Overlapping mechanism of the induction of genomic damage by insulin and adrenaline in human promyelocytic HL-60 cells

Neuroreceptor Inhibition by Clozapine Triggers Mitohormesis and Metabolic Reprogramming in Human Blood Cells

The antipsychotic drug clozapine demonstrates superior efficacy in treatment-resistant schizophrenia, but its intracellular mode of action is not completely understood. Here, we analysed the effects of clozapine (2.5-20 µM) on metabolic fluxes, cell respiration, and intracellular ATP in human HL60 cells. Some results were confirmed in leukocytes of clozapine-treated patients. Neuroreceptor inhibition under clozapine reduced Akt activation with decreased glucose uptake, thereby inducing ER stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR). Metabolic profiling by liquid-chromatography/mass-spectrometry revealed downregulation of glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway, thereby saving glucose to keep the electron transport chain working. Mitochondrial respiration was dampened by upregulation of the F0F1-ATPase inhibitory factor 1 (IF1) leading to 30-40% lower oxygen consumption in HL60 cells. Blocking IF1 expression by cotreatment with epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) increased apoptosis of HL60 cells. Upregulation of the mitochondrial citrate carrier shifted excess citrate to the cytosol for use in lipogenesis and for storage as triacylglycerol in lipid droplets (LDs). Accordingly, clozapine-treated HL60 cells and leukocytes from clozapine-treated patients contain more LDs than untreated cells. Since mitochondrial disturbances are described in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, clozapine-induced mitohormesis is an excellent way to escape energy deficits and improve cell survival.

In silico assessment of DNA damage response gene variants associated with head and neck cancer

Head and neck cancer (HNC), the sixth most common cancer globally, stands first in India, especially Northeast India, where tobacco usage is predominant, which introduces various carcinogens leading to malignancies by accumulating DNA damages. Consequently, the present work aimed to predict the impact of significant germline variants in DNA repair and Tumour Suppressor genes on HNC development. WES in Ion Proton^TM platform on 'discovery set' (n = 15), followed by recurrence assessment of the observed variants on 'confirmation set' (n = 40) using Sanger Sequencing was performed on the HNC-prevalent NE Indian populations. Initially, 53 variants were identified, of which seven HNC-linked DNA damage response gene variants were frequent in the studied populations. Different tools ascertained the biological consequences of these variants, of which the non-coding variants viz. EXO1_rs4150018, RAD52_rs6413436, CHD5_rs2746066, HACE1_rs6918700 showed risk, while FLT3_rs2491227 and BMPR1A_rs7074064 conferred protection against HNC by affecting transcriptional regulation and splicing mechanism. Molecular Dynamics Simulation of the full-length p53 model predicted that the observed coding TP53_rs1042522 variant conferred HNC-risk by altering the structural dynamics of the protein, which displayed difficulty in the transition between active and inactive conformations due to high-energy barrier. Subsequent pathway and gene ontology analysis revealed that EXO1, RAD52 and TP53 variants affected the Double-Strand Break Repair pathway, whereas CHD5 and HACE1 variants inactivated DNA repair cascade, facilitating uncontrolled cell proliferation, impaired apoptosis and malignant transformation. Conversely, FLT3 and BMPR1A variants protected against HNC by controlling tumorigenesis, which requires experimental validation. These findings may serve as prognostic markers for developing preventive measures against HNC.