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Li C, Hendrikse NW, Argall-Knapp Z, Mai M, Kim JS. In Vitro Neutrophil-Bacteria Assay in Whole Blood Microenvironments with Single-Cell Confinement. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.22.576723. [PMID: 38328183 PMCID: PMC10849536 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.22.576723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Blood is a common medium through which invasive bacterial infections disseminate in the human body. In vitro neutrophil-bacteria assays allow flexible mechanistic studies and screening of interventional strategies. In standard neutrophil-bacteria assays, both the immune cells and microorganisms are typically interrogated in an exogenous, homogeneous, bulk fluid environment (e.g., culture media or bacterial broth in microtiter plates), lacking the relevant physicochemical factors in the heterogenous blood-tissue microenvironment (e.g., capillary bed) with single-cell confinement. Here we present an in vitro neutrophil-bacteria assay by leveraging an open microfluidic model known as "μ-Blood" that supports sub-microliter liquid microchannels with single-cell confinement. In this study we compare the exogenous and endogenous fluids including neutrophils in RPMI (standard suspension cell culture media) and whole blood in response to Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus , a gram-positive, non-motile bacterium) in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), Mueller Hinton Broth (MHB), and human serum. Our results reveal a significant disparity between the exogenous and endogenous fluid microenvironments in the growth kinetics of bacteria, the spontaneous generation of capillary (i.e., Marangoni) flow, and the outcome of neutrophil intervention on the spreading bacteria.
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Kübler R, Ormel PR, Sommer IEC, Kahn RS, de Witte LD. Gene expression profiling of monocytes in recent-onset schizophrenia. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 111:334-342. [PMID: 37149105 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune-related mechanisms have been suggested to be involved in schizophrenia. Various studies have shown changes in monocytes isolated from the blood of schizophrenia patients, including changes in monocyte numbers, as well as altered protein and transcript levels of important markers. However, validation of these findings and understanding how these results are related to immune-related changes in the brain and schizophrenia genetic risk factors, is limited. The goal of this study was to better understand changes observed in monocytes of patients with early-onset schizophrenia. Using RNA sequencing, we analyzed gene expression profiles of monocytes isolated from twenty patients with early-onset schizophrenia and seventeen healthy controls. We validated expression changes of 7 out of 29 genes that were differentially expressed in previous studies including TNFAIP3, DUSP2, and IL6. At a transcriptome-wide level, we found 99 differentially expressed genes. Effect sizes of differentially expressed genes were moderately correlated with differential expression in brain tissue (Pearson's r = 0.49). Upregulated genes were enriched for genes in NF-κB and LPS signaling pathways. Downregulated genes were enriched for glucocorticoid response pathways. These pathways have been implicated in schizophrenia before and play a role in regulating the activation of myeloid cells. Interestingly, they are also involved in several non-inflammatory processes in the central nervous system, such as neurogenesis and neurotransmission. Future studies are needed to better understand how dysregulation of the NF-κB and glucocorticoid pathways affects inflammatory and non-inflammatory processes in schizophrenia. The fact that dysregulation of these pathways is also seen in brain tissue, provides potential possibilities for biomarker development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Kübler
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Paul R Ormel
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Iris E C Sommer
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - René S Kahn
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Lot D de Witte
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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3
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Mons E, Kim RQ, Mulder MPC. Technologies for Direct Detection of Covalent Protein—Drug Adducts. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:ph16040547. [PMID: 37111304 PMCID: PMC10146396 DOI: 10.3390/ph16040547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In the past two decades, drug candidates with a covalent binding mode have gained the interest of medicinal chemists, as several covalent anticancer drugs have successfully reached the clinic. As a covalent binding mode changes the relevant parameters to rank inhibitor potency and investigate structure-activity relationship (SAR), it is important to gather experimental evidence on the existence of a covalent protein–drug adduct. In this work, we review established methods and technologies for the direct detection of a covalent protein–drug adduct, illustrated with examples from (recent) drug development endeavors. These technologies include subjecting covalent drug candidates to mass spectrometric (MS) analysis, protein crystallography, or monitoring intrinsic spectroscopic properties of the ligand upon covalent adduct formation. Alternatively, chemical modification of the covalent ligand is required to detect covalent adducts by NMR analysis or activity-based protein profiling (ABPP). Some techniques are more informative than others and can also elucidate the modified amino acid residue or bond layout. We will discuss the compatibility of these techniques with reversible covalent binding modes and the possibilities to evaluate reversibility or obtain kinetic parameters. Finally, we expand upon current challenges and future applications. Overall, these analytical techniques present an integral part of covalent drug development in this exciting new era of drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elma Mons
