Browsing by Subject "Androgen receptor"

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Open Access
Analysis of skewed X-chromosome inactivation in females with rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune thyroid diseases
(BioMed Central, 2009) Chabchoub, G.; Uz, E.; Maalej, A.; Mustafa, C. A.; Rebai, A.; Mnif, M.; Bahloul, Z.; Farid, N. R.; Ozcelik, T.; Ayadi, H.
Introduction The majority of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs) are characterized by a striking female predominance superimposed on a predisposing genetic background. The role of extremely skewed X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) has been questioned in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases.
Open Access
Discovering modulators of gene expression
(Oxford University Press, 2010-09-01) Babur, Özgün; Demir, Emek; Gönen, M.; Sander, C.; Doğrusöz, Uğur
Proteins that modulate the activity of transcription factors, often called modulators, play a critical role in creating tissue- and context-specific gene expression responses to the signals cells receive. GEM (Gene Expression Modulation) is a probabilistic framework that predicts modulators, their affected targets and mode of action by combining gene expression profiles, protein-protein interactions and transcription factor-target relationships. Using GEM, we correctly predicted a significant number of androgen receptor modulators and observed that most modulators can both act as co-activators and co-repressors for different target genes. © The Author(s) 2010. Published by Oxford University Press.
Open Access
Endothelial progenitor cells display clonal restriction in multiple myeloma
(BioMed Central Ltd., 2006) Braunstein, M.; Özçelik, T.; Baǧişlar, S.; Vakil, V.; Smith, E. L. P.; Dai, K.; Akyerli, C. B.; Batuman O. A.
Background: In multiple myeloma (MM), increased neoangiogenesis contributes to tumor growth and disease progression. Increased levels of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) contribute to neoangiogenesis in MM, and, importantly, covary with disease activity and response to treatment. In order to understand the mechanisms responsible for increased EPC levels and neoangiogenic function in MM, we investigated whether these cells were clonal by determining X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) patterns in female patients by a human androgen receptor assay (HUMARA). In addition, EPCs and bone marrow cells were studied for the presence of clonotypic immunoglobulin heavy-chain (IGH) gene rearrangement, which indicates clonality in B cells; thus, its presence in EPCs would indicate a close genetic link between tumor cells in MM and endothelial cells that provide tumor neovascularization. Methods: A total of twenty-three consecutive patients who had not received chemotherapy were studied. Screening in 18 patients found that 11 displayed allelic AR in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and these patients were further studied for XCI patterns in EPCs and hair root cells by HUMARA. In 2 patients whose EPCs were clonal by HUMARA, and in an additional 5 new patients, EPCs were studied for IGH gene rearrangement using PCR with family-specific primers for IGH variable genes (VH). Results: In 11 patients, analysis of EPCs by HUMARA revealed significant skewing (≥ 77% expression of a single allele) in 64% (n = 7). In 4 of these patients, XCI skewing was extreme (≥ 90% expression of a single allele). In contrast, XCI in hair root cells was random. Furthermore, PCR amplification with VH primers resulted in amplification of the same product in EPCs and bone marrow cells in 71 % (n = 5) of 7 patients, while no IGH rearrangement was found in EPCs from healthy controls. In addition, in patients with XCI skewing in EPCs, advanced age was associated with poorer clinical status, unlike patients whose EPCs had random XCI. Conclusion: Our results suggest that EPCs in at least a substantial subpopulation of MM patients are related to the neoplastic clone and that this is an important mechanism for upregulation of tumor neovascularization in MM. © 2006 Braunstein et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
Open Access
Evaluation of X chromosome inactivation with respect to HLA genetic susceptibility in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic sclerosis
(Public Library of Science, 2016) Kanaan, S. B.; Onat, O. E.; Balandraud, N.; Martin, G. V.; Nelson, J. L.; Azzouz, D. F.; Auger, I.; Arnoux, F.; Martin, M.; Roudier, J.; Ozcelik, T.; Lambert, N. C.
