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Schuck RJ, Ward AE, Sahoo AR, Rybak JA, Pyron RJ, Trybala TN, Simmons TB, Baccile JA, Sgouralis I, Buck M, Lamichhane R, Barrera FN. Cholesterol inhibits assembly and activation of the EphA2 receptor. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.10.598255. [PMID: 38915729 PMCID: PMC11195142 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.10.598255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
The receptor tyrosine kinase EphA2 drives cancer malignancy by facilitating metastasis. EphA2 can be found in different self-assembly states: as a monomer, dimer, and oligomer. However, our understanding remains limited regarding which EphA2 state is responsible for driving pro-metastatic signaling. To address this limitation, we have developed SiMPull-POP, a single-molecule method for accurate quantification of membrane protein self-assembly. Our experiments revealed that a reduction of plasma membrane cholesterol strongly promoted EphA2 self-assembly. Indeed, low cholesterol caused a similar effect to the EphA2 ligand ephrinA1-Fc. These results indicate that cholesterol inhibits EphA2 assembly. Phosphorylation studies in different cell lines revealed that low cholesterol increased phospho-serine levels, the signature of oncogenic signaling. Investigation of the mechanism that cholesterol uses to inhibit the assembly and activity of EphA2 indicate an in-trans effect, where EphA2 is phosphorylated by protein kinase A downstream of beta-adrenergic receptor activity, which cholesterol also inhibits. Our study not only provides new mechanistic insights on EphA2 oncogenic function, but also suggests that cholesterol acts as a molecular safeguard mechanism that prevents uncontrolled self-assembly and activation of EphA2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J Schuck
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA
| | - Alyssa E Ward
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA
| | - Amita R Sahoo
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, USA
| | - Jennifer A Rybak
- Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA
| | - Robert J Pyron
- Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA
| | - Thomas N Trybala
- Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA
| | - Timothy B Simmons
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA
| | - Joshua A Baccile
- Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA
| | | | - Matthias Buck
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, USA
| | - Rajan Lamichhane
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA
| | - Francisco N Barrera
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA
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2
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Wirth D, Özdemir E, Wimley WC, Pasquale EB, Hristova K. Transmembrane helix interactions regulate oligomerization of the receptor tyrosine kinase EphA2. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107441. [PMID: 38838777 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The transmembrane helices of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) have been proposed to switch between two different dimeric conformations, one associated with the inactive RTK and the other with the active RTK. Furthermore, recent work has demonstrated that some full-length RTKs are associated with oligomers that are larger than dimers, raising questions about the roles of the TM helices in the assembly and function of these oligomers. Here we probe the roles of the TM helices in the stability of EphA2 RTK oligomers in the plasma membrane. We employ mutagenesis to evaluate the relevance of a published NMR dimeric structure of the isolated EphA2 TM helix in the context of the full-length EphA2 in the plasma membrane. We use two fluorescence methods, Förster Resonance Energy Transfer and Fluorescence Intensity Fluctuations spectrometry, which yield complementary information about the EphA2 oligomerization process. These studies reveal that the TM helix mutations affect the stability, structure, and size of EphA2 oligomers. However, the effects are multifaceted and point to a more complex role of the TM helix than the one expected from the "TM dimer switch" model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Wirth
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ece Özdemir
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - William C Wimley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Elena B Pasquale
- Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Kalina Hristova
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
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3
