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Chisca M, Larouche JD, Xing Q, Kassiotis G. Antibodies against endogenous retroviruses. Immunol Rev 2024. [PMID: 39152687 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13378] [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] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
The human genome harbors hundreds of thousands of integrations of ancient retroviruses, amassed over millions of years of evolution. To reduce further amplification in the genome, the host prevents transcription of these now endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) through epigenetic repression and, with evolutionary time, ERVs are incapacitated by accumulating mutations and deletions. However, several members of recently endogenized ERV groups still retain the capacity to produce viral RNA, retroviral proteins, and higher order structures, including virions. The retention of viral characteristics, combined with the reversible nature of epigenetic repression, particularly as seen in cancer, allow for immunologically unanticipated ERV expression, perceived by the adaptive immune system as a genuine retroviral infection, to which it has to respond. Accordingly, antibodies reactive with ERV antigens have been detected in diverse disorders and, occasionally, in healthy individuals. Although they are part of self, the retroviral legacy of ERV antigens, and association with and, possibly, causation of disease states may set them apart from typical self-antigens. Consequently, the pathogenic or, indeed, host-protective capacity of antibodies targeting ERV antigens is likely to be context-dependent. Here, we review the immunogenicity of typical ERV proteins, with emphasis on the antibody response and its potential disease implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihaela Chisca
- Retroviral Immunology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | | | - Qi Xing
- Retroviral Immunology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - George Kassiotis
- Retroviral Immunology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
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2
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Wells AC, Lima-Junior DS, Link VM, Smelkinson M, Krishnamurthy SR, Chi L, Segrist E, Rivera CA, Teijeiro A, Bouladoux N, Belkaid Y. Adaptive immunity to retroelements promotes barrier integrity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.09.606346. [PMID: 39149266 PMCID: PMC11326312 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.09.606346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Maintenance of tissue integrity is a requirement of host survival. This mandate is of prime importance at barrier sites that are constitutively exposed to the environment. Here, we show that exposure of the skin to non-inflammatory xenobiotics promotes tissue repair; more specifically, mild detergent exposure promotes the reactivation of defined retroelements leading to the induction of retroelement-specific CD8 + T cells. These T cell responses are Langerhans cell dependent and establish tissue residency within the skin. Upon injury, retroelement-specific CD8 + T cells significantly accelerate wound repair via IL-17A. Collectively, this work demonstrates that tonic environmental exposures and associated adaptive responses to retroelements can be coopted to preemptively set the tissue for maximal resilience to injury.
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3
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Wu MJ, Kondo H, Kammula AV, Shi L, Xiao Y, Dhiab S, Xu Q, Slater CJ, Avila OI, Merritt J, Kato H, Kattel P, Sussman J, Gritti I, Eccleston J, Sun Y, Cho HM, Olander K, Katsuda T, Shi DD, Savani MR, Smith BC, Cleary JM, Mostoslavsky R, Vijay V, Kitagawa Y, Wakimoto H, Jenkins RW, Yates KB, Paik J, Tassinari A, Saatcioglu DH, Tron AE, Haas W, Cahill D, McBrayer SK, Manguso RT, Bardeesy N. Mutant IDH1 inhibition induces dsDNA sensing to activate tumor immunity. Science 2024; 385:eadl6173. [PMID: 38991060 DOI: 10.1126/science.adl6173] [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: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) is the most commonly mutated metabolic gene across human cancers. Mutant IDH1 (mIDH1) generates the oncometabolite (R)-2-hydroxyglutarate, disrupting enzymes involved in epigenetics and other processes. A hallmark of IDH1-mutant solid tumors is T cell exclusion, whereas mIDH1 inhibition in preclinical models restores antitumor immunity. Here, we define a cell-autonomous mechanism of mIDH1-driven immune evasion. IDH1-mutant solid tumors show selective hypermethylation and silencing of the cytoplasmic double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) sensor CGAS, compromising innate immune signaling. mIDH1 inhibition restores DNA demethylation, derepressing CGAS and transposable element (TE) subclasses. dsDNA produced by TE-reverse transcriptase (TE-RT) activates cGAS, triggering viral mimicry and stimulating antitumor immunity. In summary, we demonstrate that mIDH1 epigenetically suppresses innate immunity and link endogenous RT activity to the mechanism of action of a US Food and Drug Administration-approved oncology drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Ju Wu
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hiroshi Kondo
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ashwin V Kammula
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lei Shi
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yi Xiao
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Sofiene Dhiab
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Qin Xu
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Chloe J Slater
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Universite Paris-Saclay, Institut Gustave Roussy, INSERM U1015, Villejuif, France
- Servier Pharmaceuticals LLC, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Omar I Avila
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Joshua Merritt
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hiroyuki Kato
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Prabhat Kattel
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan Sussman
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute and Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Graduate Group in Genomics and Computational Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ilaria Gritti
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jason Eccleston
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute and Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yi Sun
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Hyo Min Cho
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kira Olander
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Takeshi Katsuda
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute and Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Diana D Shi
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Milan R Savani
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Bailey C Smith
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | | | - Raul Mostoslavsky
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Vindhya Vijay
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yosuke Kitagawa
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hiroaki Wakimoto
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Russell W Jenkins
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Program in Therapeutic Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kathleen B Yates
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jihye Paik
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | | | - Wilhelm Haas
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel Cahill
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Samuel K McBrayer
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Robert T Manguso
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nabeel Bardeesy
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
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4
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Fang Y, Barrows D, Dabas Y, Carroll T, Singer S, Tap W, Nacev B. ATRX guards against aberrant differentiation in mesenchymal progenitor cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:4950-4968. [PMID: 38477352 PMCID: PMC11109985 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae160] [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: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Alterations in the tumor suppressor ATRX are recurrently observed in mesenchymal neoplasms. ATRX has multiple epigenetic functions including heterochromatin formation and maintenance and regulation of transcription through modulation of chromatin accessibility. Here, we show in murine mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) that Atrx deficiency aberrantly activated mesenchymal differentiation programs. This includes adipogenic pathways where ATRX loss induced expression of adipogenic transcription factors and enhanced adipogenic differentiation in response to differentiation stimuli. These changes are linked to loss of heterochromatin near mesenchymal lineage genes together with increased chromatin accessibility and gains of active chromatin marks. We additionally observed depletion of H3K9me3 at transposable elements, which are derepressed including near mesenchymal genes where they could serve as regulatory elements. Finally, we demonstrated that loss of ATRX in a mesenchymal malignancy, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, results in similar epigenetic disruption and de-repression of transposable elements. Together, our results reveal a role for ATRX in maintaining epigenetic states and transcriptional repression in mesenchymal progenitors and tumor cells and in preventing aberrant differentiation in the progenitor context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Fang
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY10065, USA
- Laboratory of Chromatin Biology and Epigenetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Douglas Barrows
- Bioinformatics Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY10065, USA
| | - Yakshi Dabas
- Laboratory of Chromatin Biology and Epigenetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Thomas S Carroll
- Bioinformatics Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY10065, USA
| | - Sam Singer
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY10065, USA
| | - William D Tap
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY10065, USA
| | - Benjamin A Nacev
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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5
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Dopkins N, Fei T, Michael S, Liotta N, Guo K, Mickens KL, Barrett BS, Bendall ML, Dillon SM, Wilson CC, Santiago ML, Nixon DF. Endogenous retroelement expression in the gut microenvironment of people living with HIV-1. EBioMedicine 2024; 103:105133. [PMID: 38677181 PMCID: PMC11061259 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105133] [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: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endogenous retroelements (EREs), including human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) and long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs), comprise almost half of the human genome. Our previous studies of the interferome in the gut suggest potential mechanisms regarding how IFNb may drive HIV-1 gut pathogenesis. As ERE activity is suggested to partake in type 1 immune responses and is incredibly sensitive to viral infections, we sought to elucidate underlying interactions between ERE expression and gut dynamics in people living with HIV-1 (PLWH). METHODS ERE expression profiles from bulk RNA sequencing of colon biopsies and PBMC were compared between a cohort of PLWH not on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and uninfected controls. FINDINGS 59 EREs were differentially expressed in the colon of PLWH when compared to uninfected controls (padj <0.05 and FC ≤ -1 or ≥ 1) [Wald's Test]. Of these 59, 12 EREs were downregulated in PLWH and 47 were upregulated. Colon expression of the ERE loci LTR19_12p13.31 and L1FLnI_1q23.1s showed significant correlations with certain gut immune cell subset frequencies in the colon. Furthermore L1FLnI_1q23.1s showed a significant upregulation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of PLWH when compared to uninfected controls suggesting a common mechanism of differential ERE expression in the colon and PBMC. INTERPRETATION ERE activity has been largely understudied in genomic characterizations of human pathologies. We show that the activity of certain EREs in the colon of PLWH is deregulated, supporting our hypotheses that their underlying activity could function as (bio)markers and potential mediators of pathogenesis in HIV-1 reservoirs. FUNDING US NIH grants NCI CA260691 (DFN) and NIAID UM1AI164559 (DFN).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Dopkins
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Tongyi Fei
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephanie Michael
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nicholas Liotta
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kejun Guo
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kaylee L Mickens
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Brad S Barrett
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Matthew L Bendall
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephanie M Dillon
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Cara C Wilson
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Mario L Santiago
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Douglas F Nixon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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Honda S, Hatamura M, Kunimoto Y, Ikeda S, Minami N. Chimeric PRMT6 protein produced by an endogenous retrovirus promoter regulates cell fate decision in mouse preimplantation embryos†. Biol Reprod 2024; 110:698-710. [PMID: 38196172 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioae002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Murine endogenous retrovirus with leucine tRNA primer, also known as MERVL, is expressed during zygotic genome activation in mammalian embryos. Here we show that protein arginine N-methyltransferase 6 (Prmt6) forms a chimeric transcript with MT2B2, one of the long terminal repeat sequences of murine endogenous retrovirus with leucine tRNA primer, and is translated into an elongated chimeric protein (PRMT6MT2B2) whose function differs from that of the canonical PRMT6 protein (PRMT6CAN) in mouse preimplantation embryos. Overexpression of PRMT6CAN in fibroblast cells increased asymmetric dimethylation of the third arginine residue of both histone H2A (H2AR3me2a) and histone H4 (H4R3me2a), while overexpression of PRMT6MT2B2 increased only H2AR3me2a. In addition, overexpression of PRMT6MT2B2 in one blastomere of mouse two-cell embryos promoted cell proliferation and differentiation of the blastomere into epiblast cells at the blastocyst stage, while overexpression of PRMT6CAN repressed cell proliferation. This is the first report of the translation of a chimeric protein (PRMT6MT2B2) in mouse preimplantation embryos. Our results suggest that analyzing chimeric transcripts with murine endogenous retrovirus with leucine tRNA primer will provide insight into the relationship between zygotic genome activation and subsequent intra- and extra-cellular lineage determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinnosuke Honda
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Maho Hatamura
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yuri Kunimoto
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shuntaro Ikeda
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Naojiro Minami
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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7
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Zheng W, Gojobori J, Suh A, Satta Y. Different Host-Endogenous Retrovirus Relationships between Mammals and Birds Reflected in Genome-Wide Evolutionary Interaction Patterns. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evae065. [PMID: 38527852 PMCID: PMC11005779 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Mammals and birds differ largely in their average endogenous retrovirus loads, namely the proportion of endogenous retrovirus in the genome. The host-endogenous retrovirus relationships, including conflict and co-option, have been hypothesized among the causes of this difference. However, there has not been studies about the genomic evolutionary signal of constant host-endogenous retrovirus interactions in a long-term scale and how such interactions could lead to the endogenous retrovirus load difference. Through a phylogeny-controlled correlation analysis on ∼5,000 genes between the dN/dS ratio of each gene and the load of endogenous retrovirus in 12 mammals and 21 birds, separately, we detected genes that may have evolved in association with endogenous retrovirus loads. Birds have a higher proportion of genes with strong correlation between dN/dS and the endogenous retrovirus load than mammals. Strong evidence of association is found between the dN/dS of the coding gene for leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 23 and endogenous retrovirus load in birds. Gene set enrichment analysis shows that gene silencing rather than immunity and DNA recombination may have a larger contribution to the association between dN/dS and the endogenous retrovirus load for both mammals and birds. The above results together showing different evolutionary patterns between bird and mammal genes can partially explain the apparently lower endogenous retrovirus loads of birds, while gene silencing may be a universal mechanism that plays a remarkable role in the evolutionary interaction between the host and endogenous retrovirus. In summary, our study presents signals that the host genes might have driven or responded to endogenous retrovirus load changes in long-term evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanjing Zheng
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, School of Advanced Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Kanagawa 240-0193, Japan
