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ABSTRACT: In systems-based approaches for studying processes such as cancer and development, identifying and characterizing individual cells within a tissue is the first step towards understanding the large-scale effects that emerge from the interactions between cells. To this end, nuclear morphology is an important phenotype to characterize the physiological and differentiated state of a cell. This study focuses on using nuclear morphology to identify cellular phenotypes in thick tissue sections imaged using 3D fluorescence microscopy. The limited label information, heterogeneous feature set describing a nucleus, and existence of subpopulations within cell-types makes this a difficult learning problem. To address these issues, a technique is presented to learn a distance metric from labeled data which is locally adaptive to account for heterogeneity in the data. Additionally, a label propagation technique is used to improve the quality of the learned metric by expanding the training set using unlabeled data. Results are presented on images of tumor stroma in breast cancer, where the framework is used to identify fibroblasts, macrophages and endothelial cells--three major stromal cells involved in carcinogenesis.
Information processing in medical imaging: proceedings of the ... conference 01/2011; 22:398-410.
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ABSTRACT: Methods to quantify cellular-level phenotypic differences between genetic groups are a key tool in genomics research. In disease processes such as cancer, phenotypic changes at the cellular level frequently manifest in the modification of cell population profiles. These changes are hard to detect due the ambiguity in identifying distinct cell phenotypes within a population. We present a methodology which enables the detection of such changes by generating a phenotypic signature of cell populations in a data-derived feature-space. Further, this signature is used to estimate a model for the redistribution of phenotypes that was induced by the genetic change. Results are presented on an experiment involving deletion of a tumor-suppressor gene dominant in breast cancer, where the methodology is used to detect changes in nuclear morphology between control and knockout groups.
Medical image computing and computer-assisted intervention : MICCAI ... International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention. 01/2011; 14(Pt 2):343-51.
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Hui Wang,
Matt Karikomi,
Shan Naidu,
Ravi Rajmohan, Enrico Caserta,
Hui-Zi Chen,
Maysoon Rawahneh,
Julie Moffitt,
Julie A Stephens,
Soledad A Fernandez,
Michael Weinstein,
Danxin Wang,
Wolfgang Sadee,
Krista La Perle,
Paul Stromberg,
Thomas J Rosol,
Charis Eng,
Michael C Ostrowski,
Gustavo Leone
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ABSTRACT: Germline mutations in the tumor suppressor gene PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homology deleted on chromosome 10) cause Cowden and Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba (BRR) syndromes, two dominantly inherited disorders characterized by mental retardation, multiple hamartomas, and variable cancer risk. Here, we modeled three sentinel mutant alleles of PTEN identified in patients with Cowden syndrome and show that the nonsense Pten(4-5) and missense Pten(C124R) and Pten(G129E) alleles lacking lipid phosphatase activity cause similar developmental abnormalities but distinct tumor spectra with varying severity and age of onset. Allele-specific differences may be accounted for by loss of function for Pten(4-5), hypomorphic function for Pten(C124R), and gain of function for Pten(G129E). These data demonstrate that the variable tumor phenotypes observed in patients with Cowden and BRR syndromes can be attributed to specific mutations in PTEN that alter protein function through distinct mechanisms.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 03/2010; 107(11):5142-7. · 9.68 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We present a study of the spatial variation of nuclear morphology of stromal and cancer-associated fibroblasts in the mouse mammary gland. The work is part of a framework being developed for the analysis of the tumor microenvironment in breast cancer. Recent research has uncovered the role of stromal cells in promoting tumor growth and progression. In specific, studies have indicated that stromal fibroblasts - formerly considered to be passive entities in the extra-cellular matrix - play an active role in the progression of tumor in mammary tissue. We have focused on the analysis of the nuclear morphology of fibroblasts, which several studies have shown to be a critical phenotype in cancer. An essential component of our approach is that the nuclear morphology is studied within the 3D spatial context of the tissue, thus enabling us to pose questions about how the locus of a cell relates to its morphology, and possibly to its function. In order to make quantitative comparisons between nuclear populations, we build statistical shape models of cell populations and infer differences between the populations through these models. We present our observation on both normal and tumor tissues from the mouse mammary gland.
