Spontaneous atopic dermatitis due to immune dysregulation in mice lacking Adamts2 and 14

WFDC12-overexpressing contributes to the development of atopic dermatitis via accelerating ALOX12/15 metabolism and PAF accumulation

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by eczema-like skin lesions, dry skin, severe itching, and recurrent recurrence. The whey acidic protein four-disulfide core domain gene WFDC12 is highly expressed in skin tissue and up-regulated in the skin lesions of AD patients, but its role and relevant mechanism in AD pathogenesis have not been studied yet. In this study, we found that the expression of WFDC12 was closely related to clinical symptoms of AD and the severity of AD-like lesions induced by DNFB in transgenic mice. WFDC12-overexpressing in the epidermis might promote the migration of skin-presenting cells to lymph nodes and increase Th cell infiltration. Meanwhile, the number and ratio of immune cells and mRNA levels of cytokines were significantly upregulated in transgenic mice. In addition, we found that ALOX12/15 gene expression was upregulated in the arachidonic acid metabolism pathway, and the corresponding metabolite accumulation was increased. The activity of epidermal serine hydrolase decreased and the accumulation of platelet-activating factor (PAF) increased in the epidermis of transgenic mice. Collectively, our data demonstrate that WFDC12 may contribute to the exacerbation of AD-like symptoms in DNFB-induced mouse model by enhancing arachidonic acid metabolism and PAF accumulation and that WFDC12 may be a potential therapeutic target for human atopic dermatitis.

Artificial neural network identified the significant genes to distinguish Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive interstitial lung disease that causes irreversible damage to lung tissue characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) and remodeling of lung parenchyma. The current diagnosis of IPF is complex and usually completed by a multidisciplinary team including clinicians, radiologists and pathologists they work together and make decision for an effective treatment, it is imperative to introduce novel practical methods for IPF diagnosis. This study provided a new diagnostic model of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis based on machine learning. Six genes including CDH3, DIO2, ADAMTS14, HS6ST2, IL13RA2, and IGFL2 were identified based on the differentially expressed genes in IPF patients compare to healthy subjects through a random forest classifier with the existing gene expression databases. An artificial neural network model was constructed for IPF diagnosis based these genes, and this model was validated by the distinctive public datasets with a satisfactory diagnostic accuracy. These six genes identified were significant correlated with lung function, and among them, CDH3 and DIO2 were further determined to be significantly associated with the survival. Putting together, artificial neural network model identified the significant genes to distinguish idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis from healthy people and it is potential for molecular diagnosis of IPF.

Large scale phenotype imputation and in vivo functional validation implicate ADAMTS14 as an adiposity gene

Obesity remains an unmet global health burden. Detrimental anatomical distribution of body fat is a major driver of obesity-mediated mortality risk and is demonstrably heritable. However, our understanding of the full genetic contribution to human adiposity is incomplete, as few studies measure adiposity directly. To address this, we impute whole-body imaging adiposity phenotypes in UK Biobank from the 4,366 directly measured participants onto the rest of the cohort, greatly increasing our discovery power. Using these imputed phenotypes in 392,535 participants yielded hundreds of genome-wide significant associations, six of which replicate in independent cohorts. The leading causal gene candidate, ADAMTS14, is further investigated in a mouse knockout model. Concordant with the human association data, the Adamts14-/- mice exhibit reduced adiposity and weight-gain under obesogenic conditions, alongside an improved metabolic rate and health. Thus, we show that phenotypic imputation at scale offers deeper biological insights into the genetics of human adiposity that could lead to therapeutic targets.

Immunopathogenesis of Atopic Dermatitis: Focus on Interleukins as Disease Drivers and Therapeutic Targets for Novel Treatments

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory skin disorder manifesting by eczematous lesions and intense pruritus. Atopic dermatitis develops primarily as a result of an epidermal barrier defect and immunological imbalance. Advances in understanding these pathogenetic hallmarks, and particularly the complex role of interleukins as atopic dermatitis drivers, resulted in achieving significant therapeutic breakthroughs. Novel medications involve monoclonal antibodies specifically blocking the function of selected interleukins and small molecules such as Janus kinase inhibitors limiting downstream signaling to reduce the expression of a wider array of proinflammatory factors. Nevertheless, a subset of patients remains refractory to those treatments, highlighting the complexity of atopic dermatitis immunopathogenesis in different populations. In this review, we address the immunological heterogeneity of atopic dermatitis endotypes and phenotypes and present novel interleukin-oriented therapies for this disease.