- School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Jun Gojobori
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, School of Advanced Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Kanagawa 240-0193, Japan
- Research Center for Integrative Evolutionary Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Kanagawa 240-0193, Japan
| | - Alexander Suh
- Department of Organismal Biology—Systematic Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre (EBC), Uppsala University, Uppsala 75236, Sweden
- School of Biological Sciences—Organisms and the Environment, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Yoko Satta
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, School of Advanced Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Kanagawa 240-0193, Japan
- Research Center for Integrative Evolutionary Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Kanagawa 240-0193, Japan
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8
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Rouleau M, Villeneuve L, Allain EP, McCabe-Leroux J, Tremblay S, Nguyen Van Long F, Uchil A, Joly-Beauparlant C, Droit A, Guillemette C. Non-canonical transcriptional regulation of the poor prognostic factor UGT2B17 in chronic lymphocytic leukemic and normal B cells. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:410. [PMID: 38566115 PMCID: PMC10985967 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12143-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND High expression of the glycosyltransferase UGT2B17 represents an independent adverse prognostic marker in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). It also constitutes a predictive marker for therapeutic response and a drug resistance mechanism. The key determinants driving expression of the UGT2B17 gene in normal and leukemic B-cells remain undefined. The UGT2B17 transcriptome is complex and is comprised of at least 10 alternative transcripts, identified by previous RNA-sequencing of liver and intestine. We hypothesized that the transcriptional program regulating UGT2B17 in B-lymphocytes is distinct from the canonical expression previously characterized in the liver. RESULTS RNA-sequencing and genomics data revealed a specific genomic landscape at the UGT2B17 locus in normal and leukemic B-cells. RNA-sequencing and quantitative PCR data indicated that the UGT2B17 enzyme is solely encoded by alternative transcripts expressed in CLL patient cells and not by the canonical transcript widely expressed in the liver and intestine. Chromatin accessible regions (ATAC-Seq) in CLL cells mapped with alternative promoters and non-coding exons, which may be derived from endogenous retrotransposon elements. By luciferase reporter assays, we identified key cis-regulatory STAT3, RELA and interferon regulatory factor (IRF) binding sequences driving the expression of UGT2B17 in lymphoblastoid and leukemic B-cells. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and pharmacological inhibition demonstrated key roles for the CLL prosurvival transcription factors STAT3 and NF-κB in the leukemic expression of UGT2B17. CONCLUSIONS UGT2B17 expression in B-CLL is driven by key regulators of CLL progression. Our data suggest that a NF-κB/STAT3/IRF/UGT2B17 axis may represent a novel B-cell pathway promoting disease progression and drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michèle Rouleau
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec Research Center - Université Laval (CRCHUQc- UL), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Cancer research center of Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Lyne Villeneuve
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec Research Center - Université Laval (CRCHUQc- UL), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Cancer research center of Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Eric P Allain
- Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Vitalité Health Network, Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Center, Moncton, NB, Canada
| | - Jules McCabe-Leroux
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec Research Center - Université Laval (CRCHUQc- UL), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Cancer research center of Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Sophie Tremblay
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec Research Center - Université Laval (CRCHUQc- UL), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Cancer research center of Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Flora Nguyen Van Long
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec Research Center - Université Laval (CRCHUQc- UL), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Cancer research center of Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Ashwini Uchil
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec Research Center - Université Laval (CRCHUQc- UL), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Cancer research center of Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Charles Joly-Beauparlant
- Cancer research center of Université Laval, Québec, Canada
- CRCHUQc-UL and Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Arnaud Droit
- Cancer research center of Université Laval, Québec, Canada
- CRCHUQc-UL and Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Chantal Guillemette
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec Research Center - Université Laval (CRCHUQc- UL), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
- Cancer research center of Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
- Canada Research Chair in Pharmacogenomics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
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9
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Wang J, Lu X, Zhang W, Liu GH. Endogenous retroviruses in development and health. Trends Microbiol 2024; 32:342-354. [PMID: 37802660 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.006] [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: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are evolutionary remnants of retroviral infections in which the viral genome became embedded as a dormant regulatory element within the host germline. When ERVs become activated, they comprehensively rewire genomic regulatory networks of the host and facilitate critical developmental events, such as preimplantation development and placentation, in a manner specific to species, developmental stage, and tissues. However, accumulating evidence suggests that aberrant ERV transcription compromises genome stability and has been implicated in cellular senescence and various pathogenic processes, underscoring the significance of host genomic surveillance mechanisms. Here, we revisit the prominent functions of ERVs in early development and highlight their emerging roles in mammalian post-implantation development and organogenesis. We also discuss their implications for aging and pathological processes such as microbial infection, immune response. Furthermore, we discuss recent advances in stem-cell-based models, single-cell omics, and genome editing technologies, which serve as beacons illuminating the versatile nature of ERVs in mammalian development and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jichang Wang
- Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China; Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
| | - Xinyi Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Weiqi Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics and China National Center for Bioinformation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Guang-Hui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China.
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10
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Takahashi Ueda M. Retrotransposon-derived transcripts and their functions in immunity and disease. Genes Genet Syst 2024; 98:305-319. [PMID: 38199240 DOI: 10.1266/ggs.23-00187] [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] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Retrotransposons, which account for approximately 42% of the human genome, have been increasingly recognized as "non-self" pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) due to their virus-like sequences. In abnormal conditions such as cancer and viral infections, retrotransposons that are aberrantly expressed due to impaired epigenetic suppression display PAMPs, leading to their recognition by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) of the innate immune system and triggering inflammation. This viral mimicry mechanism has been observed in various human diseases, including aging and autoimmune disorders. However, recent evidence suggests that retrotransposons possess highly regulated immune reactivity and play important roles in the development and function of the immune system. In this review, I discuss a wide range of retrotransposon-derived transcripts, their role as targets in immune recognition, and the diseases associated with retrotransposon activity. Furthermore, I explore the implications of chimeric transcripts formed between retrotransposons and known gene mRNAs, which have been previously underestimated, for the increase of immune-related gene isoforms and their influence on immune function. Retrotransposon-derived transcripts have profound and multifaceted effects on immune system function. The aim of this comprehensive review is to provide a better understanding of the complex relationship between retrotransposon transcripts and immune defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahoko Takahashi Ueda
- Department of Genomic Function and Diversity, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University
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11
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Rauch E, Amendt T, Lopez Krol A, Lang FB, Linse V, Hohmann M, Keim AC, Kreutzer S, Kawengian K, Buchholz M, Duschner P, Grauer S, Schnierle B, Ruhl A, Burtscher I, Dehnert S, Kuria C, Kupke A, Paul S, Liehr T, Lechner M, Schnare M, Kaufmann A, Huber M, Winkler TH, Bauer S, Yu P. T-bet + B cells are activated by and control endogenous retroviruses through TLR-dependent mechanisms. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1229. [PMID: 38336876 PMCID: PMC10858178 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45201-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are an integral part of the mammalian genome. The role of immune control of ERVs in general is poorly defined as is their function as anti-cancer immune targets or drivers of autoimmune disease. Here, we generate mouse-strains where Moloney-Murine Leukemia Virus tagged with GFP (ERV-GFP) infected the mouse germline. This enables us to analyze the role of genetic, epigenetic and cell intrinsic restriction factors in ERV activation and control. We identify an autoreactive B cell response against the neo-self/ERV antigen GFP as a key mechanism of ERV control. Hallmarks of this response are spontaneous ERV-GFP+ germinal center formation, elevated serum IFN-γ levels and a dependency on Age-associated B cells (ABCs) a subclass of T-bet+ memory B cells. Impairment of IgM B cell receptor-signal in nucleic-acid sensing TLR-deficient mice contributes to defective ERV control. Although ERVs are a part of the genome they break immune tolerance, induce immune surveillance against ERV-derived self-antigens and shape the host immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen Rauch
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
- CSL Behring Innovation GmbH, Emil-von-Behring-Str. 76, 35041, Marburg, Germany
| | - Timm Amendt
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
- The Francis Crick Institute, NW1 1AT, London, UK
| | | | - Fabian B Lang
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Vincent Linse
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Michelle Hohmann
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
- Apollo Ventures Holding GmbH, 20457, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ann-Christin Keim
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Kreutzer
- Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Kevin Kawengian
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Malte Buchholz
- Department of Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, and Core Facility Small Animal Multispectral and Ultrasound Imaging, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Philipp Duschner
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Saskia Grauer
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Barbara Schnierle
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, 63225, Langen, Germany
| | - Andreas Ruhl
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Infection Biology, University Hospital Erlangen, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ingo Burtscher
- Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Sonja Dehnert
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Chege Kuria
- Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Alexandra Kupke
- Institute of Virology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Stephanie Paul
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Liehr
- Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Institute of Human Genetics, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Marcus Lechner
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Markus Schnare
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Kaufmann
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Magdalena Huber
- Institute of Sytems Immunology, Center for Tumor and Immunobiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Thomas H Winkler
- Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefan Bauer
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Philipp Yu
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany.
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12
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Rospo G, Chilà R, Matafora V, Basso V, Lamba S, Bartolini A, Bachi A, Di Nicolantonio F, Mondino A, Germano G, Bardelli A. Non-canonical antigens are the largest fraction of peptides presented by MHC class I in mismatch repair deficient murine colorectal cancer. Genome Med 2024; 16:15. [PMID: 38243308 PMCID: PMC10797964 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-023-01275-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immunotherapy based on checkpoint inhibitors is highly effective in mismatch repair deficient (MMRd) colorectal cancer (CRC). These tumors carry a high number of mutations, which are predicted to translate into a wide array of neoepitopes; however, a systematic classification of the neoantigen repertoire in MMRd CRC is lacking. Mass spectrometry peptidomics has demonstrated the existence of MHC class I associated peptides (MAPs) originating from non-coding DNA regions. Based on these premises we investigated DNA genomic regions responsible for generating MMRd-induced peptides. METHODS We exploited mouse CRC models in which the MMR gene Mlh1 was genetically inactivated. Isogenic cell lines CT26 Mlh1+/+ and Mlh1-/- were inoculated in immunocompromised and immunocompetent mice. Whole genome and RNA sequencing data were generated from samples obtained before and after injection in murine hosts. First, peptide databases were built from transcriptomes of isogenic cell lines. We then compiled a database of peptides lost after tumor cells injection in immunocompetent mice, likely due to immune editing. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and matched next-generation sequencing databases were employed to identify the DNA regions from which the immune-targeted MAPs originated. Finally, we adopted in vitro T cell assays to verify whether MAP-specific T cells were part of the in vivo immune response against Mlh1-/- cells. RESULTS Whole genome sequencing analyses revealed an unbalanced distribution of immune edited alterations across the genome in Mlh1-/- cells grown in immunocompetent mice. Specifically, untranslated (UTR) and coding regions exhibited the largest fraction of mutations leading to highly immunogenic peptides. Moreover, the integrated computational and LC-MS/MS analyses revealed that MAPs originate mainly from atypical translational events in both Mlh1+/+ and Mlh1-/- tumor cells. In addition, mutated MAPs-derived from UTRs and out-of-frame translation of coding regions-were highly enriched in Mlh1-/- cells. The MAPs trigger T-cell activation in mice primed with Mlh1-/- cells. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that-in comparison to MMR proficient CRC-MMRd tumors generate a significantly higher number of non-canonical mutated peptides able to elicit T cell responses. These results reveal the importance of evaluating the diversity of neoepitope repertoire in MMRd tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Rospo
- Department of Oncology, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
- Present address: Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co KG, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rosaria Chilà
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, 20139, Milan, Italy
| | - Vittoria Matafora
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, 20139, Milan, Italy
| | - Veronica Basso
- Lymphocyte Activation Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute Via Olgettina, 58, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Simona Lamba
- Department of Oncology, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Alice Bartolini
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060, Candiolo, TO, Italy
| | - Angela Bachi
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, 20139, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Di Nicolantonio
- Department of Oncology, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060, Candiolo, TO, Italy
| | - Anna Mondino
- Lymphocyte Activation Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute Via Olgettina, 58, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Germano
- Department of Oncology, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, 20139, Milan, Italy.
| | - Alberto Bardelli
- Department of Oncology, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, 20139, Milan, Italy.