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Perez White BE, Cable CJ, Shi B, Ventrella R, Kaplan N, Kobeissi A, Higuchi Y, Balu A, Murphy ZR, Kumar P, Getsios S. Receptor Tyrosine Kinase EPHA2 Drives Epidermal Differentiation through Regulation of EGFR Signaling. J Invest Dermatol 2024:S0022-202X(24)00086-1. [PMID: 38520417 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2024.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Intricate signaling systems are required to maintain homeostasis and promote differentiation in the epidermis. Receptor tyrosine kinases are central in orchestrating these systems in epidermal keratinocytes. In particular, EPHA2 and EGFR transduce distinct signals to dictate keratinocyte fate, yet how these cell communication networks are integrated has not been investigated. Our work shows that loss of EPHA2 impairs keratinocyte stratification, differentiation, and barrier function. To determine the mechanism of this dysfunction, we drew from our proteomics data of potential EPHA2 interacting proteins. We identified EGFR as a high-ranking EPHA2 interactor and subsequently validated this interaction. We found that when EPHA2 is reduced, EGFR activation and downstream signaling are intensified and sustained. Evidence indicates that prolonged SRC association contributes to the increase in EGFR signaling. We show that hyperactive EGFR signaling underlies the differentiation defect caused by EPHA2 knockdown because EGFR inhibition restores differentiation in EPHA2-deficient 3-dimensional skin organoids. Our data implicate a mechanism whereby EPHA2 restrains EGFR signaling, allowing for fine tuning in the processes of terminal differentiation and barrier formation. Taken together, we purport that crosstalk between receptor tyrosine kinases EPHA2 and EGFR is critical for epidermal differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany E Perez White
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
| | - Calvin J Cable
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Bo Shi
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Rosa Ventrella
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Nihal Kaplan
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Aya Kobeissi
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Yuya Higuchi
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Abhinav Balu
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Zachary R Murphy
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Priya Kumar
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Spiro Getsios
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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4
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Hasegawa N, Hongo M, Okada M, Kuga T, Abe Y, Adachi J, Tomonaga T, Yamaguchi N, Nakayama Y. Phosphotyrosine proteomics in cells synchronized at monopolar cytokinesis reveals EphA2 as functioning in cytokinesis. Exp Cell Res 2023; 432:113783. [PMID: 37726045 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2023.113783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Cytokinesis is the final step of the cell division in which cellular components are separated into two daughter cells. This process is regulated through the phosphorylation of different classes of proteins by serine/threonine (Ser/Thr) kinases such as Aurora B and Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1). Conversely, the role of phosphorylation at tyrosine residues during cytokinesis has not been studied in detail yet. In this study, we performed a phosphotyrosine proteomic analysis of cells undergoing monopolar cytokinesis synchronized by using the Eg5 inhibitor (+)-S-trityl-l-cysteine (STLC) and the CDK1 inhibitor RO-3306. Phosphotyrosine proteomics gave 362 tyrosine-phosphorylated peptides. Western blot analysis of proteins revealed tyrosine phosphorylation in mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 (MAPK14), vimentin, ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2), and myelin protein zero-like protein 1 (MPZL1) during monopolar cytokinesis. Additionally, we demonstrated that EphA2, a protein with unknown function during cytokinesis, is involved in cytokinesis. EphA2 knockdown accelerated epithelial cell transforming 2 (Ect2) knockdown-induced multinucleation, suggesting that EphA2 plays a role in cytokinesis in a particular situation. The list also included many proteins previously reported to play roles during cytokinesis. These results evidence that the identified phosphopeptides facilitate the identification of novel tyrosine phosphorylation signaling involved in regulating cytokinesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanami Hasegawa
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
| | - Mayue Hongo
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
| | - Misaki Okada
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
| | - Takahisa Kuga
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan; Laboratory of Analytics for Biomolecules, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Setsunan University, Osaka 573-0101, Japan
| | - Yuichi Abe
- Laboratory of Proteomics for Drug Discovery, Center for Drug Design Research, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka 567-0085, Japan; Division of Molecular Diagnostics, Aichi Cancer Center, Nagoya 464-8681, Japan
| | - Jun Adachi
- Laboratory of Proteomics for Drug Discovery, Center for Drug Design Research, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka 567-0085, Japan
| | - Takeshi Tomonaga
- Laboratory of Proteomics for Drug Discovery, Center for Drug Design Research, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka 567-0085, Japan; Proteobiologics Co., Ltd., Osaka 567-0085, Japan
| | - Naoto Yamaguchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8675, Japan
| | - Yuji Nakayama
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan.
