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  • 1.
    Ahlgren, Ulf
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Optical imaging of islets: new possibilities by the development of infrared fluorescent proteins2009In: Islets, ISSN 1938-2022, Vol. 1, no 2, p. 163-164Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The capacity to record the spatial and quantitative distribution of cellular subtypes involved in diabetogenic processes is a key element in experimental diabetes research. A non-invasive technique to accurately monitor parameters such as pancreatic β-cell mass (BCM) and its distribution would provide a stepping stone in understanding different aspects of diabetes pathogenesis. It would also assist in the development of therapeutic regimes by providing a tool for the evaluation of anti-diabetic drugs or other curative or diagnostic measures. At present, a range of imaging modalities are being explored for this purpose. Whereas nuclear imaging techniques, characterised by their high tissue penetration depth but relatively low spatial resolution, appear most promising for the study of humans and large animals, optical imaging enables a route to cost-effective, high sensitivity, high resolution imaging in rodent models for disease. In this commentary, the potential impact of infrared fluorescent proteins (IFPs), as recently reported by Shu et al in Science, for imaging of the pancreas in small animals will be discussed.

  • 2.
    Alanentalo, Tomas
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Mayans, Sofia
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biosciences, Medical and Clinical Genetics.
    Nilsson, Anna Karin
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    Sharpe, James
    Larefalk, Åsa
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biosciences, Medical and Clinical Genetics.
    Ahlgren, Ulf
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Holmberg, Dan
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biosciences, Medical and Clinical Genetics.
    Quantification and 3-D imaging of the insulitis-induced destruction of β-cells in murine type 1 diabetes2010In: Diabetes, ISSN 0012-1797, E-ISSN 1939-327X, Vol. 59, no 7, p. 1756-1764Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Objective: The aim of this study was to refine the information regarding the quantitative and spatial dynamics of infiltrating lymphocytes and remaining beta-cell volume during the progression of type 1 diabetes in the NOD mouse model of the disease.

    Research design and methods: Using an ex vivo technique, optical projection tomography (OPT), we quantified and assessed the 3D spatial development and progression of insulitis and beta-cell destruction in pancreas from diabetes prone NOD and non-diabetes prone congenic NOD.H-2b mice between 3 and 16 weeks of age.

    Results: Together with results showing the spatial dynamics of the insulitis process we provide data of beta-cell volume distributions down to the level of the individual islets and throughout the pancreas during the development and progression of type 1 diabetes. Our data provide evidence for a compensatory growth potential of the larger insulin(+) islets during the later stages of the disease around the time point for development of clinical diabetes. This is in contrast to smaller islets, which appear less resistant to the autoimmune attack. We also provide new information on the spatial dynamics of the insulitis process itself, including its apparently random distribution at onset, the local variations during its further development, and the formation of structures resembling tertiary lymphoid organs at later phases of insulitis progression.

    Conclusions: Our data provides a powerful tool for phenotypic analysis of genetic and environmental effects on type 1 diabetes etiology as well as for evaluating the potential effect of therapeutic regimes.

  • 3.
    Chakraborty, Chaitali
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine at Umeå University (WCMM).
    Nissen, Itzel
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine at Umeå University (WCMM).
    Vincent, Craig A.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine at Umeå University (WCMM).
    Hägglund, Anna-Carin
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine at Umeå University (WCMM).
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Remeseiro, Silvia
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine at Umeå University (WCMM).
    Rewiring of the promoter-enhancer interactome and regulatory landscape in glioblastoma orchestrates gene expression underlying neurogliomal synaptic communication2023In: Nature Communications, E-ISSN 2041-1723, Vol. 14, no 1, article id 6446Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Chromatin organization controls transcription by modulating 3D-interactions between enhancers and promoters in the nucleus. Alterations in epigenetic states and 3D-chromatin organization result in gene expression changes contributing to cancer. Here, we map the promoter-enhancer interactome and regulatory landscape of glioblastoma, the most aggressive primary brain tumour. Our data reveals profound rewiring of promoter-enhancer interactions, chromatin accessibility and redistribution of histone marks in glioblastoma. This leads to loss of long-range regulatory interactions and overall activation of promoters, which orchestrate changes in the expression of genes associated to glutamatergic synapses, axon guidance, axonogenesis and chromatin remodelling. SMAD3 and PITX1 emerge as major transcription factors controlling genes related to synapse organization and axon guidance. Inhibition of SMAD3 and neuronal activity stimulation cooperate to promote proliferation of glioblastoma cells in co-culture with glutamatergic neurons, and in mice bearing patient-derived xenografts. Our findings provide mechanistic insight into the regulatory networks that mediate neurogliomal synaptic communication.