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13
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Irwin RE, Scullion C, Thursby SJ, Sun M, Thakur A, Hilman L, Callaghan B, Thompson PD, McKenna DJ, Rothbart SB, Xu G, Walsh CP. The UHRF1 protein is a key regulator of retrotransposable elements and innate immune response to viral RNA in human cells. Epigenetics 2023; 18:2216005. [PMID: 37246786 PMCID: PMC10228402 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2216005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023] Open
Abstract
While epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation and histone modification are known to be important for gene suppression, relatively little is still understood about the interplay between these systems. The UHRF1 protein can interact with both DNA methylation and repressive chromatin marks, but its primary function in humans has been unclear. To determine what that was, we first established stable UHRF1 knockdowns (KD) in normal, immortalized human fibroblasts using targeting shRNA, since CRISPR knockouts (KO) were lethal. Although these showed a loss of DNA methylation across the whole genome, transcriptional changes were dominated by the activation of genes involved in innate immune signalling, consistent with the presence of viral RNA from retrotransposable elements (REs). We confirmed using mechanistic approaches that 1) REs were demethylated and transcriptionally activated; 2) this was accompanied by activation of interferons and interferon-stimulated genes and 3) the pathway was conserved across other adult cell types. Restoring UHRF1 in either transient or stable KD systems could abrogate RE reactivation and the interferon response. Notably, UHRF1 itself could also re-impose RE suppression independent of DNA methylation, but not if the protein contained point mutations affecting histone 3 with trimethylated lysine 9 (H3K9me3) binding. Our results therefore show for the first time that UHRF1 can act as a key regulator of retrotransposon silencing independent of DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- RE Irwin
- Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
| | - C Scullion
- Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
- Precision Nanosystems Inc, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - SJ Thursby
- Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institutes of Biological Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - M Sun
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine Program, Division of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, St., Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - A Thakur
- Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - L Hilman
- Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
| | - B Callaghan
- Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
| | - PD Thompson
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - DJ McKenna
- Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
| | - SB Rothbart
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
| | - Guoliang Xu
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine Program, Division of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, St., Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - CP Walsh
- Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
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14
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McEntee CM, Cavalier AN, LaRocca TJ. ADAR1 suppression causes interferon signaling and transposable element transcript accumulation in human astrocytes. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1263369. [PMID: 38035265 PMCID: PMC10685929 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1263369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is a central mechanism of brain aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the exact causes of age- and AD-related neuroinflammation are incompletely understood. One potential modulator of neuroinflammation is the enzyme adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1 (ADAR1), which regulates the accumulation of endogenous double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), a pro-inflammatory/innate immune activator. However, the role of ADAR1 and its transcriptomic targets in astrocytes, key mediators of neuroinflammation, have not been comprehensively investigated. Here, we knock down ADAR1 in primary human astrocytes via siRNA transfection and use transcriptomics (RNA-seq) to show that this results in: (1) increased expression of type I interferon and pro-inflammatory signaling pathways and (2) an accumulation of transposable element (TE) transcripts with the potential to form dsRNA. We also show that our findings may be clinically relevant, as ADAR1 gene expression declines with brain aging and AD in humans, and this is associated with a similar increase in TE transcripts. Together, our results suggest an important role for ADAR1 in preventing pro-inflammatory activation of astrocytes in response to endogenous dsRNA with aging and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cali M. McEntee
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Alyssa N. Cavalier
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Thomas J. LaRocca
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
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15
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Aldea M, Friboulet L, Apcher S, Jaulin F, Mosele F, Sourisseau T, Soria JC, Nikolaev S, André F. Precision medicine in the era of multi-omics: can the data tsunami guide rational treatment decision? ESMO Open 2023; 8:101642. [PMID: 37769400 PMCID: PMC10539962 DOI: 10.1016/j.esmoop.2023.101642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Precision medicine for cancer is rapidly moving to an approach that integrates multiple dimensions of the biology in order to model mechanisms of cancer progression in each patient. The discovery of multiple drivers per tumor challenges medical decision that faces several treatment options. Drug sensitivity depends on the actionability of the target, its clonal or subclonal origin and coexisting genomic alterations. Sequencing has revealed a large diversity of drivers emerging at treatment failure, which are potential targets for clinical trials or drug repurposing. To effectively prioritize therapies, it is essential to rank genomic alterations based on their proven actionability. Moving beyond primary drivers, the future of precision medicine necessitates acknowledging the intricate spatial and temporal heterogeneity inherent in cancer. The advent of abundant complex biological data will make artificial intelligence algorithms indispensable for thorough analysis. Here, we will discuss the advancements brought by the use of high-throughput genomics, the advantages and limitations of precision medicine studies and future perspectives in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Aldea
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif; PRISM, INSERM, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif.
| | | | - S Apcher
- PRISM, INSERM, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif
| | - F Jaulin
- PRISM, INSERM, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif
| | - F Mosele
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif; PRISM, INSERM, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif
| | | | - J-C Soria
- Paris Saclay University, Orsay; Drug Development Department, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - S Nikolaev
- PRISM, INSERM, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif
| | - F André
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif; PRISM, INSERM, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif; Paris Saclay University, Orsay
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16
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Schindler NR, Braun DA. Antigenic targets in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. KIDNEY CANCER 2023; 7:81-91. [PMID: 38014393 PMCID: PMC10475986 DOI: 10.3233/kca-230006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed the management of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but most patients still do not receive a long-term benefit from these therapies, and many experience off-target, immune-related adverse effects. RCC is also different from many other ICI-responsive tumors, as it has only a modest mutation burden, and total neoantigen load does not correlate with ICI response. In order to improve the efficacy and safety of immunotherapies for RCC, it is therefore critical to identify the antigens that are targeted in effective anti-tumor immunity. In this review, we describe the potential classes of target antigens, and provide examples of previous and ongoing efforts to investigate and target antigens in RCC, with a focus on clear cell histology. Ultimately, we believe that a concerted antigen discovery effort in RCC will enable an improved understanding of response and resistance to current therapies, and lay a foundation for the future development of "precision" antigen-directed immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas R. Schindler
- Section of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Center of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - David A. Braun
- Section of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Center of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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17
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Fang Y, Barrows D, Dabas Y, Carroll TS, Tap WD, Nacev BA. ATRX guards against aberrant differentiation in mesenchymal progenitor cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.08.552433. [PMID: 37609273 PMCID: PMC10441338 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.08.552433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Alterations in the tumor suppressor ATRX are recurrently observed in several cancer types including sarcomas, which are mesenchymal neoplasms. ATRX has multiple epigenetic functions including heterochromatin formation and maintenance and regulation of transcription through modulation of chromatin accessibility. Here, we show in murine mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) that Atrx deficiency aberrantly activated mesenchymal differentiation programs. This includes adipogenic pathways where ATRX loss induced expression of adipogenic transcription factors (Pparγ and Cebpα) and enhanced adipogenic differentiation in response to differentiation stimuli. These changes are linked to loss of heterochromatin near mesenchymal lineage genes together with increased chromatin accessibility and gains of active chromatin marks at putative enhancer elements and promoters. Finally, we observed depletion of H3K9me3 at transposable elements, which are derepressed including near mesenchymal genes where they could serve as regulatory elements. Our results demonstrate that ATRX functions to buffer against differentiation in mesenchymal progenitor cells, which has implications for understanding ATRX loss of function in sarcomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Fang
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY10065
- Laboratory of Chromatin Biology and Epigenetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY10065
| | - Douglas Barrows
- Bioinformatics Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY10065
| | - Yakshi Dabas
- Laboratory of Chromatin Biology and Epigenetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY10065
| | - Thomas S Carroll
- Bioinformatics Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY10065
| | - William D. Tap
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY10065
| | - Benjamin A. Nacev
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
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18
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Attig J, Pape J, Doglio L, Kazachenka A, Ottina E, Young GR, Enfield KS, Aramburu IV, Ng KW, Faulkner N, Bolland W, Papayannopoulos V, Swanton C, Kassiotis G. Human endogenous retrovirus onco-exaptation counters cancer cell senescence through calbindin. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e164397. [PMID: 37192000 PMCID: PMC10348765 DOI: 10.1172/jci164397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Increased levels and diversity of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) transcription characterize most cancer types and are linked with disease outcomes. However, the underlying processes are incompletely understood. Here, we show that elevated transcription of HERVH proviruses predicted survival of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) and identified an isoform of CALB1, encoding calbindin, ectopically driven by an upstream HERVH provirus under the control of KLF5, as the mediator of this effect. HERVH-CALB1 expression was initiated in preinvasive lesions and associated with their progression. Calbindin loss in LUSC cell lines impaired in vitro and in vivo growth and triggered senescence, consistent with a protumor effect. However, calbindin also directly controlled the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), marked by secretion of CXCL8 and other neutrophil chemoattractants. In established carcinomas, CALB1-negative cancer cells became the dominant source of CXCL8, correlating with neutrophil infiltration and worse prognosis. Thus, HERVH-CALB1 expression in LUSC may display antagonistic pleiotropy, whereby the benefits of escaping senescence early during cancer initiation and clonal competition were offset by the prevention of SASP and protumor inflammation at later stages.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - George Kassiotis
- Retroviral Immunology
- Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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19
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Singh B, Dopkins N, Fei T, Marston JL, Michael S, Reyes-Gopar H, Curty G, Heymann JJ, Chadburn A, Martin P, Leal FE, Cesarman E, Nixon DF, Bendall ML. Locus specific human endogenous retroviruses reveal new lymphoma subtypes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.08.544208. [PMID: 37333202 PMCID: PMC10274920 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.08.544208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The heterogeneity of cancers are driven by diverse mechanisms underlying oncogenesis such as differential 'cell-of-origin' (COO) progenitors, mutagenesis, and viral infections. Classification of B-cell lymphomas have been defined by considering these characteristics. However, the expression and contribution of transposable elements (TEs) to B cell lymphoma oncogenesis or classification have been overlooked. We hypothesized that incorporating TE signatures would increase the resolution of B-cell identity during healthy and malignant conditions. Here, we present the first comprehensive, locus-specific characterization of TE expression in benign germinal center (GC) B-cells, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive and EBV-negative Burkitt lymphoma (BL), and follicular lymphoma (FL). Our findings demonstrate unique human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) signatures in the GC and lymphoma subtypes whose activity can be used in combination with gene expression to define B-cell lineage in lymphoid malignancies, highlighting the potential of retrotranscriptomic analyses as a tool in lymphoma classification, diagnosis, and the identification of novel treatment groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavya Singh
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nicholas Dopkins
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tongyi Fei
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jez L. Marston
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephanie Michael
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Helena Reyes-Gopar
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- Departamento de Genómica Computacional, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gislaine Curty
- Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jonas J. Heymann
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amy Chadburn
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Peter Martin
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Fabio E. Leal
- Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ethel Cesarman
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Douglas F. Nixon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matthew L. Bendall
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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20
