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Bronson R, Lyu J, Xiong J. Transcriptome analysis reveals molecular signature and cell-type difference of Homo sapiens endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad243. [PMID: 37857450 PMCID: PMC10700110 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT), a specific form of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, drives a growing number of human (Homo sapiens) pathological conditions. This emerging knowledge opens a path to discovering novel therapeutic targets for many EndoMT-associated disorders. Here, we constructed an atlas of the endothelial-cell transcriptome and demonstrated EndoMT-induced global changes in transcriptional gene expression. Our gene ontology analyses showed that EndoMT could be a specific checkpoint for leukocyte chemotaxis, adhesion, and transendothelial migration. We also identified distinct gene expression signatures underlying EndoMT across arterial, venous, and microvascular endothelial cells. We performed protein-protein interaction network analyses, identifying a class of highly connected hub genes in endothelial cells from different vascular beds. Moreover, we found that the short-chain fatty acid acetate strongly inhibits the transcriptional program of EndoMT in endothelial cells from different vascular beds across tissues. Our results reveal the molecular signature and cell-type difference of EndoMT across distinct tissue- and vascular-bed-specific endothelial cells, providing a powerful discovery tool and resource value. These results suggest that therapeutically manipulating the endothelial transcriptome could treat an increasing number of EndoMT-associated pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Bronson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, St.Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St.Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
| | - Junfang Lyu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, St.Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St.Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
| | - Jianhua Xiong
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, St.Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St.Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
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Lyu J, Li Z, Roberts JP, Qi YA, Xiong J. The short-chain fatty acid acetate coordinates with CD30 to modulate T-cell survival. Mol Biol Cell 2023; 34:br11. [PMID: 37163337 PMCID: PMC10398883 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-01-0032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
As an important substrate for cell metabolism, the short-chain fatty acid acetate emerges as a regulator of cell fate and function. However, its role in T-cell survival and its underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that acetate modulates T-cell apoptosis via potentiation of α-tubulin acetylation. We further show that acetate treatment effectively increases the expression of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) family member CD30 by enhancing its gene transcription. Moreover, CD30 physically associates with and stabilizes the deacetylase HDAC6, which deacetylates α-tubulin to decrease microtubule stability. Proteomic profiling of CD30 knockout (Cd30-/-) T-cells reveals elevated expression of anti-apoptotic BCL2 family proteins and thus promotes T-cell survival via a microtubule-Bcl-2 axis. Taken together, our results demonstrate that acetate is a regulator of T-cell survival by controlling levels of acetylated α-tubulin. This suggests that therapeutic manipulation of acetate metabolism may facilitate optimal T-cell responses in pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junfang Lyu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
| | - Ziyi Li
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias (CARD), National Institute on Aging and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Jessica P. Roberts
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias (CARD), National Institute on Aging and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Yue A. Qi
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias (CARD), National Institute on Aging and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Jianhua Xiong
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
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Jing X, Lyu J, Xiong J. Acetate regulates GAPDH acetylation and T helper 1 cell differentiation. Mol Biol Cell 2023; 34:br10. [PMID: 37133968 PMCID: PMC10295475 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-02-0070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The short-chain fatty acid metabolite acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) has emerged as a major signal transducer that can broadly affect cell fate and function, at least partly by influencing acetylation of key proteins. The mechanism by which acetyl-CoA regulates CD4+ T-cell fate determination remains poorly understood. Herein, we report that acetate modulates glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) acetylation and CD4+ T helper 1 (Th1) cell differentiation by altering acetyl-CoA levels. Our transcriptome profiling shows that acetate is a robust positive regulator of CD4+ T-cell gene expression typical of glycolysis. We further show that acetate potentiates GAPDH activity, aerobic glycolysis, and Th1 polarization through regulation of GAPDH acetylation levels. This acetate-dependent GAPDH acetylation occurs in a dose- and time-dependent manner, while decreasing acetyl-CoA levels by fatty acid oxidation inhibition results in a decline in acetyl-GAPDH levels. Thus, acetate functions as a potent metabolic regulator in CD4+ T-cells by promoting GAPDH acetylation and Th1 cell fate decision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xizhong Jing
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
| | - Junfang Lyu
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
| | - Jianhua Xiong
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
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Lyu J, Pirooznia M, Li Y, Xiong J. The short-chain fatty acid acetate modulates epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Mol Biol Cell 2022; 33. [PMID: 35544303 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e22-02-0066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Normal tissue and organ morphogenesis requires epithelial cell plasticity and conversion to a mesenchymal phenotype through a tightly regulated process: epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Alterations of EMT go far beyond cell-lineage segregation and contribute to pathologic conditions such as cancer. EMT is subject to intersecting control pathways; however, EMT's metabolic mechanism remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)-induced EMT is accompanied by decreased fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and reduced acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) levels. Acetyl-CoA is a central metabolite and the sole donor of acetyl groups to acetylate key proteins. Further, the short-chain fatty acid acetate increases acetyl-CoA levels-robustly inhibiting EMT and cancer cell migration. Acetate can restore EMT-associated α-tubulin acetylation levels, increasing microtubule stability. Transcriptome profiling and flow cytometric analysis show that acetate inhibits the global gene expression program associated with EMT and the EMT-associated G1 cell cycle arrest. Taken together, these results demonstrate that acetate is a potent metabolic regulator of EMT and that therapeutic manipulation of acetate metabolism could provide the basis for treating a wide range of EMT-linked pathological conditions, including cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junfang Lyu
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
| | - Mehdi Pirooznia
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Yuesheng Li
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Jianhua Xiong
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
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