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  • 4.
    Cheddad, Abbas
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Nord, Christoffer
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Prunskaite-Hyyryläinen, Renata
    Oulu Center for Cell-Matrix Research, Biocenter Oulu, Laboratory of Developmental Biology and Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Oulu, Finland.
    Eriksson, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Georgsson, Fredrik
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Computing Science.
    Vainio, Seppo
    Oulu Center for Cell-Matrix Research, Biocenter Oulu, Laboratory of Developmental Biology and Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Oulu, Finland.
    Ahlgren, Ulf
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Improving signal detection in emission optical projection tomography via single source multi-exposure image fusion2013In: Optics Express, E-ISSN 1094-4087, Vol. 21, no 14, p. 16584-16604Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We demonstrate a technique to improve structural data obtained from Optical Projection Tomography (OPT) using Image Fusion (IF) and contrast normalization. This enables the visualization of molecular expression patterns in biological specimens with highly variable contrast values. In the approach, termed IF-OPT, different exposures are fused by assigning weighted contrasts to each. When applied to projection images from mouse organs and digital phantoms our results demonstrate the capability of IF-OPT to reveal high and low signal intensity details in challenging specimens. We further provide measurements to highlight the benefits of the new algorithm in comparison to other similar methods.

  • 5.
    Eriksson, Anna U.
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Svensson, Christoffer
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Cheddad, Abbas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Kostromina, Elena
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Eriksson, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Norlin, Nils
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Pileggi, Antonello
    Cell Transplants Center, Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami.
    Sharpe, James
    EMBL-CRG Systems Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Catalan Institute of Research and Advance Studies.
    Georgsson, Fredrik
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Computing Science.
    Alanentalo, Tomas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Ahlgren, Ulf
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Near infrared optical projection tomography for assessments of beta-cell mass distribution in diabetes research2013In: Journal of Visualized Experiments, E-ISSN 1940-087X, Vol. 71, article id e50238Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    By adapting OPT to include the capability of imaging in the near infrared (NIR) spectrum, we here illustrate the possibility to image larger bodies of pancreatic tissue, such as the rat pancreas, and to increase the number of channels (cell types) that may be studied in a single specimen. We further describe the implementation of a number of computational tools that provide: 1/ accurate positioning of a specimen's (in our case the pancreas) centre of mass (COM) at the axis of rotation (AR)2; 2/ improved algorithms for post-alignment tuning which prevents geometric distortions during the tomographic reconstruction2 and 3/ a protocol for intensity equalization to increase signal to noise ratios in OPT-based BCM determinations3. In addition, we describe a sample holder that minimizes the risk for unintentional movements of the specimen during image acquisition. Together, these protocols enable assessments of BCM distribution and other features, to be performed throughout the volume of intact pancreata or other organs (e.g. in studies of islet transplantation), with a resolution down to the level of individual islets of Langerhans.

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  • 6.
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Imaging the pancreas: new aspects on lobular development and adult constitution2011Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    The mouse pancreas is a mixed exocrine and endocrine glandconsisting of three lobular compartments: the splenic, duodenal and gastric lobes. During embryogenesis, the pancreas forms from two progenitor populations located on the dorsal and ventral side of the primitive gut tube. These anlagen are brought in close proximity as the gut elongates and rotates, and fuse to form a single organ. The splenic and duodenal lobes develop from the dorsal and ventral anlagen, respectively.