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Wirth D, Paul MD, Pasquale EB, Hristova K. Direct quantification of ligand-induced lipid and protein microdomains with distinctive signaling properties. CHEMSYSTEMSCHEM 2022; 4:e202200011. [PMID: 36337751 PMCID: PMC9634703 DOI: 10.1002/syst.202200011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Lipid rafts are ordered lipid domains that are enriched in saturated lipids, such as the ganglioside GM1. While lipid rafts are believed to exist in cells and to serve as signaling platforms through their enrichment in signaling components, they have not been directly observed in the plasma membrane without treatments that artificially cluster GM1 into large lattices. Here, we report that microscopic GM1-enriched domains can form, in the plasma membrane of live mammalian cells expressing the EphA2 receptor tyrosine kinase in response to its ligand ephrinA1-Fc. The GM1-enriched microdomains form concomitantly with EphA2-enriched microdomains. To gain insight into how plasma membrane heterogeneity controls signaling, we quantify the degree of EphA2 segregation and study initial EphA2 signaling steps in both EphA2-enriched and EphA2-depleted domains. By measuring dissociation constants, we demonstrate that the propensity of EphA2 to oligomerize is similar in EphA2-enriched and -depleted domains. However, surprisingly, EphA2 interacts preferentially with its downstream effector SRC in EphA2-depleted domains. The ability to induce microscopic GM1-enriched domains in live cells using a ligand for a transmembrane receptor will give us unprecedented opportunities to study the biophysical chemistry of lipid rafts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Wirth
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - Michael D. Paul
- Program in Molecular Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - Elena B. Pasquale
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, 10901 North Torrey Road, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Kalina Hristova
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218
- Program in Molecular Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218
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6
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Kaplan N, Liu M, Wang J, Yang W, Fiolek E, Peng H, Lavker RM. Eph signaling is regulated by miRNA-210: Implications for corneal epithelial repair. FASEB J 2022; 36:e22076. [PMID: 34856019 PMCID: PMC8647904 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202101423r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
A distinct boundary exists between the progenitor cells in the basal limbal epithelium and the more differentiated corneal epithelial basal cells. We have shown that reciprocal expression patterns of EphA2 and Ephrin-A1 are likely to contribute to normal limbal-corneal epithelial compartmentalization as well as play a role in response to injury. How this signaling axis is regulated remains unclear. We have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in corneal epithelial wound healing and several miRNAs (e.g. miR-210) have been predicted to target ephrins. Previous expression profiling experiments demonstrated that miR-210 is prominently expressed in corneal epithelial cells. RNA-seq data acquired from miR-210-depleted HCECs showed up-regulation of genes involved in cellular migration. In addition, miR-210 is decreased after corneal injury while EphA2 is increased. Moreover, antago-210-treated HCECs markedly enhanced wound closure in a scratch wound assay. Antago-210 treatment resulted in increased EphA2 protein levels as well as pS897-EphA2, the pro-migratory form of EphA2. As expected, Ephrin-A1 levels were reduced, while levels of a well-known target of miR-210, Ephrin-A3, were increased by antago-210 treatment. The increase in migration with antago-210 could be inhibited by Ephrin-A1 overexpression, Ephrin-A1-Fc treatment or siRNA depletion of EphA2. However, depletion of Ephrin-A3 did not have effects on the antago-210-induced increase in migration. In addition, Ephrin-A1 overexpression and siEphA2 dampened EGFR signaling, which is increased by antago-210. Our data clearly demonstrate a link between miR-210 and EphA2/Ephrin-A1 signaling that regulates, in part, corneal epithelial migration. This interaction might potentially control the limbal-corneal epithelial boundary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nihal Kaplan
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Min Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Junyi Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA,Department of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Key Lab of PLA, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Wending Yang
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Elaina Fiolek
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Han Peng
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA,Correspondence: Robert M. Lavker, Ph.D., Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Ward 9-124, Chicago, IL 60611, USA;