Background: Autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) are characterized by a strong genetic susceptibility from the Human Leucocyte Antigen (HLA) locus. Additionally, disorders of epigenetic processes, in particular non-random X chromosome inactivation (XCI), have been reported in many female-predominant autoimmune diseases. Here we test the hypothesis that women with RA or SSc who are strongly genetically predisposed are less susceptible to XCI bias. Methods: Using methylation sensitive genotyping of the androgen receptor (AR) gene, XCI profiles were performed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 161 women with RA, 96 women with SSc and 100 healthy women. HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 were genotyped. Presence of specific autoantibodies was documented for patients. XCI skewing was defined as having a ratio ≥ 80:20 of cells inactivating the same X chromosome. Results: 110 women with RA, 68 women with SSc, and 69 controls were informative for the AR polymorphism. Among them 40.9% of RA patients and 36.8% of SSc patients had skewed XCI compared to 17.4% of healthy women (P = 0.002 and 0.018, respectively). Presence of RA-susceptibility alleles coding for the "shared epitope" correlated with higher skewing among RA patients (P = 0.002) and such correlation was not observed in other women, healthy or with SSc. Presence of SSc-susceptibility alleles did not correlate with XCI patterns among SSc patients. Conclusion: Data demonstrate XCI skewing in both RA and SSc compared to healthy women. Unexpectedly, skewed XCI occurs more often in women with RA carrying the shared epitope, which usually reflects severe disease. This reinforces the view that loss of mosaicism in peripheral blood may be a consequence of chronic autoimmunity. © 2016 Kanaan et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Open Access
Evidence from autoimmune thyroiditis of skewed X-chromosome inactivation in female predisposition to autoimmunity
(Nature Publishing Group, 2006) Ozcelik, T.; Uz, E.; Akyerli, C. B.; Bagislar, S.; Mustafa, C. A.; Gursoy, A.; Akarsu, N.; Toruner, G.; Kamel, N.; Gullu, S.
The etiologic factors in the development of autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs) are not fully understood. We investigated the role of skewed X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) mosaicism in female predisposition to AITDs. One hundred and ten female AITDs patients (81 Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), 29 Graves' disease (GD)), and 160 female controls were analyzed for the androgen receptor locus by the HpaII/polymerase chain reaction assay to assess XCI patterns in DNA extracted from peripheral blood cells. In addition, thyroid biopsy, buccal mucosa, and hair follicle specimens were obtained from five patients whose blood revealed an extremely skewed pattern of XCI, and the analysis was repeated. Skewed XCI was observed in DNA from peripheral blood cells in 28 of 83 informative patients (34%) as compared with 10 of 124 informative controls (8% P<0.0001). Extreme skewing was present in 16 patients (19%), but only in three controls (2.4% P<60;0.0001). The buccal mucosa, and although less marked, the thyroid specimens also showed skewing. Analysis of two familial cases showed that only the affected individuals demonstrate skewed XCI patterns. Based on these results, skewed XCI mosaicism may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of AITDs.
Open Access
Extremely skewed X-chromosome inactivation patterns in women with recurrent spontaneous abortion
(Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia, 2006) Bagislar, S.; Ustuner, I.; Cengiz, B.; Soylemez, F.; Akyerli, C. B.; Ceylaner, S.; Ceylaner, G.; Acar, A.; Ozcelik, T.
Background: The role of extremely skewed X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) has been questioned in the pathogenesis of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) but the results obtained were conflicting. Aims: We therefore investigated the XCI patterns in peripheral blood DNA obtained from 80 patients who had RSA and 160 age-matched controls. Methods: Pregnancy history, age, karyotype, and disease information was collected from all subjects. The methylation status of a highly polymorphic cytosine-adenine-guanine repeat in the androgen-receptor (AR) gene was determined by use of methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme HpaII and polymerase chain reaction. Results: Skewed XCI (> 8 5% skewing) was observed in 13 of the 62 patients informative for the AR polymorphism (20.9%), and eight of the 124 informative controls (6.4%) (P = 0.0069; χ 2 test). More importantly, extremely skewed XCI, defined as > 90% inactivation of one allele, was present in 11 (17.7%) patients, and in only two controls (P = 0.0002; χ 2 test). Conclusions: These results support the interpretation that disturbances in XCI mosaicism may be involved in the pathogenesis of RSA.