    In the adult pancreas, exocrine tissue secretes digestive enzymes intothe gut lumen to support nutrient uptake. The endocrine Islets of Langerhans are scattered throughout the exocrine tissue and aid in regulation of energy homeostasis through the secretion of hormones. One of the key players in energy homeostasis is the pancreatic ß-cell, which is the most abundant cell type of the islets. The β-cells regulates blood glucose levels through the action of insulin. Conditions where this regulation does not function properly are gathered under the common name of Diabetes mellitus.

    Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is characterized by insulin deficiency due to autoimmune destruction of the ß-cells. Using recently developed protocols for optical projection tomography (OPT) whole-organ imaging, we have revealed new spatial and quantitative aspects on ß-cell mass dynamics and immune infiltration during the course of T1D development in the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse model. We show that although immune infiltration appears to occur asynchronously throughout the organ, smaller islets, mainly located in the periphery of the organ, preferentially loose their ß-cells during early stages of disease progression. Larger islets appear more resistant to the autoimmune attack and our data indicate the existence of a compensatory proliferative capacity within these islets. We also report the appearance of structures resembling tertiary lymphoid organs (TLOs) in association with the remaining islets during later phases of T1D progression.

    OPT has already proven to be a useful tool for assessments of ß-cellmass in the adult mouse pancreas. However, as with other techniques, previous protocols have relied on a tedious degree of manual postivacquisition editing. To further refine OPT-based assessment of pancreatic ß-cell mass distribution in the murine pancreas, we implemented a computational statistical approach, Contrast-Limited Adaptive Histogram Normalisation (CLAHE), to the OPT projection data of pancreata from C57Bl/6 mice. This methodology provided increased islet detection sensitivity, improved islet morphology and diminished subjectivity in thresholding for reconstruction and quantification. Using this approach, we could report a substantially higher number of islets than previously described for this strain and provide evidence of significant differences in islet mass distribution between the pancreatic lobes. The gastric lobe stood out in particular and contained a 75% higher islet density as compared to the splenic lobe.

    Although the development of the early pancreatic buds has been relatively well studied, later morphogenetic events are less clear and information regarding the formation of the gastric lobe has largely been missing. Using OPT we have generated a quantitative three-dimensional road map of pancreatic morphogenesis in the mouse. We show that the gastric lobe forms as a perpendicular outgrowth fromthe stem of the dorsal pancreas at around embryonic day (e) 13.5, which grows into a mesenchymal domain overlaying the pyloric sphincter and proximal part of the glandular stomach. By analyzing mutant mice with aberrant spleen development, we further demonstrate that proper formation of the gastric lobe is dependent on the initial formation of the closely positioned spleen, indicating a close interplay between pancreatic and splenic mesenchyme during development. Additionally, we show that the expression profile of markers for pancreatic multipotent progenitors within the pancreas is heterogenous with regards to lobular origin. Altogether, our studies regarding the morphogenesis and adult constitution of the mouse pancreas recognize lobular heterogeneities that add important information for future interpretations of this organ.

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  • 7.
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM). Developmental Biology Unit, EMBL, Germany; (Epi)genomics of Animal Development Unit, Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Institut Pasteur, France; UMR3738, CNRS, Paris, France.
    Bastide, S.
    Langenfeld, K.
    Langa, F.
    Spitz, F.
    Dissection of the Fgf8 regulatory landscape by in vivo CRISPR-editing reveals extensive intra- and inter-enhancer redundancy2021In: Nature Communications, E-ISSN 2041-1723, Vol. 12, no 1, article id 439Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Developmental genes are often regulated by multiple elements with overlapping activity. Yet, in most cases, the relative function of those elements and their contribution to endogenous gene expression remain poorly characterized. An example of this phenomenon is that distinct sets of enhancers have been proposed to direct Fgf8 in the limb apical ectodermal ridge and the midbrain-hindbrain boundary. Using in vivo CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering, we functionally dissect this complex regulatory ensemble and demonstrate two distinct regulatory logics. In the apical ectodermal ridge, the control of Fgf8 expression appears distributed between different enhancers. In contrast, we find that in the midbrain-hindbrain boundary, one of the three active enhancers is essential while the other two are dispensable. We further dissect the essential midbrain-hindbrain boundary enhancer to reveal that it is also composed by a mixture of essential and dispensable modules. Cross-species transgenic analysis of this enhancer suggests that its composition may have changed in the vertebrate lineage.