Proceedings of the 2010 IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging: From Nano to Macro, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 14-17 April, 2010; 01/2010
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ABSTRACT: InfB-encoded translation initiation factor IF2 contains a non-conserved N-terminal domain and two conserved domains (G and C) constituted by three (G1, G2 and G3) and two (C1 and C2) sub-domains. Here, we show that: (i) Bacillus stearothermophilus IF2 complements in vivo an Escherichia coli infB null mutation and (ii) the N-domain of B. stearothermophilus IF2, like that of E. coli IF2, provides a strong yet dispensable interaction with 30 S and 50 S subunits in spite of the lack of any size, sequence or structural homology between the N-domains of the two factors. Furthermore, the nature of the B. stearothermophilus IF2 sites involved in establishing the functional interactions with the ribosome was investigated by generating deletion, random and site-directed mutations within sub-domains G2 or G3 of a molecule carrying an H301Y substitution in switch II of the G2 module, which impairs the ribosome-dependent GTPase activity of IF2. By selecting suppressors of the dominant-lethal phenotype caused by the H301Y substitution, three independent mutants impaired in ribosome binding were identified; namely, S387P (in G2) and G420E and E424K (in G3). The functional properties of these mutants and those of the deletion mutants are compatible with the premise that IF2 interacts with 30 S and 50 S subunits via G3 and G2 modules, respectively. However, beyond this generalization, because the mutation in G2 resulted in a functional alteration of G3 and vice versa, our results indicate the existence of extensive "cross-talking" between these two modules, highlighting a harmonic conformational cooperation between G2 and G3 required for a functional interaction between IF2 and the two ribosomal subunits. It is noteworthy that the E424K mutant, which completely lacks GTPase activity, displays IF2 wild-type capacity in supporting initiation of dipeptide formation.
Journal of Molecular Biology 11/2009; 396(1):118-29. · 4.00 Impact Factor
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Anthony J Trimboli,
Carmen Z Cantemir-Stone,
Fu Li,
Julie A Wallace,
Anand Merchant,
Nicholas Creasap,
John C Thompson, Enrico Caserta,
Hui Wang,
Jean-Leon Chong, [......],
Sanford H Barsky,
Lisa Yee,
Thomas J Rosol,
Paul C Stromberg,
Michael L Robinson,
Francois Pepin,
Michael Hallett,
Morag Park,
Michael C Ostrowski,
Gustavo Leone
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ABSTRACT: The tumour stroma is believed to contribute to some of the most malignant characteristics of epithelial tumours. However, signalling between stromal and tumour cells is complex and remains poorly understood. Here we show that the genetic inactivation of Pten in stromal fibroblasts of mouse mammary glands accelerated the initiation, progression and malignant transformation of mammary epithelial tumours. This was associated with the massive remodelling of the extracellular matrix (ECM), innate immune cell infiltration and increased angiogenesis. Loss of Pten in stromal fibroblasts led to increased expression, phosphorylation (T72) and recruitment of Ets2 to target promoters known to be involved in these processes. Remarkably, Ets2 inactivation in Pten stroma-deleted tumours ameliorated disruption of the tumour microenvironment and was sufficient to decrease tumour growth and progression. Global gene expression profiling of mammary stromal cells identified a Pten-specific signature that was highly represented in the tumour stroma of patients with breast cancer. These findings identify the Pten-Ets2 axis as a critical stroma-specific signalling pathway that suppresses mammary epithelial tumours.
Nature 10/2009; 461(7267):1084-91. · 36.28 Impact Factor
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Joel Saltz,
Tahsin Kurc,
Shannon Hastings,
Stephen Langella,
Scott Oster,
David Ervin,
Ashish Sharma,
Tony Pan,
Metin Gurcan,
Justin Permar, [......],
Umit Catalyurek, Enrico Caserta,
Gustavo Leone,
Michael C Ostrowski,
Ravi Madduri,
Ian Foster,
Subhashree Madhavan,
Kenneth H Buetow,
Krishnakant Shanbhag,
Eliot Siegel
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ABSTRACT: Translational research projects target a wide variety of diseases, test many different kinds of biomedical hypotheses, and employ a large assortment of experimental methodologies. Diverse data, complex execution environments, and demanding security and reliability requirements make the implementation of these projects extremely challenging and require novel e-Science technologies.