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Robbert Q. Kim
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Monique P. C. Mulder
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
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Strøbech JE, Giuriatti P, Stagaard R, De Sepulveda P, Nielsen SR, Erler JT. FES null mice demonstrate a reduction in neutrophil dependent pancreatic cancer metastatic burden. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1096499. [PMID: 36969004 PMCID: PMC10034081 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1096499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) have a dismal 5-year survival rate of less than 10%, predominantly due to delayed diagnosis and a lack of effective treatment options. In the PDAC tumor microenvironment (TME), neutrophils are among the immune cell types that are most prevalent and are linked to a poor clinical prognosis. However, treatments that target tumor-associated neutrophils are limited despite recent developments in our understanding of neutrophil function in cancer. The feline sarcoma oncogene (FES) is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase previously associated with leukemia and hematopoietic homeostasis. Here we describe a newly derived FES null mouse with no distinct phenotype and no defects in hematopoietic homeostasis including neutrophil viability. The immune cell composition and neutrophil population were analyzed with flow cytometry, colony-forming unit (CFU) assay, and a neutrophil viability assay, while the response to PDAC was examined with an in vivo cancer model. In an experimental metastasis model, the FES null model displayed a reduced PDAC hepatic metastatic burden and a reduction in neutrophils granulocytes. Accordingly, our results indicate FES as a potential target for PDAC TME modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan E. Strøbech
- Biotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Copenhagen, Denmark
- *Correspondence: Jan E. Strøbech, ; Janine T. Erler,
| | - Pietro Giuriatti
- Biotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rikke Stagaard
- Biotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Paulo De Sepulveda
- Cancer Research Center of Marseille (CRCM), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Aix-Marseille University, Institute Paoli-Calmettes, Marseilles, France
| | - Sebastian R. Nielsen
- Biotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Janine T. Erler
- Biotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Copenhagen, Denmark
- *Correspondence: Jan E. Strøbech, ; Janine T. Erler,
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Tomaszewski M, Morris AP, Howson JMM, Franceschini N, Eales JM, Xu X, Dikalov S, Guzik TJ, Humphreys BD, Harrap S, Charchar FJ. Kidney omics in hypertension: from statistical associations to biological mechanisms and clinical applications. Kidney Int 2022; 102:492-505. [PMID: 35690124 PMCID: PMC9886011 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2022.04.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hypertension is a major cardiovascular disease risk factor and contributor to premature death globally. Family-based investigations confirmed a significant heritable component of blood pressure (BP), whereas genome-wide association studies revealed >1000 common and rare genetic variants associated with BP and/or hypertension. The kidney is not only an organ of key relevance to BP regulation and the development of hypertension, but it also acts as the tissue mediator of genetic predisposition to hypertension. The identity of kidney genes, pathways, and related mechanisms underlying the genetic associations with BP has started to emerge through integration of genomics with kidney transcriptomics, epigenomics, and other omics as well as through applications of causal inference, such as Mendelian randomization. Single-cell methods further enabled mapping of BP-associated kidney genes to cell types, and in conjunction with other omics, started to illuminate the biological mechanisms underpinning associations of BP-associated genetic variants and kidney genes. Polygenic risk scores derived from genome-wide association studies and refined on kidney omics hold the promise of enhanced diagnostic prediction, whereas kidney omics-informed drug discovery is likely to contribute new therapeutic opportunities for hypertension and hypertension-mediated kidney damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Tomaszewski
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Biology and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; Manchester Heart Centre and Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.