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  • 8.
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Cheddad, Abbas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Ahlgren, Ulf
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    An improved protocol for optical projection tomography imaging reveals lobular heterogeneities in pancreatic islet and β-cell mass distribution2011In: Islets, ISSN 1938-2014, Vol. 3, no 4, p. 204-208Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Optical projection tomography (OPT) imaging is a powerful tool for three-dimensional imaging of gene and protein distribution patterns in biomedical specimens. We have previously demonstrated the possibility, by this technique, to extract information of the spatial and quantitative distribution of the islets of Langerhans in the intact mouse pancreas. In order to further increase the sensitivity of OPT imaging for this type of assessment, we have developed a protocol implementing a computational statistical approach: contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE). We demonstrate that this protocol significantly increases the sensitivity of OPT imaging for islet detection, helps preserve islet morphology and diminish subjectivity in thresholding for tomographic reconstruction. When applied to studies of the pancreas from healthy C57BL/6 mice, our data reveal that, at least in this strain, the pancreas harbors substantially more islets than has previously been reported. Further, we provide evidence that the gastric, duodenal and splenic lobes of the pancreas display dramatic differences in total and relative islet and β-cell mass distribution. This includes a 75% higher islet density in the gastric lobe as compared to the splenic lobe and a higher relative volume of insulin producing cells in the duodenal lobe as compared to the other lobes. Altogether, our data show that CLAHE substantially improves OPT based assessments of the islets of Langerhans and that lobular origin must be taken into careful consideration in quantitative and spatial assessments of the pancreas.

  • 9.
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Eriksson, Anna
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Sock, Elisabeth
    Hill, Robert
    Ahlgren, Ulf
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Impaired spleen formation perturbs morphogenesis of the gastric lobe of the pancreas2011In: PLOS ONE, E-ISSN 1932-6203, Vol. 6, no 6, p. e21753-Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Despite the extensive use of the mouse as a model for studies of pancreas development and disease, the development of the gastric pancreatic lobe has been largely overlooked. In this study we use optical projection tomography to provide a detailed three-dimensional and quantitative description of pancreatic growth dynamics in the mouse. Hereby, we describe the epithelial and mesenchymal events leading to the formation of the gastric lobe of the pancreas. We show that this structure forms by perpendicular growth from the dorsal pancreatic epithelium into a distinct lateral domain of the dorsal pancreatic mesenchyme. Our data support a role for spleen organogenesis in the establishment of this mesenchymal domain and in mice displaying perturbed spleen development, including Dh +/-, Bapx1-/- and Sox11-/-, gastric lobe development is disturbed. We further show that the expression profile of markers for multipotent progenitors is delayed in the gastric lobe as compared to the splenic and duodenal pancreatic lobes. Altogether, this study provides new information regarding the developmental dynamics underlying the formation of the gastric lobe of the pancreas and recognizes lobular heterogeneities regarding the time course of pancreatic cellular differentiation. Collectively, these data are likely to constitute important elements in future interpretations of the developing and/or diseased pancreas.