Open Access
Increased frequency of extremely skewed X chromosome inactivation in juvenile idiopathic arthritis
(John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2009) Uz, E.; Mustafa, C.; Topaloglu, R.; Bilginer, Y.; Dursun, A.; Kasapcopur, O.; Ozen, S.; Bakkaloglu, A.; Ozcelik, T.
Objective. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a childhood rheumatic disease of unknown etiology. Two subgroups of JIA, i.e., oligoarticular and polyarticular, are thought to have an autoimmune component, and show a higher female:male ratio. Skewed X chromosome inactivation (XCI) has previously been shown to be associated with scleroderma and autoimmune thyroiditis, 2 autoimmune disorders occurring predominantly in females. This study was undertaken to extend the analysis to the pediatric age group and to determine the XCI profiles of patients with JIA.
Open Access
Skewed X chromosome inactivation in blood cells of women with scleroderma
(John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005) Özbalkan, Z.; Baǧişlar, S.; Kiraz, S.; Akyerli, C. B.; Özer H. T. E.; Yavuz, Ş.; Birlik, A. M.; Çalgüneri, M.; Özçelik, T.
Objective. Scleroderma (SSc) is an autoimmune disease of unknown etiology. The disease is 3-8 times more frequent in women than in men. The role of X chromosome inactivation (XCI) in the predisposition of women to autoimmunity has been questioned. Until now this has not been illustrated experimentally. This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that disturbances in XCI mosaicism may be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease in female patients with SSc. Methods. Seventy female SSc patients and 160 female controls were analyzed for the androgen receptor locus by the Hpa II/polymerase chain reaction assay to assess XCI patterns in DNA extracted from peripheral blood cells. Furthermore, skin biopsy samples were obtained from 5 patients whose blood revealed an extremely skewed pattern of XCI, and the analysis repeated. Since microchimerism in SSc was reported, Y chromosome sequences were investigated in all samples. Results. Skewed XCI was observed in DNA from peripheral blood cells in 35 of 55 informative patients (64%), as compared with 10 of 124 informative controls (8%) (P < 0.0001). Extreme skewing was present in 27 of the patient group (49%), as compared with only 3 of the controls (2.4%) (P < 0.0001). However, XCI was random in all skin biopsy samples. The potential contribution of microchimerism to the random XCI pattern is highly unlikely based on the medical histories of the patients. Conclusion. Skewed XCI mosaicism may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of SSc.
Open Access
Skewed X-chromosome inactivation in scleroderma
(Springer New York, 2008) Uz, E.; Loubiere, L. S.; Gadi, V. K.; Ozbalkan, Z.; Stewart, J.; Nelson, J. L.; Ozcelik, T.
Scleroderma is a female-prevalent autoimmune disease of unclear etiology. Two fundamental gender differences, skewed X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) and pregnancy-related microchimerism, have been implicated in scleroderma. We investigated the XCI patterns of female scleroderma patients and the parental origin of the inactive X chromosome in those patients having skewed XCI patterns (>80%). In addition, we investigated whether a correlation exists between XCI patterns and microchimerism in a well-characterized cohort. About 195 female scleroderma patients and 160 female controls were analyzed for the androgen receptor locus to assess XCI patterns in the DNA extracted from peripheral blood cells. Skewed XCI was observed in 67 (44.9%) of 149 informative patients and in 10 of 124 healthy controls (8.0%) [odds ratio (OR) = 9.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) 4.3-20.6, P < 0.0001)]. Extremely skewed XCI (>90%) was present in 44 of 149 patients (29.5%) but only in 3 of 124 controls (2.4%; OR = 16.9; 95% CI 4.8-70.4, P < 0.0001). Parental origin of the inactive X chromosome was investigated for ten patients for whom maternal DNA was informative, and the inactive X chromosome was of maternal origin in eight patients and of paternal origin in two patients. Skewed XCI mosaicism could be considered as an important risk factor in scleroderma.
Open Access
X chromosome inactivation and female predisposition to autoimmunity
(Springer New York, 2008) Ozcelik, T.
[No abstract available]