Vanderhyden, B. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2020

PAX2 Induces Tubular-Like Structures in Normal and Ovarian Cancer Cells

In adult tissues, PAX2 protein is expressed in normal oviductal epithelial cells but not in normal ovarian surface epithelial cells. Studies have reported that PAX2 is expressed in a subset of serous ovarian carcinoma cases but the role of PAX2 in the initiation and progression of ovarian cancer remains unknown. The aim of this study was to understand the biological consequences of Pax2 expression in normal and cancerous mouse epithelial (MOSE) cells. We found that Pax2 overexpression in both normal and cancerous ovarian epithelial cells induced the formation of vascular channels both in vitro and in vivo. The results indicate a possible contribution of PAX2 to ovarian cancer progression by increasing the vascular channels to supply nutrients to the tumor cells.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2019

Multiplexed single-cell transcriptomic analysis of normal and impaired lung development in the mouse

During late lung development alveolar and microvascular development is finalized to enable sufficient gas exchange. Impaired late lung development manifests as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) allows for assessment of complex cellular dynamics during biological processes, such as development. Here, we use MULTI-seq to generate scRNA-seq profiles of over 66,000 cells from 36 mice during normal or impaired lung development secondary to hyperoxia. We observed dynamic populations of cells, including several rare cell types and putative progenitors. Hyperoxia exposure, which mimics the BPD phenotype, alters the composition of all cellular compartments, particularly alveolar epithelium, capillary endothelium and macrophage populations. We identified several BPD-associated signatures, including Pdgfra in fibroblasts, Activin A in capillary endothelial cells, and Csf1-Csf1r and Ccl2-Ccr2 signaling in macrophages and neutrophils. Our data provides a novel single-cell view of cellular changes associated with late lung development in health and in disease.

cell biology↗