Biomedical subjects

Javier De Las Rivas

Publications and source records attributed to Javier De Las Rivas.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

GRNContext: an interactive web platform for contextualized gene regulatory networks visualization across human cancers.

SUMMARY: While current Gene Regulatory Network (GRN) databases provide comprehensive reference maps of potential interactions between transcription factors and target genes, they do not specify which regulatory interactions are active within specific biological contexts. This limitation is particularly critical in cancer, where transcriptional programs are inherently tissue-specific. To address this gap, we developed GRNContext, an interactive web platform designed for the visualization, exploration, and comparative analysis of gene regulatory networks contextualized across 33 cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Our approach uses the TFLink human reference GRN as a starting point and integrates TCGA transcriptomic profiles to infer cancer-specific regulatory activity. Regulatory relevance was assessed using complementary machine learning and statistical methods, which were unified into a consensus score to prioritize and filter the most relevant candidate regulators for each target gene. By providing both curated context-specific GRNs and a user-friendly platform, GRNContext constitutes a comprehensive and accessible resource that supports mechanistic investigations, hypothesis generation, and translational research focused on transcriptional regulation in cancer. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: GRNContext is supported by all major browsers and freely available on the web at https://apps.cienciavida.org/grncontext. It is implemented as a client-server web application featuring a FastAPI backend and a React frontend utilizing Cytoscape.js for interactive network visualization, all containerized via Docker for cross-platform compatibility.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Deletion of 9p drives B-ALL through heterozygous inactivation of Pax5 and Cd72 in preleukemic cells.

The contribution of 9p deletion to B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) has remained elusive since its discovery more than 40 years ago. Here we show that loss of CD72 is recurrent in B-ALL cases containing PAX5 deletions, and that Cd72 haploinsufficiency drives B-ALL development in Pax5+/- mice. Mechanistically, Cd72+/-;Pax5+/- precursor B cells exhibited an inflammatory transcriptional profile characterized by a decrease in Myd88 expression, a finding that aligns with our previous studies of B-ALL development in Pax5+/- mice following exposure to immune stressors. These combined genomic analyses and functional models provide compelling evidence that co-deletion of 2 contiguous genes, Pax5 and Cd72, drives B cell leukemogenesis.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

Tonic signaling of the B-cell antigen-specific receptor is a common functional hallmark in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cell phosphoproteomes at early disease stages.

B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is characterized by highly heterogeneous genomic alterations and altered signaling pathways, with limited studies on its proteome. Our study presents a comprehensive analysis of the proteome and phosphoproteome in B-CLL and CLL-like monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL) primary cells. Using high-resolution mass spectrometry, we identified 2970 proteins and 316 phosphoproteins across five tumor samples, including 55 newly identified phosphopeptides (ProteomeXchange-PXD005997). Our multifaceted approach also integrated protein microarrays and western blotting for further data validation in a new patient cohort of 14 patients. Despite sharing 73% of their proteomes, the phosphoproteomes varied significantly among samples, independent of cytogenetic alterations and immunoglobulin heavy variable cluster (IGHV) mutational status. We identified common functional hallmarks in B-CLL and MBL phosphoproteomes, notably tonic signaling (low-level, constitutive signaling) of the B-cell antigen-specific receptor (BCR) and nuclear factor NF-kappa-B (NF-kβ)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathways. Nine phosphoproteins involved in BCR signaling were further validated, showing a high correlation with early disease stages. Our study advances the field by providing a detailed perspective on the proteome and phosphoproteome of B-CLL cells, revealing signaling pathways crucial for disease development and progression. Integrating diverse proteomics techniques and identifying novel phosphopeptides offers new insights into CLL biology, potentially informing future therapeutic strategies and biomarker development for early diagnosis and personalized treatment.

Humans↗