhaq were expressed at moderate to high levels during the window of metanephric specification and early differentiation (E10.5-E12.5 dpc), and Hoxc9, Ren1 and Wt1 expression was characteristic of mature renal cells. We demonstrated Cd24a, Cdh11, Mest, Scd2 and Sim2 were regulated during brain development, and Scd2, Cd24a and Sip1 expression was enriched in developing liver. These markers may be useful negative markers of kidney development. Use of a combination of highly expressed and negative markers may aid in the identification and removal of non-renal cells from heterogeneous populations of differentiating stem cells.

Background Endocrine therapy reduces breast cancer mortality by 40%, but resistance remains a major clinical problem. In this study, we sought to investigate the impact of aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy on gene expression and identify gene modules representing key biological pathways that relate to early AI therapy resistance. Methods Global gene expression was measured on pairs of core-cut biopsies taken at baseline and at surgery from 254 patients with ER-positive primary breast cancer randomised to receive 2-week presurgical AI (n = 198) or no presurgical treatment (control n = 56) from the POETIC trial. Data from the AI group was adjusted to eliminate artefactual process-related changes identified in the control group. The response was assessed by changes in the proliferation marker, Ki67. Results High baseline ESR1 expression associated with better AI response in HER2+ tumours but not HER2- tumours. In HER2- tumours, baseline expression of 48 genes associated with poor antiproliferative response (p < 0.005) including PERP and YWHAQ, the two most significant, and the transcription co-regulators (SAP130, HDAC4, and NCOA7) which were among the top 16 most significant. Baseline gene signature scores measuring cell proliferation, growth factor signalling (ERBB2-GS, RET/GDNF-GS, and IGF-1-GS), and immune activity (STAT1-GS) were significantly higher in poor AI responders. Two weeks of AI caused downregulation of genes involved in cell proliferation and ER signalling, as expected. Signature scores of E2F activation and TP53 dysfunction after 2-week AI were associated with poor AI response in both HER2- and HER2+ patients. Conclusions There is a high degree of heterogeneity in adaptive mechanisms after as little as 2-week AI therapy; however, all appear to converge on cell cycle regulation. Our data support the evaluation of whether an E2F signatures after short-term exposure to AI may identify those patients most likely to benefit from the early addition of CDK4/6 inhibitors.