Mutations in the TBX15-ADAMTS2 pathway associate with a novel soft palate dysplasia

We reported de novo variants in specific exons of the TBX15 and ADAMTS2 genes in a hitherto undescribed class of patients with unique craniofacial developmental defects. The nine unrelated patients represent unilateral soft palate hypoplasia, lost part of the sphenoid bone in the pterygoid process, but the uvula developed completely. Interestingly, these clinical features are contrary to the palate's anterior-posterior (A-P) developmental direction. Based on developmental characteristics, we suggested that these cases correspond to a novel craniofacial birth defect different from cleft palate, and we named it soft palate dysplasia (SPD). However, little is known about the molecular mechanism of the ADAMTS2 and TBX15 genes in the regulation of soft palate development. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the sequences around these de novo mutation sites are conserved between species. Through cellular co-transfections and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, we demonstrate that TBX15 binds to the promoter regions of the ADAMTS2 gene and activates the promoter activity. Furthermore, we show that TBX15 and ADAMTS2 are colocalization in the posterior palatal mesenchymal cells during soft palate development in E13.5 mice embryos. Based on these data, we propose that the disruption of the TBX15-ADAMTS2 signaling pathway during embryogenesis leads to a novel SPD.

Survival Prognosis, Tumor Immune Landscape, and Immune Responses of ADAMTS14 in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma and Its Potential Mechanisms

Background

ADAMTS14 played a crucial role in the formation and development of various cancers. Currently, no associations had been revealed between ADAMTS14 and clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Hence, this study was designed to assess the prognostic values and immunological roles of ADAMTS14 in ccRCC and to reveal its potential mechanisms.

Methods

ADAMTS14-related expression profiles and related clinical data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset, validated by the ICGC dataset, qRT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry. We utilized gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) to find potentially ADAMTS14-related pathways and applied univariate/multivariate Cox regression analyses to identify independent factors significantly related to overall survival (OS) for ccRCC. A nomogram consisted of independent prognostic factors was also conducted. We further explored the associations between ADAMTS14 with immunity and revealed its potential mechanisms.

Results

ADAMTS14 displayed a higher expression in ccRCC tumor than in adjacent normal tissues, and further validated results of the ICGC dataset; qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry remained consistent (all p < 0.05). Moreover, elevated ADAMTS14 expression was significantly associated with poor OS (p < 0.001). Through univariate/multivariate Cox regression analyses, ADAMTS14 was found to be an independent prognostic factor for ccRCC (both p < 0.05) and GSEA identified several signaling pathways including INSULIN, MTOR, and PPAR pathways. The nomogram based on independent prognostic factors was successfully established and well evaluated. Moreover, the expression of ADAMTS14 was remarkably associated with immune checkpoint molecules, tumor mutational burden (TMB), immune cells, and tumor immune microenvironment (all p < 0.05). Results from TIDE and TCIA showed that highly expressed ADAMTS14 could predict worse efficacy of immunotherapy (all p < 0.05). As for its potential mechanisms, we also revealed several LncRNA/RNA binding protein (RBP)/ADAMTS14 mRNA networks.

Conclusions

ADAMTS14 was found to play oncogenic roles in ccRCC and to be significantly associated with immunity. Several LncRNA/RBP/ADAMTS14 mRNA networks were also identified for its potential mechanisms.

Disrupted myelination network in the cingulate cortex of Parkinson's disease

The cingulate cortex is part of the conserved limbic system, which is considered as a hub of emotional and cognitive control. Accumulating evidence suggested that involvement of the cingulate cortex is significant for cognitive impairment of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, mechanistic studies of the cingulate cortex in PD pathogenesis are limited. Here, transcriptomic and regulatory network analyses were conducted for the cingulate cortex in PD. Enrichment and clustering analyses showed that genes involved in regulation of membrane potential and glutamate receptor signalling pathway were upregulated. Importantly, myelin genes and the oligodendrocyte development pathways were markedly downregulated, indicating disrupted myelination in PD cingulate cortex. Cell‐type‐specific signatures revealed that myelinating oligodendrocytes were the major cell type damaged in the PD cingulate cortex. Furthermore, downregulation of myelination pathways in the cingulate cortex were shared and validated in another independent RNAseq cohort of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). In combination with ATACseq data, gene regulatory networks (GRNs) were further constructed for 32 transcription factors (TFs) and 466 target genes among differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using a tree‐based machine learning algorithm. Several transcription factors, including Olig2, Sox8, Sox10, E2F1, and NKX6‐2, were highlighted as key nodes in a sub‐network, which control many overlapping downstream targets associated with myelin formation and gliogenesis. In addition, the authors have validated a subset of DEGs by qPCRs in two PD mouse models. Notably, seven of these genes,TOX3, NECAB2 NOS1, CAPN3, NR4A2, E2F1 and FOXP2, have been implicated previously in PD or neurodegeneration and are worthy of further studies as novel candidate genes. Together, our findings provide new insights into the role of remyelination as a promising new approach to treat PD after demyelination.