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Atay C, Medina-Echeverz J, Hochrein H, Suter M, Hinterberger M. Armored modified vaccinia Ankara in cancer immunotherapy. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 379:87-142. [PMID: 37541728 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2023.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy relies on unleashing the patient´s immune system against tumor cells. Cancer vaccines aim to stimulate both the innate and adaptive arms of immunity to achieve durable clinical responses. Some roadblocks for a successful cancer vaccine in the clinic include the tumor antigen of choice, the adjuvants employed to strengthen antitumor-specific immune responses, and the risks associated with enhancing immune-related adverse effects in patients. Modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) belongs to the family of poxviruses and is a versatile vaccine platform that combines several attributes crucial for cancer therapy. First, MVA is an excellent inducer of innate immune responses leading to type I interferon secretion and induction of T helper cell type 1 (Th1) immune responses. Second, it elicits robust and durable humoral and cellular immunity against vector-encoded heterologous antigens. Third, MVA has enormous genomic flexibility, which allows for the expression of multiple antigenic and costimulatory entities. And fourth, its replication deficit in human cells ensures a excellent safety profile. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of how MVA induces innate and adaptive immune responses. Furthermore, we will give an overview of the tumor-associated antigens and immunomodulatory molecules that have been used to armor MVA and describe their clinical use. Finally, the route of MVA immunization and its impact on therapeutic efficacy depending on the immunomodulatory molecules expressed will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cigdem Atay
- Bavarian Nordic GmbH, Fraunhoferstr.13, Planegg, Germany
| | | | | | - Mark Suter
- Prof. em. University of Zurich, Switzerland
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21
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Chen X, Pacis A, Aracena KA, Gona S, Kwan T, Groza C, Lin YL, Sindeaux R, Yotova V, Pramatarova A, Simon MM, Pastinen T, Barreiro LB, Bourque G. Transposable elements are associated with the variable response to influenza infection. CELL GENOMICS 2023; 3:100292. [PMID: 37228757 PMCID: PMC10203045 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2023.100292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Influenza A virus (IAV) infections are frequent every year and result in a range of disease severity. Here, we wanted to explore the potential contribution of transposable elements (TEs) to the variable human immune response. Transcriptome profiling in monocyte-derived macrophages from 39 individuals following IAV infection revealed significant inter-individual variation in viral load post-infection. Using transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq), we identified a set of TE families with either enhanced or reduced accessibility upon infection. Of the enhanced families, 15 showed high variability between individuals and had distinct epigenetic profiles. Motif analysis showed an association with known immune regulators (e.g., BATFs, FOSs/JUNs, IRFs, STATs, NFkBs, NFYs, and RELs) in stably enriched families and with other factors in variable families, including KRAB-ZNFs. We showed that TEs and host factors regulating TEs were predictive of viral load post-infection. Our findings shed light on the role TEs and KRAB-ZNFs may play in inter-individual variation in immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Chen
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Alain Pacis
- Canadian Center for Computational Genomics, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | | | - Saideep Gona
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Tony Kwan
- Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Institute of Genomic Medicine at McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Cristian Groza
- Quantitative Life Science, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 1E3, Canada
| | - Yen Lung Lin
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Renata Sindeaux
- Centre de Recherche, CHU Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Vania Yotova
- Centre de Recherche, CHU Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Albena Pramatarova
- Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Institute of Genomic Medicine at McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Marie-Michelle Simon
- Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Institute of Genomic Medicine at McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Tomi Pastinen
- Genomic Medicine Center, Children’s Mercy Hospital and Research Institute, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada
| | - Luis B. Barreiro
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Committee on Immunology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Guillaume Bourque
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Canadian Center for Computational Genomics, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
- Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Institute of Genomic Medicine at McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada
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22
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Andrews G, Fan K, Pratt HE, Phalke N, Karlsson EK, Lindblad-Toh K, Gazal S, Moore JE, Weng Z, Andrews G, Armstrong JC, Bianchi M, Birren BW, Bredemeyer KR, Breit AM, Christmas MJ, Clawson H, Damas J, Di Palma F, Diekhans M, Dong MX, Eizirik E, Fan K, Fanter C, Foley NM, Forsberg-Nilsson K, Garcia CJ, Gatesy J, Gazal S, Genereux DP, Goodman L, Grimshaw J, Halsey MK, Harris AJ, Hickey G, Hiller M, Hindle AG, Hubley RM, Hughes GM, Johnson J, Juan D, Kaplow IM, Karlsson EK, Keough KC, Kirilenko B, Koepfli KP, Korstian JM, Kowalczyk A, Kozyrev SV, Lawler AJ, Lawless C, Lehmann T, Levesque DL, Lewin HA, Li X, Lind A, Lindblad-Toh K, Mackay-Smith A, Marinescu VD, Marques-Bonet T, Mason VC, Meadows JRS, Meyer WK, Moore JE, Moreira LR, Moreno-Santillan DD, Morrill KM, Muntané G, Murphy WJ, Navarro A, Nweeia M, Ortmann S, Osmanski A, Paten B, Paulat NS, Pfenning AR, Phan BN, Pollard KS, Pratt HE, Ray DA, Reilly SK, Rosen JR, Ruf I, Ryan L, Ryder OA, Sabeti PC, Schäffer DE, Serres A, Shapiro B, Smit AFA, Springer M, Srinivasan C, Steiner C, Storer JM, Sullivan KAM, Sullivan PF, Sundström E, Supple MA, Swofford R, Talbot JE, Teeling E, Turner-Maier J, Valenzuela A, Wagner F, Wallerman O, Wang C, Wang J, Weng Z, Wilder AP, Wirthlin ME, Xue JR, Zhang X. Mammalian evolution of human cis-regulatory elements and transcription factor binding sites. Science 2023; 380:eabn7930. [PMID: 37104580 DOI: 10.1126/science.abn7930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the regulatory landscape of the human genome is a long-standing objective of modern biology. Using the reference-free alignment across 241 mammalian genomes produced by the Zoonomia Consortium, we charted evolutionary trajectories for 0.92 million human candidate cis-regulatory elements (cCREs) and 15.6 million human transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs). We identified 439,461 cCREs and 2,024,062 TFBSs under evolutionary constraint. Genes near constrained elements perform fundamental cellular processes, whereas genes near primate-specific elements are involved in environmental interaction, including odor perception and immune response. About 20% of TFBSs are transposable element-derived and exhibit intricate patterns of gains and losses during primate evolution whereas sequence variants associated with complex traits are enriched in constrained TFBSs. Our annotations illuminate the regulatory functions of the human genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Andrews
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Kaili Fan
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Henry E Pratt
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Nishigandha Phalke
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Elinor K Karlsson
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Program in Molecular Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Kerstin Lindblad-Toh
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, 75132 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Steven Gazal
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Jill E Moore
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Zhiping Weng
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
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23
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Abstract
Our defenses against infection rely on the ability of the immune system to distinguish invading pathogens from self. This task is exceptionally challenging, if not seemingly impossible, in the case of retroviruses that have integrated almost seamlessly into the host. This review examines the limits of innate and adaptive immune responses elicited by endogenous retroviruses and other retroelements, the targets of immune recognition, and the consequences for host health and disease. Contrary to theoretical expectation, endogenous retroelements retain substantial immunogenicity, which manifests most profoundly when their epigenetic repression is compromised, contributing to autoinflammatory and autoimmune disease and age-related inflammation. Nevertheless, recent evidence suggests that regulated immune reactivity to endogenous retroelements is integral to immune system development and function, underpinning cancer immunosurveillance, resistance to infection, and responses to the microbiota. Elucidation of the interaction points with endogenous retroelements will therefore deepen our understanding of immune system function and contribution to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Kassiotis
- Retroviral Immunology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom;
- Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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24
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Ng KW, Boumelha J, Enfield KSS, Almagro J, Cha H, Pich O, Karasaki T, Moore DA, Salgado R, Sivakumar M, Young G, Molina-Arcas M, de Carné Trécesson S, Anastasiou P, Fendler A, Au L, Shepherd STC, Martínez-Ruiz C, Puttick C, Black JRM, Watkins TBK, Kim H, Shim S, Faulkner N, Attig J, Veeriah S, Magno N, Ward S, Frankell AM, Al Bakir M, Lim EL, Hill MS, Wilson GA, Cook DE, Birkbak NJ, Behrens A, Yousaf N, Popat S, Hackshaw A, Hiley CT, Litchfield K, McGranahan N, Jamal-Hanjani M, Larkin J, Lee SH, Turajlic S, Swanton C, Downward J, Kassiotis G. Antibodies against endogenous retroviruses promote lung cancer immunotherapy. Nature 2023; 616:563-573. [PMID: 37046094 PMCID: PMC10115647 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05771-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 61.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
B cells are frequently found in the margins of solid tumours as organized follicles in ectopic lymphoid organs called tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS)1,2. Although TLS have been found to correlate with improved patient survival and response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), the underlying mechanisms of this association remain elusive1,2. Here we investigate lung-resident B cell responses in patients from the TRACERx 421 (Tracking Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Evolution Through Therapy) and other lung cancer cohorts, and in a recently established immunogenic mouse model for lung adenocarcinoma3. We find that both human and mouse lung adenocarcinomas elicit local germinal centre responses and tumour-binding antibodies, and further identify endogenous retrovirus (ERV) envelope glycoproteins as a dominant anti-tumour antibody target. ERV-targeting B cell responses are amplified by ICB in both humans and mice, and by targeted inhibition of KRAS(G12C) in the mouse model. ERV-reactive antibodies exert anti-tumour activity that extends survival in the mouse model, and ERV expression predicts the outcome of ICB in human lung adenocarcinoma. Finally, we find that effective immunotherapy in the mouse model requires CXCL13-dependent TLS formation. Conversely, therapeutic CXCL13 treatment potentiates anti-tumour immunity and synergizes with ICB. Our findings provide a possible mechanistic basis for the association of TLS with immunotherapy response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin W Ng
- Retroviral Immunology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Jesse Boumelha
- Oncogene Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Katey S S Enfield
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Jorge Almagro
- Adult Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Hongui Cha
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Oriol Pich
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Takahiro Karasaki
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Metastasis Laboratory, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - David A Moore
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Department of Cellular Pathology, University College London Hospitals, London, UK
| | - Roberto Salgado
- Department of Pathology, ZAS Hospitals, Antwerp, Belgium
- Division of Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Queensland, Australia
| | - Monica Sivakumar
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - George Young
- Retroviral Immunology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | | | | | | | - Annika Fendler
- Cancer Dynamics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Lewis Au
- Cancer Dynamics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Renal and Skin Units, The Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
| | - Scott T C Shepherd
- Cancer Dynamics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Renal and Skin Units, The Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
| | - Carlos Martínez-Ruiz
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Genome Evolution Research Group, Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Clare Puttick
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Genome Evolution Research Group, Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - James R M Black
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Genome Evolution Research Group, Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Thomas B K Watkins
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Hyemin Kim
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seohee Shim
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute of Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Nikhil Faulkner
- Retroviral Immunology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jan Attig
- Retroviral Immunology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Selvaraju Veeriah
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Neil Magno
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Sophia Ward
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Advanced Sequencing Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Alexander M Frankell
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Maise Al Bakir
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Emilia L Lim
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Mark S Hill
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Gareth A Wilson
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Daniel E Cook
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Nicolai J Birkbak
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Bioinformatics Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Axel Behrens
- Adult Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Stem Cell Laboratory, Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College, London, UK
- CRUK Convergence Science Centre, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Nadia Yousaf
- Renal and Skin Units, The Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
- Lung Unit, The Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
| | - Sanjay Popat
- Lung Unit, The Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
- Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Allan Hackshaw
- Cancer Research UK and University College London Cancer Trials Centre, London, UK
| | - Crispin T Hiley
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Kevin Litchfield
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Tumour Immunogenomics and Immunosurveillance Laboratory, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Nicholas McGranahan
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Genome Evolution Research Group, Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Mariam Jamal-Hanjani
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Metastasis Laboratory, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Department of Oncology, University College London Hospitals, London, UK
| | - James Larkin
- Renal and Skin Units, The Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
- Melanoma and Kidney Cancer Team, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Se-Hoon Lee
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute of Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Samra Turajlic
- Cancer Dynamics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Renal and Skin Units, The Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
- Melanoma and Kidney Cancer Team, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Charles Swanton
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK.