| | - Andrew P Morris
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics Versus Arthritis, Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Joanna M M Howson
- Department of Genetics, Novo Nordisk Research Centre Oxford, Novo Nordisk Ltd, Oxford, UK
| | - Nora Franceschini
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - James M Eales
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Biology and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Xiaoguang Xu
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Biology and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Sergey Dikalov
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Tomasz J Guzik
- Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK; Department of Internal and Agricultural Medicine, Jagiellonian University College of Medicine, Kraków, Poland
| | - Benjamin D Humphreys
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Stephen Harrap
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Fadi J Charchar
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Health Innovation and Transformation Centre, School of Science, Psychology and Sport, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia; Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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Rezende Miranda R, Zhang C. Reactivity-based chemical-genetic study of protein kinases. RSC Med Chem 2022; 13:783-797. [PMID: 35923719 PMCID: PMC9298188 DOI: 10.1039/d1md00389e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The human protein kinase superfamily comprises over 500 members that operate in nearly every signal transduction pathway and regulate essential cellular processes. Deciphering the functional roles of protein kinases with small-molecule inhibitors is essential to enhance our understanding of cell signaling and to facilitate the development of new therapies. However, it is rather challenging to identify selective kinase inhibitors because of the conserved nature of the ATP binding site. A number of chemical-genetic approaches have been developed during the past two decades to enable selective chemical perturbation of the activity of individual kinases. Herein, we review the development and application of chemical-genetic strategies that feature the use of covalent inhibitors targeting cysteine residues to dissect the cellular functions of protein kinases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Rezende Miranda
- Department of Chemistry, Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, University of Southern California Los Angeles California 90089 USA
- Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester New York 14623 USA
| | - Chao Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, University of Southern California Los Angeles California 90089 USA
- USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California Los Angeles California 90089 USA
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7
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Corsi GI, Gadekar VP, Gorodkin J, Seemann SE. CRISPRroots: on- and off-target assessment of RNA-seq data in CRISPR-Cas9 edited cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:e20. [PMID: 34850137 PMCID: PMC8887420 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing tool is used to study genomic variants and gene knockouts, and can be combined with transcriptomic analyses to measure the effects of such alterations on gene expression. But how can one be sure that differential gene expression is due to a successful intended edit and not to an off-target event, without performing an often resource-demanding genome-wide sequencing of the edited cell or strain? To address this question we developed CRISPRroots: CRISPR-Cas9-mediated edits with accompanying RNA-seq data assessed for on-target and off-target sites. Our method combines Cas9 and guide RNA binding properties, gene expression changes, and sequence variants between edited and non-edited cells to discover potential off-targets. Applied on seven public datasets, CRISPRroots identified critical off-target candidates that were overlooked in all of the corresponding previous studies. CRISPRroots is available via https://rth.dk/resources/crispr.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia I Corsi
- Center for non-coding RNA in Technology and Health, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 57, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Veerendra P Gadekar
- Center for non-coding RNA in Technology and Health, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 57, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Jan Gorodkin
- Center for non-coding RNA in Technology and Health, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 57, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Stefan E Seemann
- Center for non-coding RNA in Technology and Health, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 57, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark
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8
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Serafim RAM, Elkins JM, Zuercher WJ, Laufer SA, Gehringer M. Chemical Probes for Understudied Kinases: Challenges and Opportunities. J Med Chem 2021; 65:1132-1170. [PMID: 34477374 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Over 20 years after the approval of the first-in-class protein kinase inhibitor imatinib, the biological function of a significant fraction of the human kinome remains poorly understood while most research continues to be focused on few well-validated targets. Given the strong genetic evidence for involvement of many kinases in health and disease, the understudied fraction of the kinome holds a large and unexplored potential for future therapies. Specific chemical probes are indispensable tools to interrogate biology enabling proper preclinical validation of novel kinase targets. In this Perspective, we highlight recent case studies illustrating the development of high-quality chemical probes for less-studied kinases and their application in target validation. We spotlight emerging techniques and approaches employed in the generation of chemical probes for protein kinases and beyond and discuss the associated challenges and opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo A M Serafim
- Department of Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jonathan M Elkins
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - William J Zuercher
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Stefan A Laufer
- Department of Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided & Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.,Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Matthias Gehringer
- Department of Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided & Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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