Hallmarks of aging-based dual-purpose disease and age-associated targets predicted using PandaOmics AI-powered discovery engine

Aging biology is a promising and burgeoning research area that can yield dual-purpose pathways and protein targets that may impact multiple diseases, while retarding or possibly even reversing age-associated processes. One widely used approach to classify a multiplicity of mechanisms driving the aging process is the hallmarks of aging. In addition to the classic nine hallmarks of aging, processes such as extracellular matrix stiffness, chronic inflammation and activation of retrotransposons are also often considered, given their strong association with aging. In this study, we used a variety of target identification and prioritization techniques offered by the AI-powered PandaOmics platform, to propose a list of promising novel aging-associated targets that may be used for drug discovery. We also propose a list of more classical targets that may be used for drug repurposing within each hallmark of aging. Most of the top targets generated by this comprehensive analysis play a role in inflammation and extracellular matrix stiffness, highlighting the relevance of these processes as therapeutic targets in aging and age-related diseases. Overall, our study reveals both high confidence and novel targets associated with multiple hallmarks of aging and demonstrates application of the PandaOmics platform to target discovery across multiple disease areas.

ADAMTS2 and ADAMTS14 substitute ADAMTS3 in adults for proVEGFC activation and lymphatic homeostasis

The capacity of ADAMTS3 to cleave pro-VEGFC into active VEGFC able to bind its receptors and to stimulate lymphangiogenesis has been clearly established during embryonic life. However, this function of ADAMTS3 is unlikely to persist in adulthood because of its restricted expression pattern after birth. Because ADAMTS2 and ADAMTS14 are closely related to ADAMTS3 and are mainly expressed in connective tissues where the lymphatic network extends, we hypothesized that they could substitute for ADAMTS3 during adulthood in mammals allowing proteolytic activation of pro-VEGFC. Here, we demonstrated that ADAMTS2 and ADAMTS14 are able to process pro-VEGFC into active VEGFC as efficiently as ADAMTS3. In vivo, adult mice lacking Adamts2 developed skin lymphedema due to a reduction of the density and diameter of lymphatic vessels, leading to a decrease of lymphatic functionality, while genetic ablation of Adamts14 had no impact. In a model of thermal cauterization of cornea, lymphangiogenesis was significantly reduced in Adamts2- and Adamts14-KO mice and further repressed in Adamts2/Adamts14 double-KO mice. In summary, we have demonstrated that ADAMTS2 and ADAMTS14 are as efficient as ADAMTS3 in activation of pro-VEGFC and are involved in the homeostasis of the lymphatic vasculature in adulthood, both in physiological and pathological processes.

In vivo N-Terminomics Highlights Novel Functions of ADAMTS2 and ADAMTS14 in Skin Collagen Matrix Building

A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type I motif (ADAMTS)2 and ADAMTS14 were originally known for their ability to cleave the aminopropeptides of fibrillar collagens. Previous work using N-terminomic approach (N-TAILS) in vitro led to the identification of new substrates, including some molecules involved in TGF-β signaling. Here, N-TAILS was used to investigate the substrates of these two enzymes in vivo, by comparing the N-terminomes of the skin of wild type mice, mice deficient in ADAMTS2, in ADAMTS14 and in both ADAMTS2 and ADAMTS14. This study identified 68 potential extracellular and cell surface proteins, with the majority of them being cleaved by both enzymes. These analyses comfort their role in collagen matrix organization and suggest their implication in inflammatory processes. Regarding fibrillar collagen, this study demonstrates that both ADAMTS2 and ADAMTS14 are involved in the processing of the aminopropeptide of alpha1 and alpha2 type V collagen. It also revealed the existence of several cleavage sites in the Col1 domain and in the C-propeptide of type I collagens. In addition to collagens and other extracellular proteins, two major components of the cell cytoskeleton, actin and vimentin, were also identified as potential substrates. The latter data were confirmed in vitro using purified enzymes and could potentially indicate other functions for ADAMTS2 and 14. This original investigation of mouse skin degradomes by N-terminomic highlights the essential role of ADAMTS2 and ADAMTS14 in collagen matrix synthesis and turnover, and gives clues to better understand their functions in skin pathophysiology. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD022179.