  • 10.
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Nord, Christoffer
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Parween, Saba
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Ahnfelt-Rønne, J.
    Ahlgren, Ulf
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    The pancreas2015In: Kaufman's atlas of mouse development supplement: with coronal sections / [ed] Richard Baldock, Jonathan Bard, Duncan R. Davidson and Gillian Morriss-Kay, Elsevier, 2015, 1, p. 85-94Chapter in book (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    This chapter aims to provide a three-dimensional description of the key morphological events, through which a discrete region of the early gut epithelium, as well as its associated mesenchyme, gives rise to the adult pancreas. Facilitated by recent advances in optical imaging techniques, including light sheet fluorescence microscopy and optical projection tomography, we present image series illustrating the growth of the organ and the formation of key morphological and anatomical features. Given the close developmental relationship between the pancreas-associated mesenchyme and the spleen anlage, and thus the potential for the developing spleen to influence pancreas morphogenesis, we include a brief section which covers the early development of this organ. Finally, we describe the spatial and quantitative distribution of the pancreatic endocrine (β-cell) component in adult mice and highlight lobular heterogeneities that may affect phenotypical evaluations of the gland.

  • 11.
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Remeseiro, Silvia
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine at Umeå University (WCMM).
    Epigenetics, Enhancer Function and 3D Chromatin Organization in Reprogramming to Pluripotency2022In: Cells, E-ISSN 2073-4409, Vol. 11, no 9, article id 1404Article, review/survey (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Genome architecture, epigenetics and enhancer function control the fate and identity of cells. Reprogramming to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) changes the transcriptional profile and chromatin landscape of the starting somatic cell to that of the pluripotent cell in a stepwise manner. Changes in the regulatory networks are tightly regulated during normal embryonic development to determine cell fate, and similarly need to function in cell fate control during reprogramming. Switching off the somatic program and turning on the pluripotent program involves a dynamic reorganization of the epigenetic landscape, enhancer function, chromatin accessibility and 3D chromatin topology. Within this context, we will review here the current knowledge on the processes that control the establishment and maintenance of pluripotency during somatic cell reprogramming.

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  • 12. Jo, Junghyo
    et al.
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Kilimnik, German
    Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
    Hara, Manami
    Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
    Ahlgren, Ulf
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Periwal, Vipul
    Laboratory of Biological Modeling, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
    The fractal spatial distribution of pancreatic islets in three dimensions: a self-avoiding growth model2013In: Physical Biology, ISSN 1478-3967, E-ISSN 1478-3975, Vol. 10, no 3, p. 036009-Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The islets of Langerhans, responsible for controlling blood glucose levels, are dispersed within the pancreas. A universal power law governing the fractal spatial distribution of islets in two-dimensional pancreatic sections has been reported. However, the fractal geometry in the actual three-dimensional pancreas volume, and the developmental process that gives rise to such a self-similar structure, has not been investigated. Here, we examined the three-dimensional spatial distribution of islets in intact mouse pancreata using optical projection tomography and found a power law with a fractal dimension of 2.1. Furthermore, based on two-dimensional pancreatic sections of human autopsies, we found that the distribution of human islets also follows a universal power law with a fractal dimension of 1.5 in adult pancreata, which agrees with the value previously reported in smaller mammalian pancreas sections. Finally, we developed a self-avoiding growth model for the development of the islet distribution and found that the fractal nature of the spatial islet distribution may be associated with the self-avoidance in the branching process of vascularization in the pancreas.

  • 13.
    Kahsay, Abraha
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Integrative Medical Biology (IMB).
    Rodriguez-Marquez, Eva
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Integrative Medical Biology (IMB).
    López-Pérez, Ana R.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    von Hofsten, Jonas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Integrative Medical Biology (IMB).
    Pax3 loss of function delays tumour progression in kRAS-induced zebrafish rhabdomyosarcoma models2022In: Scientific Reports, E-ISSN 2045-2322, Vol. 12, no 1, article id 17149Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Rhabdomyosarcoma is a soft tissue cancer that arises in skeletal muscle due to mutations in myogenic progenitors that lead to ineffective differentiation and malignant transformation. The transcription factors Pax3 and Pax7 and their downstream target genes are tightly linked with the fusion positive alveolar subtype, whereas the RAS pathway is usually involved in the embryonal, fusion negative variant. Here, we analyse the role of Pax3 in a fusion negative context, by linking alterations in gene expression in pax3a/pax3b double mutant zebrafish with tumour progression in kRAS-induced rhabdomyosarcoma tumours. Several genes in the RAS/MAPK signalling pathway were significantly down-regulated in pax3a/pax3b double mutant zebrafish. Progression of rhabdomyosarcoma tumours was also delayed in the pax3a/pax3b double mutant zebrafish indicating that Pax3 transcription factors have an unappreciated role in mediating malignancy in fusion negative rhabdomyosarcoma.