Computer 11/2008; 41(11):58-66. · 1.47 Impact Factor
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Joel H. Saltz,
Tahsin M. Kurç,
Shannon Hastings,
Stephen Langella,
Scott Oster,
David Ervin,
Ashish Sharma,
Tony Pan,
Metin N. Gurcan,
Justin Permar, [......],
Ümit V. Çatalyürek, Enrico Caserta,
Gustavo Leone,
Michael C. Ostrowski,
Ravi K. Madduri,
Ian T. Foster,
Subhasree Madhavan,
Kenneth H. Buetow,
Krishnakant Shanbhag,
Eliot L. Siegel
IEEE Computer. 01/2008; 41:58-66.
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ABSTRACT: Translational initiation factor 2 (IF2) is a guanine nucleotide-binding protein that can bind guanosine 3',5'-(bis) diphosphate (ppGpp), an alarmone involved in stringent response in bacteria. In cells growing under optimal conditions, the GTP concentration is very high, and that of ppGpp very low. However, under stress conditions, the GTP concentration may decline by as much as 50%, and that of ppGpp can attain levels comparable to those of GTP. Here we show that IF2 binds ppGpp at the same nucleotide-binding site and with similar affinity as GTP. Thus, GTP and the alarmone ppGpp can be considered two alternative physiologically relevant IF2 ligands. ppGpp interferes with IF2-dependent initiation complex formation, severely inhibits initiation dipeptide formation, and blocks the initiation step of translation. Our data suggest that IF2 has the properties of a cellular metabolic sensor and regulator that oscillates between an active GTP-bound form under conditions allowing active protein syntheses and an inactive ppGpp-bound form when shortage of nutrients would be detrimental, if not accompanied by slackening of this synthesis.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 10/2006; 103(38):13962-7. · 9.68 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The functional properties of the two natural forms of Escherichia coli translation initiation factor IF2 (IF2alpha and IF2beta) and of an N-terminal deletion mutant of the factor (IF2DeltaN) lacking the first 294 residues, corresponding to the entire N-terminal domain, were analysed comparatively. The results revealed that IF2alpha and IF2beta display almost indistinguishable properties, whereas IF2DeltaN, although fully active in all steps of the translation initiation pathway, displays functional activities having properties and requirements distinctly different from those of the intact molecule. Indeed, binding of IF2DeltaN to the 30 S subunit, IF2DeltaN-dependent stimulation of fMet-tRNA binding to the ribosome and of initiation dipeptide formation strongly depend upon the presence of IF1 and GTP, unlike with IF2alpha and IF2beta. The present results indicate that, using two separate active sites, IF2 establishes two interactions with the 30 S ribosomal subunit which have different properties and functions. The first site, located in the N domain of IF2, is responsible for a high-affinity interaction which "anchors" the factor to the subunit while the second site, mainly located in the beta-barrel module homologous to domain II of EF-G and EF-Tu, is responsible for the functional ("core") interaction of IF2 leading to the decoding of fMet-tRNA in the 30 S subunit P-site. The first interaction is functionally dispensable, sensitive to ionic-strength variations and essentially insensitive to the nature of the guanosine nucleotide ligand and to the presence of IF1, unlike the second interaction which strongly depends upon the presence of IF1 and GTP.
Journal of Molecular Biology 10/2006; 362(4):787-99. · 4.00 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Bacterial translation initiation factor IF2 is a GTP-binding protein that catalyzes binding of initiator fMet-tRNA in the ribosomal P site. The topographical localization of IF2 on the ribosomal subunits, a prerequisite for understanding the mechanism of initiation complex formation, has remained elusive. Here, we present a model for the positioning of IF2 in the 70S initiation complex as determined by cleavage of rRNA by the chemical nucleases Cu(II):1,10-orthophenanthroline and Fe(II):EDTA tethered to cysteine residues introduced into IF2. Two specific amino acids in the GII domain of IF2 are in proximity to helices H3, H4, H17, and H18 of 16S rRNA. Furthermore, the junction of the C-1 and C-2 domains is in proximity to H89 and the thiostrepton region of 23S rRNA. The docking is further constrained by the requisite proximity of the C-2 domain with P-site-bound tRNA and by the conserved GI domain of the IF2 with the large subunit's factor-binding center. Comparison of our present findings with previous data further suggests that the IF2 orientation on the 30S subunit changes during the transition from the 30S to 70S initiation complex.
RNA 09/2003; 9(8):958-69. · 5.09 Impact Factor