ADAMTS proteases and the tumor immune microenvironment: Lessons from substrates and pathologies

The relationship of ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs) proteases with inflammatory processes was anticipated since their discovery. Although knowledge of these extracellular proteases in different contexts continues to grow, many questions remain unanswered. In this review, we summarize the most important studies of ADAMTSs and their substrates in inflammation and in the immune system of non-oncological disorders. In addition, we update the findings on cancer and highlight their emerging role in the tumor immune microenvironment. Although the overall functions of extracellular molecules are known to be modulated by proteolysis, specific activities attributed to intact proteins and cleaved fragments in the context of inflammation are still subject to debate. A better understanding of ADAMTS activities will help to elucidate their contribution to the immune phenotype and to open up new therapeutic and diagnostic possibilities.

A genome-wide association analysis for body, udder, and leg conformation traits recorded in Murciano-Granadina goats

Morphological traits are of great importance to dairy goat production given their effect on phenotypes of economic interest. However, their underlying genomic architecture has not yet been extensively characterized. Herein, we aimed to identify genomic regions associated with body, udder, and leg conformation traits recorded in 825 Murciano-Granadina goats. We genotyped this resource population using the GoatSNP50 BeadChip (Illumina Inc., San Diego, CA) and performed genome-wide association analyses using the GEMMA software. We found 2 genome-wide significant associations between markers rs268273468 [Capra hircus (CHI) 16:69617700] and rs268249346 (CHI 28:18321523) and medial suspensory ligament. In contrast, we did not detect any genome-wide significant associations for body and leg traits. Moreover, we found 12, 19, and 7 chromosome-wide significant associations for udder, body, and leg traits, respectively. Comparison of our data with previous studies revealed a low level of positional concordance between regions associated with morphological traits. In addition to technical factors, this lack of concordance could be due to a substantial level of genetic heterogeneity among breeds or to the strong polygenic background of morphological traits, which makes it difficult to detect genetic factors that have small phenotypic effects.

Decreased Cytoplasmic Expression of ADAMTS14 Is Correlated with Reduced Survival Rates in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients

A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motif 14 (ADAMTS14) is a member of the zinc-dependent protease family that is implicated in the occurrence and progression of tumors. Oral cancer (OC) is a common cancer worldwide, but it is particularly prevalent in Taiwan. However, whether the expression of ADAMTS14 is correlated with the carcinogenesis and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has not yet been investigated. In this study, we used immunohistochemistry (IHC) to examine 250 OSCC specimens in order to identify correlations between the cytoplasmic expression of ADAMTS14 and (1) clinicopathological features of OSCC as well as (2) clinical outcomes of OSCC. Our results indicate that cytoplasmic expression of ADAMTS14 was lower in OSCC tissues than in normal tissues. In analyzing correlations between ADAMTS14 expression and clinicopathological features, we found that negative cytoplasmic expression of ADAMTS14 was significantly associated with higher frequencies of lymph node metastasis and more advanced AJCC stages (III/IV). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that negative cytoplasmic expression of ADAMTS14 was also associated with significantly worse OSCC survival. Univariate and multivariate analyses confirmed that cytoplasmic expression of ADAMTS14 was associated with lymph node metastasis, tumor stage, and tumor grade and also indicated that cytoplasmic ADAMTS14 expression may be an independent prognostic factor for OSCC. This is the first study to report that the cytoplasmic expression level of ADAMTS14 is associated with OSCC prognosis and tumor progression. Our data indicate that ADAMTS14 can serve as a prognostic marker and a potential therapeutic target for OSCC.

Differential cleavage of lysyl oxidase by the metalloproteinases BMP1 and ADAMTS2/14 regulates collagen binding through a tyrosine sulfate domain

Collagens are the main structural component of the extracellular matrix and provide biomechanical properties to connective tissues. A critical step in collagen fibril formation is the proteolytic removal of N- and C-terminal propeptides from procollagens by metalloproteinases of the ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs) and BMP1 (bone morphogenetic protein 1)/Tolloid-like families, respectively. BMP1 also cleaves and activates the lysyl oxidase (LOX) precursor, the enzyme catalyzing the initial step in the formation of covalent collagen cross-links, an essential process for fibril stabilization. In this study, using murine skin fibroblasts and HEK293 cells, along with immunoprecipitation, LOX enzymatic activity, solid-phase binding assays, and proteomics analyses, we report that the LOX precursor is proteolytically processed by the procollagen N-proteinases ADAMTS2 and ADAMTS14 between Asp-218 and Tyr-219, 50 amino acids downstream of the BMP1 cleavage site. We noted that the LOX sequence between the BMP1- and ADAMTS-processing sites contains several conserved tyrosine residues, of which some are post-translationally modified by tyrosine O-sulfation and contribute to binding to collagen. Taken together, these findings unravel an additional level of regulation in the formation of collagen fibrils. They point to a mechanism that controls the binding of LOX to collagen and is based on differential BMP1- and ADAMTS2/14-mediated cleavage of a tyrosine-sulfated domain.