| | - Robert M. Lavker
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA,Correspondence: Han Peng, Ph.D., Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Ward 9-120, Chicago, IL 60611, USA;
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7
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EphA2 signaling within integrin adhesions regulates fibrillar adhesion elongation and fibronectin deposition. Matrix Biol 2021; 103-104:1-21. [PMID: 34537369 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2021.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The multifunctional glycoprotein fibronectin influences several crucial cellular processes and contributes to multiple pathologies. While a link exists between fibronectin-associated pathologies and the receptor tyrosine kinase EphA2, the mechanism by which EphA2 promotes fibronectin matrix remodeling remains unknown. We previously demonstrated that EphA2 deletion reduces smooth muscle fibronectin deposition and blunts fibronectin deposition in atherosclerosis without influencing fibronectin expression. We now show that EphA2 expression is required for contractility-dependent elongation of tensin- and α5β1 integrin-rich fibrillar adhesions that drive fibronectin fibrillogenesis. Mechanistically, EphA2 localizes to integrin adhesions where focal adhesion kinase mediates ligand-independent Y772 phosphorylation, and mutation of this site significantly blunts fibrillar adhesion length. EphA2 deficiency decreases smooth muscle cell contractility by enhancing p190RhoGAP activation and reducing RhoA activity, whereas stimulating RhoA signaling in EphA2 deficient cells rescues fibrillar adhesion elongation. Together, these data identify EphA2 as a novel regulator of fibrillar adhesion elongation and provide the first data identifying a role for EphA2 signaling in integrin adhesions.
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8
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Kaplan N, Wang S, Wang J, Yang W, Ventrella R, Majekodunmi A, Perez White BE, Getsios S, Mitchell BJ, Peng H, Lavker RM. Ciliogenesis and autophagy are coordinately regulated by EphA2 in the cornea to maintain proper epithelial architecture. Ocul Surf 2021; 21:193-205. [PMID: 34119713 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtos.2021.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To understand the relationship between ciliogenesis and autophagy in the corneal epithelium. METHODS siRNAs for EphA2 or PLD1 were used to inhibit protein expression in vitro. Morpholino-anti-EphA2 was used to knockdown EphA2 in Xenopus skin. An EphA2 knockout mouse was used to conduct loss of function studies. Autophagic vacuoles were visualized by contrast light microscopy. Autophagy flux, was measured by LC3 turnover and p62 protein levels. Immunostaining and confocal microscopy were conducted to visualize cilia in cultured cells and in vivo. RESULTS Loss of EphA2 (i) increased corneal epithelial thickness by elevating proliferative potential in wing cells, (ii) reduced the number of ciliated cells, (iii) increased large hollow vacuoles, that could be rescued by BafA1; (iv) inhibited autophagy flux and (v) increased GFP-LC3 puncta in the mouse corneal epithelium. This indicated a role for EphA2 in stratified epithelial assembly via regulation of proliferation as well as a positive role in both ciliogenesis and end-stage autophagy. Inhibition of PLD1, an EphA2 interacting protein that is a critical regulator of end-stage autophagy, reversed the accumulation of vacuoles, and the reduction in the number of ciliated cells due to EphA2 depletion, suggesting EphA2 regulation of both end-stage autophagy and ciliogenesis via PLD1. PLD1 mediated rescue of ciliogenesis by EphA2 depletion was blocked by BafA1, placing autophagy between EphA2 signaling and regulation of ciliogenesis. CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrate a novel role for EphA2 in regulating both autophagy and ciliogenesis, processes that are essential for proper corneal epithelial homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nihal Kaplan
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Sijia Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510515, China
| | - Junyi Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Wending Yang
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Rosa Ventrella
- Cell and Developmental Biology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Ahmed Majekodunmi
- Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | | | | | - Brian J Mitchell
- Cell and Developmental Biology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Han Peng
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
| | - Robert M Lavker
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
