Biology subjects

Kjaer, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Kjaer, S..

21 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

bioRxiv2020

Pleiotropy-guided transcriptome imputation from normal and tumor tissues identifies new candidate susceptibility genes for breast and ovarian cancer

Familial, genome-wide association (GWAS), and sequencing studies and genetic correlation analyses have progressively unraveled the shared or pleiotropic germline genetics of breast and ovarian cancer. In this study, we aimed to leverage this shared germline genetics to improve the power of transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) to identify candidate breast cancer and ovarian cancer susceptibility genes. We built gene expression prediction models using the PrediXcan method in 681 breast and 295 ovarian tumors from The Cancer Genome Atlas and 211 breast and 99 ovarian normal tissue samples from the Genotype-Tissue Expression project and integrated these with GWAS meta-analysis data from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (122,977 cases/105,974 controls) and the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (22,406 cases/40,941 controls). The integration was achieved through novel application of a pleiotropy-guided conditional/conjunction false discovery rate approach for the first time in the setting of a TWAS. This identified 14 new candidate breast cancer susceptibility genes spanning 11 genomic regions and 8 new candidate ovarian cancer susceptibility genes spanning 5 genomic regions at conjunction FDR < 0.05 that were > 1 Mb away from known breast and/or ovarian cancer susceptibility loci. We also identified 38 candidate breast cancer susceptibility genes and 17 candidate ovarian cancer susceptibility genes at conjunction FDR < 0.05 at known breast and/or ovarian susceptibility loci. Overlaying candidate causal risk variants identified by GWAS fine mapping onto expression prediction models for genes at known loci suggested that the association for 55% of these genes was driven by the underlying GWAS signal. SignificanceThe 22 new genes identified by our cross-cancer analysis represent promising candidates that further elucidate the role of the transcriptome in mediating germline breast and ovarian cancer risk.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2018

Comparable affinity of RabGDIα for GTP- and GDP-bound forms of Rab7 supports a four-state transition model for Rab7 subcellular localization

Endolysosomal system is linked to almost all aspects of cell life and diseases, and Rab7 occupies a critical node in this crucial pathway. However, there have been conflicting views about the exact role of Rab7 in membrane trafficking, since some studies have reported that Rab7 regulates the trafficking from early to late endosomes, while others highlighted its role in late endosomes to lysosomes progression. In the present study, we have revisited this issue from a new viewpoint. In COS-7 cells, a GDP-bound Rab7 mutant, T22N, was located to vesicular membranes as well as in cytoplasm. Similarly, the GTPase-deficient Q67L mutant of Rab7 resided in cytoplasm as well as on membranes. Additionally, we found that RabGDI interacted with both GTP- and GDP-bound forms of Rab7 in vitro. These results have prompted us to propose a four-state transition model for Rab7. This four-state model matches with our recent findings that Rab7 was initially recruited to macropinosomes in a GDP-bound inactive form and subsequently became activated during endocytic maturation in EGF-stimulated COS-7 cells.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2017

Free ISG15 as a dimer generates IL-1β-producing CD8α+ dendritic cells at the site of infection

ISG15 is strongly induced after type I IFN stimulation producing a protein comprised of two ubiquitin-like domains. Intracellularly, ISG15 can be covalently linked and modify the function of target proteins (ISGylation). In addition, free unconjugated ISG15 can be released from cells. We found that ISG15 is released in the serum of Toxoplasma gondii infected mice early after infection in a type-I IFN independent manner. Once in the extracellular space, free ISG15 forms dimers and enhances the release of key cytokines involved in the immune response to the parasite: IL-12, IFN-{gamma}, and IL-1{beta}. Its action is dependent on an actively invading and replicating live parasite. ISG15 induces an increase of IL-1{beta} later during infection by leading to increased IL-1{beta} producing CD8+ dendritic cells at the site of infection. Here, we define for the first time the molecular determinants of active free ISG15 and link ISG15 to IL-1{beta} production by CD8+ dendritic cells. Thus we define ISG15 as a novel secreted modulator of the cytokine response during Toxoplasma infection.

immunology↗