- Department of Oncology, University College London Hospitals, London, UK.
| | - Julian Downward
- Oncogene Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
| | - George Kassiotis
- Retroviral Immunology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
- Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
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25
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Yushkova E, Moskalev A. Transposable elements and their role in aging. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 86:101881. [PMID: 36773759 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101881] [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: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are an important part of eukaryotic genomes. The role of somatic transposition in aging, carcinogenesis, and other age-related diseases has been determined. This review discusses the fundamental properties of TEs and their complex interactions with cellular processes, which are crucial for understanding the diverse effects of their activity on the genetics and epigenetics of the organism. The interactions of TEs with recombination, replication, repair, and chromosomal regulation; the ability of TEs to maintain a balance between their own activity and repression, the involvement of TEs in the creation of new or alternative genes, the expression of coding/non-coding RNA, and the role in DNA damage and modification of regulatory networks are reviewed. The contribution of the derepressed TEs to age-dependent effects in individual cells/tissues in different organisms was assessed. Conflicting information about TE activity under stress as well as theories of aging mechanisms related to TEs is discussed. On the one hand, transposition activity in response to stressors can lead to organisms acquiring adaptive innovations of great importance for evolution at the population level. On the other hand, the TE expression can cause decreased longevity and stress tolerance at the individual level. The specific features of TE effects on aging processes in germline and soma and the ways of their regulation in cells are highlighted. Recent results considering somatic mutations in normal human and animal tissues are indicated, with the emphasis on their possible functional consequences. In the context of aging, the correlation between somatic TE activation and age-related changes in the number of proteins required for heterochromatin maintenance and longevity regulation was analyzed. One of the original features of this review is a discussion of not only effects based on the TEs insertions and the associated consequences for the germline cell dynamics and somatic genome, but also the differences between transposon- and retrotransposon-mediated structural genome changes and possible phenotypic characteristics associated with aging and various age-related pathologies. Based on the analysis of published data, a hypothesis about the influence of the species-specific features of number, composition, and distribution of TEs on aging dynamics of different animal genomes was formulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Yushkova
- Laboratory of Geroprotective and Radioprotective Technologies, Institute of Biology, Komi Science Center, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 28 Kommunisticheskaya st., 167982 Syktyvkar, Russian Federation
| | - Alexey Moskalev
- Laboratory of Geroprotective and Radioprotective Technologies, Institute of Biology, Komi Science Center, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 28 Kommunisticheskaya st., 167982 Syktyvkar, Russian Federation; Laboratory of Genetics and Epigenetics of Aging, Russian Clinical Research Center for Gerontology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow 129226, Russian Federation; Longaevus Technologies, London, UK.
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26
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Hosseiniporgham S, Sechi LA. Anti-HERV-K Drugs and Vaccines, Possible Therapies against Tumors. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11040751. [PMID: 37112663 PMCID: PMC10144246 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11040751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The footprint of human endogenous retroviruses (HERV), specifically HERV-K, has been found in malignancies, such as melanoma, teratocarcinoma, osteosarcoma, breast cancer, lymphoma, and ovary and prostate cancers. HERV-K is characterized as the most biologically active HERV due to possession of open reading frames (ORF) for all Gag, Pol, and Env genes, which enables it to be more infective and obstructive towards specific cell lines and other exogenous viruses, respectively. Some factors might contribute to carcinogenicity and at least one of them has been recognized in various tumors, including overexpression/methylation of long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE-1), HERV-K Gag, and Env genes themselves plus their transcripts and protein products, and HERV-K reverse transcriptase (RT). Therapies effective for HERV-K-associated tumors mostly target invasive autoimmune responses or growth of tumors through suppression of HERV-K Gag or Env protein and RT. To design new therapeutic options, more studies are needed to better understand whether HERV-K and its products (Gag/Env transcripts and HERV-K proteins/RT) are the initiators of tumor formation or just the disorder’s developers. Accordingly, this review aims to present evidence that highlights the association between HERV-K and tumorigenicity and introduces some of the available or potential therapies against HERV-K-induced tumors.
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Expression of down-regulated ERV LTR elements associates with immune activation in human small-cell lung cancers. Mob DNA 2023; 14:2. [PMID: 36918931 PMCID: PMC10012523 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-023-00290-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive cancer characterized by immunosuppressive features leading to poor responses to current immunotherapies. Activation of transposable elements (TE) can trigger an innate immune response, which can synergize with immunotherapeutic protocols in patients. However, TE activity in relation to immune gene response is not fully known in human SCLC. Here, we compared TE expression in 104 human SCLC and 24 normal tissues and established their involvement in innate immune responses. We observed that different intergenic TEs, mainly endogenous retroviral (ERV) families, are deregulated in SCLC. Similarly to other cancers, we detected a subset of LTRs that correlate with innate immune gene signatures and cytosolic RNA sensors, such as RIG-I. These LTRs are downregulated in SCLC tumors vs. normal tissues, and are mainly located at transcriptional repressed regions, marked with H3K4me2 in different cell lines. Analyses of different genomic datasets show that chromatin repression is likely due to de-methylase LSD1 activity. Moreover, high expression levels of ERV LTRs predict a better survival upon chemotherapy of SCLC patients. The findings reveal a specific pattern of TE-mediated activation of innate immune genes in SCLC, which can be exploited to establish more effective immunotherapeutic combinations.
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Brochier W, Bricard O, Coulie PG. Facts and Hopes in Cancer Antigens Recognized by T Cells. Clin Cancer Res 2023; 29:309-315. [PMID: 36044396 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-3798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
T cells are key effectors of our immune response against tumors and exert their antitumor effects upon recognizing a variety of tumor-specific peptides presented by HLA molecules on the surface of tumor cells. The identification of the tumor-specific antigens of a given tumor is not required for immune checkpoint therapy (ICT), which mainly reactivates existing tumor-specific T cells together with T cells of unknown specificities. To decrease the activation of non-tumor-specific T cells, active or passive immunizations against tumor-specific antigens are considered. These immunizations require the identification of at least some of the tumor-specific antigens displayed on the tumor cells of a patient. While this has become an easy task for tumors with a large number of mutations generating neoantigens, it remains difficult for the remainder. Here, we review some facts about human tumor-specific or tumor-associated antigens, as well as some hopes for their future use in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Orian Bricard
- de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Immunology Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Pierre G Coulie
- de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO), Wavre, Belgium
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29
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Ochoa E, Ramirez P, Gonzalez E, De Mange J, Ray WJ, Bieniek KF, Frost B. Pathogenic tau-induced transposable element-derived dsRNA drives neuroinflammation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eabq5423. [PMID: 36608133 PMCID: PMC9821943 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abq5423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Deposition of tau protein aggregates in the brain of affected individuals is a defining feature of "tauopathies," including Alzheimer's disease. Studies of human brain tissue and various model systems of tauopathy report that toxic forms of tau negatively affect nuclear and genomic architecture, identifying pathogenic tau-induced heterochromatin decondensation and consequent retrotransposon activation as a causal mediator of neurodegeneration. On the basis of their similarity to retroviruses, retrotransposons drive neuroinflammation via toxic intermediates, including double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). We find that dsRNA and dsRNA sensing machinery are elevated in astrocytes of postmortem brain tissue from patients with Alzheimer's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy and in brains of tau transgenic mice. Using a Drosophila model of tauopathy, we identify specific tau-induced retrotransposons that form dsRNA and find that pathogenic tau and heterochromatin decondensation causally drive dsRNA-mediated neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation. Our study suggests that pathogenic tau-induced heterochromatin decondensation and retrotransposon activation cause elevation of inflammatory, transposable element-derived dsRNA in the adult brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Ochoa
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Paulino Ramirez
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Elias Gonzalez
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Jasmine De Mange
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - William J. Ray
- The Neurodegeneration Consortium, Therapeutics Discovery Division, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kevin F. Bieniek
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Bess Frost
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
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30
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Saha B, Vannucci L, Saha B, Tenti P, Baral R. Evolvability and emergence of tumor heterogeneity as a space-time function. Cytokine 2023; 161:156061. [PMID: 36252436 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2022.156061] [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: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The loss of control of cell proliferation, apoptosis regulation and contact inhibition leads to tumor development. While benign tumors are restricted to their primary space, i.e. where these tumors first originate, the metastatic tumors not only disseminate- facilitated by hypoxia-driven neovascularization- to distant secondary sites but also show substantial changes in metabolism, tissue architectures, gene expression profiles and immune phenotypes. All these alterations result in radio-, chemo- and immune-resistance rendering these metastatic tumor cells refractory to therapy. Since the beginning of the transformation, these factors- which influence each other- are incorporated to the developing and metastasizing tumor. As a result, the complexities in the heterogeneity of tumor progressively increase. This space-time function in the heterogeneity of tumors is generated by various conditions and factors at the genetic as well as microenvironmental levels, for example, endogenous retroviruses, methylation and epigenetic dysregulation that may be etiology-specific, cancer associated inflammation, remodeling of the extracellular matrix and mesenchymal cell shifted functions. On the one hand, these factors may cause de-differentiation of the tumor cells leading to cancer stem cells that contribute to radio-, chemo- and immune-resistance and recurrence of tumors. On the other hand, they may also enhance the heterogeneity under specific microenvironment-driven proliferation. In this editorial, we intend to underline the importance of heterogeneity in cancer progress, its evaluation and its use in correlation with the tumor evolution in a specific patient as a field of research for achieving precise patient-tailored treatments and amelioration of diagnostic (monitoring) tools and prognostic capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhaskar Saha
- National Centre for Cell Science, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411007, India.
| | - Luca Vannucci
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, Praha, Czech Republic.
| | - Baibaswata Saha
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Paolo Tenti
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Rathindranath Baral
- Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Shyamaprasad Mukherjee Road, Calcutta 700026, India.
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31
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Current State of Immunotherapy and Mechanisms of Immune Evasion in Ewing Sarcoma and Osteosarcoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 15:cancers15010272. [PMID: 36612267 PMCID: PMC9818129 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15010272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
We argue here that in many ways, Ewing sarcoma (EwS) is a unique tumor entity and yet, it shares many commonalities with other immunologically cold solid malignancies. From the historical perspective, EwS, osteosarcoma (OS) and other bone and soft-tissue sarcomas were the first types of tumors treated with the immunotherapy approach: more than 100 years ago American surgeon William B. Coley injected his patients with a mixture of heat-inactivated bacteria, achieving survival rates apparently higher than with surgery alone. In contrast to OS which exhibits recurrent somatic copy-number alterations, EwS possesses one of the lowest mutation rates among cancers, being driven by a single oncogenic fusion protein, most frequently EWS-FLI1. In spite these differences, both EwS and OS are allied with immune tolerance and low immunogenicity. We discuss here the potential mechanisms of immune escape in these tumors, including low representation of tumor-specific antigens, low expression levels of MHC-I antigen-presenting molecules, accumulation of immunosuppressive M2 macrophages and myeloid proinflammatory cells, and release of extracellular vesicles (EVs) which are capable of reprogramming host cells in the tumor microenvironment and systemic circulation. We also discuss the vulnerabilities of EwS and OS and potential novel strategies for their targeting.