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  • 14.
    López-Pérez, Ana R.
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Norlin, Stefan
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Steneberg, Pär
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Remeseiro, Silvia
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine at Umeå University (WCMM).
    Edlund, Helena
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Pan-AMPK activator O304 prevents gene expression changes and remobilisation of histone marks in islets of diet-induced obese mice2021In: Scientific Reports, E-ISSN 2045-2322, Vol. 11, no 1, article id 24410Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has an important role in cellular energy homeostasis and has emerged as a promising target for treatment of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) due to its beneficial effects on insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis. O304 is a pan-AMPK activator that has been shown to improve glucose homeostasis in both mouse models of diabetes and in human T2D subjects. Here, we describe the genome-wide transcriptional profile and chromatin landscape of pancreatic islets following O304 treatment of mice fed high-fat diet (HFD). O304 largely prevented genome-wide gene expression changes associated with HFD feeding in CBA mice and these changes were associated with remodelling of active and repressive chromatin marks. In particular, the increased expression of the β-cell stress marker Aldh1a3 in islets from HFD-mice is completely abrogated following O304 treatment, which is accompanied by loss of active chromatin marks in the promoter as well as distant non-coding regions upstream of the Aldh1a3 gene. Moreover, O304 treatment restored dysfunctional glucose homeostasis as well as expression of key markers associated with β-cell function in mice with already established obesity. Our findings provide preclinical evidence that O304 is a promising therapeutic compound not only for T2D remission but also for restoration of β-cell function following remission of T2D diabetes.

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  • 15.
    López-Pérez, Ana R.
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Remeseiro, Silvia
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine at Umeå University (WCMM).
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Diet-induced rewiring of the Wnt gene regulatory network connects aberrant splicing to fatty liver and liver cancer in DIAMOND mice2023In: Scientific Reports, E-ISSN 2045-2322, Vol. 13, no 1, article id 18666Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Several preclinical models have been recently developed for metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) but comprehensive analysis of the regulatory and transcriptional landscapes underlying disease in these models are still missing. We investigated the regulatory and transcriptional landscape in fatty livers and liver tumours from DIAMOND mice that faithfully mimic human HCC development in the context of MAFLD. RNA-sequencing and ChIP-sequencing revealed rewiring of the Wnt/β-catenin regulatory network in DIAMOND tumours, as manifested by chromatin remodelling and associated switching in the expression of the canonical TCF/LEF downstream effectors. We identified splicing as a major mechanism leading to constitutive oncogenic activation of β-catenin in a large subset of DIAMOND tumours, a mechanism that is independent on somatic mutations in the locus and that has not been previously shown. Similar splicing events were found in a fraction of human HCC and hepatoblastoma samples.

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  • 16.
    Remeseiro, Silvia
    et al.
    Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany.
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany.
    Spitz, François
    Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany.
    Gene regulation during development in the light of topologically associating domains2016In: Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Developmental Biology, ISSN 1759-7684, E-ISSN 1759-7692, Vol. 5, no 2, p. 169-185Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    During embryonic development, complex transcriptional programs govern the precision of gene expression. Many key developmental genes are regulated via cis-regulatory elements that are located far away in the linear genome. How sequences located hundreds of kilobases away from a promoter can influence its activity has been the subject of numerous speculations, which all underline the importance of the 3D-organization of the genome. The recent advent of chromosome conformation capture techniques has put into focus the subdivision of the genome into topologically associating domains (TADs). TADs may influence regulatory activities on multiple levels. The relative invariance of TAD limits across cell types suggests that they may form fixed structural domains that could facilitate and/or confine long-range regulatory interactions. However, most recent studies suggest that interactions within TADs are more variable and dynamic than initially described. Hence, different models are emerging regarding how TADs shape the complex 3D conformations, and thereafter influence the networks of cis-interactions that govern gene expression during development. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.