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Predicting cell-to-cell communication networks using NATMI. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5011. [PMID: 33024107 PMCID: PMC7538930 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18873-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of high throughput single-cell sequencing technologies has made it cost-effective to profile thousands of cells from diverse samples containing multiple cell types. To study how these different cell types work together, here we develop NATMI (Network Analysis Toolkit for Multicellular Interactions). NATMI uses connectomeDB2020 (a database of 2293 manually curated ligand-receptor pairs with literature support) to predict and visualise cell-to-cell communication networks from single-cell (or bulk) expression data. Using multiple published single-cell datasets we demonstrate how NATMI can be used to identify (i) the cell-type pairs that are communicating the most (or most specifically) within a network, (ii) the most active (or specific) ligand-receptor pairs active within a network, (iii) putative highly-communicating cellular communities and (iv) differences in intercellular communication when profiling given cell types under different conditions. Furthermore, analysis of the Tabula Muris (organism-wide) atlas confirms our previous prediction that autocrine signalling is a major feature of cell-to-cell communication networks, while also revealing that hundreds of ligands and their cognate receptors are co-expressed in individual cells suggesting a substantial potential for self-signalling. Single cell expression data allows for inferring cell-cell communication between cells expressing ligands and those expressing their cognate receptors. Here the authors present an updated and curated database of ligand-receptor pairs and a Python-based toolkit to construct and analyse communication networks from single cell and bulk expression data.
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Extracellular Vesicles in Diagnosis and Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer: Current State and Future Perspectives. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12061530. [PMID: 32532129 PMCID: PMC7352217 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12061530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest diagnoses a patient can receive. One of the reasons for this lethality is that this malignancy is often detected very late due to a lack of symptoms during the early stages. In addition to the lack of symptoms, we currently do not have a reliable biomarker for screening. Carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 has a sensitivity between 79% and 84% and a specificity of 82–90%, making it unreliable for early detection. Recently, there have been numerous studies on the use of extracellular vesicles (EVs) to detect pancreas cancer. This field has been rapidly expanding, with new methods and biomarkers being introduced regularly. This review provides a systematic update on the commonly used and promising methods used in the detection of EVs, biomarkers associated with EVs for early detection and prognosis, as well as studies looking at using EVs as therapeutics. The review ends with remarks about areas to focus on using EVs going forward.
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11
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Wu B, Rockel JS, Lagares D, Kapoor M. Ephrins and Eph Receptor Signaling in Tissue Repair and Fibrosis. Curr Rheumatol Rep 2019; 21:23. [PMID: 30980212 DOI: 10.1007/s11926-019-0825-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Fibrosis is a pathological feature of many human diseases that affect multiple organs. The development of anti-fibrotic therapies has been a difficult endeavor due to the complexity of signaling pathways associated with fibrogenic processes, complicating the identification and modulation of specific targets. Evidence suggests that ephrin ligands and Eph receptors are crucial signaling molecules that contribute to physiological wound repair and the development of tissue fibrosis. Here, we discuss recent advances in the understanding of ephrin and Eph signaling in tissue repair and fibrosis. RECENT FINDINGS Ephrin-B2 is implicated in fibrosis of multiple organs. Intercepting its signaling may help counteract fibrosis. Ephrins and Eph receptors are candidate mediators of fibrosis. Ephrin-B2, in particular, promotes fibrogenic processes in multiple organs. Thus, therapeutic strategies targeting Ephrin-B2 signaling could yield new ways to treat organ fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Wu
- The Arthritis Program, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jason S Rockel
- The Arthritis Program, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Lagares
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. .,Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. .,Fibrosis Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Mohit Kapoor
- The Arthritis Program, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. .,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. .,Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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