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32
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Wang Y, Liu M, Guo X, Zhang B, Li H, Liu Y, Han J, Jia L, Li L. Endogenous Retrovirus Elements Are Co-Expressed with IFN Stimulation Genes in the JAK-STAT Pathway. Viruses 2022; 15:60. [PMID: 36680099 PMCID: PMC9861321 DOI: 10.3390/v15010060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Endogenous retrovirus (ERV) elements can act as proximal regulatory elements in promoting interferon (IFN) responses. Previous relevant studies have mainly focused on IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). However, the role of ERV elements as cis-regulatory motifs in regulating genes of the JAK-STAT pathway remains poorly understood. In our study, we analyzed the changes in ERV elements and genes under both IFN stimulation and blockade of the signaling pathway. Methods: The effects of interferon on cells under normal conditions and knockout of the receptor were compared based on the THP1_IFNAR1_KO and THP1_IFNAR2_mutant cell lines. The correlation between differentially expressed ERVs (DHERVs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) as DEHERV-G pairs was explored with construction of gene regulatory networks related to ERV and induced by proinflammatory cytokines. Results: A total of 430 DEHERV loci and 190 DEGs were identified in 842 DEHERV-G pairs that are common to the three groups. More than 87% of DEHERV-G pairs demonstrated a consistent expression pattern. ISGs such as AIM2, IFIT1, IFIT2, IFIT3, STAT1, and IRF were activated via the JAK-STAT pathway in response to interferon stimulation. Thus, STAT1, STAT2, and IRF1 appear to play core roles in regulatory networks and are closely associated with ERVs. Conclusions: The RNA expression of ISGs and ERV elements is correlated, indicating that ERV elements are closely linked to host innate immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanglan Wang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Mengying Liu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Xing Guo
- Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing 100071, China
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Bohan Zhang
- Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Hanping Li
- Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yongjian Liu
- Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Jingwan Han
- Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Lei Jia
- Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Lin Li
- Department of Virology, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing 100071, China
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33
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Das S, Jones AE, Abrams JM. Generalized nuclear localization of retroelement transcripts. Mob DNA 2022; 13:30. [PMID: 36461093 PMCID: PMC9717504 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-022-00287-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND LINE-1s, Alus and SVAs are the only retrotransposition competent elements in humans. Their mobilization followed by insertional mutagenesis is often linked to disease. Apart from these rare integration events, accumulation of retrotransposition intermediates in the cytoplasm is potentially pathogenic due to induction of inflammatory response pathways. Although the retrotransposition of LINE-1 and Alu retroelements has been studied in considerable detail, there are mixed observations about the localization of their RNAs. RESULTS We undertook a comprehensive and unbiased approach to analyze retroelement RNA localization using common cell lines and publicly available datasets containing RNA-sequencing data from subcellular fractions. Using our customized analytic pipeline, we compared localization patterns of RNAs transcribed from retroelements and single-copy protein coding genes. Our results demonstrate a generalized characteristic pattern of retroelement RNA nuclear localization that is conserved across retroelement classes as well as evolutionarily young and ancient elements. Preferential nuclear enrichment of retroelement transcripts was consistently observed in cell lines, in vivo and across species. Moreover, retroelement RNA localization patterns were dynamic and subject to change during development, as seen in zebrafish embryos. CONCLUSION The pronounced nuclear localization of transcripts arising from ancient as well as de novo transcribed retroelements suggests that these transcripts are retained in the nucleus as opposed to being re-imported to the nucleus or degraded in the cytoplasm. This raises the possibility that there is adaptive value associated with this localization pattern to the host, the retroelements or possibly both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simanti Das
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Amanda E Jones
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - John M Abrams
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
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34
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Rangel SC, da Silva MD, da Silva AL, dos Santos JDMB, Neves LM, Pedrosa A, Rodrigues FM, Trettel CDS, Furtado GE, de Barros MP, Bachi ALL, Romano CM, Nali LHDS. Human endogenous retroviruses and the inflammatory response: A vicious circle associated with health and illness. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1057791. [PMID: 36518758 PMCID: PMC9744114 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1057791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs) are derived from ancient exogenous retroviral infections that have infected our ancestors' germline cells, underwent endogenization process, and were passed throughout the generations by retrotransposition and hereditary transmission. HERVs comprise 8% of the human genome and are critical for several physiological activities. Yet, HERVs reactivation is involved in pathological process as cancer and autoimmune diseases. In this review, we summarize the multiple aspects of HERVs' role within the human genome, as well as virological and molecular aspects, and their fusogenic property. We also discuss possibilities of how the HERVs are possibly transactivated and participate in modulating the inflammatory response in health conditions. An update on their role in several autoimmune, inflammatory, and aging-related diseases is also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Coelho Rangel
- UNISA Research Center, Universidade Santo Amaro, Post-Graduation in Health Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Amanda Lopes da Silva
- Laboratório de Virologia, Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Lucas Melo Neves
- UNISA Research Center, Universidade Santo Amaro, Post-Graduation in Health Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Pedrosa
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB - Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, (3004-504), Coimbra, Portugal
| | | | - Caio dos Santos Trettel
- Interdisciplinary Program in Health Sciences, Institute of Physical Activity Sciences and Sports (ICAFE), Cruzeiro do Sul University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Eustáquio Furtado
- Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Applied Research Institute, Rua da Misericórdia, Lagar dos Cortiços – S. Martinho do Bispo, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Marcelo Paes de Barros
- Interdisciplinary Program in Health Sciences, Institute of Physical Activity Sciences and Sports (ICAFE), Cruzeiro do Sul University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - André Luis Lacerda Bachi
- UNISA Research Center, Universidade Santo Amaro, Post-Graduation in Health Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Camila Malta Romano
- Laboratório de Virologia, Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil,Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP (LIM52), Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luiz Henrique Da Silva Nali
- UNISA Research Center, Universidade Santo Amaro, Post-Graduation in Health Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil,*Correspondence: Luiz Henrique Da Silva Nali, ;
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35
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Schumann T, Ramon SC, Schubert N, Mayo MA, Hega M, Maser KI, Ada SR, Sydow L, Hajikazemi M, Badstübner M, Müller P, Ge Y, Shakeri F, Buness A, Rupf B, Lienenklaus S, Utess B, Muhandes L, Haase M, Rupp L, Schmitz M, Gramberg T, Manel N, Hartmann G, Zillinger T, Kato H, Bauer S, Gerbaulet A, Paeschke K, Roers A, Behrendt R. Deficiency for SAMHD1 activates MDA5 in a cGAS/STING-dependent manner. J Exp Med 2022; 220:213670. [PMID: 36346347 PMCID: PMC9648672 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20220829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Defects in nucleic acid metabolizing enzymes can lead to spontaneous but selective activation of either cGAS/STING or RIG-like receptor (RLR) signaling, causing type I interferon-driven inflammatory diseases. In these pathophysiological conditions, activation of the DNA sensor cGAS and IFN production are linked to spontaneous DNA damage. Physiological, or tonic, IFN signaling on the other hand is essential to functionally prime nucleic acid sensing pathways. Here, we show that low-level chronic DNA damage in mice lacking the Aicardi-Goutières syndrome gene SAMHD1 reduced tumor-free survival when crossed to a p53-deficient, but not to a DNA mismatch repair-deficient background. Increased DNA damage did not result in higher levels of type I interferon. Instead, we found that the chronic interferon response in SAMHD1-deficient mice was driven by the MDA5/MAVS pathway but required functional priming through the cGAS/STING pathway. Our work positions cGAS/STING upstream of tonic IFN signaling in Samhd1-deficient mice and highlights an important role of the pathway in physiological and pathophysiological innate immune priming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Schumann
- Institute for Immunology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Santiago Costas Ramon
- Institute for Immunology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Nadja Schubert
- Institute for Immunology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Mohamad Aref Mayo
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Melanie Hega
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Katharina Isabell Maser
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Servi-Remzi Ada
- Institute for Immunology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Lukas Sydow
- Institute for Immunology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Mona Hajikazemi
- Clinic of Internal Medicine III, Oncology, Hematology, Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Markus Badstübner
- Institute for Immunology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Patrick Müller
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Yan Ge
- Institute for Immunology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany,Institute for Immunology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Farhad Shakeri
- Institute for Medical Biometry, Informatics and Epidemiology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany,Institute for Genomic Statistics and Bioinformatics, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Andreas Buness
- Institute for Medical Biometry, Informatics and Epidemiology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany,Institute for Genomic Statistics and Bioinformatics, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Benjamin Rupf
- Institute for Immunology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Lienenklaus
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Barbara Utess
- Institute for Immunology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Lina Muhandes
- Institute for Immunology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany,Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Michael Haase
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Luise Rupp
- Institute for Immunology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Marc Schmitz
- Institute for Immunology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany,National Center for Tumor Diseases, Partner Site Dresden, Dresden, Germany,German Cancer Consortium, Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Gramberg
- Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Nicolas Manel
- Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale U932, Institut Curie, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Paris, France
| | - Gunther Hartmann
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Thomas Zillinger
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Hiroki Kato
- Institute of Cardiovascular Immunology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Stefan Bauer
- Institute for Immunology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Gerbaulet
- Institute for Immunology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Katrin Paeschke
- Clinic of Internal Medicine III, Oncology, Hematology, Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Axel Roers
- Institute for Immunology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany,Institute for Immunology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rayk Behrendt
- Institute for Immunology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany,Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany,Correspondence to Rayk Behrendt:
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36
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Apostolou E, Rizwan M, Moustardas P, Sjögren P, Bertilson BC, Bragée B, Polo O, Rosén A. Saliva antibody-fingerprint of reactivated latent viruses after mild/asymptomatic COVID-19 is unique in patients with myalgic-encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Front Immunol 2022; 13:949787. [PMID: 36341457 PMCID: PMC9630598 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.949787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic disease considered to be triggered by viral infections in a majority of cases. Symptoms overlap largely with those of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19/long-COVID implying common pathogenetic mechanisms. SARS-CoV-2 infection is risk factor for sustained latent virus reactivation that may account for the symptoms of post-viral fatigue syndromes. The aim of this study was first to investigate whether patients with ME/CFS and healthy donors (HDs) differed in their antibody response to mild/asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. Secondly, to analyze whether COVID-19 imposes latent virus reactivation in the cohorts. Methods Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were analyzed in plasma and saliva from non-vaccinated ME/CFS (n=95) and HDs (n=110) using soluble multiplex immunoassay. Reactivation of human herpesviruses 1-6 (HSV1, HSV2, VZV, EBV, CMV, HHV6), and human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K) was detected by anti-viral antibody fingerprints in saliva. Results At 3-6 months after mild/asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, virus-specific antibodies in saliva were substantially induced signifying a strong reactivation of latent viruses (EBV, HHV6 and HERV-K) in both cohorts. In patients with ME/CFS, antibody responses were significantly stronger, in particular EBV-encoded nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA1) IgG were elevated in patients with ME/CFS, but not in HDs. EBV-VCA IgG was also elevated at baseline prior to SARS-infection in patients compared to HDs. Conclusion Our results denote an altered and chronically aroused anti-viral profile against latent viruses in ME/CFS. SARS-CoV-2 infection even in its mild/asymptomatic form is a potent trigger for reactivation of latent herpesviruses (EBV, HHV6) and endogenous retroviruses (HERV-K), as detected by antibody fingerprints locally in the oral mucosa (saliva samples). This has not been shown before because the antibody elevation is not detected systemically in the circulation/plasma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eirini Apostolou
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Eirini Apostolou, ; Anders Rosén,
| | - Muhammad Rizwan
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Petros Moustardas
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Per Sjögren
- Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- ME-center, Bragée Clinics, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Bo Christer Bertilson
- Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- ME-center, Bragée Clinics, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Björn Bragée
- Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- ME-center, Bragée Clinics, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Olli Polo
- ME-center, Bragée Clinics, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anders Rosén
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Eirini Apostolou, ; Anders Rosén,
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Boumelha J, de Carné Trécesson S, Law EK, Romero-Clavijo P, Coelho MA, Ng K, Mugarza E, Moore C, Rana S, Caswell DR, Murillo M, Hancock DC, Argyris PP, Brown WL, Durfee C, Larson LK, Vogel RI, Suárez-Bonnet A, Priestnall SL, East P, Ross SJ, Kassiotis G, Molina-Arcas M, Swanton C, Harris R, Downward J. An Immunogenic Model of KRAS-Mutant Lung Cancer Enables Evaluation of Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy Combinations. Cancer Res 2022; 82:3435-3448. [PMID: 35930804 PMCID: PMC7613674 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-0325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in oncogenes such as KRAS and EGFR cause a high proportion of lung cancers. Drugs targeting these proteins cause tumor regression but ultimately fail to elicit cures. As a result, there is an intense interest in how to best combine targeted therapies with other treatments, such as immunotherapies. However, preclinical systems for studying the interaction of lung tumors with the host immune system are inadequate, in part due to the low tumor mutational burden in genetically engineered mouse models. Here we set out to develop mouse models of mutant KRAS-driven lung cancer with an elevated tumor mutational burden by expressing the human DNA cytosine deaminase, APOBEC3B, to mimic the mutational signature seen in human lung cancer. This failed to substantially increase clonal tumor mutational burden and autochthonous tumors remained refractory to immunotherapy. However, establishing clonal cell lines from these tumors enabled the generation of an immunogenic syngeneic transplantation model of KRAS-mutant lung adenocarcinoma that was sensitive to immunotherapy. Unexpectedly, antitumor immune responses were not directed against neoantigens but instead targeted derepressed endogenous retroviral antigens. The ability of KRASG12C inhibitors to cause regression of KRASG12C -expressing tumors was markedly potentiated by the adaptive immune system, highlighting the importance of using immunocompetent models for evaluating targeted therapies. Overall, this model provides a unique opportunity for the study of combinations of targeted and immunotherapies in immune-hot lung cancer. SIGNIFICANCE This study develops a mouse model of immunogenic KRAS-mutant lung cancer to facilitate the investigation of optimal combinations of targeted therapies with immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Emily K. Law
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, 55455
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, 55455
| | | | | | - Kevin Ng
- Retroviral Immunology Laboratory
| | | | | | - Sareena Rana
- Oncogene Biology Laboratory
- Lung Cancer Group, Division of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | | | - Miguel Murillo
- Oncogene Biology Laboratory
- Lung Cancer Group, Division of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | | | - Prokopios P. Argyris
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, 55455
- Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, 55455
| | - William L. Brown
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, 55455
- Institute for Molecular Virology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, 55455
| | - Cameron Durfee
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, 55455
- Institute for Molecular Virology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, 55455
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Lindsay K. Larson
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, 55455
- Institute for Molecular Virology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, 55455
| | - Rachel I. Vogel
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, 55455
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women’s Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, 55455
| | - Alejandro Suárez-Bonnet
- Experimental Histopathology, Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Simon L. Priestnall
- Experimental Histopathology, Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, AL9 7TA, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Reuben Harris
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, 55455
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, 55455
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Julian Downward
- Oncogene Biology Laboratory
- Lung Cancer Group, Division of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
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Liu H, Bergant V, Frishman G, Ruepp A, Pichlmair A, Vincendeau M, Frishman D. Influenza A Virus Infection Reactivates Human Endogenous Retroviruses Associated with Modulation of Antiviral Immunity. Viruses 2022; 14:v14071591. [PMID: 35891571 PMCID: PMC9320126 DOI: 10.3390/v14071591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retrovirus (HERVs), normally silenced by methylation or mutations, can be reactivated by multiple environmental factors, including infections with exogenous viruses. In this work, we investigated the transcriptional activity of HERVs in human A549 cells infected by two wild-type (PR8M, SC35M) and one mutated (SC35MΔNS1) strains of Influenza A virus (IAVs). We found that the majority of differentially expressed HERVs (DEHERVS) and genes (DEGs) were up-regulated in the infected cells, with the most significantly enriched biological processes associated with the genes differentially expressed exclusively in SC35MΔNS1 being linked to the immune system. Most DEHERVs in PR8M and SC35M are mammalian apparent LTR retrotransposons, while in SC35MΔNS1, more HERV loci from the HERVW9 group were differentially expressed. Furthermore, up-regulated pairs of HERVs and genes in close chromosomal proximity to each other tended to be associated with immune responses, which implies that specific HERV groups might have the potential to trigger specific gene networks and influence host immunological pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hengyuan Liu
- Department of Bioinformatics, Technical University of Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany;
| | - Valter Bergant
- Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), 81675 Munich, Germany; (V.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Goar Frishman
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (G.F.); (A.R.)