  • 17. Sand, Fredrik Wolfhagen
    et al.
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Johansson, Jenny K
    Lorén, Christina
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Edsbagge, Josefina
    Ståhlberg, Anders
    Magenheim, Judith
    Ilovich, Ohad
    Mishani, Eyal
    Dor, Yuval
    Ahlgren, Ulf
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Semb, Henrik
    Growth-limiting role of endothelial cells in endoderm development2011In: Developmental Biology, ISSN 0012-1606, E-ISSN 1095-564X, Vol. 352, no 2, p. 267-277Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Endoderm development is dependent on inductive signals from different structures in close vicinity, including the notochord, lateral plate mesoderm and endothelial cells. Recently, we demonstrated that a functional vascular system is necessary for proper pancreas development, and that sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) exhibits the traits of a blood vessel-derived molecule involved in early pancreas morphogenesis. To examine whether S1P(1)-signaling plays a more general role in endoderm development, S1P(1)-deficient mice were analyzed. S1P(1) ablation results in compromised growth of several foregut-derived organs, including the stomach, dorsal and ventral pancreas and liver. Within the developing pancreas the reduction in organ size was due to deficient proliferation of Pdx1(+) pancreatic progenitors, whereas endocrine cell differentiation was unaffected. Ablation of endothelial cells in vitro did not mimic the S1P(1) phenotype, instead, increased organ size and hyperbranching were observed. Consistent with a negative role for endothelial cells in endoderm organ expansion, excessive vasculature was discovered in S1P(1)-deficient embryos. Altogether, our results show that endothelial cell hyperplasia negatively influences organ development in several foregut-derived organs.

  • 18.
    Vincent, Craig A.
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine at Umeå University (WCMM).
    Nissen, Itzel
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine at Umeå University (WCMM).
    Dakhel, Soran
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine at Umeå University (WCMM).
    Hörnblad, Andreas
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
    Remeseiro, Silvia
    Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine at Umeå University (WCMM).
    Epigenomic perturbation of novel EGFR enhancers reduces the proliferative and invasive capacity of glioblastoma and increases sensitivity to temozolomide2023In: BMC Cancer, ISSN 1471-2407, E-ISSN 1471-2407, Vol. 23, no 1, article id 945Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Background: Glioblastoma (GB) is the most aggressive of all primary brain tumours and due to its highly invasive nature, surgical resection is nearly impossible. Patients typically rely on radiotherapy with concurrent temozolomide (TMZ) treatment and face a median survival of ~ 14 months. Alterations in the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor gene (EGFR) are common in GB tumours, but therapies targeting EGFR have not shown significant clinical efficacy.

    Methods: Here, we investigated the influence of the EGFR regulatory genome on GB cells and identified novel EGFR enhancers located near the GB-associated SNP rs723527. We used CRISPR/Cas9-based approaches to target the EGFR enhancer regions, generating multiple modified GB cell lines, which enabled us to study the functional response to enhancer perturbation.

    Results: Epigenomic perturbation of the EGFR regulatory region decreases EGFR expression and reduces the proliferative and invasive capacity of glioblastoma cells, which also undergo a metabolic reprogramming in favour of mitochondrial respiration and present increased apoptosis. Moreover, EGFR enhancer-perturbation increases the sensitivity of GB cells to TMZ, the first-choice chemotherapeutic agent to treat glioblastoma.

    Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate how epigenomic perturbation of EGFR enhancers can ameliorate the aggressiveness of glioblastoma cells and enhance the efficacy of TMZ treatment. This study demonstrates how CRISPR/Cas9-based perturbation of enhancers can be used to modulate the expression of key cancer genes, which can help improve the effectiveness of existing cancer treatments and potentially the prognosis of difficult-to-treat cancers such as glioblastoma.

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