| | - Andreas Ruepp
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (G.F.); (A.R.)
| | - Andreas Pichlmair
- Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), 81675 Munich, Germany; (V.B.); (A.P.)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Munich Partner Site, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Michelle Vincendeau
- Research Group Endogenous Retroviruses, Institute of Virology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Correspondence: (M.V.); (D.F.)
| | - Dmitrij Frishman
- Department of Bioinformatics, Technical University of Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany;
- Correspondence: (M.V.); (D.F.)
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Alcazer V, Bonaventura P, Tonon L, Michel E, Mutez V, Fabres C, Chuvin N, Boulos R, Estornes Y, Maguer-Satta V, Geistlich K, Viari A, Metzeler KH, Hiddemann W, Batch AMN, Herold T, Caux C, Depil S. HERVs characterize normal and leukemia stem cells and represent a source of shared epitopes for cancer immunotherapy. Am J Hematol 2022; 97:1200-1214. [PMID: 35759575 PMCID: PMC9540360 DOI: 10.1002/ajh.26647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) represent 8% of the human genome. The expression of HERVs and their immune impact have not been extensively studied in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). In this study, we used a reference of 14,968 HERV functional units to provide a thorough analysis of HERV expression in normal and AML bone marrow cells. We show that the HERV retrotranscriptome accurately characterizes normal and leukemic cell subpopulations, including leukemia stem cells, in line with different epigenetic profiles. We then show that HERV expression delineates AML subtypes with different prognoses. We finally propose a method to select and prioritize CD8+ T cell epitopes derived from AML-specific HERVs and we show that lymphocytes infiltrating patient bone marrow at diagnosis contain naturally occurring CD8+ T cells against these HERV epitopes. We also provide in vitro data supporting the functionality of HERV-specific CD8+ T-cells against AML cells. These results show that HERVs represent an important source of genetic information that can help enhancing disease stratification or biomarker identification and an important reservoir of alternative tumor-specific T cell epitopes relevant for cancer immunotherapy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Alcazer
- Department of Hematology, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon Sud Hospital, Pierre-Bénite, France.,Cancer Research Center of Lyon, INSERM U1052 and CNRS UMR5286, Lyon, France
| | - Paola Bonaventura
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, INSERM U1052 and CNRS UMR5286, Lyon, France.,Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Laurie Tonon
- Synergie Lyon Cancer Foundation, Gilles Thomas Bioinformatics Center, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Emilie Michel
- Ervaccine Technologies, Centre Leon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Virginie Mutez
- Ervaccine Technologies, Centre Leon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Clémentine Fabres
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, INSERM U1052 and CNRS UMR5286, Lyon, France.,Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Nicolas Chuvin
- Ervaccine Technologies, Centre Leon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Rasha Boulos
- Ervaccine Technologies, Centre Leon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Yann Estornes
- Ervaccine Technologies, Centre Leon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | | | - Kevin Geistlich
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, INSERM U1052 and CNRS UMR5286, Lyon, France
| | - Alain Viari
- Synergie Lyon Cancer Foundation, Gilles Thomas Bioinformatics Center, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Klaus H Metzeler
- Laboratory for Leukemia Diagnostics, Department of Medicine III, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.,Dept. of Hematology and Cell Therapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hiddemann
- Laboratory for Leukemia Diagnostics, Department of Medicine III, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Aarif M N Batch
- Institute of Medical Data Processing, Biometrics and Epidemiology (IBE), Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.,Data Integration for Future Medicine (DiFuture, www.difuture.de), LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Tobias Herold
- Laboratory for Leukemia Diagnostics, Department of Medicine III, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Christophe Caux
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, INSERM U1052 and CNRS UMR5286, Lyon, France.,Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Stéphane Depil
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, INSERM U1052 and CNRS UMR5286, Lyon, France.,Ervaccine Technologies, Centre Leon Bérard, Lyon, France.,Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France.,University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
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40
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Okay S. Involvement of retroelements in the autoimmune response in humans. EXPLORATION OF MEDICINE 2022. [DOI: 10.37349/emed.2022.00092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Retroelements are mobile genomic components requiring an RNA intermediate which is reverse-transcribed into complementary DNA for transposition. Human genome contains a vast amount of retroelements including retrotransposons and endogenous retroviruses. These elements are categorized according to presence or absence of long terminal repeats, LTRs or non-LTRs, as well as autonomous and non-autonomous according to involvement of reverse transcriptase. The retroelements have been accumulated in mammalian genomes over all evolutionary times through vertical transmission, and many of them were inactivated through accumulation of mutations. However, the retroelements entered into genome within the last 200,000 years are mostly functional. Some of the active retroelements are associated with varying autoimmune diseases because anti-retroelement antibodies might cross-react with other proteins in the human body. For instance, autoimmunity and inflammation could be stimulated by increased expression of long interspersed element 1 (LINE-1 or L1) or decreased L1 degradation. Different regulation of L1 expression might be related to the genetic and sex-related variations or environmental factors. Activation of retroelements is also controlled by epigenetic silencing mechanisms such as histone modification. Elevated levels of L1 retroelements could trigger the production of type I interferon, a crucial innate defense mechanism in mammals against viruses, and systemic autoimmune response is induced. Loss-of-function in some deoxyribonucleases (DNases) such as three prime repair exonuclease 1 that degrades reverse-transcribed DNA is also related to autoimmune diseases. Additionally, human endogenous retroviruses also play a role in autoimmune diseases. Involvement of retroelements in autoimmune disorders is exemplified with three diseases, i.e. systemic lupus erythematosus, Aicardi–Goutières syndrome, and multiple sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sezer Okay
- Department of Vaccine Technology, Vaccine Institute, Hacettepe University, 06210 Ankara, Turkey
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41
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Endogenous Retroviruses Augment Amphibian (Xenopus laevis) Tadpole Antiviral Protection. J Virol 2022; 96:e0063422. [PMID: 35575553 PMCID: PMC9175618 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00634-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The global amphibian declines are compounded by infections with members of the Ranavirus genus such as Frog Virus 3 (FV3). Premetamorphic anuran amphibians are believed to be significantly more susceptible to FV3 while this pathogen targets the kidneys of both pre- and postmetamorphic animals. Paradoxically, FV3-challenged Xenopus laevis tadpoles exhibit lower kidney viral loads than adult frogs. Presently, we demonstrate that X. laevis tadpoles are intrinsically more resistant to FV3 kidney infections than cohort-matched metamorphic and postmetamorphic froglets and that this resistance appears to be epigenetically conferred by endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). Using a X. laevis kidney-derived cell line, we show that enhancing ERV gene expression activates cellular double-stranded RNA-sensing pathways, resulting in elevated mRNA levels of antiviral interferon (IFN) cytokines and thus greater anti-FV3 protection. Finally, our results indicate that large esterase-positive myeloid-lineage cells, rather than renal cells, are responsible for the elevated ERV/IFN axis seen in the tadpole kidneys. This conclusion is supported by our observation that CRISPR-Cas9 ablation of colony-stimulating factor-3 results in abolished homing of these myeloid cells to tadpole kidneys, concurrent with significantly abolished tadpole kidney expression of both ERVs and IFNs. We believe that the manuscript marks an important step forward in understanding the mechanisms controlling amphibian antiviral defenses and thus susceptibility and resistance to pathogens like FV3. IMPORTANCE Global amphibian biodiversity is being challenged by pathogens like the Frog Virus 3 (FV3) ranavirus, underlining the need to gain a greater understanding of amphibian antiviral defenses. While it was previously believed that anuran (frog/toad) amphibian tadpoles are more susceptible to FV3, we demonstrated that tadpoles are in fact more resistant to this virus than metamorphic and postmetamorphic froglets. We showed that this resistance is conferred by large myeloid cells within the tadpole kidneys (central FV3 target), which possess an elevated expression of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). In turn, these ERVs activate cellular double-stranded RNA-sensing pathways, resulting in a greater expression of antiviral interferon cytokines, thereby offering the observed anti-FV3 protection.
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Zhang Z, Bu L, Luo J, Guo J. Targeting protein kinases benefits cancer immunotherapy. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188738. [PMID: 35660645 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Small-molecule kinase inhibitors have been well established and successfully developed in the last decades for cancer target therapies. However, intrinsic or acquired drug resistance is becoming the major barrier for their clinical application. With the development of immunotherapies, in particular the discovery of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), the combination of ICIs with other therapies have recently been extensively explored, among which combination of ICIs with kinase inhibitors achieves promising clinical outcome in a plethora of cancer types. Here we comprehensively summarize the potent roles of protein kinases in modulating immune checkpoints both in tumor and immune cells, and reshaping tumor immune microenvironments by evoking innate immune response and neoantigen generation or presentation. Moreover, the clinical trial and approval of combined administration of kinase inhibitors with ICIs are collected, highlighting the precise strategies to benefit cancer immune therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengkun Zhang
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; Institute of Precision Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Lang Bu
- Institute of Precision Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Junhang Luo
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China.
| | - Jianping Guo
- Institute of Precision Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China.
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43
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The Role of Transposable Elements of the Human Genome in Neuronal Function and Pathology. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105847. [PMID: 35628657 PMCID: PMC9148063 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) have been extensively studied for decades. In recent years, the introduction of whole-genome and whole-transcriptome approaches, as well as single-cell resolution techniques, provided a breakthrough that uncovered TE involvement in host gene expression regulation underlying multiple normal and pathological processes. Of particular interest is increased TE activity in neuronal tissue, and specifically in the hippocampus, that was repeatedly demonstrated in multiple experiments. On the other hand, numerous neuropathologies are associated with TE dysregulation. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of literature about the role of TEs in neurons published over the last three decades. The first chapter of the present review describes known mechanisms of TE interaction with host genomes in general, with the focus on mammalian and human TEs; the second chapter provides examples of TE exaptation in normal neuronal tissue, including TE involvement in neuronal differentiation and plasticity; and the last chapter lists TE-related neuropathologies. We sought to provide specific molecular mechanisms of TE involvement in neuron-specific processes whenever possible; however, in many cases, only phenomenological reports were available. This underscores the importance of further studies in this area.
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44
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Zhu M, Pan J, Tong X, Qiu Q, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Sun S, Feng Y, Xue R, Cao G, Hu X, Gong C. BmCPV-Derived Circular DNA vcDNA-S7 Mediated by Bombyx mori Reverse Transcriptase (RT) Regulates BmCPV Infection. Front Immunol 2022; 13:861007. [PMID: 35371040 PMCID: PMC8964962 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.861007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Circular DNAs derived from single-stranded RNA viruses play important roles in counteracting viral infection. However, whether double-stranded RNA viruses generate functional circular DNAs is still unknown. Using circDNA sequencing, divergent PCR, DNA in situ hybridization and rolling circular amplification, we presently confirmed that in silkworm, Bombyx mori cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (BmCPV), a double-stranded RNA virus belonging to cypovirus, is prone to produce a BmCPV-derived circular DNA termed as vcDNA-S7. We have also found that vcDNA-S7 formation is mediated by endogenous reverse transcriptase (RT), and the proliferation of BmCPV can be inhibited by vcDNA-S7 in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we have discovered that the silkworm RNAi immune pathway is activated by vcDNA-S7, while viral small interfering RNAs (vsiRNAs) derived from transcribed RNA by vcDNA-S7 can be detected by small RNA deep sequencing. These results suggest that BmCPV-derived vcDNA-S7, mediated by RT, can serve as a template for the biogenesis of antiviral siRNAs, which may lead to the repression of BmCPV infection. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that a circular DNA, produced by double stranded RNA viruses, is capable of regulating virus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Zhu
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jun Pan
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xinyu Tong
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Qunnan Qiu
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xing Zhang
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yaxin Zhang
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Sufei Sun
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yongjie Feng
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Renyu Xue
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Guangli Cao
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xiaolong Hu
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.,Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology and Ecological Research, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Chengliang Gong
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.,Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology and Ecological Research, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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PRMT7 ablation stimulates anti-tumor immunity and sensitizes melanoma to immune checkpoint blockade. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110582. [PMID: 35354055 PMCID: PMC9838175 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the success of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy for cancer, resistance and relapse are frequent. Combination therapies are expected to enhance response rates and overcome this resistance. Herein, we report that combining PRMT7 inhibition with ICI therapy induces a strong anti-tumor T cell immunity and restrains tumor growth in vivo by increasing immune cell infiltration. PRMT7-deficient B16.F10 melanoma exhibits increased expression of genes in the interferon pathway, antigen presentation, and chemokine signaling. PRMT7 deficiency or inhibition with SGC3027 in B16.F10 melanoma results in reduced DNMT expression, loss of DNA methylation in the regulatory regions of endogenous retroviral elements (ERVs) causing their increased expression. PRMT7-deficient cells increase RIG-I and MDA5 expression with a reduction in the H4R3me2s repressive histone mark at their gene promoters. Our findings identify PRMT7 as a regulatory checkpoint for RIG-I, MDA5, and their ERV-double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) ligands, facilitating immune escape and anti-tumor T cell immunity to restrain tumor growth.
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Jayewickreme R, Mao T, Philbrick W, Kong Y, Treger RS, Lu P, Rakib T, Dong H, Dang-Lawson M, Guild WA, Lau TJ, Iwasaki A, Tokuyama M. Endogenous Retroviruses Provide Protection Against Vaginal HSV-2 Disease. Front Immunol 2022; 12:758721. [PMID: 35058919 PMCID: PMC8764156 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.758721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are genomic sequences that originated from retroviruses and are present in most eukaryotic genomes. Both beneficial and detrimental functions are attributed to ERVs, but whether ERVs contribute to antiviral immunity is not well understood. Here, we used herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection as a model and found that Toll-like receptor 7 (Tlr7 -/-) deficient mice that have high systemic levels of infectious ERVs are protected from intravaginal HSV-2 infection and disease, compared to wildtype C57BL/6 mice. We deleted the endogenous ecotropic murine leukemia virus (Emv2) locus on the Tlr7 -/- background (Emv2 -/- Tlr7 -/-) and found that Emv2 -/- Tlr7 -/- mice lose protection against HSV-2 infection. Intravaginal application of purified ERVs from Tlr7-/- mice prior to HSV-2 infection delays disease in both wildtype and highly susceptible interferon-alpha receptor-deficient (Ifnar1- /-) mice. However, intravaginal ERV treatment did not protect Emv2-/-Tlr7-/- mice from HSV-2 disease, suggesting that the protective mechanism mediated by exogenous ERV treatment may differ from that of constitutively and systemically expressed ERVs in Tlr7-/- mice. We did not observe enhanced type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling in the vaginal tissues from Tlr7-/- mice, and instead found enrichment in genes associated with extracellular matrix organization. Together, our results revealed that constitutive and/or systemic expression of ERVs protect mice against vaginal HSV-2 infection and delay disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radeesha Jayewickreme
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Tianyang Mao
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - William Philbrick
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Yong Kong
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, W.M. Keck Foundation Biotechnology Resource Laboratory, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Rebecca S Treger
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Peiwen Lu
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Tasfia Rakib
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Huiping Dong
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - May Dang-Lawson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - W Austin Guild
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Tatiana J Lau
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Akiko Iwasaki
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, United States
| | - Maria Tokuyama
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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47
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Bonaventura P, Alcazer V, Mutez V, Tonon L, Martin J, Chuvin N, Michel E, Boulos RE, Estornes Y, Valladeau-Guilemond J, Viari A, Wang Q, Caux C, Depil S. Identification of shared tumor epitopes from endogenous retroviruses inducing high-avidity cytotoxic T cells for cancer immunotherapy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabj3671. [PMID: 35080970 PMCID: PMC8791462 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj3671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) represent 8% of the human genome. HERV products may represent tumor antigens relevant for cancer immunotherapy. We developed a bioinformatic approach to identify shared CD8+ T cell epitopes derived from cancer-associated HERVs in solid tumors. Six candidates among the most commonly shared HLA-A2 epitopes with evidence of translation were selected for immunological evaluation. In vitro priming assays confirmed the immunogenicity of these epitopes, which induced high-avidity CD8+ T cell clones. These T cells specifically recognize and kill HLA-A2+ tumor cells presenting HERV epitopes on HLA molecules, as demonstrated by mass spectrometry. Furthermore, epitope-specific CD8+ T cells were identified by dextramer staining among tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes from HLA-A2+ patients with breast cancer. Last, we showed that HERV-specific T cells lyse patient-derived organoids. These shared virus-like epitopes are of major interest for the development of cancer vaccines or T cell-based immunotherapies, especially in tumors with low/intermediate mutational burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Bonaventura
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon (CRCL), UMR INSERM U1052 CNRS 5286, Lyon, France
- Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Vincent Alcazer
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon (CRCL), UMR INSERM U1052 CNRS 5286, Lyon, France
| | | | - Laurie Tonon
- Synergie Lyon Cancer, Plateforme de bioinformatique « Gilles Thomas », Lyon, France
| | - Juliette Martin
- CNRS-Institut de Biologie et Chimie des Protéines UMR 5086, Lyon, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Alain Viari
- Synergie Lyon Cancer, Plateforme de bioinformatique « Gilles Thomas », Lyon, France
| | | | - Christophe Caux
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon (CRCL), UMR INSERM U1052 CNRS 5286, Lyon, France
- Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Stéphane Depil
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon (CRCL), UMR INSERM U1052 CNRS 5286, Lyon, France
- Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
- ErVaccine Technologies, Lyon, France
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
- Corresponding author.
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48
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Zhao M, Xia T, Xing J, Yin L, Li X, Pan J, Liu J, Sun L, Wang M, Li T, Mao J, Han Q, Xue W, Cai H, Wang K, Xu X, Li T, He K, Wang N, Li A, Zhou T, Zhang X, Li W, Li T. The stress granule protein G3BP1 promotes pre-condensation of cGAS to allow rapid responses to DNA. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e53166. [PMID: 34779554 PMCID: PMC8728604 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202153166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) functions as a key sensor for microbial invasion and cellular damage by detecting emerging cytosolic DNA. Here, we report that GTPase-activating protein-(SH3 domain)-binding protein 1 (G3BP1) primes cGAS for its prompt activation by engaging cGAS in a primary liquid-phase condensation state. Using high-resolution microscopy, we show that in resting cells, cGAS exhibits particle-like morphological characteristics, which are markedly weakened when G3BP1 is deleted. Upon DNA challenge, the pre-condensed cGAS undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) more efficiently. Importantly, G3BP1 deficiency or its inhibition dramatically diminishes DNA-induced LLPS and the subsequent activation of cGAS. Interestingly, RNA, previously reported to form condensates with cGAS, does not activate cGAS. Accordingly, we find that DNA - but not RNA - treatment leads to the dissociation of G3BP1 from cGAS. Taken together, our study shows that the primary condensation state of cGAS is critical for its rapid response to DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
| | - Tian Xia
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
| | - Jia‐Qing Xing
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
| | - Le‐Hua Yin
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
| | - Xiao‐Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
| | - Jie Pan
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
| | - Jia‐Yu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
| | - Li‐Ming Sun
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
| | - Miao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
| | - Tingting Li
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
- Nanhu LaboratoryJiaxingChina
| | - Jie Mao
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
| | - Qiu‐Ying Han
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
- Nanhu LaboratoryJiaxingChina
| | - Wen Xue
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
- Nanhu LaboratoryJiaxingChina
| | - Hong Cai
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
| | - Kai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
| | - Xin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
| | - Teng Li
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
| | - Kun He
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
| | - Na Wang
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
| | - Ai‐Ling Li
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
- Nanhu LaboratoryJiaxingChina
| | - Tao Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
- Nanhu LaboratoryJiaxingChina
| | - Xue‐Min Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
- Nanhu LaboratoryJiaxingChina
- School of Basic Medical SciencesFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Wei‐Hua Li
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
| | - Tao Li
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsNational Center of Biomedical AnalysisBeijingChina
- Nanhu LaboratoryJiaxingChina
- School of Basic Medical SciencesFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
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49
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Peze-Heidsieck E, Bonnifet T, Znaidi R, Ravel-Godreuil C, Massiani-Beaudoin O, Joshi RL, Fuchs J. Retrotransposons as a Source of DNA Damage in Neurodegeneration. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 13:786897. [PMID: 35058771 PMCID: PMC8764243 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.786897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The etiology of aging-associated neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), still remains elusive and no curative treatment is available. Age is the major risk factor for PD and AD, but the molecular link between aging and neurodegeneration is not fully understood. Aging is defined by several hallmarks, some of which partially overlap with pathways implicated in NDs. Recent evidence suggests that aging-associated epigenetic alterations can lead to the derepression of the LINE-1 (Long Interspersed Element-1) family of transposable elements (TEs) and that this derepression might have important implications in the pathogenesis of NDs. Almost half of the human DNA is composed of repetitive sequences derived from TEs and TE mobility participated in shaping the mammalian genomes during evolution. Although most TEs are mutated and no longer mobile, more than 100 LINE-1 elements have retained their full coding potential in humans and are thus retrotransposition competent. Uncontrolled activation of TEs has now been reported in various models of neurodegeneration and in diseased human brain tissues. We will discuss in this review the potential contribution of LINE-1 elements in inducing DNA damage and genomic instability, which are emerging pathological features in NDs. TEs might represent an important molecular link between aging and neurodegeneration, and a potential target for urgently needed novel therapeutic disease-modifying interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Julia Fuchs
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), CNRS, INSERM, Collège de France, Université PSL, Paris, France
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50
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Latifi T, Zebardast A, Marashi SM. The role of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) in Multiple Sclerosis and the plausible interplay between HERVs, Epstein-Barr virus infection, and vitamin D. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2022; 57:103318. [PMID: 35158423 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.103318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is one of the chronic inflammatory diseases with neurological disability in the central nervous system (CNS). Although the exact cause of MS is still largely unknown, both genetic and environmental factors are thought to play a role in disease risk. Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs) are endogenous viral elements of the human genome whose expression is associated with MS. HERVs are normally silenced or expressed at low levels, although their expression is higher in MS than in the healthy population. Several studies highlighted the plausible interaction between HERVs and other MS risk factors, including viral infection like Epstein-Barr viruses and vitamin D deficiency which may lead to high expression of HERVs in these patients. Understanding how HERVs act in this scenario can improve our understanding towards MS etiology and may lead to the development of antiretroviral therapies in these patients. Here in this review, we try to examine the different HERVs expression implicated in MS and their association with EBV infection and vitamin D status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tayebeh Latifi
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Arghavan Zebardast
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sayed Mahdi Marashi
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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